David Brooks
Eugene Robinson
Clarence Page
Steal a little and they throw you in jail,
Steal a lot and they make you king ... -Bob Dylan
“The first thing that would make me feel a little bit better towards them if they’d follow the Japanese model and come before the American people and take that deep bow and say I’m sorry, and then either do one of two things — resign, or go commit suicide.” - Charles Grassley (R-IOWA)
"I guess Rush Limbaugh was busy, so they trotted out the next-most-popular member of the Republican cabal." - Robert Gibbs
If you have a PDF reader, here is the actual white paper that A.I.G. sent to the Treasury Dept.You can read it and decide if they have a good argument, or if it's not worth dog spit...
As expected, the fallout from the A.I.G. revelation has been fierce. It shows the undercurrent of anger, frustration, and fear from so many Americans who have lost their jobs, or lost their homes, or both, with no immediate prospects of help to solve their problems. And some guys in London are making millions in bonuses with their money. It doesn't matter if its Bush or Obama in charge, the pressure is mounting and may boil over into violent action, probably triggered by something a little closer to home...
The outrage from Congress, which always seems a bit fake and contrived, spans both parties. The NY Times reports that: "AIG’s woes threaten to severely complicate Obama’s hopes of returning to the well — again — for more bailout cash. His administration has already hinted at another $750 billion in bailout funds, but public opinion and congressional resistance will make that a tough sell.
“Obama fears there’s not going to be an appetite for more bailouts on Capitol Hill after this,” says a former Federal Reserve official. “You can only go back to the trough so many times. The risk is that, next time, Congress will say, ‘Drop dead.’”
Here's a good, quick analysis from Gregory D. Hess, Professor of Economics and Taxation, Dean of Faculty, Claremont McKenna College: "The Obama team is doing triage but needs to focus on financial markets. The AIG compensation hullabaloo, while it is unpleasant and poorly timed, is mostly political and not the main issue. The team has focused so much on bank balance sheets and capital standards, but it must also look at the income statement too -- how are these financial firms, upon which our economic prosperity relies, to become profitable once more? The "rules of the game" need to be reset. The team needs to organize a transparent (no product can be too exotic), comprehensive (no class of financial firms can remain under the radar), predictable (no one should wonder who is to be bailed out and who will not be) and international (no shifting activity to less monitored environments) regulatory policy. This is a big task, but it is THE task."
The outrage from Congress, which always seems a bit fake and contrived, spans both parties. The NY Times reports that: "AIG’s woes threaten to severely complicate Obama’s hopes of returning to the well — again — for more bailout cash. His administration has already hinted at another $750 billion in bailout funds, but public opinion and congressional resistance will make that a tough sell.
“Obama fears there’s not going to be an appetite for more bailouts on Capitol Hill after this,” says a former Federal Reserve official. “You can only go back to the trough so many times. The risk is that, next time, Congress will say, ‘Drop dead.’”
Here's a good, quick analysis from Gregory D. Hess, Professor of Economics and Taxation, Dean of Faculty, Claremont McKenna College: "The Obama team is doing triage but needs to focus on financial markets. The AIG compensation hullabaloo, while it is unpleasant and poorly timed, is mostly political and not the main issue. The team has focused so much on bank balance sheets and capital standards, but it must also look at the income statement too -- how are these financial firms, upon which our economic prosperity relies, to become profitable once more? The "rules of the game" need to be reset. The team needs to organize a transparent (no product can be too exotic), comprehensive (no class of financial firms can remain under the radar), predictable (no one should wonder who is to be bailed out and who will not be) and international (no shifting activity to less monitored environments) regulatory policy. This is a big task, but it is THE task."
Iran's Ayatollah Khatani has withdrawn from the presidential race. according to the NY Times: “He does not want to compete with Mir-Hussein Moussavi,” said Mr. Leylaz, referring to a former prime minister who announced last week that he would run in the presidential election on June 12. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is expected to seek re-election.
“The most important goal is to prevent Mr. Ahmadinejad from re-election, not to get Mr. Khatami elected,” Mr. Leylaz said. “The chances of getting a reformist president elected would decrease if we have several candidates running.”
In the meeting on Sunday, Mr. Khatami told campaign staff members that Mr. Moussavi might stand a better chance of winning than he would, the Mehr news agency reported" Khatani is a person most hated by the right wingers in Iran, he is seen as wanting to change the fundamental structure of Iranian political culture. This is also why the younger people, and 70% of the population is under 35, like him. Mr Moussavi has some support with moderate conservatives, so the thinking is that he might have a better chance in uniting the reformists into one cohesive whole.
“The most important goal is to prevent Mr. Ahmadinejad from re-election, not to get Mr. Khatami elected,” Mr. Leylaz said. “The chances of getting a reformist president elected would decrease if we have several candidates running.”
In the meeting on Sunday, Mr. Khatami told campaign staff members that Mr. Moussavi might stand a better chance of winning than he would, the Mehr news agency reported" Khatani is a person most hated by the right wingers in Iran, he is seen as wanting to change the fundamental structure of Iranian political culture. This is also why the younger people, and 70% of the population is under 35, like him. Mr Moussavi has some support with moderate conservatives, so the thinking is that he might have a better chance in uniting the reformists into one cohesive whole.
From Al Jazeera: "Khatami said Mousavi had a better chance than him of siphoning off conservatives' votes, and has the necessary qualifications to bring change to the country.
"He can potentially win people's votes and get elected provided we act with wisdom and realism," Khatami said. Mousavi managed the country during the 1980-88 war with Iraq."
Gov. Sarah Palin's spokesman said Monday that congressional Republicans were mistaken in announcing the governor would headline one of the biggest Republican gatherings of the year, the Senate-House dinner in Washington, D.C. The governor's office said Palin has not even confirmed she would be attending the event. "I communicated with the governor directly and she did not know anything about it," said Bill McAllister, the governor's spokesman.
Suppose you gave an annual fundraising dinner and forgot to confirm the keynote speaker? That's what happened to the National Republican Congressional Committee, which Michael Steele has no part of so you can't blame this one on him...
"He can potentially win people's votes and get elected provided we act with wisdom and realism," Khatami said. Mousavi managed the country during the 1980-88 war with Iraq."
Gov. Sarah Palin's spokesman said Monday that congressional Republicans were mistaken in announcing the governor would headline one of the biggest Republican gatherings of the year, the Senate-House dinner in Washington, D.C. The governor's office said Palin has not even confirmed she would be attending the event. "I communicated with the governor directly and she did not know anything about it," said Bill McAllister, the governor's spokesman.
Suppose you gave an annual fundraising dinner and forgot to confirm the keynote speaker? That's what happened to the National Republican Congressional Committee, which Michael Steele has no part of so you can't blame this one on him...
From the Anchorage Daily News: "The chairmen of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, Texas Sen. John Cornyn, and the National Republican Congressional Committee, Texas Rep. Pete Sessions, sent out a press release Monday announcing Palin as keynote speaker for the June 8 event. The Associated Press distributed the story and it appeared on the Web sites of the Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, Dallas Morning News and USA Today, among many others.
McAllister said Palin asked him why The Associated Press was reporting that she was going to do this. "I pointed out the (National Republican Senatorial Committee) press release and she was like, no," he said.
NRSC spokesman Brian Walsh said Monday night that the staff of the governor's national political action committee, SarahPAC, had confirmed Palin would indeed speak at the Senate-House dinner.
"The committees have confirmed this with the governor's political staff at SarahPAC, not her official staff in Juneau, so it's understandable why there may be a miscommunication here," Walsh said. SarahPAC spokeswoman Meg Stapleton could not be reached for comment Monday night..."
David Brody from the Christian Broadcasting Network reports that the White House Faith Based Office is meeting with conservative evangelical Christian groups to: "focus on the need to reduce abortions in the country and on responsible fatherhood programs. Also present at the meeting will be Tom McClusky, Senior Vice-President of the Family Research Council as well as representatives from the Christian Medical Association and Care Net, a pro-life Evangelical pregnancy crisis group.
It’ll be interesting to see how this meeting goes. Say what you want about White House policies as it relates to social issues like abortion but look, I’ve been covering this religious team over at The White House for a few years now. I don’t think there’s any question that they are sincere in engaging conservative minded Evangelicals on the abortion issue not to mention other important topics too. They are not shy when it comes to ‘breaking bread” with the so-called “other side”. It’s refreshing to see. Whether it can lead to some middle ground remains to be seen but the effort is a valiant one."
Late night jokes:
McAllister said Palin asked him why The Associated Press was reporting that she was going to do this. "I pointed out the (National Republican Senatorial Committee) press release and she was like, no," he said.
NRSC spokesman Brian Walsh said Monday night that the staff of the governor's national political action committee, SarahPAC, had confirmed Palin would indeed speak at the Senate-House dinner.
"The committees have confirmed this with the governor's political staff at SarahPAC, not her official staff in Juneau, so it's understandable why there may be a miscommunication here," Walsh said. SarahPAC spokeswoman Meg Stapleton could not be reached for comment Monday night..."
David Brody from the Christian Broadcasting Network reports that the White House Faith Based Office is meeting with conservative evangelical Christian groups to: "focus on the need to reduce abortions in the country and on responsible fatherhood programs. Also present at the meeting will be Tom McClusky, Senior Vice-President of the Family Research Council as well as representatives from the Christian Medical Association and Care Net, a pro-life Evangelical pregnancy crisis group.
It’ll be interesting to see how this meeting goes. Say what you want about White House policies as it relates to social issues like abortion but look, I’ve been covering this religious team over at The White House for a few years now. I don’t think there’s any question that they are sincere in engaging conservative minded Evangelicals on the abortion issue not to mention other important topics too. They are not shy when it comes to ‘breaking bread” with the so-called “other side”. It’s refreshing to see. Whether it can lead to some middle ground remains to be seen but the effort is a valiant one."
Late night jokes:
"Happy Friday the 13th. Are you worried it's Friday the 13th? Hey, for the last six months, every day has been Friday the 13th. Hey, but good news, the stock market was up for the fourth day in a row. See, I don't know what makes me happier, seeing the stock market going up, or Bernard Madoff going down." -- Jay Leno
"According to the New York Times, President Barack Obama plans to nominate Dr. Margaret A. Hamburg, a former New York City health commissioner to be the new head of the Food and Drug Administration. See, I think this is a chance for President Obama to step across party lines. You know who he should nominate for this job? Rush Limbaugh. No, no, think about it. Who has had more experience with food and drugs than Rush Limbaugh?" --Jay Leno
"Hey, some sad news. Bristol Palin, you know, the daughter of Governor Sarah Palin, and her fiance, Levi Johnston, have broken up. Well, who could have seen that coming? Ironically, you know what happened? She could see him with another girl from her front porch." -- Jay Leno
"So, Bristol is now a single mother, or, as the press calls her, the Uno-Mom." -- Jay Leno
"Police in Illinois claim that Gary Skoien, the former chairman of the Cook County Republican party, was in his children's playroom at one in the morning with two hookers, when his wife walked in, caught him and beat him up with a toy guitar. As always, people are shocked. What, a Chicago politician involved in an illegal activity that didn't involve a bribe? Is that possible?" -- Jay Leno
"Because of the bad economy, they're laying off employees on 'Sesame Street.' It's pretty sad. Elmo is now out on the street letting people tickle him for $5." -- Jay Leno
"Today is Friday the 13th. You know who is superstitious about Friday the 13th? Republicans. They say the country is having bad luck because we let a black cat in the White House." -- Bill Maher
"Michael Steele, the head of the Republican party, is in very hot water this week, once again, for suggesting that, actually, it is the woman's choice, if she's pregnant, what to do. And also suggesting that homosexuality is something you're born with. Rush Limbaugh attacked him today for being dangerously sane." -- Bill Maher
"Bristol Palin, remember Bristol Palin? Sarah Palin's knocked up daughter? She was going to marry the young hockey player, Levi. Remember Levi? Free Levi, I love Levi. Well, apparently Bristol and Levi broke up. Bristol said she wants her baby raised free of ignorance and backwoods superstition. But you can't stop Mom from visiting." -- Bill Maher
"Today is the one-year anniversary, it's been one year since former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer resigned. One year! It's just flown by. ... But you gotta give the former governor credit. Here's the deal. At one point, he just decided that he enjoyed whores more than governing, and he would have rendezvous in swanky, classy, expensive hotel suites. Now, that's the difference between Republicans, when Republicans and Democrats have affairs. Democrats, it's always the swanky expensive suite. Republicans, it's always an airport men's room. It's not right." -- David Letterman
David Letterman's Top Ten Ways the GOP Can Become More Hip
9. Buy one of them computers all the kids are using.
8. Appoint Michael Phelps chairman in charge of chillaxing.
7. They should totally start a band.
6. Change Rush Limbaugh's name to Spongerush Fatpants.
5. Add highlights to combovers and hairpieces.
4. Four words: Lil Wayne for Senator.
3. Bring back this guy. [on screen: video of George Bush dancing]
2. How 'bout stealing and ordering hits like when Nixon ran things.
1. Fewer reactionary old white guys
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