Could someone help me out with this Two Santa Claus Theory? Why do we call it two Santa Clauses.

Is one Santa Clause the Republican like Reagan that borrows and spends, but he doesnt really have the money?

Is the other Santa Clause the Democrat who would have had the money had the Republicans not borrowed us into debt?

Right-wing attacks on the Community Reinvestment Act is a veiled effort to blame our economic difficulties on minorities and the working poor rather than banksters. The Act was passed because of evidence of deliberate redlining of minority neighborhoods by banks, refusing to loan money to anyone within that “redline.” It was the Bush administration that unleashed banks to make “predatory” loans to people who did not have the means to make their payments. These loans were in fact profitable in the long run, because not only did banks seize control of foreclosed property, they managed to get the government to cover their “losses” while they waited to sell these properties.

Johnathan Krohn: a 14 year old with all the answers. He certainly has all the conservative hot buttons down. I thought blaming Carter and the CRA had been abandoned since the CRA affected local banks issuing loans in the neighborhoods they took deposits from. Ironically, the local banks under CRA are the ones that are not at risk.

I was reading a story in the local paper about the “lessons” that were allegedly learned during the recent H1N1 “pandemic.” There were supposed lessons in timely responsiveness to a sudden deadly outbreak of flu, and developing enough vaccine quickly and in enough quantity. But these “lessons” were learned during the 1975 “pandemic,” and the country forgot another lesson from that episode: about how easily people can be driven into a panic by media-driven agitation and official over-excitement. After all the initial excitement, the virus took its time to develop into a full-blown load of nothing, giving scientists plenty of time to develop a vaccine that proved so effective that people started to wonder what the fuss was about (in fact the swine flu virus has been deemed no more dangerous a strain than typical). Even the WHO’s irresponsible altering of its pandemic “standard” started to look suspiciously like the Bush administration’s use of terror alert status hues to fit a particular political need of the moment.

No one really knows the precise origin of the swine flu, but the American media and then the world was quick to demonize anyone who looked Mexican. Mexican nationals were quarantined by countries like China (which has peculiar notions about race; many couldn’t believe a black man was president, because they thought black people were all janitors). In this country, it was all part and parcel of the current anti-immigrant hysteria, fueled by people like Lou Dobbs and Michelle Malkin who likened “Mexicans” as disease-carrying animals.

The newspaper story made mention of the so-called “Spanish” influenza following WWI, perhaps to remind people of the “origin” of the current “pandemic.” Spain was actually one of the last countries that the pandemic visited; it is believed that the flu became dangerous when it infected the suppressed immune systems of soldiers who had lived in fetid conditions in the trenches, and spread when they returned home. Spain was a neutral country and had stayed out of the war. But the U.S. and other European governments and press suppressed information about the spread and strength of the flu, and it was the Spanish press that gave the lie to the official censorship—which it could hardly do otherwise, since the country’s king had taken seriously ill with it. Since Spain was the first country to acknowledge the existence of the flu, it was given the “honor” of giving its name to it.

Thom, I've heard you talk about the "Two Santa Claus" Theory. I think we need to create a new follow up to that: "The Grinch in Santa's clothing". Republicans use the second Santa Claus, cutting taxes, and a third one, funneling increased amounts of tax dollars into the private sector to corporate interests that support their election/re-election, thereby driving up the deficits, and thereby, at least in their minds, justifying getting rid of all the social programs they've always despised. There's also a fourth Santa Claus inherent in all this. They sell it to their followers and supporters, and maybe many independents as a move toward greater freedom and liberty, and away from government control and intervention in your life. I always liken Republicans, conservatives and corporate America to drug dealers who tell their clients "Cops are just trying to control you and keep you from living your life the way YOU want to, and come up with laws against drugs just to take your money away from you. Trust me, not them. I believe you should be able to do whatever you want with your money. It's your money, not theirs" And then the dealer proceeds to take their money away from them and they are even anxious to part with it for an anticipate, but rarely realized better and bigger high.

Do you think there are people from the early primaries regretting not giving Kucinich a second look?

Insurance and a Ponzi Scheme are the same thing, the only difference is intent. Both collect money from a large pool of people. Both pay out to a small group in that pool. Both skim off the top in order to run. At what point does the collection of money, and the amount skimmed off the top turn legitimate insurance in to a Ponzi Scheme?

Thom, advertize your podcasts a bit more. Caller says whenever he gets a day off he can listen to you. He should be a podcast subscriber!

Thom, if the Senate will not use reconciliation, then they should bring each bill up individually and make the Repuke's use the real filibuster. Make the Repuke's talk until their lips bleed. This would them expose the Repuke's as the obstructionists they are.

@KMH - I have a sinking feeling that Thoms meeting is less about policy, but more about rallying the voices around a common message.

Yesterday he mentioned the third hour might be a rerun. This sounds familiar.

@Charles Thom is live today from Washington, DC. He is meeting with WH officials today. He ought to go in there like Jesus in the Temple.