You’ve Been Warned
by Derek BroesOver the past three months we have witnessed some truly amazing movements by the Obama administration. He has proposed more spending than all Presidents in history combined; he has trampled the Constitution by allowing the Treasury to take on a dictator style infringement on private companies, and now the democratically lead Congress has proposed the “Pay for Performance Act” which passed Thursday with even some Republican Congressman voted for it.
This bill essentially allows the Treasury to define “fair pay” for all employees, at any level. Worse, the Treasury would like to be able to take over any company it deemed as important enough to take over regardless of whether or not it had accepted bailout funds. Worse still, the Serve Act proposes to make volunteering for the government mandatory (with pay, of course). Last time I looked, working for pay was called A JOB.
The scariest part of the bill is that while you’re serving as a “volunteer,” you’re prohibited from participating in worship and church activities, political rallies and being involved in a union. In short, your essential freedoms are gone. I keep hearing about Obama being a socialist but, I have to disagree. Based on these measures he appears to more like a person pursuing Communism or Fascism.
Let’s face it; if you wanted to tear down the Republic and install a Communist Oligarchy you would first have to take over all major industries where corporate power resides, then you must get the wealth away from the rich — but how would you do that? Well, you create an even larger economic crisis so the country thinks your massive debt spending is a way to help the country when your real plan is to incur so much debt that the only way to prevent the country from bankruptcy is to impose a tax system that depletes the wealth of the top 1% until we’re all equally “wealthy.” …Well, except for those wealthy people who helped you get there. You know the ones I’m talking about. I don’t mean to HARPO on the subject, but we seemed to have forgotten what we’re protecting. What about the Republic? Is it already gone?
When the government ignores legal contractual obligations because they judge someone’s bonus as unfair the law has been ignored, which means it was violated and this violation occurred at the highest level of government. I’m not saying the AIG bonuses weren’t excessive. My point is, we don’t know what these people did to deserve or NOT to deserve them because this was never mentioned or examined. Maybe some of those people brought in a billion dollars of business and their bonuses were based? Maybe the CEO is the main reason the company is failing? Does that mean that some guy who worked hard to bring in that billion dollars in business shouldn’t be rewarded? But Obama needs a way to regulate pay and the bill proposed doesn’t even stop at executives, it doesn’t even stop at dollar amounts. In fact, it has no specification whatsoever.
So we can all look forward to government cars, government jobs, paid civilian volunteers who watch our every move and the the loss of our ability to reach for our dreams. The sad part is that Obama told us exactly what he was going to do and 52% of you refused to hear what he said. In fact many of you cheered at these things. Let’s remember just of few of the things he said.
- The Constitution is fundamentally flawed. It only protects the rights of the people but does not allow the government to do anything on your behalf.
- He wants a civilian Army as large as our military, and as well funded ($650 billion annually).
- He wants to “spread the wealth.” Oh, don’t pretend you don’t remember Joe the Plumber.
And let’s not forget good ole Reverend Wright whose teachings about America being evil and unequal ring in Obama’s ears. Funny … It’s equality that got Obama elected. Change? Oh yes, there’s change and if we don’t act soon the meaning of hope will have a very different meaning.
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185 Comments
====This bill essentially allows the Treasury to define “fair pay” for all employees, at any level. Worse, the Treasury would like to be able to take over any company it deemed as important enough to take over regardless of whether or not it had accepted bailout funds.====
If this is the case then we have a tyrannical govt that should be overthrown. These are unabashed traitors in congress and treason should be punished by death. These are criminals of the highest order who’ve been elected to represent us and uphold the Constitution, what we’ve witnessed since obama took office is nothing short of a socialist coup and utter disregard for the Constitution.
As far as I’m concerned the democrat leadership and those in congress who empower them should be executed for their crimes and sedition.
Oh, I heard what he said. I choked, voted for McCain, and bought a large supply of ammo.
People are waking up, Derek. In 2010, Congress turns red again, and I don't mean the red of the USSR or the Nazis (who were, after all, socialists). Presidents have been impeached before. Third time's the charm.
Yep. That crackling sound you hear is the Constitution burning in the White House fireplace, along with any contracts signed before, during or after the TARP plan. And Congress is warming its hands by the fire. The only thing left standing in the way is the Supreme Court. Now THAT'S scary.
You aren't making the mistake of thinking that the President and Congress are bound by law or the Constitution are you, silly boy?
It applies to any business 'the Government' deems to have a large enough impact on the society – it doesn't state what that impact is, though. If it were a few hundred years ago, we would pick up our guns and go to war. At this point, the sheep blindly follow, and praise themselves for being 'the change'. Change to what, I ask? We're getting more Orwellian by the second.
I don't know if he got it, but Geithner was advocating for the power to be able to take over any company that he thought was to big to fail for the good of the economy. That was also any company that had taken government money, but they didn't specify what was defined as government money so that wasn't necessarily TARP money. It could be any government money.
I think it is time to start seriously retracting the consent of the governed.
I also think I need to do a new t-shirt: http://nomayo.mu.nu/new_shirts_and_price_reductio...
Also, the part in the service bill abot not being able to engage in religious services which would even have kept a volunteer from going to Sunday worship on their own was removed last I checked as was the mandatory service bit although four senators reintroduced the mandatory service requirement into a new bill that is currently sitting in committee.
Also, the part in the service bill about not being able to engage in religious services which would even have kept a volunteer from going to Sunday worship on their own was removed last I checked as was the mandatory service bit although four senators reintroduced the mandatory service requirement into a new bill that is currently sitting in committee.
As for me, I am racking my brains and trying very hard to come up with possible legal challenges that could be issued over the legislation that has been passed recently. For example, it might be possible for a legal challenge to be issued over socialized health care the first time government comes between a patient and a doctor. Wouldn;t it be potentially a violation of the so-called right to privacy if the government steps in a overrides a doctor's treatment recommendation?
I believe there are certain emanations and penumbras that should be useful in such a legal pursuit.
Hold on people, aren't we on the wrong side on this one? These companies came to the government for a bail out. If they don't like the rules, they can give the money back. How is this different than putting conditions on welfare?
I don't see that in the legislation. Where are you finding that?
The bill I read specifically applies only to TARP companies. I remember Geithner talking about being able to bail out non-financial companies, but I don't recall him getting the authority. I also don't recall whether they were trying to give him the power to do it involuntarily. If so, that would have to be considered a taking.
I'll be glad to throw in an entire umbrella. Since the right of privacy doesn't even exist unless the nine gray eminences say so, we'll have to rely on the established right to contract and patient/doctor statutory confidentiality. Of course, since Obama's plan is to get rid of private enterprise entirely, as soon as he gets rid of the insurance companies (or takes them over by executive fiat), he'll go to the single-payer government-run system and you'll have nobody to complain to. And you guys all had the crazy idea that he hadn't thought this out carefully.
I am worried…a blogger gets his home raided for criticizing the local police. A Ron Paul supporter gets detained for carrying $4500 in cash on an airplane. Where have our rights gone? Is this the "New World Order"? When are people going to wake up?
By the way,, there is a very good song by Aimee Allen about all this, see youtube….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBCKMTo210k
Come on, Andrew. Even if it isn't true, it COULD be true (that's from Justice Al Sharpton).
I'm as happy to go all pitchfork and torch as the next guy, but I'd like to make sure I know my facts before I do it.
It’s getting about time we vote with pitchforks and torches. The ruling class is overstepping it’s bounds. We as free Americans have a contract with our Founders that cannot be breached legally by any Washington politician, and is our generational obligation to leave for our children’s children. The swamp needs to be drained and our country restored to the principles of it’s founding. We stopped DC on immigration reform with the power of our voice. We must find and sustain this voice like the thunder of God, and demand our representatives listen, and just like immigration we can stop this crap.
If someone brought a strong case based on Roe I can't see the liberal or moderate justices voting to overturn the precedent. Nor do I see the Obama administration being in a position to mount a forceful case based on invalidating Roe.
No not at all. The Gov is refusing to take the money back. In many cases some of these companies refused money and the GOV made them take it.
Because at least in theory, the companies will have to pay the money back in some form or another, even if it's just by getting back on their feet, making money, and enriching the economy. Now that's just in theory, of course.
Welfare recipients are, well, welfare recipients. They don't have to give the money they got from me back to me or to the government. They aren't expected to earn it (in fact, they had better not start earning it or they lose it). And at least so far, the banks and businesses haven't developed the entitlement mentality of a welfare recipient, to wit: "I know my rights, you oppressing sonofaguns, now give me my money." Now as to why the businesses need the bailout in the first place, that's another story entirely.
What I've read is the wage control applies only to TARP companies. If I'm wrong, someone please provide a quote or a link that says otherwise.
What's sinister about this, is healthy banks like Wells Fargo were pressured to take TARP funds. Now there's a backdoor effort to exert control over these same companies, whether they needed the funds or not.
No real Ron Paul supporter would have $4500 in US DOLLARS. It would be in gold.
Facts are nothing more than a conservative ploy to keep the government from taking care of us.
===Is this the "New World Order"?===
Gordon Brown said this is the New World Order at the G20 summit.
"This is Collective action, people working together at their best…I think the New World Order IS emerging, and with it the foundations of a new and progressive era of international cooperation…From today we will together manage the process of globalization….To secure responsibility from all and fairness to all."
And obama is about to steal hundreds of billions more of our tax dollars and throw it into third world cesspits that will not benefit the people but rather their corrupt govts. We’re pouring hundreds of billions into the IMF; while Americans are losing their jobs and taking pay cuts we’re having the our tax dollars stolen by the criminal filth in DC and funneled overseas into corrupt coffers. We are not the global charity; it is not the American tax payers responsibility to take care of foreign nations or their citizens, that is why they have their govts. Overthrow them if they’re incompetent, to reward them with our money will only perpetuate the problem.
It's a good question. The TARP money was intended to free up capital markets to jump start the economy. Healthy banks like Wells Fargo wisely put the brakes on their lending since they couldn't be sure of the underlying value of their assets.
The TARP is meant to speed up that process so Wells Fargo and other healthy banks can lend while the government money provides a cushion against the uncertainty of their mortgage derivatives. The government doesn't want banks like Wells Fargo to drop anchor and ride out the storm. They want them sailing full speed and extending credit to the masses and to businesses. That's the purpose of the TARP.
But now, the over reaching administration has decided that TARP is a convenient way to take over these banks, healthy and otherwise. Expect Wells Fargo to return the TARP that they never needed, and credit to freeze up again as healthy banks don't want to become floor mats like General Motors.
Great words StanH, although if you were Michelle Bachmann, you would be ridiculed all over. What is wrong with people? Do we need a faux savior so badly? Has our country gone down the toilet so much that everyone wants to be a government robot, be totally under their control? I am so worried about this country………..i have said several times, i am just going to quit my job…..why should I work?
I truly fear national riots….this is going to get worse before it gets better. I am planning on keeping very little money in the national banks. I do not want my "elected" officials to take it. I plan to buy food, water, and weapons, for when people try to take my "stuff:" This is all perfectly legal, yet mr messiah has already introduced plans to limit guns or ammo, and has already gotten congress to try to push through his domestic militia.
".
Watch your asses people, the life we know is coming to an end. And hide your money. And buy cigarettes and cigars online, from overseas. The FDA is going to be monitoring all our smokes, who knows what mind altering chemicals they will use to make us pay more taxes than necessary, follow our messiah, and support "poor little kids healthcare
Precisely right. That's why I brought up the other two possibilities. Roe v Wade is merely the logical and murderous result of Griswold v Connecticut. The Supremes will ignore their own judicial philosophy if it expands the right of government to run people's lives, and ignoring the so-called right to privacy serves exactly that purpose in this instance. And the right to private contract and statutory patient/doctor privilege will be ignored in that same pursuit, so it's probably all a moot point anyway. The only thing that is going to stop this power-grab is a popular uprising, preferably at the polls, but I'll take whatever I can get in pursuit of freedom.
The original intent of 2nd Amendment, as far as I know, is so the citizenry could overthrow the government in the event that it slipped into totalitarianism or anything close to it.
You are sooo right! But it is still wrong…
not that it reaches that many, but i blog mon-fri about the current administration's idiocy. if anyone can point to the "no church while volunteering" rule or the bill going after private companies that do not take tarp money, please direct me. i have a hammer and i like to nail things to the wall.
"The only thing that is going to stop this power-grab is a popular uprising, preferably at the polls, but I'll take whatever I can get in pursuit of freedom."
I'm with you on that.
But it would be kind of fun to watch them twist on Roe for a while!!
I have to admit that I am of two minds on this.
On the one hand, I don't like the precedent that the government can control private companies. That's socialist and is just sickening to me.
But I also have a great deal of sympathy for the argument that IF you ask for money from the government, then you have to accept the terms that are applied to you (though I do not approve of involuntary retroactive changes to contracts at all).
The fact that companies were required to take TARP funds would seem to eliminate the argument that these companies choose to take the TARP funds, except that Dodd (D-AIG) changed the law to allow banks to give back the TARP funds — which they are now doing in significant numbers.
So in the end, I am troubled by this, but not yet ready to light my torch and grab my pitchfork.
"Government is not reason, it is not eloquence. It is force, and like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master."
- George Washington
Not just our tax dollars. But the tax dollars of our children and grandchildren.
But the Government is taking the money back. At least seven backs have already given it back. More have announced they will.
Commerical lenders often require that loan recients make changes to management, management structure, pay structure, or rearrange their ownership or financing. Why should the government not do the same? These are essentially commerical loans.
That quote is being cut and pasted onto my Facebook account right now.
I am going to a local tea party. It was very easy to find just by googling. There are dozens of these tea party protests being organized across the country and they are getting media attention.
and this is crazy too!
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/vote.xpd?vote=h20...
H.Amdt. 39: Amendment to add to the list of approved Clean Energy Corps activities the development of clean energy programs designed to meet the needs of rural communities. amending H.R. 1388: Generations Invigorating Volunteerism and Education Act
Not to mention ACORN being involved in the census. There are MAJOR problems , people.
Yes, that's true about the wage control. It's also true that some of those banks who have been trying to pay back their TARP money have been stopped from doing so.
That's a wonderful side-effect of this legislation — the Obama Admin's desire to control these companies' pay structures is causing these banks to give back the money, which is undoing the bail out, which should not have happened in the first place.
Andrew, you remind me sooo much of my husband. Me? I'm ready to get out the tar and feathers– but he'll force me to learn the facts first. Then he'll help me dump the tar when the time comes.
Andrew, you remind me sooo much of my husband. Me? I'm ready to get out the tar and feathers– but he'll force me to learn the facts first. Then he'll help me dump the tar on their heads when the time comes.
Now Obama swears up one side and down the other that you can keep your private insurance although you'll be taxed out the yang for doing so. My husand and I are scrambling to figure out if this will even be possible for us because we have to maintain my health care somehow and the government won't.
I think it will be interesting to see how they jump on the BRCA case. If they strike that down then a strong case this way might have a shot although there are stronger Constitutional questions in the BRCA case I think.
A few of my favorites……..
"I have sworn upon the altar of God, eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man."
- Thomas Jefferson
“Every normal man must be tempted at times to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin to slit throats.”
- H. L. Mencken
LOL! An uninformed mob is a rabble, but an informed mob is a revolution.
I hear ya, believe me. Assuming that the composition of the Supreme Court remains the same (and that's not as ridiculous as it sounds considering which one(s) are most likely to be replaced during an Obama administration), the present Court would continue to chip away at Roe and possibly even Griswold. But stare decisis doesn't mean "let the law be paralyzed." And the sooner the Supremes figure out that it isn't judicial activism to restore basic constitutional rights taken away by bad cases setting worse precedents, the better off we and our liberty will be. The death or retirement of Kennedy is the one that has me worried half to death. If Obama gets to replace him with a doctrinaire liberal who doesn't care about "popularity," we are in deep poo-poo.
Weren't there recent reports that not all came to the government with their hand outstretched? Some banks were called in and told to take the money.
There is no pistol ammunition of any caliber to be found in Seattle. Hmmmmm…..
Andrew,
The problem is that wage controls in and of themselves are damaging. Let us assume it is only TARP companies. My point is that what the giovernment is doing is still evil. If you are going to have the government hand out money to private companies, take over those companies and then start making decisions you have given the power to the government to control them. Once that control is established the money is irrelavant. If they can pass a law controlling wages what stops them from passing laws forcing the companies to invest in specific businesses. If a company like AIG which is a finance and insurance company buys 51% of another companies stock they control that company. Then the wage law applies to that company by the fact that they are now consolidated. > > Next
And they are also essentially private contracts between private parties. The government may indeed have some tangential interest in management, but considering how well they handle their own houses, including being a major cause of this disaster in the first place, I would hope they will keep their hands off from here on out. The government is supposed to be helping the private lenders with our tax money in a financial crisis, not taking them over (although I am sure that is the liberal intention behind it all). We have the right to expect something back, including a profit if possible. When do the welfare recipients start paying us back, even in theory? And the we/us is the taxpayers, not the government.
You do not need to have the other company take TARP money. They have the where withal to buy other companies. Depending on the "interpretation" of the law you might only need a minority interest owned by AIG (5 to 20%). I'll bet the left the wording on these issues vague on purpose.
If you own all the finance companies in America you essentially can own anything you'd darn well please. If this law passes I guarantee you will see a reversion from publicly held stock back to pribately held stock. The opposite of the IPO. This is what the wealthy will do to get out of the honus of the law.
God only knows what that might mean.
You do not need to have the other company take TARP money. They have the where withal to buy other companies. Depending on the "interpretation" of the law you might only need a minority interest owned by AIG (5 to 20%). I'll bet they left the wording on these issues vague on purpose.
If you own all the finance companies in America you essentially can own anything you'd darn well please. If this law passes I guarantee you will see a reversion from publicly held stock back to pribately held stock. The opposite of the IPO. This is what the wealthy will do to get out of the honus of the law.
God only knows what that might mean.
Yes, to avoid having any banks singled out by short sellers, they required all banks to take the funds. Originally, they could not give the funds back either, but Dodd changed the law to allow the banks to give the TARP funds back. Banks have been recently begun giving the funds back because of the law mentioned in this article. I am not aware of any bank being told they could not return the funds, though Obama convinced Goldman Sachs and four others to continue to hold their TARP funds for the moment.
BTW Since the government owns 80% they probably don't need to even pass laws to exert this kind of control over decision making in buying subsidiaries. They have probalby already cherry picked the board of AIG.
There is a fairly narrow issue in the BRCA case, but the Supreme Court has been known to take narrow issues to overturn much broader law. As I've mentioned before, I think it's time for the Court to stop chipping away at the edges and go for the gold. But I'm not counting on it.
Is that something like every silver cloud must have lining?
Is that something like every cloud must have a silver lining?
Viva La Revolución!
This concept of a business that's "too large to fail" is so foriegn to what this countries all about, it blows my mind that some actually buy into it. But hey, if you're going to imploy it, you better employ it for EVERYONE! For example; if I personally fail financially, and no one bails me out, I could end up going "postal", like that nut in NY today. Progressives might say that if he was "bailed out", those 14+ people would still be alive. That is some warped thinking!
"cherry picked the board"…
No doubt. Remember Michelle O's old $300k/year job that was INVENTED for her and DISAPPEARED when she left?
You can bet that Mr. President is rewarding his loyalists all over the place.
But who is going to stop him? His cabinet is FULL of tax cheats, and nobody seems to give a sh_t. It's all just a fun joke on the Leno show.
While I lose sleep every night trying to find more and more inventive ways to keep my business open and not get audited AGAIN this year.
Bastards.
Was that B. Hussein bowing and kissing King Abdullah's hand?
http://hillbuzz.wordpress.com/2009/04/02/obama-pr...
Keep making your voice heard – while we still have the First Amendment! Great piece.
Strange, there's not any in Charlotte eirher
That’s tuff Spiro, for people to appreciate that have never had the all encompassing experience of owning a business. These sons-of-bitche$ in Washington at the executive level haven’t run a fruit stand and the things that they did run are in $hitty shape. Ba$stard$ are an apt description and all their minions. Government to a business, is as useful as a teat on a boar hog. Fire your liberals first!
What obama is doing can be summed up with one picture………
http://img6.imageshack.us/my.php?image=obamataxpa...
The Nazis were indeed socialists, they even cunningly hid that fact in their name (NSDAP)so no one would notice. It worked too, most liberals today think that Nazis and Socialists are so far apart that by virtue of them loving them some socialists it allows them to call anyone they don't like a Nazi. I love irony, a concept that is lost on the left.
Can we start soon anyway? Some of the posters are finding ammunition hard to get hold of, and I'm not good with a pitchfork, although I do toss a pretty good torch.
You need one of them thar automatic pitchforks I've heard tell about lately.
As for starting, sure… why not. CHARGE!!!!
Indi,
I'm really undecided on this one. On the one hand, I hate government interference with business. I think the bail out should never have happened. (As an aside, doesn't the fact that the banks didn't spend the money indicate that the bail out wasn't needed?) I also think that this is a dangerous precedent, and I see how damaging it can be to the market and our country for the government to start micromanaging even a few companies.
But on the other hand, I also know that I would want to put restrictions on any money that I lent them.
I'm actually more disturbed by the other point you raise, about the ownership. It is one thing to offer money on certain terms, I can see that as a necessary (temporary) evil. But for the government to start owning companies is something completely different. That's called nationalization and that's a nightmare.
Indi,
I'm really undecided on this one. On the one hand, I hate government interference with business. I think the bail out should never have happened. (As an aside, doesn't the fact that the banks didn't spend the money indicate that the bail out wasn't needed?) I also think that this is a dangerous precedent, and I see how damaging it can be to the market and our country for the government to start micromanaging even a few companies.
But on the other hand, I also know that I would want to put restrictions on any money that I lent them.
I'm actually more disturbed by the other point you raise, about the ownership. It is one thing to offer money on certain terms, I can see that as a necessary (temporary) evil. But for the government to start owning companies is something completely different. That's called nationalization and that's a nightmare.
I hear the sound of a distant trumpet. Ride to the sound of the cannons. We'll just call the weapon "The Autofork." Our battle yell will be "Autofork 'em all!" You're a genius!
No they can't. They are refusing the checks from the banks that were forced to take the bailout (lest we know the ones that were REALLY in trouble).
Mr Price, with all due respect, Tim "What taxes" Geithner along with several members of our elected tormentors have already stated and as best best as I read that this farce would include any business that they deem necessary. And what makes matters worse is that Congress REFUSES to give a number as to what they consider excessive. They decided to punt that to Treasury.
Dodd put a provision in the stimulus bill allowing repayment of TARP funds. The following banks have confirmed that they repaid the TARP:
1. Iberiabank of Louisiana ($90 million)
2. Signature Bank of New York ($120 million)
3. Old National Bancorp of Indiana ($100 million)
4. Bank of Marin Bancorp of Novato, Calif. ($28 million)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/01/business/01bank...
Lawhawk, did something funky just happen to the way you are seeing the website?
So much for Obama NOT being a secret Muslim. Here he is bowing to the guy who probably owns the country he was born in.
Same here.
Things are going to get "interesting".
Best to just buy it in bulk online.
Freedom is defended with 3 "Boxes"
Ballot Box
Soap Box
Ammo Box
I voted. I'm going to the Tea Party on the 15th. Lets hope that's enough.
Yep. After this there will be the predictable minimization of what this means and the naive hope that this will either "go away after the conservative revolution" or that it may be "good for us too" gosh darnit, as it will either A: show americans how bad the dems are or B: also work to demolish Liberal institutions. AMericans will sit by and Conservatives will whine and do nothing else, and then we will all be shuffled off to reeducation camps and our children will bear the burdens of our sins.
WE SUCK.
Yep. At first I couldn't even post back to you. Then I couldn't bring up the comments at all. Then the screen changed, and now "post reply" is over on the left side. An upgrade or change in format, maybe?
That they are. I haven't been this energized since the 70s.
Apparently it is some kind of upgrade. I went to a different blog on this site, and now next to the "posting" button there's a "number of replies" count.
I'm assuming you hit what you thought was "submit comment" and got the blue and white box asking what you were up to, right?
I had the same problem. And now all the threads start off automatically closed, which means I can't see what people have written without opening each thread. Talk about annoying. I left a comment about that for John on the next thread.
Let us know what you find out.
It kinda looks like the thread counts were becoming unmanageable, so to reach the whole thread, you have to click on the red "number of replies." Makes a certain amount of sense, but they could have warned us.
And the real problem here is that it's been years since the government has understood that it's not the government's money. It's OUR money, and we elect them to use OUR money wisely, not for power grabs.
Think of it this way Andrew…….
If you have to give money to family to help them out of a crisis you should not think of it as a loan. For you it must be a gift. You can tell them it is a loan but if you actually expect it back. Well family members quit talking to each other over such things. This is the same advice I'd give to a client if they asked me.
If you give this money you are going to have to trust the person you give it to do the right thing. You are going to have to make the judgement call before you do it that they will do what is best for the situation. If you lend the money to a sister and then start demanding your brother in law report to you on his life choices …. Well more than likely the situation is made worse.
Same thing here…. if you give AIG 100 billion to aid the economy you have to trust them to do it. The minute you start micromanaging and responding to political threats then in the end you simply ensure that whatever they do it won;t be the best economic choice. It will be the expedient political choice. This is the dillema.
Think of it this way Andrew…….
If you have to give money to family to help them out of a crisis you should not think of it as a loan. For you it must be a gift. You can tell them it is a loan but if you actually expect it back. Well family members quit talking to each other over such things. This is the same advice I'd give to a client if they asked me.
If you give this money you are going to have to trust the person you give it to do the right thing. You are going to have to make the judgement call before you do it that they will do what is best for the situation. If you lend the money to a sister and then start demanding your brother in law report to you on his life choices …. Well more than likely the situation is made worse.
Same thing here…. if you give AIG 100 billion to aid the economy you have to trust them to do it. The minute you start micromanaging and responding to political threats then in the end you simply ensure that whatever they do it won;t be the best economic choice. It will be the expedient political choice. This is the dillema.
If you have problems, make your own comments as well.
Mega,
The issue here is that the government is responsible the minute they guaranteed the loans that went bad. The bank were forced to make these loans by law and the investors were assured they were guaranteed by the government should anything go wrong. The failure of the government to responsibly manae Freddie and Fannie is the reason for this mess. HAd no law been written each individual who held this commercial paper coudl have gone to the government to demand satisfaction for the remainder from the foreclosure.
So instead of doing as Bush stated would be done the rout taken wasw for the government to be in charge. The first draft of the original stimulus bill has a paragraph at around 20 pages in. The first meat of the law. It said the Secretary of the Treasury shall have the authority to do whatever is deemed necessary without impediment.
It may make sense, but I really don't like it. It makes it impossible to read through a page without constantly opening the threads.
Any ways, I'm having problems even opening the threads at all, so I'm quitting for the night.
It may make sense for technical reasons, but I really don't like it. It makes it impossible to read through a page without constantly opening the threads.
Any ways, I'm having problems even opening the threads at all, so I'm quitting for the night.
You will have to look at the original bill as it was presented to the house. Much of that was 'cleaned up' (the no worship clauses remoeved, education camps replaced with 'campuses' etc) and much of the worst dropped by the time it reached the Senate. In the Senate, even more language was cleaned up, but it is back in Committee (now as HR 1388) and most fully expect it to be returned to its original structure. This is one bill that must be followed very carefully. By the way, in the Senate, it was apparently renamed the TED KENNEDY Give/Serve bill to thunderous applause.
By Orrin Hatch.
Republicans that voted for it were lured in by promises of 'faith based' programs getting funded -if they refrained from using 'faith language' or encouraging faith and belief. The GOP should be slapped senseless for even thinking this would make everything hunky-dory.
Easiest way to track of all the legislation is through the website govtrack.us
They've succeeded in making it nearly impossible to reply to an Intense Debate response because clicking on the ID "go to comment" takes you to the site, but doesn't locate the comment you're trying to respond to. I just searched for about twenty minutes to reply to your "signing off" reply and never did find it. It's definitely a work in progress, and I'm about to pack it in for the evening too. The completely collapsed thread idea leaves you without any frame of reference when searching comments. I've written to them as well, and I hope a lot of others do so too.
While I don't want to split hairs over polite and proper etiquette with foreign dignitaries, all I heard about yesterday was how you're supposed to do this and that with the Queen and how the Obamas didn't do any of it. Yet here he is today practically genuflecting before the Saudis.
Verrrrry Interesting.
As I read the bill, it applies ONLY to those companies that have taken money under the TARP plan and have not paid it back yet. Is anyone aware of anything that takes it beyond those companies?
P.S. This is not an endorsement of the bill, just a question.
They sell ammo in SF? Let me guess, you belong to an "ammunition collective".
Yeah, all in congress including those who didn't speak up. Now the EU is going to make rules for Wall Street too. I reall smell a revolution coming, and the EU can kiss my ass.
Scroll all the way down to the very bottom of any BH page and click on the "Contact Us" link. A field appears where you can write your requests, praise, criticisms. I just did and sent them praise for even having this site (which I wanted to do anyway) and to ask them to reconsider the collapsed thread default. Or enable each visitor to set their own preference for either all open or all closed.
With this new web design, it took me awhile to find you. My younger daughter is a court officer in Kern County and her husband is a California Corrections officer. Getting ammo is no problem for me. On the other hand, the collective kicked me out for refusing to share.
My wife and I will be at the one in Atlanta on the 15th of April, that blessed day. You can be certain they’ll pay attention perhaps enough to slow them down and make a change in 2010 if we stay in their faces, and remain vigilant.
Buck Farack
I think that many people simply do not understand the depth of the problem. It is horrible that our choices have become so stark but we are in this situation and have to deal with it. The world wide derivatives market is 1,400 trillion dollars and we have only 15 Trillion in US GDP. Most of the fortune 500 has been using Structured Investment Vehicles to hide losses and is probably bankrupt. Bush and Obama have come to the same conclusion – if we have a bank run the FDIC can not hold it together. Be prepared to simply lose your checking, savings, 401k, IRA and everything else that you have in financial institutions. I do not know that they made the right choice but it is hard I am scared to think of what could happen if they had not. This is not as simple as many people would believe. Bush and Obama both understand that if they do not try to unwind this in an orderly way the financial system, banking and even the dollar may suddenly lose any value. Capitalism relies on transparency. If you can't legitimately expect to get correct information from a financial statement then the system creates bubbles. I studied derivatives. This is a systemic, catastrophic, end of the world type of situation that would be WORSE than a nuclear attack. Ask yourself what you would do if you got up tommorrow morning and your bank accounts had simply disappeared. The United States and Western world would turn into Haiti and the Congo overnight. It is scary but I'm afraid that we are at that point.
Yeah, I noticed that links to comments don't work if that comment is in a "collapsed" section. Who is the admin for this site? Is it Nolte?
Oh, don't worry, dear, they WANT you to smoke 'em up! They are using the tax money to fund SChip, and they will most likely raise the taxes, yet again. Why would they monitor this? Maybe ban people from ordering smokes outside of the country, possibly, I suppose, if they felt they could get by with it. This is to get more taxes, so they will find more ways to tax, well, everything, like Noo Yawk is doing. And the folks who pay the most taxes are fleeing in a mass exodus from there. The best way to keep them there, make the taxes there nationwide.
The bow was terrible! Only a serf to the King bows to the King. I wasn't aware that Obama, and by extension the rest of us, were a part of King Abdullah's serfdom, yet, but then I have had a cold and slept most of the day. Must have occurred when I was napping.
IIRC, William F. Buckley had a great a great quote about the distinction between being "smart" and "intelligent?" Does anyone remember what it was? LH, excellent. I agree, fully. I am just old enough to have seen this Statism become more and more prevalent, and now this seems to be the fulmination.
Hi, Stan H, My hubby and I are trying to decide between going to the big one in ATL or the smaller one nearer to us, we live in Chateau Elan, which is in Gainesville. Can't decide, but think the big one will be the most interesting. Should get attention, Hannity is supposed to be there, and you know he isn't going to be anywhere he isn't in the spotlight. LOL.
When God is completely removed from the public forum and replaced by secular religion, it is going to follow that a large number of people will look for another savior. I'm serious when I say that the feeling that used to be reserved for God is slowly being transferred to messianic leaders. It may be secular, but to many it's still a religion, and Obama is that messiah.
Before anybody jumps on me over this, I did not say that intelligent people will necessarily fall for the ploy. And yes, I'm sure that many atheists and agnostics are also conservatives and libertarians. But the huge gap in the middle is filled by people who have simply not thought it out, and are looking for a god, not God. A nd the starry-eyed inability of so many to see any flaw in Obama makes him sound like a lamb without blemish or spot. It's more than hero-worship. It's simple worship.
I lay this jointly at the feet of the rabid secularists, with the willing complicity of churches which have forgotten what their mission is and have become instead social welfare agencies. Jesus is more than a good guy. God is more than a really smart leader. And Obama is considerably less than a messiah.
Someone once said to me, there are only two things you need to know about God. First, He exists. Second, you aren't God. Will somebody please tell Obama and his disciples that?
For those conservatives who constantly want to throw out the "Social"(religious) people, notice that the attack from the left originally TRIED to stop Americans from attending religious services. This stuff is happening fast and it is driven by anti-God forces who also happen to be economic liberals. People of traditional values, who are responsible church goers and oppose the evil of abortion and this pro-infanticide president also support building jobs, fair pay for work, stand against the welfare addiction, support the defense of the families (guns) homes and nation (defense) Stop treating them as pariah's who aren't real conservatives. They actually understand the connection that our forefathers did. You cannot have a viable society without God fearing people.
Hey Andrew, I see you hit 100! Are you still feeling okay? Just checking to make sure you were able to resist going into the light.
Socialism has to start some place. What better place to start than with money? Insert a little control here, and then there. The sheeple herd won't know what hit them. The problem for the O-Squad is not all of us are quietly going along.
thank you. i will make a note and follow closely. and then apply the hammer as necessary.
BEANS, BULLETS, GUNS and GOLD.
Ma'am the question though that will become relevant to the scheme that the Amateur in Chief is proposing is the same that shut down Hawaii's attempt for kids. Why should I keep my insurance when someone else will do it for me? Due to the rules that Hawaii had in place you had families that were deliberately dropping their children from their insurance so the state would pick it up. This program FAILED in six months.
I want to thank all of you fools who haven't read our Constitution for voting for this socialist Obama. Thank you for forcing ME to live the way you do. Thank you for sticking your nose into MY business. Thank you for dragging ME unwillingly into your screwed up messes. Thank you for proving that you are all so inept you cannot fix your own problems. Thank you for all of it. Thank you ruining all of our lives. We, who did not want this "man" as our President are really quite happy with the fact that you are taking our money and using it for fascist causes. Thank you for trying to force our children to be like yours, dumbed down, unable to think critically, and no imagination.
This message sent with a heavy dose of saracasm and irony.
With all due respect, I think you give too much benefit of the doubt to the government. Once the government camel gets its nose in the tent, it wont be long before the whole camel is in there, crapping all over everything.
As for that photo, the first thing that comes to mind is "What is thy bidding…..my Master?"
For those who need a chant to get motivated:
NO, YOU CAN'T destroy the Constitution!
And a serious question: How could impeachment take place when Congress agrees with the president?
The open free market caused this crash. Letting it continue without some changes to how it operates would be like letting Bernie Madoff out of jail to keep running his business if he promises to not do it again. This is Earth.
We all Republicans and Democrats and the biggest group – Independents have to rewrite some of the rules and enforce them. There are too many people on the planet that don't have a clue to have a completely free system where everybody does only what they want to do.
Republicans have to step up with new ideas and new thinking and new leaders now. Otherwise some other group will organize a conservative party to counter the Democrats and do it. Maybe that would be the very best thing after all.
Hey Bev,
A bit of a dissappointment actually. I hit 100, then a booming voice spoke to me from the sky. It said, "you may ask any one question!"
And I said, "Cool, just one question?"
And it said, "yes". And then it was gone. What a rip off.
I think I'll do that too.
Am I mistaken or did a lot of those companies try to give the money back, but were told they couldn't because it would make other companies look less 'healthy'?
And conditions on welfare, like 'Work to Welfare,' where you rake leaves in the park for what amounts to less than minimum wage? Yup, dat soun like da gubmint.
Again, I don't want the money to have been paid in the first place. But if we're going to pay it, I'm not sure why we don't want to impose terms that (1) either protect the money or (2) that we believe will fix the situation. Consider welfare or flood insurance.
When we give welfare, we impose certain requirements as a condition for receiving the money (e.g. keep your kids in school, don't buy alcohol with the food stamps), because we understand that these people have shown a propensity for making bad decisions, and because we believe we can change that by forcing them to start making good decisions. That doesn't give me any heartburn. I don't know that I don't see this bailout money as identical to a welfare payment.
(cont)
Or consider flood insurance. Someone builds a house in a flood plane. The Feds insure it because they want to support development in the area. The house floods. We pay out. They rebuild. The house floods again. We pay out again. They rebuild. Over and over. Assuming we continue to offer insurance, wouldn't you agree that it's more reasonable to require them to build a more flood resistant house as a condition of getting the money than it is to just give them the money and trust they use it better next time?
I know they wanted to be able to reach any business (particularly car parts suppliers and insurers) but that's not what they got in the legislation.
As for Congress's failures, unfortunately, in the 1940s, the Supreme Court decided to start letting Congress pass vague legislation. That was a huge surrender of power by Congress to the Executive that does need to be repaired.
I assure you, I give no benefit of the doubt to the government whatsoever. I know full well there is no power the government will not try to obtain and no right it will not trample.
Judge Andrew Napolitano on Fox and Friends Friday a.m. related that he'd had a conversation with a banker who did not make subprime loans, had not sold his loans to another enterprise and did not want the TARP money. He was told by the Gov. that if he did not take the TARP money, he would be audited for the next five years. He took the information to his board and they (rightfully so, IMHO) advised him NOT to fight the Feds, their opinion being that five years of audits would a) cost an inordinate amount of money which should go to the stockholders and b) frighten the stockholders and those who might want to do business with the bank. He agreed to take the TARP money. This "legislation" is a huge power grab. Forget whether it was Jefferson or Madison, but one of them pointed out that governments ALWAYS become tyrannical. Our Founders did what they could to prevent that from happening to us, but apparently after 200+ years, the American Bolsheviks have found a way around the Constitution. Intellectually, it is fascinating to watch; emotionally, it's scary as hell.
Since this is Big Hollywood, I'd like to propose a cap on movie stars', producers', studios' and directors' "take(s)"…say 2 million/picture TOPS. — the rest of the profit goes to the Feds who then equitably distribute
amongst the workers who toil away in our newly created socialist "republic". Wonder what the Lefty actors think about that.
Wealth tax? The way you’ve presented it I could be for it. There would be much gnashing of teeth.
Andrew! Are you one with yourself? You’ve reached true Nirvana, huh? omm… omm…
Or perhaps BH sends you an Obama collectable plate for your big “100!”
Just one point I haven't seen discussed is the whole "not socialism" but "communism" bit. Not sure I follow. Even if the gov't were to take over major industries and give them away, that would still be socialism in its root. Gov't control of capital. Scary enough, no need to stretch it out to something its not.
So I don't agree that we are sliding into communism. Its unfortunate that we were in this mess when B.O. took power. Gives him plenty of excuse to do what he is doing. But whose fault was it that we are in this mess? Well, there's plenty of blame to go around, but certainly, let's not pretend our prior system gets off scot free. Some change had to be made, and how unfortunate it landed when it did with the new administration promising change.
If you read any news about the act, it *only* applies to companies that have taken bailout money — not all companies. I hope every Republican in the Senate votes for this. The more downsides there are to taking the taxpayer coin the better I like it.
They should have thought ahead and resisted the pressure.
I have never read of anything more than "We would really like you to take this money so there is a unified front". People who will fall for that will fall for Nigerian scams. They should not be running banks. Hell, they should not be running lemonade stands.
I will point out that the "getting hassled for travelling with large amounts of cash" procedure (with large determined by the officer) was put in mostly by conservatives as part of the War on Some Drugs. He's lucky he was allowed to keep it.
Does anyone have a cite on the notion that "volunteers" would not be allowed to attend worship services on their own time? I find that implasible. I could definitely see a restriction on preaching while working. And, in all honesty, if I am planting seedlings I don't need the next guy over telling me his particular version of Good News while I am doing so.
No, like I told Bev above, there was a booming voice, it said: "You may ask one question." I replied, "Only one question?" It said, yes and then vanished. Kind of a rip off really, if you ask me.
By the way, I'm not responding to much today because I've only been able to open these stupid threads a couple times this morning, so if you don't hear from me, it's technical… not personal.
I agree with you on this. It is still a sorry piece of legislation IMHO, but I think we need to all understand why.
I hope that you are right about people waking up. Not going to hold my breath, though. It would be a shame if I tyrned blue and passed out.
Funny thing to check out. Find a gun store online, or some place selling ammunition. In the ones I've checked lately, you'll see gun after gun and other things SOLD OUT with more on order. The Marxists currently running amok in DC don't have any internal governors – they'll just do all they can get away with. What they are counting on is people not fighting back. When it begins happening, it'll be heart attack central in DC. Never before in history has a free people who are armed been faced with this kind of looming totalitarianism who were also well-connected with a tool like the Internet and the mobility of cars and trucks and motorcycles.
I’m just now able to see your post, funny. By the way when I opened the thread this time first shot, bam straight to your comment I guess BH is on the job.
Yeah, we live in Canton around the same distance from Atlanta. As I understand it Sunday April 15th at the state capital. Parking is gonna be a bear.
That's why we are thinking of the one in Gainesville. May go there, instead, my hubby has a bad back, and I don't think he will be able to take miles of walking, not sure I can right now,either. I've been sick much of the winter, and am horribly out of shape. I might be gasping, if I have to do too much walking, then I won't enjoy it.
The contract was written and signed before the acceptance of money. You have a legal issue here which courts are empowered to adjudicate, not the legislative or executive branch. This is what happens when we fail to teach history and government to our kids. And no, its NOT the schools job.
Tim Geitner want to expnad the power to ANY companies he deemed "large" enough, whether they took TARP or not.. And I believe it passed one of the Houses with a few Rep votes.
People want all sorts of things. But the legislation that passed the House only applies to TARP fund recipients.
Lets not confuse actual passing legislation with what Geitner wants in the future.
ROFL!!
Yeah, and ACORN is going to run the census and then there's this interesting piece of news:
Congressman Jose Serrano has introduced legislation in the House of Representatives to Repeal the Twenty-Second Amendment.
Click here to read more about Congressman Serrano's efforts.
- H.J.RES.5 – Text
- H.J.RES.5 – Info
Go to the website of Repeal Amendment 22: end22.com/
Bring a barf bag.
For those not so good with knowing your Constitutional Amendments by memory, the 22nd amendment is the one that prevents a president from serving more than two terms….
Small miracle. Thanks for the info.
Really — What do lawyers know about the real world ? Our representatives was suppose to be made up of farmers, blacksmiths, miners, merchants, workers, etc. All of the sudden, lawyers know how to make law, avoid law and misinterpret law. That is why we are here ! I don't know of any poor lawyer !
Everyone turn out to a tea party near you on the 15th
The problem is…how can we know with any certainty what these Constitution-shredders are capable of?
Once upon a time, bonuses were for exceptionally good performance.
Any company that comes wailing to Washington that they need taxpayers and the credit of our government to keep them from going broke is NOT turning in a good performance. As long as they are borrowing OUR money (in theory, once they are back in the black they will pay us back, with interest) their executives are not entitled to bonuses.
There are companies that have looked at the restrictions being imposed, and said, no thanks, we can do without the government subsidies, guarantees, loans, etc. Good. If they can do without it, they should. That is what free enterprise is all about. And if you can stay in business without borrowing from the American people's hard earned money (the part we pay as income taxes), you are free to run your business without this kind of government conditions. If you can't make it in the free market, and need government aid, it comes with strings attached, and it should, just like any other kind of welfare.
All that is basic bedrock conservative principles. Now, a break with the past. Those of us who distrust power in the hands of government need to recognize that a CORPORATION is a creature of government. It would not exist without government creating the mechanism, licensing it to exist with a distinct identity from the partners who make it up, and giving it rights and privileges. We should distrust this artificial person having power, just like we distrust any other bureaucracy. To the extent that we allow our government to create such a thing, we should insist that our government take responsibility to supervise it, closely. Why? Because otherwise it will become bloated and arrogant and trample on the rights of The People (that's us human beings, citizens), just like any government bureaucracy would. With that sense of responsibility, a lot of irresponsible tyrants would never have been allowed to put our economy in the shape where businesses are "too big to fail" (GWB said it first), and have to be subsidized or propped up by taxpayers.
Why is AIG "too big to fail"? Because if it collapses, millions of small businesses and families will find that their insurance policies are worth nothing, the ones they have been paying into all these years. No other reason is good enough, but that one rings pretty loud.
I totally AGREE WITH YOU! The people who voted for this puppet who is directed by Soros as well as other world figures is a complete sham, is doing what he said he would do and people act surprised. Soros learned the ways of the Nazis, has always hated the USA, created a Wall St catastrophe that is well known but never addressed and got us started on the decline, then Obama started playing Hitler takeovers immediately. They are not bright, just mimicking the same ole crap. Our drugged out people who negate education and those who prefer to vote based on their prejudices have done this through their own ignorance.
"When the government ignores legal contractual obligations because they judge someone’s bonus as unfair the law has been ignored, which means it was violated and this violation occurred at the highest level of government."
Fine article. Well done.
You lost me when you wrote "Last time I looked, working for pay was called A JOB. " When was the last time you looked? Have you ever looked? I doubt anyone who's ever used the hackneyed and childishly sarcastic phrase "Last time I looked…," or it's cousin, "Last time I checked,..," has ever looked or checked. Don't stoop to the use of "stoopid," argument-deflating cliche phrases. Using a simple statement of fact such as ,"Working for pay is called a job" is succinct and will suffice.
Axl, do yourself a favor and read exactly what Hitler did in taking over Germany; call it what you like and make your own decision. BO has practiced the same tactics as Hitler and is funded and coached by George Soros as well as in the past by Frank M. Davis as well as L. Farrakan. The stock market crash was precipitated by G. Soros taking out 550 Billion in Sept (19th I think). Politicians know this. BO started making his new rules, taking over companies, getting control of money, following GWBush in the war realm and crashing jobs. Take your time, look it up and make your own decision while you still can. Your kids will be put into service for the national good and so will you. Believe it.
[...] clipped from bighollywood.breitbart.com [...]
I hope so Skip. You get outside of the Beltway or conservative blogs, and Obama is still polling well. People have either tuned out or are still going to give him some time. I think if unemployment is double digits, and there are signs of recovery in Europe and Russia, then it will be hard for Obama to pin this all on Bush, and 2010 might become a referendum on Obama's (and the Dems) policies. But the Dems are playing a good game, dominating the media with their talking points, diverting attention from the real issues, vilifying anyone who gets in their way.
I read the bill at this link.
http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-h1664/text
Where does it say that people can't worship?
[...] More details on the take over of America (H/T The Anchoress): This bill essentially allows the Treasury to define “fair pay” for all [...]
[...] like Breitbart who finds in the new mandatory volunteerism, there is this little tidbit: The scariest part of the [...]
[...] kowtowing to Saudi Arabia King. That includes the stupid sword fights, holding hands, etc. Now, I wonder if lefties will have the same reaction now that Hussein Obama is kissing up the the Sa…? Obama gave the Saudi King a ‘bow’ today (after not even having the decency to give the [...]
You're splitting hairs for no good reason at all. Idiot
Thats not the correct bill
And then what? I am losing my trust in the people. There are too many drones out there and the younger they are, the less they know. It´s depressing but this may be the future:
http://www.thereturnofscipio.com/?p=1534
Yes, most people are not following politics and many are basically illiterate when it comes to economics or the wider world in general. They will think Obama is great as long as some guy on tv says so. They have never heard of Obama´s many mistakes. They don´t know what a "trillion" is, or a "GDP". And about a quarter of them still doesn´t know who runs Congress. Of course they are receptive to propaganda, class warefare and scapegoating by the administration. By 2012 there will probably be a law making it mandatory for them to vote.
With an electorate like that, why doesn´t the US become a Latin American-style "big man" plutocracy? Beats me. Unless our national character is still stronger than it seems, at this point I would bet on Obama getting a second term.
The idea was not to have a ruling class. It´s come to this…
[...] Key excerpt: Over the past three months we have witnessed some truly amazing movements by the Obama administration. He has proposed more spending than all Presidents in history combined; he has trampled the Constitution by allowing the Treasury to take on a dictator style infringement on private companies, and now the democratically lead Congress has proposed the “Pay for Performance Act” which passed Thursday with even some Republican Congressman voted for it. [...]
Name-calling? Really? And that's the best you have? I've been called worse by better. Obama is serious business and splitting hairs is needed to counter the true threat he represents. Cliches are crutches for the ill-prepared.
When something so simple distracts you such as a line "Last time I looked" there is a problem. And….last time I looked, you were an idiot who attacks someone trying to make a point about the trouble this country is in. What good do you serve to attack your own..Which team will you be fighting on? I sure wouldn't want you in my fox hole. In fact…I don't think you are who you pretend to be. I think you are a Huffington post plant. Go back to your liberal closet and stop showing your idiot colors around here.
You really must forgive the little quarks that control the minds of English Lit. majors, and English & Journalism flunkies with masters degrees, John g. They are often found, all over the world, giving vocal protestations about the use of cliches combined with their unbridled passion for "succinct" phrases. It's all been ingrained in them since English 101 when they first read Strunk's "The Elements of Style." They really can't help it, ya know? After all, there is a pure, artistic, perfectionist, way of writing for the elite, educated, in-the-know, few… and then there's the guys like Derek Broes who write without gaining their approval first (sacrilege!). These newcomer poseurs must be punished at all times for daring to go against the grain! And even worse, writing such horrible phrases such as "Last time I checked…." I've come to discover, in my time involved with the creative fields, that these types of over-educated "artistes" are more about critiquing others based on the "rules of art," and less about actually looking past their own hypocrisies and failures in their own streamlined, production, oriented, "Corporate" art. They fail to recognize that true art is self-identifying, individual, freedom of expression, in and of itself. They expect total unvarnished originality, at all times, whilst they harp on and on about following slick, professional, rules; making themselves into cliches of cliches. They want succinctness because their lives have been reduced to the attention spans of gnats and 140 character Twitter posts about what is "Good" and what is "Trash." They want perfection, and by God, you better give it to them, or else…… *end rant* (cliche!)
I agree to your comments, Derek. We are really bothered with what is going on. We should start somewhere, somehow, someday to stop this fascism that is going on.
Gee O Great One,
Ol' GW sure sounds like one o' them right wing extremists doesn't he.
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