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Sunday, July 5, 2009

Via Andrew Sullivan


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Scott Bates column in today’s Courant

Sunday, July 5, 2009

Our own Scott Bates (State Committee person from our district) has a column in the Courant this morning about his experiences in Iraq, where he is, according to the Courant, “working with officials to strengthen democratic institutions”. I’m not sure exactly what that means, though I know Scott has been spending a lot of time there and working really hard. Sounds like Scott is not terribly optimistic:

Last week marked the Iraqi government’s takeover of security in its cities from the American military. The thinking is for U.S. forces to assume a lower profile and put the Iraqi government out front and center. In this region, the more visible the American military presence, the more we are identified as occupiers, which strengthens the hands of the extremists. And so we are at the point where the Iraqi government will need to sink or swim on its own. There is not much more we can do. And perhaps the idea of trying to control events in this part of the world is an illusion after all.

Here at home we are working hard to pretend that Iraq and Afghanistan don’t exist, but that’s a losing strategy. We will be dealing with both, in one way or another, for years to come. Scott puts the blame where it belongs, on the folks who got us into this mess with no clear plan on how to get us out, or even what to do assuming they intended to stay put (which they did).


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The lady doth protest too much, methinks

Sunday, July 5, 2009

Via Colin McEnroe by Politico:


Ratcheting up her offensive against the news media, Gov. Sarah Palin’s attorney threatened Saturday to sue mainstream news organizations if they publish “defamatory” stories relating to whether Palin is under federal investigation.

Not great legal strategy in my opinion. The folks receiving these letters can now report on the letter, and, by way of providing context, on the rumours. Palin just gave them a sure fire defense to any libel action, which she probably would have lost anyway.


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Miscellaneous observations

Saturday, July 4, 2009

Some random observations Actually, two random observations.

First, I know it’s the 4th of July weekend, and there’s plenty else to do. But make a note to read this article in today’s Times, detailing yet another way in which bankers have put their banks, and our economy, at risk for short term gain.

Banks get huge inflows of deposits from brokers like Merrill Lynch, to whom they promise higher rates of return than they offer to us mere mortals. In order to pay those high rates they make risky loans. The bankers make piles of money for a while, then the house of cards collapses, and because the deposits are FDIC insured, we end up with the leavings. The present economy has more than exposed the problem, to which the government has responded with proposed half measures, which the banks fiercely oppose for reasons that make no sense. The final chapter has not yet been written, but I venture to suggest that the bankers will win, and live on to ruin the economy once again in the not so distant future.

Second, speaking of economic scams, I’d just like to point out that Joe Nocera of the Times agrees with my take on the Madoff victims who are bleating because they aren’t getting the benefits of his fraudulent promises.


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Friday Night Music-4th of July Special

Friday, July 3, 2009

I got a number of good ideas for this feature last night at Drinking Liberally, but I’m deferring them for now. This being 4th of July weekend, it seemed only right to try to rustle up some unobjectionable patriotic music. A harder task than you might think, but I’ve found a few and I’ve decided to make a bit of a concert. This Land is Your Land is out of the question, because I’ve already posted in at least twice. Nor could I put up the most overtly “patriotic” song to ever top the charts, the gag inducing Ballad of the Green Berets, which is indeed there on youtube, sung by the long and justifiably forgotten Barry Sadler.

So, I’ve settled on these. First, you can play a game of spot the celebrity while listening to Willie Nelson sing America the Beautiful. I have no idea what they were raising money for, but it couldn’t have been anything too terrible, given the politics of some of the folks on that stage.

Jimi Hendrix, with the greatest ever version of the Star Spangled Banner.

Next up, Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul singing I am a Patriot. Advance to about 2 minutes in if you want to skip the sermon.

Finally, what’s the Fourth of July without Born in the USA.


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Straining at gnats

Friday, July 3, 2009

I’ve noted before that California is dysfunctional as a result of the referendum system, which has, courtesy of the right wing, rendered the state ungovernable. The people of the state have voted themselves tax decreases, spending increases, and governmental paralysis, bringing themselves to their present sorry state.

To top it all off, they have a governor of the Jodi Rell school, grandstanding while the state falls apart around him. California is paying its bills with warrants, andwhat is Schwarzenegger demanding as his price to sign a budget:

Among the changes Mr. Schwarzenegger insists be included in a budget agreement are the fingerprinting of recipients of certain state services for the poor and infirm, tighter checks on the job status of those who receive welfare benefits and changes to the state pension program.

He’s got a $27 billion dollar budget deficit, and he’s worrying about things that, agree with him or not, are of negligible importance.

Again, it’s curious that the Times article makes only glancing reference to the fact that California’s problems are largely self inflicted, even taking into account the bad economic times. The current crisis merely accelerated an inevitable outcome.


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Access for sale here too

Thursday, July 2, 2009

If the Washington Post can do it, so can we!

For $20.00, The Groton Democratic Town Committee is offering lobbyists and association executives off the record, non-confrontational access to “those powerful few” — Chris Dodd.. maybe Joe Courtney, important members of the Town Council, Board of Ed, and RTM, powerful Town Committee members (some that head up committees), and an influential local blogger (well, local anyway).

Remember, “an evening with the right people can alter the debate”. Well, in this case it’s an afternoon with the right people, but the same principal applies. Imagine the return you can get on that paltry investment by being in the same room as Chris Dodd, eating cheese and crackers within spitting distance of several members of the RTM, all the time currying favor with the local blogosphere.

Of course, it’s up to you to find a debate that you want to alter. And good luck finding anyone who’ll talk to you who can alter it for you, or (in some cases) even understand it. But at these prices, we’re a steal (is that a bad choice of words?). We’re charging less than .08% of the Post’s lowest price. For that kind of bargain, you can’t afford not to go. Remember, we’ve been out of power for a little less than thirty years. That can’t go on forever, and we’ll remember our friends when the time comes.

So lobbyists and execs, mark your calendars. On July 25th at 4:00 PM, $20.00 gets you into the Mystic Marriott to see Chris Dodd, and meet the movers and shakers of Groton. Anyone who buys $5.00 or more worth of raffle tickets gets favorable mention in this blog, which is read by literally tens of people.

Oops, partial retraction: Unfortunately I have been informed that, in at attempt to “tone up” this event, a raffle will not be held at this particular fundraiser. Interested parties may make application to me directly. I’ll likely be at the front door, selling tickets.

UPDATE: Partial retraction of the partial retraction: There will be a cash raffle. We will be toned up, but not that far up.


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In Brief, an unnecessary war from any point of view

Thursday, July 2, 2009

This is the entire text of a “News in Brief” from this morning’s Day, which in turn is taken from a longer article in the Washington Post:

Saddam Hussein told an FBI interviewer before he was hanged that he allowed the world to believe he had weapons of mass destruction because he was worried about appearing weak to Iran, according to declassified accounts of the interviews released yesterday. The former Iraqi president also denounced Osama bin Laden as “a zealot” and said he had no dealings with al-Qaeda.

Hussein, in fact, said he felt so vulnerable to the perceived threat from “fanatic” leaders in Tehran that he would have been prepared to seek a “security agreement with the United States to protect [Iraq] from threats in the region.”

Those two paragraphs confirm every argument we war opponents made both before and after the war. This will be ignored, or dismissed as lies from the evil Saddam, but in fact it’s consistent with what the government was told by reliable sources even before the war.

Doesn’t it seem strange that this confirmation that our own “leaders” are war criminals only merits inclusion in the “News in Brief” section.


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Consumer protection

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

If the description in the Times of the proposed consumer protection agency is accurate, then the Obama Treasury Department deserved a rousing two and a half cheers. The agency would be charged first and foremost with protecting consumers. Right now, the various laws that are designed to protect consumers are administered or enforced by agencies for whom the interests of consumers are, at best, of secondary importance.

The banks are squealing in outrage. Among other hilarious claims, they are saying that the agency might stifle innovation, by which they must mean all those cutting edge methods they’ve developed for systematically screwing their customers. Wouldn’t we all love to meet the innovator who had the bright idea of the cross-default clause, certainly something every consumer was clamoring to have. Liar’s loans are apparently another innovation we just can’t do without.

The plan is half a cheer short because, unless there’s something the Times hasn’t reported, the statute relies mainly on the new agency to determine what is or isn’t kosher so far as consumer lending and credit cards are concerned. That’s all well and good when the folks in charge of the agency actually believe in its purpose, but what happens when that’s not the case. Consider the fact, as Josh Marshall has reported, that the Republicans have systematically appointed people to the Federal Elections Commission who do not believe in enforcing the laws they are supposed to enforce. There are certain practices that should simply be banned outright. Giving the agency the power to make these policy decisions is also giving the agency the power to do nothing; which is exactly what any agency dominated by Republican appointees will do.

Another obvious problem is that, while this is a good step, it is not being matched by effective regulation of the financial instruments that the banks used to lay the country low. Sure, it might be harder to pull off another sub-prime scam, but if there is no regulation of dangerous financial instruments, such as credit default swaps, then the banks will just find another sector in which to spread their poison.

Still the bill is a step forward. It will now be interesting to see if Congress once again sides with the banks that, by all rights, we taxpayers should own, or with consumers. If the pattern holds you will hear support for the bill at first, and then the “moderates” will start spreading doubts, as the banks use our money to lobby against our interests.


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It’s that time again

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Yes, the first Thursday of the month is arriving right on time. Come one, come all to the Southeastern Connecticut Drinking Liberally, at the Bulkeley House, Bank Street, New London, starting at 6:30. We will all lift at least one glass to Al Franken, and maybe another in memory of Atul’s hair, most of which is no more.


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