Monthly Archives: February 2009

Who was Edmund Burke? Plus random fun videos

by Chris   –   February 27, 2009

Conservative love and admiration for Ronald Reagan finally became so unhinged that it turned the former president’s name into a punchline. Perhaps they’ve finally recognized this phenomenon and have turned their reverence toward Edmund Burke.
Seriously, this Burke guy is showing up in conservative articles all around the web. Usually he’s mentioned as someone who would [...]

Why health care is the biggest fiscal problem we face

by Chris   –   February 26, 2009

Oh no! A PowerPoint!

If this data is true – and it seems to fit in with what I’ve read over the last few years – then we simply can’t afford our health care system the way it’s currently structured. Next to health care, Social Security is sailing in smooth waters.

Bobby Jindal's response to Obama

by Chris   –   February 25, 2009

If this is the new face of the Republican party, they are in a lot of trouble:

Government is bad… blah blah… tax cuts will solve everything… blah blah…
The general consensus seems to be that Jindal talked to us like we were in grade school, and sounded eerily like Kenneth from 30 Rock. Mix that in [...]

Quote of the Week: Larison on the GOP's fiscal bona fides

by Chris   –   February 24, 2009

This is a long one… sorry:
Obviously, it is easier to remain principled in opposition, which is why the GOP leadership in Congress deserves so little credit and some criticism for suddenly becoming “principled” at the moment when it makes absolutely no difference either politically or substantively. Having practically burned down the house, the top GOP [...]

Deep thought about the Oscars

by Chris   –   February 23, 2009

Slumdog Millionaire was not the best film of the year.
Go here to see the list of other Academy mistakes from this year’s award show.

The monstrous case of Binyam Mohamed

by Chris   –   February 20, 2009

This is a story that deserves to be known to every American. From Greenwald:
… first, the U.S. abducted [Binyam] Mohamed and refused to provide him with any access to lawyers or the outside world.  Then — with no due process afforded — we shipped him around for the next couple of years to various countries that [...]

Roundup for Thursday 2/18/2009

by Chris   –   February 19, 2009

The New York Times documents cases where Obama is continuing atrocious Bush anti-terror policies. If America is going to put the past behind it, and begin to regain some moral stature, Obama must change these policies, formally give up powers that Bush asserted or Congress must do it for him.
***
Jason at Poligazette looks past the [...]

U.S. Auto industry wants more

by Chris   –   February 18, 2009

According to CNN, GM and Chrysler want $21.6 billion more in loans from the American government. This is juxtaposed with their plans to cut approximately 50,000 jobs worldwide.
The logic behind more loans would be that if GM and Chrysler went down the tubes, more than 50,000 jobs would be lost, and the ripples throughout our [...]

Depressing quote of the week

by Chris   –   February 17, 2009

Last week the Federal Reserve released the results of the latest Survey of Consumer Finances, a triennial report on the assets and liabilities of American households. The bottom line is that there has been basically no wealth creation at all since the turn of the millennium: the net worth of the average American household, adjusted [...]

Good news: What you're getting from the stimulus bill

by Chris   –   February 16, 2009

In the political battle over the stimulus bill it was easy to forget there were actually some good provisions in the bill that would start helping people right away.
On that count, the Consumerist has compiled a good list what Americans can directly expect as a result of the bill. Here’s a taste:

Tax credit of up [...]