Archive for March, 2009
The Value of Tea Parties
Thursday, March 19th, 2009Across the nation, conservatives and those who worry about the fiscal nonsense, gather at Tea Parties to protest the government. They are small so far, but more people are attending and collectively, they’re making an impact, though the Media ignores them.
What value do these gatherings have? Neil Boortz thinks not much:
Not trying to rain on your parade .. but you’re taking the easy way out here. “Hey, we’re in a jam, but I DID something! I mailed a tea bag to my congressman! When the history of the 21st century is told I’m going to be right there because I mailed a tea bag!”
Over two hundred years ago young patriots dragged their naked feet down icy roads – leaving a trail of blood – to fight for independence. And you’re sending tea bags. Put a tea bag in the mail and your job is done.
Use your tea bags to make tea and do something meaningful. Go around your workplace or neighborhood and register voters who actually produce and contribute to our society. Trust me, there are enough people out there registering the parasites, find the producers who don’t vote – convince them that their vote is needed and would count – and sign them up. Then take a copy of their voter registration, put it with the other copies you’ve already collected, and send them to your congressman. It sure would count for a lot more than a tea bag. If you think all your co-workers and friends are already registered … then design a little “I’m voting in 2010″ pledge form and get them signed. Then send copies of those. What do you think an elected official is going to pay attention to? A tea bag or a pledge to vote in 2010?
Well, it’s about as courageous as writing articles, and I say that as a fellow blogger. Still, I know these people here locally and the same people who come to the Tea Party protests are the same ones active in grassroots activity. They are the ones registering voters and focusing on DOING something. They call their Senators, put pressure on the local organization and want to change the country for the positive in concrete ways.
I’m not sure that lectures by fellow conservatives regarding the usefulness of sending Tea Bags is helpful. It’s the same old thing: cannibalizing. Conservatives should focus ire on the opposition. They certainly have been engaging in far less useful activities for the country than sending symbolic Tea Bags.
Criticism just disheartens the very people who will do the voter registration, make the fundraising calls and do the legwork. We won’t win without these people. The protests should be encouraged.
China, North Korea, And Russia Work Together To Manipulate American Economy
Thursday, March 19th, 2009Now, did that grab your attention? Maybe this, from Big Hollywood will, too:
According to my Secret Service case agent, this was the first time anyone accused of possessing the Supernote went to trial. In the past, those caught entered guilty pleas. Liu, a Taiwanese national, decided to take his chances with the federal judicial system. With a twelve year sentence, he may now be re-thinking his decision to roll the dice in the Las Vegas federal courtroom. In one exhibit we played a video recording of an undercover meeting I had with one of Liu’s co-conspirators, Chao Tung Wu. Wu, believing me to be a criminal confederate, said on camera the money was manufactured in North Korea and distributed through the Russian embassy in Beijing. Expressing fears this might be some kind of “rip,” Wu suggested I travel with him to China and sit outside the embassy as he made the purchase. But even that tape failed to garner national media interest.
Balbina Hwang of the Heritage Foundation believes the North Koreans produce about $250 million of the Supernotes per year. Various other investigations claim anywhere from $45 million to $1 billion in Supernotes are in circulation. Your guess is as good as mine. Since the flaws are invisible to the naked eye we have no idea what we may be holding in our wallets.
The world knows North Korea is a nation that relies upon criminal ventures such as counterfeiting, kidnapping, and drug distribution to maintain its solvency. Some believe the North Koreans are producing the Supernote to undermine our economy. One look at our current economic situation seems to show we don’t need outside help… maybe counterfeiting is no big deal.
Lorie Byrd has more and links to Oliver North who reported on this during the election:
On Jan. 26, 2006, in a White House news conference, President Bush asserted, “We are aggressively saying to the North Koreans don’t counterfeit our money.” A Congressional Research Service report two months later concluded, “At least $45 million in such supernotes of North Korean origin have been detected in circulation, and estimates are that the country earns from $15 to $25 million per year from counterfeiting.” Later that year, Hezbollah — a wholly owned subsidiary of the repressive regime in Tehran — began flooding Lebanon with supernotes. Thanks to Iran and North Korea, there may be billions in “phony Franklins” floating around the world. The bills also have turned up here at home.
Economic action precedes military action.
I’m guessing it will be more troublesome to get the economy righted if there are millions in counterfeits flooding the American market.
Shepherd Smith Simplifies The AIG Issue–UPDATED
Thursday, March 19th, 2009The issue isn’t greedy bankers. The issue is Chris Dodd giving the bonuses. The issue is also finding anyone willing to jump on a sinking ship to try to save it. Most people balk for obvious reasons. Thus, the bonuses.
By the way, Obama knew, Congress knew. They OWN AIG (80% Owners), so they are paying attention in that ADHD government way of paying attention.
UPDATED:
Ace talks about Obama talking about taking responsibility–in a theoretical sense, of course. In reality? Not so much responsibility taking by Obama. His first job is to conflate Republicans (who have zero involvement in this mess except as follows) with Democrats:
You be the judge:
President Barack Obama said he will take the blame for bonuses being paid at American International Group Inc. if it will settle an intense finger pointing under way over how such payments were possible at a company that has received tremendous taxpayer aid.
“Washington is all in a tizzy and everybody is pointing fingers at each other and saying it’s their fault, the Democrats’ fault, the Republicans’ fault,” he said at a town hall meeting Wednesday.
The Republican’s fault? The only Republican in this mess is Olympia Snowe, whose contribution to the bill was language prohibiting the controversial bonuses.
It was a Democrat, Chris Dodd, who changed that language to permit the bonuses, at the behest of a Democrat, Tim Geithner, who was appointed by another Democrat, Barack Obama.
So who the fuck exactly is saying it’s the Republicans’ fault except for our graciously blame-accepting president?
People believe this man. Still. Do people not recognize a bull-shitter when they meet one?
Gawker
Thursday, March 19th, 2009Obama Killing Network TV–Wants A Hour During Sweeps Week
“Overlord”…Oh no, not Hollywood, too!
Small Dead Animals
Wednesday, March 18th, 2009The “Bloviating Swine” Questioning the AIG Executives
Hypocrites. The lot of them.
The Consumerist
Wednesday, March 18th, 2009GM Blackmails Taxpayers
It’s called bankruptcy and restructuring.
