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[fenners]

Thought you guys would appreciate this advert from this week's Austin Chronicle (the local alternative weekly):

 

[Macam]

While the ThinkProgress story was bogus, the NYT story was exceptional and was the first time a media outlet put all of Issa's business dealings and conflicts of interests side-by-side. Issa is my congressman and I would love nothing more than to see him disgraced/voted out of office.

It's a shame our local media has pretended the NYT article never existed. They have never mentioned a single negative word about Issa's business dealings. I'm trying to get an opinion/letter published in the local paper just so someone will finally speak out about Issa's blatant corruption.

But Issa brings home the pork so he has a lot the local politicians and businesses under his thumb. He's basically become untouchable. A half billion dollars in wealth (much of it made while he has been a Senator) will do that.

Tell me about it. He ain't mine thankfully, be he represents an area just north of where I'm at. He's a Grade A schmuck.

Oh, and Gov. Perry?

Texas unemployment rate hits its highest mark since 1987:

The Texas unemployment rate hit 8.4 percent in July — its highest mark since 1987.

Texas added 29,300 jobs in the month, but the unemployment rate increased from 8.2 percent to 8.4 percent. The private sector added 38,700 jobs, but Texas lost almost 10,000 government jobs.

Gov. Rick Perry wants to center his campaign around jobs, so the rate’s movement up and down is important. Perry and his team want to create a contrast between Texas and the country, which had a 9.1 percent unemployment rate in July. The national unemployment rate in July ticked down a tenth of a point, from 9.2 percent in June.

The state-versus-national rate has given Perry plenty of fodder over the last couple of years. But in July, 26 states had lower unemployment rates than Texas.

 

[eznark]

Heh. I was more referring to the "become a talking head" point you made. I think if he's going to get out of the race (and he probably should, though if he was take a couple more principled stands in the current primaries that could only help his case later on), he should go do something more productive than talking about what he's going to do the next time he takes his shot.

I don't know that much about him, but from what I've lazily googled, it seemed like Gary Johnson was libertarian without being insane, and I wish he could get more MSM attention. Especially since he's also a former governor.

It depends on what you mean by "productive." There is nothing more productive to winning the Presidency than free, constant publicity. Had Romney just gone away and not been a FOX news fixture, I don't think he'd have any real lead on anyone.

If you mean productive like do something good for the world, if that's his desire he wouldn't be a politician.

 

[besada]

Texas unemployment rate hits its highest mark since 1987

I'm not sure how effective that's going to be, considering that number is still below the national average. Saying that the worst unemployment in Texas in nearly 25 years is .7% below the national average doesn't exactly destroy his argument that he's better at managing unemployment than the federal government.

And can I just say that our previous high was the year I graduated high school?

 

[Tim the Wiz]

And Holy SHIT

Bachmann: The American people are worried about the rise of the Soviet Union!

I fervently hope Romney wins the primaries. If there has to be a Republican administration, at least his will be relatively competent and sane. Holy shit.

:LOL

 

[Flying_Phoenix]

I've been thinking a lot about the cautious nature of our current President. Do you think it's partially because he carries the weight of being the first minority President? Afraid to be too bold or risk the public turning against him and ruining it for future minority candidates ("Oh great, another Obama!")? In the same way that Jimmy Carter's presidency made it difficult for mainstream liberals to run thereafter.

I know it's wildly speculative and in no way something you can prove, but it strikes me as odd his first three years in office in comparison to his Senate career. Where he was not afraid to lash out at his opponents or carry an opinion that went against the majority. Obama is a student of the past Presidents, so you wonder if his place in American history has played any decision into his leadership choices.

I have four theories:

#1 He doesn't want to appear too "radical" as he wants to be reelected.

#2 He is tremendously afraid of being seen as an "angry black man". This may seem silly but think about it, this is a country in which a significant amount of people believed that he is a Muslim as well as him not being born in the country...

#3 Remember when people were hounding Obama for the "lack of experience" in 2008? Well maybe those quotations weren't necessary. He may be very naive in the fact that he believes that he can actually change and convince the Republicans with his "compromises".

#4 Two or more of the above.

 

[eznark]

#3 Remember when people were hounding Obama for the "lack of experience" in 2008? Well maybe those quotations weren't necessary. He may be very naive in the fact that he believes that he can actually change and convince the Republicans with his "compromises".

This more than anything. Governors deal with the same petty bullshit constantly. What we are seeing now on a national stage is what states have been dealing with for the entire decade as they try to get their finances "fight." I think his lack of experience has forced him to lean too heavily on too many people and has made Obama indecisive, weak and aimless. At this point, what is his administration even trying to accomplish? Does he have stated goals outside of generic talking points that small town mayors trot out? We want to create jobs...I'll let you know how I plan on doing that soon as I get back from this vacation, k?

For a guy who rose to fame and fortune as a trans-formative, transcendent figure he has been tepid and non-committal in almost everything he has done. It has to be lack of experience fueling that lack of political courage.

 

[Macam]

I'm not sure how effective that's going to be, considering that number is still below the national average. Saying that the worst unemployment in Texas in nearly 25 years is .7% below the national average doesn't exactly destroy his argument that he's better at managing unemployment than the federal government.

And can I just say that our previous high was the year I graduated high school?

Destroy? Of course not. Sour his 'everything is rosy in Texas because of me' view? Sure.

The sooner that line starts falling flat (as it should) for him, the better.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Yea, I remember watching a few Jackie Robinson documentaries. Damn the guy took a lot of shit just to prove a point to white america. Sometimes I think we forget how tough it must be to be the first black president of the united states. I don't how Obama puts up with some of the shit he sees and hears on a daily basis.

 

[Baraka in the White House]

This more than anything. Governors deal with the same petty bullshit constantly. What we are seeing now on a national stage is what states have been dealing with for the entire decade as they try to get their finances "fight." I think his lack of experience has forced him to lean too heavily on too many people and has made Obama indecisive, weak and aimless. At this point, what is his administration even trying to accomplish? Does he have stated goals outside of generic talking points that small town mayors trot out? We want to create jobs...I'll let you know how I plan on doing that soon as I get back from this vacation, k?

For a guy who rose to fame and fortune as a trans-formative, transcendent figure he has been tepid and non-committal in almost everything he has done. It has to be lack of experience fueling that lack of political courage.

I think you're on the money for the most part but I also think he was totally caught off guard when his presidency spawned the Angry Butthurt White People Party, with whom which Republicans quickly climbed into bed with in order to regain some populist appeal.

Once the election was done I think he expected everyone to put their egos aside and get to work. Heh.

 

[eznark]

I think you're on the money for the most part but I also think he was totally caught off guard when his presidency spawned the Angry Butthurt White People Party, with whom which Republicans quickly climbed into bed with in order to regain some populist appeal.

Once the election was done I think he expected everyone to put their egos aside and get to work. Heh.

Then he is a blind fool. The American people were against the Bush bailouts in just about every case and he was continuing that. If he didn't see that there would be some sort of backlash he has the least foresight of any human being ever. The sentiment was building well before Obama was elected, though that doesn't fit the "tea party is racist" story line so most try and bury that face.

 

[Dan]

http://i.imgur.com/7T4AC.gif

Is this from something? What's the story?

I wouldnt be surprised if he quits his governor position to "focus on the 2012 election"....when in reality, he'd be bailing out on a state he screwed over and left to die.

This is why I had little doubt that he would run in 2012. If he doesn't try to make it out of the state before all his policies really take hold of Texas and turn it into obvious shit, he'll never make it higher. He needs to get out ahead of the major downturn. Unfortunately for him, he's still late thanks to when the election takes place.

 

[Puddles]

Yep, no one liked the idea of bank bailouts when 750k jobs were being cut every month, and people were being foreclosed on left and right.

If Obama had gone with a "homeowners bailout" at the same time, he'd have made 10x as many friends. And I mean a real one, not that half of a half measure that he ended up doing.


But the biggest lost opportunity of all was Obama's refusal to TAX THE GODDAMN BONUSES. That was his biggest chance to capture the force of a huge tide of populist anger, and he just let it slip away like a goddamn moron.

 

[Invisible_Insane]

Yep, no one liked the idea of bank bailouts when 750k jobs were being cut every month, and people were being foreclosed on left and right.

If Obama had gone with a "homeowners bailout" at the same time, he'd have made 10x as many friends. And I mean a real one, not that half of a half measure that he ended up doing.


But the biggest lost opportunity of all was Obama's refusal to TAX THE GODDAMN BONUSES. That was his biggest chance to capture the force of a huge tide of populist anger, and he just let it slip away like a goddamn moron.

How can you mention failure to systematically restructure debt and "not taxing bonuses," (can people, for the love of God, remember that Congress is responsible for such things), and see the latter as the biggest failure? Are you mad?

Housing is still a huge drag on the economy and forcing banks to restructure debt in exchange for bailouts would have had huge positive economic repurcussions. We would have maybe recovered a billion dollars from a probably unconstitutional attempt to tax bonuses. Perspective. Get some.

 

[GaimeGuy]

Yep, no one liked the idea of bank bailouts when 750k jobs were being cut every month, and people were being foreclosed on left and right.

If Obama had gone with a "homeowners bailout" at the same time, he'd have made 10x as many friends. And I mean a real one, not that half of a half measure that he ended up doing.


But the biggest lost opportunity of all was Obama's refusal to TAX THE GODDAMN BONUSES. That was his biggest chance to capture the force of a huge tide of populist anger, and he just let it slip away like a goddamn moron.

um... the bank bailouts (TARP) was passed under bush. And did you forget about the mortgage restructuring plan and new homeowners tax credit initiatives obama passed?

 

[eznark]

How can you mention failure to systematically restructure debt and "not taxing bonuses," (can people, for the love of God, remember that Congress is responsible for such things), and see the latter as the biggest failure? Are you mad?

Housing is still a huge drag on the economy and forcing banks to restructure debt in exchange for bailouts would have had huge positive economic repurcussions. We would have maybe recovered a billion dollars from a probably unconstitutional attempt to tax bonuses. Perspective. Get some.

Know who is generally good (or at least has a strategy) for dealing with legislative bodies? Executives.

Lack of experience is a real hindrance.

 

[Fenderputty]

um... the bank bailouts (TARP) was passed under bush. And did you forget about the mortgage restructuring plan and new homeowners tax credit initiatives obama passed?

I sure enjoyed my 8K tax refund for purchasing.

 

[eznark]

I sure enjoyed my 8K tax refund for purchasing.

Plus, look at how wonderfully that scheme turned around the housing market! (I enjoyed flipping a few properties during that time though!)

 

[Puddles]

How can you mention failure to systematically restructure debt and "not taxing bonuses," (can people, for the love of God, remember that Congress is responsible for such things), and see the latter as the biggest failure? Are you mad?

Housing is still a huge drag on the economy and forcing banks to restructure debt in exchange for bailouts would have had huge positive economic repurcussions. We would have maybe recovered a billion dollars from a probably unconstitutional attempt to tax bonuses. Perspective. Get some.

Let me be clear: I see the former as the bigger policy failure. However, the latter was his best chance to get the tidal wave of populist anger on his side. Blaming Congress is meaningless when you consider that Obama never even backed the idea.

 

[GaimeGuy]

Know who is generally good (or at least has a strategy) for dealing with legislative bodies? Executives.

Lack of experience is a real hindrance.

stubbornness on the part of the legislatures is more to blame. Look at the negotiations obama had with regards to the debt ceiling deals. By all accounts, he was being tough as nails at the negotiating table with Cantor and Boehner while still providing very generous offers, and they walked out on him, gave him the cold shoulder, and ignored phone calls.

Obama may not have experience, but I've seen nothing to indicate any naivete on his part has played a bigger role in his failures than incompetent senate leaders and rigid saboteurs and ideologues on the right.

 

[Clevinger]

Know who is generally good (or at least has a strategy) for dealing with legislative bodies? Executives.

Lack of experience is a real hindrance.

Cool. So if he gets reelected, he'll probably become awesome in his second term because of all that experience he got dealing with the biggest legislative body.

Oh wait, that's probably not going to happen because it has fuck all to do with experience.

 

[ReBurn]

Oh, and Gov. Perry?

Texas unemployment rate hits its highest mark since 1987:

What's cool about this is that unemployment is now the fault of state governors and not the president. Bush and Obama off the hook now?

 

[GaimeGuy]

Plus, look at how wonderfully that scheme turned around the housing market! (I enjoyed flipping a few properties during that time though!)

In my opinion, flipping properties is one of the most shameful ways at making a quick buck. It fucks with housing prices, makes it more difficult for the vast majority of individuals to obtain their own place of residence, and destabilizes the value of the most valuable asset the middle class can have to their name.

If you want ot play games to make a quick buck, do it in a way that doesn't fuck over the little guy.

 

[Averon]

It doesn't matter how much experience you have if the other side doesn't want to negotiate with you in good faith.

 

[eznark]

Cool. So if he gets reelected, he'll probably become awesome in his second term because of all that experience he got dealing with the biggest legislative body.

Oh wait, that's probably not going to happen because it has fuck all to do with experience.

Awesome? Probably not (not from where I sit surely). Better? Of course. It'sa complex and complicated job that no position can possibly prepare you for, but governor is about as close as you can get. I imagine he is not a complete buffoon, so like any normal person he will learn from all of his past struggles and be more effective as a leader in his second term, I would hope.

As far as having fuck all to do with it, that's kind of baffling. So being the President is the only activity in life where prior similar experiences have "fuck all" to do with dealing with present similar situations? I mean I know the job is unique but wow, that's something else.

In my opinion, flipping properties is one of the most shameful ways at making a quick buck.

Heh. I bought foreclosed half million dollar houses that sat on the market dragging down property values of neighbors for a year and had new owners living in them within 6 months. Yeah, what a scumbag I am! The neighbors fucking love me

 

[GaimeGuy]

it doesn't matter how much experience you have if the other doesn't want to negotiate with you in good faith.

That just means you weren't willing to compromise with them! </republican talking point on obama being a kenyan marxist socialist atheist muslim liberal>

 

[Vague]

Plus, look at how wonderfully that scheme turned around the housing market! (I enjoyed flipping a few properties during that time though!)

No you didn't. Unless you never owned a home previously and then somehow lived in those houses for three years as a primary resident. We had to prove we still lived in the house we claimed the 8k for when we bought it and that we never owned a home before it, just last month when we were contacted by the IRS, or we would have had to pay it back.

 

[Dan]

In my opinion, flipping properties is one of the most shameful ways at making a quick buck. It fucks with housing prices, makes it more difficult for the vast majority of individuals to obtain their own place of residence, and destabilizes the value of the most valuable asset the middle class can have to their name.

If you want ot play games to make a quick buck, do it in a way that doesn't fuck over the little guy.

I agree 100%. The housing market should have crashed. The stupid part was then inflating it again. Homes should be looked at as places to live, not investments.

 

[AlteredBeast]

No you didn't. Unless you never owned a home previously and then somehow lived in those houses for three years as a primary resident. We had to prove we still lived in the house we claimed the 8k for when we bought it and that we never owned a home before it, just last month when we were contacted by the IRS, or we would have had to pay it back.

Who is to say he wasnt flipping them in the interest of selling them to first time home buyers?

eznark is not a liar, afaik.

 

[ToxicAdam]

No you didn't. Unless you never owned a home previously and then somehow lived in those houses for three years as a primary resident. We had to prove we still lived in the house we claimed the 8k for when we bought it and that we never owned a home before it, just last month when we were contacted by the IRS, or we would have had to pay it back.

The IRS says approximately $513 million went to home buyers who did not really qualify for the first-time tax credit. The home buyer tax credit offered up to $8,000 to first-time home buyers and $6,500 to existing home owners who purchased a home in 2009 and 2010.

http://www.themreport.com/articles/irs-losses-millions-to-tax-cheats-2011-04-15

 

[Skiptastic]

I sure enjoyed my 8K tax refund for purchasing.

I bought my house in January 09, a week or two before they announced the plan for 8K first time homebuyers. So I got my house on the cheap AND there was no artificial inflation for the 8K refund.

 

[Dan]

Furthermore, I firmly believe it's retarded that people think houses should appreciate in value to worth a damn. We don't look at anything else we use like that. You get 0% back on investment when you rent. What's then wrong with getting say, 80% if you buy and later sell? The housing market is so damned screwed up overall.

 

[Vague]

http://www.themreport.com/articles/irs-losses-millions-to-tax-cheats-2011-04-15

Must be why they contacted us out of the blue to prove it all again. I imagine they are going through them all and in 5 years when they finally finish they will nail those people and retroactively murder them with outrageous interest.

One of my husbands co workers has claimed head of household while living alone for 5 years and putting random people as dependents and now they are crying because the IRS caught up and is bending them over.

 

[balladofwindfishes]

What's cool about this is that unemployment is now the fault of state governors and not the president. Bush and Obama off the hook now?

if Perry wants to take credit for Texas jobs (which he is), then this is his problem.

Besides, state's right and get the government out of jobs and what have you. You can't cry states rights and Perry makes jobs and then turn around and blame Obama when a state fails because they have terrible management.

 

[Averon]

What's cool about this is that unemployment is now the fault of state governors and not the president. Bush and Obama off the hook now?

If Perry wants the credit of Texas job growth, he's gonna have it take the fall of job loses as well. Can't have one without the other.

 

[GaimeGuy]

I agree 100%. The housing market should have crashed. The stupid part was then inflating it again. Homes should be looked at as places to live, not investments.

You put it in better terms. The majority of people really can't afford to look at their homes as investments rather than places to live.

 

[FLEABttn]

I sure enjoyed my 8K tax refund for purchasing.

Funny story about this. I got $8k and my grandpa came to see my house and said "I don't think the government should be giving money to people when they buy a house. But you? I'm glad you got it. You deserve it."

Oh grandpa.

 

[eznark]

No you didn't. Unless you never owned a home previously and then somehow lived in those houses for three years as a primary resident. We had to prove we still lived in the house we claimed the 8k for when we bought it and that we never owned a home before it, just last month when we were contacted by the IRS, or we would have had to pay it back.

Right, but it bolstered the market for that time period. Every single house we sold, the buyer used the credit. Artificial, government created demand.

 

[GaimeGuy]

Right, but it bolstered the market for that time period. Every single house we sold, the buyer used the credit. Artificial, government created demand.

you flipping houses doesn't do anything to make it easier for new homebuyers to get a home. It just inflates the prices so it's more expensive for new homebuyers and increases the value of already owned properties.

 

[ToxicAdam]

I don't have a problem with artificial demand as long as it's temporary and is being used in a crisis situation. Honestly, the stimulus bill should have had more of those gimmicks to enocurage people out of their shells.

 

[Rubenov]

What's cool about this is that unemployment is now the fault of state governors and not the president. Bush and Obama off the hook now?

Can't have your cake and eat it too. If Perry can claim credit for Texas' "job creation" then he should shoulder blame for any job loss as well.

Edit: Badly beaten.

 

[Macam]

What's cool about this is that unemployment is now the fault of state governors and not the president. Bush and Obama off the hook now?

What's cool about this is that you intentionally missed the point.

As Averon noted, it's about giving lie to the false claims of robust employment due to Gov. Perry's actions.

I don't buy into the notion that the executive branch, whether in Texas or Washington D.C., have altogether that much leeway in dealing with unemployment. That power, to the degree that it exists, relies on the legislature. You can talk about stimulus, tax cuts, housing programs and so forth, but the bulk of that work is done in the legislature.

 

[eznark]

you flipping houses doesn't do anything to make it easier for new homebuyers to get a home. It just inflates the prices so it's more expensive for new homebuyers and increases the value of already owned properties.

Maybe not, but it helped the neighboring properties. My goal wasn't to help people get into homes, it was to make money.

 

[ToxicAdam]

NYT takes a healthy dump on the Green Jobs revolution.

Job training programs intended for the clean economy have also failed to generate big numbers. The Economic Development Department in California reports that $59 million in state, federal and private money dedicated to green jobs training and apprenticeship has led to only 719 job placements — the equivalent of an $82,000 subsidy for each one.

If only we had a bogus revenue generating scheme to fund it all .. sigh ..

Advocates and entrepreneurs also blame Washington for the slow growth. Mr. Jones cited the failure of so-called cap and trade legislation, which would have cut carbon pollution and increased the cost of using fossil fuel, making alternative energy more competitive. Congressional Republicans have staunchly opposed cap-and-trade.

Mr. Haji of the Cleantech Group agrees. “Having a market mechanism that helps drive these new technologies would have made a significant difference,” he said. “Without that, the industry muddles along.”

 

[Puddles]

I'm sure most of us saw Warren Buffett's op-ed piece Stop Coddling the Super Rich.

I didn't really look around for reactions to it, but apparently Fox News was quick to respond, calling it class warfare and asking if Buffett is a socialist.

John Stewart's response to that was right on point:

Daily Show - Warren Buffet vs Wealthy Conservatives

Daily Show - The Poor's Free Ride is Over

It amazes me that Fox News continues to play the class warfare card in a time of complete economic stagnation, and it amazes me even more that they manage to keep their audience while running a message so completely out of touch with 90% of Americans. Their commentators use terms straight out of Atlas Shrugged: "moochers", "looters", "free-loaders", while suggesting that poor people aren't really poor because 99% of them have refrigerators.

Something is very, very wrong when this kind of messaging from Fox News is able to gain any traction whatsoever.

 

[eznark]

If Buffett really wanted to stop coddling the rich he would be calling for a wealth tax. His income could be taxed at 100% for the rest of his life and he'd see no appreciable affects. This is a great PR move for him, little else.

It's not the governments fault he doesn't pay what he considers his fair share, that blame lies solely with him.

 

[Byakuya769]

If Buffett really wanted to stop coddling the rich he would be calling for a wealth tax. His income could be taxed at 100% for the rest of his life and he'd see no appreciable affects. This is a great PR move for him, little else.

It's not the governments fault he doesn't pay what he considers his fair share, that blame lies solely with him.

I agree with this and think he's generally full of shit. Didn't he come out against carried interest reform in Dodd Frank because it would affect some of Berkshire-Hathaway's operations?

(edit) actually he was lobbying against posting collateral on certain trades on derivatives.

 

[Puddles]

If Buffett really wanted to stop coddling the rich he would be calling for a wealth tax. His income could be taxed at 100% for the rest of his life and he'd see no appreciable affects. This is a great PR move for him, little else.

Taxing capital gains as income for individuals who make over x amount on their capital gains annually would be a good fix, but you're probably onto something here.

However:

It's not the governments fault he doesn't pay what he considers his fair share, that blame lies solely with him.

Are you saying the blame lies solely with him because he isn't calling for a wealth tax, or is this a variation on "If he thinks he isn't paying enough, the Treasury is always taking donations..."?

 

[RustyNails]

And, the corn dog picture:
http://i.imgur.com/XBmRm.jpg[IMG]

That's some sexy corndog eating!

Note: For those that care, my colonoscopy went fine.[/QUOTE]
I think there's no proper way to eat a corndog without looking like a cock gobbler. I suppose Trump had the right idea with knives and forks when it comes to Pizza

 

[RustyNails]

Is this from something? What's the story?

Oh you missed alright. You missed good!

(it's from this song)