Ron Paul Doing Lots of TV as Media Acknowledges, "Hey, This Guy Was Right!"

Nation Builder - [blog.nationbuilder.org]

I Bet You Can't Watch and Not Cringe...

Brazil's President Mocking U.S. Investment Banks...He's Right

"The President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said on Thursday,
September 18, that he has watched with "sadness" the collapse of Wall
Street firms that made economic policy recommendations in emerging
markets "as if they were the super intelligent and we were the poor
souls."

"Important banks, very important banks, that spent their lives giving

advice about Brazil and what we should or shouldn't do are now broke,"
news agency EFE quoted Lula da Silva as saying in a speech in southern
Brazil."

Brazil - Brazzil Mag - Brazilian President Makes Fun of Wall Street's Super Brains

THIS Guy is our Fed Chair?!

Bernanke Signals U.S. Should Pay More for Bad Debt

"Bernanke's remarks, an unusual departure from his prepared
testimony, come as lawmakers and the Bush administration
negotiate a rescue plan aimed at easing the worst financial
crisis since the Great Depression. The Fed chief said paying
prices higher than the bad assets would fetch in the open market
would help ``unfreeze'' credit markets and aid the economy. "

Bloomberg.com: Economy

He wants us to pay MORE than what they're worth. This is his solution.

Boston Legal Speech

Ron Paul on CNN Sept. 21, 2008

McCain Attacks Wall Street Greed—While 83 Wall Street Lobbyists Work for His Campaign

MotherJones Blog: McCain Attacks Wall Street Greed—While 83 Wall Street Lobbyists Work for His Campaign

No One Charged in Oil-Sex Scandal

"The Interior Department's watchdog criticized the Justice Department on
Thursday for declining to prosecute the managers of an oil- and
gas-royalty program that's been tainted by allegations of illicit sex,
drug use and taking favors worth thousands of dollars."

McClatchy Washington Bureau | 09/18/2008 | Official: Why weren't managers charged in oil-sex scandal?

Total Fed Lending(Guess Who Pays for this?)

Economagic.com

The Social Imperative of Sound Money

"This past week, the government announced that it would take Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, the mortgage giants, under conservatorship, which is a nice way of saying that they will be nationalized.

We don't use the word nationalize any more. We can try an experiment and read the new term conservatorship" back into history. In fact, we might say that Stalin and Lenin put Russia's industries under a kind of conservatorship. Or we might say that Mao pushed a kind of land conservatorship, or that Hitler's policy was one of national conservatorship. Marx's little book could be re-titled: The Conservatorship Manifesto.

You see, the government keeps having to make up new names for these things because the old policies, which were not that different in content, failed so miserably. The old terms become discredited and new terms become necessary, in an effort to fool the public.

It's as if a restaurant served a shrimp dish that gave all the customers food poisoning, and so each night it decides to serve the same shrimp but name the dish something new: crangon cocktail, prawn pasta,
scampi salad, or what have you. But no matter what they call it, it is still poison.

Such a restaurant would be out of business in a matter of days. People would not be fooled. But the government gets away with it mainly because we have no real choice about the matter, and because people are predisposed to believe the government far more than they should. It doesn't help that the media are willing to echo the government line on this, adopting every new phrase as if it were the gospel."

The Social Imperative of Sound Money by Llewellyn H. Rockwell, Jr.

Bin Laden: Goal is to bankrupt U.S.

CNN.com - Bin Laden: Goal is to bankrupt U.S. - Nov 1, 2004

When you're sitting around pondering, "Who is winning the war?", keep this in mind.

Fannie, Freddie Takeover Diminishes Financing Options for Banks

"Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson's
decision to seize Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac may choke off the
biggest source of funding for financial companies suffering from
the collapse of the subprime mortgage market. "
...
"Paulson's ``decision has been devastating to the market,''
said Marilyn Cohen, President of Envision Capital Management in
Los Angeles, which oversees $200 million in fixed-income assets.
``We all thought they would never help exacerbate the banking
crisis and that's exactly what they did.'' "

Bloomberg.com: Exclusive

Gov't interventions don't help. They make it worse and distort the market's natural correction mechanisms.

EU Not Following U.S. Down Socialist Bailout Path

"European finance ministers and
central bankers said they had no plans to follow the U.S. in
stimulating their economy and failed to agree on ways of
rescuing any foundering financial institution."

Bloomberg.com: Exclusive

Anyone Who Claims Palin Is Ready To Be President Is A Fucking Moron

"They just gave their new child two middle names. Why two? Because, they wanted the second one to be Van. Why? Because they thought it would be cute to have their child's name be Van Palin. You know, it sounds like Van Halen. Funny, huh?

No, I didn't make this up."

Today's M/I Report

Honest commentary.

Anti-immigration panic costs $2-$4 million per mile

"With 2,000 miles to fence in we are spending between $2 million and $4
million per mile in order to protect America from busboys, gardeners
and fast food clerks. But it sure makes the nativists, xenophobes and
bigots feel good. Of course more than bigots benefit from the Wall. Add
in the morons who think this Wall is somehow making them safe. It won’t
help the economy -- quite the contrary, it is very harmful to the
economy. But the emotional comfort that bigots and morons get from it
has to be worth something. Unfortunately, like most government schemes
the people who think they are benefiting have managed to pass the bulk
of the cost off on other people. Let’s face it -- the Minutemen types
and their closet supporters are major Welfare Queens. To give
themselves comfort they are ripping off the taxpayers to the sum of
between $2 million and $4 million per mile."

Classically Liberal: Anti-immigration panic costs $2-$4 million per mile.

Over 40 Journalists Arrested in St. Paul at RNC

More Than 40 Journos Listed as Arrested or Detained at RNC Protests

What's going on here? Is Freedom of the Press dying?

US government staff 'had sex and drugs with energy firm employees'

US government staff 'had sex and drugs with energy firm employees' - Telegraph

"You see, taxpayers, you must allow the government to issue permits to allow drilling and mining. We know how to properly allocate these very valuable licenses efficiently and equitably. If you let the free market decide this, it will do things poorly and unethically."

Bush secret order to send special forces into Pakistan

"A secret order issued by George Bush giving US special forces carte
blanche to mount counter-terrorist operations inside Pakistani
territory raised fears last night that escalating conflict was
spreading from Afghanistan to Pakistan and could ignite a region-wide
war."

George Bush's secret order to send special forces into Pakistan | World news | The Guardian

Factchecking the Palin Speech

Factchecking Palin, By Hilzoy - CBS News

US Military Trained Georgian Commandos Only Months Before South Ossetia Invasion

"The US military provided combat training to 80 Georgian special forces
commandos only months prior to Georgia’s army assault in South Ossetia
in August."

FT.com / World - US military trained Georgian commandos

Pakistan Cuts Supply Lines to U.S.-Led NATO Troops in Afghanistan

"He said that some twenty innocent people lost their lives — most of them were women and children.

The US government had accepted responsibility for the attack but did not
offer any apology for the same and instead announced to launch more
such attacks against the militants across the border, if so required in
future."

Pakistan cuts supply lines to Nato forces

Remember, the Global War on Terror is making us safer.

GOP Hiding Sarah Palin From Press for Two Weeks

The Daily Dish | By Andrew Sullivan

10 Reasons Why We Need a New (Cold?) War

"3. Russia doesn’t play fair. When we get our apparatchiks in Poland to
install missile interceptors on Polish land—the Russkies balk and claim
Poland is now a legit target for Russky missiles. What’s this?
Diplomacy through intimidation? Just because we do it, does that mean
they should? Monkey see, monkey does? Russkovia is full of monkeys with
nuclear warhead missiles!"

» 10 Reasons Why We Need a New (Cold?) War

Afghans Fed Up With Government, US

""This is our land. We are afraid to send our sons out the door for
fear the American troops will pick them up," says Mohammed, who was
chosen by the others to represent them. "Daily we have headaches from
the troops. We are fed up. Our government is weak and corrupt and the
American Soldiers have learned nothing."

A strong sense of frustration echoed through dozens of interviews by
The Associated Press with Afghan villagers, police, government
officials, tribal elders and Taliban who left and rejoined the
religious movement. The interviews ranged from the capital, Kabul, to
the rural regions near the border with Pakistan."

Afghans Fed Up With Government, US - Military.com

Kremlin-watchers warn of direct U.S.-Russia clash

"MOSCOW_ In the aftermath of last month's war between Russia and
U.S.-backed Georgia, Kremlin-watchers in Moscow are worried that Russia
and America are closer to direct confrontation than at any point since
the end of the Cold War."

McClatchy Washington Bureau | 09/05/2008 | Kremlin-watchers warn of direct U.S.-Russia clash

Fannie and Freddie Mac Commit Fraud, We Pay The Bill

"Then, last week, advisers from Morgan Stanley
hired by the Treasury Department to scrutinize the companies came to a
troubling conclusion: Freddie Mac’s capital position was worse than
initially imagined, according to people briefed on those findings. The
company had made decisions that, while not necessarily in violation of
accounting rules, had the effect of overstating the companies’s capital
resources and financial stability.

Indeed, one person briefed on
the company’s finances said Freddie Mac had made accounting decisions
that pushed losses into the future and postponed a capital shortfall
until the fourth quarter of this year, which would not need to be
disclosed until early 2009. Fannie Mae has used similar methods, but to
a lesser degree, according to other people who have been briefed."

...

"These two gigantic hedge funds intentionally
manipulated their accounting to show a capital position that was
stronger than reality, by pushing forward losses instead of recognizing
them as they occurred.

While not illegal, it had the effect of lying to the markets, which put both firms at risk of all-on collapse.

Now the government proposes to bail them out at your expense and risk the collapse of the government's funding,
instead of indicting the executives of these firms and placing them
into rundown, forcing the losses to be taken by the people who profited
from the gains during the "salad years.""

The Market Ticker

Aren't you glad we have a "free market capitalist" system, while those bad, evil Commies manipulate their economy? Well, OK, so the U.S. government intervenes here and there, but it's for the best. Why is it for the best, you ask? Well, that's because I assume the government is omniscient and incorruptible, and therefore smarter than the market.

Modern Day Iwo Jima

Why Russia’s response to Georgia was right

"Let me be absolutely clear. This is not a conflict of Russia’s making;
this is not a conflict of Russia’s choosing. There are no winners from
this conflict. Hours before the Georgian invasion, Russia had been
working to secure a United Nations Security Council statement calling
for a renunciation of force by both Georgia and South Ossetians. The
statement that could have averted bloodshed was blocked by western
countries."

FT.com / Comment & analysis / Comment - Why Russia’s response to Georgia was right

Putin's war enablers: Bush and Cheney

"Russia's escalating war on Georgia reveals the consequences of the Bush
administration's long assault on the international rule of law."

Putin's war enablers: Bush and Cheney | Salon

9/11

RNC Assign 'Black Hats' To Each of the 250 Ron Paul Delegate

"Fearing demonstrations from Ron Paul delegates here at the
Republican National Convention, the party has created a "black-hat"
squad to track the Paulites and other potential troublemakers to make
sure they don't cause a scene on the convention floor.

Identified by their black baseball caps emblazoned with a white
star, squad members keep an eye on delegates they fear might cause a
scene. The squad is empowered by the convention managers to take
delegates' credentials and kick them off the convention floor -- a step
one convention official said would be unprecedented."

Washington Times - 'Black hats' keep lookout for troublemakers

Aren't you proud of your party?

Russia's government declares its superiority over the West, claims America is on weak ground militarily and morally due to Iraq

"The U.S. and other Western nations may not like what Russia is doing,
but officials in Moscow believe those countries lack the leverage,
strength or unity to intervene, analysts say."

Russia sees Georgia outcome as proof of its dominance - Los Angeles Times

One of the reasons the supporters of this war used to justify staying, was that if we didn't, we'd look weak to our enemies. Well, they were wrong. We look weak by staying, and we look weak to Russia and China, actual countries with missiles, not just some guys in caves. What the Neo-Cons and their supporters don't realize is that the use of our guns don't make us look strong, it's how and when we use them. If you don't behave morally, it doesn't matter how big your show of strength.

Chalabi aide arrested on suspicion of Baghdad bombings

"BAGHDAD — U.S. forces have arrested a deputy of Ahmad Chalabi, who was
once the Bush administration's favorite Iraqi politician, and
implicated him in bombings that killed Americans and Iraqis, Chalabi
and Iraqi government officials said Thursday."

McClatchy Washington Bureau | 08/29/2008 | Chalabi aide arrested on suspicion of Baghdad bombings

So, should the U.S. bomb itself for aiding the "terrorists?"

The Police State, St. Paul, MN

Negotiating with Terrorists, and Cowardly Setting Timetables

US, Iraq close in on deal for pullout of US troops

When people suggested talking with Iran, Neocons, Bush-supporters, Bush, Cheney, FOX News and others called them appeasers. They said, "What?! You can't negotiate with terrorists." Then Bush did it. He sent diplomats.

When people suggested setting timetables for withdrawal, that group said, "What?! That's like giving Al Qaeda the date they can take over. They'll just wait 'til we leave, then take over!" Now, Rice is over there, doing exactly that....setting timetables.

The end result is lack of credibility on the Right, and wasted time, money, and lives.

Justice Department plan would "allow the F.B.I. to open an investigation of an American, conduct surveillance, pry into private records and take other investigative steps 'without any basis for suspicion.'"

New Guidelines Would Give F.B.I. Broader Powers - NYTimes.com

"A Justice Department plan would loosen restrictions on the Federal Bureau of Investigation
to allow agents to open a national security or criminal investigation
against someone without any clear basis for suspicion, Democratic
lawmakers briefed on the details said Wednesday."


This isn't what America is about, people. Come on, this is getting out of control.

Russia Says Some NATO Cooperation Frozen

Russia says some NATO cooperation frozen | Reuters

"A senior Russian military official confirmed on Friday that Russia's
Defence Ministry had frozen some cooperation with the NATO military
alliance and queried the merits of a U.S. Navy operation in the Black
Sea."


Don't worry folks, Bush "looked into Putin's eyes."

How Politics Destroys Harmony and Creates Conflict

Classically Liberal: How politics destroys harmony and creates conflict.

The Lovely Benefits of the Iraq War, Nicely Summed Up By Russia's Response to Georgia Withdrawal

Russia, on Georgia withdrawal: "If I would ask
you in response to the same question how fast the American forces can
leave Iraq, for example, the answer would be as soon as we have
guarantees for peace and security there"

Lawmaker hints at long stay in Georgia, despite cease-fire - CNN.com

Pakistani Democracy Trumps U.S. Support of Military Dictator, as They Reelect President Deposed by Musharraf's Coup

BBC NEWS | South Asia | Pakistan's Musharraf steps down

More results of tough-guy diplomacy. As we focus a trillion dollars of our blood and treasure on some random guys living in caves, a nuclear power just went to a country which hates us, due to our support of a military dictator....the mind reels.