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  • Does Lawrence see the occupiers in the same vwin as the tea party I wonder?

  • Lawrence O'Donnell - you must be kidding, for a person who claims to be a people person you needs to learn the meaning of LISTENING!!!!

    let me school you buddy!!!

    2 ears, 1 mouth use em in that f**king Proportion!!!

    Ask a question, THEN SHUT THE F**K UP & LISTEN

    JERK!!!!

  • Please dude. The Tea Party is ALL GOP!

  • right on, o'donnell! and all this goes to prove, teabagger outrage is based on race and race alone. where were all their protests when bush was fucking us into the ground? they were at home yelling at leftist war protesters on tv as being unpatriotic.

  • for all of you tea baggers.....stop using my public airwaves...stop driving on my public roads...dont use any oil products(oil subsidies)..stay off my public beaches...dont eat my FDA checked food..dont use my public parks for anti- tax protest..dont call my police department..dont call my fire department...dont call my ambulance corp...i will be glad to tell my armed forces to not protect you...dont use my courts and get out of my country..i paid for it.

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  • @David12King public airwaves are federal...national parks are federal....courts are local and federeal...armed forces are federal....fda is federal...local law enforcement is partially funded by the federal...so are fire departments....hospitals get federal funding....oil companies get money from the federal govt....and last but not least..public roads are paid for by both federal and local taxes.

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  • @David12King i see you are a libertarian.....go live in somalia....thats libertarianism at its finest....and as for the general welfare of the people....social security is an insuarnce plan that you get to collect on when you come of age for it....its so you can live out your golden years with dignity instead of in the streets like they used to before ssi.........and all of it is constitutional....congress is allowed to set the standards for taxes and decide what the revenue should be spent on.

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  • @David12King its broke because the govt kept borrowing from it (al gore warned about this in 99)...right now it has 2.7 trillion dollars in ther rust fund and it is solvent until 2037....the way you can save it is to release the cap on it....i think its somewhere around 106,000...i could be wrong on the number...but it can be fixed just by moving the cap..thats what reagan did..and moving the age up helps..so there are other ways to fix it.

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  • @David12King yeah well we are living longer....and just releasing the cap on social security will fix it..dont have a cap at all

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  • @David12King its not raising taxes on the anyone but the upper income people....middle income is about 50,000.....the cap is somewhere around 100,000....middle income pay more of a percentage of their paychecks into SSI than rush limbaugh does....and raising the cap would fix that. and its not raising taxes on the people who are barely surviving...and it wont fail if the damn govt stops using the money for anything other than its intended purpose

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  • @David12King you know why we give aid to israel?

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  • @David12King wrong....the government does it to have a friendly face in place where we get most of our oil...they mask it in "oh lets take care of the jews"..(im jewish) ..its a possible base for our armies....now that we have iraq and afghanistan you may see us not funding israel quite as much.

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  • @David12King we do give money to everyone..even the people that hate us....and israel loves us and is our only real friend in the middle east...ever notice how they could have wiped the entire middle east clean but they didnt?....because we told them not to...and as for nuclear weapons...lots of countries have them and shouldnt...nobody in their right mind would use them anyway because it would me total anihilation for both sides.

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  • @David12King ok you just hate jews...lol...im done debating because we have gone totally off topic....this isnt about israel...its about taxes and the tea party....and the tea party are the same people who say "keep the govt out of my medicare"...they watch fox...and according to the university of maryland study they are the most mis-informed and the least informed about what is really going on in the world..i was orginally saying that they should stop using my public services if they hate taxes

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  • @David12King we had a civil war during that time...yeah thats limited govt....and the old west was like somalia....we didnt start to get our stuff together until the well after somewhere around the 1890's....and it really took hold in the early 1900's

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  • @David12King it was caused by the fed....a private bank.....and it was the 1930's when we finally got our stuff together to where we could really fix our problems

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  • @David12King yes...not social programs or the government.....the social programs of the 1930's are what helped get us out of the depression...WPA SSI and quite a few others....socialism helped capitalism thrive....and the great things that happened during the early 1900's was the unionization and trust busting.

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  • @David12King somalia is libertarianism at its finest....limited govt.....very few taxes...its exactly what libertarians want.

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  • @David12King and thats what happens when you have limited govt that just provides a security force and thats it.

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  • because they have a limited govt....they cant control the bad people in the population.

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  • so basically, progressives are asking themselves, 'Where do we draw the line at how much any one can succeed?" Because they feel that the same cutoff point on the other side of the distribution, the failure side, is the point where you determine "How badly can anyone fail?" and preventing anyone from experiencing any kind of failure is their whole motivation (at least for the idealistic ones)

  • sure socialism "works", but the problem is that progressives believe that most, if not all, of the uncertainty of life (employment & economy, health, spirituality, technological development) is lessened by invasive government involvement, and it is....but it is like squishing a normal distribution's variance (or any other 'uncertainty principle'), you gain certainty at the expense of the extremes, which can sometimes be very beneficial...

  • We all know socialism doesn't work. It's a proven fact. It's indisputable. Only pure capitalism works. Only capitalism leads to strong economic growth. It's empirically obvious. Take China for example....no, wait, forget China. Take Germany, for example...mmm, skip Germany. Take the UK for example...you know what, forget I brought this up.

  • @Phi1618033 farking hilarious! Did you write speeches for Dubya?

  • and then lawrence, when a republican does stand up against health care, you rip them anyways....

    SOCIALIST!

  • Yea but WHERE were all the Tea Baggers when George W. Bush was giving tax breaks to the rich and huge corporations?!!!????? They where NOWHERE!

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  • Lawrence isn't afraid to call these nutty teabaggers the crazies they are..FOX fake news is a tool of the corporate lobby media propaganda arm

  • MSNBC is a good cure for constipation.

  • Nobody believes this left wing crap anymore. November is coming your gangsters are going. And it can't get here soon enough!

  • @elinkfind Post your message again after the November elections. No matter what the outcome of the elections, it will make for interesting reading and discussion.

  • its funny they dont give a shit about taxes on the other hand ask them if there worry about a nigga in the white house behind closed doors lol

  • Larry has the contagious virus called the "Olbermann Syndrome." This will cause Larry to fall into the "Chris Matthews phase." and he will believe that he is his own guest, in other words, he asks and answers every question.The next phase is the Bill Maher phase and he will find himself starting to spend time in Hugh Hefner's grotto and believing the women when they tell him "you were great."

  • the teapartys dont care about what o'donnell is saying there hate for a black men in the white house is why there mad

  • trust him.. these are "well working socialist programs"

  • O'Donnell is a self declared independent dont you know, I mean he is a huffington post contributor and all. Hes middle of the road.

  • O'Donnell is such a cocksucker of the Left. No independant thinking in this wack job. He reminds me of the people on the left who shoot up the office if things dont go their way .

  • well working social programs? really, on what planet?

  • why is larry not in a mental health establishment?? i know.. if he goes.. then millions of others have to... then by all means round them up... ill be glad to pay for that... as long as those two jokes who lead our congress and that nightmare who leads the free world join them.

  • the partys are a joke they hate obama cuz he black its clear there all white all redneck hillbilly assholes

  • you and odummy are assholes

  • nice,unbiased journalism.  gag.....

  • odonnell is the kinda guy that sleeps with a poster of obama over his bed like smithers did with mr burns

  • New jersey and virginia.

  • You have a phallic obsession, dbrewster78.

  • All this is doing is pissing the people off. People are getting angry that guys like this keep trying to stifle a REAL movement in this country. It's not going to work.

  • There is nothing real about this movement, just as there is nothing legitimate about Fox News.

  • call fox news biased.. msnbc is ok!!!!! right?

  • MSNBC rocks!!

  • @gilbertl2000 The Tea Party a "Real Movement"? Spare me. It is an engineered Astro Turf operation funded by the wealthy right wingers who are benefiting economically and socialy from the inequitable and bigoted status quo. Thank Dick Army and his cronies for this so-called "movement".

  • I'm not sure he understands that Republican did not organize the tea parties. If any party could claim credit for strengthening the popularity of them, it would be the Libertarian party.

  • No kidding. They know, they just have to draw lines to Republicans wherever they can. Remember, this is MSN.

  • We "The Tea Party" are not affiliated with either party and we are revolutionizing against the government for their actions since 9/11. We are also here to call out the media as we see them so we can wake people up to the obvious agenda set forth in the media.

    p.s. this guy O'Donell is a great liar. It's funny how people care so much about power and greed that they will turn their entire existence into trying to squeeze every last bit of hope out of others

  • ...revolutionizing?

    Revolting!!

  • @PreservingLiberty So you do put an important part of the blame on Bush-era policies?

  • what a tool. the tea party movement is not Republican.

  • Really, now? And how many Democrats do you count in your precious "movement"?

  • Give them the choice of no income taxes or MediCare cards and see what happens then...

  • is o'donnell stupid? these protesters aren't for Republican taxes and against Democrat taxes, they are against all excessive taxation. O'donnell is trying to make this into a Democrat V Republican issue when it's a free citizen V aggressive government (Rep or Dem) issue.

  • @osher121 Excessive taxation you stupid, inbred, teabagging moron? Taxes on the middle-class under Obama are currently at the lowest level in 50 years. Get back to fucking your cousin in your mobile home, trailer-trash piece of shit.

  • I guess that is why this program 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue has been canceled at MSLSD aka MSNBC. David Shuster and his liberal talk and this moron Lawrence O'Donnell is killing the ratings. Oh well, another reason for the left to call for the fairness doctrine. Can't win on arguments so you make up so called facts and then your out of a job. LIB SCUM. hahahahahahahaha, One day you can make the ratings if you call it fair and balanced like Fox news. YOU HATE it but there ratings are thru the roof!

  • "thru the roof!"

    Kinda like the Democratic vote count, huh Moron?

  • "I'm a European socialist, believe me Im far to the left." Actual quote from Lawrence O'Donnell. source: caglecartoons interview.

  • What's your point? Our country is a blend of socialism and capitalism. I suppose you would rather see only rich people be able to send their children to school, have no police or firemen to put out fires and arrest serial killers and other law breakers (these are all socialist programs of course) and have no one to pick up your trash (another socialist program). Let me guess, you believe in disrupting democratic discourse and shouting down anyone you disagree with.You are a barbarIan.

  • the socialism has gone too far, now we're bankrupt.

  • @michaelpshipley1

    So you think that bush was a socialist? He was the president when the economy collapsed, not obama.

  • Really? This is what you consider an intelligent response. Let me introduce you to something called "logic". I posted a quote from O'Donnell. It was HIS words, not mine. In other words, I DID NOT EXPRESS ANY OPINION WHATSOEVER. But from a quote by O'Donnell, you conclude all this? You conclude I want "rich people to be able to send their childrend to school" "have no one pick up your trash" "disrupting democratic process" etc. etc. etc. Then you resort to name calling.

  • Is that how you make friends bathswife? Name calling and putting words, or entire philosophies in other people's mouths?

    How about you try to be civil. If you had any interest in my opinion, which I have yet to give, you can do it with some civility. This is your page. I'm not looking for a fight. I only posted a quote. IF there's something wrong with that quote, take it up with O'Donnell!

  • @promontorium So he's more on the left than a majority of actual Europeans. Send him two months to Germany and he'd emigrate to Cuba!

  • i love LOD but i also remember his awkward dog killing article in the huffington post while the whole michael vick story was uncovered and i must admit i lost a little respect for him then but other then that...

  • I LOVE THIS GUY!!!

  • what a massive dickhead Laurence Overdose on LSD is.

  • The Huffington post and MSNBC are well known to be far left leaning propagandists, so this video is not surprising.. .they are simply trying to demonize the Replublican party and the tea party movement. Yes, SOME in the GOP tried to hijack the tea party movement, but make no mistake, the Ron Paulers and the original grass roots movement is very much for real and knows the issues. This isn't about tax cuts on the surface, that's just how the video spins it and you goons just watch and believe!

  • hazmat, you are obviously half retarded at the very least. Where do you think all the money that Obama wants to spend is coming from? Do you have any clue how our economy works? Taxing has little to do with it, it's simple.. Obama has just put you and your children's children in debt instantly with the biggest spending plan in the history of the human race. Please research the INFLATION TAX and you will understand what these protests are really about, it's not about the income tax, wake up!!

  • Lawrence O'Donnel's point:

    Protestors often have no clue about the complexities involved in the issue they're protesting.

    Point entirely conceded by this conservative. Leftist examples are legion.

  • Here's a stupid question: How come Hannity hasn't interviewed this guy on Fox News, lol. I'm glad to see that the eight years of fascism in the name of Jesus is finally beginning to wash away like the filth that it was.

  • This is why Megan Mccain is sooooo relevant. She has chosen a great platform to be a "progressive republican" I sooo dislike the racism and negative crap from the GOP. Megan: You go!!!!! Try to bring some responsible reasoning in a party that is combusting from within.

  • See. These tea-bagging protest is counter productive. Do these people realize that they're protesting for the super rich and that if they make under 200k a year they will get a tax cut. Talk about misleading people.

  • he seems cool

  • I laugh every time I hear the name Dick Army.

  • @angelicexcel I, on the other hand, cringe when I hear the name Dick Army.

  • These people Should just report and keep their mouth's shut.The media should not dictate peoples Views I don't care if it's Left or Right Just report the Facts and keep your own emotions out of it.I don't Care if it's people who are opposed to the War,Higher taxes or against the president.You are doing the work of corparations that opress people when you try to shut others up with views not the same as you

  • O'Donnell NAILS it! The truth is the truth.

  • I love all this cause its this which makes life interesting.

    If Obama won and everything was working, then we wouldnt appreciate it so much. But the Republ, party, Lobbyist, the lil zombies, and the nutcases, all have to listen and do nothing. Hurts hun? Obama is smart and getting us out of Bushes problems. He´s amazing and if you think about it, we would be SO screwed if McCain and Palin won. WOW, what if.

    I love Obama and I love the republican party for giving me soo much fun.

  • The tea partiers are protesting the MASSIVE spending by the government which will eventually lead to higher taxes for EVERYONE. Because when the interest payments on these HUGE deficits come due, the president will have to raise taxes. But MSNBC wants to make conservatives appear that they aren't smart enough to figure out what they are protesting. These two actually get paid for this "analysis." Are THEY not that smart, or are they just being partisan. I watch MSNBC when I need a good laugh.

  • well lets see the conservatives were not smart enough to figure out that Iraq was not a legitimate threat and it was a war for oil, or that deregulation really means letting the foxes guard the hen house, HELLO $4 gas, splash and dash bio-diesel for foreign export, rolling black outs, the biggest collection of wallstreet scams since the great depression, I would have to say that ANY person who apes the party line is not smart just at the moment conservatives more so

  • I couldn't stand Bush. He spent money like a drunken sailor and didn't understand foreign diplomacy. What gets on my nerves, are these two elitist liberal journalist being disingenuous by implying that the tea partiers are simpletons and don't understand what they are doing. I think this video is really embarrassing.

  • @accrj19 Just look at the participants in the Tea Party rallies, and look at the men controlling the pursestrings of the Tea Party. There is a definite link with the Republican Party (and Fox News). I suspect that a good number of these protesters are right wing operatives. There may be a some libertarians, and a sprinkle of true believers of that ilk, but I suspect that many others are closet (and overt) racists, bigots and ignoramuses.

  • Check out "Rep. Brad Sherman Martial Law" video. It shows the tactics Bush administration used and that Obama's administration continues to use.

  • They are mortgaging our future and bringing in fascism with these bailouts.

  • Do you even know what what fascism means?

  • With you asking this question it makes me absolutely sure you ahve not idea what fascism is. I got thumbs down because some people believe the government should control private enterprise.

  • No. By your response you obviously have no idea what fascism is. One aspect of fascism is when big business is strong enough to influence the state. In our circumstance, big business is failing and is asking the state for help. What you are so afraid of is socialism. The correct vocabulary is essential for thoughtful arguments.

  • I've studied this stuff well beyond youtube. In Italy fascism came about from the government taking control of 'essential' businesses allowing nominal private ownership of these businesses. It had nothing to do with private business controlling the government- ask Il Duce who controlled those businesses. I don't need some half wit explanation of what it is from you- you obviously have no mastery of the subject matter little lone the vocabulary of it.

  • Oh my! Your brain must be huge.

    So were the auto companies and banks asking the Italian government for money because they were failing?

    Please explain, because as memory serves, Mussolini was not handing out bailouts to failing banks and auto companies.

  • Il Duce did add a tariff to foreign owned autos (something like 150%) and bought half of Fiat with the support of the owner of Fiat. But I suppose that's ok right? So its ok if Obama and Bush do it now? I don't know what you are saying really. Do you support bailing out failing corporations? You seem ripe to join what ever the new brownshirts will be called.

  • So you admit that what happened in Italy to what is happening now is a bogus comparison.

    Your big brain pulls through!

  • It isn't a bogus comparison especially not with the Banks. The Obama administration isn't allowing the largest most powerful banks to pay back their bailouts- for one reason and one reason only- to retain power over them and so power over the entire economy.

  • The banks are not allowed to give back the bailout money?

    I have been following things and I have not heard this. In fact I think you imagined it.

  • google "banks not allowed to give back bailout money" it was the very first article and its from the wallstreet journal.

  • "Some $340 million in TARP cash flowed back this week from four small banks in Louisiana, New York, Indiana and California."

    This was in the article you sent me to.

    Not allowed? That is not an accurate statement.

    They can give the money back if they really want to.

    "Some $340 million in TARP cash flowed back this week from four small banks in Louisiana, New York, Indiana and California. "

  • "from four small banks" $340 million is less than 1% of $700 billion so we need 2059 some odd payments of a similar size to be all paid up.

  • So you admit it. They CAN give the money back.

  • "Smalltown" First National Bank doesn't really control anything. Goldman Sach's etc. aren't being allowed to pay it back.

  • They can if they really want to.

  • Must be causeyousayso right?

  • "Mr. Varney is a host on the Fox Business Network."

    Know your source.

    Fox News is not to be trusted.

  • Look at the Reuters article a little further down.

  • could not find the Reuters

    Goldman Using Share Sale to Return Bailout Funds

    By LOUISE STORY

    While Goldmans latest results bolster its case for untangling itself from TARP, federal regulators are nonetheless concerned about the health of the broader financial industry and the implications such a move might have for other institutions. Goldman is not allowed to return the money without the approval of the Treasury and the Federal Reserve, which both declined to comment on Monday.

  • They aren't allowed to give it back like I said.

  • Read it!

    Approval of the the Fed and Treasury. . . No comment by them.

    You keep saying it like it is a fact.

    The matter has not been settled.

    And you call yourself a scholar?

  • Part of being a scholar (lol) is the ability to use and apply critical thinking.

  • This is 100% true. Banks have tried to give back bailout money back and have been denied by Obama & company. The federal government's real interest is CONTROL.

  • Good point on basic vocabulary, citizenkong. A freshly-brewed example: Checking the Urban Dictionary for the term 'teabagging' would have precluded a great deal of unnecessary embarrassment and oppostion humor. As would knowing that you need permits for demonstrations at those taxpayer-supported public parks...the ones with taxpayer-supported police, fire and paramedic services available to all. Do those things count as 'socialism'?

  • Exactly! You have made some excellent points. I commend you!

    Yes indeed, these teabaggers for the most part appear to be emotional simpletons. They fail to understand just how our society works. If they don't want to pay taxes I suggest they all go to a third world country such as Brunei.

  • Its not just the taxes, its the spending, wiretapping, the patriot act, pro-corporate farm legislation with no exceptions for small private gardens, the coming anti-firearm legislation, giving the executive the power to literally turn off the internet, and the general growth of executive power over the past 8 years and especially the last 5 months (theory of the unitary executive), and also the bailouts of failing private enterprise, and perpetual warfare. But who am I to judge?

  • pro-corporate farm legislation. Now your talking fascism!

    As for your entire list. . . You blame Obama?

    Oh please.

    Let me venture a guess. Are you a Michael Weiner fan?

  • Obama hasn't been in office for the past 8 years. He's only been in office since 1/20/09. The T-bag the D-bag movement has been brewing since the Bush administration came on TV and told us yet again that we must give up essential liberty for a little temporary security. Obama is Bush's 3rd term as far as this libertarian is concerned and from what I can tell McCain would have been no better. Get off Obama's cock he hates poor people too.

  • Libertarian aye?

    I've dealt with Ron Paul supporters before. I find them . . . How should I say it? Fanatical? Fringe? But I do admire the underdog. Hang in there buddy!

    Obama's cock? Are you gay. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but Obama's cock? Your debate took a rather strange turn. What pray tell does his cock have anything to do with this? Your big brain wanders in some low places that I would rather not go.

    Oh yes!!! You are a teabagger.

  • Ron Paul doesn't believe in any kind of national defense I don't really think I can call my self a supporter of him though I admire him. Well you don't sound like you are arguing for your own self interest in anyway- so you must be someone's whore.

  • My self interest? That is your problem. . . you only think of your self.

    And you are rude and have a potty mouth.

    To resort to such tactics shows a lack of true intellect.

  • Who is looking out for your self interest right now? I bet if the TARP money was given to every citizen it would do more good- who couldn't use an extra $10,000 or so in the bank. But that isn't who is getting it. Sure I curse it makes me sad to see the living dead posting on youtube- you don't have to be a zombie you can choose self interest instead of constantly trying to sacrifice for someone else's good who doesn't give 2 shits about you.

  • We live in a society.

    We must all pull for the common good.

    Why do you hate America?

    Okay. . . that was sarcasm.

    Me and my money is what really matters!

    (more sarcasm)

  • If the individual can succeed the society can succeed. If the individual isn't allowed to succeed then the society won't succeed. If you can't earn a living for yourself you're not going to be able to pay taxes for welfare to be given out and you won't be able to choose to give to charity. You can pull for a common good with out sacrificing yourself to other people. Yes

    citizenkong you and your money do matter- you have value and you have worked for your money and it belongs to you.

  • Thanks.

    I do work. I use money and I love my country.

    I read Ayn Rand and learned about her life and her friends.

    Frankly. . . I find Kurt Vonnegut far superior.

  • OK so I am supposed bow to you like some kind of Christ? You have chosen to sacrifice yourself for other people. That is your choice. Christ asked for people to give to charity he never asked for a submission to government. This is not Rome this is America- the American people are the Caesar and the sovereign. But we aren't talking about charity to the poor. We are talking about how you think its ok for you to sacrifice yourself for huge failing corporations.

  • Christ said . . ". . . render unto Caesar what is Caesar's . . "

    so you want the banks to fail? okay.

  • If they can't support their present model they should fail and have their divisions bought up by other companies. Yes it will hurt short term but what we are doing now is creating a long emergency.

  • OK I reread it, you say:

    I am an individual

    I must pull for my own good.

    Why do you love America.

    I and my money doesn't matter at all.

    (that was implied by your sarcasm)

  • Where I live a lot of people grow their own food and sometimes they even sell some of it- heaven forbid- so I think its kind of odd not size has been added to the new farm bill.

    ps savage is a botanist and should stick to that imo

  • Monsanto must be brought to it's knees.

  • I would imagine that will in the next "3 year plan", maybe even this one. here anyway

  • I just hope you are thinking about what I am saying in some way at least a little bit while you are trying in some way to prove me wrong.

  • What kind of idiot would protest paying for firemen and peace officers? But we also paid for all the snipers on all the roofs surrounding Lafayette Park.

  • I guess that's a rhetorical question, and my answer would be, "Probably the same kind that would grandstand and make a big show out of turning down federal $timulu$ money to help their various states."

  • I gave a pretty good list a little further up. Paying for police, fireman, and presidents body guard would not make it to the list of things to be against. you silly

  • Some administrations let private enterprise regulate/'police' themselves which allows those industries and no-bid contractors to pollute, do shoddy work which electocutes our military when they try to take a shower and profit mightily on a war. I am one of the 'some people' who think government needs to guard against private industry gutting the nation' s (& therefore taxpayer's) funds which are needed for things more noble that war-profiteering.

  • There is a deep fascist rot stinking up our entire country. If you want to pin it on only one administration or certain alternating administrations you can but it would be dishonest. It is everyone in power that we have elected expecting them to make any positive impact.

  • To a large extent I agree with you, JCJ77. - It's just that (so far) the current group has not distinguished itself with outlandish attack & occupy strategies and flagrant Constitutional affronts like 'enhanced interrogation' or Supreme Court 'adjustments' of election results. I feel a large sense of relief that we are at least seeing efforts made in positive directions. I think it is fair to say that there's a rather drastic contrast in the secrecy/trasparency levels of the 2 White House Crews.

  • JCJ77,

    Please. Very few people - maybe 2% of Americans - believe the government should control private enterprise. That's just nutty right wing talking points.

  • It's the 2% controling the government right now. So the 2% is worth mentioning.

  • Riiiiiiiiiight...

    What type of tin foil is in fashion this year?

  • They are doing it so how tin foil haty is it realy?

  • Maybe you're engaging in hyperbole. What do you mean by "control private enterprise." I suppose maybe you mean a modest tax on corporate profits. Maybe you mean some modest regulation on product safety. Who knows what you mean - it's not clear, and people on the far-right are known for exagerated and distorted rhetoric. But "controlling" is a pretty strong term, and clearly there are very few people in government who want to "control" private enterprise.

  • TARP money bought control of some banks and insurance companies. The president fired the CEO of GM for Christ sake. This isn't some tiny little extra regulation here and there its full blown state control. If they don't want to control it then they should stop controlling it then. The problem is corporate welfare- where the government is literally giving corporations money. Haven't you been watching the news since September?

  • Is the government intervening into the collapsing financial sector because "it wants to control private enterprise," or "because it wants to prevent them from collapsing" and causing an epic financial meltdown that would make the Great Depression look like a picnic?

    I'm sure you're convinced it's the former. Do you also believe that the current economic problems were planned?

    As for corporate welfare - it does not give the gov't "control" over anything.

  • As for GM, it had two choices: disappear, or restructure will help from the government, which includes agreeing (as Wagoner did) to some of the terms and conditions set by the government. Again, this isn't about the government's thirst for control over private enterprise, but an effort to prevent the collapse of a major American manufacturer, and the loss of an industry that affects MILLIONS of Amerivcans. Perhaps you think we should all have to suffer in the name of unregulated capitalism.

  • The CEO of GM had a choice be fired by Obama or be fired by the board of GM after Obama asked for him to be fired. The precedent this little temporary control will have an impact far beyond today and tomorrow. Regulated capitalism would dictate that the company fail and be bought up by other companies- but instead we have our version of Il Duce. I never volunteered to have my work sacrificed for a huge failing company- it is in no way my fault that they failed.

  • I suggest you google for the term "FDIC failed bank list." You'll see a list of banks that have failed since 2000. (The list used to go back to 1980, but was recently updated and now only goes back to 2000.)

    The point is that banks that fail go into government receivership until they are made solvent and returned to the private sector. This is just how it works, and has worked for almost a century. There is nothing new or nefarious about government "control" of failed financial insitutions.

  • Despite this long standing tradition of putting banks in government receivership when they fail, you may have noticed that OBAMA DID NOT DO THIS with the big failed institutions like AIG, Citibank, et al. Rather, we let them retain private control while giving them the money they need to avoid going under.

    Finally: you may disagree with it, but there is a sound and widely accepted economic theory that what is needed to stop the economic decline is government intervention. Hooverism failed.

  • These banks have not been put into receivership.