Disqus - Latest Comments for whiterosebuddy

Re: Afternoon Open Thread

whiterosebuddy — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:01:13 -0000

The RISE of the RIGHT

"Imagine you had been told five years ago that a huge economic crisis would erupt, prominently featuring irresponsible financiers, and that governments would come to the rescue of firms and families. You would probably have predicted that, politically, the right (the party of bankers) would do badly and the left (the party of bureaucrats) would do well. You would have been wrong. It's not just the Republicans who came out ahead. Last month a conservative coalition swept into power in Germany. In France, Nicolas Sarkozy's party has considerable public support. In Britain, conservatives are poised to win their first national election in 17 years. Even in Denmark and Sweden, where social democrats usually win, the right is in power. In fact, across continental Europe, only one major country, Spain, has a left-wing ruling party.

Why? Part of the answer is that despite the economic turmoil, few people seriously believe the answer is a turn to socialism. But it is also worth looking at the conservative parties that are thriving. Britain's Tory leader, David Cameron, calls himself a "progressive conservative." Sarkozy argues passionately for tight regulation of the financial industry, with pay caps on executive bonuses and more. Angela Merkel staunchly defends the German social market system. In Europe, the right is firmly at the center.

snip

Barack Obama's handling of the financial crisis has mostly been marked by such intelligent centrism. He es-chewed calls from the left to nationalize banks, ignored criticism from scholars that the stimulus was too small, and has largely avoided business bashing. In all these areas, the left wing of his party is dissatisfied.

On health care, however, the story looks different. There are two great health-care crises in America—one in-volving coverage and the other cost. The Obama plan appears likely to tackle the first but not the second. This is bad economics but also bad politics: the crisis of cost affects 85 percent of Americans, while the crisis of coverage affects about 15 percent. Obama's message to the country appears to be "We have a dysfunctional health-care system with out-of-control costs, and let's add 45 million people to it."

Americans see a health-care bill that has been produced by the old Democratic machine rather than the new Democratic technocrats—more Lyndon Johnson than Larry Summers. That might please the party's base but it will dismay independents. Were costs to rocket over the next few years, the Democrats will have squandered a reputation for economic competence that was hard won."

http://www.newsweek.com/id/221611/output/print

Re: Tuesday Open Thread

whiterosebuddy — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:57:41 -0000

Re: Tuesday Open Thread

whiterosebuddy — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:34:48 -0000

Looks like we headed for, as POTUS would say, silly season.

"A Marine reservist armed with a tire iron beat and chased a man he thought was an Arab terrorist and even called 911 to say he was detaining the man, police said.

But the man he assaulted was actually a Greek Orthodox priest visiting from overseas who spoke limited English, police said.

Instead of offering help, Bruce struck the priest on the head with a tire iron, police said."

http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/crime...

Re: Afternoon Open Thread

whiterosebuddy — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:20:01 -0000

***Breaking NEWS*****

VICK GETS A BREAK Court RULES he can KEEP $16M

A federal appeals court on Tuesday backed the judge who ruled against the NFL and let quarterback Michael Vick keep more than $16 million in roster bonuses from the Atlanta Falcons.

The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday affirmed Judge David Doty's order saying Vick had already earned the bonuses before his dogfighting conviction, so the money wasn't subject to forfeiture.

Vick served 18 months in prison and is now with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Doty has long handled matters arising from the NFL's collective bargaining agreement. After Doty ruled in the Vick bonus case, the NFL accused him of bias and sought to end his oversight of its contract with the players union.

The appeals court said the contract should remain under Doty's oversight.

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello did not say whether the league planned a further appeal, but he said the 8th Circuit upheld Doty's ruling on Vick's bonuses in large part because it found the contract's forfeiture language ambiguous.

"That is something that we will seek to change at the bargaining table to ensure that bonus payments are paid to players who comply with their contracts and perform on the field," Aiello said.

Vick, a former Atlanta Falcons star, was released from federal custody July 20 after serving 18 months of a 23-month sentence for running a dogfighting ring in Surry County, Va. The Eagles signed Vick to a $1.6 million contract for 2009, with a team option for the second year at $5.2 million, but he has not played much.

Re: Tuesday Open Thread

whiterosebuddy — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:15:07 -0000

And no doubt she will be welcomed back. You are right about the HCR messaging. During the campaign she also help shape his outreach to female voters. She will be missed.

"Administration officials say Dunn's organization helped steer Obama through a bumpy summer that saw conservatives mobilize against his health care proposals and the daily clamor for the president's time. Officials credit her with shaping the administration's message as the health care proposals inched closer to congressional passage."

Re: Tuesday Open Thread

whiterosebuddy — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:10:32 -0000

Dodd unveils sweeping Financial Banking Reforms....hmmmm...why is Barney Frank not on board with this? Personally, I am not comfortable with the stripping of the FDIC's role as bank examiners. Can't tell if this is a good thing or not. I haven't ever agreed with Sen Shelby from Alabama about much of anything.

"Specifically, Dodd's bill takes away the Fed's regulatory power in some key areas. "I really want the Federal Reserve to get back to its core enterprises," Dodd said. "We saw over the last number of years when they took on consumer protection responsibilities and the regulation of bank holding companies, it was an abysmal failure. So the idea that we're going to go back and expand those roles and functions at the expense of the vitality of the core functions that they're designed to perform is going in the wrong way.

The bill would also end the practice of allowing banks to select the directors of the regional Federal Reserve banks. That was a last-minute addition that came after the committee's top Republican, Sen. Richard Shelby of Alabama, said he wanted to end the conflict of interest.

Dodd said the bill would create a Consumer Financial Protection Agency to regulate such things as credit cards and home mortgages. Banks that are "too big to fail" would, as a final resort, be required to reduce their size and consequently the risk they pose to the financial structure if regulators demanded it. A single banking regulator would be created from the patchwork system that currently allows banks to shop for the fattest and laziest cop.

The bill would create a single bank regulator, responsible for all of the nation's 8,200 banks. The plan takes bank supervision away from the Federal Reserve, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the 50 state banking supervisors, and combines the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (which regulates national banks like Citibank and Bank of America) and Office of Thrift Supervision (which regulated failed lenders Washington Mutual and IndyMac) to create this new agency."

Re: Tuesday Open Thread

whiterosebuddy — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:05:26 -0000

Well this is not good news. Anita Dunn stepping down from WH communications team.
She was the one that developed the aggressive communication of calling people out and going after Fox. Hmmmmmmm

"The White House on Tuesday shuffled its communications team, with Anita Dunn stepping down as expected and her deputy taking over day-to-day management of President Barack Obama's vaunted messaging machine."

Re: Tuesday Open Thread

whiterosebuddy — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:56:54 -0000

***Breaking News*****

VICK GETS A BREAK Court RULES he can KEEP $16M

A federal appeals court on Tuesday backed the judge who ruled against the NFL and let quarterback Michael Vick keep more than $16 million in roster bonuses from the Atlanta Falcons.

The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday affirmed Judge David Doty's order saying Vick had already earned the bonuses before his dogfighting conviction, so the money wasn't subject to forfeiture.

Vick served 18 months in prison and is now with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Doty has long handled matters arising from the NFL's collective bargaining agreement. After Doty ruled in the Vick bonus case, the NFL accused him of bias and sought to end his oversight of its contract with the players union.

The appeals court said the contract should remain under Doty's oversight.

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello did not say whether the league planned a further appeal, but he said the 8th Circuit upheld Doty's ruling on Vick's bonuses in large part because it found the contract's forfeiture language ambiguous.

"That is something that we will seek to change at the bargaining table to ensure that bonus payments are paid to players who comply with their contracts and perform on the field," Aiello said.

Vick, a former Atlanta Falcons star, was released from federal custody July 20 after serving 18 months of a 23-month sentence for running a dogfighting ring in Surry County, Va. The Eagles signed Vick to a $1.6 million contract for 2009, with a team option for the second year at $5.2 million, but he has not played much.

Re: Afternoon Open Thread

whiterosebuddy — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:49:46 -0000

If nonChristian religion is a significant factor then why are we not seeing far more AfricanAmerican Muslims having such problems? AA make up the largest group of non-Christian religion in the army...are we hearing about an increase in their psychological treatment based on their non=Christian views? If not why not.

Re: Afternoon Open Thread

whiterosebuddy — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:39:19 -0000

" With the Republican National Committee targeting a list of House Democrats in relatively conservative districts whom it will go after for backing health care legislation, the Democratic National Committee is making the opposite case, and says it will use the legislation against 33 Republicans whose districts went for President Obama last fall.

"These are folks in districts that voted for the President, and where insurance reform is not only needed, but also politically popular. By not only voting against the needs of their constituents, but also their desire to reform the perverse health insurance system -- and to do it for purely political purposes -- these Republicans have put a giant target on their back. They made a disastrous choice and they will reap the consequences of that choice," said DNC National Press Secretary Hari Sevugan in an email."

_______

This is the type of action we need to see from the DNC. I think it is very misguided for the DailyKos, FDL and Aravois crowd to be joining in some boycott of the DNC based on DADT and the DOMA.

The DNC is doing what they need to.

For all the media speculation about vulnerable Democratic incumbents being afraid to support fixing a broken system, the DNC has every reason to turn this frame around.

A DNC official said, "If Republicans think this is a political problem for us -- they're sorely mistaken. The American people want reform and Republicans are standing in the way for the sake of partisan politics. That is a political problem for them. We are going to cause havoc for them.

GREAT!!

Re: Afternoon Open Thread

whiterosebuddy — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:24:26 -0000

What WJC says his advice was to the Senate Democratic Caucus today:

"I basically said that I think it's an economic imperative. We're in an economic crisis, we're trying to bring America back, and I have always been concerned that, you know, 16 percent of our people don't have health insurance and 30 percent are without it at any given time during the year.

"But the main thing, since we're focused on the economy, is that we are spending 16.5 percent of our income on health care. The next most expensive country is Switzerland at 11.5. The next most expensive is Canada at 10.5. All of our competitors are between 9 and 10 percent. That means every year, it's like we write a check to all of our economic competitors for $800 or $900 million. And they cover everybody -- we only cover 84 percent, and we don't get better outcomes. We get worse outcomes.

"So the point I tried to make is that this is an economic imperative.... Second thing is that on the policy, there is no perfect bill, because there are always unintended consequences. So there will be amendments to this effort, whatever they pass, next year and the year after and the year after. And there should be. It's a big, complex, organic thing.

"But the worst thing to do is nothing."

http://www.rollcall.com/news/40506-1.html

Re: Tuesday Open Thread

whiterosebuddy — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:59:06 -0000

What I found especially disturbing is that the woman, while she is his ex-GF, is married.

ain't that a mess?!

Re: Tuesday Open Thread

whiterosebuddy — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:53:43 -0000

details are emerging from the obama-netanyahu meeting. anonymous sources are leaking part of the conversation, here is a fragment:

Obama: Benjamin how are you?

Benjamin: Good Barrack and thanks for backing off the settlement thing.

Obama: Hmm about that. Yes we have backed off, but we've decide to back off the whole thing.

B: Excuse me, you no longer care about Middle East peace?

O: Oh no I care deeply about it, but it is clear you do not and I'm not convinced the Palestinians are all that into it either. So rather than inserting ourselves where we are not wanted we are stopping.

B Stopping?

O: Yes stopping, stopping our interference and stopping our aid to both sides. You want to kill each other off you are going to have to do it on your own dimes and without our help.

B: AIPAC is going to come after you for this.

O: Yea, well it's time they realized, as well, they were not elected to run this country and it's foreign policy. Dinner?

B: I've seemed to have lost my appetite.

Re: W.E.E. Peeps Tuesday Link Sweep

whiterosebuddy — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:26:30 -0000

Lopez sex stuff was done with her first husband, they say he has tapes of their honeymoon. I can't imagine how much he has tried to extort from her. Just to keep those tapes quiet. Sad.

Re: Friday Open Thread

whiterosebuddy — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:03:31 -0000

,,ops

Re: Tuesday Open Thread

whiterosebuddy — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 18:08:57 -0000

LMAO!!

Re: Tuesday Open Thread

whiterosebuddy — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 18:07:15 -0000

ANTI-HEALTH CARE REFORM Talking Points

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/documents/2009...

Re: Many Black Women Refuse Breast Cancer Treatment

whiterosebuddy — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:58:00 -0000

You are definitely right. Ignorance is not bliss...

Re: Many Black Women Refuse Breast Cancer Treatment

whiterosebuddy — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:56:40 -0000

Shanti,
One of the things that I believe is helpful is to change the descriptor from lump to hardpea....I could not ever understand what a lump was.
Then, once while volunteering for the American Cancer Society they had breast model where you could learn to exam the breast and feel for 'lumps'...well...when I palpated the model...it felt like a HARDASSPEA inside the boob...not no darn lump.

So, I wonder if other women don't know what it feels like either or what it is going to feel like.

Re: Many Black Women Refuse Breast Cancer Treatment

whiterosebuddy — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:53:33 -0000

Everyone woman should get her mammogram...they still hurt.

"but do it for love of self."

Guuurl..you know what Oprah says...love don't hurt.

I still have those mammograms done, though.

owwww

Re: Tuesday Open Thread

whiterosebuddy — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:45:40 -0000

"Don't give a shit "what made the brother trip." He can do it now in a mental institution at a prison."

I was not justifying. SG asked a question...and I was just statin how folks minds can disconnect from reality when heavily immersed in science.

Biology ain't a heavy science, it's a life science.
unlike chemistry which is abstract

Re: Afternoon Open Thread

whiterosebuddy — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:36:29 -0000

She should never ever never bring up anything about that women's hair. Weave or not. Unless, the woman solicits advice. Otherwise it is off limits.!

Re: Afternoon Open Thread

whiterosebuddy — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:33:41 -0000

She already knows...don't say one word. She has the position because her hairgrooming is not essential to what she does.

Leave her alone.

Re: Afternoon Open Thread

whiterosebuddy — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:32:28 -0000

These rules are NOT new. This is the same stuff my son heard at orientation over 6 years ago.

Re: Afternoon Open Thread

whiterosebuddy — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:21:38 -0000

"and Matt Miller writes against the public option"

SO WHAT!!

The point was the LEGISLATIVE PROCESS!!

geeez....don't matter what his view is on the public option.

Riyrah and you just can't see the forest for the trees...

Rikyrah NEVER underSTOOD the PROCESS which is why she would whine, and bytch and moan and rant and denounce and demean the President.

Rikyrah's question makes NO SENSE if she underSTOOOD how legislation is made, she would not even pose that inane question..it is senseless.

Basic ignorance over how a BILL works it's why through Congress.

"saying that he won't sign a bill without it would obviously be "more committed"."

No that would simply be STOOOPID.

gosh, I give up you do not have the critical thinking or reasoning skills to understand the issue AT ALL