How does Alan Grayson expect to be taken seriously by the “Mainstream Media” with sensible suggestions like these? I wonder why the White House or the Democratic party don’t see a connection with Alan Grayson’s fundraising success and his policy rhetoric. It seems so obvious but I guess I must be missing something.

It would be interesting to know if Dean Baker and others at New Deal 2.0 or the PERI Institute think that China should be the scapegoat. Hudson and Engdahl seem to be in a different camp with a world view vs. the American exceptionalism view.

http://counterpunch.org/hudson10112010.html

http://www.engdahl.oilgeopolitics.net/Geopolitics___Eurasia/China_Euro_pe_/china_euro_pe_.html

Obama could resign. That would be of great benefit!

Thanks, Jane! You are getting feedback from some amazing people!

I like Grayson’s #1 and #2. Those two would make a full-time agenda for the next two years. He could have even linked them by showing that just the cash spent on cafeterias and bullets and diesel fuel in AfPak could pay for another 1,000 prosecutors to put the mortgage banksters in jail.

Accelerate the award and performance of infrastructure projects and competitive grants to the full extent of FY11 appropriations now, instead of the usual end-of-September orgy of contract awards 11 months from now, to accelerate the spending of appropriated funds in order to create jobs.

This idea is so simple and provides such good evidence of how someone in Washington who knows the nuts and bolts of governing can make a real difference, that Congressman Grayson will be totally ignored.

Evidently he didn’t get the memo from his fellow Democrats, the one that tells them to cry about having less than 100% control of all the votes in Congress and the White House, without which nothing can be done.

Because President Joe Biden would do soooo much better.

I said that on the first thread in this series.

If pigs had wings, O could fly.

At least we could reprise that hopey changey thingy.

This is very interesting, and a useful and positive thing to do.

This stuff I’ve been hearing lately about pressuring China on “currency manipulation” bothers me just a bit. It just doesn’t seem wise to slap around the entity that’s writing large checks every day to fund debt. Of course the issue is very complex and deserves discussion, but getting all lathered up and acting preciptously seems ill-advised.

Jane,

Frederic beat me to it! Biden would be no worse………

I suggested a permanent moratorium on offshore oil drilling, but the Obama administration decided to go the other way on that one. We voted against “drill baby drill” and this is our reward?

Yeah especially when we do not have any leverage to actually make them do anything. They hold our money and have a huge population advantage that renders any military threats of ours rather impotent.

All of these things could have been done from the word GO! Obama could have done some or all of those things during the inauguration. Imagine how exciting that would have been, to hit the deck plates running! Then people would have taken him more seriously as President. He could have sent the message and set the tone that this is a serious grown up White House that intends to GOVERN…….

o/t

BREAKING: Federal judge orders Obama admin. to stop DADT discharges immediately

link

After reading the link, why didnt this kind of a ruling happen much sooner?

His suggestions won’t work because it would require the President to do something he is loath to do: take a firm stand and lead.

This stuff I’ve been hearing lately about pressuring China on “currency manipulation” bothers me just a bit. It just doesn’t seem wise to slap around the entity that’s writing large checks every day to fund debt.

Dya think.

Furthermore, currencies don’t make much difference on the composition of international trade. The price elasticities of demand are low, esp. when a high-labor-cost country is importing from low-labor-cost countries, take a long time to have any influence at all, and then there’s the J-curve effect, which means that the only way currency changes work to increase exports and/or decrease imports (from U.S. POV) is to first decrease the price of exports and increase the price of imports, which means that the initial step is that the trade balance deteriorates MORE RAPIDLY before it eventually and modestly improves. Gigantically bad trade-off for any short-run problems, although in the longer run more sensible.

What would be much more productive is if Chinese & their ilk took their role as global consumers, while U.S. shifted to global saver. But since that would risk putting BRIC in the slimy mitts of the IMF & WB again, and on the U.S. side would be considered unamerican, there’s no way that there will be a sensible solution to the global imbalances.

Both one and two sound fairly useful. Nearly every country in the world is currently trying to manipulate their currency down and that includes the US, so we have a bit of a kettle and pot problem with three. Four seems like tinkering around a few edges. Not at all sure how more of the same with respect to Fannie and Freddie, which effectively offloads previously problematic banks loans onto the taxpayers, gets us to a better place, except that it moves the bad stuff to a new spot. Might be good if you have a bunch of underwater borrowers and run a bank or just want to keep the balloon full for a while longer.

I have no clue of course, but you can bet there will be a post up soon that will no doubt shed some light

I agree with Twonine and ShotoJamf – not too thrilled about trying to paint the Chinese as bad guys vis-a-vis their currency, as if they were the only nation that has done, or is doing, or will do this.

Woot! Another thing to add to Obama’s “to do” list. Now. As in right now.

Because this judge’s actions are unconstitutional due to a violation of separation of powers. As stupid as it is to say that gays cannot openly serve and that it harms morale or military effectiveness it is the executive, not the judicial, branch that makes that determination.

O will ignore the order.

Alan Grayson is a hero.
I live Florida CD 2, unfortunately I am represented by a blew dog who supports all wars, banker bailouts, corporate healthcare.

3. “Determine that China is a “currency manipulator” (which is stating the obvious), and impose trade sanctions on China, to offset Chinese manipulation of the exchange rate.”

And what is Shalom ‘Helios’ Bernake doing when rides his QE chariot, if not debasing the value of the dollar?

This sadly states the obvious. There are shamefully obvious much better alternatives. It is Obama’s shop and he is choosing to run it the way he is.

Just stopping the wars would be a huge lift.

Nationalizing the Banks and establishing a Commonwealth Bank, would go a long fucking way, imo.

“Make me push for change” didn’t include the idea that someone would try to make him push for change. He meant send me money and I’ll think about it.

I’ve been asking people what Obama could do now, without needing the approval of Congress, to address many of the serious problems facing the country.

this is a brilliant campaign on your part jane

You give him too much credit. No way he’ll think about anything the voters would like to see the USG do.

The judge is not acting outside of the constitution. The judicial branch is set up as a check on the executive and legislative branch. If either of these branches enacts a law that is in violation of the constitution, then the Judges can rule this law unconstitutional, like the guy did today. Its really totally legal.

wonder what he will do now to avoid the obvious course of action that needs to take place pronto

OT but breaking Judge rules the the Military has to stop enforcing don’t ask don’t tell violates the 5th amendment… Details later??

Yes but he will take any donations one might choose to give on any topic of interest. He doesn’t have to intend to do something in order to pull in a few extra bucks.

Except that Congress, the legislative branch, passed the law on DADT, which puts it in the judicial side of things to rule on the Constitutionality – although it is probably premature for the judge to be saying a nationwide injunction.

I didn’t argue with your part about taking donations; only the other part.

Well, I suppose they could both resign. All hail President Pelosi!

Oh and as usual Alan Grayson has some very common sense ideas. And yes the PTB have their fingers in their ears!

There is a problem with Grayson’s #1.

End the wars, and bring the troops home.

Currently there are manufacturing facilities for the defense industry in all 50 states. With no warz, there is no demand for the product, and those jobs immediately go in limbo. That creates a political nightmare for both Rs and Ds representing the districts where those facilities are located.

Simultaneous to the ending of the warz, the needs of the workers at those facilities need to be addressed. Suggestion. Since the contracts have already been awarded and the funds allocated, terminate all work but continue to pay the workers at their full rate for one year, or until they find other employment.

Thanks for doing this Jane, and thanks to those who responded so far with good, commonsense ideas. It’s a positive direction to take.

That said, I doubt the PTB will listen at all.

Still one can only say: we tried; we came up with some good solutions; and so… now what? Over to you, BHO, who asked us to “hold your feet to the fire.”

Word to the wise: Frederic is a Republican who likes to troll FDL every so often.

The military has a list of hardware desires as long as they think their hardons are. Turns out that every piece of U.S. military hardware is older than Methusalem, & worn to smithereens. There is actually some truth to that (avg age of some type of military aircraft is around 30 years, iirc, for example), though I’m sure the military exaggerate.

You make a very good point, and having lived in San Diego, which is a big defense contractor town (plus big military town), you are absolutely correct.

However, didn’t the USA at one time use those MIC defense contractors to develop other stuff beyond war & killing machines? Some of the knowledge went into the Space Program, for ex. Clearly, NASA and related industries cannot simply “vacuum up” all the work currently handled by defense contracts, but still…. there must be other, more useful, ways to utilize the knowledge, skills and epertise of this industry… in more beneficial ways.

I agree, though, that it would take planning, which is not something this Admin (and the Oligarchs) seem inclined to do as they adhere to their policy of continuing to milk that particular cash cow…

That in no way addresses the separation of powers issue. Gays are not a “suspect class” and do not get heightened scrutiny, though there may be an argument to be made under the rational basis with bite test, decisions made based on “anti-gay animus.”

What would be much more productive is if Chinese & their ilk took their role as global consumers, while U.S. shifted to global saver.

You know, I see this point being made all the time. But why should the Chinese be forced to accept the American way of large-screen TV life, if they don’t want to. There are other ways they can use their resources: in infrastructure, in social services, all of them of probable higher social utility (and no doubt most ordinary people’s private utility) than more of what we call consumption — i.e. using up stuff. Sure, China can absorb a lot of our crap in a hurry, and it can’t do much more for investing in infrastructure than it does now. The same holds for social goods like education and infrastructure. That kind of capital takes highly specialized resources and time to build. In the mean time, they are saving rather than wasting their money. A little like the Norwegians, who I think on last count were rated the number 1 country in the world (if you like eating cheese all the time).

I agree with you that we need a simultaneous JOBS plan. We need to find a way to end the wars though, and feeling hopeless about ending the wars is not a solution. Recall that Revere ware copper clad pots and pans manufacturer went back and forth from producing kitchenware to producing casings for bullets and shells. I think you are on to something real.

Been spending all of the money on Blackwater types and not on equipment.

Then what the hell are they doing with the $793 billion in the 2010 budget, which does NOT include the costs of the warz themselves.

Congress is given some authority over the military, though most of it resides with the executive branch, Art III courts cannot make this ruling. By saying the executive is wrong about morale/readiness, they are in essence taking control of the military, no matter how small, away from branch(es) with the express constitutional authority. It’s a stupid policy, but the President and Congress need to man-up and end it, not the judiciary.

How do you know whether the Chinese people would need to be “forced” to accept the U.S. way of life? Chinese consumer spending is largely a function of Chinese govt policy, which discourages it in multiple ways, like keeping the minimum wages low. When I was there a decade ago, I did not observe that rich Chinese were being forced to buy gigantic apartments, build mansions, buy expensive cars.

See the comment right before yours.

The workers at those defense plans have political clout. Politicians will continue to find ways to continue warz unless those workers are given alternate means to support themselves,

Freddy’s also a GOP troll (see here, here, here, here, here and here, for starters) hoping to con us into hurting ourselves. Hint, hint.

How do americans shift into being global savers when trillions of their future savings are being poured into cleaning up the Banking Cartels balance sheets?

And why are you advising the 1 billion Chinese to become consumers like the US? Global warming, pollution….
Moreover, we are not exporting any consumer products, so how’s that to happen?

the judicial has the final say in laws that are unconstitutional, not the president, nor is the president above the law

unless of course you believe we have a king who can do whatever the hell he wants

but no, we don’t have a king

or of course unless you believe our constitution is nothing but a piece of paper, then your position might be correct

Seems that by your logic, the US would never have integrated the armed forces back in the late ’40s.

Or am I misunderstanding things here?

As an honorably discharged USAF veteran (12/76 – 9/82) I can assure you that gays and lesbians were serving then as they are now and they served honorably and well. The only time that I’m aware of that there was ever a problem was when they wound up with a supervisor or commander who was either religious or looking for an excuse to get rid of the individual in quesiton.

Blackwater goons out of work is an even bigger threat.

the judicial has the final say in laws that are unconstitutional, not the president, nor is the president above the law

The Fed?

“Clarence Thomas” Obama is capable of doing only what he is doing, that’s why he won & why we’re all screwed.
What I would like the President of the United States we elected to do is an entirely different matter. For starters, I’d like the President to publicly mock ALL our leaders who whine that “China is manipulating its currency”. China is NOT manipulating its currency, we are begging China to manipulate its currency because that’s what amoral, stupid leaders who are unwilling to do what every inveterate risktaker must eventually do.

If the Repubs take the House….and they both resign…welcome President Boner.

I hope we will have the opportunity to choose between Obama, and a candidate who trusts in, and promotes the Democratic values that were suspended after ’88.

I am so over Democrats whose arguments are limited to how much or little we should be governing according to Republican talking points. If you can’t just say we are beset with stupidity, and this is how we are going to get around it, you can’t expect people with engaged brains to follow.

Can you point to me where it is unconstitutional? There is no special level of scrutiny afforded people on the basis of sexual orientation. Romer, at best gives ration basis “with bite.” That case lays out the principle that a law cannot be based solely on anti-gay animus. The military’s reason, backed up by the congress is that it will hurt morale, this opinion is made all the more powerful by the fact that the executive branch makes these determinations. The reasoning no matter how flawed or stupid is not “solely” based on anti-gay animus.

Yes the judiciary is the final say in what is constitutional, but it cannot de facto use that position to command the military, that is a violation of separation of powers.

Truman integrated the military, not the judiciary.

OT:

Social Security announced that there will be no increase in benefit levels for another year. No COLA.

This is criminal idiocy on so many levels, it boggles. They’ll be debating Bush’s taxes under the guise of leaving more money in the pockets of the consumer, as to help get the economy rolling…?!

Deflation exists when the rising price of staple commodities is disappeared from their accounting. The seniors, OTOH are experiencing inflation on a daily basis.

Oh, screw the old people. Who cares about them…out of sight out of mind. Gourmet Tuna catfood with a bit of “salad dressing” (MW) is just delicious. It has protein and lots of other stuff in it. /s

LS

how does germany do it? is it not one of the leading exporting nations, and has relatively high wages, and extensive social welfare provisions, doesn’t it?

yup!

So is that your problem? That the judge said “stop the discharges as this law is unconstitutional?”

So how about if Obama did as has been requested and institute a stop to discharges under DADT? Or would you then complain that he was usurping the Congressional power since it was Congress that passed DADT into law?

And it is rather laughable to hear someone complaining about this, given the number of laws and constitutional amendments being ignored across the board by all three branches.

Like the 4th Amendment and the “Patriot Act,” the AUMF expansion to Yemen, the abdication of civilian leadership to the Pentagon in Iraq and Afghanistan

Points 1,2,4,5 are fine but point #3 seems like a bad idea to me.

China is just trying to protect itself from Bernanke’s quantitative easing nightmare. I don’t blame China for protecting itself. If I could protect myself from Ben Bernanke then I would most certainly do so.

It’s wrong on so many levels. We can fritter away billions to give to banks, and on tax cuts that just give more wealth to the wealthy but we cannot take care of seniors or anyone else for that matter. Not to mention how stupid is the catfood commission or any other harm to social security for political prospects?

pretty much that he has no authority to do that. I think that is a pretty big problem. Besides is this how you want to “win” this issue? More cries of “activist judges” and giving a pass to the president and congress?

There is no special level of scrutiny afforded people on the basis of sexual orientation.

It is difficult to sell an argument that sexual orientation is not used to define a “suspect class”, when that class is being thrown out of the military left and right strictly on that basis, absent any indication of inability to perform one’s duties adequately. I assume you are a lawyer and your definitions are built case law.

However, to a lay reader it is clear DADT violates constitutional protections and hence it is completely appropriate for Article III to smack around the recalcitrant Article II and I branches. I do not see a separation of powers problem here, but then IANAL.

Read Europe’s Promise for a fuller account. I do not know much about the European system. As I understand it, western European countries have social infrastructure in corp governance wherein all stakeholders are included. Great stuff follows from that according to Hill. Like higher wages, lower hours, lower pay for execs, more openness to change by employees, who are protected from dislocation by social retraining programs. Germany mgf activity is concentrated in high tech stuff, esp machinery.

(1) is good but not for the reasons Grayson cites; (2) is good; (3) is awful; (4) is nonsense; (5) is incredibly reckless and I can’t believe he said it.

The cry of “activist Judges” is going to happen regardless, even when the current batch of Federalist Society Activist judges are far more damaging than this ruling (thinking Citizens United of course)

But it does force the Obama Admin to put up or shut up and I have no problems with that at all. The administration can appeal and show once again the lie of their words of support to the LGBT community.

Yeap I agree with that. It should give some level of heightened scrutiny, but it does not. I just figured people might actually want to know why this wasn’t done before and the pitfalls of thinking that the judiciary can once again bail out the other two branches from making politically difficult decisions. (though actually this one isnt all the difficult since majorities support the overturning)

ut it does force the Obama Admin to put up or shut up and I have no problems with that at all.

That would be a welcome benefit. I know that the FS judges are every bit and more activist than anything that came out of the warren court– it would be great if the Dems finally pushed back on that meme.

Ending the wars wld save us billions of dollars and rebuilding our infrastructure wld put millions back to work, I know he is not going to do this but it wld help him a lot if he got our economy moving again.

“Bernanke’s zero-rate policy and the prospect of ongoing rounds of quantitative easing have put finance ministers everywhere in a frenzy. Some countries–notably South Korea and Brazil–have already taken steps to slow capital flows. As yet, the effectiveness of these measures remains unknown.

Naturally, capital seeks the best rate of return, which is why it is exiting the US (which is in the throes of a long-term slowdown) for greener pastures in China and emerging markets. That movement drives up the value of local currencies and creates lethal asset-price bubbles. The Fed is intensifying this process (via QE) to break the back of Bretton Woods 2 and force the dollar down. Eventually, the flood of liquidity will force foreign trade partners to accept a cheaper dollar thus restoring US export competitiveness and a way out of recession without raising workers wages. (The Fed’s approach is grounded in class warfare.)

Tim Duy sums it up in a brilliant post that shines a light on the Fed’s real objectives. The article should be read in its entirety, but here’s a brief clip:

“The time may finally be at hand when the imbalances created by Bretton Woods 2 now tear the system asunder. The collapse is coming via an unexpected channel; rather than originating from abroad, the shock that sets it in motion comes from the inside, a blast of stimulus from the US Federal Reserve. And at the moment, the collapse looks likely to turn disorderly quickly. If the Federal Reserve is committed to quantitative easing, there is no way for the rest of the world to stop to flow of dollars that is already emanating from the US. Yet much of the world does not want to accept the inevitable, and there appears to be no agreement on what comes next. Call me pessimistic, but right now I don’t see how this situation gets anything but more ugly.” (The Final End of Bretton Woods 2?, Tim Duy, Fed Watch)
http://www.counterpunch.com/whitney10122010.html

One thing missing from Grayson’s list:

Stop all aid to Israel!

But he’d never suggest it. No matter how many problems it might solve!

How much would that even be? Seems like a drop in the bucket.

Need to look at the implications of such a stance to truly appreciate the savings.

I’m pretty sure he is talking about the implications it would have for US relations with Muslims more than the direct financial costs.

Invite your fellow lurkers to de-lurk.

At least one person contributing over at http://www.newdeal20.org hasn’t lost their minds pushing for a massive and pointless trade-war with China.

http://www.newdeal20.org/2010/10/08/how-war-debts-high-tariffs-and-competitive-devaluation-led-to-war-22945/

I have long hoped that folks would be wary to repeat the mistakes that created WWII, but there are Democrats, Republicans, liberals and conservatives abound who will argue vehemently in favor of installing beggar thy neighbor protectionist regimes; instead of dealing with the structural issues that incentivize massive trade imbalances, or rather the facets of them that make them appear to be a net negative condition for society.

if you are talking about the policy the judge said was unconstitutional, in case you didn’t know it, that wasn’t for me to say it was unconstitutional it is for the judge

if you personally don’t think this falls under “equal protection under the law” then really, where can we possibly go

if you are talking about the president and the armed forces, they have to obey the law, simple stuff, they don’t get to decide what law they agree with or don’t, that’s for the judge

again, simple stuff

believe me, there are tons of decisions I do not like when it comes to judges but this remains;

a president is not above that process, if a judge says a policy is not allowed under the constitution and all higher courts agree, then that policy must change

no matter you don’t like the outcome

the only thing left after that is a constitutional amendment because the founders saw, sometimes the constitution might be wrong, when it is we can change it

again, simple stuff

Mr. President,

I don’t mean to whine, but the American people really would appreciate seeing the bold leadership they voted for in 2008.

Do you think you can stop making promises and start taking action to deliver on the promise of change?

Thank you.

Five Things President Obama Could Do Now

1. Do all five things Bill Black suggests.
2. Do all five things Alan Grayson suggests.
3. Ask Jane Hamsher what five things she wants him to do now.
4. Log in to FDL Late Night and ask everyone there what five things they want him to do now.
5. Log in to FDL Late Late Night and ask everyone there what five things they want him to do now.

Bonus: Ask Jane Hamsher why FDL’s spellchecker always flags her name.

Am I the lurker referred to?

I was talking about not financing Israel’subjugation of the Palestinian people. That alone would pay off mightily in terms of America’s standing in the world. I was not talking about the financial costs, except to the extent that it would reduce the “terrorism” we continue to fight abroad.

However, I may be wrong that it could be done without Congress. And by the way, I was a Grayson supporter until I heard him defend Israel’s actions in Gaza. That is a non-starter for me.

Good, solid, stuff from Grayson. In particular, getting us out of the two quagmires would have been just the thing to do. But it needed to be at or near the top of the list while Obama still had plenty of political clout.

Now, I think it’s too late.

Relative to that, this is interesting:

http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/other-races/123507-dems-who-cant-risk-obama-visit-welcome-clinton-to-campaign

It’s about how democrats who are running and don’t even want to be seen with Obama, are using Bill Clinton as a kind of surrogate preznint. Clinton, of course, is basking in it, and talking about HIS record of creating 22 million jobs, etc.

It’s almost as if HE is running against Obama.

Now why would he be doing that? (Overhead halo…tongue firmly in cheek…) :o)

One consolation for the upcoming shellacking is going to be watching the numbers of presidential aspirants coming out of the woodwork to have a go at Mr. Quack in 2012. I only hope Alan Grayson is one of them. :o)

BTW, Jane: an excellent idea for a thread. Especially, the part about doing it without congressional approval. I think that is going to become very relevant in about three weeks.

Obama could do a lot of things. He should do a lot of things. But he won’t. Speculating about what he could and should do is an exercise in futility. What purpose does it serve?

Bonus: Ask Jane Hamsher why FDL’s spellchecker always flags her name.

My WAG would be because it is most likely the spell checker that comes with WordPress (the blog software) so it is not unique to FDL. Just as most spell checkers flag Barack Obama as a misspelling

I hope you read the article in the Villiage Voice, “White folks have lost their minds”. What are you going to do when President Obama get elected for another four year? I have a suggestion, I live on the thirty second floor. You are welcome to come to my house and look out the window.

Wow, I am glad that Mr. Grayson has put his ideas forward. They are seriously dangerous in some ways.
1. Bring the troops home. A great idea. Particularly when martial law is most likely as a result of the foreclosure fraud.
2. If Mr. Obama has to instruct the AG to go after foreclosure fraud, we are toast, because they have known about it for 12 years. No secret here Mr. Grayson.
3. China a currency manipulator? No more than the Fed, and working side by side with one another. No jokes please Mr. G, comedians can do this much better.
4. contracts, infrastructure. Just what we need. fix roads for cars without gasoline. 3000 miles of rail improvements. That may mean 12 feet per set of tracks in this country. It ought to employ a few thousand people and make the contractors a lot of money.
5. Freddie and Fannie? These are the perps of the crisis as Mr. Grayson knows. Refinance what Mr. Grayson? The loans have likely been paid for already, and there is nothing to refinance.

This is so embarrassing. Second rate solutions from the public hero. Bring home a lot of soldiers that have to rebuild their lives and their mental stability in many ways as a result of PTSD, to a VA that doesn’t have the funding to help the people they have now. Don’t talk about the lack of jobs for all these folks.
Mr. Grayson is a reasonably progressive Democrat, and I praise him for many of his actions, but this sounds like the crap that comes from Gibbs.
This country is about to find out the banking system and the politicians are the mob. Good Luck to us all.

These industries need to be redirected to producing items of benefit to society. A lot of work and dollar value goes into producing weapons, but all these things do is blow things up and kill people. This is no longer a productive thing to spend vast amounts of dollars doing. We need to start spending those bucks on things that benefit our country.

Jon Walker is upstairs!
Rand Study: Marijuana Legalization Would Markedly Cut Mexican Drug Cartel Profits

OK, I’ll bite. What are your ideas?

I suggest you ask Karl Denninger at The Market Ticker for his take on mortgage fraud. Here’s how he finishes his 10-10-2010 post, What Must Be Done – Today http://market-ticker.org/akcs-www?singlepost=2205881:

If this is not stopped immediately there is every reason to believe that the people of this nation will come to the conclusion that the bedrock of society – private property ownership – has been intentionally destroyed by a band of brigands with the explicit cooperation and permission of the government. Should that conclusion be reached – that our government has conspired with private parties to expropriate the homes of the citizens – history says that the outcome is likely to be extremely unpleasant and irreversible.

Alan Grayson is a patriotic American citizen of exceptional common sense.

And he is not a foreign agent, unlike many Republicans who are pocketing foreign contributions at many of these right-wing front groups, who refuse to DISCLOSE the names (and locations) of those interests (some foreign) that are funding right-wing attack ads against Democrats, like Alan Grayson.

Also, how do we know that some of the trolls who keep posting such crazy right-wing crap aren’t foreign agents, too? Where do they get their “funding”? Hell, are they even posting from their mom’s basement in America?

I think, he’s just sayin’:

Wake da Fuck up, already!,

just a wild guess.

I am for Publicly Funded Elections running no longer than 2 month, no restrictions on third Parties.

You’re missing the point, I think.

Where do you think the Democrats get their funding from. Do names like: Deutsche, Societe Generale, USB, BNP Paribas, etc. ring a bell?

What could Obama do now?

1. Lift the moratorium on offshore drilling.
2. File appeal on DOM.
3. Guarantee loans for Nuclear Plant Construction.
4. Ramp up drone attacks.
5. Offend progressive base of Democratic Party.
6. Go for a swim in the Corexit Gulf of Mexico.

Well said.

The PRC would do well to find another model than the US to construct its economy. Only 10 years ago there was an ocean of bicycles in Beijing, now there is horrendous gridlock and worsened air pollution as people switch to internal combustion cars. Big mistake. Follow success of Germany, which is going green.