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Where is this Bus Going?
Author: BobR    Date: 05/12/2010 10:26:42

I was initially going to write about the expected knee-jerk reactions to the Kagan SCOTUS nomination, from both the left and the right. Really, it would be like shooting fish in a barrel, as the right wing tries to feed a family of four on the breadcrumbs they're tossing, and self-appointed guardians of the left wing try to paint Kagan as a latter-day Clarence Thomas.

A funny thing happened on the way to the forum however (or in this case - the blog). In my efforts to collect links and quotes to use, I kept coming across stories that caught my eye and my interest. Ultimately, I gave up on my original concept, and decided to run with these stories...

One of the biggest news items from yesterday (yet getting little play), is the amazing bipartisan vote to audit the Fed:
The US Senate on Tuesday unanimously approved an amendment to a financial reform bill that aims to open the secretive Federal Reserve to outside scrutiny.

The measure introduced by Senator Bernie Sanders, an independent on the left, was passed by a vote of 96 to 0.

It directs the Government Accountability Office, an investigative arm of Congress, to conduct a complete audit of the Fed within a year, reviewing all the loans and other financial aid it has provided since December 1, 2007 during one of the worst financial crisis in US history

It would seem like a no-brainer vote, but every Republican voted for a bill put into the hopper by a self-proclaimed socialist. Are they going to feel dirty in the morning? While one might consider this a "feel good" story, they're all downhill from here...

The other big story that every one on the left already knew, and every one on the right (in particular - the teabaggers) will ignore is that Americans are paying taxes at the lowest level since 1950:
Amid complaints about high taxes and calls for a smaller government, Americans paid their lowest level of taxes last year since Harry Truman's presidency, a USA TODAY analysis of federal data found.
Some conservative political movements such as the "Tea Party" have criticized federal spending as being out of control. While spending is up, taxes have fallen to exceptionally low levels.

Isn't the "Tea" in Tea Party supposed to stand for "Taxed Enough Already"? Looks another FAIL on the teabagger checklist...

Speaking of uninformed Americans, a recent poll shows that 9% believe that "environmentalists" blew up the drilling platform in the Gulf (another 22% are "not sure" about that). Really?? I know that's less than the percentage that believe in flying saucers, but did they think this one through? Environmentalists would blow up an oil rig and cause an oil slick that destroys the environment of an entire region so that.... what? We'll stop drilling that could destroy the environment? It doesn't even make sense.

What people should be looking at is who is going to pay for the cleanup. It's a four way finger-pointing exercise between BP, TransOcean, Halliburton, and the U.S. Government. We know Halliburton has deep pockets (after a decade of pocketing American taxpayer's money in Iraq). BP has pretty deep pockets too. They make enough in profits in 4 days to pay for the cleanup (that's profits, not revenue). Of course - they still didn't want to spend the extra money on the valve that would have prevented this. Penny wise and pound foolish.

This will be tied up in the courts for years, while taxpayers pay for it up front. This could have been prevented had proper regulations been in place. But no - the Republicans rolled back regulation in the effort of getting "Big Government" off the backs of business. Great plan there.

Along with the SCOTUS nomination and an apocalyptic oil spill, we are also in the middle of Primary season. Incumbent candidates are in an especially tough spot, what with having actual records they have to run on. This always causes some spin, but McCain has taken his maverckiness to new levels. He is running an ad promoting something he ridiculed previously - building a fence on the Mexican border. The linked article suggests it is the worst political ad ever. Agreed that it is truly awful (you can watch it at the link), but is it worse than the Carly Fiorina ad (the "demon sheep" ad)? (NOTE: also at the link).

I consider them 2nd and 3rd place. The Worst Ad Ever is one for GA gubernatorial candidate John Oxendine. Sadly, it is no longer available online, but you can see screenshots and read a description here (as noted, the YouTube video has been pulled).

I don't know if it's the short-attention-span ethos created by our current technology, or if it's just that people are getting dumber and baser, but it's a little discouraging to see such stupidity combined with selfishness on a national scale. How are we supposed to remain an international power with this Championship Wrestling approach to politics and other problem solving? Is Idiocracy truly our future?

 

30 comments (Latest Comment: 05/13/2010 02:45:25 by trojanrabbit)
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Comment by Will in Chicago on 05/12/2010 11:13:25
Good morning, bloggers!



BobR, thank you for an interesting potpourri of topics on the blog.



I think that an audit of the Fed is warranted, as all organizations -- particularly powerful ones -- should be held accountable for their actions and finances. However, I think the idiocy in the GOP will continue. Like the companies in the disaster in the Gulf, blaming someone is their main strategy as opposed to finding solutions.

Comment by wickedpam on 05/12/2010 12:47:55
Morning

Comment by Raine on 05/12/2010 13:14:39
Morning!

Comment by Raine on 05/12/2010 13:23:59
Conservatives Didn't spread that rumor? Not according to this article...

Comment by Raine on 05/12/2010 13:41:18
A little more about that McCain ad. From think progress
There’s something wrong with McCain’s video: Nogales is in Santa Cruz County. Babeu, however, is from Pinal County, which is 115 miles north in central Arizona:



http://thinkprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/arizonamcap.gif




As Andrea Nill explains on the Wonk Room, “Chances are McCain didn’t feature a local border town police chief because that person probably would’ve told him his ten-point plan is a waste of manpower and resources.” Indeed, the assistant police chief in Nogales has said that they have not “witnessed any spillover violence from Mexico.” The Santa Cruz County sheriff has also said that the state’s new anti-immigration law — which McCain called a “good tool” — is downright racist.




So yeah -- the Ad features the WRONG SHERIFF.

Comment by wickedpam on 05/12/2010 13:57:43
I still want to know what Wyoming did to help establish this country? Besides be a place for resouces and natural beauty?

Comment by Scoopster on 05/12/2010 14:16:02
Morning all!



Here's a rather large and interesting image I found..



http://i.imgur.com/VfVMZ.jpg

Comment by Raine on 05/12/2010 14:17:35
Quote by wickedpam:

I still want to know what Wyoming did to help establish this country? Besides be a place for resouces and natural beauty?
The best I can come up with is that it was the first state to give white women the right to vote --





all 3 of them -Injuns need not apply.



Comment by Raine on 05/12/2010 14:24:53
So the 2012 GOP Convention is going to be held in Tampa Florida -- On the beautiful pristine dead waters of the Gulf coast.

Comment by Raine on 05/12/2010 14:27:26
http://underneaththeirrobes.blogs.com/photos/uncategorized/roberts_scherer_lazarus.jpg


Comment by Scoopster on 05/12/2010 14:30:45
Is that Chief Justice Roberts eating a lobster with two other guys?!



AMAGAD IT'S A SCANDAL!!

Comment by Raine on 05/12/2010 14:34:00
Quote by Scoopster:

Is that Chief Justice Roberts eating a lobster with two other guys?!



AMAGAD IT'S A SCANDAL!!






On Fire Island... Just sayin

Comment by Raine on 05/12/2010 14:34:25
But at least he likes Pie...

Comment by Raine on 05/12/2010 14:43:37
It's just US foreign policy, I believe sadly it is law. HEre is an article from 2003



Some former hostages tried to sue Iran in the mid-1980s, but the cases were tossed out of court because Iran, like all nations, enjoys sovereign immunity from lawsuits.



The former hostages and their families filed a new lawsuit in 1998 against the government of Iran seeking $33 billion in damages. The lawsuit was based on anti-terrorism legislation passed in 1996 by Congress that opened the courts to people who believed they were harmed by acts of state-sponsored terrorism.



Since Iran did not contest the suit, the court entered a default judgment in favor of the hostages and moved on to assessing the damages they were due, scheduling testimony.




The Foreign Sovereignty Immunities act

Comment by Raine on 05/12/2010 14:44:47
So I understand what Raw Story is saying, but it has been standing law that individuals cannot sue a foreign nation.



That's one thing that 9/11 DIDN'T change.

Comment by wickedpam on 05/12/2010 14:56:57
Bruce Campbell is indeed Awesome :D

Comment by TriSec on 05/12/2010 15:00:30
Ack, thpth. *ahem*.



PENGUIN LUST!



pfft.





Comment by BobR on 05/12/2010 15:09:16
Quote by TriSec:

Ack, thpth. *ahem*.



PENGUIN LUST!



pfft.





tuba solo!

Comment by livingonli on 05/12/2010 15:16:17
Good morning everyone.



Two days off in a row this week.



Comment by Raine on 05/12/2010 15:32:54
Happy Birthday to Florence Nightingale!

Comment by Raine on 05/12/2010 15:34:36
Uhm... Momma-- Hillary Clinton is a mom... Just sayin'

Comment by Raine on 05/12/2010 15:52:32
You know our wedding was announced on the Stephanie Miller NEWScast... I tell ya we get no respect.

Comment by livingonli on 05/12/2010 16:04:11
Quote by Raine:

You know our wedding was announced on the Stephanie Miller NEWScast... I tell ya we get no respect.


No respect at all.

Comment by wickedpam on 05/12/2010 16:24:13
Quote by Raine:

You know our wedding was announced on the Stephanie Miller NEWScast... I tell ya we get no respect.




I think they forget their first "unoffical" blog an awful lot

Comment by wickedpam on 05/12/2010 16:44:09
gawd! I'm so tired about of the subject of is she or isn't she - I don't care, don't think most people really do. Personally I think its more about lookism

Comment by livingonli on 05/12/2010 16:44:58
Quote by wickedpam:

Quote by Raine:

You know our wedding was announced on the Stephanie Miller NEWScast... I tell ya we get no respect.




I think they forget their first "unoffical" blog an awful lot


She did remember the old place when we met her that night.

Comment by Scoopster on 05/12/2010 16:49:37
Comment by Raine on 05/12/2010 17:56:36
No words. Just tears.









Comment by TriSec on 05/12/2010 21:59:56
You can download a plug-in for Google Earth.



It lets you superimpose Lake Palin over various spots on the globe to give you an idea of how big the spill is.



http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/brainiac/assets_c/2010/05/oilspillboston-thumb-500x503-10765.jpg


Comment by trojanrabbit on 05/13/2010 02:45:25
Not many teams blow 3-0 series leads. Thank you, bRuins. The Jacobs family has cursed you on par with Harry Frazee and the Red Sox.



Pure unadulterated suck.