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[Tamanon]

Larry King just said AIG is being bailed.

Yeah, Kudlow broke it a couple hours ago. They're getting taken over by the Fed, woo!

 

[ronito]

I don't think businesses won't do stupid stuff, I just think they won't learn anything (or their successors won't) if we don't let them experience the result of that, up to and including their destruction. If the economic position they occupied is vital a different company will inevitably take their place.

Certainly these companies should fail you wont get me arguing that at all. Last thing we want is more Schaivo'd business, that's what got us here in the first place.

But viewpoint above works and only works if the companies in question are there to last, such as GE, or Johnson and Johnson. Fact is countless business men have made tons of money being executives for failed business after failed business. There is a lot of money to be made by trashing a business so long as you know when to jump out. I mentioned this in the Lehman thread about how I got rid of all my AIG stock once I saw that these were those kind of managers and look what happened. You can't just let these slide, it's a reverse form of communism the board and a few large stockholders privatize the gains and the loss is socialized amongst the remaining stockholders and employees and at worst taxpayers.

 

[Gruco]

I think you're about 6-months late - not gonna be another one for awhile.

Have minerals been going down as much as oil lately?

I still think it'll happen, particularly if interest rates drop any further. Until the boomer retirement effect is in full force there's too much demographic pressure for giant pools of money to float around, and people are probably going to be terrified of real estate and equities for a while.

Mispoke...

I meant Filibuster proof.

If the dems get 57 or so seats, which is realistic, they'll be close enough to pick of the Maine ladies and other moderates.

 

[HylianTom]

Anyone seen this?

http://blogs.chron.com/txpotomac/2008/09/bob_barr_sues_to_remove_obama.html

Bob Barr sues to remove Obama, McCain from Texas ballot
9/16/2008

His argument is that the Democratic and Republican parties technically violated state election law by delivering written certification of their nominations by 5 p.m. 70 days before the Nov. 4 election. ...

Texas election code §192.031 requires that the "written certification" of the "party's nominees" be delivered "before 5 p.m. of the 70th day before election day." Because neither candidate had been nominated by the official filing deadline, the Barr campaign argues it was impossible for the candidates to file under state law.

A 2006 Texas Supreme Court decision ruled that state laws "does not allow political parties or candidates to ignore statutory deadlines."

So.. if Barr wins, this could conceivably take 34 electoral votes from McCain's column. Even if Obama didn't reach 270, McCain wouldn't either - which would throw the election into the House of Representatives.

There would have to be one hell of a write-in campaign for McCain to keep these electoral votes, costing him money and time. And Democrats would, in turn, set-up a "vote for Bob Barr" campaign in order to deny McCain those electors.

The cynic in me says that the GOP thugs on the Texas court will find a way to bullshit out of the precedent that they themselves set two years ago.

 

[Tamanon]

Anyone seen this?

http://blogs.chron.com/txpotomac/2008/09/bob_barr_sues_to_remove_obama.html

Bob Barr sues to remove Obama, McCain from Texas ballot
9/16/2008



So.. if Barr wins, this could conceivably take 34 electoral votes from McCain's column. Even if Obama didn't reach 270, McCain wouldn't either - which would throw the election into the House of Representatives.

There would have to be one hell of a write-in campaign for McCain to keep these electoral votes, costing him money and time. And Democrats would, in turn, set-up a "vote for Bob Barr" campaign in order to deny McCain those electors.

The cynic in me says that the GOP thugs on the Texas court will find a way to bullshit out of the precedent that they themselves set two years ago.

Nah, there wouldn't have to be that much of a write-in campaign. Although I think Barr is wrong on this, but we'll see!

 

[MThanded]

Anyone seen this?

http://blogs.chron.com/txpotomac/2008/09/bob_barr_sues_to_remove_obama.html

Bob Barr sues to remove Obama, McCain from Texas ballot
9/16/2008



So.. if Barr wins, this could conceivably take 34 electoral votes from McCain's column. Even if Obama didn't reach 270, McCain wouldn't either - which would throw the election into the House of Representatives.

There would have to be one hell of a write-in campaign for McCain to keep these electoral votes, costing him money and time. And Democrats would, in turn, set-up a "vote for Bob Barr" campaign in order to deny McCain those electors.

The cynic in me says that the GOP thugs on the Texas court will find a way to bullshit out of the precedent that they themselves set two years ago.

Zing

 

[TDG]

Oh Babar, you so funny.

 

[ViperVisor]

Hannity is ragging on Obama for reading a teleprompter.

Palin is max headrooming her way through this campaign and he uses this attack. Desperate much Seanie?

 

[avatar299]

Last time a democratic president got a democratic congress, he lost it very quickly. I expect the same to happen here.

Because obama is a completley conventional liberal democrat, he will be at the mercy of the congress, and they will quickly make the republican disaster of the previous congress look like sound minded spendthrifts. It will be insane.

My only hope is that they manage to get a healthcare bill passed along with all the other useless shit they will enact. That might make the whole thing worthwhile.

Newt gringich was the reason they won in 94. The repub looked like a group that control spending(and they did) could prevent the more friviolous plans and such

but I don't think the repubs have those voices anymore. Fiscal Conservatives like Greenspan don't like them, Libertarians don't like them, moderates don't like them etc etc

They can't win that campaign.

 

[TDG]

Because obama is a completley conventional liberal democrat, he will be at the mercy of the congress, and they will quickly make the republican disaster of the previous congress look like sound minded spendthrifts. It will be insane.

I don't even know if that's possible.

 

[Hitokage]

Republicans in 94 were still riding the path Reagan laid for them all throughout the 80s. That isn't the case now, and it's the Democrats who finally stopped being reactive and pushing an agenda of their own.

Because obama is a completley conventional liberal democrat

No, he isn't. Not that you'd care about the difference.

Speaking of which, I have a suspicion that when Obama talks about going through the budget and cutting programs that don't work, he's saying he'll obsolete Medicare and cut it.

 

[BotoxAgent]

Krowley :lol

 

[Mike M]

Anyone seen this?

http://blogs.chron.com/txpotomac/2008/09/bob_barr_sues_to_remove_obama.html

Bob Barr sues to remove Obama, McCain from Texas ballot
9/16/2008



So.. if Barr wins, this could conceivably take 34 electoral votes from McCain's column. Even if Obama didn't reach 270, McCain wouldn't either - which would throw the election into the House of Representatives.

There would have to be one hell of a write-in campaign for McCain to keep these electoral votes, costing him money and time. And Democrats would, in turn, set-up a "vote for Bob Barr" campaign in order to deny McCain those electors.

The cynic in me says that the GOP thugs on the Texas court will find a way to bullshit out of the precedent that they themselves set two years ago.

Wow, best of luck with that Barr.

 

[Ether_Snake]

McCain should raise hell tommorow about the AIG bail out. It will give him a chance to pick a fight with the republican administration.

Obama should do the same, for obvious reasons.

My opinion on the bailout: I'm not an expert on the stock market, but I'm usually inclined to let this shit play itself out.. Let everything fall apart so that it can be built again better. I think it sets a bad precedent to rescue this company, regardless of the consequences of not doing it. It sucks that everything may fall apart, but if this economy is so fragile, what is the point in saving it? This will all probably come back to bite us in the ass, because if you are falsley propping up broken company's, you create an incentive for other company's to take stupid chances.

Yep, but due to absent regulation shit happens and when shit happens the government is forced to react, they have pretty much no choice. The only solution is to implement strong oversight and regulations as shit hits the fan, and keep it in place afterwards.

 

[Zeliard]

Oh Miiiiiister Krowley, what went on in your head?

 

[avatar299]

Republicans in 94 were still riding the path Reagan laid for them all throughout the 80s. That isn't the case now, and it's the Democrats who finally stopped being reactive and pushing an agenda of their own.

No, he isn't. Not that you'd care about the difference.

Yeah he wrote a book before winning the white house

Spoiler

and yes I've read it.

 

[Stoney Mason]

Hannity is ragging on Obama for reading a teleprompter.

He got his Drudge talking points today.

 

[Deus Ex Machina]

Larry King just said AIG is being bailed.

Government announces $85 billion loan to save AIG

WASHINGTON - The U.S. government has agreed to provide an $85 billion emergency loan to rescue the huge insurer AIG, the The Federal Reserve said Tuesday. The Fed said the U.S. Treasury Department was in full support of the decision.

The Fed determined that a "disorderly failure" of AIG could undermine already fragile financial markets.

The government will receive an 79.9 percent equity stake in AIG, the Fed said

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080917/ap_on_bi_ge/aig

 

[Hootie]

Anyone seen this?

http://blogs.chron.com/txpotomac/2008/09/bob_barr_sues_to_remove_obama.html

Bob Barr sues to remove Obama, McCain from Texas ballot
9/16/2008



So.. if Barr wins, this could conceivably take 34 electoral votes from McCain's column. Even if Obama didn't reach 270, McCain wouldn't either - which would throw the election into the House of Representatives.

There would have to be one hell of a write-in campaign for McCain to keep these electoral votes, costing him money and time. And Democrats would, in turn, set-up a "vote for Bob Barr" campaign in order to deny McCain those electors.

The cynic in me says that the GOP thugs on the Texas court will find a way to bullshit out of the precedent that they themselves set two years ago.

This would be so damn awesome for Obama, but do we honestly expect this to go through?

 

[Zeliard]

Hannity is ragging on Obama for reading a teleprompter.

Palin is max headrooming her way through this campaign and he uses this attack. Desperate much Seanie?

Hannity should take a page from Bill O'Reilly's book recently and show a little bit of restraint and common sense. The guy is simply out of control when it comes to this election, even moreso than usual.

 

[Stoney Mason]

This would be so damn awesome for Obama, but do we honestly expect this to go through?

There is no way Texas will disenfranchise their voters. Ignore it.

 

[The Lamonster]

What is this occasional beeping in the background in nearly 100% of MSNBC news programming?

 

[avatar299]

This would be so damn awesome for Obama, but do we honestly expect this to go through?

It depends on how many support Barr. Texas is a conservative, but also a very independent state. if obama supporters can work this angle, it could go through but it would depend on Barr getting actual t.v time, actual recognition in this campaign.

Barr can pull a nader

 

[adamsappel]

Ah, the infamous "many of the same people". Not to be confused with "Some people think". And citing the parts of her interview that were cut and somehow I haven't seen any evidence of it not provided by Mark Levin. What a vast conspiracy it all is. So far, so left.

Studies have shown...

 

[HylianTom]

This would be so damn awesome for Obama, but do we honestly expect this to go through?

From a strict constructionist point of view, Barr should win this easily. The law is pretty plainly written, and a pretty strong precedent is already set. But the GOP has a deathgrip on Texas' high court, so they'll find some bullshit way to "legislate from the bench" so that this doesn't hurt their boy McCain.

 

[Tyrone Slothrop]

hannity should drink arsenic

 

[thekad]

This would be so damn awesome for Obama, but do we honestly expect this to go through?

Disenfranchisement isn't awesome. And I live in Texas, jerk

 

[Tamanon]

What is this occasional beeping in the background in nearly 100% of MSNBC news programming?

I dunno, it's been happening on CNBC also for me.

 

[SpeedingUptoStop]

It depends on how many support Barr. Texas is a conservative, but also a very independent state. if obama supporters can work this angle, it could go through but it would depend on Barr getting actual t.v time, actual recognition in this campaign.

Barr can pull a nader

Has this ever worked in a Democrats favor? I think the odds are good this time. People are unsure of Obama and Mccain's a straight liar, a 3rd alternative could shake things up. I'm having a brain fart as to why atm, but this should work in Obama's favor.

 

[Fatalah]

Posts are moving slow.

 

[HylianTom]

Disenfranchisement isn't awesome. And I live in Texas, jerk

Austin here. Obama and McCain should've turned-in their paperwork in time. Boo-hoo to them.

Besides - our right to write-in whom we want is still intact. So your disenfranchisement argument is a bit, err, weak.

 

[Hitokage]

From a strict constructionist point of view, Barr should win this easily. The law is pretty plainly written, and a pretty strong precedent is already set. But the GOP has a deathgrip on Texas' high court, so they'll find some bullshit way to "legislate from the bench" so that this doesn't hurt their boy McCain.

Ok, start with Kerry/IA/NM, remove Texas from the board... if McCain can't retain all Bush states AND flip BOTH Michigan and Pennsylvania then he fails to get a majority and it goes to the house.

Besides - our right to write-in whom we want is still intact. So your disenfranchisement argument is a bit, err, weak.

This is where ground game would help.

 

[Freedom = $1.05]

Has this ever worked in a Democrats favor? I think the odds are good this time. People are unsure of Obama and Mccain's a straight liar, a 3rd alternative could shake things up. I'm having a brain fart as to why atm, but this should work in Obama's favor.

Perot?

 

[Trurl]

Disenfranchisement isn't awesome. And I live in Texas, jerk

Yeah, when people start hoping for disenfranchisement it's obvious that a hive mind mentality has gone way too far.:lol . . . =(

 

[Tamanon]

Wait....what was that about blocking POWs right to sue? That sounded messed up on the surface.

 

[speculawyer]

So we are currently going through an economic meltdown somewhere short of the Great Depression. Only 2 of the big 5 investment banks are still standing (JP Morgan & Goldman Sachs left . . . Merrill sold in a fire-sale, Bear Stearns sold in a forced fire-sale, Lehman Bros in bankruptcy. The two big Mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac both go under. Mega-Insurance giant AIG is getting massive loans to stay afloat. Lots of little banks such as IndyMac are down.

So who does McCain pick for VP? Sarah Palin.

How great is her economic background? Well . . . she got a 'D' in Macroeconomics.
Jesus H. Christ!

And what does this say about the McCain? . . . the man who himself admitted he doesn't know anything about economics!

This is unreal . . . . like a bad Disney movie indeed. Hey . . . it's the greatest economic meltdown in a 100 years according to Greenspan . . . Let's turn things over the Captain No-nothing-economics and his Sidekick 'D in economics' Mountain Momma.

 

[ViperVisor]

Pat Caddell make me want to die.

 

[Deus Ex Machina]

Palin's Favorability Ratings Begin to Falter

Newsweek.

To know her, it seems, is not necessarily to love her.

When John McCain picked Sarah Palin as his running mate late last month, the Alaska governor quickly became a media phenomenon. Largely unknown, she existed at first in something of an information vacuum, and due to the shock of her selection--everyone loves a surprise--the press rushed to fill the void with whatever data was easily available. Mostly this consisted of human interest material; Palin had plenty to go around. Mooseburgers. Float planes. Ice Fishing. Beauty pageants. Teen pregnancy. Et cetera. By the end of her first 15 minutes in the spotlight--which included her speech at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul--Palin existed mostly as an idea: a frontier supermom who'd triumphed over adversity (the Ol' Boys Club, the "liberal media"). Palin spent her first week reading from a teleprompter and avoiding questions from the press--and the public--so as not to sully this first impression.

The polls reflected the early success of her strategy. In the three days after Palin joined Team McCain--Aug. 29-31--32 percent of voters told the pollsters at Diageo/Hotline that they had a favorable opinion of her; most (48 percent) didn't know enough to say. By Sept. 4, however, 43 percent of Diageo/Hotline respondents approved of Palin with only 25 percent disapproving--an 18-point split. Apparently, voters were liking what they were hearing. Four days later, Palin's approval rating had climbed to 47 percent (+17), and by Sept. 13 it had hit 52 percent. The gap at that point between her favorable and unfavorable numbers--22 percent--was larger than either McCain's (+20) or Obama's (+13).

But then a funny thing happened: Palin lost some of her luster. Since Sept. 13, Palin's unfavorables have climbed from 30 percent to 36 percent. Meanwhile, her favorables have slipped from 52 percent to 48 percent. That's a three-day net swing of -10 points, and it leaves her in the Sept. 15 Diageo/Hotline tracking poll with the smallest favorability split (+10) of any of the Final Four. Over the course of a single weekend, in other words, Palin went from being the most popular White House hopeful to the least.

What happened? I'd argue that Palin's considerable novelty is starting to wear off. In part it's the result of a steady stream of unhelpful stories: her unfamiliarity with the Bush Doctrine during last Thursday's interview with Charles Gibson (video above); her refusal to cooperate with the Troopergate investigation; her repeated stretching of the truth on everything from earmarks to the Bridge to Nowhere to the amount of energy her state produces. That stuff has a way of inspiring disapproval and eroding one's support. (Interestingly, Palin's preparedness numbers--about 50 percent yes, 45 percent no--haven't budged.) But mostly it's the start of an inevitable process. Between now and Nov. 4, voters will stop seeing Palin as a fascinating story and starting taking her measure as an actual candidate for office. Some will approve; some won't. It remains to be seen whether Palin's recent slide will continue, or hurt John McCain in the polls. But it's hard to argue that the journey from intriguing new superstar to earthbound politician--a necessary part of the process--doesn't involve a loss of altitude

 

[avatar299]

God Cato is going to rip McCain alive

 

[GhaleonEB]

Palin's Favorability Ratings Begin to Falter

Newsweek.

I'm absolutely convinced you don't read the thread, ever, before posting. I love ya, but you really should start. :lol

 

[Gaborn]

Let's turn things over the Captain No-nothing-economics and his Sidekick 'D in economics' Mountain Momma.

Just from a sociological perspective I find it interesting how frequently insults of Palin mention her gender and insults of McCain don't mention his.

Avatar - and so they absolutely should. Both of the candidates are absolutely atrocious on economics.

 

[ChoklitReign]

Hannity is ragging on Obama for reading a teleprompter.

:lol You can see McCain reading a teleprompter at the RNC; they FILMED it! What an asshole.

 

[tanod]

Pretty sure I've heard about this issue before. AFAIK, the Democratic and Republican parties DID file to be on the ballot, they just didn't put their names on yet since it wasn't official. They then amended their filings and submitted them after the conventions and they were accepted by the TX secretary of state.

In other words, total non-issue that won't hold up in court.



Also, Ron Paul supporters have to be fricking fuming with all this Fed intervention. I wouldn't be surprised if there were mass suicides or protests at the Fed tomorrow.

 

[~Devil Trigger~]

Government announces $85 billion loan to save AIG

WASHINGTON - The U.S. government has agreed to provide an $85 billion emergency loan to rescue the huge insurer AIG, the The Federal Reserve said Tuesday. The Fed said the U.S. Treasury Department was in full support of the decision.

The Fed determined that a "disorderly failure" of AIG could undermine already fragile financial markets.

The government will receive an 79.9 percent equity stake in AIG, the Fed said

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080917/ap_on_bi_ge/aig

SOCIALISM ON THE MARCH!!!!

 

[thekad]

Austin here. Obama and McCain should've turned-in their paperwork in time. Boo-hoo to them.

Besides - our right to write-in whom we want is still intact. So your disenfranchisement argument is a bit, err, weak.

Oh, come on. These tactics from the Democrats and Republicans to remove the other parties from the ballot have been retarded and this is no different.

 

[lopaz]

Just from a sociological perspective I find it interesting how frequently insults of Palin mention her gender and insults of McCain don't mention his.

Avatar - and so they absolutely should. Both of the candidates are absolutely atrocious on economics.

Mcain is a dick

Palin is a vagina.

Equality for all.

 

[Deus Ex Machina]

I'm absolutely convinced you don't read the thread, ever, before posting. I love ya, but you really should start. :lol

leave me alone

 

[Tamanon]

Just from a sociological perspective I find it interesting how frequently insults of Palin mention her gender and insults of McCain don't mention his.

Avatar - and so they absolutely should. Both of the candidates are absolutely atrocious on economics.

I would also find it interesting how frequently COMPLEMENTS of Palin mention her gender and complements of McCain don't mention his.

It's because she's running as a mother and a woman. McCain's running as a maverick.

 

[NR1]

If they missed the deadline for filing paperwork, then they shouldn't be allowed on the ballet. Simple as that.

It wont happen though. Sad too. It just goes to show that the political parties are the true rulers of the land; not the voters.

 

[scorcho]

Pretty sure I've heard about this issue before. AFAIK, the Democratic and Republican parties DID file to be on the ballot, they just didn't put their names on yet since it wasn't official. They then amended their filings and submitted them after the conventions and they were accepted by the TX secretary of state.

In other words, total non-issue that won't hold up in court.



Also, Ron Paul supporters have to be fricking fuming with all this Fed intervention. I wouldn't be surprised if there were mass suicides or protests at the Fed tomorrow.

too much security and there's huge road work right next to it, so i say no. (i walk by the FRBNY every morning to and from work)