Great piece.
Comments »Breitbart Was Hours Away from Releasing Damning Obama Video When He Died
Team Obama: escaped depression, fumbled recovery
Read here:
Comments »The dark economic days of early 2009 — hundreds of thousands of jobs lost per month, the Dow sinking to 6,600, a sense of chaos — may now seem a distant memory. But the legacy of the deep downturn, and the economic policies forged in that crucible are still very much with us. And, so, too, are the debates over the response by the Federal Reserve and the Obama Administration. Was the stimulus too much or too little? Did the central bank exert itself excessively to aid Wall Street? And did the elite cadre of brilliant economic minds that flocked to Washington in 2009 accurately diagnose the situation and prescribe the appropriate cure?
In his timely, highly readable new book, The Escape Artist: How Obama’s Team Fumbled the Recovery, Noam Scheiber, a veteran Washington reporter with a solid background in economics, delves into these questions.
From the outset, Scheiber argues, the willingness of the Fed and Treasury to go all out to save the financial system was not matched by a similar desire by the administration to pitch big ideas to help the real economy. One of Scheiber’s big scoops was the unearthing of a memo written by Christina Romer, the head of the Council of Economic Advisers, in which she argued that a stimulus of $1.8 trillion would be needed to return employment to healthy levels by 2011. But the memo never reached the president’s desk, in part because the dominant political advisers believed a measure of that size was a non-starter. “I think they missed an opportunity out of the gate,” Scheiber says. While the stimulus worked and helped get the economy back on a track of growth, it ultimately was a half-measure that disappointed. “They were right about the shape but didn’t give it enough oomph to get escape velocity,” for the economy, Scheiber says. (In the accomanying video, Scheiber joins me and my colleague Aaron Task to discuss his book).
Scheiber also delves into the personalities, conflicts, and egos that made up Obama’s economic team: Office of Management and Budget Director Peter Orszag, Romner, National Economic Council Chairman Laurence Summers, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, economic advisers Austen Goolsbee, Gene Sperling, and Jason Furman, and the political powerhouse of Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel and advisers David Axelrod and David Plouffe. At times, this Dream Team of advisers turned out to be a Team of Rivals. Scheiber conducted hundreds of interviews with all the key players, unearthing details about their arguments, policy preferences, and tennis games. As a result, with its reconstruction of meetings The Escape Artists reads like a Bob Woodward book — albeit better written and informed by a more sophisticated understanding of economics and policymaking.
Scapegoats 101: Oil speculators are back in
Read here:
Comments »U.S. oil reserves should be put into the market in order to stem recent price rises, Dan Weiss, director of climate strategy at the Center for American Progress, told CNBC. He blamed speculators for the recent rise in oil prices.
Nymex light sweet crude April futures locked in an almost 9 percent price gain for the month of February, while Brent crude saw its futures contract price jump by more than 14 percent last month.
“Speculators are driving up the price, taking advantage of fears about a supply disruption in the Persian Gulf which have not materialized yet.
Speculators are buying two thirds of futures contracts and end-users only one third, when it’s usually the reverse,” he said. “In the U.S., demand is down, and price increases are not demand driven.”
Meanwhile, the U.S. is producing “more oil than it has in years. The amount of reserve oil on hand is much higher than forecast,” he said.
Weiss said speculation can be curbed by bringing some of those reserves to the market in order to bring prices down.
“We’ve spoken about bursting the speculative bubble by having the President putting some reserve oil on the market. Every time that’s been done, it’s led to a decrease in oil and gas prices,” he said.
Our System Our Structure Our Illusion – A Documentary of Sorts
A documentary of sorts. More like a collection of great statements from comedians, politicians, and ordinary folk. If you watch this in its entirety you may think you have automated responses to the philosophical questions asked about government, law, society, economics, and humanity; but you’ll find that perhaps there are many illusions affecting your belief structure.
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
“All things are subject to interpretation; whichever interpretation prevails at a given time is a function of power and not truth.”
–Friedrich Nietzsche
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
“An attempt to give an alternate perspective than what has ever been shown on mainstream media, I hope it inspires you to ask questions.
███ ██ █ ████ everything ███ ███ is ████ ██ ████ fine ████ ████ love. █████ ███ █ ███ your ████ ███ government
Disclaimer: DO NOT WATCH IF YOU DO NOT LIKE TO THINK”
[youtube://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HFXMQ7Ot-k 450 300] Comments »Obama and GOP Spar Over Gasoline Prices
Stephen Bannon: We’ll Release the Tapes Breitbart has of Obama’s College Years in the Next 10 Days
Just One Man’s Opinion: “Old Man Buffett is a Hack”
[youtube://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJYLmDbIV9s 450 300] Comments »
BREITBART PROMISED TO RELEASE OBAMA COLLEGE VIDEOS
Will they come out now or are they lost forever?
[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fRQ2lIQ3Lg&feature=related 603 500] Comments »SHOCK: Andrew Breitbart Has Passed Away
They are saying he died from “natural causes” at the age of 43. WTF is that supposed to mean? How does one die from “natural causes” at 43?
He was just tweeting 6 hours ago. They said he died shortly after midnight; but these tweets happened after 3am?!
UPDATE: Nevermind, he lived in California. Therefore, he must have died right after that tweet below.
Having Fun With Your Tax Dollars
Sheriff Joe Arpaio May Make an Ass of Himself, or Create a Constitutional Crisis
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Poll after poll in recent months has indicated that Americans have a high level of concern over Barack Obama’s eligibility to be president, with one poll showing fully half of the nation wants Congress to investigate the question.
But reporters for the traditional media – networks, major newspapers, major news corporations and conglomerates – mostly have giggled when talk turns to the serious question of just what the U.S. Constitution requires of presidents.
Nevertheless, media organizations from all political persuasions are seeking admittance to a news conference to be held by Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopa County, Ariz.
The event is tomorrow at 1 p.m. Mountain Standard Time in Phoenix, 3 p.m. Eastern, and will be live-streamed by WND.
The topic of discussion will be an investigation by Arpaio’s Cold Case Posse into concerns about Obama’s eligibility. It’s the first time an official law enforcement report has addressed many of the allegations about the presumptive 2012 Democratic nominee for president.
The issues include Obama’s eligibility under the U.S. Constitution’s requirements, questions about his use of a Connecticut Social Security number and the image of his purported birth certificate from Hawaii.
In addition to the live-streaming, WND will make available to the public, the same day by email, the official report distributed to media by Arpaio’s investigators. Those interested in receiving the report can sign up for the free service.
Top national media organizations have indicated their plans to attend, and bookings for radio and television reports are in the works. Expected are reporters from the Associated Press, Reuters, Univision, the Washington Times and NBC, CBS and ABC affiliates, as well statewide radio networks, among many others.
Because of the circumstances, a decision was made to hold the press conference at the sheriff’s training center on the outskirts of Phoenix, rather than at the downtown office.
The event is expected to draw protesters who object to the sheriff’s office review of allegations that Obama may attempt to use a fraudulent document to have his name placed on the 2012 presidential election ballot in Arizona.
Without releasing any details, Arpaio has said the findings “could be a shock.”
He constituted a special five-member law enforcement posse last year to investigate allegations brought by members of the Surprise, Ariz., Tea Party that the Obama birth certificate released to the public by the White House on April 27 might be a forgery.
The posse is made up of three former law enforcement officers and two retired attorneys with law enforcement experience. Members have been examining evidence since September concerning Obama’s eligibility to be president under Article 2, Section 1 of the Constitution, which requires a president to be a natural-born citizen.
Among other issues, there also have been allegations of Obama’s use of a Social Security number that corresponds to a Connecticut address, even though the president apparently had no links there.
WND earlier reported a private investigation found that the Social Security number being used by Obama does not pass a check with E-Verify, the electronic system the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has created to verify whether or not someone is authorized to work legally in the country.
Arpaio’s investigation is the first official law enforcement look at the allegations surrounding Obama’s eligibility. Many of the private investigators who have examined it contend there are too many questionable circumstances to believe that everything regarding Obama is above-board.
Arpaio previously told WND that when he launched his Cold Case Posse it was with the possibility that he would clear Obama.
He said it wasn’t an issue he could ignore, after 250 members of the tea party organization “came to me and asked their sheriff to investigate Obama and the birth certificate.”
The WND TV live-streaming coverage of the news conference Thursday is possible through the support of the Western Center for Journalism.
The decisions in dozens of court cases over the last few years questioning Obama’s eligibility were typified by a recent decision in Georgia in which several individuals filed challenges to Obama’s name on the 2012 ballot and provided evidence to a hearing officer.
Even though Obama and his lawyer deliberately snubbed the case – the lawyer wrote the judge a letter in advance telling him Obama would not attend – the judge threw out the evidence presented by several attorneys and ruled in favor of Obama.
Similar ballot challenges are being filed in a long list of other states already.
The Arpaio investigators were given the case following a meeting held in the sheriff’s office Aug. 17, 2011, with tea party representatives from Surprise, Ariz., who presented a petition signed by more than 250 Maricopa County residents. The petitioners expressed concern that their voting rights could be irreparably compromised if Obama uses a forged birth certificate to be placed on the 2012 presidential ballot in Arizona or otherwise is found to be ineligible.
The tea party letter formally stated the following charge: “The Surprise Tea Party is concerned that no law enforcement agency or other duly constituted government agency has conducted an investigation into the Obama birth certificate to determine if it is in fact an authentic copy of 1961 birth records on file for Barack Obama at the Hawaii Department of Health in Honolulu, or whether it, or they are forgeries.”
The posse was constituted as a 501(c)3 organization, designed to cost the people of Maricopa County nothing, while enabling people from around the country to contribute to its mission.
Those wishing to send a tax-deductible contribution directly to the Cold Case Posse may do so by mailing a check or money order to: MCSO Cold Case Posse, P.O. Box 74374, Phoenix, AZ 85087.
WND has reported that dozens of experts with varying ranges of competency who have looked at the situation believe the birth documentation image released by Obama last year is not genuine.
A flying-banner and billboard campaign to let people know about the questions regarding eligibility that was started by WND CEO and Editor Joseph Farah also has raised the public’s awareness of the situation.
Farah wrote recently that the underlying question to be determined is whether the U.S. Constitution remains the law of the land, or whether it has become “an archaic old document that needs to be amended.”
“At its core, it’s really quite simple: Does Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution dealing with who can serve as president of the United States simply mean that any citizen age 35 or older is eligible? If so, why did the founders use a different term altogether – ‘natural born citizen’? What is a ‘natural born citizen’? Is it anyone born in the United States? If so, why have candidates born outside the United States been deemed eligible? Do we owe it to America’s future to go back in history to determine what that term actually means?
“Until now, as hard as it may be to believe, no official vetting of Obama’s credentials has been done – not by the 50 secretaries of state who oversee elections, not by the Federal Elections Commission that administers the nation’s elections laws, not by the Electoral College, not by any judge in America, not by Congress, not by anyone,” he continued.
Even before the results become public, Farah said he’s confident there will be a significant impact.
“I strongly believe it could be a game-changer,” he said.
Comments »Can OWS come back in 2012?
Comments »NEW YORK (Reuters) – A few dozen Occupy Wall Street protestors marched on the world headquarters of pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc. on Wednesday, a lukewarm kick off to a nationwide day of revival for the movement loosely organized around denouncing economic inequality.
Police on motorcycles escorted the peaceful but loud group of about 50 protestors marching from the park outside the New York Public Library to nearby Pfizer, close to Grand Central Terminal.
“Shame on Pfizer! You’re a bunch of liars!” chanted the protestors as they milled around barricades in front of Pfizer, the world’s largest drug maker, and were watched by about 50 police officers.
Pfizer officials were not immediately available for comment.
Coast to coast demonstrations were slated for Wednesday to decry corporations that lobby for legislation to create tax breaks and other benefits for large businesses.
The actions were aimed at revving up the movement known as “Occupy,” which has been relatively quiet in the months since police cleared encampments in New York, Oakland and other major cities.
A rallying cry of the movement has been that 1 percent of the population has too much of the nation’s wealth and the remaining 99 percent is disadvantaged.
Pfizer was awarded a mock prize for “Excellence in Profiteering” by the group before it marched back in the rain to Bryant Park outside the library, carrying signs reading “People over profit” and “Healthcare is a human right” as well as “I’m a doctor for the 99 percent.”
Hoisting a sign reading “I can’t afford to get sick” was Jennifer Roberts, 44, a painter who lives in Jersey City, New Jersey.
“I’ve lived the bulk of my adult working life without insurance,” said Roberts, who is single and therefore not covered by a spouse’s health insurance either. “I feel it’s very important to pursue a single payer system for this country.”
Protestor Paul Layton, 59, a lawyer who lives in New York City, wore a yellow button reading “Healthcare for the 99 percent.”
“I have to make a choice between keeping my office open and keeping my health insurance,” said Layton who is also single and uninsured.
Watch Ron Paul Grill Bernanke About Trust and Inflation
Mitt Romney Sweeps Michigan and Looks Towards Super Tuesday
Romney defeated Santorum in MI and also took Arizona to bolster his front runner status…
Comments »Markets Start to Anticipate Obama Victory in November
By: John Melloy
Executive Producer, Fast Money & Halftime
Executive Producer, Fast Money & Halftime
While President Obama may not be Wall Street’s ideal candidate, stock prices are rising on growing expectations he will be re-elected this November.
Part of that, market pros say, is simply that investors feel more certain about who will be in the White House for the next four years and which policies they will have to deal with.
Obama’s chances of winning in November increased to above 60 percent on Tuesday, up from about 50 percent at the beginning of the year, according to the odds on prediction market Intrade.com.
Read the rest here.
Comments »Obama Executive Orders a Trade Unit to Investigate Fair Trade Relations With China
“President Barack Obama signed an executive order creating a U.S. panel to investigate unfair trade practices by nations including China.
The Interagency Trade Enforcement Center will bring together lawyers, researchers, analysts and government agents to monitor and enforce trade agreements and laws. The panel, established within U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk’s office, will have its director chosen by Kirk, with a deputy selected by Commerce Secretary John Bryson.
The center will be ready to open within 90 days, funded by the trade representative’s office and Commerce, Michelle O’Neill, deputy undersecretary of Commerce for international trade, told reporters today during a conference call. The panel will have employees from the departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Homeland Security, Justice, State and Treasury, as well as U.S. intelligence agencies, according to the order.
“We are doubling down on the administration’s commitment to strong trade enforcement,” Kirk said during the briefing. “We’ll continue to press our trading partners” to comply with World Trade Organization rules “and abide by obligations.”
The effort may aid Obama’s attempt to boost economic growth and cut unemployment by doubling exports to $3.14 trillion by 2015, from $1.57 trillion in 2009. Though the panel will be empowered to investigate all foreign trade, Obama cited China (TBBLCHNA) as a source of concern in his January State of the Union speech to Congress.
WTO Complaints
Obama filed five World Trade Organization complaints against China since taking office three years ago, compared with seven George W. Bush filed from 2001, when China joined the Geneva-based trade arbiter. Obama imposed duties on Chinese-made tires, which he said has helped to create more than 1,000 U.S. jobs….”
Comments »Are You a Fiscal or Social Conservative ?
Ireland to Hold Referendum on New EU Fiscal Treaty
“Ireland will hold a referendum on Europe’s new fiscal treaty, Prime Minister Enda Kenny said on Tuesday, setting the stage for the first popular vote on the German-led plan for stricter budget discipline across the region….”
Comments »Merkel Wins Parliamentary Vote for Greek Aid
“Chancellor Angela Merkel won a parliamentary vote on Greek aid after warning German lawmakers that pushing Greece out of the euro would risk “incalculable” damage, defying a public backlash against more bailout funds.
In a ballot that showed dissent in her coalition growing, 496 members of the lower house, or Bundestag, backed the 130 billion-euro ($174 billion) package yesterday in Berlin; 90 voted against and five abstained. While questions on Greece’s remaining in the euro “have their justification,” Merkel warned that a failure of the euro might endanger the European Union and the global economy.
“Angela Merkel’s strident insistence that bailing out Greece is vastly preferable to the alternative was important,” Kit Juckes, head of foreign-exchange research at Societe Generale SA, said in a note today as he forecast the euro rising to $1.50. “Europe’s leaders have always stepped back from the edge of the abyss after flirting with disaster.”
Merkel’s government pushed through the measure to stave off a collapse of the Greek economy amid signs of growing resistance and as one of her Cabinet ministers said Greece should leave the single currency. Euro leaders will now shift their focus on whether to bolster the region’s bailout firewall as they prepare for a summit meeting in Brussels on March 1-2….”
Comments »
