01-26-09
- GOP - The Grand Obstructionist Party:
- Paul Krugman: Bad Faith GOP Economics (nytimes) - "Conservatives really, really don’t want to see a second New Deal, and . . . are throwing any" fraudulent "objection they can think of against the Obama plan, hoping that something will stick."
- Accountability:
- Conyers Subpoenas Rove on Firing of U.S. Attorneys And on Prosecution of Don Siegelman (google/ap) - More greased pig chasing.
- Military-Industrial Complex Under Threat:
- Obama seeks space weapons ban (reuters) - Careful, Mr. President! These neocon boys and girls have lots of potential profits to lose and not much in the way of scruples.
- Obamamania:
- West Wing on steroids in Obama W.H. (politico)
- United Police States of America:
- Project Censored's # 5 story for 2009: Seizing War Protesters’ Assets (projectcensored) Will Obama overturn these and other police-state orders or ignore them completely? The corporate media bury stories that reveal such draconian laws, so who is there to know about them and protest? The police state is definitely steadily advancing in the United States, unchecked by our representatives in Congress, who all too often push for more of it (Jane Harman, for example). How far will President Obama nudge the U.S. police state along?
- Supremes pushing it too (google/ap) - Rule that police officers have leeway to frisk a passenger in a car stopped for a traffic violation even if nothing indicates the passenger has committed a crime or is about to do so. It all depends on the "officer's suspicion that the passenger may be armed and dangerous." How many more citizens are going to be frisked because they are guilty only of being non-Caucasian passengers?
- USA Is Morally Bankrupt or Was That Already Obvious?
- Bay City, Michigan municipally-owned power company murders 93-year-old man by shutting off his electric power in the dead of winter. (suntumes) City Manager says "he didn’t believe the city did anything wrong." Unpaid bills found on kitchen table with cash clipped to them.
- Economic Shakedown:
- Twenty-five people at the heart of the meltdown ... (guardian.co.uk) - "The worst economic turmoil since the Great Depression is not a natural phenomenon but a man-made disaster . . . ."
- Infrastructure Heavy Equipment Manufacturer Caterpillar lowers profit expectations and expects to cut 20,000 jobs in 2009, most of which have already been done. (yahoo/ap) - More than 200,000 jobs lost so far this month; nearly 2.6 million jobs lost in 2008 - Only one reason to mention this here: As long as you see companies laying off more people or warning that they may do so, don't expect an upturn in the economy. Look to job loss or job growth as a guide. The bleating and breathless reporters and guests at the CNBC and Fast Money casinos may proclaim an imminent economic upturn, but remember that many of them under their expensive suits and impressive job titles are just salesmen and traders, with undeclared financial or politically ideological agendas on their minds. Bush and his greedy pals have so viciously raped this country, it probably will take years to recover -- if other prevailing conditions allow for it then.
- AE Aurigae and the Flaming Star Nebula (apod)
