I Not Against Guns I'm Against Paranoid Nuts With Guns And Assault Weapons

I more or less grew up with guns around. I when hunting when I was younger. I use firearms in the army during the Vietnam Era. In fact I now get a disability check each month from the VA because my hearing was permanently damaged from firing a rifle repeatedly without proper ear protection while in the service.

But in those days the people I knew in the army and in civilian life who had an appreciation of guns for hunting, or even self defense weren't ideological nuts or neo-Nazis like "Obama going to take our guns away" crowd of douches bags we see around today. Nearly all of these folks appear to have a screw loose. They come off sounding like a broken record of unfounded right wing cliches and psycho-babble when you try to talk to them about THEIR guns.

No one is going to take their freaking guns away, and you don't need an assault weapon for sport hunting or self defense. Their politics on guns is based mostly on unfounded fear or ideological tea bag extremism.

"Address Gun Violence in Cities: As president, Barack Obama would repeal the Tiahrt Amendment, which restricts the ability of local law enforcement to access important gun trace information, and give police officers across the nation the tools they need to solve gun crimes and fight the illegal arms trade. Obama and Biden also favor commonsense measures that respect the Second Amendment rights of gun owners, while keeping guns away from children and from criminals who shouldn't have them. They support closing the gun show loophole and making guns in this country childproof. They also support making the expired federal Assault Weapons Ban permanent, as such weapons belong on foreign battlefields and not on our streets." (from Organizing for America Obama website urban plan)

When I worked for the Obama campaign door to door in Texas and Montana last year the fear of "Obama repealing the 2nd amendment" comprised the main objection of the anti Obama crowd I had interactions with. In many cases these folks barely had a pot to piss in, yet this one issue trumped all others including such things as having a job or universal medical coverage. I was struck with confusing nature of their priorities. It seemed illogical to me that you'd put this blind and unfounded fear of not being able to own a gun, including assault weepons, above all others.

They seemed to have all bought into the narrative of Obama the Muslim Manchirian candidate or Obama the Socialist, fascist or whatever the favor of the day is, being promoted by Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh types or their local racist group or other wing nut of the month club. These clubs and groups of individuals bred in these people irrational justifications for taking armed action, if neccessary to save a supposedly brainwashed nation. It is no wonder that the Department of Homeland Securities recent report named right wing groups as a growing threat to our democracy.

1918 Influenza Pandemic Could It Happen Again?

The answer is yes! The only question is the new outbreak of swine flu currently centered in Mexico the begining of the modern pandemic. Hear a podcast synopsis from the PBS American Experience documentary Influenza 1918.

In 1918 people around the world soon came to the realization that nothing could stop the spread of this common and deadly Spanish flu. Medical science, limited in it's understanding of the virus, was unable to find a cure. Has our complacency, and our modern human egos once again put us at risk of making the same mistake of underestimating the killing power of such a flu pandemic?

Republicans moderates demanded we cut 870 million dollars from the stimulus package aimed directly at research and preparation for such a flu pandemic. Carl Rove howled about wasting taxpayers money on pork. Now they look like the dumb assholes that they actually are.

I wrote about Bush administration pandemic preparation foot dragging nearly 4 years ago. The problem with Republicans is they fail to see that government is the last
defense against a medical crisis of this nature. It's every rich bastard for himself or herself with them. They figure their not going to be the ones that die. As it is in their dirty little wars that's for us unwashed masses out here to do.

Ode To Era Of The Muscle Car Like The Pontiac GTO

My Little Pontiac GTO

Back when Americans made things that had a certain quality their was GM's Pontiac. These were damn good cars. Yes they guzzled gas, but at 32 cents a gallon who cared. The concern for good gas mileage , in due course, came later. The sheet metal was thick and the durability and quality of the cars was considered to be the best in the world of consumer cars. Nowadays you can't even get a stapler made in America that will go through more then two sheets of papers without getting jammed. Then Japanese and other foreign automobiles were considered inferior. Boy have things changed.

General Motors announce today that it was discontinuing the Pontiac Model line as part of bankruptcy reorganization. I have sweet spot in my heart for Pontiac. My mother loved Pontiacs and bought a 1958 Bonneville 2 door hard top. She occasionally let me take the car on a spin. Invariably I’d take it to cruise the Golden Gardens or Alki beach in the summer making sure the kids I hung out with saw me. Pat Sloan, my best buddy in high school, dad had a 1959 Bonneville 2 door hardtop that he spent many a Friday night burning rubber with as we left the local Dag’s or Dick’s drive in.

Pontiacs were later known for power and torque muscle cars like the GTO. I owned a 1964 GTO for about a year that I impulsively sold one day because a GTO nut made a offer that I couldn’t refuse and I needed beer money.

With the announcement today by GM I sure it’s must be a sad day for Pontiac lovers everywhere.

Another Nitwit Republican Gets In Over Her Head With Al Gore

Republican Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee continues the GOP tendency to have their head up their ass while trying to paint Al Gore as motivated by greed when it comes to climate change.

Seattle Moisture Festival Photos

The 2009 Moisture Festival just concluded and it was a roaring success. Many of us who where involved in the festival felt it was the best ever. Here's a link to photos by Michelle Bates. Check it out and mark you calendar for next year's festival.

Tea Bag Your Tea Bag

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

My niece inadvertently posted an announcement in my facebook news feed about how I should consider attending a local tea party to protest high taxes, government bailouts and "the pork".

I fired back that apparently she hadn't gotten the memo that being a nitwit isn't allowed in our family. She responded that her husband had misappropriated the use of her account on facebook and posted the right wing drivel. "Obviously too much something of the AM radio persuasion", she offered. I'm not sure what his source is, but it's apparent he loves Glenn Beck and tends to believe all the bullshit you normally find on FOX News, where Beck has free reign to make up shit as he goes along and put it out there into the national intellect.

Beck's main message lately is that the Obama administration is really just a fascist plot to destroy America. In actuality Beck and some right wing radio personalities represent plain old fashion demagoguery the likes of which we've seen before during the era of Joe McCarthy or Father Coughlin. Unfortunately, it appears most of these folks who buy into this crap don't know the difference. But grassroots movement it's really not. Simply explained, it is corporate America using the marginally informed to centralize it's power so it can fuck them over some more. Wake up and smell the fucking coffee people!

What's worse is I have a growing fear that nuts like Beck maybe inflaming the unstable and unbalanced fringe elements of the right into doing the unthinkable. The question is who gets shot next. I believe that conservatives have the right to speak their mind. They can complain as much as they like. They should organize and protest if motivated to do so. But thinking and fact finding are also important. Most of these people are actually protesting against things the government is doing that are actually in their own interest. They end up protecting the corporate and conservative oligarchy and only prolonging their own exploitation by these powerful elements.

It's not a big surprise that wingnuts are unable to separate fact from fiction. Shrinking numbers of right wing diehards egged on by FOX News and other conservative radio talk nitwits blindly protest tax increases when most of them will get a tax cut in Obama's new budget if they make under $250K. They oppose reforming health care coverage when many of them are uninsured or paying skyrocketing medical costs. They protest bailouts but offer no alternative to stimulate the economy. Protest pork when it is a small portion of the real problem with government spending, if it is in fact a problem at all. My congressional district or State's pork is good and yours is bad I guess. No one has convinced me that pork barrel spending is a bad thing. It's just another easy target for right wing ditto heads.

I'm probably preaching to the choir here, but you'd think that these people would see their being boondoggled again by the same criminals and nitwits who created the real crisis with are living in today.

Chia Obama Makes Me Proud To Be An American

We give you the Chia Obama!

Bush Administration Job Safety Policies Lead Directly To Death Of Workers

The Republican pro business and deregulated Bush administration policy of ignoring OSHA regulations and programs directly lead to the death of workers according to a new study.

Not that it's much of a surprise that profits were more important to these bastards then the lives and safety of their workers. You may want to ask yourself who the fuck should be held accountable for the failure of government to enforce the laws that protect the lives of these workers.These were actual human beings with families, who no doubt must of been devastated by their untimely deaths.

Life And Getty Images Launch LIFE.com

Probably one of the most amazing collection of photography anywhere is now on line with Life and Getty images launch of Life.com. (beta) Enjoy!

Some Bad And Not So Bad Paintings Of Barack Obama

Well it was bound to happen. Lots of marginally artistic painters (I know what's that) out there and the phenomenon of Obama's presidency have generated enough bad and not so bad paintings found here of our fearless leader to have a coffee house opening. But, I must say I actually love several of these works of art and others not so much.
(Note: click on image after jump to move to the next painting)

Blogging Light

Been up to my elbows in Moisture Festival. So I'm blogging light right now.

Drudge Finds Intelligent Explaination Of Economic Crisis And Cure Boring

Funny how wingnuts find an intelligent discussion and explanation of what President Obama has done, or intends to do in the future to turn the economy around to "being boring". Not enough ideological divisive wedge issue creating bullshit for these halfwits I guess. To them a national political discussion of the economy, health care, the educational, and energy crisis is some sort of waste of time not worthy of anyones attention.

They'd rather be hearing about shit like "Armed customer kills robber at BURGER KING, or "Sen. McConnell: Budget makes USA worse than Cuba". These folks are what's been wrong with political discourse in America for at least the last decade. Stupid in is Stupid out.

Will The People Complaining About Snow Removal In Seattle Please Shut The F@#k Up!

The newest rehashing of the controversy about the winter snow storms is the investigative news reporting in a Seattle Times article pointing out that City officials apparently didn’t have a workable snow removal plan in place when Seattle turned into Montana for about a month this last winter. So tell us something we don't know. Hello everyone, Seattle doesn’t really have snow in the winter usually, so why would the city put lots of scares tax dollars or manpower aside for these type of services. Then they'd surely be accused of not having their priorities straight.

Plus who the hell really anticipated the enormous amount of snow that fell and remained during that two to three week period that ended up paralyzing the city for much of the time when it was happening. I say stop your damn bitching you spoil self-centered, and most likely transplanted complainers. “My driveway was block and I can get out, and my street is slippery and it’s so bad I can’t drive my SUV to work”. Well too fucking bad for you buddy! It’s all so typically part of the modern American way of getting hung up on the small shit. Or complaining because your not personally getting your way.

Historically speaking this last winter has got to be one of the worst years for snow accumulation this region has seen here in years. I personally think it was the worst, and I was born and raised here. But instead of being seen as a weather anomaly, like it probably should be, it will for sure be likely fodder for someone who wants to beat up on the Mayor or the city in the upcoming mayoral campaign or city council elections.

I say grow a pair and stop complaining about this shit, and next time be ready with your own personal transportation disaster plan for snow. In that way you'll be demonstrating some self-reliance which is more historically what real Washingtonians do .

Photo Of My Late Brother Hawking The Post Intelligencer Circa 1958

Well there you go. I previously had a post on the demise of the PI. Me and my brothers loved the PI. It was our main source of pocket money when we were growing up. RIP PI. Christopher O'Brien my brother died in a auto crash in 1967. He was in college at the time and was a talented athlete who played basketball on a college scholarship and loved to water ski on Lake Washington in the Summer. The photo was taken at the Canadian Pacific Dock on Seattle's waterfront the old pier 64.

Wingnut Power Grab Alert Election For King County KC Conservation District Board of Supervisors

King County Conservation District Board March 19th election polling locations listed below with endorsement of environmentalist Mark Sollitto.

Here's information from the press release from a 34th LD political activist. Apparently Republicans and rightwing property rights wingnuts have been able to dominate this important county conservation board because no one really pays attention to the fact there's an election.

You can make a difference to protect the environment by taking the time to drop by the Vashon Library this Thursday, March 19th to vote. Because of a technical error the progressive candidate’s name, Mark Sollitto was left off the ballot, and to vote for him you will have to actually write his name on the ballot.

Sierra Club supports Mark Sollitto who is a WRITE-IN Candidate, Mark has a masters in public administration. Here is his community experience: Chair, North Bend Park Board; board of directors, Snoqualmie Valley Rotary; Eastside Fire and Rescue; Snoqualmie Valley Cities Association; Meadowbrook Farm Preservation Association. He is or was a council member from North Bend. Mark filed to be a candidate, but due to a technical error, was not placed on the ballot – hence he is a write-in candidate

Very few people know about this election, so one of the Republicans, like Preston Drew, who opposes King County’s Critical Areas Ordinance which is designed to protect streams, wildlife and wetlands, could easily win this election if progressives don’t turn out in healthy numbers to support Sierra Club’s choice Write-in candidate: Mark Sollitto.

KCD is a natural resources assistance agency authorized by Washington State and guided by the Washington State Conservation Commission. Its mission is to promote the sustainable use of natural resources through responsible stewardship. A five-member Board of Supervisors is responsible for all District programs and activities. Since 1949, the KCD has been helping the people of King County manage their natural resources.
When:

This Thursday, March 19th

Polling Locations

AUBURN
King County Library/Muckleshoot Branch - 39917 Auburn Enumclaw Road S.E. , Auburn WA 98092
Poll hours 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

BELLEVUE
King County Library/Bellevue Regional Branch - 1111 110th Avenue NE , Bellevue WA 98004
Poll hours 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

CARNATION
King County Library/Carnation Branch - 4804 Tolt Avenue , Carnation WA 98014
Poll hours 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

COVINGTON
King County Library/Covington Branch - 27100 164th Ave. S.E. , Covington WA 98042
Poll hours 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

DES MOINES
King County Library/Des Moines Branch - 21620 11th Avenue S. , Des Moines WA 98198
Poll hours 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

ENUMCLAW
Enumclaw Public Library - 1700 First Street , Enumclaw WA 98022
Poll hours 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

ISSAQUAH
King County Library/Issaquah Branch - 10 W. Sunset Way, Issaquah WA 98027
Poll hours 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

NORTH BEND
King County Library/North Bend Branch - 115 E. 4th, North Bend WA 98045
Poll hours 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

REDMOND
King County Library/Redmond Regional Branch - 15990 N.E. 85th, Redmond WA
Poll hours 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

RENTON
Renton Community Center - 1715 Maple valley Hwy., Renton WA 98057
Poll hours 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

SEATTLE
Seattle Public Library (Downtown Main Branch) - 1000 Fourth Ave. Seattle WA 98104
Poll hours 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

SHORELINE
King County Library/Shoreline Branch - 345 NE 175th, Shoreline WA 98155
Poll hours 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

VASHON
King County Library/Vashon Branch - 17210 Vashon Hwy. S.W. , Vashon Island WA
Poll hours 10:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m

Please take the time to vote on Thursday for Mark Sollitto.

The Boswell Sisters Heebie Jeebies (1932)

Depression era harmonies.



Thanks to Howard Patterson for pointing this out..

60 Trillion Dollar Time Bomb Worth Of Credit Default Swaps Out There

That's more then the annual global GDP.

Here's how the banks and speculators gambled with your and your grandparents savings, 401K and mutual fund investments in what was similar to putting your money on a horse at the rack track or the using it to play at the roulette table in Las Vegas. The only question I have is, when will these bastards be charged, jailed, tried and sentenced? Like Goldy says over at HorsesAss, the only one really reporting this stuff it seems is a freaking comedian named John Stewart.

Earmarks Are A Good Thing

John McCain why don't you shut the F*@k up, or at least tell your fellow Republicans to practice what they freaking preach. McCain has made a career out of complaining about money earmarked for such things as beaver management. But what McCain does not tell you is the $650,000 spend on that project ends up preventing $5 million in potential damage done by beavers in North Carolina. If I hear him use that line about studying bears DNA in Montana again I'll probably puke all over my TV set.

Sure there are bad earmarks but in the big scheme of things the money spent on earmarks is a drop in the bucket compared to the billions wasted in bottomless pits like military spending or money for phony wars in Iraq or elsewhere. Most of the things that gets done because of earmarks are good, not bad. It sound like you give a shit about spending when you bitch about earmarks but it's just phony political theater.

When a Congressman or Senator brought home the bacon in the form of a earmark in the old days it meant jobs and capitol projects getting built, and probably their reelection. Now the phony Republicans with not much else to offer have turned earmarks into a negative. Bring on the damn earmarks as far as I'm concerned and stop this hypocrisy. The real argument should be about transparency when it comes to earmarks, not banning them.

Vashon Boys Kings of 1A Basketball Destroy Kings HS In Final

Vashon High's boys basketball team destroyed Kings 49 to 24 Saturday night in Yakima to claim the state 1a championship. Vashon uber alles!
(Bill Gage photo)

Colbert Outdoes Himself Lampooning Glenn Beck

These two clips from The Colbert Report must be watch back to back. Fucking Hilarious! The first one is mostly observations of Beck's new gone haywire doomsday scenario show segment and the second, and better one, is Colbert's takeoff of it.

The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Glenn Beck's War Room

Colbert Report Full Episodes
Political Humor

Rap Battle
Joke of the Day

The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Doom Bunker - Jack Jacobs and Stephen Moore

Colbert Report Full Episodes
Political Humor

Rap Battle
Joke of the Day

John Steward Takes On The Rick Santelli's And Cramer's Of The World

Proving once again that if you take financial advise or rely on insightful commentary from these CNBC yahoos your in trouble..... This is just too good not to post again just in case you haven't seen it.

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

CNBC Gives Financial Advice

Daily Show Full Episodes
Important Things With Demetri Martin

Political Humor
Joke of the Day

Seattle's Moisture Festival Opens Four Week Run March 11th

Sally Pepper - photo by Michelle Bates

Now for something close to my heart. That would be Seattle's very own Moisture Festival, now about to enter it's sixth season when it opens with a Gala performance March 11th at A Contemporary Theater, ACT downtown .

The Moisture festival brings variete and burleseque performers together from around the world and to Seattle for this four week long festival. The festival has become one of the largest vaudeville, burlesque and variete festivals of it's kind in the world. The Stranger newspaper awarded the Moisture Festival one of it's Genius Awards in 2007. Often called the poor person's Thetro Zinzani, the festival has earned a reputation, high praise and the willing participation of some of the best variete and burlesque acts found in this unique area of theatrical performance. Here's more information on the the line-up of variete and burlesque artists at this year festival and you can find information on how to get your hands on tickets here.

The festival is a celebration of the renewal of the vaudeville genre while also being a unique Seattle centric community and world renowned arts festival. The Moisture Festival was started six years ago by performers and for performers. The Moisture festival is a non profit organization and the proceeds from festival ticket sales are basically shared by the performers after overhead and other expenses are paid. The festival also receives support from outside sponsorships, grants and a large number of volunteers.

This year the Moisture Festival has also added a film festival aspect with the involvement of SIFF. The Seattle International Film Festival aspect will feature vaudeville comedy variete and burlesque related films at SIFF's Seattle Center movie theater during the festival. The films should be a special treat for vaudeville and burlesque buffs and historians of the genre.

The festival opens at ACT theater downtown with a Gala March 11th. ACT shows will offer a combination of Burlesque and Variete show performances. The festival will then move to the 250 seat Hale's Palladium in Fremont March 19th for the final 3 weeks through April 5th. The festival is especially well and widely known for bringing some of the finest and most talented Burlesque artists together to showcase their acts before larger audiences in a traditional theater setting. Also the festival has a heavy emphasis on aerial performers being presented in a way that is visually stimulating and theatrical. Every show features a least one aerial act. There are also a number of benefit shows, workshops and other special events incorporated into the festival, also weekend matinees that tend to be orientated more to the children and family friendly type of audience. All Moisture Festival variete shows are acceptable for families with children, while the burlesque shows are limited to adults.

The festival has been known to sell out early and often, so I suggest you get your tickets early and I hope to see you there.

Have a great Moisture festival in 2009!

Danny O'Brien
Moisture Festival Artist Liaison
danny@moistruefestival.org

Are Geithner Past Ties To Powerful Banks A Problem When It Comes To Fixing Them

Just asking.

More and more with each passing day you hear criticism mostly by the MSM of Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner handling of the banking crisis. Many economist and experts are calling for a more systematic approach in dealing with failing banks. Everyone for this type of approach says that the rules should be laid out so they could be understood by all on just how the government will proceed when it comes to dealing with the bad banks. Not approaching the problem in this way will only create more uncertainly and could prolong the crisis or make things worse.

Up to this time the federal government's approach under former Treasury Secretary Paulson and now Giethner has been to deal with the overwhelming crisis in what could be called a piece meal way. A company like AIG gets in trouble and the federal government rushes in and give them billions. The rules seem to change day to day. AIG has now been given 3 massive bailouts. Once again financial experts think the government should move swiftly towards a systematic, well understood by all, approach to identify troubled banks and nationalization them if necessary instead of going from crisis to crisis.

Yet Geithner seems not to be listening. Could it be that he is too tied to these same bankers he now must stand up to in dealing with such questions as whether to take them over or not? Remember that Geithner actually came from the New York Federal Reserve Bank and much of what has happened has happened on his watch while he was there. It was his job to oversee the very banks that are now the problem. Many of the bankers that got us into the problem worked closely with Geithner when he was in New York. Another question is why the government is so willing to give billions to the same unscrupulous bankers who were the ones who screw things up in the first place. Why haven't they been fired and replaced with new people. This appears to makes no sense.

Simon Johnson a MIT professor and a former research director of the IMF analyzes the bank bailout plans and other alternatives in an extensive interview on NPR. The interview touches on just about every aspect of the crisis, including Geithner's conflicts, and Johnson does a remarkable job making this complex issue understandable for the average person I think. I only hope the president is also getting this type of information and I'm the just being paranoid.

Kiss Limbaugh's Ass People!

click on image to enlarge

Gates Describes Differences Between Bush Obama

Dum de dum dum...

Have You Seen That Vigilante Man

President Relaxes With Wizards

Republicans Thinking In Analog Democrat Thinking In Digital

Maybe the Republicans need to get one of those converter boxes before the deadline?

While knocking the stimulus package during his response to the state of the union address Governor Jindal said, “Instead Of Monitoring Volcanoes, we should be monitoring the eruption of spending in Washington.” Wait a minute Governor no ideas; people here in the State of Washington may think, then we should also stop monitoring hurricanes. But, I think what we all are being forced to monitor is more like a Republican Party deathwatch.

I was having dinner with my thirty something daughter and my son in law the other night, and admiring their beautiful new baby girl. My daughter is typical of many of her generation of thirty somethings, somewhat tech nerdy and smart. well educated and results orientated. They are not so inclined to take sides, left or right, as quickly as we of the baby boom generation are.

Simply put they, like President Obama, just want to get things done. This is why most of them are now joining the growing base of the Democratic Party and support the new President’s forward thinking and modern solutions to the problems we face as a nation.

We were talking about the state of politics and I was waxing on with the usual left wing talking points thinking how obvious could it be. She simply countered with, “ it’s the way they think, it’s out of date, their thinking is really from another era. Yet they try and apply it to today’s problems”.

I thought that’s it, it's like the Republicans thinking is analog and the Democrats is digital.

One of the things that always bugged me the most about 8 years of George W. Bush was the overwhelming feeling of time being wasted. Things needed addressing here and now, yet Bush and the Republicans ignored the obvious, stuck in their tired ideology and rhetoric. Protecting corporate America and the rich oligarchy was more important than solving real problems in the end. People died, things regressed, crises when unaddressed.

Ignore the need to reduce our need for foreign oil or to produce energy from clean energy sources. Refuse to reform health care and provide a real national health insurance program. Instead we got more of the same old programs that only protected and enriched the rich, disguised as reform. We hate change; it’s every (rich) man and woman for themselves was their real mantra. Even the war in Iraq’s main justification was based on a desire and old idea that unlimited access to a source for more oil is what we need. Such were the distorted and misleading ideas of these Republicans.

Even after serious loses in the last two national elections Republicans continue to believe in their out of date stale and unworkable ideas. They waste every thinking person’s right to a brighter future.

The end maybe near for these out dated old white men and their obstructionist party.

ABC This Week Finally Conducts A Rational Discussion Of The Economy

OMG, I can't believe this.

Maybe it was because Cokie Roberts and David Brooks weren't there, but this is the most rational discussion of the overall economy I've seen on a MSM channel since the crisis began. Guest include Nobel prize winner Paul Krugman and Nouriel Roubini NYU professor who was one of the few economist to predict the crisis. Both Krugman and Roubini tend to take a more populist view of the situation and not get bogged down in politically based ideological arguments on who should get the blame.

David Gregory Parrots Republican Talking Points About Deadbeat Home Buyers On MTP

Mealy-mouthed Meet The Press host David Gregory was more then happy to parrot the Republican talking points of why we shouldn’t be bailing out these deadbeat home owners.

His thinking mostly based on the continuing hero worship by the MSM and the right wing of former derivatives trader, and CNBC reporter, Rick Santelli based on his recent cable news rant about the supposedly lazy no good bums who wanted us to pay for their bad mortgages and 2nd bathrooms.

Gregory led off one discussion with, “I have read the plan from top to bottom and the reality is that Mr Santelli's criticism is shared by a lot of people who think it is fundamentally unfair to subsidies people. They misrepresented their incomes, gotten in over their heads and the owe what they owe” he said. Gregory repeatedly referred to the bad loans as "liar loans". Gregory by buying into this crap demonstrates his misguided willingness to carry Republican water aimed at undermining the Obama mortgage rescue plan that was announced last week.

The problem with Gregory's premise is that the mortgage sellers were the lairs not, as he infers, so much the borrowers. Just apply common sense, the borrowers didn't approve their own loans.

What Gregory and Santelli fail to point out is that these supposedly toxic mortgages had to be approved ultimately by a underwriter and bank or some mortgage company officials who’s job it was to check to see if the borrower had a realistic ability to pay the loan off. Gregory presents a false and misleading picture of a fast talking borrower with little income or documentation who repeatedly is able, somehow, to pull the wool over the eyes of his local mortgage lender or bank official.

It’s total bullshit.

The truth is that many of these home mortgage lenders, bankers and underwriters were more than willing to ignore basic accounting, documentation and home lending rules because they were more concerned about market share and profits in the inflated and exploding home mortgage and housing market then whether their customers could afford the loans, or repay them.

The mortgage lenders and banks personal greed has now come home to roost.

Borrowers were offered low interest adjustable rate mortgages, such as the now famous, pick a payment loan, that allowed homeowners to pay whatever amount they wished each month, actually increased the mortgage principle over time not lowering it. These lenders had to know these mortgages were ticking time bombs that were ready explode in the homeowner face down the road. But, they said nothing even late in the looming crisis and continued to package these same mortgages into toxic securities that they spread around the world.

Mortgage providers and their sales people speculated that home prices would never fall and would in fact only increase in a ever expanding frenzy of home buying and selling, speculation, flipping and orgy of quick buck making in the millions and billion of dollars for these ethically challenged lenders.

Gregory and Santelli reflect the worst type of sensationalizing and polarizing by subtly misrepresenting the basic facts and continuing to paint anyone who has a troubled mortgage as some sort of racial stereotypical lowlife who took advantage of the unsuspecting mortgage company or bank when they applied for the mortgage. We all know it was the other way around. So mismanaged and greedy were these mortgage providers that their unscrupulous behavior has in the end pulled the house down on their own heads.

So called reporters like Santelli and Gregory should at the very least make an effort to base their nitwit premises on something close to the facts before they start shooting off their mouths.

Handy Interactive Map On Changing National Housing Prices

Here's a link to a handy map showing the change in housing prices via Zillow.

This is the Type Of Focused Populist Anger We Need To Harness

Lansing Michigan Mayor Virg Bernero never fails to amaze me when it comes to articulating how corporate America has been screwing the working man or the double standard that exist when it comes to bailouts for Wall Street versus Main Street. Unfortunately, many Americans are apparently too ignorant or selfish to figure it out.

Hardtimes Michael Jackson Auctioning Off His Stuff

The Neverland auction. How about the famous glove or his MTV award, it's all here.

Starbucks Becomes Labor's Poster Child For The Employee Free Choice Act

Proponents of The Employee Free Choice Act have made Starbucks Coffee Chain and CEO Howard Shultz it's poster child in the campaign for passage of the law.

Labor unions have long argued that even when a union can prove it represents a majority of employee by producing cards that the employees have signed indicating they want a union employers more often then not will immediately engage in frivolous legal action, intimidation and dismissal of employees they suspect are union sympathizers. Starbucks have now become the dubious stereotypical example when it comes to using these age old union busting tactics when their employees have decided to form a union.

“As the Seattle Times reports today, Schultz's company, already thumped by the National Labor Relations Board last month for unfair labor practices, including the firing and punishing of pro-union baristas at several New York cafes, has now settled a separate NLRB dispute this week in Michigan. And on Wednesday, Starbucks is set to begin proceedings there in a third case in which it allegedly fired a barista because of his union activities.” EFCA poster boy: Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz

The EFCA, also known as card check, would limit the employer’s ability to intimidate and fire employees who want a union by removing the time consuming requirement that an election be conducted at a business to determine whether the employees want the union. Under the new law if the union has cards signed by over 50% of the employees, verified by an independent third party, the union would then represent the employees. The employer would then be required to begin good faith negotiations with the union on a contract to cover the employee’s wages, hours and working conditions.

Employers traditionally have used the lengthy period after the cards have been signed and before the election is held to engages in paternalism, firing and intimidate employees and union ringleaders in order to bust the union and or effect the outcome of the election. Starbucks has on several occasions been found guilty of engaging in anti union practices that personify the type of activity that support labor's arguments for card check.

I'm definitely buying my coffee elsewhere until Starbucks recognize that their employees have the right to organize a union free from intimidation.

Hey Barack Nationalizing Banks Maybe The Only Option!

President Obama has come out against nationalizing banks as a means of dealing with the looming insolvency crisis in the financial industry. His stated reasons seem vague, “America is different, We want to retain a strong sense that private capital is fulfilling the core investment needs of this country” he said. (Referring to a question about Sweden who nationalized their banks) Given the escalating nature of the global financial crisis I wonder if the President may have a different opinion now on nationalization.

I think that he should at the very least remain open minded about the possibility of having to nationalize given the nature and severity of the deepening crisis. In any case, if government were to take over failing banks it should be done as a temporary measure lasting only as long as necessary to fix the problems and get rid of deadwood bosses and managers before the banks are returned to private sector operation again.

A recent article by economist Nouriel Roubini has rejuvenated the debate about whether the government should take over troubled banks. On ABC This Week today two Republicans, Senator Lindsay Graham and Representative Peter King even admitted that given the severity of the problem it should be an option that the President could use. The statement by the two Republicans almost gave Representative Maxine Waters, also a guest on the show, a heart attack since it was coming from Republicans. It seems like just a few days ago that these same Republicans were ranting on about the evils of Socialism and government interference in the private sector. So go figure.

Maybe this is why Obama has been hesitant to use this option, namely because of the ideological and political opposition problems he thinks it would create trying to sell it to the Republicans and the extreme right wing. The bottom line is that there are more good reasons to do it then to end up with a bunch of half measures that may not get the job done. The President may not get a do over if his strategy is not bold given the catastrophic he is facing.

Chief among these problems is the fact that many of the same Wall Street CEO’s that brought about the crisis in the first place remain in power and why would you give billions in bailout funds to them now since they have demonstrated they apparently don’t know what they are doing. Nationalization should eliminate these compromised individuals from the situation and would also represent a clean and transparent start for the banks with new people running the show.

Last week we had the rather theatrical display of bankers being parade before Congress to be brow beaten for paying themselves inflated bonuses and mismanagement. As a friend of mine pointed out, the same thing was done in Scotland with their bankers except that all of them had already been fired from their jobs as heads of the banks by the time they appeared before a government commission. So entrenched are the CEO's here that they can't be fired even when it's obvious that they are incompetent or able to keep their bank solvent.

Senator Chuck Schumer, who also appeared on the show, not surprisingly was the only panelist who came out against the idea. “I don't think government is good at making these decisions”. Schumer the New York Senator certainly is representing by this statement the interest more of the bankers he represents on Wall Street, than what may be good for the country. Which is at the root of the political problem when it comes to opposition to nationalizing the banks. Most members of Congress, on both sides of the isle, as well as many presidential advisers, are beholden to the Banks and Financial institutions because of the political contributions they have received, or their long term personal working relationship with Wall Street. The Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner is a prime example of someone who represents the latter.

So is Obama getting good advise? Maybe not. My hope is that he is not so insulated by the political culture in Washington that the idea of nationalizing the banks is completely off the table. Because in the end it may be the best strategy and exactly what’s needed to really fix the crisis.

Headline Of The Day

"GOP lawmakers tout projects in the stimulus bill they opposed"

Economist Warns Obama Of Powerful US Financial Oligarchy

It doesn't take a great leap of faith to believe every thing MIT Economist Simon Johnson says about the need for President Obama to stand up to and break up the power of the financial and banking industry oligarchy that is now in control of virtually all of America's Banks and financial institutions.

Johnson questions Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner motives, resolve and conflicts of interest when it comes to dealing with these powerful people. On Friday's Bill Moyers Journal the economist warned that the bankers will play Obama and the taxpayers for chumps if we do not take steps to control them or have them relinquish their power.

Johnson went so far as to says that Obama may have to demand that CEO's and other major players step down in order to change the culture that brought us the crisis. Many of the same individuals at fault for the crisis are still running the same institutions they lead into insolvency. Pretty scary given that the taxpayers are about to give these people billions or dollars more to save their companies from complete collapse.

Under questioning from Moyer, Johnson indicated that the United States in its present economic state is more akin to a 2nd or 3rd world nation than the premier world financial power it had been for so long. Such is the depth of the crisis.

Professor Johnson also has an informative blog baselinescenario.com that provides a in depth look at the economic crisis. I just hope the president is reading it.

If You Think Stimulus Opposition Was Bad Wait For The Medical Industry BS Machine With Health Care Reform

Better get use to the bullshit it's going to be a beyond anything you've seen yet. Here's a taste.

Why We Should Stop Screwing Around And Build The Tunnel To Replace The Viaduct Plus Stimulate The Economy

In case you hadn’t noticed, one of the more recognizable characteristics of our new president is he knows the difference between a time for talking and the time for action. Barack Obama’s rhetoric centers on the theme that he’s interested in “getting things done” instead of talking or getting stuck in ideologically based party politics and head banging.

Meanwhile locally no one pays attention or draws a parallel apparently. So involved are we in the local art form of ideological bullshitting and head banging known to all as the "Seattle process" you can't even jaywalk in this city without making it a federal case.

Politicians like Seattle City Councilman Nick Licata, and the House Speaker Frank Chopp in Olympia personified this trait and are the perennial champions whenever it comes to “milking the mouse” no matter what the issue or project.

Concerned citizens, stakeholders and bloggers who have caught this disease will seek out every opportunity to mini-manage, talk and pontificating about the finer points of any local civic projects ad nauseam. The desire to repeat and enjoy the experience of complete political constipation has become so much a part of community's digestive system that we are unable to pass any plan for replacement of the Alaskan Way Viaduct or, for that matter, any other local improvement project of any magnitude, no matter what number of jobs are created in the local economy.

But then eureka! A breakthrough, the Governor, Mayor of Seattle and County Executive, after many costly studies, boatloads of consutants and expert opinions, starts, stops and advisory ballot measures, seem to have come to an agreement to dig a tunnel to replace the crumbling and dangerous viaduct. The only obstacle remaining being the Legislature giving its approval of certain tax funding sources and potentially over coming yet another nuance ballot vote that may be generated by some misguided Magnolia and Ballard residents. Because it's really not about the money, except if your a wingnut like KIRO's Radio's Dori Monson.

All is forgivien and maybe government works after all.

But hold your horses people! They’re certain concerned citizens and politicos who think that not enough hairs have been split or lanes added or environmental concerns over global warming met or talked about yet and I need a group fucking hug here please people!

Even thought the tunnel option would keep the traffic flowing by leaving the viaduct open during construction, one of the major concerns of many citizens. Eventually remove the eye sore waterfront blocking evil and crumbling roadway. Open the waterfront to development of public spaces, promenades, bike paths, surface transit and yes, even businesses; still it is apparently not enough to satisfy the obstructionist, environmental eggheads and delayers. The environmental concerns about your personal carbon score while you drive through the proposed tunnel being raised by the likes of the do no wrong Sierra Club can certainly be addressed and be mitigated while the project is allowed to move forward. It should not be grounds to stop the project, at this point.

These people are bent on their pet visions, elitist ideas of the perfect solution or interested in maintaining political power by not getting things done. They cut off their nose to spite their face. Nothing gets done, time passes, things end up costing even more. Well the reasons for building a tunnel outweigh most objections to not building it, which I wrote about at length two years ago. Now many of the experts agree it seems.

Given the state of our economy, the money and jobs stimulated by the project, that also should be a prime consideration. These are union jobs folks. Estimates are that the ten year long tunnel related projects would begin in 2011 with the tunnel, which would be completed by 2015, followed by surface transit, the Spokane and Mercer Street projects. All in all the estimates are that together this activity would produce 10,000 jobs during the period of construction. That's a lot of sack lunches boys.

Think BIG bold and decisively like people in a REAL city should and let 's build the damn tunnel please!

TV Networks Spend Week Painting Octoplet Mother As Welfare Cheat Then Fain Surprise When She Gets Death Threats From The Wingnuts

Is this the best we can get from these MSM assholes. Leave the woman alone for god's sake. I'm sure she'll find out soon enough there are consequences for her actions. But this type of media coverage is despicable.

Put Down The Torches And Pitchforks And Let Nature Take It’s Course When It Comes To Bush Administration Prosecutions

I as much as anyone would like to see President Bush prosecuted and jailed if evidence proves he has violated the law or committed war crimes. But, come on people lets get over the fixation on it as a top priority or something that has to happen immediately or somehow that indicates President Obama is selling out to political pressure from the right.

Liberals need to reel it in and dial back the mob with torches mentality when it comes to making George W. pay for his criminal behavior. It’s uncomely, unrealistic and makes their actions akin to the tactics they hated so much when the shoe was on the other foot.

Barack Obama has been President for about 3 weeks and as we all know has a completely full plate of problems to deal with, some unprecedented in their complexity. Yet, several elements of the liberal left have got their panties all in a knot because Obama has not made the prosecution of the former President Bush or other Bush administration officials a top priority.

Listening to the likes of Constitutional Law Professor Jonathan Turley of Georgetown University, who I have great respect for, speaking on MSNBC Countdown, “we will all become accessories” and Rachel Maddow on her show, “is Senator Leahy trying to help out the Obama administration”, by calling for a truth commission type investigation rather than regular criminal prosecutions. You’d think the world was coming to an end unless immediate action is not taken to prosecute, convict and jail Bush and all members of his administration who committed war or other crimes.

These hyperbolic statements I think are not helpful and tend to paint Obama as someone who is unwilling to prosecute crimes because it would be somehow politically unpopular or counterproductive. It also shows in Maddow's case a lack of an understanding of criminal prosecutions and how they normally evolve.

Obama stated during his press conference on Monday in response to a question of the subject from a reporter with the Huffington Post, “nobody is above the law, and if there is clear incidents of wrong doing they should be prosecuted just like any other ordinary citizen".

What the left has to realize is that this just isn’t going to be a top priority and shouldn’t be, given the unprecedented state of disarray the country has found itself in follow 8 years of George W. Bush. Need I outline the laundry list? Frankly, I think reasonable people would say that things like the economy, the housing crisis and two wars are a bit higher on the priority list right now. I believe that Obama sees this as something that frankly has to be on the back burner for now also.

I would even go as far as to say, this is a matter better suited for late in Obama's first term or even his second term because the evidence is more likely to be there with the passage of time, investigations, whistle blowers coming forward and books written that expose the wrong doings and criminal acts. The Statute of Limitations for federal crimes range from one year to twenty years depending on the type of offense and should be a consideration for prosecutors. But in spite of the Statute of Limitations the reasoning remains that this is not the time to make these prosecutions a top priority.

Eric Holder the new Attorney General I’m sure if given the time to investigate and dig around in the Justice department closet will probably find the evidence needed to prosecute whomever needs to be prosecuted. But people like Maddow, Olbermann, Turley and the the likes of the ACLU need to take a deep breath and realize that there are other matters, as strange as it may seem to them, that will have to take precedence over jailing Bush, Cheney and others right now.

Congress is another thing. They are an independent body and if Patrick Leahy’s Judiciary Committee in the Senate or John Conyers in the House want to investigate or set up a truth commission let them go ahead and do that. Oversight is what they were supposed to be doing all along. Why it would need President Obama’s approval to do that is not really a fair question if there is enough political pressure or evidence to go ahead.

It is my educated guess that Bush and his cronies will be brought to justice in the end. But only when matters are allowed to run their natural course with the normal prudent investigations, indictments and subsequent trials. In other words it going to take time people.

Here's The List Of Items That The Dumb Ass Gutless Bipartisan Senators Cut From The Stimulus

Below is the list of items cut by the Senate from the Stimulus Package. Trying to be open-minded, I've highlighted in red the items I think should of stayed. Frankly I can't see too many things I'd cut except maybe the money for Coast Guard cutters. I'm mad as hell. Why is it that Republicans can spend untold billions on these fucking wars and granting tax cuts for the rich, but then somehow justify their argument that we should spend nothing on actual things that create jobs and maintain our quality of life. Yes items like school reconstruction and help for beleaguered States are being cut. Plain and simple it's just stupidity and dumb ass limbaughillbilly politics. Call your Senator and Congressman and tell them to restore the bulk of these items. Screw what the Republicans want, their freaking wrong. In fact they should add a few more expenditures like this one for rapid transit. Lets build some shit people.

Where's Al Franken we need his vote now.

Partially cut:

• $3.5 billion for energy-efficient federal buildings (original bill $7 billion)
• $75 million from Smithsonian (original bill $150 million)
• $200 million from Environmental Protection Agency Superfund (original bill $800 million)
• $100 million from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (original bill $427 million)
• $100 million from law enforcement wireless (original bill $200 million)
• $300 million from federal fleet of hybrid vehicles (original bill $600 million)
• $100 million from FBI construction (original bill $400 million)

Fully eliminated

• $55 million for historic preservation
• $122 million for new Coast Guard polar icebreaker/cutters
• $100 million for Farm Service Agency modernization
• $50 million for CSERES research
• $65 million for watershed rehabilitation
• $30 million for SD salaries
• $100 million for distance learning
• $98 million for school nutrition
• $50 million for aquaculture
• $2 billion for broadband
• $100 million for NIST
• $50 million for detention trustee
• $25 million for Marshalls Construction
• $300 million for federal prisons
• $300 million for BYRNE Formula
• $140 million for BYRNE Competitive
• $10 million state and local law enforcement
• $50 million for NASA
• $50 million for aeronautics
• $50 million for exploration
• $50 million for Cross Agency Support
• $200 million for National Science Foundation
• $100 million for science
• $1 billion for Energy Loan Guarantees
• $4.5 billion for GSA
• $89 million GSA operations
• $50 million from DHS
• $200 million TSA
• $122 million for Coast Guard Cutters, modifies use
• $25 million for Fish and Wildlife
• $55 million for historic preservation
• $20 million for working capital fund
• $165 million for Forest Service capital improvement
• $90 million for State and Private Wildlife Fire Management
• $1 billion for Head Start/Early Start
• $5.8 billion for Health Prevention Activity
• $2 billion for HIT Grants
• $600 million for Title I (NCLB)
• $16 billion for school construction
• $3.5 billion for higher education construction
• $1.25 billion for project based rental
• $2.25 billion for Neighborhood Stabilization
• $1.2 billion for retrofitting Project 8 housing
• $40 billion for state fiscal stabilization (includes $7.5 billion of state incentive grants)

via: DemConWatch

Shocking McCain Smoking Ragweed Filled Republican Bong (Photo)

click to enlarge image

Egotistical pork barrel fixated Senator John McCain's antics on the floor of the Senate this week show that he is nothing but a self involved corporate whore. The problem with McCain is that he actually believes his own phony press clippings. President Obama hero worshiping of McCain while trying to be post partisan has only emboldened the egocentric old fart.

Listening to McCain's and the Republican's tired old rhetoric is like finding out your smoking ragweed when your thought you bought BC bud. You smoke it and nothing happens and the dealer is long gone with your cash.

Let's face it McCain built his reputation and hero status more through family connections then distinguished service. My daddy the admiral. It's the worst kind of hero worship. Had it not been for Admiral daddy and granddaddy, naval officer McCain would not have made it through or even gained admittance to the Naval Academy in the first place. Born on third base with a silver spoon in his mouth while most of the rest of us have to earn our way through life.

I'm sick of the contrived hero worship of this weasel. McCain record as an all American shill who tried to remove the buy American provision from the stimulus bill the other day and works tirelessly to obstruct progress when his real objective is to be seen as the head obstructionist for his stupid hillbilly ideas party. In other words he'd steal food from the mouths of babies if it meant he could score political points. There he stands on the Senate floor spouting more Republican outdated bullshit.

John you lost so don't stand in the doorway and bloc up the hall and just try for once to have a original thought based on what's actually going on in the twenty-first century.

Let The South Succeed I'm Done With These Damn Republicans Running the Country Into the Ground

If you can't offer something new and creative then at least get the fuck out of the way. Rep. Gary Ackerman completely loses it on the SEC.



And here's the President:

Please Make It Stop Joe The Plumber Felt Paintings Now Availiable On Ebay

click on image to enlarge

Cultural hero of and leader of the Republican Party Samuel Joseph "the unlicensed plumber" Wurzelbacher has finally entered the true world of white trashiness. This is demonstrated by the fact that his portrait has been painted on felt, or as the classy people selling this crap like to call it "black velvet". It can be yours my fellow wingnuts for only $250. Well worth it since it glows in the dark? Wurzelbacker joins Elvis and other legendary icons of middle class banality who litter the walls of double wides across this great land of ours.

Keep It Simple Stupid Pelosi and Reid Losing Public Relations Battle On Stimulus

In a continuing example of their lack of leadership and political skill, Senate majority leader Harry Reid and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi are losing the public relations battle on the benefit of passing the economic stimulus package in a form favored by the Democrats, and more importantly most Americans I think.

Pelosi and Reid have been criticized for allowing millions of dollars of non stimulus items into the package by Republicans. Things like millions for providing family planning which would provide such things as condoms, replacing the lawn on the national mall, providing STD education and public sponsored smoking succession campaigns.

I tend to strongly agree.

I realize that many of these programs have validity or are being overstated by the Republicans but, let’s face it they are difficult to politically nuance in the forum of public opinion. Pelosi and Reid should of known better and kept the massive bill focused on job creation, infrastructure, transportation, school reconstruction, computerizing health records, broadband, renewable energy, mass transit, funding State shortfalls due to the downturn, the housing market related crisis, safety net issues like unemployment compensation, food stamps, tax relief for middle income the elderly and small business and just kept it simple focusing on things that fucking relate directly to INFRASTRUCTURE repair AND JOB CREATION.

But no!

Not on their pet projects and politically correct borderline catch as catch can partisan oldies but goodies. The time for such items should come later in bills specifically focused on those areas. Pelosi and Reid are pitching public relations softballs for the Republicans to knock out of the park. There is a time to reap and a time to sow and Pelosi and Reid have never been very good at reading the mood of the country's tea leaves. Both take two steps forward and one step back based on sticking their finger in the air to read what they determine is the direction and course of least resistance prevailing political head wind.

They're the worst kind of cliche of the political hack. Unfortunately we must, for some reason that continues to escape me, depend on their leadership in these difficult times. Is there no Democrats more qualified in the House or Senate to replace these tools.

They've once again demonstrated their lack of perspective as Democratic leaders by allowed the bill to be loaded up with a number of marginal items that, a reasonable man could argued, are not directly related to job creation or the emergency needs of the large number of newly unemployed or tax code changing stimulus.

In this first major test of leadership the Republicans are using these politically unpopular items in the stimulus to discredit the entire package and the President ability to get things done.

This is further proof that Reid and Pelosi are not the type of bold qualify leaders that we need in the Congress now that the Democrats have gained enough power to do good and reverse years of bungling. It seems everything they touch turns immediately to shit because of their tendency towards predictable behavior as the political hacks they are, who lack vision, insight, boldness or credibility.

The President even went so far as to have many of the items that Pelosi and Reid allowed into the legislation removed to appease Republicans in hopes of moving the legislation closer to passage. The President apparently realizes that the bill is supposed to be aimed at job creation, and not Nancy and Harry's pet project stimulation.

Pelosi still doesn’t get it, and looking like a deer in the head lights when interviewed on TV continues to try and make political points with the far left by defending much of the original proposal and the need for more condoms, instead of seeing the situation as it really is and working to get a bill passed that create jobs and stimulates the economy.

Obama Makes Direct Hit On Al Queda In First Salvo Of War Of Ideas

Obama realizes that the war of ideas is the one we must win. It's like the Dark Ages are ending or stupidity has finally been eradicated as it relates to American policy towards the Middle East and the Muslim world at large. No longer the bully nation who knows best, who first actions in to create conflict. God it's great to have such a fucking brillant president finally.

Here are some highlights of the Obama interview today with the Arab television network Al Arabiya:

Listening to Muslims and setting aside preconceptions. Mutual respect and cooperation on mutual interests. Talk of "ordinary Palestinian child" and their future.

Speaking of al Qaeda "what this tells me is their ideas are bankrupt," he told host Hisham Melhem, when asked to respond to recent audio clips from al Qaeda leadership calling him various epithets. "They seem nervous. There's no actions that they've taken that say a child in the Muslim world is getting a better education because of them, or has better health care because of them."

And this gem. "In my inauguration speech, I spoke about: You will be judged on what you've built, not what you've destroyed. And what they've been doing is destroying things. And over time, I think the Muslim world has recognized that that path is leading no place, except more death and destruction."

Right Wing Wrong When It Attacks Carter For Saying Hamas Must Be Included In Middle East Peace

Right wing and knee jerk pro Israeli pundits and websites bitterly attacked former President Jimmy Carter today after his interview on the Today show where he stated that Hamas must be a part of any comprehensive Middle East Peace Agreement. Carter appeared on the show to promote his new book, “We Can Have Peace in the Holy Land.”

Carter makes the legitimate and reality based point that even though Hamas has at times used unacceptable terrorist tactics it is a duly elected political entity that represents the feelings of millions of Palestinians both in Gaza and the West Bank. He went on to say "I'm not here to defend Hamas", when the Today's Meredith Vieira regurgitated the old right wing red herring and pro Israeli claims that somehow Carter is anti-Jew and anti-Semitic because he willing to talk to and include Hamas in peace talks.

The truth is that Carter is one of the few politicians with enough courage to state the obvious instead of falling back on the same pro Israeli rhetoric that Hamas main goal is to destroy Israel therefore they have no standing in any Middle Eastern talks. I'm sure Hamas would say that Israel main goal is to destroy Hamas and the creation of a Palestinian state, and the recent war in Gaza certainly would bare that out.

Carter also says that the ceasefire he negotiated in June 2008 held without any rocket fire from Hamas into Israel until Israelis did not fulfill their part of the deal to provide access to Gaza for basic provisions. Ironically , and somewhat reluctantly, I have argued in previous posts that Israeli leaders were in effect turning Gaza into a Israeli version of the Nazi run Warrsaw Ghetto except this time Jews were the persecutors. Carter also makes the point that in the year leading up to the ceasfire in June 2008 one Israeli was killed by Hamas rocket fire from Gaza while Palestinians were suffering an average of 49 deaths per month.

Aside from Carter's position, anyone in their right mind must realize that all the parties to the conflict need to be included if there is any hope that an agreement can be reached and sustained. You will get no lasting peace until you are willing to allow all the parties to conflict participate in on the process of finding a solution.