Surprise, Surprise...

We knew this was coming.

Standard & Poor's has just downgraded their rating for our debt instruments from AAA to AA+.

Thirty years of Reaganbushclintonobamanomics.   Thirty years of Chicago School-type economics, and worship at the altar of Milton Friedman.   In all likelihood, the other rating agencies will likely follow suit.   

What does this mean for us?    Forget any kind of breaks on credit card or mortgage interest rates.   Everything is probably going to get a lot more expensive, and in this case, you can't point to taxes as the culprit.   From an economic standpoint, this snowball is starting to get a lot bigger.  

We're reaping what we've sowed.  

Truth be told...by Al Jazeera

It's sad that you will never see this kind of reporting on an American network.   

I'll leave my commentary to a minimum.  The video speaks for itself.   

Quibbles and Bits, Debts and Taxes Edition

Here's another heaping helping.    Consume if you so dare...

>>I'm watching Johnny Boner's reply to President Obama as I write this.   His finger pointing at Obama is both hilarious and sickening at the same time.    For those who think Obama caves too much, watch as Johnny Boner talks about his "experience running a small business", how this crisis was one of the President's making, etc., etc., etc.   This is what Obama has to negotiate with - someone not willing to negotiate at all, and a group of Tea-Party absolutists who are actually willing to let the government go into default, thinking that the people are so stupid that they will in turn blame Obama.    

This has become the immovable object meeting the irresistible force - something has to give, and the stakes are our futures.     For my money, I say that between the two participants in the virtual "debate",  the adult in the room was the President.   

>>Recommended Reading: The Plot To Seize The White House, by Jules Archer.   This tome details the plot that many of our industry captains of the day, like J.P. Morgan and the Du Pont scions,  planned to bankroll as an attempted fascist coup, using the unimpeachable character and standing of General Smedley D. Butler as their front.    The problem?  The fact that Butler's character was unimpeachable, to the point where he exposed this treasonous plot, and its sick use of American war veterans.   Butler paid for his honesty with his reputation and public image - sullied by the corporate press of the day.    I'm still delving into the pages of this tome, and will talk about it in future postings.   But I say - don't miss it.   

OK, so the heaping helpings weren't so heaping this time.   There's more to come later - stay tuned.

Smart ALECs

This link contains a veritable bumper crop of documents from the American Legislative Executive Council, a lovely group of righties bent on downsizing the government and corporatizing everything else.   The've apparently developed a nice, efficient "cookie cutter" approach to law, creating "sample bills" for use by their minions in the states where Republicans took control in the 2010 election wave. 

The latest edition of The Nation has a complete series on this band of minions.   Remember what our mamas taught us all those years ago, about being careful what you wish for because you might get it?   If you voted Republican, I hope you've now learned your lesson.    I say the same to those who voted for Corporate Dems like Blanche Lincoln.   That assumes, of course, that a conscience exists in those who support ALEC's garbage.  

Quibbles and Bits, Independence (?) Day Edition

Here's another helping of those morsels - lap 'em up if you dare!

>>Have you seen the recent Time Magazine cover featuring Mitt Romney?  I confess I didn't read the article, so my commentary doesn't reflect the article itself - only the picture.   Did you get the impression that the Mittster is getting the corporate "star treatment" as the Repub standard-bearer?   More specifically, that this is Corporate America's very loud "hint" that Mitt is their choice?  He's one of them, after all.   This may also be Time's way of getting the American people warmed up to the idea of a Mormon winning the White House.    Not that I have a problem with the LDS faith - I don't.   But taken as propaganda (which I believe it to be)...

>>From what I've been seeing lately from some of the Congressional Dems, it seems as if they are at least paying lip service to the concept that the Republicans are intentionally trying to crash the economy, blame Obama, then make sure that the Mittster gets his "rightful" place in the White House.   Thom Hartmann, among others, has been saying this for years - the Repubs will say and do anything to win, including sinking the economy.    They expect that the American People will not be sophisticated enough to figure out the ruse - in the past, they've been right.    The Repubs have not been overly secretive of their intentions - Senator Mitch McConnell has been quoted as saying that the intention of the Repubs was to ensure that Obama is a one-term President.   

>>Do you have your copy of The Shock Doctrine handy?  I, and others, have been saying for a long time that this book is basically the Republican playbook for the American economy - destroy government's ability to function beyond a militaristic purpose, privatize everything else, and let the leftover masses eat stale cake.    Read Paul Ryan's budget.   Look at what's happening in Wisconsin and other states with Koch Brothers-backed governors.     Remember Sharron Angle?  She once commented about the economic "miracles" in South America in such a positive light during her campaign - and famously addressed the press with a view of her rapidly disappearing backside.   

Much more later.  

Before I was so rudely interrupted...

Yes, yes, I know.   It's been almost two months since my last post.    Between job (and lifestyle) changes and personal issues, it's been a challenge to maintain this lovely spot on the inter-webs.  

But I haven't forgotten it.    I'll resume updates shortly, including a new edition of Quibbles and Bits.   

Breaking: Bin Laden's Death

I just heard about Osama Bin Laden's demise, at the hands of our Special Forces under the orders of President Obama.   

My feelings about this are mixed.   The most appropriate place for Mr. Bin Laden is six feet in the ground - had he been captured, the international custody battles and political gamesmanship would have dragged on for years, perhaps decades afterward.   And given his kidney condition, Osama would have probably died before it was all over.   So a political sideshow was avoided by his departure from this mortal coil.    This should also guarantee Mr. Obama's re-election in 2012.  

But now comes the interesting part.  Exactly how big of a martyr will Mr. Bin Laden be considered, especially that he was killed at the hands of the Evil Empire?  Will this lead to more terrorist attacks? What will be the reaction of the Islamic world in the Middle East and other Muslim-dominated countries, when they see the pictures of Americans celebrating his death?   Unknowns abound...

Speaking about the celebrations being televised as I write this, personally I'm keeping my Moet & Chandon chilled at this time, with no plans of breaking it out.    For one, throughout the decades, our foreign policy has contributed to the creation and propping up of monsters like Osama.    In fact, remember when the Soviets invaded Afghanistan - who was one of the leaders of the resistance, and who got a nice share of US money and support?   You guess it...Mr. Bin Laden.    And his death does not mean, by any means, that Al Qaida is dead - on the contrary, I would expect some pretty heavy terrorist-sounding noise coming through the radio and TV speakers within the coming days and weeks.  

So yeah, this was a victory of sorts.    Like Dr. Frankenstein's monster being sent back to death - by Dr. Frankenstein.

Quibbles and Bits, Hop Til I Drop Edition

These eggs are out in the open, ready and willing to be cracked open even if it‘s a little late:

>>Royal Wedding, Shmroyal Wedding. Big Freaking Whoop. Distraction create inaction, and that’s all the Royal Nuptials are, and ever really were.

>>It’s nice to see Paul “Hatchet Man” Ryan getting his ass handed to him by members of his own party at a recent town hall. When it’s the Republicans that are seeing just how far down the rabbit hole their corporate puppets are taking us, you know we’re starting to wake up as a nation. Let’s keep this up, and let’s see how long it is before Mr. Ryan takes his eventual job as a high-paid lobbyist on K Street. At least he won’t have his hands directly on the levers of power. 2012, Wisconsinites.

>>Donation are in order for the Red Cross and any of the other relief organizations assisting in the recovery efforts in the Deep South after the recent tornados.

>>Donations are also in order for the continuing cleanup and recovery from the multiple whammies Japan has sustained. First the massive earthquake, then the tsunami, then the nuclear disaster, then another earthquake. These people need our help.

>>By the way, Mr. President, on the very, very, very off chance you’re reading this: nuclear power is NOT clean power, and “clean coal” makes as much sense as “jumbo shrimp” or “fresh frozen”. Yeah, I get it that these lobbies are powerful and deep-pocketed. But Jeez, Leweeze.

More later.

Bye Bye Beckie

Ah, so the Glen Beckie, he of the aforementioned golden shit shovel, will no longer be a daily presence on Foxy Noise.    Not like he's going away any time soon - with his ego, are you kidding?   He'll still squalk through deteriorating speaker cones on AM stations throughout the country, and still host the occasional event, I'm sure.   And his face will be plastered on his ghost-written books.   But he seems destined for a long, slow fade into the twilight - even Corporate America has little use for him, as attested by the exodus of advertisers from his TV show.   

So I guess we can't really say good riddance.   But at least it's one less excuse to turn the dial to Rupert's Circus of Clowns.    They've just lost their P.T. Barnum.   

Quibbles and Bits, Maddening March Edition

No, they’re not manna from heaven. But they keep raining down - get your umbrella handy!

>>The “victory” being trumpeted by Scott Walker in Wisconsin, and his minions, is purely pyrrhic. The Dems’ hands in separating the anti-union part of the bill and passing it on its own, especially those of the 14 senators, appear completely clean. That, and did Mr. Walker really need all of this publicity to try to get this turd passed, even with Foxy Noise riding shotgun? He is, at the very least, a one-term governor, and knowing Wisconsin’s history of lefty political activism, look for him to be recalled and sent out on his kiester a la Gray Davis. That will be fun to watch - if the momentum can stay on the side of the public workers and the polling stays the same between now and November.

>> Re: the above - next time your tush gets too cush on the sofa on Election Day, even if your Dem or other leftward-leaning choice resembles Blanche Lincoln, remember this: ELECTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES. Not voting means you’re throwing yourself to the mercy of those who likely don’t have much mercy on you to begin with.

>>Now, do any of you still think there isn’t much difference between the Dems and the Repubs? It’s small in places, for sure, but here’s where the difference is stark.

>>I’m just waiting for when the mainstream media starts to pin the blame for the increasing gas prices on Obama. Purely from a pricing standpoint, this looks like what we went through three years ago when Bushiebaby was running things. But I think there are differences here - the democracy wave sweeping through the Middle East and North Africa versus the anti-Democratic actions of the invasion and occupation of Iraq. Truth be told, we still pay a whole lot less for our go-juice in this country, thanks to oil industry subsidies, than do most other countries.

>>My hero of this edition of Q&B - Michael Ruppert.

This is the man who, among other things, was one of the first to publicize the government’s role in domestic drug dealing. He also helped break open the Pat Tillman story, predicted the economic collapse, etc., etc., etc. You can’t accuse him of any type of excessive self-interest, as he has gained notoriety but little else, especially in the way of personal fortune. His is an example, like Julian Assange, of what happens to people when they get too close, and learn too much, and reveal too much, of the mechanizations of the men behind the curtain. We used to treat people like this as heroes - in another time, we did. They are still regarded as heroes in certain circles, but not in the circles of those who really run this country. They are now ostracized, blackballed, and even threatened with death or prosecution. Check out the film Collapse, and his appearances in the Zeitgeist film series, especially the latest installment Moving Forward. At this point, I’ll take what Ruppert has to say over anything that’s propagated by the government or its stenographers at CNN or the other outlets.

Stay tuned for more as my spirit and flesh allow.   

From Madison to a State Capitol Near You?

For those of you fortunate enough to have a job in this economy - have you looked at your pay stub recently? I looked at mine the other day - overtime after an eight-hour day, accumulating sick leave, medical insurance - all of those things can be easy to take for granted. I don't work for a union shop, but what I just listed, along with the safe working conditions I work in, are all brought to me (and you) by unions. The stories of the sacrifices working men and women made during the turn of the 20th century are legion - thousands of people were literally killed or maimed so that their descendants - us - can have a decent life as well as a decent job.