Code Blue
Thank God for the McCain-Palin circus. Let me watch that spectacle all day and night, throw in a loaf or bread and two, and I promise to pay no attention whatsoever to the collapse of the economy. Deal?
It’s definitely Code Blue time for McCain. That, I think, is putting it politely. It’s more like: “Quick! Stat! Open up a trach! Shove a tube down there! Get out the paddles! Clear!”
The latest ABC News/Washington Post poll reveals what we already knew: that McCain flopped during the presidential debate and that Obama’s nationwide lead continues to gel. It’s now Obama 50-46 among likely voters. In a poll of polls, Obama still has a five-point lead and predictions are that McCain is about to get real, but real dirty.
But back to my first point. I hear that on Wednesday night the Senate will approve a revised Wall Street bail out — but who cares? I, for one, am looking forward to Thursday night when we get to watch Sarah Palin drown debate for an eternity of 90 minutes.
Should we open up a betting pool to see how many gaffes she can toss out in that one confined period of time? What’s the over-under on something like that? Ten? Fifteen? Fifty-five? I guess it all depends on how restrained Joe Biden will be, how much he will –wisely– just let her motor mouth run in high gear.
Palin clearly abhors any silence and rushes to fill any dead air with whatever inanity comes to mind [sic].
As someone pointed out, during this week’s tete-a-tete on CBS, Katie Couric seemed more lile Palin’s shrink or her life coach than she did a journalist. It was like Couric was talking her through some ongoing psychosis rather than probing for any hard info (of which there was, is and will be none in any case).
Now we know that Palin hasn’t traveled anywhere. Can’t name any books she has read. Can’t name a single historic Supreme Court ruling other than Roe V. Wade, and can’t name a single newspaper she allegedly reads. Fantastic! More, please, mum!
P.S. New Conspiracy Theory: Did the sinking anchor of the failing CBS Evening News achieve a stroke of brilliance by scoring a “get” with one of the few people on Earth who makes her look like a friggin’ genius?
P.P.S. Won’t be blogging Wednesday (I don’t think) as I’m headed for DC thru Sunday. The Big Question for me is exactly from where to watch the Thursday debate with My Brilliant Daughter? I’m leaning toward the Off The Record bar across the street from the White House. Why not a front row seat at the debacle?
October 1st, 2008 at 1:55 am
“Can’t name any books she has read.”
Wow! I know about the Supreme Court decisions – how in the world does a serious pro-lifer not know about Doe v Bolton or Dred Scott – and the newspaper stuff, but that’s just nuts. Not that I don’t believe it, but do you have a link to document that?
October 1st, 2008 at 9:13 am
“The Big Question for me is exactly from where to watch the Thursday debate with My Brilliant Daughter?”
Off The Record? Hmmm… We probably operate on different ‘expense accounts’ but ‘cuz I like you, sweetie, here’s some ‘back up’ choices off my rolodex on watering holes in DC:
First off, AVOID Georgetown — I was not impressed. Traffic is a pain, nearest metro station — Foggy Bottom is ’bout 20 minutes of walking. So cross that off your map…
Heaven and Hell Adams Morgan District (202) 667-4355
Eclectic hipsters & cool cats. ‘Clubbing’ upstairs, bikers and the rest of humanity downstairs. Great atmosphere, very lively.
Union Pub – Capitol Hill DC — 201 Massachusetts Ave NE, Washington, DC 20002 Sports Bar. Noisy & Fun. 5 minute walk to Metro in case you’ve had too much to drink. Lots of Hill staffers, but lots of real DC folks, too. Great bartenders. You’ll instantly feel like a local. This place is absolutely packed and crazy on Saturdays during the college football season. The place you’d put all politics aside and get drunk with Woody.
Dubliner Union Station — Next to the Irish Times. The Shepherd’s Pie is a must. Sometimes tough to get a seat at the bar, but worth it. Live bands, outdoor dining. (202) 737-3773
State of the Union U Street / Cardoza Metro? If they’re still around, this is the joint you’d end up drinking w/ jcummings. Vodka like you’d dream about. The walls were covered with everything Karl Marx. Photos of Lenin. Pass the liquid wrench comrade, the tractor is broken.
Capital City Brewery Union Station Kinda a tourist trap, but the beer rocks. Easy to find from the metro station — just look for the old federal Post Office. ?(202) 842-BEER
Bullfeathers Just south of the Capital Building. Went there just once, but it was really fun. Teddy Roosevelt motive. Get hammered while you pretend the temperance movement is about to repo your mug. (Hey, doesn’t that dude look like Henry Cabot Lodge…?)
October 1st, 2008 at 11:03 am
Poo poo Palin is the Democrats secret weapon, now!
The Couric bytes could not have been better if scripted for satire.
She is now priceless…all the free negative commentary about her in the media with right wing pundits baying for blood and liberal medial guffawing and being able to run, with impunity, her prime time gaffes.
She will come into the debate with a wagon load of scripted zingers and we can only hope Biden’s advisors will let him rip her head off.
But…and I will take bets here he is going to blow it some way some how. She will talk gibberish in that chirpy rabbit hole way which to most Americans is indistinguishable from actual intelligence and Biden will falter like Obama did at first.
I am going to a debate watching pub party. Couldn’t bare this sort of creepyness at home.
Any other betters on which way it will go down?
Compare notes tomorrow night.
October 1st, 2008 at 11:51 am
Be sure to make a big bowl of popcorn for the debate, and then hope for the, um, worst!
October 1st, 2008 at 11:55 am
Forget the debate … I want to go to John McCain’s house — or at least the one he’s staying in that night — when his family celebrates Festivus. Watching Grandpa Grumpy blow his top during the Airing of Grievances would be pretty entertaining. Just as long as he doesn’t have his hands on the nuclear launch codes …
October 1st, 2008 at 12:03 pm
I’ve set up a debate party at a friend’s house. We are bringing marshmallows for throwing at the TV screen!
October 1st, 2008 at 12:33 pm
Regarding Gov. Palin: I find it amazing how a number of Republicans have come out recently to make the very important distinction that even Dan Quayle wasn’t as bad as Sarah. And that takes some doing:
http://www.quotationspage.com/quotes/Dan_Quayle/
October 1st, 2008 at 12:33 pm
Just to keep everyone hot under the collar:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/michaeltomasky
http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/17563487/detail.html
Its very satisfying to call the offenders and log a protest. Especially to George Fucks U. Christian, indeed.
Here is their phone number: 503-538-8383
October 1st, 2008 at 12:37 pm
Does everyone have their one way plane ticket out of the country for November 5th?
Maybe go earlier… watch the election from abroad to be sure they don’t put a quota on Americans wanting to “travel” in foreign countries after November 5th.
Leave the country to the Jim R’s. Oh. We did that. New idea.
October 1st, 2008 at 1:01 pm
My guess is that Palin will do almost nothing but bad-mouth Obama, at least in the first part of the debate. If she misstates the record, well, what’s new about that. It’s hard to believe that she won’t at some point lunge at a question or two, though, and break discipline. I don’t believe this “we’ll let Sarah be Sarah” line. The other question is whether “Joe will be Joe,” trying to make happy chat with the nation. He’s never had the lights on him like this either, not even in primary debates. Can he resist breaking out in dance?
I feel for Gwen Ifill. The right (Michelle Malkin first) is already attacking her as “in the bag for Obama.” Hannity is already working on his post-debate indignation, I’m sure.
October 1st, 2008 at 2:05 pm
Ifill could take Malkin in a fight even with a broken ankle
October 1st, 2008 at 2:58 pm
Michelle Malkin was once a terror, but now she and her ilk are just pathetic. What are they going to do if Obama wins the election, appeal to the Supreme Court that the VP debate was unfair? This isn’t energizing the “base,” it’s debasing the base–and I think a lot of the base is beginning to realize that (note the poll swings in places like Pennsylvania.) Idiots like Malkin and Hannity will be like little chihuahuas helping from the sidelines while the nation moves on.
October 1st, 2008 at 3:27 pm
That’s yelping from the sidelines, not helping–they are no help at all.
October 1st, 2008 at 5:02 pm
This – which was linked by Atrios – is telling. Kathleen Parker is a hardcore conservative who has carried just about every bucket of water for the movement UNTIL a bout of sanity forced her to take a good look at Palin and suggest maybe the Guv had more important things to do back in Alaska and with her family than continue to reinforce the perception that John McCain has totally lost his marbles by picking a total ditz as a running mate.
Parker, who I’m sure has been subjected to plenty of nasty flak from “the left” over the years, was totally shocked at the intensity of the haters who went after her. Had never seen anything like it before…
http://tinyurl.com/4ddcjs
October 1st, 2008 at 6:52 pm
Someone I know was out, today, canvassing our local beach to register voters.
He was running into cretins claiming if Obama won they would be assassinated AND have THEIR guns taken away.
Routinely, one sees Confederate flags flown on back of motorcycles (no helmet laws here so one is always hopeful…) or draped on the spare tire mount on the back of the SUV.
The day after Hillary conceded and Obama was accepted as the nominee a HUGE Confederate flag went up a HUGE pole on private land over looking a main hi way.
And lawn signs for Dem candidates are being stolen off private property.
October 1st, 2008 at 7:02 pm
Friends,
The richest 400 Americans — that’s right, just four hundred people — own MORE than the bottom 150 million Americans combined. 400 rich Americans have got more stashed away than half the entire country! Their combined net worth is $1.6 trillion. During the eight years of the Bush Administration, their wealth has increased by nearly $700 billion — the same amount that they are now demanding we give to them for the “bailout.” Why don’t they just spend the money they made under Bush to bail themselves out? They’d still have nearly a trillion dollars left over to spread amongst themselves!
Of course, they are not going to do that — at least not voluntarily. George W. Bush was handed a $127 billion surplus when Bill Clinton left office. Because that money was OUR money and not his, he did what the rich prefer to do — spend it and never look back. Now we have a $9.5 trillion debt. Why on earth would we even think of giving these robber barons any more of our money?
I would like to propose my own bailout plan. My suggestions, listed below, are predicated on the singular and simple belief that the rich must pull themselves up by their own platinum bootstraps. Sorry, fellows, but you drilled it into our heads one too many times: There… is… no… free… lunch. And thank you for encouraging us to hate people on welfare! So, there will be no handouts from us to you. The Senate, tonight, is going to try to rush their version of a “bailout” bill to a vote. They must be stopped. We did it on Monday with the House, and we can do it again today with the Senate.
It is clear, though, that we cannot simply keep protesting without proposing exactly what it is we think Congress should do. So, after consulting with a number of people smarter than Phil Gramm, here is my proposal, now known as “Mike’s Rescue Plan.” It has 10 simple, straightforward points. They are:
1. APPOINT A SPECIAL PROSECUTOR TO CRIMINALLY INDICT ANYONE ON WALL STREET WHO KNOWINGLY CONTRIBUTED TO THIS COLLAPSE. Before any new money is expended, Congress must commit, by resolution, to criminally prosecute anyone who had anything to do with the attempted sacking of our economy. This means that anyone who committed insider trading, securities fraud or any action that helped bring about this collapse must go to jail. This Congress must call for a Special Prosecutor who will vigorously go after everyone who created the mess, and anyone else who attempts to scam the public in the future.
2. THE RICH MUST PAY FOR THEIR OWN BAILOUT. They may have to live in 5 houses instead of 7. They may have to drive 9 cars instead of 13. The chef for their mini-terriers may have to be reassigned. But there is no way in hell, after forcing family incomes to go down more than $2,000 dollars during the Bush years, that working people and the middle class are going to fork over one dime to underwrite the next yacht purchase.
If they truly need the $700 billion they say they need, well, here is an easy way they can raise it:
a) Every couple who makes over a million dollars a year and every single taxpayer who makes over $500,000 a year will pay a 10% surcharge tax for five years. (It’s the Senator Sanders plan. He’s like Colonel Sanders, only he’s out to fry the right chickens.) That means the rich will still be paying less income tax than when Carter was president. This will raise a total of $300 billion.
b) Like nearly every other democracy, charge a 0.25% tax on every stock transaction. This will raise more than $200 billion in a year.
c) Because every stockholder is a patriotic American, stockholders will forgo receiving a dividend check for one quarter and instead this money will go the treasury to help pay for the bailout.
d) 25% of major U.S. corporations currently pay NO federal income tax. Federal corporate tax revenues currently amount to 1.7% of the GDP compared to 5% in the 1950s. If we raise the corporate income tax back to the level of the 1950s, that gives us an extra $500 billion.
All of this combined should be enough to end the calamity. The rich will get to keep their mansions and their servants, and our United States government (“COUNTRY FIRST!”) will have a little leftover to repair some roads, bridges and schools.
3. BAIL OUT THE PEOPLE LOSING THEIR HOMES, NOT THE PEOPLE WHO WILL BUILD AN EIGHTH HOME. There are 1.3 million homes in foreclosure right now. That is what is at the heart of this problem. So instead of giving the money to the banks as a gift, pay down each of these mortgages by $100,000. Force the banks to renegotiate the mortgage so the homeowner can pay on its current value. To insure that this help does no go to speculators and those who have tried to make money by flipping houses, this bailout is only for people’s primary residence. And in return for the $100K paydown on the existing mortgage, the government gets to share in the holding of the mortgage so that it can get some of its money back. Thus, the total initial cost of fixing the mortgage crisis at its roots (instead of with the greedy lenders) is $150 billion, not $700 billion.
And let’s set the record straight. People who have defaulted on their mortgages are not “bad risks.” They are our fellow Americans, and all they wanted was what we all want and most of us still get: a home to call their own. But during the Bush years, millions of them lost the decent paying jobs they had. Six million fell into poverty. Seven million lost their health insurance. And every one of them saw their real wages go down by $2,000. Those who dare to look down on these Americans who got hit with one bad break after another should be ashamed. We are a better, stronger, safer and happier society when all of our citizens can afford to live in a home that they own.
4. IF YOUR BANK OR COMPANY GETS ANY OF OUR MONEY IN A “BAILOUT,” THEN WE OWN YOU. Sorry, that’s how it’s done. If the bank gives me money so I can buy a house, the bank “owns” that house until I pay it all back — with interest. Same deal for Wall Street. Whatever money you need to stay afloat, if our government considers you a safe risk — and necessary for the good of the country — then you can get a loan, but we will own you. If you default, we will sell you. This is how the Swedish government did it and it worked.
5. ALL REGULATIONS MUST BE RESTORED. THE REAGAN REVOLUTION IS DEAD. This catastrophe happened because we let the fox have the keys to the henhouse. In 1999, Phil Gramm authored a bill to remove all the regulations that governed Wall Street and our banking system. The bill passed and Clinton signed it. Here’s what Sen. Phil Gramm, McCain’s chief economic advisor, said at the bill signing:
“In the 1930s … it was believed that government was the answer. It was believed that stability and growth came from government overriding the functioning of free markets.
“We are here today to repeal [that] because we have learned that government is not the answer. We have learned that freedom and competition are the answers. We have learned that we promote economic growth and we promote stability by having competition and freedom.
“I am proud to be here because this is an important bill; it is a deregulatory bill. I believe that that is the wave of the future, and I am awfully proud to have been a part of making it a reality.”
This bill must be repealed. Bill Clinton can help by leading the effort for the repeal of the Gramm bill and the reinstating of even tougher regulations regarding our financial institutions. And when they’re done with that, they can restore the regulations for the airlines, the inspection of our food, the oil industry, OSHA, and every other entity that affects our daily lives. All oversight provisions for any “bailout” must have enforcement monies attached to them and criminal penalties for all offenders.
6. IF IT’S TOO BIG TO FAIL, THEN THAT MEANS IT’S TOO BIG TO EXIST. Allowing the creation of these mega-mergers and not enforcing the monopoly and anti-trust laws has allowed a number of financial institutions and corporations to become so large, the very thought of their collapse means an even bigger collapse across the entire economy. No one or two companies should have this kind of power. The so-called “economic Pearl Harbor” can’t happen when you have hundreds — thousands — of institutions where people have their money. When you have a dozen auto companies, if one goes belly-up, we don’t face a national disaster. If you have three separately-owned daily newspapers in your town, then one media company can’t call all the shots (I know… What am I thinking?! Who reads a paper anymore? Sure glad all those mergers and buyouts left us with a strong and free press!). Laws must be enacted to prevent companies from being so large and dominant that with one slingshot to the eye, the giant falls and dies. And no institution should be allowed to set up money schemes that no one can understand. If you can’t explain it in two sentences, you shouldn’t be taking anyone’s money.
7. NO EXECUTIVE SHOULD BE PAID MORE THAN 40 TIMES THEIR AVERAGE EMPLOYEE, AND NO EXECUTIVE SHOULD RECEIVE ANY KIND OF “PARACHUTE” OTHER THAN THE VERY GENEROUS SALARY HE OR SHE MADE WHILE WORKING FOR THE COMPANY. In 1980, the average American CEO made 45 times what their employees made. By 2003, they were making 254 times what their workers made. After 8 years of Bush, they now make over 400 times what their average employee makes. How this can happen at publicly held companies is beyond reason. In Britain, the average CEO makes 28 times what their average employee makes. In Japan, it’s only 17 times! The last I heard, the CEO of Toyota was living the high life in Tokyo. How does he do it on so little money? Seriously, this is an outrage. We have created the mess we’re in by letting the people at the top become bloated beyond belief with millions of dollars. This has to stop. Not only should no executive who receives help out of this mess profit from it, but any executive who was in charge of running his company into the ground should be fired before the company receives any help.
8. STRENGTHEN THE FDIC AND MAKE IT A MODEL FOR PROTECTING NOT ONLY PEOPLE’S SAVINGS, BUT ALSO THEIR PENSIONS AND THEIR HOMES. Obama was correct yesterday to propose expanding FDIC protection of people’s savings in their banks to $250,000. But this same sort of government insurance must be given to our nation’s pension funds. People should never have to worry about whether or not the money they’ve put away for their old age will be there. This will mean strict government oversight of companies who manage their employees’ funds — or perhaps it means that the companies will have to turn over those funds and their management to the government. People’s private retirement funds must also be protected, but perhaps it’s time to consider not having one’s retirement invested in the casino known as the stock market. Our government should have a solemn duty to guarantee that no one who grows old in this country has to worry about ending up destitute.
9. EVERYBODY NEEDS TO TAKE A DEEP BREATH, CALM DOWN, AND NOT LET FEAR RULE THE DAY. Turn off the TV! We are not in the Second Great Depression. The sky is not falling. Pundits and politicians are lying to us so fast and furious it’s hard not to be affected by all the fear mongering. Even I, yesterday, wrote to you and repeated what I heard on the news, that the Dow had the biggest one day drop in its history. Well, that’s true in terms of points, but its 7% drop came nowhere close to Black Monday in 1987 when the stock market in one day lost 23% of its value. In the ’80s, 3,000 banks closed, but America didn’t go out of business. These institutions have always had their ups and downs and eventually it works out. It has to, because the rich do not like their wealth being disrupted! They have a vested interest in calming things down and getting back into the Jacuzzi.
As crazy as things are right now, tens of thousands of people got a car loan this week. Thousands went to the bank and got a mortgage to buy a home. Students just back to college found banks more than happy to put them into hock for the next 15 years with a student loan. Life has gone on. Not a single person has lost any of their money if it’s in a bank or a treasury note or a CD. And the most amazing thing is that the American public hasn’t bought the scare campaign. The citizens didn’t blink, and instead told Congress to take that bailout and shove it. THAT was impressive. Why didn’t the population succumb to the fright-filled warnings from their president and his cronies? Well, you can only say ‘Saddam has da bomb’ so many times before the people realize you’re a lying sack of shite. After eight long years, the nation is worn out and simply can’t take it any longer.
10. CREATE A NATIONAL BANK, A “PEOPLE’S BANK.” If we really are itching to print up a trillion dollars, instead of giving it to a few rich people, why don’t we give it to ourselves? Now that we own Freddie and Fannie, why not set up a people’s bank? One that can provide low-interest loans for all sorts of people who want to own a home, start a small business, go to school, come up with the cure for cancer or create the next great invention. And now that we own AIG, the country’s largest insurance company, let’s take the next step and provide health insurance for everyone. Medicare for all. It will save us so much money in the long run. And we won’t be 12th on the life expectancy list. We’ll be able to have a longer life, enjoying our government-protected pension, and living to see the day when the corporate criminals who caused so much misery are let out of prison so that we can help reacclimate them to civilian life — a life with one nice home and a gas-free car that was invented with help from the People’s Bank.
Yours,
Michael Moore
October 1st, 2008 at 8:45 pm
It’s actually becoming impossible to keep up with the McCain-Palin meltdown. The hits just keep on coming. McCain is now claiming that he has taken advice on foreign policy from Palin! Awesome.
Oh, um, where did all the folks go who had been berating those who were hammering on Palin? I seem to recall that exposing Palin for the vapid fraud she is was going to give McCain the election.
October 1st, 2008 at 9:35 pm
The bailout for the rich on the back of the 88% of us who are working class (A FUCKING TAX CUT?? NOW?) will pass.
We are all screwed, no matter who occupies the White House.
Thta’s right, I said 88%.
October 1st, 2008 at 10:56 pm
Rob.. thanks for the alternate suggestions. In conference with my child and her main squeeze we are now considering the The Hawk ‘n Dove on Capitol Hill. Sounds about rightL
http://www.hawkanddoveonline.com/
March 2nd, 2009 at 9:54 am
do you guys have a recommendation section, i’d like to suggest some stuff
January 3rd, 2011 at 12:43 pm
Lastly an article I can relate to. I’ve read some useless stuff lately, so it is a treat to learn one thing helpful.