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Sep 5, 2017 10:01:19   #
Kmgw9v wrote:
I sometimes write with some degree of satire.
With respect to the U.S., Irma is headed for South Florida.
There is nothing to divert it, weaken it, or change its path.
Crap.


There are many things that can change the path of Irma. Relax, you don't have to play the victim card just yet. LOL
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Sep 5, 2017 09:58:01   #
greymule wrote:
To read the mainstream press, you would think that using national policies to assure that American workers have decent jobs is the most flat-earth sort of protectionism.

But consider this. The social contract of the booming postwar years was designed so that the U.S. and other nations could protect workers from exploitation, accept strong trade unions, create full-employment economies, contain the excesses of financial speculation and make sure that prosperity was broadly shared.

Keeping predatory capitalism from playing one nation off against another required national rules. And the rules of that era worked well, both economically and politically.

There was plenty of trade, but trade deals were not used to dismantle national regulation. Ordinary working people thrived. There was no appeal of neo-fascism.

That protected form of managed capitalism must have been doing something right, for not only did the economy turn in an annual growth rate of close to 4 percent for three decades, but the economy became more equal. The bottom gained income faster that the top. Far from America prospering at the expense of our neighbors, Europe and Japan grew even faster. And Latin America grew at a far better rate than in the free-market globalist period that began in the 1970s.

In the U.S., blacks actually gained at a slightly higher rate than whites, less because of the civil rights revolution (which occurred towards the end of the postwar boom), but because most blacks were working class and the working class as a whole gained.

Here’s the point: there is more than one brand of globalization. The ground rules of the brand of globalism created after World War II allowed room for nations to manage capitalism in a broad public interest. The other sort of globalism, the one that resurged after the 1970s, was intended to liberate private finance and weaken labor.

This was great for the 1 percent. Not so great for working people or for democracy. Punish ordinary people long enough and you get the likes of Donald Trump.

And this brings me to the strange case of Stephen Bannon. As I learned in my unexpected interview with Bannon in the American Prospect, Bannon actually has a very shrewd and coherent strategy that blends white nationalism with economic nationalism.

Bannon tutored Trump on how to bash immigrants, demonize Mexicans, do the dog-whistle routine with the far right and cultivate race consciousness on the part of alienated white people for whom life used to be a lot sweeter. Hence: Make America Great Again. This history is well told and thoroughly documented in Josh Green’s must-read book on Bannon and Trump, Devil’s Bargain.

Bannon wanted to bait Democrats and liberals to do the right thing on race and stand up for people of color, immigrants and sexual minorities. “The Democrats,” he said, “the longer they talk about identity politics, I got ’em. I want them to talk about racism every day. If the left is focused on race and identity, and we go with economic nationalism, we can crush the Democrats.”

To bookend the strategy of white nationalism, Bannon hoped to sell his boss, President Trump, on economic nationalism. This included getting tough with China, renegotiating NAFTA and other trade deals, and investing seriously in infrastructure. But here, Bannon ran into a brick wall, otherwise known as corporate America.

Trump had no intention of delivering for American workers, except at the level of rhetoric. His actual policies are viciously anti-labor. His infrastructure program is a complete phony, using privatization of vital public facilities with no net increase in public investment. The Goldman-Sachs wing of the administration has taken control of trade policy, and with Bannon gone that control will be complete.

It’s a good thing Bannon did not prevail on the economic nationalism part of the package, because the combination of white nationalism and economic nationalism might actually have improved Trump’s dwindling popular support, though an a manner more reminiscent of Mussolini than Roosevelt.

Now that right-wing economic nationalism is defunct, there is an opening for progressive economic nationalism. It would include serious spending on public infrastructure and a green transition both to modernize made-in-USA technology and to create good domestic jobs. If taxpayer dollars or public debt is funding these investments, it’s perfectly fair play to demand that they produce made-in-USA employment.

It’s also fair play to ask countries that don’t respect decent labor or environmental standards to pay a social tariff so that we don’t import the wretched standards along with the products (and under Trump, America could barely pass such a test). It’s time to clean up our own act.

We could also use a Tobin tax on speculative financial transactions, which would damp down Wall Street abuses and provide revenue.

These are some of the ingredients of progressive economic nationalism. They would be sound economics and smart politics. Let’s make them national policy.
To read the mainstream press, you would think that... (show quote)


What's the matter loser, can't find that minimum wage job you have been lusting after?
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Sep 5, 2017 09:54:30   #
BigWahoo wrote:
Here is a TV show from the 1950s; That shows a con-man named Trump conning a complete town by using scare tactics.

He tells them that he can save them by building a wall.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1D2ynASqe4


So what? What is your point, loser?
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Sep 3, 2017 15:49:23   #
Twardlow wrote:
Steve Mnuchin, foreclosure king, now runs your US Treasury

BY MARK PLOTKIN, OPINION CONTRIBUTOR - 02/17/17 01:00 PM EST


Where do they find these people? Appointed by the president as Cabinet members, many have past lives and records that should immediately disqualify them for any high office.

Someone who has not been given the attention he so richly deserves is Steven Mnuchin, the new secretary of the Treasury.

Only one Democratic senator voted for him: Joe Manchin of West Virginia. Every other Democratic senator voted a resounding "no."

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) said the following of Mnuchin: "His complicity in the 2008 financial crisis raises serious doubts."

Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) went further: "He was part of the cadre of corporate raiders that brought our economy to its knees."

Of the astute businessman's failure to disclose $100 million in an overseas tax haven, Menendez added: "One does not go and create offshore entities at the end of the day other than to avoid, in some form or fashion, the tax laws of the United States. That's pretty simple."


Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) did not hesitate to call Mnuchin "greedy" and "unethical." She backed it up with these blunt words: "Whether illegally foreclosing on thousands of families, skirting the law with offshore tax havens or helping design tactics that contributed to the 2008 financial crisis, Steve Mnuchin made a career — and millions of dollars — pioneering increasingly deceptive and predatory ways to rob hardworking Americans of their savings and homes."
 
Seemingly, Mnuchin was another one of President Trump's campaign thank-yous. He was one of the very few corporate executives who would actually step forward and be seen raising money for Trump, even going so far as becoming the campaign's national finance chair.

Before that, though, Mnuchin distinguished himself by making out like a bandit during the worst financial crisis our country has faced since the Great Depression.

This is all well-documented by David Dayen, author of "Chain of Title: How Three Ordinary Americans Uncovered Wall Street's Great Foreclosure Fraud." In an exhaustive article in The Nation, Dayen chronicles how Mnuchin got fabulously rich while hundreds of thousands lost their homes.

In 2008, Mnuchin made a deal with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). He and his investment group bought a predatory lender named Indy Mac, renaming it "OneWest." They then started foreclosing on homeowners.

While doing that, he "harvested fees for appraisals and inspections and late payments, and got protected by a federal backstop. The FDIC lost $13 billion on Indy Mac; Mnuchin and company made $3 billion in profits."

To make this tidy sum for himself, Mnuchin used something called "servicer-driven defaults." This practice entailed "telling homeowners they must miss payments to get help, and when they do, [the banks] move to foreclose."


The other devious ploy is something called "dual tracking." This is "where servicers negotiate modifications and pursue foreclosures at the same time."

If that were not enough, Dayen cites "a decided racial component. 68 percent of OneWest 36,000 plus foreclosures in California were in non-white areas." In addition, "OneWest was a market leader in foreclosing on the elderly: its subsidiary Financial Freedom carried out a disproportionate number of reverse mortgage foreclosures, which target seniors to suck out their home equity."

Finally, to top it off, OneWest engaged in thousands of "robo signings." This was the odious and fraudulent practice of signing sworn affidavits while not reviewing the documents. Some were signed at "30 seconds a clip." This practice was done "750 times a week on eventually 36,000 plus loans."

Dayen claims that "millions of homeowners were thrown out of their homes based on false documents."


So the long and short of this is that one Steven Mnuchin, who led and sanctioned these horrible business practices, is rewarded with a position that is fifth in the presidential line of succession.

Couldn't Trump find someone who didn't have such a record? Someone who didn't benefit from the misery of others?

The president has demonstrated once again that he so sorely lacks good judgment, and, contrary to his claims, has no apparent skill in picking talented or qualified people to serve our country.

Mark Plotkin is a contributor to the BBC on American politics and a columnist for The Georgetowner. Previously, he was the political analyst for WAMU-FM, Washington's NPR affiliate, and later became the political analyst for WTOP-FM, Washington's all-news radio station. He is a winner of the Edward R. Murrow Award for excellence in writing.

Emphasis added by poster.


http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/the-administration/320122-steve-mnuchin-foreclosure-king-now-runs-your-us
b Steve Mnuchin, foreclosure king, now runs your ... (show quote)

Foreclosure king? So what? What would you do slimebag, just have all those deadbeats that would not or could not pay their legitimate debt just ride off into the sunset with a free house courtesy of the taxpayers? What a pathetic moron you are. We would not have that mess if it were not for you larcenous and deadbeat democrats. You pathetic prick, why don't you move to a Communist country? It would suit you much better. That way you and all the other deadbeat morons can have guaranteed outcomes. LOL IMBECILE
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Sep 3, 2017 10:44:39   #
Twardlow wrote:
Absolutely, and Steve Mnuchin and Tom Price in particular.

Entire cabinet is a collection in incompetents and slimebags. (Above named two are in slimebag section.)


You are a fool and the illegitimate product of slime bags. You have no room to judge anyone. But you are too stupid to see that. You are one pathetic and sorry excuse for a human being.
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Aug 23, 2017 19:55:37   #
truckster wrote:
Exactly! Right now I own three backpacks, all with different purposes. One is a small Lowepro (bought off Craig's list for $15) that my D3300 and a couple lenses and flash unit fit in nicely. I even use it for daily carry with the D7000 and two lenses and flash. For cruises or overnight excursions I use a little bit larger Lowepro BP-250 AW II (again, bought off Craig's list for $50). I store all my camera gear when not in use in an almost brand new Naneu Sahara 217˚F (Craig's list again, for $75) which never leaves the house.

I priced a PD backpack. Nice! If it works as well as their slide and clutch (I own both) it would be a really good bag ... just too rich for my blood.
Exactly! Right now I own three backpacks, all wit... (show quote)


Almost brand new you say!
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Aug 23, 2017 19:51:22   #
SharpShooter wrote:
Notice how your big orange PUTOS IS all puckered up???
He just had himself some big Obama black snake...., he loves it!!!
THATS why Obama is behind him!!!!
This not an eclipse, it's a PUTOS feeding!!!
SS


You are fixated on gay sex, aren't you? Must be a fudgepacker.
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Aug 23, 2017 19:36:35   #
user47602 wrote:
why would I click your stupid link? I've already read the long lists of Trump's accomplishments...and their refutations... you think the crap they pipe into your inbox is god's honest truth because you voted for anyone-but-Hillary and he does seem to piss off liberals, women and minorities.


What an idiot you are.


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Aug 23, 2017 19:19:16   #
user47602 wrote:
why would I click your stupid link? I've already read the long lists of Trump's accomplishments...and their refutations... you think the crap they pipe into your inbox is god's honest truth because you voted for anyone-but-Hillary and he does seem to piss off liberals, women and minorities.


Check your meds stupid. You have some serious issues.
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Aug 23, 2017 19:18:15   #
user47602 wrote:
covfefe?


Where did you steal that crap for brains?
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Aug 23, 2017 19:15:01   #
Rongnongno wrote:
Th hedgehog got it right:

This akin to ask what you should wear when shooting...


What do you wear when shooting?
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Aug 21, 2017 18:31:20   #
Drumpf-is-a-fool wrote:
He is in good company as he always is.
Even money bet now with bookies that he does not finish this term.
Going-going-going-GONE!!!
He is not fit to live in the building where FDR, JFK, Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, Adams and Jefferson lived.
He is not even fit to eat chocolate cake though I encourage him to eat more.


Find yourself another poster hanging in the bathhouse keenan?
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Aug 21, 2017 18:30:06   #
John_F wrote:
I am surprised that one of our arch far righters has not written the following.

President Trump promised to make America Great Again. To keep this promise he directed the Grand Artificer of the Universe to do that. In obedience, the Artificer diected his aide the Grand Wizard of the Heaven to act, so we have been given the Eclipse of the Sun in America. The last time the Grand Wizard staged an exclipse in America was in 1991. Would that one be like dipping the Trump Tongue in bitter lemon juice.
I am surprised that one of our arch far righters h... (show quote)


Get back on your meds imbecile.
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Aug 21, 2017 18:29:09   #
ArtzDarkroom wrote:
Or you can call if Fake News, if it makes you feel better.


btw, the next one?

http://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/map/2024-april-8#


Stupid post. Liberal twaddle.
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Aug 21, 2017 17:36:14   #
skylane5sp wrote:
Sometimes you really let your true stupid show.


Sometimes?
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