Buck Naked Politics

How Traders Might Just Have Caused the Collapse— For Profit

2009-12-24T18:33:32-05:00

by Bill Kavanagh: Today's NY Times piece, Banks Bundled Bad Debt, Bet Against It, and Won, by Gretchen Morgenson and Louise Story, is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding how the credit collapse of 2008 came about. It's a challenging story, detailing some of the staggering bets that Goldman Sachs and other derivatives marketers made against products they themselves...

Did the President Fib About the Public Option?

2009-12-24T00:21:00-05:00

by Deb Cupples | The Washington Post's Ezra Klein reports that President Obama recently claimed (and quite publicly) that Obama had not campaigned on the public option as part of his health-care reform plans. I remember it differently. So does Mr. Klein, who basically says that Obama certainly did campaign on the public option. Klein also links to a pdf...

"Left" and "Right" Join in Supporting Probe of Rahm Emanuel

2009-12-24T00:00:00-05:00

by Deb Cupples | It's nice to see people from so-called "opposite" political camps coming together on an issue. Now, if it would only happen a bit more often. Firedoglake's Jane Hamsher actually co-signed a letter with Grover Norquist, calling for "an investigation into Rahm Emanuel’s activities at Freddie Mac, and the White House’s blocking of an Inspector General who...

What Part of "Health Care Reform" Means Funneling More Money to Insurance Companies?

2009-12-23T22:47:58-05:00

by Deb Cupples | As a former small-business person, I learned at least one thing: money comes in and money goes out. One way to reduce the amount of money going out is to cut out hyper-expensive, non-essential "middle men." Most people understand this simple concept. Keep that in mind as you read the following paragraphs from an editorial by...

Half a Loaf

2009-12-19T07:22:32-05:00

by Bill Kavanagh: Like many of you, I'm sick to death of the slow-motion evisceration of the healthcare 'reform' bill winding its way through the Senate. As we inch toward the decade's end, it seems that each day brings a new Senator out of the woodwork to take his or her rightful fifteen minutes of infamy. As each dim Senatorial...

Apparently, GOP Senators Do Not Want Ordinary Americans to Have Good Health Care

2009-12-18T10:20:14-05:00

by Deb Cupples | The Hill reports: "Sen. Jim DeMint said Thursday he is prepared to use every procedural tool to delay a vote on the Democratic healthcare legislation." The Washington Post tells us: "Senate Republicans said Thursday that they would try to filibuster a massive Pentagon bill that funds the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, an unusual move that...

Having "The Talk" with Your Parents

2009-12-18T09:57:13-05:00

posted by Chris | As a member of the ‘sandwich’ generation, I am keenly aware of the pressures of both raising children, while at the same time developing a deeper relationship with aging parents. While the generational family baton is passed at different times for different families; at some point you will need to have a very serious and personal...

Someone's Gotta Pay

2009-12-10T15:48:39-05:00

Bloomberg tells us: "Americans want their government to create jobs through spending on public works, investments in alternative energy or skills training for the jobless. "They also want the deficit to come down. And most are ready to hand the bill to the wealthy." Yeah, and? Who else even could pay? More of our nation's wealth is concentrated in fewer...

"Compromise" on Public Option a Win-Win?

2009-12-09T13:08:01-05:00

by Deb Cupples | The New York Times reports: "The Senate majority leader, Harry Reid, said Tuesday night that he and a group of 10 Democratic senators had reached “a broad agreement” to resolve a dispute over a proposed government-run health insurance plan, which has posed the biggest obstacle to passage of sweeping health care legislation.... "Under the agreement, people...

Man Chucks Tomatoes at Palin

2009-12-08T11:28:13-05:00

A Twin Cities TV station website reports: "A man was arrested for throwing tomatoes at Sarah Palin during her book signing on Monday at the Mall of America. "Jeremy Olson, 33, allegedly threw two tomatoes from the second balcony, however did not come close to hitting Palin. "Bloomington Police report that Bloomington Commander Mark Stehlik was struck in the face...

'Climate-Gate?' Oh, I Wish...

2009-12-05T05:34:50-05:00

by Bill Kavanagh: As Brad DeLong is fond of saying, "Why oh why can't we have a better press corps?" It's pretty disheartening, just as President Obama has announced he'll be going to the Copenhagen Climate Conference at its closing (implying a possible deal to announce on carbon emission reductions) to see that the WaPo is instead playing up the...

Keeping Faith

2009-11-30T18:22:19-05:00

by Bill Kavanagh: Today, with our spirit beaten down by two long wars, an economic collapse, and a seemingly paralyzed political process; we wait for the President’s speech on Afghanistan. We’ve become restless and fearful now, still waiting, but less hopeful for the big changes we thought would be coming after we threw off the chains of our former right...

Bin Laden Was "Within Grasp" in 2001

2009-11-30T00:19:00-05:00

Yesterday, the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee released a report indicating that U.S. military strategists could have taken Osama bin Laden in December of 2001 -- or at least stopped him and his deputy from moving into Pakistan -- but they failed to. (NY Times). According to Al Jazeera, bin Laden was "within grasp" in the Tora Bora Mountains of...

Good News Round-up

2009-11-29T11:16:30-05:00

by Deb Cupples | Given that the holiday season has just kicked off, I thought I would focus today on charitable acts. Sherrie Gahn, principal of Whitney Elementary School in Las Vegas, has started a food bank to help feed students and their families. Reportedly, about 75% of Ms. Gahn's 622 students living in the "Boulder Strip" neighborhood of Las...

Obama and Afghanistan: Decision Made Long Ago?

2009-11-25T12:32:16-05:00

by Deb Cupples | Today's New York Times tells us that President Obama "may add" 30,000 troops in Afghanistan. This is not news, given that two weeks ago, CBS News reported that Obama was considering adding tens-of-thousands of troops in Afghanistan. Though treated as "news" two weeks ago, even CBS's report wasn't "news." At least as far back as July...

Citizens Groups Sue Florida Legislature over Education System

2009-11-24T16:38:06-05:00

by Deb Cupples | My home state of Florida is the fourth largest state in the U.S. -- and it's a fairly wealthy state. Yet, our K-12 school system is among the worst in the nation in some pretty important respects. According to the Miami Herald, Florida is 39th (or 47th) in the nation in terms of school funding, and...

Energy Jobs for a Renewable Economic Future

2009-11-24T07:29:47-05:00

posted by Bill: Check out what Stan Ovshinsky is doing in Detroit to create energy jobs for an American economic and environmental renewal. You won't hear about his work on the evening news, but Bob Herbert writes about him today in his column.

Chris on Beneficiary Designations

2009-11-23T00:01:00-05:00

posted by Chris | As you go through the various stages of life, it is important to periodically update your beneficiaries on your life insurance, annuities, IRA’s and other qualified retirement plans. We have all heard stories of the ex-spouse receiving the current spouse’s benefits upon the death of person who DID NOT change their beneficiary designation. Did you know...

Good News Roundup

2009-11-22T12:56:53-05:00

by Deb Cupples | This is an older story but a good one. A female toddler named Oluchi Nwaubani fell into a swimming pool earlier this year and survived after 18 minutes under water. At the hospital, Oluchi was put on a respirator. Believing that she would never recover, doctors discussed turning off the machine. Three days later, Oluchi started...

Revitalizing American Industry

2009-11-21T17:53:57-05:00

posted by Bill: I highly recommend Bob Herbert's column today as he tours through downtown Detroit, or what's left of it, with an economist from the Motor City. It's time we all started thinking about how America is becoming less like the capital of the world and more like Detroit all the time. Herbert's piece ends on this note: "We...