Dont Sweat It
The reprieve from the hot and humid weather we’ve been having ends today, as it’s expected to get back up into the 90’s. I’m really not looking forward to the new climate patterns that are coming, though I suppose being beach front property will be good for tourism. Still, I may have to get more serious above moving to Canada before I get so old they won’t take me. Either that, or quit my bitchin’.
The WikiLeaks release of tens of thousands of documents detailing what a pathetic waste of time (and money, and lives) our presence there has been has forced Congress to take a step back and reconsider things. And by reconsider, I mean pass a massive Afghanistan war spending increase of $33 billion.
Sssh! You hear that? That’s the cry of Republican deficit hawks demanding that this $33 billion must be paid for with spending cuts or tax increases in order to make it deficit neutral. Oh, wait, never mind. My bad. That was actually some mocking birds out back shrieking at the cat. They don’t seem to like her (might be related to the mutilated bird and mouse bodies I keep finding in the back yard).
Speaking of Afghanistan, PA Gov Ed Rendell (who, as far as I know, has never thrown out the first pitch at a T-ball game) predicted on Tuesday that if the president escalates the US military involvement in Afghanistan, he could face a primary challenger in 2012. Really Ed? Is there an RFK out there willing to buck the party? I mean, other than, like Dennis Kucinich (who, much as I like him, we all know he has no chance of winning the nomination, let alone the general election).
A recess appointment for Elizabeth Warren? Oh, “no, no, no” says Chris Dodd. That would be an icky Republican kinda thing to do, and she certainly can’t get confirmed. And I respect Dodd, because he’s a man of the people and untainted by Wall Street. And by “untainted,” I of course mean “in the pocket of.”
Looking at Senator Dodd’s “lifetime achievement” score, I see that his top five contributors include #1 Citigroup, #3 Bear Stearns, and #4 the Royal Bank of Scotland (really?). As for contributions by industry, the Securities & Investment sector is by far his biggest contributor which, at $6.1 million nearly doubles his runner up (Lawyers/Law Firms). Dodd’s top five is rounded out by Insurance, Real Estate, and Commercial Banks.
Of course, not everyone believes Obama’s reluctance to appoint Warren is due to Congress being in the pocket of the Financial industry and the Administration’s financial advisers being loaded with Wall Street insiders. Nope, it’s clearly a case of sexism according to NOW.
“If confirmed, Warren would protect consumers from further economic meltdowns caused by shady loans and credit,” NOW wrote in its e-mail to supporters. “She would also demand accountability and consumer-friendly practices from Wall Street banks. But she’s not part of the old boys club, so NOW asks: Could sexism be at work in denying her this position?”
Um, OK. I suppose that’s possible. But, you know what? I think it has a whole lot more to do with the “protect consumers,” and “demand accountability and consumer-friendly practices from Wall Street banks” parts. Maybe it’s just a lot harder to find a woman willing to shill for Wall Street. Just my opinion, of course.
I mentioned the other day how Obama seems to be cyber-stalking me, and it’s getting kind of embarrassing, so I’ve been kind of ignoring him. Now he’s put his wife up to e-mailing me, asking me to “sign Barack’s birthday card.” Geez, dude, have you no shame?
Oh well, it’s about that time, I guess. I’m getting tired of all this. Maybe I should move to Oakland and open up a pot farm.
