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15 Aug 2011 10:58

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Politics: Paul Krugman. Fareed Zakaria. Space aliens. Bizarre arguments.

  • Dear Paul Krugman, your bizarre argument in favor of using a faked space alien invasion as a way to improve the economy does one thing: It gives kooks fodder for kookdom. *facepalm* This is not an argument befitting a Nobel Laureate. (h/t Jayel Aheram) source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

15 Aug 2011 00:26

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Politics: Warren Buffett: Tax me, please! Make me pay more money!

  • I know well many of the mega-rich and, by and large, they are very decent people. They love America and appreciate the opportunity this country has given them. Many have joined the Giving Pledge, promising to give most of their wealth to philanthropy. Most wouldn’t mind being told to pay more in taxes as well, particularly when so many of their fellow citizens are truly suffering.
  • Warren Buffett • Arguing in an editorial for the New York Times (titled, fittingly, “Stop coddling the super-rich”) that Congress needs to raise his taxes and those of people with incomes topping $1 million. “My friends and I have been coddled long enough by a billionaire-friendly Congress,” he writes. “It’s time for our government to get serious about shared sacrifice.” Wait … a super-rich guy offering more money up in taxes? Be still our hearts. And don’t tell the Koch brothers … they might disagree with this stance. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

14 Aug 2011 20:25

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Politics: Rock bottom? Gallup poll has Obama approval rating below 40 percent

  • His worst showing ever: President Obama isn’t exactly well-liked these days. With an approval rating hovering below 40 percent according to Gallup, Obama’s feeling the compounding hurt of a debt ceiling crisis that left no politician unscathed, an economy that refuses to let up, and a stock market that looks like it’s gonna hurl any second. But the thing is, he’s still doing better than Congress. According to this RealClearPolitics average of approval ratings for Congress, they’re hovering around 16.8 percent. RCP has Obama averaging 43.4 percent — with the Gallup number by far the lowest. We know who won the Toilet Bowl, guys! source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

12 Aug 2011 12:28

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Politics: Iowa debate: Herman Cain’s favorite poet is Pokemon, apparently

  • A poet once said, ‘life can be a challenge, life can seem impossible, but it’s never easy when there’s so much on the line.’
  • 2012 GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain • In his closing remarks in last night’s debate. “A poet” is great and all, but it’d sure be nice to know who the poet was. Well … this is where it gets fun. See, the “poet” in this case appears to be Donna Summer, and the poet’s muse was — get this — the soundtrack to the modern classic “Pokemon 2000.” And he’s gotten the quote’s attribution wrong before, once referring to it as the theme song to the 2000 Sydney Olympics. (It wasn’t.) Life can be a challenge, indeed. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

10 Aug 2011 21:46

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Politics: How dare Obama take a vacation! (Or thank goodness!)

  • The presidency travels with you.
  • Jay Carney, White House press secretary • Defending Obama’s vacation plans. The president is still heading to Martha’s Vineyard, despite the economic picture of America. After Standard & Poor’s downgrading of America’s credit rating, should Obama be taking this vacation? Or is a family vacation now more important than ever? Whatever the case may be, it’s not like Obama hasn’t sacrificed time off for the sake of the country already. Last year, he took part of his vacation in Pensacola, Fla. in an effort to draw attention to the Gulf Oil Spill. And he’s already called off multiple vacations this year as a result of budget negotiations. source
Posted by samimain • 0 Comments • Permalink

09 Aug 2011 20:16

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Politics: Surprise: People find Newsweek’s Bachmann photo unflattering

  • No kidding: Newsweek’s cover on Rep. Michele Bachmann, the 2012 presidential candidate, has caused quite a stir on the interwebs over the past couple of days. It’s even inspired a couple of memes, though it’s mostly inspired anger over the magazine’s approach. Example: Terry O’Brien, the president of the National Organization for Women, said that “‘Queen of Rage’ is something you apply to wrestlers or somebody who is crazy.” Was this photo the best choice for the magazine’s cover? Take a look at the magazine’s own outtakes and judge for yourself. source
Posted by samimain • 0 Comments • Permalink

09 Aug 2011 14:31

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Politics: Warren Jeffs, leader of fundamentalist Mormon group, gets life in prison

  • Warren Jeffs convicted of child sex abuse: Sentencing came down today on Warren Jeffs, the 55-year-old leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (or FLDS). The FLDS is a group separate from mainstream Mormonism, which operated a ranch in West Texas in which authorities reportedly found “women dressed in frontier-style dresses and hairdos” as well as “underage girls who were clearly pregnant.” Jeffs himself had two underage brides, which led to the child sex abuse charges. He railed in court against what he called religious persecution in this matter, but that argument left the jury cold — they took just a half-hour to sentence Jeffs to life in prison. source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

07 Aug 2011 21:37

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Politics: So much for leaving; Timmy Boy Geithner sticking around for a while

While there was word on the street that he was going to depart after the brutal debt ceiling crisis, Obama wanted him to stick around instead. This sounds like an aneurysm waiting to happen. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

06 Aug 2011 12:49

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Politics: 2012 candidates’ takes on the S&P credit rating downgrade

  • Mitt romney “Standard & Poor’s rating downgrade is a deeply troubling indicator of our country’s decline under President Obama. His failed policies have led to high unemployment, skyrocketing deficits, and now, the unprece­dented loss of our nation’s prized AAA credit rating. Today, President Obama promised that ‘things will get better.’ But it has become increasingly clear that the only way things will get better is with new leadership in the White House.”
  • Jon Huntsman “Out-of-control spending and a lack of leadership in Washington have resulted in President Obama presiding over the first downgrade of the United States credit rating in our history. For far too long we have let reckless government spending go unchecked and the cancerous debt afflicting our nation has spread. We need new leadership in Washington committed to fiscal responsibility, a balanced budget, and job-friendly policies to get America working again.”
  • Michele Bachmann “This President has destroyed the credit rating of the United States through his failed economic policies and his inability to control government spending by raising the debt ceiling. … President Obama is destroying the foundations of the U.S. economy one beam at a time. I call on the President to seek the immediate resignation of Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and to submit a plan with a list of cuts to balance the budget this year, turn our economy around and put Americans back to work.” source
  • » One note on the Bachmann one: You’ll note that if you read the full document, it specifically blames Republican policies — largely their unwillingness to raise revenue by raising taxes — for the downgrade. Yes, there is too much debt. Yes, it needs to be dealt with. But if the GOP can’t give an inch on taxes, then these words don’t hold water.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

04 Aug 2011 10:30

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Politics: FAA shutdown: Ray LaHood speaks up for furloughed workers

  • They talk a lot about jobs. They give good speeches about it. I want them to walk the walk. Put hard-working Americans to work so they can get a paycheck just like Congress is receiving on their vacations.
  • Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood • Offering up some harsh words on the situation with the FAA shutdown, which will likely last a more than a month due to Congress’ August recess. LaHood, a former Republican congressman, notes that “safety is not compromised” but this is mostly a labor issue. One reason this has become such a political football is that, behind the scenes, it’s a bit of a proxy battle over unions — see, the National Mediation Board made it easier for these workers to unionize, if they so choose. This was part of the reason a short-term deal got blocked — Sen. Orrin Hatch wasn’t having it. Ultimately, it’s the same thing we said yesterday — a business should pay its employees instead of squabbling over minor issues. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
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