Wall Street Has Been So Helpful, So Legal, So Ethical, So Why Not Daley?

You know, loyal five (yes, 5!) readers, I'm feeling dickish enough, immature enough, pissed off enough to claim right now that I am not voting for President Obama's reelection.  What's the real point?  All he has managed to do is tinker (ineffectively) around the margins of the serious problems in this country.  & now, giving me & the rest of the left (I'm not much of a professional) the finger, he appoints another banker to help him negotiate (negotiate?) the trouble that is a ReThug House.  I suppose this might be the right move since I am not a person who can make huge campaign donations. & cynical ole me predicts that come next year President Obama will roll up his sleeves, put on some sunglasses, buff up a bit more & do his version of cutting brush.  I'm not so sure that the young, the independent (sort of), the left, & the professional left will be so easily duped this time.  It's too bad.  A monstrous opportunity was lost, no, purposely wasted.

Little Owl

 

Mrs. coldH2Owi initially spotted this little guy (a gender free descriptor for me, OK?) in the pole barn.  She looked it up in one of her bird books & we believe it is a Saw Whet Owl.

Cross-posted at my photo place, everypicturetellsastorydontit.

Just like I say over there, Click 'em to big 'em.  In other words, click on the pics & you will get a larger version in a separate window.  With the owl it's worth it, since the little guy is really cute.

Extremely Great Ideas

Atrios suggests:

1) Temporarily lower full benefit retirement age to 62, and partial benefit to 60.
2) Medicare eligibility to 60, Medicare buy-in at 55 (individuals or businesses employing them).
3) Allow primary residential mortgages in bankruptcy.

Of course, since this makes perfect sense in terms of reviving our pretty awful economy, the people who rule us will not take it seriously.  In fact, since we DFHs think this would work, the pundits will poo-poo it as not serious.  I say, fuck them.  Let's really push this idea big time.  The internets/tubes will help.

New Orleans - Carnival Season

Boy, I wish I was there.  & nobody better mention about being their in spirit, OK?

American - The Tragedy Of What Might Have Been

I live in one of the most poverty stricken counties in Wisco, so the new census figures are of little surprise to me.  What will be a surprise is if any of our rulers gives enough of a shit to do something about it.  Take your pick - Tom Waits or Dr. John/Odetta.  It's a tough choice, I know, but we had better get used to singing this song, especially in Wisco with,- as my consistent & good commenter, nonheroicvet, put it - Walker, the stupidest governor in these United States.

Another Reason Not To Visit, Drive Through, Or Retire In Arizona

Heartless bastards is too kind.  What a great country we have become, eh?

Good For President Obama

It's time to let the Rethugs debate this appointment & tell the country exactly why they oppose Louis Butler.  I suppose Louis Butler is considered an elitist by the moron party, he probably reads books & stuff.

Must Be All That Lusting In Their Hearts

Or else the swimming pool.

The Truth Is Finally, Finally Out In The Open Air

Dick "Dick" Cheney is a pulseless evil bastard who is alive because of great health insurance - paid for by our taxes.  Boy, I sure was behind the eightball about this development.  Here.  Here.  Here.  OK, enough is enough.  Dear loyal five (yes, 5!), I am quite sorry & upset that I did not inform you of this back when it was actually happening.  I will try, yeah right, to be better this year.

Just What America Needs - Dumbing Down - George W. Bu$hCo - Where To For Education?

No one should blame this on President Obama, at least not yet.  I don't know about you, my loyal five (yes, 5!) readers, but some of my fondest  & frankly, only memories of my youth invovled the Rhinelander Public Library & its children's room in the basement.  I'm not sure how I could have survived the 1950s without those shelves of books, even if they had titles like Chip the Beaver and His Adventures.  Another thing to think about as we continue to close &/or restrict, libraries, grade schools, & universities is that the assured falling back of our students will continue & we will have a much more obvious reason why.  Where is the leadership to defend unions, school, libraries?  There is no secret as to why the Tea Baggers, the ReThug Party, don't much like those three institutions - anyone involved in any way with any of them will learn, will understand, will develop their dreams, will be happier, will be able to see through the shrouds of hatred, lies, & power for power's sake.

Janine Pommy Vega, R.I.P.

She's dead.

 

Blame The Unions

Andrew Cuomo division. How quickly he forgets his own father's words.

Andrew ain't his father, now is he?

Packers Beat The Dirtiest Team In Football - & I Speak From Experience

Packers win.  The refs weren't too bad today.  The did stink the place up yesterday, however.  Oh, Joe, the New Guy, don't feel too bad, you just got beat by a Super Bowl team.  Barb, you should take it easy as well.

Robert Reich Is Right

In other words, he's left.

In other words, whether 2011 is a great year economically depends which economy you’re in – the one that’s rising with the profits of big business and Wall Street, or the one that will continue to struggle with few jobs and lousy wages. 

Sadly, the next Congress is unlikely to do much to reverse any of this. Most Republicans and too many Democrats are dependent on corporate America and Wall Street. Their version of tax reform is to cut taxes on the wealthy and on big corporations, and either raise them on everyone else (sale and property taxes are already on the rise) or cut spending on programs working families depend on.

Another Reason I Don't Much Care For The Military Or Its Budget

Especially when our tax dollars pay for crap.