The Messenger Ω

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2009-10-26T05:18:00.001-07:00

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Obama Gets Tough..II

2009-10-22T14:52:00.000-07:00

Okay, I admit it. The first installment was just a set up for this post. So we've established that Russia and China hung us out to dry with the Iran sanctions. They are also collaborating with each other militarily and monetarily against US interests..see my earlier posts here and here.
That's all pretty bad news, and then you combine it with this... Ω and get the really bad news.

Iran, China Lead the World in Stealing U.S. Military Technology According to Documents Uncovered by Judicial Watch
Contact Information:
Press Office 202-646-5172, ext 305
Washington, DC -- October 21, 2009
Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, announced today that since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Iran and China lead the world in stealing sensitive U.S. military equipment and technology according to documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) from the Justice Department's National Security Division. The documents include a report entitled, "Significant Export Control Cases Since September 2001," which was prepared by the Counter Espionage Section (CES), and includes the charges, investigative agency, defendants and disposition of each case.

According to a Justice Department news release included in the documents released to Judicial Watch: "The illegal exports bound for Iran have involved such items as missile guidance systems, Improvised Explosive Device (IED) components, military aircraft parts, night vision systems and other materials. The illegal exports to China have involved rocket launch data, Space Shuttle technology, missile technology, naval warship data, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle or 'drone' technology, thermal imaging systems, military night vision systems and other materials."
"These documents show that Iran and China have concerted efforts to obtain U.S. military technology in violation of our laws," said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. "The Obama administration needs to maintain vigilance against the illegal efforts of enemies such as Iran to obtain our sensitive technologies."

Yeah, that'll happen. They better watch out, he'll sanction them. Or something.

Obama Gets Tough

2009-10-22T14:21:00.000-07:00

Hahahahahahaha! Had ya there for a second?
Don't worry, the Cubs didn't win a pennant, the Panthers didn't win a Super Bowl, and Obama is still a wimp. Hell has not frozen over.

So earlier this month, the story started out like this: Ω

Dems frustrated with President Obama's hesitation over new Iran sanctions
By Kevin Bogardus - 10/06/09 02:27 PM ET
Lawmakers grew increasingly frustrated with the Obama administration on Tuesday as a State Department official refused to endorse a new package of sanctions on Iran that is expected to speed through Congress this year.
Steinberg said the administration is pursuing a dual-track strategy of engaging with the Iranians while threatening isolation if Iran does not grant concessions.
Pressed by Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), he acknowledged the administration has not asked Congress to pass new sanctions. He also said sanctions would be more effective if they were multilateral.
“Sanctions are not only more effective if they are broad-based, but it also takes away the political argument that Iran could make that it is just U.S. hostility,” Steinberg said.
But that could be difficult. Imposing multilateral sanctions through the United Nations would depend on the support of Russia and China, which have been reluctant in the past to take that step.

Hmmm, wonder how that strategy worked out.... Ω

China's Premier Touts Cooperation With Iran, Signals Opposition to New Sanctions
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Beijing - Premier Wen Jiabao said Thursday that China intends to strengthen its cooperation with Iran, an indication Beijing would oppose growing calls in the West for additional sanctions against the Islamic regime for its nuclear program.

Oops. Oh well, there's still Russia... Ω

Russia's Putin Criticizes Sanctioning Iran
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Beijing - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin criticized talk of sanctions against Iran on Wednesday, undermining U.S. efforts to present a united front against Tehran's nuclear program at a crucial moment.

I hope M'chelle has lots of burn ointment on hand for hubby. What on earth ever happened to the world loving us again once Obama was in charge? Did someone lose the reset button? Is it broken? Or perhaps..

Is Obama pushing the wrong buttons?

It's a must read, what are you still doing here?

SIGTARP

2009-10-21T13:17:00.000-07:00

Or, “Every Government Entity Spawns At Least Three More Government Entities” Ω

When the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) was created under the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, Congress enacted several independent oversight entities and processes to ensure accountability and protect taxpayers including the Congressional Oversight Panel, GAO oversight and audits at Treasury, and an Inspector General to monitor the Treasury Secretary’s decisions. Mr. Barofsky presented SIGTARP’s third quarterly report to Congress and their first audit report on how recipients have used TARP funds at the hearing.

Where has all the TARP money gone? Looong time passin’……

The Office of the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (“SIGTARP”) was created by Section 121 of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (“EESA”). Under EESA, SIGTARP has the responsibility, among other things, to conduct, supervise, and coordinate audits and investigations of the purchase, management, and sale of assets under the Troubled Asset Relief Program (“TARP”). SIGTARP is required to report quarterly to Congress to describe SIGTARP’s activities and to provide certain information about TARP over that preceding quarter. EESA gives SIGTARP the authorities listed in Section 6 of the Inspector General Act of 1978, including the power to obtain documents and other information from Federal agencies and to subpoena reports, documents, and other information from persons or entities outside of Government. EESA provided SIGTARP with an initial allocation of $50 million to fund its operations. The Special Inspector General, Neil M. Barofsky, was confirmed by the Senate on December 8, 2008, and sworn into office on December 15, 2008.

Page 9 of the SIGTARP Quarterly Report reads: Ω

Although SIGTARP understands Treasury’s need to balance the public’s transparency interests, on one hand, with the interests of the participants and the desire to have wide participation in the programs, on the other, Treasury’s default position should always be to require more disclosure rather than less and to provide the investors in TARP — the American taxpayers — as much information about what is being done with their money as possible. Unfortunately, in rejecting SIGTARP’s basic transparency recommendations, TARP has become a program in which taxpayers (i) are not being told what most of the TARP recipients are doing with their money, (ii) have still not been told how much their substantial investments are worth, and (iii) will not be told the full details of how their money is being invested. In SIGTARP’s view, the very credibility of TARP (and thus in large measure its chance of success) depends on whether Treasury will commit, in deed as in word, to operate TARP with the highest degree of transparency possible.

Wonder how much work they have….

SIGTARP’s Investigations Division has developed rapidly and is quickly becoming a sophisticated white-collar investigative agency. Through June 30, 2009, SIGTARP has opened 37 and has 35 ongoing criminal and civil investigations. These investigations include complex issues concerning suspected accounting fraud, securities fraud, insider trading, mortgage servicer misconduct, mortgage fraud, public corruption, false statements, and tax investigations. Two of SIGTARP’s investigations have recently become public.

And in other news, Obama and Team are going to pay for their health bill with all the waste they’ll eliminate from Medicaid/care. Ω

Obama told a joint session of Congress Wednesday night that “reducing the waste and inefficiency in Medicare and Medicaid will pay for most of this plan.” –I’m convinced.

And then he said “Let there be Dark”, and there was Dark.

Rewarding Failure

2009-10-21T08:33:00.000-07:00

Leads to....more failure. Who could have guessed?
U.S. bailout program increased moral hazard: watchdog Ω A must read!

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. government's $700 billion financial bailout program has increased moral hazard in the markets by infusing capital into banks that caused the financial crisis, a watchdog for the program said on Wednesday.
The special inspector general for the U.S. Treasury's Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) said the plan put in place a year ago was clearly influencing market behavior, and he repeated that taxpayers may never recoup all their money.
The bailout fund may have helped avert a financial system collapse but it could reinforce perceptions the government will step in to keep firms from failing, the quarterly report from inspector general Neil Barofsky said.

Wow, these guys are real mental giants.

And handing out oodles of "free" taxpayer money leads toooooo... Lots of people trying to get their own piece of the money pie! Surprise! Ω

WASHINGTON -- The House ethics panel said Thursday that it is investigating Rep. Maxine Waters, a California Democrat who came under scrutiny for allegedly helping a bank with which she had ties secure a meeting with Treasury Department officials about obtaining bailout funds.

The Wall Street Journal reported earlier this year that Ms. Waters allegedly helped OneUnited Bank of Boston get a meeting with Treasury officials to negotiate a $12 million bailout. On Thursday, the ethics panel acknowledged for the first time that it is investigating her.
Sidney Williams, Ms. Waters's husband, was on the bank's board of directors until last year.

Oops, another one.. Ω

Last November, Rangel and five other members of Congress took a junket to the Caribbean with $100,000 from Citigroup -- just weeks after Congress bailed out banks with $700 billion in taxpayer funds.

Here's a chart I found interesting..

A link to view the full chart. Ω

And these people want to run health care.

"It's the End of the World..

2009-10-20T15:39:00.000-07:00

As We Know It"
Barack Obama may attend Copenhagen summit if there is climate change progress Ω

"The US is fully committed to trying to get a strong and pragmatic and solid agreement and the President is fully focused on that.
"We are not thinking about a Plan B either," he said.
A communique issued at the end of the meeting agreed developed nations will be judged on targets while developing nations will have to prove they have taken action.

It also said that public finance, as well as private sector money from the carbon markets, should be used to help poor countries adapt to climate change and develop renewable energy. Gordon Brown has suggested this should be around £60 billion every year.

Or as the treaty puts it...Ω

The active participation of all stakeholders in this transition should be sought [, be they governmental, including subnational and local government, private business or civil society, including the youth and addressing the need for gender equity].]

From page 122--

17. [[Developed [and developing] countries] [Developed and developing country Parties] [All Parties] [shall] [should]:]
(a) Compensate for damage to the LDCs’ economy and also compensate for lost opportunities, resources, lives, land and dignity, as many will become environmental refugees

Steal from the rich and give to the poor. The thing is, America won't be rich much longer at this rate. Which is the whole idea behind the "carbon debt" concept. It's impossible to bring all these third-world countries up to our level, so we have to be brought down to theirs. It's Obama's wet dream brought to life and pumped full of steroids.

Lord have mercy.

Acorn Goes to Afghanistan...Part III

2009-10-20T13:42:00.000-07:00

Karzai concedes he did not win Afghan election after UN finds that poll was rigged Ω
Bright boy.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has conceded today that he fell short of victory in the country's August presidential election. --"fell short of victory", newspeak for "we got caught cheating".

He admitted he did not receive the 50 per cent vote share he needed, and has agreed to to a run-off election with his challenger, Dr Abdullah Abdullah.

--"John (Loser) Kerry threatened to tomahawk me with his face if I didn't follow orders." -attributed to a karacul-wearing used car salesman of uncertain parentage and overactive sebaceous glands.

A UN-backed fraud investigation that threw out nearly a third of Karzai's ballots.--dangling chads...

The Afghan president claimed he won an outright victory in the first round of elections but observers have said as many as one in four votes cast were suspicious.--"When in doubt, claim victory."-attributed to tyrants everywhere.

Investigators did not release enough figures to allow for an independent judgment, but it was clear that hundreds of thousands of Karzai votes were voided. In all, more than 5 million votes were cast in the election. Hundreds of thousands out of 5 million...the American ACORN offices are taking notes!

Karzai has spoken out against a second round and has criticised the fraud investigation, which he hinted could have involved foreign meddling.--foreign devils!

Poor Karzai, he must be weeping and rending his aborted lambskin robes right now.

In an embarrassingly parsimonious display..

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said earlier that Karzai could opt for a run-off, or he could negotiate a power-sharing arrangement with Dr Abdullah, the country’s former Foreign Minister, who came second.
The US has previously made it clear it would prefer a power-sharing deal to avoid the expense and security risks of a second election.

Brilliant. Great idea. I can sooooooo see that working.

Announcement

2009-10-20T09:22:00.002-07:00

Blogger went crazy for me this morning and wouldn't load my add-ons properly. The page background wasn't coming through all the way either, and after much fiddling, fumbling, and cursing I deleted the whole thing and re-loaded it. Which lost me the links, add-ons and followers.

I registered for a custom domain name which should be up within three days. So they said.

God Help Us

2009-10-20T09:22:00.000-07:00

I'm not done with my research into the Lisbon Treaty, but I have to post this piece from the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Page 8, number 10. Ω

10. Led by developed country Parties, [an economic transition is needed [that shifts] [in order to adjust] global economic growth patterns towards a sustainable [low-emission economy] based on development of innovative technologies, more sustainable production and consumption, promoting sustainable lifestyles and [climate-resilient] [sustainable] development [while ensuring a just transition of the workforce]. The active participation of all stakeholders in this transition should be sought [, be they governmental, including subnational and local government, private business or civil society, including the youth and addressing the need for gender equity].] Those developing countries that were and are low carbon economies need sufficient financial incentives and appropriate technology transfer (not sharing, but transfer) to keep avoiding GHG emissions in their path to sustainable development and to prevent adopting the high GHG emission trajectories of developed countries.

Translation, we will be forced to give undeveloped countries our money and technology. And we have to stop using stuff. Like electricity. Unless it comes from windmills..

Brilliant.

Okay, I'm going back to my reading now.

Obama, the Taliban, and Spin the Bottle

2009-10-20T08:50:00.000-07:00

President Barack Obama's review of strategy in Afghanistan means America will end up making a deal with the Taliban, and tolerating warlords, to end the fighting. Ω
For O-pocrisy, see here.

Mullah Mutawakkil, once a confidant of the one-eyed Taliban leader, Mullah Mohammed Omar, was held at a US base in Kandahar in 2002 after he gave himself up to American troops.

Now he is being politely wooed by a stream of senior US officials (hope they're being "safe"..*cough*) who make discreet visits to his villa, which is guarded by armed police, to hear his thoughts on what the Taliban mood is like and whether any of its leaders are ready for talks. They better remember to bring chocolate, flowers, mouthwash, and...prayer rugs.

He believes that the Taliban would split from what he called their al-Qaeda "war allies" if a deal was within reach. "If the Taliban fight on and finally became Afghanistan's government with the help of al-Qaeda, it would then be very difficult to separate them," he warned.--threatened

Taliban leaders are looking for guarantees of their personal safety from the US, and a removal of the "bounties" placed on the head of their top commanders. They also want a programme for the release of prisoners held at the notorious Bagram US air base in Afghanistan, and at Guantanamo Bay. Three demands..for now. "The infidel dogs are capitulating, charge!"

In return, he says, the Taliban would promise not to allow Afghanistan to be used to plan attacks on America – the original reason for American invervention, and the overriding aim of US policy in the region. Oh look, they promise.*basks in warm, fuzzy glow*

The former foreign minister believes the Taliban understands that Afghanistan has changed since they were driven from power. They want a nation governed by strict Islamic laws but realise they cannot turn the clock back, he said. They want it, but they won't try to get it. Because they promised.

Excuse me, my unicorn just arrived.

Acorn Goes to Afghanistan...Part Deaux

2009-10-20T08:48:00.000-07:00

Sacked US diplomat says Afghan fraud even worse Ω

A US diplomat sacked by the United Nations after alleging fraud in Afghanistan's election said Monday that the extent of cheating was even greater than reported by a UN-backed watchdog.

The United Nations dismissed Peter Galbraith last month as the deputy UN special envoy to Afghanistan after he charged that as many as 30 percent of votes cast August 20 for incumbent President Hamid Karzai were fraudulent.
But after initial UN denials, a UN-backed watchdog on Monday threw out votes from 210 polling stations, raising pressure on the country's Independent Election Commission (IEC) to call a run-off.
Translation: You're right, but how dare you! The impudence! You have 10 minutes to clean out your desk before the blue helmets escort you from the building. Next time maybe you'll keep your mouth shut and stick to the script."

Hamid Karzai refuses to accept being stripped of Afghanistan election win Ω
A two-month investigation into allegations of widespread ballot-stuffing by supporters took his share of the vote from 55 per cent to 48 per cent, officials said.

Mr Karzai was said to be furious with the findings, --I'm shocked! while the Karzai-appointed election committee which must certify the final results also signaled it would not accept them either. --Even more shocked!

Senator John (Loser) Kerry, a close ally of Barack Obama, made an unscheduled visit to the Afghan capital yesterday to persuade Mr Karzai to accept the results of the inquiry. --Wait, they didn't send Al Gore?!

Of Course

2009-10-19T09:52:00.000-07:00

Someone beat me to it..
And did it in a ravishing British accent.

Acorn Goes to Afghanistan

2009-10-19T07:38:00.000-07:00

Metaphorically speaking.
As far as I know...

KABUL (AP) - Fraud investigators threw out hundreds of thousands of votes for President Hamid Karzai in the country's disputed August election, according to a report released Monday. The findings set the stage for a runoff between him and his top challenger.

It was unclear, however, whether the Independent Election Commission would accept the findings of the U.N.-backed fraud panel --isn't that a contradiction in terms? and announce a runoff. Karzai's spokesman said it was too soon to make a judgment based on the figures released by the panel. --Of course it is, that would be silly!

For those of you who don't follow Afghan politics, here's a bit of info on Dr. Abdullah. Ω

Already well known among most Afghans, Dr. Abdullah*, 48, an ophthalmologist, has a background that includes years of resistance to Soviet and Taliban rule as well as a crucial role in the formation of the new democratic government after the American intervention. *Campaign website

He strikes all the right notes about a de-centralized federal government and stronger representation of the people, but his unfortunate use of "Hope and Change" sure does send a shiver down my spine.

From his campaign website: "I'm asking you to believe not only in my ability to bring about necessary change and hope in our beloved country, Afghanistan, but I'm also asking you to believe in your own potential to change the course of our history." Yes We Can! Yes We Can! Yes We C---Oops, sorry. I blacked out there for a second.

Lessee, vote for the karacul-wearing used car salesman wallowing in cronyism and vote fraud...or the Afghan Obama sound-alike. *drums fingers*..... Good luck with that, guys! And gals..

Normally, I'd have more sympathy, but we have problems of our own to deal with.

If This Doesn't Make Your Skin Crawl

2009-10-19T06:34:00.000-07:00

It's on too tight.
By the way, WTH is up with her tongue?! She looks like a cat choking on a hairball!
On a separate note, thank God for our honorable men and women in uniform. Ω

READY TO REVOLT: Oath Keepers pledges to prevent dictatorship in United States
Group asks police and military to lay down arms in response to orders deemed unlawful

AKA, "The only thing standing between us and Obama's Civilian Defense Force".

Government Planning and Efficiency

2009-10-18T16:40:00.000-07:00

or "Fox in the Henhouse"
FDIC bank fund in the red until 2012 Ω

Even as regulators try to replenish deposit insurance fund, it will be over two years before it boasts a positive balance, warns agency chief.

Translation--We're out of money, and we have no clue when we'll have more.

Why Social Security Will Go Bankrupt Sooner Than People Think Ω
By Paul B. Matthews
On May 12, 2009, the trustees for the Social Security system released their annual report, "The 2009 Annual Report of the Board of Trustees of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance and Federal Disability Insurance Trust Funds."

Following release of this report, many media outlets were quick to report (or should I say regurgitate) the findings sited in the trustee's executive summary -- notably that Social Security payroll tax collections would begin to exceed benefits paid in 2016, a year shorter than had been forecasted in 2008.

Let Them Go Bankrupt, Soon Ω

The current House and Senate bills will also break the president's second promise—not to add to the deficit. In part because the health insurance that the administration's plan forces people to buy is expensive, the plan proposes to give individuals large financial subsidies to partially offset the cost.

That the programs will ultimately go bankrupt is clear from the trustees' reports. On pages 201 and 202 of the Medicare report, you will find the conclusive arithmetic: over the next 75 years, Social Security and Medicare will cost an estimated $103.2 trillion, while dedicated taxes and premiums will total only $57.4 trillion. The gap is $45.8 trillion. (All figures are expressed in "present value," a fancy term for "today's dollars.")

Doubling Down on a Flawed Insurance Model Ω

The entitlement-based subsidy, combined with the proposed Medicaid expansion, would add between $700 billon and $1.2 trillion to federal spending over the next decade, according to the Congressional Budget Office. The new entitlements would come on top of existing federal health-care entitlements that the government has been neither able to control nor finance.
The U.S. Postal Service: Our Next Bankruptcy? Ω
The General Accounting Office (GAO) has announced that the U.S. Postal Service is in danger of financial insolvency.

2009 Federal Deficit Surges to $1.42 Trillion Ω

WASHINGTON (AP) - What is $1.42 trillion? It's more than the total national debt for the first 200 years of the Republic, more than the entire economy of India, almost as much as Canada's, and more than $4,700 for every man, woman and child in the United States.

The administration estimates that government debt will reach 76.5 percent of gross domestic product - the value of all goods and services produced in the United States - in 2019. It stood at 41 percent of GDP last year. The record was 113 percent of GDP in 1945.
Much of that debt is in foreign hands. China holds the most - more than $800 billion. (--See THIS and THIS.) In all, investors - domestic and foreign - hold close to $8 trillion in what is called publicly held debt. There is another $4.4 trillion in government debt that is not held by investors but owed by the government to itself in the Social Security and other trust funds.

"I'm from the government, and I'm here to help you with your finances."

You poor sap.

Sunday Funnies

2009-10-18T12:15:00.000-07:00

(H/T BEGRUNT of NB)

The Enemy of My Enemy...II

2009-10-18T11:32:00.000-07:00

Russia’s Leaders See China as Template for Ruling Ω

United Russia’s leaders even convened a special meeting this month with senior Chinese Communist Party officials to hear firsthand how they wield power.

Russia and China Hold Peace Mission Drills to Show USA Its Place Ω

Russia and China will hold their joint military exercise on July 22-27 on the territories of the two countries. About 3,000 military men, 300 units of military hardware, over 40 planes and helicopters will take part in Peace Mission-2009 drills. --"Peace Mission Drills" Nice, someone's been reading their Orwell.

“There is a political motive there too. We want to show it to the USA that Russia has a strategic partner – China – and that Russia will not be following the USA’s directions. Moreover, Russia is ready to demonstrate that it is following a different political course,” the specialist said.

Russia and China are the two superpowers that will maintain balance in a New World Order where the US empire must shrink back within its own borders and withdraw its tentacles that have spread all over the world, much to the righteous anger of the world community.

So Russia and China join forces...so as to insure that no rogue superpower ever again will present a danger to lives, to peace and tranquility. With that out of the way, the true enemies of man can be conquered: hunger, disease and poverty. --Yeah, 'cause they've been doing such a good job of that for their own people for the last 90 years. Mass murder, forced abortions, grinding poverty, genocide, the gulag...*cough* AKA, "Hope and Change", baby!

Karl Marx Predicted Collapse of US Dollar in 1857 Ω

The great October fall of the US dollar is turning into an avalanche. On Tuesday, the American currency lost nine kopeks in Russia and reached a new minimum mark this year - 29.5 rubles per dollar. Within six months (April through September) the dollar lost over 10 percent at the world foreign exchange trading, which marked the sharpest decline since 1991. Some experts believe that the American currency is close to collapse, which may lead to a new financial crisis. --See my post "The Perfect Storm" for more details.

Pravda prints the truth...that the US papers won't. And in other news, Hell has, indeed, frozen over. Ω

The final collapse has come with the election of Barack Obama. His speed in the past three months has been truly impressive. His spending and money printing has been a record setting, not just in America's short history but in the world. If this keeps up for more then another year, and there is no sign that it will not, America at best will resemble the Wiemar Republic and at worst Zimbabwe.

I can't top that, so I'll sign off here.

Rainbows and Unicorns

2009-10-17T13:19:00.000-07:00

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States said on Friday it would allow a senior North Korean official to visit this month, a move analysts said could be a first step toward talks between the two on ending Pyongyang's nuclear programs.

The United States hopes a bilateral dialogue may bring North Korea, which carried out its second nuclear test in May, back to wider talks on abandoning its nuclear programs. Ω

And, in other news..

No Soup For You!

2009-10-17T11:03:00.000-07:00

No extra troops to Afghanistan, says Sarkozy Ω

You know, if I didn't know better, I'd think that the French had no respect for Obama. I'd think that Sarkozy believes Obama is an empty suit (except for all the hot air, that is). I'd also think that Sarkozy called Obama out on being a hypocrite in front of the whooooole world.

But you see, I do know better. I know better, because Newsweek told me so.

Sarkozy’s Obama Envy

By Christopher Dickey | NEWSWEEK

So there.

The Dems Eat Their Own

2009-10-17T07:47:00.000-07:00

or "Pass the Popcorn"

This is just so sad, I can hardly bring myself to watch. The Blue Dogs and the Yellow Dogs are at each others throats over ideological differences (between their respective campaign donors) and the fur is beginning to fly.

The Blue Dogs are torn between conflicting desires.

1. Stick it to The Rich.

2. Protect their union masters.

Senators favor taxing so-called "Cadillac" insurance plans - those costing more than $8,000 annually for individuals and $21,000 for families. They argue that the cost of paying for health care legislation should come from within the health care system, and that the insurance plan tax has the benefit of nudging people to use fewer medical services, which would get at the problem of overutilization of care, a major factor in the country's spiraling medical costs.

The Cadillac plan tax faces major opposition in the House, where more than 100 Democrats oppose it. Some of the opposition stems from organized labor which fears its members could be subject to the tax. House members say their approach - a tax on individuals making more than $500,000 a year and households making more than $1 million - is a fairer way to go and would find more favor with the public.
Ω
Translation: Stick it to the rich guys, woohoo! No, wait! Not our rich guys, the other rich guys! Yeah, yeah the non-union rich guys. The ones that create jobs. Yeah, them. The Fat Cats.

The Yellow Dogs are also torn between conflicting desires.

1. Get their way at all costs.

2. Escape blame when their legislation sucks America down the crapper.

"This is going to be hard to pull off." snarled Yellow Dog at Blue Dog. "Lessee....how do we knock over the 90 pound trash can and blame it on the cat?" *scratches left ear, licks crotch, gnaws Bush doll thoughtfully..*

The only hope we Fat Cats have (please click on an ad or two while you're here and keep me out of the po' house, thanks) is that the Dems will be too busy squabbling over their respective bones to pull anything together.

Forever and ever.

Amen.

Gimme A Break!

2009-10-16T12:29:00.000-07:00

Could he be any more pathetic?

Wait, forget I asked.

And in other news...."WASHINGTON (AP) - Federal deficit soars to all-time high of $1.42T, expected to total $9.1T over the next decade."

Yes We Can!!

The Best Video I've Ever Seen

2009-10-16T08:16:00.000-07:00

Evan Sayet at the Heritage Foundation.

The Enemy of My Enemy is My Friend

2009-10-15T12:23:00.000-07:00

Last century the two largest Eastern powers, Russia and China, were prevented from uniting forces against the West by three main factors.

1. A deep cultural divide.
2. A schism in their interpretations of Communist ideology.
3. A very well-placed mistrust of each other.

Now, however, the Bear and the Dragon are negotiating terms in an unholy alliance that may produce offspring deadly to the US.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Wednesday wrapped up a three-day visit to the Chinese capital, during which Russia signed dozens of commercial pacts worth $3.5 billion and set the framework for a separate, multibillion-dollar agreement to build two natural gas pipelines to China from gas fields in Russia's Far East. The agreement highlights the determination of both nations to diversify their economies and seek new customers and vendors. It also reflects a political desire by both to steer a course independent of Western powers and especially the United States.

Sounds innocuous enough, until you take a few other factors into account.

"Russia and China have become genuine and comprehensive strategic and cooperative partners in recent years," Putin was quoted by Xinhua as saying. Ω

Rumblings from the Bear-

If Russia rises, it means that the USA falls down.- Pravda (check out their link in 'USA') Ω

Russia holds military maneuvers with communists in South America.

Russia's Big Military Spending Plans

Russia holds military maneuvers with Iran.

Moscow fiercely opposes US missile shield. (And gets its way..)

Russia signs arms pact with India.

Russia 'warns' US on missile defense.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin criticized talk of sanctions against Iran on Wednesday, undermining U.S. efforts to present a united front against Tehran's nuclear program at a crucial moment. Ω

Russia Officially Declares Right to Nuke Potential Aggressor - Pravda (aka, All the Stuff That the US MSM Won't Print)

Today, also in Pravda- "Russia and India will start the development of a new supersonic missile nearly invincible to interception." Ω

As for the Dragon-

National Intelligence Director Dennis Blair told the U.S. Congress the Chinese have become more assertive in staking claims to international waters around economic zones and were "more military, aggressive, forward-looking than we saw a couple years before" Ω

An increasingly acrimonious trade dispute between China and the United States over the past three days is officially about tires, chickens and cars, but is really much broader. Ω

The Chinese government is now spending it's U.S. dollar-holdings faster than it is accumulating them.

China has fifth largest gold reserves.

Beijing has dismissed Washington’s charges of steel pipe dumping and subsidies as “blind accusations”.

Beijing's derivative default stance rattles banks.

China will limit easy monetary stance.

And we're sucking up to them so they won't destroy us. Sickening. Not to mention, futile. As our largest debt-holder, we subsist on scraps from their table now.

Despite the election of a stark-raving socialist to power in the US, the rest of the socialist/fascist world still hates us. You can't wipe out three generations worth of loathing in a single Presidential term.

The Left's insidious subversion of America's Judeo-Christian culture is swiftly nearing fruition. While the secular socialists running most of the rest of the world couldn't take us down with brute force, their ideological compatriots have been gnawing away at our framework from the inside. Hence, "We're All Socialists Now" was blithely printed in Newsweek shortly after Obama's coronation.

Time is swiftly running out to reverse the tide, does sufficient will to try still exist in the hearts of the people? For a beautiful paean to America, see here.

Candance contributed to this article.

This'll Teach Me

2009-10-14T20:44:00.000-07:00

I didn't save the story because it was a link to Fox News. I never dreamed they'd scrub it. Here's what I could salvage. **** Update 10/15-The link was restored this morning. Guess I'm not the only one out here sending angry e-mails!

Russia and the United States have tentatively agreed to a weapons inspection program that would allow Russians to visit nuclear sites in America to count missiles and warheads.

The plan, which Fox News has learned was agreed to in principle during negotiations, would constitute the most intrusive weapons inspection program the U.S. has ever accepted.

Foreign minister Sergey Lavrov, who met with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, said publicly Tuesday that the two nations have made "considerable" progress toward reaching agreement on a new strategic arms treaty.

The 1991 strategic arms reduction treaty, or START, expires in December and negotiators have been racing to reach agreement on a successor.

Clinton said the U.S. would be as transparent as possible.

"We want to ensure that every question that the Russian military or Russian government asks is answered," she said, calling missile defense "Another area for deep cooperation between our countries."

On another critical issue, Lavrov declared that it would be counterproductive to threaten Iran with more sanctions over its nuclear program -- as he resisted efforts by Clinton to win agreement for tougher measures should Iran fail to prove its program is peaceful.

Clinton visited Moscow on her first trip since becoming America's top diplomat, in an effort to gauge Moscow's willingness to join the U.S. in imposing sanctions.

Clinton said the U.S. agreed it was important to pursue diplomacy with Iran.

"At the same time that we are very vigorously pursuing this track, we are aware that we might not be as successful as we need to be, so we have always looked at the potential of sanctions in the event we are not successful and cannot assure ourselves and others that Iran has decided not to pursue nuclear weapons," she said at a joint news conference.

Iran insists it has the right to a full domestic nuclear enrichment program and maintains it is only for peaceful purposes, such as energy production.

President Obama -- who visited Russia in July -- has vowed to "reset" U.S.-Russia relations. On Tuesday, Clinton apologized for missing that meeting because of a broken elbow.

"But now both my elbow and our relationships are reset and we're moving forward, which I greatly welcome," she said.

She was to meet with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev later Tuesday.

How to Bring Your Country to its Knees

2009-10-14T13:21:00.000-07:00

In Six Easy Steps.

Step 1. Destroy the economy.

"The stimulus is what's toxic -- we're poisoning ourselves and the global economy with it."

Step 2. Destroy the medical system.

Increased costs for taxpayers

Rationed care

Step 3. Alienate our allies.

England "Mr Obama had refused five separate requests from the Prime Minister for a private meeting during his U.S. trip for the UN summit in New York this week."

Poland “BETRAYAL! USA sells us out to the Russians and stabs us in the back!”

Israel "Obama's foreign policy as a whole makes it fairly easy to imagine him ordering the US military to open hostilities against a US ally to defend a US adversary"

Step 4. Cozy up to our enemies and dictators. "He has sent special envoys to dictators in Cuba and Syria."

Iran "Mr. Obama, officials said, has long said he was willing to negotiate with whoever would respond, including Ayatollah Khamenei."

Venezuela

Russia *** "Russia and the United States have tentatively agreed to a weapons inspection program that would allow Russians to visit nuclear sites in America to count missiles and warheads."

***Fox News erased this story and moved the link. I hadn't saved the page because it was Fox News! WTH is going on here? ***Update 10/15- Link restored, no explanation.

China ("People's Liberation Army", my fanny!)

North Korea "Mr. Obama -- having vowed to "meet without preconditions" with brutal despots, such as Kim Jong Il -- runs the grave risk of making things even worse."

Saudi Arabia

Step 5. Throw freedom fighters under the bus.

Iran "Obama cuts off funds to Iran human rights groups"

Tibet "Barack Obama cancels meeting with Dalai Lama 'to keep China happy'"

Step 6. Civil War

Part A. Turn Americans against each other. "White House to Democrats: 'Punch back twice as hard' "

Part B. Demonize the opposition.

Ordinary American citizens. " 'Un-American' attacks can't derail health care debate"

Beck "Official White House Website Attacks Beck, Fox News"

Limbaugh "WH admits Limbaugh attacks unhelpful"

Fox News "White House Defends Attacks on Fox News: 'They Will Say Anything' "

Part C. Silence dissent.

Sit. Stay. Roll over!

Play dead.

The "Oh Snap" Moment of the Day

2009-10-14T07:57:00.000-07:00

Influencial Israeli newspaper Haaretz has just released an op-ed claiming that Obama's Nobel peace prize was designed to kneecap his efforts in the MidEast. After all, the guy who just accepted an award for being the next Ghandi won't have any political capital to use the military option with Iran.

Guess it's a good thing Russia is there to convince our Secretary of State that economic sanctions won't work either.

And don't worry, Russia has no ulterior reason to help Iran, even though the occupation of Georgia puts them back with 100 miles of Iran's border. Don't be alarmed. Russia has told Clinton that their intentions are sincere, and she certainly knows better than you.

The Perfect Storm

2009-10-13T12:07:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

1 massive upstage as dollar loses reserve status*
3 trillion dollars of our own debt bought by...us, since no one else wants it.
40% of income taxes going towards national debt interest payments.
9.8% unemployment rate.
A dollop of wealth transfer to other countries.
A splash of oil traded in euros rather than the dollar.
Add the possibility of default by our largest debt-holder....
Mix it all together with a little anti-Americanism..and voilà! There you have it.

"Despite what the Fed and other central bankers say, a weaker dollar is desirable because it is necessary to rebalance the global economy.

"As long as the decline is gentle and orderly, then they're happy. But aggressive selling would spook the markets," he added.

Gentle and orderly...as we slide off the cliff. Nice.

* Updated to reflect new development.

A Must Watch

2009-10-13T11:09:00.000-07:00

Swine Flu Part II

2009-10-12T13:08:00.000-07:00

or "Train Wreck..Continued".

Testing on healthy adults ages 18-65 began on August 10th.

If the first eight days of adult testing don't raise any safety concerns, researchers will begin testing the vaccine in healthy children ages 6 months to 18 years.

Generally, researchers would wait longer before moving to test a vaccine in children, says Dr. Ina Stephens, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at the University of Maryland Center For Vaccine Development.

"For a lot of reasons this is not a typical vaccine trial," says Stephens, whose center is one of the locations of the clinical trials. "Because of the urgency for getting this vaccine approved for public use, we need to hurry ... we're looking mostly for safety data."

Healthy adults, healthy children. No pregnant women. That's who this is being tested on.

Inclusion Criteria:

Are males or non-pregnant females aged 6 months to 17 years, inclusive.
Subjects of child-bearing potential must agree to practice adequate contraception that may include, but is not limited to, abstinence, barrier methods such as condoms, diaphragms, spermicides, intrauterine devices, and licensed hormonal methods during the study for at least 30 days following the last vaccination.
The subject must be in good health as determined by axillary (<10>

Okay, healthy people who aren't pregnant. Got it. Now tell me again...

Q Who should be vaccinated against swine flu?

A Eventually, everyone, except for people who have the same allergies — primarily, allergy to eggs — that make annual flu shots dangerous for them. But for now, the first vaccine batches are reserved for those most at-risk: health care and emergency workers; pregnant women; people caring for infants younger than 6 months old; people 6 months to 24 years old; and anyone younger than 65 who has a weakened immune system or such medical conditions as asthma, diabetes or morbid obesity.

Test it on healthy people who aren't pregnant, then recommend it for pregnant and sickly people. Right. "I'm from the government, and I'm here to help you." comes to mind for some reason.

Testing on children 6 months and older began in mid-August. That's a good thing, right? They're already running tests, so by the time flu season really hits we'll have some test results to look at.

Or not.

From the ClinicalTrials.gov website:

Peds Sanofi H1N1 Influenza Vaccine Administered at Two Dose Levels

Study Start Date:	August 2009
Estimated Study Completion Date:	April 2010
Estimated Primary Completion Date:	April 2010 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)

Well, that's reassuring.

Oh look, they're doing one to "help determine how and when the H1N1 flu shot should be given with the seasonal flu shot to make it most effective." That sounds awesome, when will we see the results for that one?

Study Start Date:	August 2009
Estimated Study Completion Date:	June 2010
Estimated Primary Completion Date:	June 2010 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)

Oops.

Sure, I'll Get the Swine Flu Vaccine.....

2009-10-09T10:06:00.000-07:00

When Pigs Fly.

Let me just state for the record, I was skeptical about vaccinations long before this year's "outbreak" of swine flu. From the time I was urged to vaccinate our firstborn against an STD the day after she was born, I've been leery of the reasoning behind routine immunizations. The arguments presented to me by medical professionals have been flimsy, at best. "You must inoculate your child against mumps or he/she can't go to public school. You'll be putting the other children at risk."
Riddle me this, doc. If the vaccination is so effective, so what if my kid had the mumps? The inoculated kids won't get it, right? This never fails to annoy them, and they've never had a good response. In other words, no down side.

Alright, enough reminiscing. Brass tacks time.

Here's a few excerpts from an article on NaturalNews.com regarding the swine flu vaccine.

Urgent lawsuit filed against FDA to halt swine flu vaccines; claims FDA violated federal law

(NaturalNews) Health freedom attorney Jim Turner is filing a lawsuit in Washington D.C. mid-day Friday in an urgent effort to halt the distribution of the swine flu vaccine in America. On behalf of plaintiffs Dr. Gary Null and other licensed health care workers of New York State, the lawsuit charges that the FDA violated the law in its hasty approval of four swine flu vaccines by failing to scientifically determine neither the safety nor efficacy of the vaccines.
"The FDA is required by law to establish that a vaccine is safe and effective before it can be given to the public," said Turner. "We are arguing that they did not establish that the vaccine was effective, and did not establish that it was safe. They are trying to get it on the market by a waiver."

If the charges described in the lawsuit are true, it means the FDA has blatantly abandoned medical science and violated its own regulations in approving not only these four vaccines, but the potentially deadly adjuvant chemicals as well. To date, the FDA has produced absolutely no scientific evidence documenting safety tests for any of these swine flu vaccines. There are no published studies, no records of any clinical trials, and no publicly-available paper trail demonstrating that any safety testing was done whatsoever. There is no researcher who has publicly put their name on the record declaring the vaccines to be safe, and no FDA official has ever stated that scientifically-valid safety testing has ever been conducted on the vaccine / adjuvant combinations now being distributed across America.

By approving the four vaccines in the absence of such safety testing, the FDA itself stands in direct violation of federal law. "There is a law that they're supposed to follow and they are not following it," Turner added.

Why, then, did the FDA apparently violate the law and push these vaccines into full public distribution without securing the safety testing required by law? Turner suspects a profit motive may be involved: "They're charging $24.95 to get a vaccine. Multiplied by 100 million people, that's a lot of money. If you do the whole society, you're talking about several billion dollars." In fact, the U.S. vaccination push could ultimately target over 200 million Americans, generating nearly $5 billion in vaccine-related revenues. Cashing in on those revenues, however, requires three things:

1) Spreading fear about H1N1 swine flu by exaggerating its dangers.
2) Quickly making a vaccine available for sale, even if it has never been thoroughly tested for safety and efficacy.
3) Aggressively marketing the vaccines before the H1N1 swine flu fizzles out and can no longer be hyped up as "highly virulent."

All three of these conditions are now being pushed aggressively in the U.S. by pharma-influenced health authorities at both the state and federal level. There is a mad, cult-like rush under way to vaccinate American citizens with an unproven, untested chemical that was thrust into distribution in apparent violation of federal law. And if this vaccine is not stopped, the price that may ultimately be paid in terms of lost lives could be quite dire.

Now, here's the scary part. According to the FDA, the H1N1 vaccine did not exist as of June 18th, 09.

Vaccine

At present, there are no licensed vaccines approved for this new H1N1 influenza virus.

Which means it's been developed just in the last few months. Which means there have been no long-term studies done.

Wait, it gets better..

(Okay, it gets worse. Much worse..)

2009 H1N1 Influenza Shots and Pregnant Women: Questions and Answers for Patients

October 2, 2009, 5:00 PM ET

General Public

Why does CDC advise pregnant women to receive the 2009 H1N1 influenza (flu) vaccine (shot)?

Getting the flu shot is the single best way to protect against the flu. It is important for a pregnant woman to receive both the 2009 H1N1 flu shot and the seasonal flu shot. A pregnant woman who gets any type of flu has a greater chance for serious health problems. Compared with people in general who get 2009 H1N1 flu (formerly called “swine flu”), pregnant women with 2009 H1N1 flu are more likely to be admitted to hospitals. Pregnant women are also more likely to have serious illness and death from 2009 H1N1 flu.

Gee, that sounds serious. It's a good thing all these super-smart people are looking out for our well-being...

The National Institutes of Health is set to begin testing the vaccine in pregnant women in the next month or two. "We're still awaiting word from our institutional review board [which signs off on all clinical trials], so we don't yet know who will be included," says Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, which is part of NIH. Although he says there's no reason not to include pregnant women at the earliest stage of pregnancy, the review board could "out of an abundance of caution" limit the trials to women who are beyond the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Unfortunately, he adds, safety and efficacy data won't be available from those pregnant women trials when the vaccine initially becomes available in late October.

"We haven't tested it yet, but go out and get it to protect your baby!"

Thalidomide, anyone?

In Europe and Canada during the early 1960s, thalidomide was prescribed to treat morning sickness in pregnant women.
Thalidomide was soon banned worldwide when it was discovered that it caused tragic birth defects.
Thalidomide was recognized as a powerful human teratogen (a drug or other agent that causes abnormal development in the embryo or fetus). Taking even a single dose of thalidomide during early pregnancy may cause major birth defects.

Hmm, maybe that 'testing' thing should have been done first. Oh well.

Lesson learned, right?

When Is a Disaster...NOT a Disaster?

2009-10-08T12:09:00.000-07:00

Answer: When Barack Obama is at the helm.

The MSM has been pining for a recession since, well, since a Republican won re-election. Now that they have one, they just want it to go away before Obama starts to look bad. I wonder how long it'll take them to realize that horse has left the barn..

After spending the past several years making doleful predictions while the economy boomed, ("PERSONAL FINANCES – Sixty-one percent say their own finances are excellent or good, unchanged from last week.") the liberal media finally has what it longed for so intensely, a deep economic downturn. Problem is, now it's on the Democrat's watch. The media scramble to cover for Obama and the Dems brings rodeo clowns irresistibly to mind, as they flap their arms and flail wildly in an increasingly transparent attempt...

...to divert the attention of the infuriated bull, aka John Q. Public. As a dazed Obama/Pelosi team crawls through the mingled haze of dirt and cow patties, take another bite of corndog and check out this video. (Which was quickly disabled on Youtube..)

Now that we've had a good laugh, time for a good cry. Before you read this, remember, I'm just The Messenger.

Don't shoot.

The decline of American economic power linked to the current global recession was implicitly acknowledged by the World Bank president Robert Zoellick. "One of the legacies of this crisis may be a recognition of changed economic power relations," he said in Istanbul ahead of meetings this week of the IMF and World Bank. But it is China's extraordinary new financial power – along with past anger among oil-producing and oil-consuming nations at America's power to interfere in the international financial system – which has prompted the latest discussions involving the Gulf states.

“The United States would be mistaken to take for granted the dollar’s place as the world’s predominant reserve currency,” according to excerpts* released by the World Bank. *Link taken down, sorry folks. World Bank regretted posting that, apparently. I have learned my lesson and will cache future links.

Oct. 8 (Bloomberg) -- The dollar fell to its lowest level in almost 14 months against the currencies of six major U.S. trading partners as signs of global economic recovery spurred demand for riskier assets.

It’s the biggest mystery in global finance right now: Who conducted a sneak attack on the U.S. dollar this week?

It is also clear that China is literally “putting its money where its mouth is.” China has devoted an enormous amount of resources building up its domestic gold mining industry, soaring to #1 in the world this decade, and it recently stunned the world with the announcement of a huge increase in its official, national holdings (see “China now has 5th largest gold reserves”).

China's gold reserves jumped by 76% from its last announcement in 2002 – up to 1,054 tons. Given that official government purchases on the open market are recorded and announced, this means that rather than buying all that gold openly on the market (which would have driven up the price while they were buying) China has been accumulating gold surreptitiously, through buying up its domestic production – strongly suggesting that ramping-up its gold production was part of a long-term strategic plan to become one of the world's largest (if not the largest) holder of gold among governments.

Mmm, mmm, mmm...Barack Hussein Obama...

Brace yourselves, folks. It's gonna be a bumpy ride.

Work Hard, Play Fair, Get Hosed

2009-10-05T11:17:00.000-07:00

or "Ken Lewis's Career in Six Words or Less"

Ever wonder what would happen if you spent 40 years of your life building a company from a small regional bank into a national powerhouse...and then ticked off some liberals?

Ken Lewis (known to leftists as "Scapegoat") could give you an earful on that subject. He came to Bank of America's predecessor, North Carolina National Bank, as a credit analyst in '69. He was serving as the head of both international and domestic operations when it became NationsBank in 1991, and ten years later took the reins as CEO, President, and Chairman of what was by then known as Bank of America.

2001, as you may recall, was an inauspicious year to begin such a high-profile job. The dotcom bubble of the late 90's had burst, and the economy had begun to contract even before the attacks of 9/11 temporarily paralyzed the country. Mr. Lewis weathered the storm with aplomb, making Banker of the Year. By focusing on increased efficiency and financial discipline rather than his predecessor's aggressive acquisition-making, Mr. Lewis brought the bank through the rough patch quite well. During the first two years under his management BofA returned over 40%, while the Dow Jones TSMI reported a 35% loss over the same period.

Over the next seven years, BofA continued to prosper with Mr. Lewis at the helm. Each succeeding acquisition, from FleetBostonFinancial in '04 to the troubled Countrywide Financial in July of '08 broadened the reach and scope of the bank to finally become the largest asset-holder in the country. Mr. Lewis was made Banker of the Year...again. A high-profile bid to purchase struggling giant Merrill Lynch propelled him into the media's open arms, with a warm and fuzzy 60 Minutes interview.

Watch CBS Videos Online

Widely lauded by the media as a savior of the economy in the wake of last year's crash, they none the less turned on him swiftly when the newly-acquired Merrill Lynch was sent reeling by a whopping $15 billion loss in the fourth quarter. Mr. Lewis proposed ditching the deal in December, but was reportedly threatened with his job by government officials if the deal didn't go through. It went through a month later, and has been an albatross around Mr. Lewis's neck ever since. He wouldn't go quietly into the night, though.

The media-driven furor over bonuses coupled with now scathing coverage of the deal began a downward spiral that culminated in Mr. Lewis's resignation, announced September 30th. This development was triumphantly cheered by certain segments..

“This was a necessary and overdue change,” said Michael Garland, a spokesman for Change to Win, an investment group that has been pressing for Mr. Lewis’s ouster for months. “The onus is now on the board to engage with shareholders to name a successor who can quickly restore Bank of America’s credibility with regulators and investors.”

Investment group? What an innocuous way for the NY Times to put it..

The Change to Win Coalition was formed in 2005 by seven activist unions dissatisfied with the the A.F.L.-C.I.O.'s failure to reverse organized labor's long decline. Led by Andy Stern, the president of Service Employees International Union..

SEIU? Where have I heard of that outfit before? I sense a pattern here...

Now the sneering elitists are gloating over the down and out rube from the South..

At the time, I couldn't help but think that Lewis was another out-of-towner who had been pickpocketed near Times Square.

..so twanged the urbane Daniel Gross of Slate, who apparently has a problem with Republicans..

In dealing with the new regime in Washington, the out-of-towner was at a disadvantage compared with the New York crowd. Unlike the heads of New York-based investment banks, Lewis had never been part of the local, which is to say, Democratic, power structure. The two big winners of Survivor Wall Street: 2008-09 are Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein and JPMorgan Chase CEO Dimon, both active Democrats with close ties to the Obama administration. (Check out Blankfein's and Dimon's donations here and here.) By contrast, Lewis' political donations show he was tight mostly with North Carolina politicians and mostly with Republicans. (What unmitigated gall.)

Ironically, while most industries have been shedding faster than my cat, BofA has actually added 46 financial advisers to the Merrill Lynch division and begun a new $20 million advertising campaign. Since I began writing this article, even more positive news has come out.

"Now it seems that Merrill is hauling in up to 30 percent of BofA's profits."

Bloomberg reports:

Merrill's businesses contributed $1.8 billion to Bank of America's first-half net profit of $7.5 billion, or 28 percent, even after the bank posted $27 billion in loan charge-offs and higher loan-loss reserves, according to company filings. Those businesses are likely to account for 25 percent to 30 percent of the bank's profits over the next three years

The share of the bank's revenue that came from investment banking and wealth management rose to 47 percent in the first half, after the Merrill acquisition, from 29 percent last year, according to the bank.

That oughta stick in a few craws. Fabulous.