Morning Must Reads: Double Dipping

“The White House kisses his butt.”
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Adjusted for truthiness.

Any idea whether Boehner will offer up some job creation projections to go along with his new “economic plan” or examples from history where his new ideas have worked in the past? Presumably he could use the latter to sharpen his projections.

He’s going to advocate the traditional Republican approach of calling upon the Magic Tax Cut Fairy which history shows has worked … never.
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We’ve tried massive tax cuts three times in the past century.
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Bush’s two giant tax cuts in 2001 and 2003 resulted in the first administration with negative job growth in a four-year term since Herbert Hoover.
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Reagan’s giant tax cut in 1981 boomed unemployment from 7% to 10.2% and only came back down to earth when he rescinded much of the tax cut in 1982 at Dole’s insistence.
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And Coolidge initiated a series of major tax cuts in the mid-1920s which created incredible gaps between the rich and poor and teed up the Great Depression with unemployment hitting 29%.
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That’s what Republican tax cutting gets us. We’ve tried it three times, and every time it’s resulted in catastrophe.
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Meanwhile, contrast those three eras with the two thriving decades after World War II. The top marginal tax rate was over 90% and yet we had the biggest sustained period of economic growth in the entire century.
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But never mind those pesky facts. Boehner will come out today and insist that letting the Bush tax cuts expire — as Republicans themselves set them up to do, so they could hide the budget-busting nature of them and get them passed by reconciliation — will be a “job killing” act or some other bullsh!t.

You mean there is a difference between “posturing” and having your ideas withstand the pressure of empirical analysis? I’m sure some enterprising member of the media will try to get some actual numbers out of him. After all, if you pretend to understand the cause of historical events surely you can predict the effects.

Before you eat your breakfast.
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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/23/AR2010082305118.html?hpid%3Dtopnews
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The largest egg recall in U.S. history comes at a point of great consolidation in the egg industry.
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One company, multiple brands. Great way to hide your monopolization.

What did I miss?

After an absence, Drudge is back to ruling his world.

“There’s a key detail that Halperin largely overlooks: everything Obama said was true. Every word. The leading GOP lawmaker on the House Budget Committee wants to privatize Social Security, and his idea has been endorsed by a wide variety of Republican officials and candidates. In Nevada, Sharron Angle has called for eliminating Social Security altogether, and her position has not be denounced by party leaders.

One high-profile House Republican recently called for the government to ‘wean everybody’ off Social Security. A day later, another House Republican endorsed Social Security privatization. Two days later, yet another House Republican endorsed Social Security privatization. All of this happened just this year.

So, with an election coming up, leading Democrats believe voters should be aware of GOP priorities. Halperin believes [...] even in a competitive election season, after Dems identify their rival’s key vulnerability, they shouldn’t say anything, even if it’s true. Instead, as Halperin sees it, Democrats should be making an effort to be nicer to the party that’s trying to destroy them, in the hopes that a GOP that’s shown no interest in compromise might suddenly become more amenable to a ‘bipartisan partnership.’”

BatKing finds his Robintum.

“While on a tour of the Hawkeye State, former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA) stopped at a event for Rep. Steve King’s (R-IA) Conservative Principles PAC. In an interview with a local news station, Santorum, a potential Republican presidential candidate in 2012, poured accolades on the controversial congressman, saying:

It’s very hard for a congressman from the Midwest to sort of break through on the national stage. He’s broken through on the national stage because of the quality of his arguments and the convictions that he has, and I want to help him make a difference.”

Compared to the wingnuts protesting the Park51 project…

‘Even the warring factions in Lebanon’s government have blessed the project. ‘This is a religious place of worship and its restoration is welcome,” Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, 65, said in an interview. Hussain Rahal, a spokesman for Hezbollah, said his group — which refuses to recognize Israel’s right to exist, and which the West considers a terrorist organization — also supports the restoration of Maghen Abraham.

‘We respect the Jewish religion just like we do Christianity,’ he said. ‘The Jews have always lived among us. We have an issue with Israel’s occupation of land.’

Arazi said work on the restoration is to begin next month. Meanwhile, his council is already working on plans for its next project: restoring Beirut’s Jewish cemetery, where about 4,500 people are buried.”

The Permanent Campaign.

“[Rep. Jim] JORDAN [(R-OH)]: ‘If we win, what will we get done? Mostly, I’ll be honest, most of what we can get done is have the big fight, have the big debate, and have the framework for the 2012 election.’

Jordan’s comments are the latest piece of evidence that suggests that the GOP does not have a substantive policy agenda it plans to implement if it makes gains in the 2010 congressional elections. Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) said that if the GOP wins, ‘all we should do is issue subpoenas.’ And Rep. Peter King (R-NY) argued the GOP shouldn’t lay out an agenda because it might become ‘a campaign issue.’”

You guys are acting like these are basic, demonstrable facts which aren’t in dispute, like the fact that the earth is only 6,000 years old, according to some scientists and biblical scholars.
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If these really were facts, and not simply matters of partisan or ideological political disagreement, don’t you think that a majority of Americans would know them?
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What would prevent ordinary folks from possessing basic information about their world, and what does or does not work in practical terms, if these things were not controversial or in reputable dispute?

“Later today, House Minority Leader John Boehner is slated to give a speech at the City Club of Cleveland laying out the major planks of his party’s economic agenda. Unfortunately, families in Ohio and across the country don’t need to wait until the speech to learn about these economic policies because they’ve been living with the impact of many of these same old policies for years. Today, Ohioans will hear an argument for a return to the economic policies that turned a surplus into record deficits and helped create the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression.”
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That is the opener.

But I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about, right?

“The researchers found that high latitude ecosystems in the Northern Hemisphere continued to benefit from longer growing seasons and higher temperatures, but that this increased productivity was offset by severe warming-associated drought in the southern hemisphere.

‘We see this as a bit of a surprise, and potentially significant on a policy level because previous interpretations suggested global warming might actually help plant growth around the world,’ Dr. Running said.”

Knowledge, intelligence, fear, refusal to acknowledge, self doubt, what the other person says; the list is too long.

Adam Sorensen:
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“What did I miss?”
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You missed huge news about your own employer!
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Finally! A new edition of TIME Magazine meant to compliment their flagship childrens’ publication.
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http://www.theonion.com/video/time-announces-new-version-of-magazine-aimed-at-ad,17950/
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“TIME announces new version of magazine aimed at adults: ‘TIME Advanced’.”
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“New Magazine to be geared toward readers already aware of where Pakistan is.”
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“Current TIME subscribers will receive a free subscription to ‘TIME Advanced’ on their 13th birthdays.”
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When do you suppose the business, technological and editorial geniuses at TIME will come out with “Swampland Advanced, Adam Sorensen?”

Thanks grape. This reminded me of an article I held on to:
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“Our vessel (of humanitarian aid) can open a window between Israel and Gaza residents,” (Edith Lutz, member of Jewish Voice for Peace in the Middle East) said. “Two years ago I took part in the Free Gaza flotilla and wore a Magen David (Star of David), and the kids said, ‘Look, she’s Jewish,’ and they all accepted me very well. When we met (Hamas leader) Ismail Haniyeh and they told him about me, he turned to me and said they have nothing against Jews or Israel, only against the occupation.”
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http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3899915,00.html

“500 words” –
Boehner is talking about the size of his…
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…carrot… that he eats every morning to keep his healthy orange glow (yes, this can really happen).

-Didn’t get to it yesterday, but Jane Mayer’s opus on the Koch brothers is well worth a read.
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Worth a read? More likely worth bird caqe liner. Another repeated ploy by a liberal hack. The true issue Jane has is not that a billionaire is supporting a cause, its they are supporting a conservative cause. These brothers are life long libertarians. Mayer makes a big to do about funding the Tea Party. Mayer spends more on shoes than most Tea Party rallies cost.

But she pulled a play form the lefts playbook since Soros is the 900 lb elephant inn the room by sanctifying his work and denigrating the conservative cause. But she dumps a blatant lie that Adam either agrees with, ignored or is clueless. Mayer goes to the ever-popular liberal ploy (and always a lie) the “non-partisan” Center for Public Integrity to prove her view. And the CPI is funded by –wait for it—George Soros.

The left complains about Fox and yet is at best no better.

Where are all the First Amendment advocates now?

http://toddstarnes.com/2010/08/football-coach-fired-for-anti-obama-song/

Football coach is fired because he sent an anti-Obama song form his personal email account. The left pulls out an old favorite “racial overtones”. The entire song is included in the link and even with the Hubble telescope you can’t see racial overtones. Teachers shoving pro-Obama songs down students throats are ok but anti-Obama is racist and must be fired even if not done on the job.

I am sure the ACLU will be fighting for his 1st Amendment rights–right after hell freezes over I suspsect

“The summer of Recovery Continues– to Fall off a Cliff

Existing Homes sales fell 27.2% a 15 yr low. 22% of the sales were foreclosures and short sales accounted for 10%. June was also revised downward.

We will no doubt hear how this is Bush’s fault and how a bankrupt Freddie and Fannie have nothing to do with it. The delusions and denials will be in mid-season form.

I suspect the ACLU probably will take up his cause at some point. But he was stupid enough to begin with to write stuff from his position as a schoolteacher.

Of course Santorum is pulling in the 1%s so I’m sure his endorsement will make all the difference.
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Look forward to hearing more from man-on-dog as the primary season heats up.

How about this: If this shows that the stimulus works, why don’t we do more of it? Oh, yeah, the deficit will rise – it might, but getting more people back to work would help pay it down too. So what’s YOUR solution, Rust/Freep?

“…the list is too long.”
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Perhaps but you need to start it with a public media that refuses to call out a Republican lie when it hears one.

When do you suppose the business, technological and editorial geniuses at TIME will come out with “Swampland Advanced, Adam Sorensen?”
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Stuart! Think of the children.

Buying houses doesn’t put people back to work. The “stimulus” did nothing but extent the bubble and the failed mortgage programs that Obama put out were also a waste of money.

Throwing money at every problem doesn’t work The only way to correct the excess is a painful drop in real estate prices. Efforts so far were the equivalent of using a water pistol to stop a whale.

Markets have to adjust the price. Increasing capital requirements, removing hedging ability and just generally increasing bank costs give the banks zero room to work out any problem loans so they will allow slowly allow the defaults.

You also won’t create jobs by taxing the rich, deficit spend more dollars to “keep teachers, police and fire” working. Cuts needs to be made everywhere. Denying it will only prolong the pain and destroy the economy.

Don’t hold your breath on the ACLU and he sent it from a personal email account. If it was a pro-Obama song they would be naming a holiday after the guy.

I wouldn’t bet on the teachers unions spending 1/2 million to defend him either. They only defend incompetent teachers who go with the cause.

Well you are correct, but it ain’t public media it is Corp Media, that Congress has allowed to become big, owning too much of the media in their particular markets. News Papers, TV, Radio, all in the same market; it is their slant we get, and that slant is GOP.
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So what to do about it? I do not know. I doubt that the inputs we have on blogs do anything; who reads them other than the blogger?

Stuart are you saying God couldn’t have created a 50 million year old fossil or piece of iron ore, inside a 14 billion year old, expanding universe, 6,000 years ago? If he controls time, surely he can make things older than they actually are, using our limited sense of time?

I wish the traditional media did the reporting that is done on the Daily Show.
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http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-august-23-2010/the-parent-company-trap
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From last night:
Fox and Friends had a segment condemning Imam Rauf because he was funded by the radical Muslim Kingdom Foundation, which is funded by the radical Alwaleed bin Falal. What they failed to note is Falal is the largest individual shareholder, outside of the Murdochs, of News Corps stock. He is also a good friend and buddy of Murdoch and the Bushes.
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A good subject for one of Beck’s conspiracy, black board graphs.

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2010/08/thr.html
Another example of Daily Show reporting from 2003.
A Muslim community center proposed for a town in Texas leads to pig races and threats of lynching. Truth often leads to the best satire.

Correction 14.1. The date was 2006. The town in Texas is Katy. Guess it was to close to the 9/11 site.

Sorry Kevin, we had been discussing the Daily Show take down of Fox on another thread. I didn’t know, until I checked, after reposting the video, you had already done so.
Oh well, as most things Daily Show, it is worth a second look.
The second video is one of their masterful interviews of members of the lunatic fringe.

We have had a huge recall here in California. But be wary.
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I have my groceries delivered from a big supermarket whose store brand was part of the recall. I had a delivery several days after the recall notification. I asked the man who delivers my groceries whether all the bad eggs had been pulled. He said he thought not. He had made a delivery earlier that day. It included eggs. He checked the date and serial number and they should have been pulled. He returned them to the store.
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So, be careful. There are web sites with the dates and serial numbers. Check them out.

Love it Liberal make fun of Fox but use a comedy show as their trusted source for news. You folks are priceless (and witless)

Ivy: If you have the stomach to read NRO’s The Corner (I no longer have), you will find that the ever virginal Katherine Jean Lopez will surely keep you informed about her number one love, Rick Santorum.
Speaking of man on dog. I’m sorry, I’m sorry! My inner snark took hold!

It is sad that so many on the right want to only listen to their own echo chamber. Learning is Hard….

Your first sentence would suggest that perhaps Vermont is included in the “some of the nastiest primary fights of the season.”

You find me a nasty comment from any candidate in any race in Vermont this primary season. There were none, in any party. Not that we haven’t ever had any mind you, but this is the trouble with enumerating a list and applying it to a comment that refers to only some of the list.

very sloppy journalism, very sloppy blogging.

Actually, I guess you’d have to say that Leahy’s opponent said some unkind things about him, and is running again as an Independent – but he wasn’t exactly a worthy opponent (Leahy got 89%, and since you can decide each primary what party you want to vote in, and there were no critical Republican races, this may reflect some Republicans voting against Leahy). My greater point still stands