A Plague On Both Your Houses

Links for 2010-06-16 [del.icio.us]

2010-06-17T00:00:00-07:00

BP Agrees to Establish $20 Billion fund
Good. About time. Ken Feinberg is a good, no nonsense choice.
Clipmark: BP Agrees to Establish $20 Billion fund
Good. About time. Ken Feinberg is a good, no nonsense choice.
Oil Spill Toll on Wildlife will be Devastating
It has only just begun.
Clipmark: Oil Spill Toll on Wildlife will be Devastating
It has only just begun.

Links for 2010-06-15 [del.icio.us]

2010-06-16T00:00:00-07:00

Oil Companies Site Dead consultant in Response Plans
Are these guys for f---ing real? They all cut and pasted the same disaster response plan. The same one that BP had. The one with Walruses (absent from the gulf for 3 million years) and dead consultants. And People wonder why the American public is so angry.
Clipmark: Oil Companies Site Dead consultant in Response Plans
Are these guys for f---ing real? They all cut and pasted the same disaster response plan. The same one that BP had. The one with Walruses (absent from the gulf for 3 million years) and dead consultants. And People wonder why the American public is so angry.
What Can the Oil Companies Do to Regain Trust?
These guys need to stop acting in the typical fashion and step up.
Clipmark: What Can the Oil Companies Do to Regain Trust?
These guys need to stop acting in the typical fashion and step up.

What Can the Oil Companies Do to Regain Trust?

2010-06-15T11:45:50-07:00

We can’t trust the Oil Companies. Surprise, surprise. BP has lied to us throughout the current crisis and before. The other Oil Companies according to Congressional Testimony today have spill response plans that are not only remarkably similar, but discuss Walruses in the Gulf and provide contact information for consultants who are long dead. They have demonstrated themselves to be completely untrustworthy. Their credibility is in the toilet. So what...

Links for 2010-06-14 [del.icio.us]

2010-06-15T00:00:00-07:00

"Anchor" baby legislation is just wrong
I will say up front I am not opposed to Arizona's SB1070. It asks people if they are complying with the law.

But this? This is just wrong. It is unconstitutional and it negates all of the principle on which we are founded. A person born in this country is a citizen. Pure and simple, no question, no denial, no controversy. Everyone born in this country, everyone. Chinese, Japanese, Italian, Mexican, Puerto Rican, Ethiopian, Irish. Everyone. Without exception. To try and make it hard for them to prove is evil, wrong, unconstitutional, and exhibits nothing but anger, resentment and meanness. It is a terrible idea. And it will not garner sympathy on the part of many who don't think 1070 was wrong. There may be much confusion and many flaws and gray areas in immigration laws. This isn't. Born here = citizen. No ifs ands or buts.
Clipmark: "Anchor" baby legislation is just wrong
I will say up front I am not opposed to Arizona's SB1070. It asks people if they are complying with the law.

But this? This is just wrong. It is unconstitutional and it negates all of the principle on which we are founded. A person born in this country is a citizen. Pure and simple, no question, no denial, no controversy. Everyone born in this country, everyone. Chinese, Japanese, Italian, Mexican, Puerto Rican, Ethiopian, Irish. Everyone. Without exception. To try and make it hard for them to prove is evil, wrong, unconstitutional, and exhibits nothing but anger, resentment and meanness. It is a terrible idea. And it will not garner sympathy on the part of many who don't think 1070 was wrong. There may be much confusion and many flaws and gray areas in immigration laws. This isn't. Born here = citizen. No ifs ands or buts.

Links for 2010-06-11 [del.icio.us]

2010-06-12T00:00:00-07:00

The Brits should stop whining and look at BP no the victims
Clipmark: The Brits should shut up about BP
There is no special relationship with people who completely fail to understand the issue. How happy would they be if due to shoddy safety an American company dumped nuclear waste in The City? Would they say "Oh, it was just an accident, we see no reason their stock should go down."

An entire way of life, billions in natural resources and an entire ecosystem could be destroyed by an avoidable accident and they wonder why we're pissed?
BP - The worst record of any Oil Company
Nuff said.
Clipmark: BP - The worst record of any Oil Company
Nuff said.

The problem is that $730 million is just over a weeks profit for the 4th largest company in the world. And that total spans several years. Basically unless the penalties are much stiffer, they don't care.
BP - The worst record of any Oil Company
Nuff said.

The problem is that $730 million is just over a weeks profit for the 4th largest company in the world. And that total spans several years. Basically unless the penalties are much stiffer, they don't care.
Clipmark: Obama Uninspiring on Oil Spill
Obama Uninspiring on Oil Spill
BPs Larger Platform Lacks Certification
The British government defends these guys and our government does little if anything to impose consequences for their actions. And people want us all to be calm and rational and not frustrated with them.

Carville has it right, somebody needs to take a baseball bat to these guys.
Clipmark: BPs Larger Platform Lacks Certification
The British government defends these guys and our government does little if anything to impose consequences for their actions. And people want us all to be calm and rational and not frustrated with them.

Carville has it right, somebody needs to take a baseball bat to these guys.
BPs Destruction of a way of Life
This is just the beginning.

Halted for the first time in 176 years. Hey, British Prime Minister, you want us to stop bashing BP, F--- you.
Clipmark: BPs Destruction of a way of Life
This is just the beginning.

Halted for the first time in 176 years. Hey, British Prime Minister, you want us to stop bashing BP, F--- you.

Zakaria: Obama caves in to media frenzy over BP - CNN.com

2010-06-11T15:29:45-07:00

Zakaria told CNN, "I think that what he's been doing in recent days has been caving in to this media outcry that he show more emotion and anger and energy in dealing with the problem. And I think the result of it is that you're getting government as theater rather than government that is actually doing something effective. Zakaria: Obama caves in to media frenzy over BP - CNN.com I...

Links for 2010-06-10 [del.icio.us]

2010-06-11T00:00:00-07:00

The Oil Spill
Now the Brits are whining. They should be talking about BP not US reaction to BP's idiocy

The Oil Spill

2010-06-10T11:11:48-07:00

The U.K. government continues to keep a low profile on the issue, despite increased calls from business to intervene on BP's behalf. This included a call in a report by U.S. investment bank J.P. Morgan for Britain to raise a "diplomatic red flag" on BP's behalf. Trade group the Institute of Directors said that aggressive U.S. political rhetoric was "inappropriate" and could prejudice other U.K. business abroad. Prime Minister David...

The New Arizona Immigration Law

2010-05-27T16:26:57-07:00

To anybody interested in the Arizona immigration law, I highly recommend the Cato Institute blog entitled A Legal Analysis of the New Arizona Immigration Law | Cato @ Liberty. People, however, seem to be missing an important point that Erwin Chemerinsky raised with the New York Times: “The law is clearly pre-empted by federal law under Supreme Court precedents,” said Erwin Chemerinsky, an expert in constitutional law and the dean...

Is anyone really surprised by the election results?

2010-05-19T10:43:13-07:00

It reminds me of the oft quoted statement from Casablanca “I’m shocked, shocked, that there is gambling in this establishment.” Or in this case that people are pissed off at the incumbents. Hello! Is anyone home?! Have you been listening? You’re surprised? What planet are you from? The truth is Obama was elected because people wanted change in Washington and he has given them more of the same. He has...

I Wonder How Much Mr. Obama Took From Working American's 401(K)s when he berated Goldman and Trashed Wall Street?

2010-05-13T16:59:56-07:00

Punitive political populist pronouncements may be politically popular but they aren't good policy. I am no fan of Goldman Sachs or the excesses of risk Wall Street predictably brought on, and I think that imposing and modernizing financial reform and regulation is necessary, but this bank bashing has gotten out of hand and has cost the American worker, the American Economy and the World Economy, billions. It is another example...

Taxes and Why we Hate to Pay Them

2010-05-13T15:54:40-07:00

People hate taxes. Rich people, poor people, republicans and democrats all hate taxes. For political reasons some blame it on greed and for political reasons some say it makes economic sense to hate taxes. The truth is that taxes are the only way we have to pay our government debts as they exist today. They ultimately pay for the borrowing required to fund all government programs. The more we borrow...

Lindsay Lohan and the E*Trade babies

2010-03-10T11:38:57-08:00

Since when can a company be sued for “lampooning” a star? Even if it were true it would be a ridiculous law suit. Why doesn’t she sue Saturday Night Live for “lampooning’ her? In fact, maybe she should have a class action lawsuit, for all the stars that SNL has made money from by lampooning them. I can only say this about the law suit - “Hey Lindsay, get over...

Congress Sinks Lower While Obama Holds Steady -- Political Wire

2010-03-10T11:24:40-08:00

March 10, 2010 Congress Sinks Lower While Obama Holds Steady A new Associated Press-GfK poll found that just 22% of Americans approve of Congress -- the lowest point yet during the Obama presidency. However, neither Republicans nor Democrats are safe; half of all people say they want to fire their congressman. Conversely, Obama's job approval is holding fairly steady at 53%. Congress Sinks Lower While Obama Holds Steady -- Political...

Nell Scovell on David Letterman | vanityfair.com

2009-10-28T15:01:21-07:00

Ms. Scovell is of course right to point out both the hostile work environment and the discrimination against female writers. The fact that people like Barbara Walters leap to the defense of the show is disturbing but not surprising. Hollywood is leaping to the defense of a man who sodomized a 13 year old girl, why would Letterman’s friends not defend his show against charges of sexual harassment? Nor is...

Why Are We in the Business of Mercenaries?

2009-09-01T09:52:12-07:00

Study: More Contractors In Afghanistan Than Military Personnel -- Highest Ratio Ever | TPMMuckraker. It used to be that hiring Mercenaries was distasteful. We frowned upon it. Now it turns out we have a mostly Mercenary force in Afghanistan. This isn’t cheaper. It isn’t more cost efficient. It just means different budgets can be used. These people aren’t better trained or more effective. They are just arrogant and outside of...

Links for 2009-08-27 [del.icio.us]

2009-08-28T00:00:00-07:00

Ted Kennedy

2009-08-26T16:54:01-07:00

Ted Kennedy was a lot of things. He was human, he had his failings like all humans have. Like a long line of old style Irish politicians from Massachusetts those failings and that humanity defined him and made him truly superb at the business of legislation and politics. He treated others like human beings and in that he was able to deal with them, listen to them and concede to...

Barack Obama Needs to Step Up.

2009-08-19T16:16:13-07:00

President Obama needs to be a leader, not a rationalizing academic. We need it now. And that doesn’t mean just slamming Health Care reform through the legislature without a care for the Republican side. That means sitting down with both sides, playing James Madison, and hammering out a compromise that, although it may not be exciting to either side, is acceptable to both. Many Democrats, the administration included will ask...

Squeaky Fromme Should not be Released

2009-08-14T09:19:00-07:00

Manson follower 'Squeaky' Fromme out of prison - washingtonpost.com The consequence for attempting to assasinate the President is life in Prison, pure and simple. You do the crime, you do the time. It is not an outrageous punishment, there is no sense of injustice or outrage had she remained behind bars. So why release her? Our justice system may be a mess and overtaxed, but this makes no sense.

Health-Care Reform

2009-08-13T16:52:26-07:00

The problem with the far right and the far left in the debate over health care and other debates is that they are like the Catholic Church and the Church of England. One is infallible and the other is never wrong.

Links for 2009-02-17 [del.icio.us]

2009-02-18T00:00:00-08:00

A Zagat Guide for doctors? Bring it on!
Great idea