Blago

Yeah Blago is a sleaze bucket. What politician isn't (other than our illustrious Dr. Paul)? No one gets funded for higher office unless the power brokers already have the goods on you. That's how they control things. So, it's not surprising that he's corrupt; it's surprising that he was arrested for it.

What we have to do now is ask ourselves, why is he being thrown to the wolves?

The long and short of it is, Obama, Emmanuel, Paulson and others, right up to the very top, knew exactly what Blagojevich was doing and went along with it -- until he threatened their banker friends. Ironically, this rain of shit came down on Blago for trying to do a good thing for once, when he demanded that BofA bailout a small Chicago factory that couldn't meet payroll two weeks before Christmas.


Note, it is Larry Sinclair, the guy who claims to have had sex and done drugs with Obama 20 years ago, who really asks the pertinent questions in the last entry below. It's interesting that one of his commenters (bolded below) calls Obama a "cardboard cutout" figure. Aren't they all?

----

Why the Feds Arrested Illinois Governor Blagojevich

Posted by Lew Rockwell at 11:22 AM

When the feds arrest the governor of a state, you know it can't be over corruption. After all, government is corruption. In fact, as Ken Langston points out, it was his threat against that Paulson-Bernanke fave, Bank of America, that sealed Blagojevich's fate.

http://www.lewrockwell.com/blog/

----

Illinois Threat to Bank of America Is Dangerous, Critics Say

By David Mildenberg and Brian Louis

Dec. 9 (Bloomberg) -- Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich’s threat to halt the state’s dealings withBank of America Corp. over a shut-down factory in Chicago extends a “dangerous” trend of politicians meddling with commerce, a former general counsel of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. said.

Blagojevich, a Democrat, yesterday said the biggest U.S. retail bank won’t get any more state business unless it restores credit to Republic Windows & Doors, whose workers are staging a sit-in. John Douglas, an attorney with Paul Hastings Janofsky & Walker in Atlanta, said Blagojevich and Senator Christopher Dodd -- who called on General Motors Corp. to fire Chief Executive Rick Wagoner -- can’t tell companies how to run their business.

“This is a very dangerous thing,” said Douglas, who was at the FDIC from 1987 to 1989 and has since represented financial institutions including Bank of America. “There becomes an expectation that these government officials have some say over what the institution does,” he said in an interview.

The Illinois governor met Republic Windows & Doors employees who remained at the factory since Dec. 5, after Bank of America canceled a credit line. The members of the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers Union have won support from politicians including President-elect Barack Obama, who said the 250 workers are justified in demanding benefits and pay.

“They’re absolutely right,” Obama, who gave up his U.S. Senate seat from Illinois last month, said over the weekend. “These workers, if they have earned these benefits and their pay, then these companies need to follow through on those commitments.” (more)

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20670001&refer=home&sid=agOFtufX.FXQ

----

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

OBAMA SUPPORTERS/SURROGATES NOW CLAIMING OBAMA VICTIM OF BLACKMAIL AGAIN?

by Larry Sinclair

(Updated @ 5:34pm 12-9-08) Obama transition team now officially stating that Obama senior adviser David Axelrod "simply misspoke" when in a November 23, 2008 interview Axelrod stated Obama and IL Governor did discuss Obama's senate replacement. If Axelrod told the truth, then Obama would be on tape in that discussion with the IL Governor. These tapes need to be ordered into protective custody.

Obama supporters/surrogates are now claiming that Illinois Governor was in fact trying to extort Barack Obama and claim that Obama Chief of Staff Rahm "Dead Fish" Emmanuel turned in the Governor. What is it with the Obama camp always claiming they are the victims? Obama's former classmate was accused by the Obama campaign of trying to extort money from Obama but never reported it to law enforcement, instead they reported it to the Chicago Tribune! Then Robert Gibbs claims I or someone claiming to represent me, attempted to extort Obama out of $100,000 which never happened and the campaign never made any such report to any law enforcement.

Now, the Governor of Illinois, who Barack Obama this very day claims he has had NO contact or discussions with for some time, is arrested and Obama camp claims the Governor was trying to extort Obama? Oh and Barack Obama might want to explain why David Axelrod said Obama and Illinois Governor had a lengthy phone conversation less than a month ago about Obama's Senate seat replacement.

So which is it Barack, you did or you did not discuss the filling of your senate seat with Illinois Gov?

But will the media report this conflict of statements from the Obama camp?

Posted By Larry Sinclair at 3:37 PM

http://larrysinclair-0926.blogspot.com/2008/12/obama-supporterssurrogates-now-claiming.html#comment-7296944627074747821

6 COMMENTS:

Norman Christian Hoffmann said...
Great site! Good luck with your book. BTW your copyright does not extend to software. I suggest you drop your feeds down to teasers etc. I use your feed alot on my website but then I am a loyal and dedicated fan.

Good luck with the future, Larry.

Sincerely yours,

The Editor of
NewsMediaMagazine.com
Norman Christian Hoffmann

December 9, 2008 7:09 PM
Watchmanonthewall said...
Yes they are reporting it on Dobbs but the Obama camp decided to let Axelrod take the hit and claim he misspoke. The media is in full protect Obama mode. It's idiotic. How can they arrest a Gov and charge him selling Obama's Senate seat without Obama knowing about it or even discussing it? They have the Gov on tape saying Obama refused to cough up the money!!! Pretty pathetic lying by both Obama and the media. And why would Obama come out and lie saying he had no spoken to the Gov at all. Because he had discussed it and now he has to lie. Corrupt - you betcha!

NewsMax asks what did Obama know and when did he know it. A good question the rest of the media is not asking.

I think Clinton is behind this OP to take Obama out. Look at the Fitzgerald connections - you will find the link.

December 9, 2008 7:22 PM
Anonymous said...
The more this sordid saga unfolds, the more I believe your story to be 100% true Mr. Sinclair.

December 9, 2008 7:59 PM
Anonymous said...
The government is bringing the charges against the Il. Governnor.
He is being thrown under the bus. He stuck up for the workers at the Republic Window and Dooor Co. Plant and said that the Bank of America should be boycotted by the Il. Legislature and other branches of government in the State of Il. 24 hours later he was arrested. Obama is funded by the largest operators on Wall Street and they are pushing for the bailout of their derivatives debts, so why should Obama be party to a blackmail conspirace. It sounds like a smokescreen and another false scenario. But they are living in a fantasy world so in the words of the Beatles "Nothing is Real" unless you're standing outside a closed down factory with no job and Christmas just around the corner. Obama doesn't celebrate Christmas so he can ignore that part of the tragedy too. He is apparently a cardboard cutout.

December 9, 2008 8:55 PM
EA said...
Mr. Sinclair.

You Sir are a fine Human Being. Willing to loose everything in the way of privacy to stand up to corruption.

We are out of time unfortunately, but maybe, just maybe there will be a wild card in the deck.

Either way keep well and safe, and know that many are behind you all the way.
Peace and Love to you and yours!

December 9, 2008 11:22 PM
Anonymous said...
Obama is bringing change you guys ought to be ashamed of yourselves Obama is bringing change for every American 3 cents for every dollar change

December 10, 2008 12:19 AM

Transparancy

Regarding the ongoing issue of Obama's birth... the simple matter is, we don't know for sure where he was born. (And yes, Snopes can be wrong in cases where there is a question of nuance. They clearly have a Left-wing bent on many issues.)

What Americans should be more concerned about, both on the Left and the Right, is the sudden lack of transparency in government and candidacies. There existed not only questions regarding birth, but also regarding health, that remain unresolved to this day, because candidates from both parties refused to release various academic, medical and financial records.

This appalling lack of sunlight on politics, in what is supposed to be a free and fair democracy, should offend us all -- no matter whom we supported. It is most especially appalling to see those on the Left defending this "secrecy" in government and candidacies.

Private citizens have an expectation of privacy; public officials do not. That is the price they pay, and should pay.

Safety for whom?

In an otherwise excellent National Review Online article discussing the failure of the GOP under George W. Bush, Deroy Murdoch writes, "Bush has kept America safe from terror attacks since September 11."

One could just as easily say that Bush has kept America safe from the Chinese since Virginia Tech.

Ask yourself this... If the American borders are so porous that every Juan and Maria can not only walk into America for work, but back into Mexico for their holidays, what's to keep Muhammed and Abdullah from strolling in just as casually, exploding vests and all? 

Basic logic would dictate that you can't have it both ways. Either America is not really overrun with illegal immigrants, or the terrorist threat is very nearly insignificant. 

Bush hasn't kept America safe from anything, although he has done a mighty fine job of keeping Halliburton and Blackwater's bottom lines safely in the black.

What's worse than a woman scorned?

Mea cupla

Well, fortunately, the Snarkmeister was wrong about the threat of a suspension of the elections. That's a bullet we've dodged for now. But, think about it, why bother with seizing a bankrupt country when you can get its Congress to hand over the treasury lock-stock-and-barrel a month before the election? All the liquidity, none of the debt, no maintenance -- what more could you ask for? (Maybe a handler in the White House?)

Barack's Handler

CNN: "Rep. Rahm Emanuel, a top House Democrat, has agreed to be Barack Obama's chief of staff, a Democratic aide said today."

Agreed at the request of whom is the big question.

This isn't a very promising start. It looks like AIPAC has already managed to compromise Barack Obama. Perhaps we shouldn't be surprised. Obama's record-breaking fundraising never was fully explainable.

This is the quintessent example of why you should be careful about what you wish for. Could it get worse then Dick Chaney? Well, yes, apparently it could.

Rahm (meaning "lofty one" in Hebrew) is the son a Zionist terrorist and has a known animosity towards even moderate conservatives and libertarians (going so far as to advise colleagues not to appear on the Colbert Report). Further, he's a Clinton Administration retread and a Wall Street insider, fully committed to the corrupt financial system that put the country into its current economic mess. Interestingly, he also served in the army, but not ours, so even though he's a U.S. citizen, it's not clear that his loyalty is foremost to America.

This is not promising, not promising at all. First Obama betrays the Gay community by failing to support (letting fail) Prop 8, now we have a nuevo Jonathan Pollard working as Chief of Staff in the White House. Certainly John McCain was an unacceptable choice, but one would have hoped we could have gotten better than this from the alternative.

The Church is the Enemy of the Good

Without religion as an underlying justification, there has never been any reasonable social-goods argument for the liscensing of marriage -- and certainly no sound rationalization for discrimination against homosexuals.

Prior to about the mid-18-century, marriage was strictly a church affair, that concerned neither king nor country. It was only with the rise of "democracy," specifically urban, precinct and ward-based voter rolls, that governments become aggressively desirous of keeping track of who was sleeping with whom -- and that is approximately when government licensing of marriages started to became pervasive. It was never about health, children, morals, or anything valuable to the public welfare; it was about canvassing and vote extortion.

As for gay marriage, much, much earlier than the appearance of government-sanction marriage, clear back to the start of the Christian church, the practise of blessing same sex unions, male-male and female-female, existed. (Well, even before that, the Pagans had little problem with it either, but the traitor Constantine pretty much undermined any decency the Pagans might have offered to posterity.) While such same sex unions were likely just as statistically rare then as today, it was at least common enough for there to be historical record of it.

It was only with the rise of the officially-sanction misogyny of Catholic dogma, latter to be adopted by the fundamentalist sects of Protestism, that hatred toward women, blacks, and homosexuals became pervasive (even though a form of church-santion, same-sex recognition did continue in France into the 18th century). There is nothing ancient or sanctimonious about either government-sanctioned marriage or government-sanctioned homophobia, both are new concepts, almost younger than America.

Oddly enough, America churches have been so successful at scrubbing and rewritten their history of overt racism that it is vertitualy unknown by the current generation, even amongst African Americans who are amongst the most devout populations in the country. It is ironic that many Black Americans belong to very congregations that not 40 years ago would not have allowed them to "darken" their door, and whose members, only a few years earlier, would have been burning crosses in their yards. The Snarkmeister is hardly ancient, but even he can remember hearing racist bile spewed from the pulpit of his childhood church, just as he hears hate against homosexual preached from America's pulpits today.

It is particularly interesting to note that the Mormons, the Church of the Latter Day Saints, which paid 70% of the cost of Proposition 8, did not allow African American's to be fully equal members of its congregation until 1978. The Mormons are retrogrades, who were pulled out of the 18th century by the U.S. courts, and who are are now fighting back at the ballot box. That is understandable, except for the fact that they have no right to drag the whole of America back into the Dark Ages with them. Thank God, we dodged the Romney bullet.

Prop 8: Who voted how? (a.k.a. know thy enemies and thy friends)

Here are the signifiant numbers from the exit polls on California's Proposition 8, which this past Tuesday made Gays officially second-class citizens under California's constitution.

Know your enemy...

• 70% of African Americans voted to oppress Gays*
• 71% of those who made their choice for president based on race voted to oppress Gays
• 80% of those who voted for Goerge W. Bush voted to oppress Gays
• 81% of White Evangelical/Born-again Christians voted to oppress Gays
• 82% of Republicans voted to oppress Gays
• 83% of Weekly churchgoers voted to oppress Gays
• 84% of those who voted for John McCain voted to oppress Gays
• 85% of self-described "Conservatives" voted to oppress Gays

The majority chunk of funding for Prop 8 (an estimated 70%!) was paid for the Church of the Latter Day Saints. The next time any of those Mormon missionaries show up on your door step, forget about being polite and instead loosen the gate on your neighbor's pit bull. Maybe those folks in Nauvoo had the right idea after all. (Look for the t-shirt: Nauvoo: Right idea, wrong time.)

Know your friends...

• 71% of Hillary Clinton Democrats voted to give equal rights to Gays (2% more than Barack Obama Democrats)
• 74% of those who oppose offshore drilling voted to give equal right to Gays
• 79% of self-described "Liberals" voted to give equal rigths to Gays
• 79% of White Democrats voted to give equal rights to Gays
• 83% of those who never go to church voted to give equal rights to Gays
• 90% of Atheists/Agnostics voted to give equal rights to Gays

Give these last three bolded items -- how can it be argued that Prop 8, indeed any legislation proscribing homosexuality or gay rights, does not constituent the anti-Constitutional "establishment of religion"? It can't, because it is.

* The betrayal of the African American community is by far the most difficult thing to swallow from Tuesday's election. The votes of this single demographic group alone cost Gays their civil rights. For half a century the Gay community has unequivocally supported equal rights for minority communities, and this is how they are paid in return? African Americans, including Barack Obama, who refused to take a position on Proposition 8, should be ashamed -- very, very ashamed.

Leading indicators...

The votes are in, in Dixville Notch and Hart's Location, New Hampshire. Not only did Obama win, it was an historic landslide. 

In Dixville Notch, which last voted Democrat when Hubert Humphrey ran against Richard Nixon in 1968, Obama won an astounding 76% of the votes. Meanwhile, up the road in Hart's Location, which has never voted Democrat, ever, Obama won 59% of the local votes. 

Obama might have taken 69% in Hart's Location, except for the curmudgeonly local libertarians who gave Ron Paul 10% of their votes -- even though he wasn't even on the ballot. New Hampshire is one of the few states in the Union that still maintains a true democracy, where every vote is counted. Sadly most states now ignore votes for write-in candidates. 

Go New Hampshire! Live Free or Die.

BREAKING NEWS: The dagger falls...

La vengeance est un plat qui se mange froid.
("Revenge is a dish best served cold.")

-- old French advisory

CNNPolitics:

Colin Powell endorses Obama

It will be interesting to see if Powell might be appointed Secretary of State under an Obama administration. Does anyone know if the same man has ever held the position of Secretary of State under two presidents, let along two president of different parties?

Major Scientific Discovery!

The Heaviest Element Known to Science

Lawrence Livermore Laboratories has discovered the heaviest element yet known to science.

The new element, Governmentium (Gv), has one neutron, 25 assistant neutrons, 88 deputy neutrons, and 198 assistant deputy neutrons, giving it an atomic mass of 312.

These 312 particles are held together by forces called morons, which are surrounded by vast quantities of lepton-like particles called peons.

Since Governmentium has no electrons, it is inert; however, it can be detected, because it impedes every reaction with which it comes into contact. A tiny amount of Governmentium can cause a reaction that would normally take less than a second, to take from 4 days to 4 years to complete.

Governmentium has a normal half-life of 2- 6 years. It does not decay, but instead undergoes a reorganization in which a portion of the assistant neutrons and deputy neutrons exchange places.

In fact, Governmentium's mass will actually increase over time, since each reorganization will cause more morons to become neutrons, forming isodopes.

This characteristic of morons promotion leads some scientists to believe that Governmentium is formed whenever morons reach a critical concentration. This hypothetical quantity is referred to as critical morass.

When catalysed with money, Governmentium becomes Administratium, an element that radiates just as much energy as Governmentium since it has half as many peons but twice as many morons.

Swift-vote Citizens for Truth?

Apparently some constituents are a little upset...

Constituent Rebellion Now!

Millions wrote and called to say No! and still the Senate said Yes? It is time for a housecleaning! Time to show them that they work for Main Street, not Wall Street.

Based on quick analysis, it looks like there are 2-4 Senators who voted Yes who are in tight races, and 3 or 4 more who are vulnerable.

In the House, the analysis is similar, 7 or 8 vulnerable races where a little bit of influence might make all the difference.

Targeting these so-called representatives of the people, with print and radio ads highlighting their betrayal, could really make an impact on their chances for re-election -- and put the fear of constituency back into the Washington elite.

Are you interested in making it happen? There isn't much time before the election, so it will take funds and effort. Can you participate by offering time, skills or funds?

Let us know.

Contact the Constituent Response Team at constituentresponse@gmail.com.

Cato Speaks

I guess I've been a little disappointed with Cato's level of opposition to the bailout plan. Perhaps I was a little fast to judgement. As the video below shows, they have been speaking against it.

It is easy for those of us outside the Beltway, where Americans still speak in robust, unapologetic voices, to remember that in Washington all argument must be couched in the soft words of diplomacy and consensus.

One shirt, Two shirt, Brown shirt, Blue Shirt

Sorta scary...

From the genius of Disney... (Walt, not the corporation)

To think that there was a time in America when such was the educational entertainment for children!

Be careful what you wish for...

Liberals are beating up on Sarah Palin at every opportunity. Some of it is quite funny (thank you Tina Fey). However, it is starting to take on the aura of bullying -- which could create blowback.

Right now Palin is a drag on John McCain, but if liberals push him into cutting her loose, McCain's new VP could give him a much needed  boost in the polls -- especially if his new VP is someone with serious expertise in economics, something that Obama doesn't have either.

Poor Sarah

I'm almost starting to feel sorry for Sarah Palin. She is clearly is way out of her depth. The Couric interview was excruciating; like watching a plane wreck in slow motion where you see every victim die individually. 

It's tragic actually, because given another 10 years of experience she might have actually been a viable national politician. As it is now, her political career is in tatters. She probably isn't even re-electable as mayor of Wasilla, let alone as governor of Alaska.

More Cartoons!

Both fun and easier than Monetary Theory and the Trade Cycle.

Who is this Hayek guy? 2.0

For the more serious student of finance and economics, the von Mises Institute has just made Friedrich Hayek's classic, Monetary Theory and the Trade Cycle, available for free (read, complimentary) on their website. If you are wondering why we are in this financial mess, this is the place to start. Be forewarned, this isn't casual reading.

"I'll stop the torture."

I still can't abide by John McCain, but he gained a wee bit of respect tonight by his having the guts to stand up on that stage and twice call George "we don't torture anybody" Bush a liar.

Who is this Hayek guy?

A teaser in graphics. (Hmmmm, do you think maybe Naomi Wolf read this?)

When did we admit this 51st state?

Asked about what threat Iran represents to the United States, both McCain and Obama made the defense of Israel the core justification for their willingness to attack a nation that couldn't bomb us even if they had nukes. What part of Israel is NOT a part of the United States and NOT a friendly nation can they not understand? Can they not recall the U.S.S. Liberty, and the list of Israeli spies caught undertaking espionage on the United States, including: Richard Perle, Richard Smyth, Stephen Bryen, Jonathan Pollard, David A. Tenenbaum, Irv Rubin, and Larry Franklin (and those are just the ones we've managed to catch).

Thank you, Republicans

Conversion by crisis

[regarding the "bailout"] ...everyone’s going to have to give serious consideration to becoming a pretty hard-core libertarian. -- Matthew Yglesias

When the chickens come home to roost

Fox News, the organization that worked so tirelessly to undermine the Ron Paul campaign (even going to far as to exclude him from a debate), appears to be having a change of heart -- perhaps due to the egg on their face.

Over the last few days, Fox has conducted several interviews with Dr. Paul, as an expert, on the state of the economy. Now today, a Fox News poll shows that Ron Paul is gauged the person most likely to come out of this economic mess looking to have been the smartest.

Why, during the onset of the Second Great Depreseion, do we have Tweedledee and Tweedledummer on the ballot, while an experienced politician, who also happens to be a monetary expert, is sitting on the sideline?

Apologies for the mixed metaphors, but its no more messed up than Fox News or this election.

Why we love Dave

The Bailout Con -- What to do?

Register your opinion! It is easy to do:

You can easily contact Congress to register your oppositions to these bailouts -- bailouts of the rich at the expense of the poor. Visit your congressional delegations' home pages on the Internet or dial the U.S. Capitol switchboard.

To locate and e-mail your Representative, simply enter your ZIP code in the "Find Your Representative" form at the top of the House of Representative's website at http://www.house.gov or dial them at (202) 224-3121.

To contact your Senators, simply select your state from the "Find Your Senators" menu at the top of the Senate's website at http://www.senate.gov or dial them at (202) 224-3121.

Letters do not need to be long, or even well written. A simple statement of objection is sufficient. Please make your opposition well known.

Hail Barney!

This was too good not to steal, and I'll never admit from where...

"It's the longest Hail Mary pass in the history of either football or Marys." --Congressman Barney Frank opining upon McCain's announcement that he was suspending his campaign {sort of but, not really} and running back to DC {for the first fucking time since April 9th and after having missed EVERY FUCKING VOTE SINCE THEN} in order to save us all from from ourselves {actually, to avoid having to debate Obama and to deflect attention from his cratering poll numbers}.

A plainer hypocrisy not to be found

The Politico's Ben Smith has a great catch from the 2008 (!) Republican Party platform:

We do not support government bailouts of private institutions. Government interference in the markets exacerbates problems in the marketplace and causes the free market to take longer to correct itself.

As slavery resurrects itself in America, who will be John Brown's heir?

"Did John Brown fail? John Brown began the war that ended American slavery and made this a free Republic. His zeal in the cause of freedom was infinitely superior to mine. Mine was as the taper light; his was as the burning sun. I could live for the slave; John Brown could die for him." -- Frederick Douglas

Lord, I hate always being right...

CNN: "John McCain suspends campaigning to work on economy, requests postponing Friday debate; asks Obama do the same."

What next? Suspending the election? (see "Be Prepared" below.)

Why is this man not an option for President?

And in response, horse shit:

"I do not expect additional inflationary consequences from this." -- Ben Bernanke

Be prepared

So why are we even bothering with this election, if indeed it was ever expected to occur in the first place? Perhaps that is why neither party bothered to provide us with serious candidates? And then there is the curious matter of Mr. Bush not acting like he intends to be going anywhere at all. Aren't lame ducks suppose to quack like any other?

It may soon be time to take the "Love" out of Dr. Paul's revolution. Best make like Boy Scouts -- and be prepared.

You betcha you are being scammed!

Ask yourself this, do you really believe that these packaged "solutions," for a catastrophe of this supposed scale, could truly have been hammered out by a hastily-assembled select group of "experts" over a weekend? Of course not, these "solutions" have been waiting in the wings for a very long time, while the crisis was manufactured.

The next shoe to drop is for some brave soul to point out the most prevalent common denominator amongst the heads and boards of the bankrupt companies and of those who are presuming to bail them out. One doesn't have to understand finance to observe that those with first allegiances to a country, NOT America, are up to their necks in this charade.

Oops, did I just imply something totally politically incorrect? Why, whatever was I thinking?

So, to head off any hysterical cries of anti-Semitism, this is not about some ridiculous Protocols conspiracy. This is about garden-variety Zionism, coming from the Left and the Right, from Jewish Likudites and from Christian Fundamentalists, all of whom are being skillfully manipulated by a small group of wealthy families and financial wizards, and their minions in Washington, with the goal of overthrowing the country.

Not all coups are achieved with guns and bombs and the seizure of government buildings -- indeed, sometimes nothing much changes at all, except for who collects the graft.

Things are rarely what they appear to be at first blush. Unfortunately we don't appear to have time for review. The death of America looks to be a done deal, with Congress merely waiting for the most politically opportune moment to sign off on it.

If there is to be any hope at all, write or call your Senators and Congressman now!

Separated at Birth?

{Clay Aiken}

{k.d. Lang}

And the Pulitzer Prize for Bravery goes to: Matt Volz

Palin lawyer meets with investigator in probe
By MATT VOLZ

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Less than a week after balking at the Alaska Legislature's investigation into her alleged abuse of power, Gov. Sarah Palin on Monday indicated she will cooperate with a separate probe run by people she can fire.

Does anyone know where this guy lives, so the Snarkmeister can send him flowers and chocolates?

The real McCain

"Doesn't fall far from the tree" Category:

Two more banks have failed, in Nevada and Arizona. It turns out that Andrew McCain sat on the board and audit committee of the Silver State Bank. Apparently, papa John McCain isn't the only one in the family whose strongpoint isn't economics.

Born South of the Border, Still South of the Border

Busy Fingers in Detroit

14,000 text message! It is a wonder that Kwame Kilpatrick and Christine Beatty had time to have sex, let alone time to run the City of Detroit.

Admittedly, I'm not great at math, but I think this breaks down as follows...

14,000 messages
@30 seconds to type each message on those tiny little keyboards
= apx. 2 messages per minute (one message each way)
@120 messages per hour
=116 hours of typing time for 14,000 messages
@2,880 messages per day
= apx. 4.8 days of typing for all 14,000 messages

Presumably there wasn't much foreplay involved; their fingers would have been too tired.

News Flash! The Wayne County Prosecutor has just release a 12-point indictment against Kilpatrick and Beatty.

Clinton Mania

At the Democratic debate in Austin earlier this week, Hillary Clinton surprised even her supporters with her friendly and laudatory comments to Barack Obama. It was enough of a change in character that pundits were later buzzing with speculation that perhaps she had psychologically given up on the nomination.

What a difference four days can make.

Today in Cincinnati, Hillary was back in usual form, wagging her finger like a shrewish schoolmarm, all the while screaming, "Shame on you, Barack Obama." It was sort of reassuring, in an odd fashion.

Given such swings in behavior, it's not much of leap to wonder if Hillary was merely having a rare good day on Wednesday, or if there are perhaps other things we should know. Either way, America might be wise to ask itself, do we really need such mania in the Oval Office?

News from a Christian Nation

Senator John Sidney McCain III would have us believe that he would never betray America's trust to do anything like "that" (in reference to the New York Times (login required) and Washington Post allegations that he cheated on his wife with Washington lobbyist Vicki Iseman). To paraphrase another philanderer, that all depends on what your definition of "that" is.

If by "that" John McCain means "to cheat" on his wife, McCain has already admitted to doing "that." He not only cheated on his first wife, Carol Shepp McCain, he cheated on her promiscuously over a period of at least six years (1974-1980). It was during those years that he began his relationship with the heiress Cindy Lou Hensley (in 1978), who would eventually become the second Mrs. McCain. (Yes, that makes both the potential future Republican President and his most likely First Lady of the United States of America guilty of adultery.) This is a matter of public record and is mostly likely also covered in the sealed court recordings from John and Carol's April 1980 divorce proceeding. (John and Cindy Hensley were married only a month later in May 1980.)

One has to give John McCain some credit though, unlike Republican Newt Gingrich, who reputedly served divorce papers on his wife while she was still in the hospital undergoing treatment for cancer, McCain didn't divorce his once beautiful wife until she had had a few years to recover from the automobile accident that had reduced her from a statuesque former model to a somewhat shorter (she lost four inches in height), heavier, and scarred-up version of her earlier self. What a man. There is loyalty for you.

If, however, by "that" McCain means to "betray America's trust," one can't help but point out that Carol McCain is an American, and that John betrayed her trust when he broke his vow of "till death do us part." Now we hear that he has likely broken his vow to another American, Cindy Hensley McCain. And, where is the surprise? There shouldn't be any. Leopards rarely change their spots.

Did the New York Times play politics with their timing in the release of the story? Most probably. But where is the news in that? The media has been playing politics all year long with Ron Paul, and there has been nary a word of objection from neither the Left nor the Right. It is a little late to be expecting objective, political disassociation from journalistic institutions.

The New York Time's political motivations are entirely irrelevant to the validity of the assertions against John McCain. After that red herring has been moved aside, it is hardly a stretch to believe that that the leopard was cheating on his second wife, since we know for certain that he was cheating, repeatedly on his first one. What may be a stretch, is to believe that it hasn't been occurring repeatedly this time also.

La vengeance

The Christian Fundamentalists and their president have destroyed America's economy, civil liberties, and even ability to protect itself. The U.S. under Bush is different from South Africa under Apartheid only in the degree to which it has become pariah in the international community. In short, the GOP and the Fundies have a lot to answer for.

Would it not be great just desserts if this Presidential race turned out to be between a heretic Mormon and an apostate Muslim? It might be exactly what is needed to convince the world that America has regained some control of itself.

Why vote for Smedly?*

Many have conjectured that George Bush is motivated by a desire to complete what his father left undone (in the Middle East). Perhaps those observers have been hypermetropic. Bush's actions may instead be focused on completing the work of his grandfather (here in America).

Check out this article from the Wikipedia on the White House putsch of 1933. The article suggests there is some question regarding the existence of the plot amongst modern journalists (the same people who excluded select candidates from their debates), however Congress itself acknowledged the existence of the plot and established a congressional committee, called the McCormack-Dickstein Committee, to investigate it. The existence of a plot by wealthy bankers and industrialists to overthrow a democratically elected government is alarming, but pause for a moment and ask yourself: How was George Bush elected twice without this skeleton in his family's closet becoming an issue? How did the press miss it? A more pertinent question might be: Did the press miss it? The answers to those present-day questions may be much more alarming than the existence of the 70-year old plot.

Many have noted that, with the exception of Ron Paul, all of the Republican candidates seem to be political clones of George Bush. One can't help but wonder if the GOP has become the "Prescott Bush Party" or the "Corporate-State Party" (read, Fascist Party) in all but name. The Paul campaign, with it's demand for a return to the democratic ideals of the the American Revolution and strict enforcement of constitutional protections, thus represents what may be a last possible effort to prevent a complete takeover of the Republican Party -- before the Republican Party undertakes a takeover of their own. (As a side note supporting this concern, please consider reading through the many executive orders (available for reading on the White House website) that George Bush has signed to support the implementation of marshall law in America.) These issues, considered as a whole, suggest that a vote for Ron Paul is important. A vote for Paul sends a message to the fascists that America will not bend over and quietly tolerate the insertion of fascism into the American political landscape.

If you vote in an open primary, please consider requesting the Republican ballot and voting for Ron Paul. Ron Paul will not win today, but your vote will not be wasted. Every vote for Paul represents a bow shot over the heads of the corporate and political elite who believe that Americans no longer care about the Constitution or the freedoms it protects. Every vote for Paul warns the fascist that there remain Americans who will oppose them, who will fight back. A peaceful vote now though, is infinitely preferable to a violate confrontation in the future. With your help, we can drive the fascist and corporate-statist out of Washington, peacefully. However, we can only do it with a little sacrifice, and that starts with your vote, even if it means voting on the ballot of the GOP.

As Ron Paul repeats so optimistically, "Freedom is popular." Let's keep it that way.

Links:

• (Wikipedia article) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_Plot
  
• (43 min. video: History Channel documentary) http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=628728631767818729&q=FDR&hl=en (Warning: explores the question of how America really supports its veterans and reveals Democratic Party complicity in the corporate state. Republican, Democrat, il n'y a aucune différence.)

* Smedly Butler was the U.S. Marine Corp Major General who revealed the White House putsch plot. In looks, and in politics, he was remarkably similar to Dr. Ron Paul. General Butler at the time of his death was the most highly decorated veteren in American history. Dr. Ron Paul was also in the military, serving as a flight surgeon for the U.S. Air Force in South Korea, Iran, Ethiopia and Turkey.

"the man is just too timid"

The New Republic has decided that Ron Paul is one of those "timid" racist, anti-Semetic, homophobes.

Does Marty Peretz even make sure these guys have taken Psychology 101 before he hires them, or does the TNR just not aim for consistency?

Happy MLK Day from the Clinton campaign!

It will be interesting to see how Hillary plans to celebrate Pride Day.

Minority? Average? This ones for you!

Racists, who have in the past supported Ron Paul because of his support for the restoration of constitutional freedoms, are now boycotting Paul because Paul has clarified that he is not a racist. Paul, in fact, supports civil rights and considers Martin Luther King, Jr. a personal hero.

The white nationalists, and similar groups, are boycotting today's Ron Paul - Martin Luther King Day fund raiser (FreeAtLast2008.com). They are actively blogging and posting comments to newsgroups telling whites to give their money to the racist group StormFront instead.

For those who oppose freedom, who oppose liberty, this would seem to be a good thing. Reports of it are going to send a profound message via the media, which is: there is little support for freedom in America if it includes freedom for minorities.

Minorities should therefore be very concerned about the outcome of today's Paul-MLK fundraiser and of Dr. Paul's campaign in general.

While Paul has clearly attracted supporters of all colors and opinions, he himself is a passionate libertarian: a person who believes that all people are created equal and should be treated equally, so long as they do not use force or fraud against other people.

This means, for instance, that Paul considers taxation to be theft. The government is taking money from you without your consent. During 20 years in Congress, Paul has never once voted for a tax increase. In fact, in 20 years in Congress, Paul has never voted for anything that was unconstitutional at all. All the other politicians in Washington despise him as "Dr. No" (well perhaps, expect for Dennis Kucinich).

What else does Dr. Paul support? He supports...

• ...stopping the drug war: the drug war is a war on minorities trying to make a living in what is often the only way available to them. And who is their market? Wealthy white kids and often their parents? However they don't go to jail do they? Ron Paul wants to let people function in a free market and to be responsible for their own bodies
• ...pardoning all those convicted of non-violent, victimless crimes (drugs, prostitution, etc.) If they haven't hurt anyone, there is no reason for your loved ones to be in prison. Ron Paul has advocated mass pardons
• ...stopping the war in Iraq, in which a hugely disproportionate number of minority servicemen are being killed to support an oil grab that mostly only benefits the white owners of wealthy corporations. Let the suburban, country-club folk pay for their own war, with the lives of their own kids, then we can talk. Until then, stop the war
• ...reforming the judicial system to address racial sentences disparities. Ron Paul believes everyone should be equal before the law, both before and after the verdict!
• ...reforming the monetary system so that the government cannot further tax you by deflating the value of your savings through inflating prices. At present, independent economists outside the U.S. (not on the Bush payroll) estimate U.S. inflation to be above 10%; for food, some suggest it may be as high as 30%! That means the same bottle of milk that you paid $2.00 for last year, is now costing you $2.60. That 60 cents is a hidden tax on you that the government is using to pay for their war. 60 cents that is being used to kill innocent Iraq women and children (over 100,000 civilian dead so far)

Now there is the issue of the newsletters. They were written by people who had licensed Paul's name after he left Congress in order to run a medical practice. Paul had 5 kids to put through college, 3 of them through medical school. He couldn't do that on a congressman's salary, so he quite and went back to medicine. He also licensed his name to some people who wanted to write an investment newsletter using his name (and reputation) as a monetary expert. Dr. Paul himself was too busy delivering babies to edit the newsletters. It was unfortunate that he didn't have more time. Some pretty horrible language was used in the columns under his name.

However, and this is the critical point, Paul didn't write those offensive words and he has officially condemned them, repeatedly.

The continuing hysteria surrounding the newsletters is being whipped up by Paul's political enemies, the enemies of equality and freedom for the common man: mostly amongst the wealthy East-coast liberal (white) elite, but also within the ultraconservative ranks of the Christian Coalition and the Fox News network. Politics does indeed make for strange bed fellows. And who is sleeping with whom is often quite revealing. (Ironically, Paul is a devout Christian, not one of those "only show up on Sunday when the cameras are around types.")

By contrast, average Americans, black and white, know, by listening with their own ears, that Ron Paul is not a racist. Common men and women, can see that Ron Paul is an equalitarian by his actions. They do not need a fancy magazine written by wealthy (white) Ivy League editors to tell them how to judge their political candidates.

So what can you do?

Donate today! It doesn't have to be much. Every little bit can help. Contributions can be made at FreeAtLast2008.com or at RonPaul2008.com.

Next, vote for Ron Paul in your primary. (Keep in mind you may have to temporarily change your party affiliation to Republican to do this -- and their are deadlines to change your affiliation.)

Yes, it is true, Ron Paul is not likely to win the Republican nomination, but a strong showing by Ron Paul will demonstrate clearly that the wealthy elite can no longer control the agenda. A vote for Paul sends a message. It tells the elite that the common man, regardless of color or ideology, will no longer be held down and ignored.

After the primary, you can change you party affiliation back to your first preference. Vote for Obama, if he's gains the Democratic nomination. If he doesn't. I'd suggest you not vote at all.

Nothing, absolutely nothing, scares a politician as much as someone not voting.

Happy MLK Day!

Surprising words of wisdom from a surprising source

Frank Luntz can't be trusted, but on this particular point he is absolute 100% correct. Both the mainstream media and Ron Paul's supporters should listen to him.

Why Adversity Quotient is important!

Sociologist have long known that the difficulties one has to overcome is somehow related to the likelihood of success. Some have posited that it is even a good predictor of the measure of success. They call this phenomena, "adversity quotient." The higher the quotient (the greater the adversity), the greater the likelihood of success.

Thus, when someone manages to overcome a great adversity, the odds of great success increase.

It looks like our good doctor's adversity quotient may well have just gone up, substantially. The tide of public opinion would seem to be turning in his favor in regard to the horrendous accusations made against him by The New Republic's Jamie Kirchick.

Even the talking heads in the mainstream media are starting to concede that Dr. Paul is not a racist:

"I gotta tell you Congressman, you and I have talked a lot over these last several months and when I saw these newsletters I didn't know anything about them until I saw that article in The New Republic. I was pretty shocked because it certainly didn't sound like the Ron Paul that I've come to know and our views have come to know all this time." -- Wolfe Blitzer, CNN, The Situation Room

At this point, it even seems possible that Paul's support amongst minorities might increase as a result of this kerfuffle.

Thank you, Mr. Kirchick.

Rolling on the floor laughing! and then crying.

Post:

"So the media has found the chink (can I use that word, or is it’s other meaning too offensive for people…) in Ron Paul’s armor? It’s been said before, no candidate is perfect. At least Paul’s clearly admitted that more than once. Even if the man is flawed, like we all are, the message of liberty and personal responsibility still rings true." -- posted by James Moore on thirdpartywatch.com

Reply:

"The chink (can I use that word, or is it’s other meaning too offensive for people…)"

You should chew on such turns of phrase thoroughly, be niggardly in their use, and keep your speech spic and span, lest you get a wop on the head. -- posted by paulie on thirdpartywatch.com

At least there are three adults with a sense of humor left in America.

Come on folks, let's have a little perspective. The country is going to hell in a hand basket, and we are apoplectic about some 15 year-old words that probably weren't even written by the only man in America who is pushing forward on a platfom that could save us. What are we thinking?

Megan McArdle held to a higher standard

"So Megan, what you are say(ing) is, you and your friends are tolerant of diversity, as long as it is from a pre-approved list. I'm sorry, but that isn't a very good credential for a civil libertarian. Avram Grumer got it right instead, when he said, "I may disagree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to mis-attribute this quote to Voltaire." Any true civil libertarian would be out in front on this, defending Dr. Paul's right to any wacky opinion whatsoever; (i)nstead they are all ducking and running for cover. For shame." Posted by Chillie B. | January 10, 2008 7:25 PM (on the New Atlantic webpage)

Why you can't trust anything from the media - Part I.

"The Iranian "provocation" in the straits of Hormuz has set the stage for a new "crisis" manufactured wholly by the War Party, the rationale for which is uncritically accepted by our passive "mainstream" media. We are expected to believe that five minuscule speedboats "menaced" the USS Hopper, a destroyer armed with missiles; the cruiser USS Port Royal; and the USS Ingraham, a frigate. That's rather like five gnats "menacing" a trio of elephants. Oh, but that's not all. In addition to intercepting the American flotilla, CNN reports the Iranians supposedly issued explicit threats:

"In one radio transmission, the Iranians told the U.S. Navy: 'I am coming at you. You will explode in a couple of minutes,' the U.S. military officials told CNN."

The Iranians, for their part, say nothing untoward occurred that doesn't happen all the time in the Gulf: they simply asked the ships to identify themselves, and it was all very routine.

I challenge anyone to look at the following video and tell me honestly they hear or see anything that looks like an Iranian "provocation." It's all very murky and dubious:"

--AntiWar.com (Justin Raimondo)

What do we know?

The Reverend has refused to release the contents of the 600 sermons he preached to fundamentalist Southern Baptist congregations, and no copies or recordings have become public so far. However we can guess the contents.

Even after Huckabee entered politics and presumably started to watch his mouth, he still couldn't keep from spouting off about interning AIDS victims. It is easy to imagine that what he was saying before he went into politics was a lot scarier -- especially given that, as recently as November, he was personally hanging out with homophobes, and even personally attending a Christian Reconstruction fundraiser held in his name.

The Reconstructionist, also sometimes called Dominionists, are the Christian "Taliban." Their aim? To overthrow of the Constitution, and implement Mosaic law in America. The movement first came to light under the leadership of the now fortunately deceased Rousas John Rushdoony. Unfortunately his followers continue on, lead and supported by Rushdoony's son-in-law, home-school activist Gary North, along TV preachers such as James Kennedy,Huckabee fundraiser, Steven Hotz, and even international groups like Watchmen on the Walls.

Just to be clear, the Reconstuctionist playbook would allow for the stoning of homosexuals (along with adulterers, heretics and a long list of others.). Why put the little buggers in pens when you can just kill them? It's a lot cheaper if you don't have to feed them. Hmmmm, where have we seen that line of thinking before? You'd think that someone would be alarmed.

So where is the (supposedly liberal) media's effort to dig up copies or recordings of those old Huckabee sermons?

You would think that to gay journalists, such as Jamie Kirchick, that Huckabee's association with fag killers would be of a lot more interest than Ron Paul's supposed association with fag name callers. But you'd be wrong.

Instead the Reconstructions are given a hall pass, even though they are infinately more racist and homophobic. The media even let Huckabee keep his pass after he refused to recant his homophobic AIDS comment months ago. It is easy to guess that this is because both the Reconstructionists and Huckabee are devout defenders of an interventionist U.S. foreign policy formed around the best interests of particular other country. Paul, however, speak the ultimate heresy by suggesting that American tax dollars and America's military should be tasked with defending America.

Ron Paul has at least taken responsibility and apologized for the nasty language that a contractor printed, without his knowledge, in a newsletter that was apparently licensed to print under Paul's name. Huckabee however, is sticking by his homophobic positions, and keeping his old papers safely tucked away.

And no one seems to care, not even Jamie Kirchick.

Will the real Jamie Kircheck please stand up?

Hi Berin,

Thanks for writing; and I’m glad you enjoyed by [sic] piece in the Boston Globe. I’ll try and make the [DC Log Cabin Republicans] party tonight, though [LCR President] Patrick Sammon isn’t particularly happy with me after I wrote this piece [attacking LCR for not endorsing Giuliani, whom Kirchick calls "the most pro-gay Republican White House contender in history"]
http://www.advocate.com/exclusive_detail_ektid50709.asp

Anyways, I don’t think Ron Paul is a homophobe; I’m just cynical and enjoy getting supporters of political candidates riled up. If you were a Giuliani guy I’d have called him a fascist. But I must say, the Ron Paul supporters are the most enthusiastic of the bunch! [Emphasis added.]

Best,
Jamie