February 13, 2014

Is there already a discussion thread on DU about the New Republic article on Christie? If so where?

Fascinating stuff, but already it has taken me all morning to read it. It's a long one. Don't want to start another thread if there is one already.

http://www.newrepublic.com/article/116601/chris-christies-rise-and-fall

February 7, 2014

Compelling article on Huff Post article written by a used-to-have.

I guess Huff Post is doing a series of articles written by those who are chronically unemployed. Today's story is written by a free-lance writer named Kathleen Ann, a former corporatist, with a degree from a prestigest university. I haven't read any of the other articles but I was moved the most by the comments of those who are also used-to-haves.

"...I'm lucky to be in Massachusetts, where my health care is paid for, and fortunate to be of sound health and mind. But on days when I feel hopeless, I can envision myself 20 years from now, living in hardscrabble poverty. Female friends my age who are in similar financial circumstances are terrified of the future. If we can't get decent paying jobs today, there's little hope of getting a corporate job with benefits in the future. And during the past few years as we've struggled, we went through all of our savings, 401(k)s and anything left in the bottoms of our pocketbooks. So we can see ourselves as old, pathetic bent-over women, living in bus shelters, our ragged belongings in supermarket carts. ..."

I worry about my three children, all adults, college grads, and thankfully employed; at least for today. The fact that the GOP members of congress have sat on their collective behinds for the past 5 years, with their "let them eat cake mentality" and done nothing to help this economy create and grow jobs that will pay a living wage, should have us all storming the halls of congress.

With the lazy a$$, false equivalency reporting, lame stream media, continuing to perpetuate the myth that both sides are to blame, and that things might be better if President Obama just smoozed a little more with members of the opposite party, (the party who by the way was plotting their do-nothing-agenda on inauguration day 2009) defies logic. The fact that the GOP made it clear from day one that their goal was to make Barack Obama a one-term-president, evidently at even their own constituents expense, continues to defy logic that they haven't been run out of town long ago. And now the pious Sen Tom Coburn, says he wants to assemble a Constitutional Congress (once he's out of office) to downsize the role of government while he continues to draw a salary for the remainder of the calendar year, for being a member of the least productive congress in the history of the institution is appalling.

America had better wake up. What's left of the middle class had better wake up. Working people in the Red States had better wake up and see that the Koch Brothers and their ilk don't give a damn about whether you live or die, sink or swim. Working class people of America from Red States and Blue States had better come together, and turn back the advances of the Oligarchs before it's too late.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kathleen-ann/american-used-to-haves_b_4732434.html#closeOverlay

January 23, 2014

Top 10 States with the worst Schools

10. Oklahoma
9. Michigan
8. South Dakota
7. South Carolina
6. Alaska
5. Alabama
4. West Virginia
3. New Mexico
2. Louisiana
1. Mississippi

http://247wallst.com/special-report/2014/01/14/states-with-the-best-and-worst-schools-2/4/

Well I'm sure that will change when those states get some Republicans running them. Hmmmm!!!! 9 of the 10 states are run by Republicans and have been for some time now. Who would have thought it?!?!?!?!

January 21, 2014

Joe S. this morning on Morning Joe discussing income inequality sounded like President Obama

I didn't see where anyone else had brought this up today, although I did see the other Morning Joe conversation about the Christie mess. But I was astonished to hear Joe S. bashing millionnaires and billionnaires in this country who don't pay their fair share of taxes and those who hide their money offshore. He said those who hide their money offshore should take it and get the heck out of here. He then said that every Republican group he talks to thinks that its wrong for millionaires and billionaires to pay 14-17% in taxes while their secretary pays 30%. He then corrected himself and said, except when he's in a room full of hedgefund managers.

I wondered aloud, "who does Joe S. think he is Barack Obama? Warren Buffet? " Funny I don't remember him having the President's back during the last campaign when the President was talking about this very issue. As a matter of fact, they accused the President of trying to divide the country.

Mark Halprin made the comment that if Mike Huckabee decides to run for president in 2016, he will run on this issue.


Joe's diatribe begins at the 4:30 mark on this video.

http://www.msnbc.com/morning-joe/watch/joe-income-inequality-the-issue-of-our-time-123252803857

January 18, 2014

Christie (may be) hoisted on his own petard? How ironic.

So the man (Christie) who spearheaded the faux government corruption scheme in 2005 which snared so many NJ Democratic politicians in its net and catapulted Christie into the Governor's office, may be guilty of the same corrupt activity; using his office to do the bidding for wealthy developers and the well connected.

I am so glad that Steve Kornacki took the time to lay out the full case pertaining to the NJ corruption sting prosecutions in the US Attorney's office in NJ which began under Christie and was taken over by another US Attorney Michele Brown who Christie just happened to have made a personal loan of $46,000 to as he was leaving the US Attorney's Office. I had caught bits and pieces of the reporting over the past week but Steve laid out all the pieces to the puzzle, connected all the dots, wrapped up with a nice bow on it.

Dawn Zimmerman was completely creditable in her appearance on Up with Kornacki this morning and it will be poetic justice when she succeeds Christie as Governor of NJ when he is forced to resign in the coming months. You can't make this sh!t up.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2540189/Christies-Achilles-heel-Embattled-guv-racked-huge-travel-expenses-female-aide-center-Superstorm-Sandy-relief-ad-scandal-secretly-loaned-46-000.html

January 8, 2014

Robert Gates, former Sec of Defense, new book trashes Obama, Biden, and Hillary Clinton. Who knew?

His Republican Party bona fides are shining through. I guess that's what happens when you try to be bipartisian in your Cabinet choices.

So is Mr. Gates planning for a presidential run in 2016, or is it that he just wants to sell books. He's guaranteed a best seller since the rightwingnuts will eat this up.