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@Quark, after all if we did have one of these so called Justice Departments, then I'm sure talk show radio hosts that demand jail time for illegal drug users would themselves be put in jail when found using illegal drugs. Administration officials that outed a undercover CIA agent would be rooted out and tried for treason. A Vice President who shoots a buddy in the face would be immediately removed from office as (at least) incompetent. (The list just goes on and on).
Its the Just Ice Dept.
'Need to leave --- 'back later.
Maxrot,
LOL! We are on the same wave length!
@Quark, Justice Dept? Do we even have one of those?
Thom,
I heard that the SEC has only civil penalties available. It's up to the Justice Dept. to prosecute with criminal penalties.
Oops --- I goofed!
Bill Maher talked with Chris Matthews (not Keith Olbermann.) Here is the interview, filled with Maher's usual pithy, amusing comments (Republican comment at minute 7:17 of 9:21):
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036697/ns/msnbc_tv-hardball_with_chris_matthews#36523570
I’m sure that Mitch McConnell, who was obliged to confess that he was happy to support a bank bailout when George Bush was president, would have (we can assume) supported another one if John McCain was president. And he would have done so (cynically) for reasons similar to those that Barack Obama supports a mostly bank-funded “insurance” scheme as part of the banking regulation bill, much as the FDIC is. When taken to task on CNN (amazing) that he was perpetrating a lie when claiming that the source of this fund was taxpayer money, McConnell mumbled something about “it didn't matter” where the fund was coming from. It is just this kind of deliberate, shameless deception that the Republicans think they can get away—and, frankly have been doing so with impunity outside MSNBC and progressive talk radio. I’m still trying to discover what the Republican “plan” is to right the financial ship; the closest as I can make out is one that appears to be in direct opposition to Democrats’ idea, which seek to address public anger by throwing water on the problem of financial irresponsibility. The Republican “plan,” it seems, appears to comprise merely of stoking further public anger by throwing gasoline on it. Doubtless McConnell hopes that the flames will engulf a Republican senator or two who might dare think about supporting regulation, especially in the currently completely unregulated derivatives business. The Democrats would do well to continue to apply their own “heat,” forcing Republicans to dance on the hot coals of their own duplicity before an unamused public, at least the part that hasn’t been conditioned by Fox News into reflexive stupidity like so many Pavlov’s dogs.
While a great deal of attention has been focused on Goldman Sachs and its “newly discovered” fraudulent behavior, garnering less attention nationally is Washington Mutual’s self-destruction, which probably tells us more about what went wrong in the run-up to the banking crisis. It wasn’t just that WaMu was making bad business decisions, mainly in regard to toxic home mortgages, but that the oversight entities that were supposed to supervise them failed to do their jobs. The FDIC and the Office of Thrift Supervision (created after the last thrift meltdown in the late 1980s) spent most of their time fighting with each other like children over trivial technicalities concerning the nature of WaMu’s all too apparent self-destructive habits. The OTS, allegedly an “independent” arm of the Treasury, was in fact a regulatory weakling which actually “marketed” itself to banks as just another business offering friendly advice. The OTS, which has no independent financing, is dependent on the financial institutions to pay for its operations, and perhaps not surprisingly in retrospect, WaMu was its biggest paymaster. While the OTS can be blamed for deliberate laxity, so to could the FDIC for failing to go over the head of the OTS and taking control of the situation when it was clear that WaMu was running aground.
Mark K: In regard to Thom’s imminent conversation with an ACLU attorney, I suppose that the theory behind its support of the KKK’s “right” to march and shout hate-filled slogans in minority or Jewish neighborhoods has something to do with its wish to appear “non-partisan.” But this is a hard position to stomach, and betrays an inherent contradiction in the alleged aims of the ACLU. For one thing, the KKK and like groups have no interest in respecting the civil liberties of those groups that they hate. Their aim is to deny or destroy the rights and privileges of citizenship to anyone who is not white; this is quite unlike groups with so-called “radical” agendas like the Black Panthers, whose aim was to expand, not contract, those rights. In its de facto support of the import and substance of hate group speech, the ACLU is making itself a party to its consequences, just as it has done in regard to the Citizens United case. Just because it wants to appear “fair and balanced” doesn’t mean the ACLU needs to be totally devoid of conscience or common sense when picking its spots.
Thom and Louise,
You might want to give Mike Malloy and Kathy a call when you have the chance. Last week I heard them say that Kathy had developed some kind of heart condition. I forgot the name of the condition but they said it makes her heart beat at a rate of around 200 beats per minute. I think they said she was going to have surgery towards the end of last week. They said it wasn't a big thing and she'd be back very soon, but since you are friends, you might want to give them a call and see how she's doing.
@Quark
Bill Maher's comment really touched a sore point with me because I can still remember when that happened and I was forced to give up my bed to a Republican.
Doh!
I haven't heard that comment from Maher, sounds like an accurate assessment to me.
Comedian Bill Maher recently* made the observation that, somewhere 20 or 30 years ago in this country, the left moved to the center and the right moved to a mental hospital.
I've been musing over it for a week and wanted to share it...
*He made this comment to Keith Olbermann on "Countdown" last week.
Capitalism Hits the Fan
http://fora.tv/2010/03/03/Richard_Wolff_Capitalism_Hits_the_Fan#fullprogram
"Regulations are just objects to be undone" I like the questions he asks! What if the workers to become their own Board of Directors? His prime sucess example is the Silicone Valley start-ups that were employee owned.
Richard Wolff helped launch Rethinking Marxism: Marxist quarterly journal of economics. Please have him on. His half hour lecture called "Capitalism hits the fan" is very informative. "Individuals can't carry any more debt and we can't work more hours than we currently do. We are at a ceiling." Instead of raising wages, people have been lent money from essentially their employers. I really like his explaination of how we got here. He brings it all full circle, his explaination is well versed.
@ charell, The REALLY funny thing is that Paul Revere never even made that ride!! He fell off his horse broke his leg and was captured by the British. Samuel Dawes and William Prescott were the 2 that actually made it. But, there names aren't sexy either, sorta like Breeds Hill (not Bunker Hill).
@ Thom,
PLEASE post that link to the high fructose corn syrup studies you mentioned on your show. I REALLY need to see them.
Thanks,
Gr8
Nothing to be surprised about. Until the system is changed we will continue to see the same behaviour. Need to take money away from politics!
What hope is there for real reform with Washington politicians on Wall Street's payroll?
http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/04162010/profile.html
Bill Moyers talks with authors Simon Johnson and James Kwak, two of the nation's most respected economic experts and authors of the new book 13 BANKERS: THE WALL STREET TAKEOVER AND THE NEXT FINANCIAL MELTDOWN. Six banks hold assets in excess of 63% of the U.S. Gross Domestic Product.
This is an informative listen. Why can't Thom have more intellectuals on like these two. I can't take another Tea Party Interview.
Six banks hold assets in excess of 63% of the U.S. Gross Domestic Product
How did Big Finance grow so powerful that its hijinks nearly brought down the global economy – and what hope is there for real reform with Washington politicians on Wall Street's payroll? Bill Moyers talks with authors Simon Johnson and James Kwak, two of the nation's most respected economic experts and authors of the new book 13 BANKERS: THE WALL STREET TAKEOVER AND THE NEXT FINANCIAL MELTDOWN.http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/04162010/watch.htmlIt's a Shame to think that there are only 2 more Bill Moyers Journal episodes ever. This is a great hour long discussion where they basically say, in a nutshell, everything we already know from listening to Thom. - MP
@LeMoyne -
Let's hope and work for a better tomorrow here and in the global south. I am looking forward to seeing what comes from the Cochabomba Climate Summit.
ps - I too found the humor (funny as the scalpel blade) in the Morocco spots, Jack Rice is former CIA.
@ #128 by Robert S. Good news from Central America - The EZLN and the Sandinistas have been elected to power in El Salvador and Nicaragua -- see also Bolivia (survived coup), Brazil, Ecuador, Paraguay and Venezuela (survived coup+re-elected). There is also bad news like the coup against Honduras President Zelaya and the election in Chile.
These things take time: The countries of Latin America are beginning to discuss a common currency like the Euro - this kind of basic structural reform may be required to escape control mechanisms of US dollar based capitalism like neo-liberalism. But I make no mistake about what you copied above - Latin Americans know at least the local version of US corporations and US government literal Hell raising and a majority of Latin American governments are working to protect themselves from US.
I meant parasitically draining resources as in the nature of Capitalism in its day to day operations, such as the burdens it puts on our commons and how it shifts the costs of externalities to our Socialist institutions. I wasn't referring to the direct practice of undermining another countries economic base. (Not that I'm saying we don't do that, its just my thoughts weren't that specific)
I haven't seen Get Smart in ages, loved that show, and Hogans Heroes. Used to watch the re-runs when I was a kid during summer vacation.
Parasitically drain resources ala Cuba embargo is what we do when the invasion/assassinations fail.
Sorry about that chief, I know that [list] like the back of my hand. Where's the back of my hand, chief? - Maxwell Smart agent 86
OK, you say outright attack, military coups etc.. I say parasitically drain resources. I'd say were saying the same thing, me being metaphorical, you're being literal. (I confess I don't have the time to read that entire article right now).