Big Ben Bernanke

My beard is more powerful than Chuck Norris'

Something unprecedented happened today on 60 Minutes. The chair Federal Reserves gave an interview. This has never happened before because of the influence that the chair has on the economy. May you live in interesting times.

As one of the most powerful man trying to get a grip on the current economic crisis, he decided to do this interview to humanize the effort to repair the economy. The interview talked about how upset he is that AIG has to be bailed out at the expense of the tax payers, focused on his middle class upbringing, and gave him an opportunity to speak to the American people.

It worked... for most part. I did not know that big Ben here is an academic and not a banker or businessman. I also appreciated the fact that big Ben had humble origins and can feel a bit more at ease that he may have the interests of the middle class close at heart.

Now, where he failed was the 3 things he wanted to say directly to the American people.

1. That the Fed is here working hard to fix the problem.

Ok, thanks, that's good to know. What else?

2. Recovery will be a slow process.

Been told that over and over again. But I think everyone knows that despite the desire for instant gratification.

3. We will recover.

Ok, got that too. Anything else? What about accountability? What about change? What are we going to do about the systemic problems that got us into this in the first place? Even when we recover it'll be pointless if things just go back to the way they were. You have a wonderful opportunity to create from the ashes something better. Please tell me you will be taking full advantage of that once the financial system stabilizes. You spoke of regulations but why do I feel that nothing systematic will change? We need outside the box thinkers here. Too long has the system rewarded the corrupt at the expense of everyone honest. We need that changed. Please change it.

4 should be, HEADS WILL ROLL.

That's what I want to hear. Thanks.

Not Enough Money for the Government?

Taxes are patriotic

I did my taxes this weekend. Although I hate paying taxes like everyone else, I recognize and appreciate its necessity. I value the things that my taxes that pay for that I take for granted every day: national defense, transportation infrastructure, research and development, etc. etc. At the same time, when people face tough choices between feeding their kids, paying the electric bill, or putting a roof over their heads, its hard not to take the public goods we have for granted. The government's put in a tough bind as well, facing declining revenue but increasing costs. They become reluctant to tax so they borrow like a kid with his first credit card.

I have a solution.

Tax religion. Tax the sh*t out of those thieving, leeching motherfu*kers and we'll be able to pay off our debts and probably have left overs for universal health care, our schools, and repair our crumbling infrastructure.

End solution.

Thank you.

Thick as Thieves, They Be

Sucka...

2? 3 bailouts, $170 of your money later, and AIG still intends on paying its execs bonuses? Are you fu*king kidding me? Their actions and "too big to fail" status forced our backs to the wall and they will want to pay out $165 millions in bonuses??!?! What other job do you get to rewarded for such monumental failure?

Be angry. I fu*king am.

Journalism 101

Class is in session m*therfu*kers. Professor Stewart presiding.

Kudos once again Mr. Stewart, kudos. The media are writing up this story as if they are looking at something they've never seen before. It's called journalism you tards. You know, not taking people at their words and holding them accountable? Try doing it sometime.

However, besides pointing out the lack of integrity in journalism done by the people that are supposed to be doing journalism, there was a more important point that was made. Class warfare exists and it is being waged by the rich on the poor every day. People look to game the system by risking what does not belong to them for short term game. They walk away with millions while, as Jon puts it so well, the house burns down. It is not right. The rot is deep. The problem is systemic. Consumer driven growth is an unsustainable vehicle for human progression. Why would we want to fix a system that generates nothing and games and gambles our future away by playing to greed and selfishness? First, Americans became the hardest working people in the world in order to fuel their consumption. When that wasn't enough, they went into debt to continue this irresponsible spending spree.

This is wrong. If we can't change the system, or if we can't change human tendencies then f*ck it. I'm all for over regulating these capitalist pigs to death.

Plea Bar... Whaaat???

Can you still smirk if I had my first in your mouth?

If you're black and you steal $50 from someone, you get 3 years.

So what happens if you're white and you steal $50 billion dollars from thousands of people? I'm guessing you get to go to some uppidy resort white collared prison for some time but am allowed to hide and preserve most of you assets that will be waiting for you when you get out.

For great injustice...

Give this Man His Peabody

Nay, give him the presidency, sir, I say!

Why is it that I learn more from watching fake news than I do from news? How is it that this man can do better journalism in a comedy show than professional journalists?

News exist to report on the immediate moment. They funnel their resources into making sure they are the first to get breaking news. As a result, fact checking and checks for consistency are put on the back burner.

Jon has created a niche in news for himself: a news program on news program. Watch as he tears CNBC apart, and this is just a single example of what he does night after night. Give this man a Peabody, please.

Truth of the Day

Sheila Bair, dropping knowledge on 60 Minutes

Wow, so we do have competent people dealing with the financial crisis. I don't have the exact quote here, but Ms. Chairman of the FDIC suggested that financial institutions should not be permitted to become "too big to fail", or rather, so big that they pose a system tic risk to the economy.

Wow.

Thank you.

Now speak up louder and make it happen.

Citibank stocks are under a dollar, but they keep getting bailed out. Where as closures are forced upon smaller community banks when they fail. Is this fair? No, it is not. Seems like the bigger you are, the more you can't lose. Market discipline does not apply to you. The execs still earn millions. Tax payers foot the bill for business to continue. Can we still call what we have free market capitalism?

Excuse Me???

I look like Steve Carell but the only thing funny about me is my stupidity

And where the f*ck were you the past 8 years when Bush and Cheney worked so hard to delete and hide White House emails from investigators, o captain righteous? Man, f*ck you.

Exactly, Thanks

Don't get cocky though, I still think you're annoying

Hypocrites.

People Who Should Go Away

Sorry, I learned my history through the talking points issued to me

Steve Austria, you're an idiot. I guess you didn't get the memo not to get too far ahead of your talking points. I mean, I know as a freshmen you're eager to impress your slave master republican overlords, but come on, at least do your homework first. Then again, I guess party loyalty is more important than facts. Party first, country second.

Truth of the Day

U. S. A.! U. S. A.! U. S. A.!

"Why do Americans love guns so much? If you have a gun you can rob a bank, but if you have a bank, you can rob everyone."

-Bill Mahr

Party First, Country Second

Mmm, tastes like politics

Change Washington? Good luck, Mr. President. The past couple of weeks have shown me nothing but politics as usual.

It looks like DC is finally getting a vote. Why was this even an issue? The Right can take their phony outrage over the constitutional technicalities of this issue and shove it. No taxation without representation? Ever study history? No? Well, then at least brush up on your American history, please. But get this, this is now only going through because as a deal, Utah gets an extra vote to balance out the left leaning tendencies of the denizens of DC. Are you kidding me? Politics make our system more of a democrazy than a democracy. Party first, country second.

Stimulus bill passed strictly on party lines. 3 Republicans crossed over in the senate and several Democrats voted against it in the house. I have mixed feelings about whether this will work to fix the economy or not, but I have no doubt that politics is being played here. I love these hypocritical Republicans who will vote on principle against the stimulus but then turn around and accept the money for their state. They make it so easy for me to criticize them. I don't even need to be standing from any moral high ground to point out the blatant idiocy here. Party first, values second.

How about the fact that the same Republicans who are criticizing the spending proposed are the same hypocrites who oversaw the largest deficit increase in history? Have these people no shame? I guess not when it comes to party loyalties. These traitors need to be reminded that they work not for their party, but for the country, its people, its values, its ideas, and its future.

$500K Club

I know you'll find ways around it

This Obama proposal to cap executive salaries at $500 K for those that accept tax payer bailout money is a good idea. Unfortunately, that's all it is: an idea. Without stipulating any harsh consequences for violating this proposal, this idea is your typical first act in political theater: all bark and no bite.

If anything, leave it to the the ingenuity of these greedy mofos to find a way around it.

Back to the drawing board, President Obama.

Sigh

Qualified man elevated under unfortunate circumstances

First Sarah Palin, now this. The cynicism of the right: Look at us! Us too! No wonder these people just don't f'ing get it.

Rough Times

Start drinking now, we're gambling away your futures

Attention please, the global economy is tanking, and we're sacrificing the welfare of future generations to save our own.

Wrong approach.

Tough decisions need to be made. We must sacrifice now in order to save the future. This means heavy investment in infrastructure, particularly wireless broadband, green energy, renewable energy, and research and development and various fronts of science and technology.

Two weeks of debates on the economic stimulus package and still we're arguing on what to spend on. Democrats want to waste money to fund their pet social programs while republicans have nothing to offer but whining and more tax cuts. Here's the list of cuts that brought about the current compromise. Some of them makes you smack your forehead and ask why the fu*k was that on there in the first place. Others make you smack your forehead and ask why the fu*k would you cut that. Nothing has changed in Washington.

People Who Should Go Away

Hi, look at me, I'm an idiot

So, Bush's Chief of Staff brought us this piece of gem. You leave a disgraced office with a pass from prosecution from some of the most obscene abuse of executive powers. Most people would breath a sigh of relief given a second chance in life but you just can't let it go. You have to go and make an issue of a non-issue.

First of all, where is this moral high ground from which you preach about preserving the integrity of the constitution? Last I checked, you were neck deep in George W. Bush's administration. Second of all, did sporting a stricter dress code made Bush a more effective president? I like to see a regression of this drawn against decisions like Iraq, Katrina, politicizing of DoJ... just to name a few. Lastly, I'm sorry, but you need to do your homework. Then again your lack of willingness to do your homework before you open your trap explains a lot about your time in the White House.

Kindly STFU and issue an apology for this and your time in the White House, thanks douche bag.

Injustice

Accountability?

Socialism for the rich, capitalist discipline for the rest of us. This is what happens when you promote greed and capitalism then make exceptions for natural victims of market failures. They learn nothing and go back to their ways.

More Bush Policy Reversal

Yup, west syyyyyyde

So, in another reversal of America's 8 years in the desert under Bush, Obama intends on letting states set their own emission standards, something that California has been pushing for for a long time. This is seen, of course, as a blow to the automakers who are whining about how this is a bad time given current economic conditions.

You automakers had plenty of time to change in the past, now its time to owe up to the greater good and take a bite out of your stfummich. Too long has this country sacrificed the greater good and long term success for short term gains. Bush, being the slack that he is, was a master at that. It is refreshing to have a president with the guts to make the tough choices, to sacrifice short term comforts for long term prosperity. And if the car manufactures don't survive, well, you can thank the capitalism that Bush has been praising all these years.

Week One

Ignorance is bliss?

I just watched Will.i.am's CNN tribute to President Obama, and frankly, it really annoyed me. It paints this rosey picture of change and hope that is inconsistent with how the world really is. The fact that we have elected an African American into the White House is a historical sign of progression that we need to celebrate, but come on, let's face it, the world is really no different today than it was on Tuesday than it was on Monday. Just read the headlines.

What people fail to realize is that Obama is still an individual politician who is powerless to change the institutional culture that is the U.S. government. Sure the executive order to strengthen ethical behavior between the Executive Office of the President of the United States and lobbyist is a great start - but it rings hallow when we look at Robert Gates who was a well known lobbyist for Raytheon. When the results don't match the intentions and hypocritical exceptions are made, what we have left is not change - it's just empty symbolism.

And that's what I am concerned about - that this entire rose image of change is just a scripted symbolism of change that won't really happen. Yes it is early and yes I am hopeful that President Obama will succeed in bringing change to the country. But we must do so in an objective manner by staying informed on the issue first and not be pampered into submission by empty symbols.

5 Minutes in and I am Already Complaining

Looks pretty unseparated to me

I was severely disturbed by the images I saw with the invocation by Rick Warren, and you should be too. People infusing their feelings of a magical being into politics has always been a dangerous combination for the progression of humanity. Watching the many faces in the crowds having quiet time with their imaginary friends reminded me that America is still dangerously caught up on religion as compared to the rest of the developed world. The inauguration reminded me that as much as there ought to be, there is no separation of church and state in America.

It Has Begun

POTUS, sworn in and ready for Mortal Kombat

I took a bit of a break with good reason. I have expressed in the past my reservation and skepticism over the hype of any individual elected to office. To me, words are just words until action is taken. Once action has been taken, those words will naturally be revealed as truth or fallacy on its own. Barack Obama has said a lot. Now that he's POTUS, we shall soon see what conclusions his actions will draw on his rhetoric. It seems like an appropriate grace period, but now we start once again.

Congratulations, Mr. President. Your inauguration speech reminded me of both the hope that drives us and the perils ahead. The next four years will be a daunting period for American history and I wish you the best of luck.

Good, now get to work and don't ever forget that we, the American people, are your bosses.