Tag Archives: Wall Street

topical Tuesday &some News


just another rant …

The change that 53% of us voted for is again at risk. For three years the change and progress needed to get America/Americans back on track has suffered and though folks in the Media fail to convey it sufficiently, we can blame our lack of progress stopped, blocked, stalled, scaled back and slowed down by the Teapublican Political Party. Obvious statement right yet, folks still seem to be oblivious.

You can turn it to just about any channel and hear how the Independent vote is up for grabs. Most pundit’s strategists and politicians say it is about the economy and the terrible jobs numbers but fail to tell the viewer in detail what the party of NO have done to stand in the way of progress. I do believe if you are going to call yourself a reporter then do your job and give viewers both sides of the story otherwise you are a partisan hack. I find it hard to believe anyone has to stop think or wonder which Teapublican candidate running for President should even get a 2nd look much less bat around the possibility of giving up women’s , voter, worker, gay or our children’s right to an education to them. I am not that naïve but it really is simple; we need a better Congress that will work with the President. It is up to those who do lean left of center to reach out to our fellow independents to keep them informed. It is important to challenge the crap coming out that clearly are lies, on the edge or overtly reflect a nasty rhetoric often spewing fear hate and discrimination. It is a call to action of all those who believe in our Constitution in every way; welcomes everyone that believe in that saying We the People, the 14th Amendment and equality for All people regardless of the race, creed, religious or gender preference. It is at a moment like this that begs us all to let those who practice exclusion hears from those who believe in helping our fellow man. The fight against income inequality is on.

I don’t know about you but I tend to have a stash of sayings, proverbs, and or clichés in the back of my mind when patience calmness and reflection is needed when disagreeable rhetoric is flying my way. I give President Obama some major props for being calm cool collected as always. I appreciate and love those traits and if you are paying attention not one Teapublican running for President has yet to behave or display an even-tempered manner. I won’t be voting right of center period but if you are looking for things to compare and contrast the stark differences in tone verbiage and representation you can vision a moment when a country wanting to provoke war is pushing it. I know who I would trust how about you.

I believe … Sometimes, the needs of the many do outweigh the needs of the few. Yes, the current ugly rhetoric coming from those leaning right is meant to hurt conquer & divide us. It is also clear that in this election year when life amongst Americans is changing and not in a good way only to have gotten worse since the 2010 midterm elections though President Obama has moved us forward despite conservatives almost all by himself, Teapublican Governors, and their members of Congress keep doing their best to undermine it all. At first, Teapublican Governors were throwing coded language at those mostly in protected classes. Thus, the need to recite the saying “When the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.” is an important statement for me right about now. The Fact that some on Wall Street made big bets against or in spite of an under regulated inefficient supposedly “free enterprise” system seemingly set up against the consumer proved to me that they believe themselves to be above the call and refuse to, consider the needs of the many and continue to fight for the few.

If you were unfortunate enough to have been a victim of the 2008 financial collapse, invested in it directly maybe your 401k, or are a part of the housing debacle, you probably suffered tremendously. Yes, the government had to step in and up to help All Americans because unfortunately it was clear “the market” was not going to correct itself- the bets – the casino shut itself down. The economic collapse was an opportunity to see to “the needs of the many” change the failed ways that the house of Bush apparently was handling things and move All Americans into the 21st Century. Yet, McConnell and his comrades decided to put their heads down and fight for the rights of the 1% oh those job creators need our help repeatedly. I don’t know about you but I am getting tired of this nonsense.

What Wall Street did was take tax payer money and then shit on us on so many levels

I admit it; I am biased so any negative comments about President Obama get a second or third scan. I gotta say listening, reading and hearing comments coming from the likes of a matt damon, harry belafonte or groups the msm calls special interest though President Obama, having taken great first steps toward change state, I guess, that he has not gone far enough. It is my contention that we vote for a President not a puppet, dictator or king so the notion that he had a mandate or needs to sedate or fulfill the promises he made to some special interest groups during his campaign is beyond ridiculous let alone that stupid comment about President Obama being morally corrupt. First, just as many special interest groups are very happy, supportive and plan to express that by voting for Barack Obama for a second term. Second, all you have to do is compare and contrast the facts and President Obama is definitely putting “the needs of the many before the needs of the few; thankfully so. While Independents seem to be holding out they should decide what side of history do they want to be remembered taking.

I think the negative comments are becoming bold, louder and more frequent but they are coming from the right, the more extreme side of our society certainly special in their own way… have chosen to go extreme go right of center and in some cases sound very dangerous but hey that is just my take. The whole class warfare the 99% V 1% the poor V the Rich. I say the battle is about how and not allowing a Black man govern in the White House again let alone the other awful code words being used to induce fear into Americans. I say the Black Man as President Thing who btw has gotten more things done then previous Presidents cannot and should not be forced back into that genie bottle though some Teapublicans in Congress and their constituents seem to want to. FYI, governing for the greater good has nothing to do with colour if the mind and heart are for ALL Americans not a select few. Though the house of Bush created 3million jobs, the fact is that shameful number took him 8yrs to accomplish. I have to wonder WTH are people beating up/down President Obama when the last guy obviously skated. We can also blame the Media for the selective and misinformation they all seem to provide viewers what with ratings seemingly more important than giving all angles of a story or giving a guest an opportunity to rebut the opinions of the host or commentator.

Change takes time… It will take a Congress with courage to create and pass laws that should be for the greater good that covers all Americans.

Sometimes, the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.

Other news …

President’s Council on Jobs to Meet at White House

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi Talks with Politico

U.S. – Jordan Talks Focus on Middle East Peace, Unrest in Syria

Nation’s Mayors Talk Job Creation

Homeland Security Officials Discuss International Cooperation

“C-SPAN letter to Chief Justice Roberts on TV camera coverage of health care case”

Stand Up to Mortgage Fraudsters and Big Banks


The Big Banks have a lot to answer for. As their greed and recklessness gave us a devastating financial crisis, they also abused and defrauded consumers. There are 7.5 million homes that have entered the foreclosure process, with another 4.8 million homeowners at risk. It’s time to set things right—and not with a slap on the wrist for bankersand fraudsters.Unfortunately, some state attorneys general are considering just that—a small slap on the wrist, not real accountability. To get the best deal for homeowners, and to make sure the banks are held fully accountable, your voice needs to be heard.

Your attorney general has the power to hold the banks accountable. Tell the AG you want real accountability and not another giveaway.

The collapse of the housing market and widespread abuses of homeowners are holding back our economy. Misconduct by the nation’s biggest banks gave us the financial crisis, and your attorney general has the power to hold them accountable. A deal already is being considered—and we have to get this right. We can’t repeat the mistakes of the bailout process.

Your attorney general will be making a decision soon; tell the AG to put homeowners above banker greed.

In Solidarity,

Manny Herrmann
Online Mobilization Coordinator, AFL-CIO

P.S. Have you checked out Working America‘s 9 Demands of the 99%? View eight commonsense solutions we need to fix the economy, add your own and sign on in support.

TGIF &some News


just another rant … long

The word of the day is stifling … It is winter yet the first week of January brought the NW 50degrees and some sun shine then a lot of sleet, wind and more wind to last me a while.  Our temps had been 30degrees since October and gotta say this warm, cold and or freezing thing one day here there only to have 3″ of rain sun and 50 on the other days is just odd …and as if somebody said hey … It’s winter the temp dropped and we are back down into the 3o’s …Can we just All accept that global warming exists. Therefore, we will call this Climate Change.

Anyway, it is a good time to breathe in slowly, reach up to the sky, and breathe out through your nose very slowly while letting your arms lower to your sides. Repeat as needed …

Yes, there is a lot of stuff going on all over the World that could and probably will ultimately affect us all and it is not just climate change -dang, and it is only the first week of January.  It is sad to say nothing is going on in Congress, the place where lawmakers …make laws that help keep our Democracy functioning but has been somewhat of a failure lately.  I know i am not alone in saying … thank goodness President Obama has ALL Americans in his mind and heart and was willing to do what was right, what we all used to believe was the job of Congress but Teapublican members of both Chambers have misused abused and probably signed a Pledge with the decision to slow down progress with less time spent Session.

Americans are not stupid, we see what Teapublicans are doing …limiting and tying the hands of our Elected President and governing Party that 53% voted them in to do….Govern

 Some folks say it is about time President Obama used his executive powers while others said yeah sure but he did not go far enough or why did he wait for so long. I like to think there are more folks like me  who have stayed tuned in and see a verbal and paper trail that needed to be laid out given the brinksmanship that broke out say the 1st day President Obama took office.  Can’t lie, I wanted the Democratic Party to hit the ground running , be bold be brave move some stuff through both Chambers of Congress but here we are three years later and I’m still wondering where when and why they have yet to go bold. Hell, who are these people is more like it; who knew our own party was strange.  I will also admit I take quite personally what happened prior to the midterm elections and afterward.  What I saw was a bunch of members so distracted by the possibilities of losing their seats that they left just elected President Obama blowing in the wind, some still holding onto Hilliary grudges, others race issues and some just on the extreme side period. I blame Congress for not getting our economy back on track sooner but what better way to be slapped into a rude awakening after Mitch McConnell shocked us all and told the truth … That his job was to make Barack Obama a one term President.  Reality … “they want their country back”    ok, 53% voted for Barack Obama and  excuse me but who exactly are “they” who want “their country back” and what the hell does that mean anyway … ok, i know but hey i am still ranting about that and FYI lefties he is not a King though if you listen to matt damon and some others he wants his mandate implemented  …or he will oh wait he had the melt down right … where is that school house rock vid when you need it …  … oh wait … enjoy …matt damon should watcht this  O ;

    http://youtu.be/3eeOwPoayOk

 <<< click on link for  … school house rock i’m just a bill

 So, the journey toward progress has been slow but not impossible and as the months went by and Teapublicans filibustered more and more people began to have some sort of distorted view of just exactly what a President does and how he does it.   I had this … go big go bold or go home attitude toward Congress because 53% wanted big bold changes for all Americans. I still have the audacity to have hope to make big changes but I have realized that our diverse group of dems can also self-sabotage our progress and this is so sad. The Democratic Party even with all the filibusters has accomplished some great stuff in Congress …

This week, President Obama has made some executive orders that will help consumers  and has been absent for at least a year because Teapublicans have managed to block the nomination 2 Obama Admin Agency heads for the CFPB for almost if not longer than a year, appointing nominees to the NLRB and 180,000 summer job programs for our youth. We all know President Obama, ridiculed by the left for not using his executive powers and by the right for being in power period.  Thankfully, he has decided to use his executive power by exercising his right to recess appointments for Mr. Cordray, in charge of the CFPB and three NLRB board members to take care of worker rights, which is a no brainer while Teapublicans have come out in outrage. I wonder if their staff is telling them to stand down because y’all words can be played back and expose the truth … That union; women, children, minorities, vets, worker, and gay rights are and would be at risk if we let Teapublicans gain control. I guess my attitude upset some people.

I received a comment on my blog some time ago, which I totally love and hope others will as well but I wanted to share the question because it was a good one …I am no expert I just have a lot to say… good bad and sometimes really bad; Anyway here it is: what is wrong with capitalism? People want to start companies and make money and be profitable, and people like you have a problem with that, why? You also have a problem with people wanting to limit government spending and ending socialized programs. They are trying to do smart things to make this country prosperous again, and yet you think they are extremists. If you can explain this to me, I would appreciate it.

My response was that I have absolutely nothing against capitalism with a small c but the big C and D that brought us this economic crisis represents Capitalism and Deregulation that was so out of control gotta wonder what was their definition of good  “self-regulating.”  How can anyone accept what happened as par for the course as Teapublicans seem to , if  Wall Street, the oil, insurance and gas companies lack of regulation led to dabbling and or using other people’s money to bet on stocks that had no value. Teapublicans bet and lost most if not all of our $$ and here we are. I believe that people invest their earnings with the idea of trusting folks who say they know what they are doing…example a 401k and yes it is a risk but that risk is or should not be corrupted. In addition, as far as having a problem with people wanting limited government.  I think having limited government depends on the status of our economy and who is governing it. I know that before President Obama was elected we all found  out the house of Bush had a financial crisis and instead of cooperating with the governing power Teapublicans decided to throw Americans under the bus vote NO on legislation that probably would have made a significant impact on the state of our economy. We the people wanted to do big things hoping Congress would throw $$ at a big problem but again Teapublicans and conservadems said NO to the notion and or idea of big government programs or stimulus while behind the scenes they were all asking for more stimulus money.

I am still trying to understand how Republicans were able to get away with not just threatening or saying they will not help unless you give us what we want but our Democratic Party seemed to have a passive aggressive reaction. Clearly ,it was reckless behavior and if it weren’t for government programs the Gulf Coast would not exist; and what would your neighborhood look like without Teachers, Cops, Emts, First responders because they are all government jobs; Republicans keep doing whatever they can to ruin President Obama  by offering up no solutions no viable plans of substance no details. People act like all this spending would happen whether the economy collapse or not …that is just not so -and it is sad offensive and typical that the Media and folks on the right are promoting this nonsense. The problem we had needed a huge sum of money thrown at it but the Republican Tea Party has been the spoiler…the obstacle and the blame if things get worse and I will admit there are some conservadems to blame as well. I wanted someone to ask … when Bush knew we were headed for an economic collapse and why Bush did not head off the collapse off at the pass before the 2008 election can be debated. The other questions we should all ask are … why not pay for the 2wars waged and the 2tax cuts. The last guy screwed us and the fix takes both sides of the aisle and that is not happening … I blame Republicans.
As far as ending socialized programs or limiting government.

 I believe a woman should have the right to choose and if a law is needed, the Hyde amendment is the current law and should be enough for everyone.  Yet, most conservatives believe they have the right to tell me what to do with my body and yes, I believe that the people who are able and willing to build an Islamic center should be given the chance to help the community and just to remind you, not all Muslim Americans are terrorist, they can be Caucasian, African American, and Asian too. The new attacks on women, children, and worker rights are a great warning to all and any notion to manipulate the 14th Amendment should scare those of us with dark skin or who look reasonable suspicious …oh and don’t forget gays or straights who support gay marriage and religious freedom.

Makes you wonder what year it is.

 Other News …

Pres. Obama, Top Defense Leaders Release Military Strategy Report

Commerce Secretary John Bryson on the Economy

House Dems Discuss Payroll Tax Conference Committee

CFPB Director Richard Cordray in His First Day on the Job

Wisc. Governor Discusses Budget Reforms

Sen. McCain Endorses Mitt Romney

This race is officially on — Jim Messina, BarackObama.com


2012

Friend —

These Republican candidates spent in some cases more than a year — in Mitt Romney‘s case seven years — campaigning in Iowa to be the next president.

But tonight, GOP voters there couldn’t decisively get behind anyone.

Who exactly leads the Republican race going forward isn’t clear, but we do know two things:

1) The extremist Tea Party agenda won a clear victory. No matter who the Republicans nominate, we’ll be running against someone who has embraced that agenda in order to win — vowing to let Wall Street write its own rules, end Medicare as we know it, roll back gay rights, leave the troops in Iraq indefinitely, restrict a woman’s right to choose, and gut Social Security to pay for more tax cuts for millionaires and corporations.

2) We’ll be facing an onslaught of unprecedented spending from outside groups funded by corporations and anonymous donors. In Iowa alone, so-called “super PACs” spent $12.9 million on almost exclusively negative ads. These groups will turn their fire even more directly on us in the weeks ahead to prove that their candidate is the most anti-Obama.

This race is officially on — and if we want to win, the only way is to out-organize them on the ground.

Sign up to volunteer your time now, and one of our organizers in your community will give you a call by the end of next week to talk about how you can help.

Many observers still think Mitt Romney will be the Republican nominee. If he is, we will be prepared. But it’s curious that no one can really explain how, when or why the 70-plus percent of Republicans saying in polls and in Iowa that Mitt Romney’s not their candidate will suddenly come around.

So the path ahead for Romney — or whichever of the Republican candidates is going to emerge from this process — is sadly and starkly very clear: to run even further to the extreme right, and make even more dangerous promises that threaten not only the progress we’ve made but the fundamental fabric of American society.

We also know that candidates who take these extreme positions can, in the right circumstances, win not only a primary but also a general election in just about any state.

Just ask the Tea Party senators from Pennsylvania and Kentucky, and the Tea Party governors in Florida and Wisconsin.

Watching the circus on TV, it’s tempting to think it’s almost funny — but this is not a joke.

We’ve got to be ready.

What you decide to do next will determine which kind of politics wins this election:

http://my.barackobama.com/After-Iowa

More soon.

Messina

Jim Messina
Campaign Manager
Obama for America

Occupy Wall Street movement


 

They can take away the tarps and the tents. But they can’t slow down the Occupy Wall Street movement.

There have been police raids on Occupy Wall Street in Oakland, Calif.; Portland, Ore.; Denver; Albany, N.Y.; Burlington, Vt.; and Chapel Hill, N.C.—and now, last night in New York’s Zuccotti Park—orchestrated by politicians acting on behalf of the 1%.

But the 99% is undaunted. Occupy Wall Street’s message already has created a new day. This movement has created a seismic shift in our national debate—from austerity and cuts to jobs, inequality and our broken economic system.

Send a message of solidarity to the Occupy Wall Street protesters—which will be delivered by Working America this week.

The Occupy Wall Street movement has been committed to peaceful, nonviolent action from its inception. And it will keep spreading no matter what elected officials tell police to do. But that doesn’t mean these raids are acceptable. In fact, they are inexcusable.

As former Secretary of State Colin Powell put it, these protests are “as American as apple pie.” Americans must be allowed to speak out against pervasive inequality, even if the truth discomfits the 1%.

The AFL-CIO will do everything in our power to make sure the free speech rights of these peaceful protesters are protected.

Click here to send a message of solidarity directly to the Occupy Wall Street protesters—Working America will deliver it this week.

We are the 99%.

In Solidarity,

Richard L. Trumka
President, AFL-CIO

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