Come for the politics, stay for the snark.
Yesterday, in the comments, I wondered why it was necessary to entice mortgage lenders to re-negotiate loans, when it certainly seems like it is in their best interest to do so, and it seems there are a whole host of variables at play, including the bank’s capital base (again, over my head).
At any rate, a piece in the NY Times today tells the story of two cases. Worth a read.
The Politico has a big piece about the rift between relatively sane Republican governors like Charlie Crist and the whack jobs from Palinland who are pretending to oppose the stimulus for “philosophical” reasons. One is Mark Sanford of South Carolina, who apparently is “is a guy with a longstanding philosophy and ideological approach to free markets.” Apparently, though, that doesn’t mean he won’t take the money:
South Carolina’s Republican governor says his state will accept money from President Barack Obama’s stimulus plan even though he is ideologically opposed to it.
When all the games are over, this is what Sanford should actually care about:
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Even before the job fair opens, the line snakes into the parking lot of the state fairground, a muted parade of lives derailed by layoffs.
“It kills me, it eats me up inside,” said Raymond Vaughn, who has been out of work for seven months, since he lost his job as a window installer. His fiancée now pays the bills. “I go into this fantasy world where I’m like, I’m in the wrong life and I’m actually a millionaire. It really bothers me I can’t do the things I’d like for her. Sometimes you get where you feel less than a man.”
[….]In South Carolina, a government panel is predicting that the state’s unemployment rate could reach 14 percent by the middle of next year.
[….]“This will be a once in a generation opportunity to transform a city with projects that have been on the books,” the mayor said over breakfast at a newly opened downtown Sheraton hotel set in an old bank whose original vault has become a cozy martini bar. “These are not bridges to nowhere.”
Yet questions confront the notion of putting people to work through federal largess. South Carolina’s governor, Mark Sanford, a Republican, has been an ardent opponent of federal aid for states, branding it pork barrel spending. If the money is delivered to state agencies like the Department of Transportation, which has its own list of priorities, Columbia might be disappointed.
It frustrates me that so many people in public life think their job is to pontificate about philosophies and put out videos set to the tune “Back In the Saddle”.
Apparently there are continuing problems with the RSS feed and perhaps portable devices. Have any of you had a problem? Additionally, some of you are having problems commenting with something called bad behavior.
If so, here is what I need. State the problem. State what platform you are using. Take a screenshot, and then email it to me.
I will fix it or find someone who can.
Tunch in September 2005:
Tunch in October, 2008:
Tunch, this morning:
We are making progress.
If you really want to get the full flavor of what a jerk this interviewer comes across as, watch this video without any sound. It almost looks like an SNL skit- the guy did everything but stick his tongue out and put his thumb to his nose while waving his fingers.
*** Update ***
I am trying to find some video of the Bush/Gore 2000 debate to offer a comparison. Any help?
I can’t find any clips other than the time he walked over next to Bush while Bush was responding to a question, making that really awkward moment where Bush looked at him funny.
I suppose any clip of Chris Matthews interviewing anyone would be as good an example as any.
Obviously, I hope he’s okay and it certainly sounds like he is. In any case, no one could have predicted that Chris Hitchens would get drunk and deface a political poster:
I don’t know if you find this as news worthy or not, but Christopher Hitchens is currently in Beirut sponsored by the same group that owns that crap NOW Lebanon. He got in a few nights ago and surprisingly went out drinking. On his way out of the bar he saw an SSNP poster and wrote on it “Fuck the SSNP”. There just happened to be some SSNP thugs near by–most likely asking people for their ID, and most likely to no avail–and saw him write on the poster and kicked his ass. He is still walking with a limp.
You have to admire the guy’s pluck, no?
In case you haven’t noticed, I am kind of burnt out and have been slacking. Too much going on and too much to do, plus kind of blogged out after the inaugural burst. At any rate, pets:
Remember that awesome video a while back of the dog on the water slide while the owner was away? I also really like cats that look like lions, for whatever reason. I also almost forgot, I am thinking about adopting a 3 year old cat who needs a home. He has been de-clawed (something I would never do), so I think I will wait awhile since I know those probably go pretty quick, and I will just pick up someone else if he is not around in a week.
PS- No, I don’t have an opinion about the stupid damned NY Post chimpanzee cartoon. I simply don’t care. Don’t buy the NY Post if it pisses you off.