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Comments »Bad Credit Decisions Should Be Punished
Trichet on the Euro: Crisis Has Reached a “Systemic Dimension”
Taking a page from Greenspan he is singing like a bird after leaving his influential chair…
Comments »Late Night Fun: An Odd Choice From Your President
A Message From Immortal Technique @ Occupy Wall St.
[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=j8a9RgFHKrQ#! 450 300] [youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44PD32pfW7E 450 300]
Comments »Germany Pushes For Maximum Pain Upon Bond Holders
Congress takes up China trade bill
Comments »WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress is attacking the jobs front this week, with votes on China currency, free trade and President Barack Obama’s jobs bill.
The Senate on Tuesday evening should pass legislation imposing economic sanctions on China if it continues to keep its exports cheap by undervaluing its currency. The bill, however, faces opposition in the House and may function mainly as a strong message of frustration with China’s economic policies.
It will also be difficult for Senate Democrats, facing stiff GOP opposition, to obtain the 60 votes needed to advance Obama’s $447 billion jobs bill.
It is almost certain, however, that the House and Senate will vote by Wednesday to approve free trade agreements with South Korea, Colombia and Panama that supporters say will foster tens of thousands of American jobs.
Occupy Wall Street denies Representative talking time at assembly
This is the craziest thing I’ve ever heard of. This group is completely insane. Guess what, clowns?
Some people are more important than others. Using their rules, I wonder how they would have a real debate about anything useful?
Comments »Rep. John Lewis is one of 435 members of the House interminably frustrated by the arcane ways of the Senate. At an Occupy Atlanta protest, he encountered a process arguably worse.
A lengthy video posted online over the weekend showed what happened when the Democratic congressman tried to address an “assembly” of protesters in his home state. Instead of giving the floor to a man who is not just a longtime U.S. representative but a revered civil rights icon, the protesters employed a tangle of parliamentary procedures to ultimately prevent him from speaking.
A stunned Lewis could be seen watching the whole thing unfold before ambling away.
Asked about the incident Monday, a Lewis spokeswoman told FoxNews.com “the only comment that we’re going to give is the comments already made.” In a prior interview about the matter with the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Lewis said, “It’s okay,” and that “they didn’t really deny me.”
The end result, though, was that Lewis did not get to speak to the protesters.
The procedures they used — rather, invented — would make the Senate blush. Imagine some combination of Model U.N., Lord of the Flies and a Phish concert.
The central premise, it appeared, was that no one person is inherently more valuable than anyone else. So when the group’s leader, a bespectacled man with a bullhorn, said anything, he spoke in clipped fragments so the rest of the crowd could repeat what he was saying back to him. Another rule — no clapping, because “clapping can prevent someone else who is addressing the assembly from being heard.”
Instead, the leader urged everyone to use effusive hand signals to show approval.
With these fundamentals in place, the assembly spent 10 minutes debating whether Lewis should be allowed to speak before the crowd, which had gathered as one of many offshoots of the Occupy Wall Street protests in New York.
When the leader put the question to the group, he asked if there were any “blocks.”
Indeed there were. Another demonstrator spoke out to say that while he respects Lewis’ contribution to society, the protesters were trying to start “a democratic process in which no singular human being is inherently more valuable than any other human being.”
Lewis nodded his head in approval, then appeared to display the makings of a hand signal before giving up and keeping his hands loosely clasped while the debate mounted.
After more commentary from the assembly, the leader took a “temperature check” — which is not quite a vote. It was evident the group was divided about letting Lewis speak.
So the leader called for a “straw poll.” More hand signals followed, and from this the leader was able to infer “the group is very divided about this issue.”
Warning that consensus would be elusive on the matter, he proposed continuing “with the agenda.”
At this point, Lewis began to make his way out of the crowd. Some started shouting, “Let him speak.”
But it was not to be. Another person shouted: “John Lewis is not better than anyone! Democracy won!”
The leader closed by restating the rules. “This group makes its decisions by consensus. We do not have a consensus,” he said.
They continued with the agenda.
Herman Cain Throws Hot Slices of Godfather’s Pizza at Occupy Wall Street Protestors
Republican presidential contender Herman Cain amplified his criticism Sunday of the growing Occupy Wall Streetmovement, calling the protesters “jealous’ Americans who “play the victim card” and want to “take somebody else’s” Cadillac.
Cain’s remarks, on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” came amidst an escalating war of words between Republicans and Democratsover the merits of the movement, which has spread from New York to other cities across the nation, including Washington and Los Angeles.
GOP politicians in recent days have stepped up their criticism of the protesters, with House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) calling them “mobs” who have pitted “Americans against Americans.”
But Cain, surging in popularity among many conservatives, seems to have had among the most virulent responses to the protests.
On CBS, Cain suggested that the rallies had been organized by labor unions to serve as a “distraction so that many people won’t focus on the failed policies of the Obama administration.”
The banking and financial services industries aren’t responsible for those policies, Cain said. “To protest Wall Street and the bankers is basically saying you’re anti-capitalism,” he said.
Presidential candidate Newt Gingrich, who appeared on the program with Cain, offered a more measured response, but blamed the White House for the discord.
“There a lot of people in America who are angry,” Gingrich said. “This is the natural product of President Obama’s class warfare.”
Speaking on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), chairman of the House Budget Committee, also pointed a finger at the president, whom he accused of fear-mongering.
“He’s preying on the emotions of fear, envy and anger. And that is not constructive to unifying America,” Ryan said. “I think he’s broken his promise as a uniter, and now he’s dividing people. And to me, that’s very unproductive.”
Ryan cited protests in his home state of Wisconsin this year over collective bargaining legisation when asked about the Wall Street movement. “I don’t disparage anyone who protests their government in favor of better government, no matter what perspective they come from,” he said.
Asked whether Cain’s criticism was representative of the party, Ryan said, “I think Herman’s speaking for himself.”
House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco on ABC’s “This Week,” essentially called Cantor a hypocrite for criticizing the Wall Street protesters while embracing the “tea party” movement.
“I didn’t hear him say anything when the tea party was out demonstrating, actually spitting on members of Congress right here in the Capitol, and he and his colleagues were putting signs in the windows encouraging them,’ Pelosi said.
Pelosi said she supported the movement’s “message.”
“I support the message to the establishment, whether it’s Wall Street or the political establishment and the rest, that change has to happen,” she said “We cannot continue in a way that does not — that is not relevant to their lives. People are angry.”
Comments »Early Lunch Break: Where is the Reasoning on Arming Governments With Child Soldiers ?
ART CASHIN: Obama Might Be Fomenting A New ‘Arab Spring’ Revolution In America
France and Germany Disagree Again Over Best Course for Bank Aid
SHOCK: Reid’s ‘Nuclear Option’ Changes Rules, Ends Repeat Filibusters
In a shocking development Thursday evening, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) triggered a rarely used procedural option informally called the “nuclear option” to change the Senate rules.
The Democratic leader had become fed up with Republican demands for votes on motions to suspend the rules after the Senate had voted to end a filibuster.
Reid said these motions, which do not need unanimous consent, amount to a second-round filibuster after the Senate has voted to move to final passage of a measure.
The Senate voted 51-48 to back Reid and overturn the Senate precedent. Sen. Ben Nelson (Neb.) was the only Democrat to vote against his leader.
The surprise move stunned Republicans, who did not expect Reid to bring heavy artillery to what had been a humdrum knife fight over amendments to China currency legislation.
Reid appealed a ruling from the chair that Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) does not need unanimous consent to force a vote on a motion to suspend the rules to consider amendments after cloture has already been approved.
The chair, which was occupied by Sen. Mark Begich (D-Alaska), ruled under the advice of the Senate parliamentarian that Republicans had the right to force a vote on a motion to suspend the rules and proceed to President Obama’s controversial jobs bill.
Republicans planned to use this right of the minority to embarrass Obama by showing that many Democrats do not support his jobs package as originally drafted. But Reid moved to kill their plan by appealing the chair’s ruling, triggering a vote.
The maneuver is arcane but momentous. If a simple majority of the Senate votes with Reid and strikes down the ruling, the chamber’s precedent will be changed through the unilateral action of one party.
Republicans had considered using this maneuver, dubbed the “nuclear option,” in 2005 to change Senate rules to prohibit the filibuster of judicial nominees. Democrats decried the plan and the crisis was resolved by a bipartisan agreement forged by 14 rank-and-file senators known as the Gang of 14.
Senate Republicans were furious at Reid’s actions.
“Just wait until they get into the minority!” one GOP staffer growled.
— This story was updated at 7:23 p.m.
Link: http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/186133-reid-triggers-nuclear-option-to-change-senate-rules-and-prohibit-post-cloture-filibusters
Senate to Vote Today on Obama’s Jobs Bill
US Senate will vote today on Obama’s jobs bill, the original bill that does not include millionaire tax – @NBCNews @libbyleist
Sen. Reid agreed to Sen. McConnell request to have vote on Obama’s stimulus bill, as amendment to Chinese currency bill – @NBCNews
from breakingnews.com
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EU Working Feverishly To Prevent Crisis
Civil Forfeiture is a Crime
This issue keeps popping up and warrants some media attention…
[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcQlF-zDEL0&feature=player_embedded#! 450 300] Comments »A Look at Mario Draghi; The New ECB President to Replace Trichet
Dems Look for a 5% Tax on Millionaires
A Story Mainstream Media Has Failed To Shout About
This is one screwed up story….
[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeCft3Gr8ds 450 300] Comments »President Co-Caine Starting to Resonate
Herman Caine, mathematician, former Deputy Chairman of the Fed, is now a contender for President.
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