Well, the Bush years have come full circle, with the Dow now lower when it opens this morning than it was in 2001 when King George Jr. took over. I haven’t looked at my retirement stuff in quite a while, and I’m not about to start now. There just aint enough lipstick for this pig.

Looks like the rich folks are licking their chops at the thought of getting a piece of the bailout pie.

Even as policy makers worked on details of a $700 billion bailout of the financial industry, Wall Street began looking for ways to profit from it.

Financial firms were lobbying to have all manner of troubled investments covered, not just those related to mortgages.
[…]
Nobody wants to be left out of Treasury’s proposal to buy up bad assets of financial institutions.

So, get prepared to dig deep folks. If you think this will stop at a measly $700 billion, you’re nuts. We can’t afford healthcare in this country. We can’t afford to fix the roads. We have to close hospitals, and we sure as hell aren’t going to “throw money away” on public (read, “godless”) education. But we can sure as hell mortgage away your kids’ and grandkids’ (and their kids’) future to help out the same rich people who are taking away your homes and tossing all your shit to the curb.

And the best part it, the CEOs and executives of these investment firms get to keep making millions of dollars a year in salary, sparing them the trauma of counting their cars, yachts, and mansions, and selling a couple of them. And if you’re heartless enough to think that your tax dollars shouldn’t be going to preserve the lifestyles of the rich and famous, well, you’re just engaging in class warfare. So get over it!

Hell, it’s worth it. Right?

My friends, there’s another great lineup of talking heads this week. So good, it almost makes me want to start going to church again, just so I can have an excuse not to watch. Except I don’t need an excuse, so fuck it.

Anyhow, on Press the Meat, it’s the big dog himself, Bill Clinton. Plus, the “chief strategists” from both presidential campaigns are on to tell us how John McCain fixed the economy and kicked Obama’s ass in the debate: Steve Schmidt from Grampy McCain’s campaign & David Axelrod from the Obama side. Then it’s the start of the 2008 Senate Debate Series. This week, the Colorado race, with Democratic Rep. Mark Udall going head to head with Republican stooge, Bobby Schaffer.

Over at CBS, it’s the man himself, Barack Obama, on Faze the Nation (not that they bothered to put it up on their website; WTF is wrong with these people).

On Fux News Sunday, Weaselface Wallace has John Kerry. Plus, li’l Lindsey Graham comes out of his closet to tell us how manly and mavericky his “special friend” John McCain is. Of course there are the usual fuxheads, plus the “Power Player of the Week,” Dr. Cristian Samper, director of the National Museum of Natural History, who has rare photos of Abraham Lincoln giving the commencement speech at John McCain’s high school graduation.

Speaking of the Maverick Man, Gramps gives George Snufalufagus an “exclusive” (so, that’s what the kids are calling it these days) on This Weak. Then, on the “Roundtable,” it’s disgraced and disgraceful miscreant, Newt Gingrich, WaPost business columnist Steve Pearlstein, Robert Reich, and George :jerk: Will.

CNN’s Late Emission has new Pakistani president, Asif Ali Zardari (Asif isn’t exactly playing ball with his pals in DC).

But then, who cares about all that? Not only do we have a full day of football, but tonight brings us the much anticipated season premieres of Dexter and Californication on Showtime, and the debut of Little Britain USA on HBO! It’s almost enough to make me glad that today is Sunday. Except for that whole goddamn going to work thing tomorrow.

Have a good Sunday!

I don’t know about you, but I certainly stayed up past my bedtime last night. While sleazy McCain did a good job for what he is, it seemed pretty clear to me that Obama is the obvious best choice. Whether the “undecided” folks out there saw it the same way, who knows? But the reviews seem to be favoring Obama. So are the initial polls. Whether that holds up or not, I guess we’ll see.

So, I’m reading my September issue of Information Security Magazine the other day (what, you don’t get that?), and was shocked to find an article by David Mortman entitled, “Prettied Up Problem,” accompanied by this picture. It was supposedly about the fact that so-called professional organizations’ efforts to address their ethics problems by creating ethics requirements in their certifications weren’t really addressing any issues, and in fact were just dressing up an “ugly situation.” Mortman even had the audacity to include the line:

Really what we have is lipstick on a pig.

Needless to say, I was outraged – outraged, I tell you – and immediately fired off a stern e-mail demanding an apology, and telling them just how gosh darn appalled I was at both Mortman and the magazine for engaging in this vicious and cruel attack on our Alaskan goddess (no offense to actual goddesses – or would that be goddi? – implied), Sarah Palin. Talk about shameful and ignominious. If I get a reply back from them, I’ll let you know.

My father-in-law, by the way, says McCain is “his guy,” and he likes Caribou Barbie because she’s “cute” and “really speaks her mind and tells the truth.” Oy.

Have a good Friday.

UPDATE: Now that it appears the debate is on, the MS Chat Room will be open for Election 2008: Gramp v. Champ, debate #1. Be there, or be square.

Always reassuring, mr. president.

It sure seems like we’re headed for some pretty tough times. I think I’ll be OK – just have to work until I die, but at least I should be fairly secure in my job. Once nice thing about working for the State – they can’t move pick up NY and move it India. Though if McCain and Wolfkiller get into the White House, I might wish they could. I feel bad for the kids, though. We drove by a wedding party leaving the church the other day, and all I could think of was how tough it is right now for a young couple just starting off. Never mind what kind of a world the grandkids are going to inherit. A fascist, morally and fiscally bankrupt world with poisoned air and water (EPA says perchlorate is AOK; yummy!) with rising sea levels, and monster hurricanes, I guess.

Fortunately, the rich folks and their spawn will be all set in their posh bunkers. And that’s really what it’s all about.

So, the market’s down, oil is way up, and the dollar plummets. I guess it’s time for everybody to get out there and stimulate the economy. Those of us that are healthy and employed, that is. Those that are sick and/or poor? Well, to quote Dick Cheney, “go fuck yourself.”

Have a nice day.

Oh boy, Monday again. I thought it would never get here. Gotta get out there and pay some taxes, after all. Especially since it looks like John and Jane Q Public will not only be bailing out rich Americans, but rich foreigners, too. Between all this bailing out stuff, tax cuts for the wealthy, and spreading democracy, it’s lucky they let us regular folks keep as much of our paychecks as they do. But then, we have to have a couple of bucks to be good little consumer-citizens, I guess.

So, let’s see what’s up today. On Press the Meat, Henry Paulson is on to tell us what bailing out rich people is a good thing, but bailing out the po’ folks is a bad thing. Mike Bloomberg will be on to represent the rich folks. There’ll also be some financial “experts” around the roundtable; the only one worth mentioning is Erin Burnett, because she’s pretty cute.

Paulson continues his billion dollar bailout sales job on Faze the Nation, with smarmy Alabama cracker Dick Shelby. Thankfully, Barney Frank will be on, too, so there’ll be at least one worthwhile guest.

The Paulson show continues on Fux News Sunday, as Weaselface Wallace also has Krazy Jon Kyl and Chucky Schumer along with the usual fuxheads and this week’s “power player” Bonnie McElveen-Hunter, chairman of the American Red Cross.

Guess who’s on the Goebbels network “This Weak?” If you guessed Henry Paulson, you’d be correct. George Snufalufagus also pulls a Boehner, and Chris Dodd will drop by as well. Plus, the Axis of Drivel is together again as Sam :omg: Donaldson, Cokie “the hag” Roberts, and George :jerk: Will join political mastermind Donna Brazile around the roundtable.

CNN’s Late Emission has Doug Holtz-Eakin (some fucking economic “expert” and McCain adviser) and cupie doll James Carville. Don’t be surprised if Henry Paulson stops by, too.

Later, on 60 Minutes, Steve Kroft interviews Barack Obama and Scott Pelley interviews John McCain.

Have a good one.