Your move, Jonnie S and L.

I'm amazed they were able to accomplish ANYTHING with McCain in NY!

'Fundamental agreement' reached on bailout

Top congressional negotiators have announced that they have a "fundamental agreement" on a government bailout of the nation's financial system, granting extraordinary powers to the secretary of Treasury to purchase hundreds of billions in bad debt while attempting to stem foreclosures for homeowners struggling on Main Street.

The announcement came in the Capitol after a three-hour meeting involving a dozen of the top negotiators from both parties and both chambers of Congress.

Banking Committee Chairman Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.) said, "We believe we are prepared to act expeditiously on a package ... and send a message to the markets."

But Dodd cautioned that this is still a "set of principles" and not completed legislative language. Quite often, the nitty-gritty details of bill language can slow the process. Still, Dodd and other key negotiators seemed more confident Thursday afternoon than they have at any other point in the week long bailout negotiations.

The bill could reach the president's desk in a few days, Dodd said.

House Republicans continue to warn that they haven't signed off on this deal, but the bailout ship may sail without them given the pace of legislative activity today.

Sen. Robert Bennett (R-Utah), the top GOP negotiator in the Senate, said, "We have a plan that will pass the House, pass the Senate and be signed by the president, and bring certainty to the markets."

Dodd said the agreement includes a crackdown on executive compensation, but it does not appear to have a bankruptcy provision, coveted by liberal Democrats, which would allow judges to restructure mortgages for people facing foreclosure.

If I were Obama, this would be my response

to Senator McCain's request to postpone the foreign policy debate on Friday.

“I’m relieved to hear that Senator McCain has finally recognized that the fundamentals of our economy are in fact not strong, as he was insisting as recently as six days ago. I also applaud his commitment – which I share – to do whatever is necessary and prudent to turn our economy back in the right direction.

However, I must respectfully decline the Senator’s request to postpone our upcoming debate. I can think of nothing more important right now than the opportunity to stand in front of the American people and speak to their concerns, not only about the economy, but about our failed foreign policy, a foreign policy that has resulted in nearly a trillion dollars being spent on a war that was never needed, a trillion dollars that could have – should have – been spent here in the United States, a trillion dollars that would come in awfully handy right now.

I can also appreciate the Senator’s concern that the current economic crisis stands in the way of preparation for this debate, but I am quite frankly flummoxed by the idea that after nearly three decades in Washington, Senator McCain is unprepared to have a conversation about his foreign policy vision. There’s no question that in a global economy, how we engage the world is intimately connected to our economic health and well-being, and postponing this incredibly important but scant 90 minute conversation is not in the best interests of our country. Surely, an expert on foreign policy like Senator McCain could have this debate in his sleep.”

Kiss My Fannie.

One of the benefits of reading blogs (mine notwithstanding) is catching stories you might otherwise miss because, well, you have a life and can't possibly read every paper and story that is out there. This one caught my attention this morning. Not because of the connection between McCain, McCain's advisors, and the industry that has single handedly sent our financial system back to the 1920's; we all knew that Jonnie S and L McCain was in bed with these guys. What caught my eye was the overwhelming brazenness of the relationship between Fannie Mae (heretofore known affectionately as "my ass") and Rick Davis, McCain's campaign manager:

(From the NY Times)

"The value that he brought to the relationship was the closeness to Senator McCain and the possibility that Senator McCain was going to run for president again," said Robert McCarson, a former spokesman for Fannie Mae, who said that while he worked there from 2000 to 2002, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac together paid Mr. Davis's firm $35,000 a month. Mr. Davis "didn't really do anything," Mr. McCarson, a Democrat, said.

Let's do the math together, shall we? Rick Davis took in roughly two million dollars to help "my ass" get really close to Jonnie S and L McCain. That's it. No long memos, thick, detailed research books, not even a mani and pedi. Just because my ass wanted to develop a nice little inroad to Jonnie S and L.

Ok, ok, ok. Let me get this straight. Jonnie S and L thinks Obama is part of the "Washington problem" because someone on his staff called the former Fannie Mae CEO to ask a couple of questions. Meanwhile, there are 19 former Wall Street lobbyists who are officially advising Jonnie S and L, including someone - WHO IS RUNNING HIS CAMPAIGN - who earned (I use that term lightly) $2 million to give the Pale Horseman an inside track to his boss. Now THERE'S change you can believe in!

I smell a little anger seeping in to my blog, so I think I should just leave it here. But I do want to point out that Jonnie S and L (I like the way that sounds) is even as I write running ads across the country, claiming for himself the mantle of "Washington outsider" in the midst of this economic Armageddon.

My ass.

Well, that didn't take long.

Palin's Favorability Ratings Tumble (per The Politico)

"Gov. Sarah Palin's favorable/unfavorable ratings have suffered a stunning 21 point collapse in just one week, according to Research 2000 polling. Last week, 52% approved and 35% disapproved of the GOP vice presidential nominee (+17 net). This week, 42% approved and 46% disapprove (-4 net).

Earlier this week, Newsweek also saw the drop in other polling. "Over the course of a single weekend... Palin went from being the most popular White House hopeful to the least."


Now, one MIGHT look at these numbers and proclaim this as evidence certain that the liberal media has it in for Sarah Palin (and Republicans in general), and this is a direct result of the terrible "disrespect" she has received from the Fourth Estate.

Or, one could look at it in a more circumspect way. I think the sentiment that best captures this viewpoint is "it's about damn time." Or perhaps, "what took you so long?!"

God forbid the media expose a candidate for they sham they are, rather than get lambasted as anti-American, Commie-loving socialists, as they are typically called when daring to criticize those on the right.

What's funny to me is all they really did was ask questions. For once, all they really did was do their job. It's about damn time.

Meanwhile, if you critically analyze her favorability numbers, you'll see her support is essentially the same percentage as those who indicate they will vote for their Republican candidate for Congress this fall (the generic ballot). That to me make makes complete sense - knowing what we do about her, who the hell would really like her other than those who are diehard Republicans anyway??

Sometimes, life is better than fiction...

From the AP:

Wayward squirrel cuts power to Clemson campus
Tuesday, September 16, 2008

CLEMSON — A squirrel caused a weekend campus-wide power outage at Clemson University. Campus officials say one of the critters crossed power lines at the main campus substation around 10 a.m. Sunday, causing a massive outage.

University spokeswoman Robin Denny told The Greenville News it took more than seven hours to get all the power back on.

Clemson has been battling with squirrels for years. Graduate students are testing contraceptives to try and control the population, which is estimated at 12 squirrels per acre of the 1,400-acre campus.


So here is my question: why are the Clemson graduate students testing contraception? Wouldn't it be easier to just stop having sex with the squirrels??

Mad As Hell

Sometimes, you don't even need to comment. All I'll say is this guy has PASSION. I like it.

Oh, and I wish people had listened to him. He was clearly on to something. This was recorded in August of LAST YEAR.

(Click on the title)

It's A Wonderful Life?

I am a tempest of mixed emotions this a.m., and I thought I would share a few of them with you, my dozens of readers....

First, I should start with my beloved Gamecocks, who proved yet again that you can be good AND mediocre at the same time. God bless 'em, though, because at least it was an entertaining game. And for the record, you CAN put more crap into a four year old than what she actually weighs (M&Ms, cotton candy, some frozen strawberry concoction, and so on.)

Now, my wife and I are far from wealthy (oh yes, we are rich in love), but turning on the TV this morning, one has to wonder if the end of the world is nigh, and if so, will the High Horse of Death be ridden by none other than Gordon Gecko? And is he coming to take away my paltry life savings as a down payment? I grew up in the age of really bad movies (I mean really good, but far from what film critics would call "good"), highlighted by one of my favorites, "Wall Street." (How can you not love to hate and hate to love Gordon Gecko?!?) Point is, it's hard to feel bad for some of the detritus living fat on the cow of the American working man and woman while they cascade ever so violently into the abyss (as I write the this, the Dow is down like 300 points in 25 minutes).

And so while the financial markets give us their version of the bank run of "It's A Wonderful Life," I am torn between glee and real fear. This type of collapse is never good for anyone, and with the economy already struggling, the last thing we need is Ma and Pa Clampett taking their stacks of old, worn dollar bills and hiding them in an empty cookie tin that they keep on top of the fridge.

Why glee? Well, two reasons, really, somewhat unrelated. One, as I mentioned earlier, I've no love for an industry whose raison d'etre is to MAKE MONEY (I know, I'm a commie).

Two, considerably more important, is that despite the cornucopia of screw ups the weekend has revealed from the McCain-Palin campaign, I would REALLY like to see a return to the issues, which I've always believed heavily favored the Democrats. The collapse of Wall Street - predicated on the failure of the mortgage industry - should provide a nice, wide avenue for Barack and co. to start taking well-shaped body shots at the other team. The sooner the race can be framed around a referendum on the Bush economic plan, the better for Obama.

Like I said, who doesn't love to hate Gordon Gecko? He was a Republican, right?