Monday, September 22, 2008
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Who's To Blame?
As the economic crisis deepens amidst a volatile election season, many look back to the reasons the market is experiencing such a downturn. Many point to a lack of regulation of mortgage lenders like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. But that just leads to another question...who is responsible for not regulating them?
If one listens to the rhetoric being spewed by Sen. Obama, one would think it was Republicans, not Democrats who are in the hip pocket of the Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac crowd. Unfortunately, even people not that good at research can perform a simple Google search to find the real answer...That Sen. Obama was actually the one being described as "family" by the CEO of Fannie Mae, not McCain.
Furthermore, Obama is #2 in contributions from FNMA ($126, 349), despite being in Congress less than 1/2 of one Senate term. The #1 spot goes to Democrat Chris Dodd ($165,400). Furthermore, Obama took $6,000 from FNMA PACs, McCain took zero. McCains total contributions from FNMA were $21, 550. McCain ranks 53rd in FNMA contributions.
Obama's spokesman David Plouffe said on March 27, 2008 that "If we're really going to crack down on the practices that caused the credit and housing crises, we're going to need a leader who doesn't owe the industry any favors." It appears Plouffe was not talking about his own candidate, Sen. Obama. Take a look at the following campaign contribution stats, taken from Congressional Quarterly and the Center for Responsive Politics:
$370, 500 - Lehman Bros
$5,395 - GMAC
$150, 850 - Credit Suisse First Boston
$11,250 - Countrywide
$9, 052 - Washington Mutual
$161, 850 - Citigroup
$4,600 - CBASS
$170, 050 - Morgan Stanley
$1,150 - Centex
$351, 900 - Goldman Sachs
Total $$ from Top Subprime Mortgage Companies:
$ 1, 180, 103
Two of Obama's top advisers, Franklin Raines and Jim Johnson, are former CEOs of FNMA as well. (Raines succeeded Johnson.)
Furthermore, McCain sponsored legislation in 2005 (The Federal Enterprise Housing Regulatory Reform Act) which called for additional/more regulations for FNMA. The bills sponsors (all Republicans) were John Sununu, Elizabeth Dole, John McCain, and Chuck Hagel. The bill was blocked by Democrats. http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:SN00190:@@@X
McCain's comments at the time:
FEDERAL HOUSING ENTERPRISE REGULATORY REFORM ACT OF 2005 The United States Senate May 25, 2006 Section 16 Record Text Sen. John McCain [R-AZ]:”Mr. President, this week Fannie Mae's regulator reported that the company's quarterly reports of profit growth over the past few years were "illusions deliberately and systematically created" by the company's senior management, which resulted in a $10.6 billion accounting scandal.
The Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight's report goes on to say that Fannie Mae employees deliberately and intentionally manipulated financial reports to hit earnings targets in order to trigger bonuses for senior executives. In the case of Franklin Raines, Fannie Mae's former chief executive officer, OFHEO's report shows that over half of Mr. Raines' compensation for the 6 years through 2003 was directly tied to meeting earnings targets. The report of financial misconduct at Fannie Mae echoes the deeply troubling $5 billion profit restatement at Freddie Mac.
The OFHEO report also states that Fannie Mae used its political power to lobby Congress in an effort to interfere with the regulator's examination of the company's accounting problems. This report comes some weeks after Freddie Mac paid a record $3.8 million fine in a settlement with the Federal Election Commission and restated lobbying disclosure reports from 2004 to 2005. These are entities that have demonstrated over and over again that they are deeply in need of reform.
For years I have been concerned about the regulatory structure that governs Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac--known as Government-sponsored entities or GSEs--and the sheer magnitude of these companies and the role they play in the housing market. OFHEO's report this week does nothing to ease these concerns. In fact, the report does quite the contrary. OFHEO's report solidifies my view that the GSEs need to be reformed without delay.
I join as a cosponsor of the Federal Housing Enterprise Regulatory Reform Act of 2005, S. 190, to underscore my support for quick passage of GSE regulatory reform legislation. If Congress does not act, American taxpayers will continue to be exposed to the enormous risk that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac pose to the housing market, the overall financial system, and the economy as a whole. I urge my colleagues to support swift action on this GSE reform legislation.”
Depression Era Politics
Great article on how today's market crises are different from the Great Depression. The article also gives great insight into what works and doesn't work vis a vis Resolution Trust Corps, Reconstruction Assoc's etc.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Charlie Rangel's fall from grace is long and hard (That's what she said?)
Sen. Charlie Rangel, under investigation for tax fraud/evasion/et cetera called Sarah Palin "disabled" on WCBStv today (New York Station). The transcript of the comment:
CBS 2 HD: "Why are the Democrats so afraid of Palin and her popularity?"
Rangel: "You got to be kind to the disabled.
CBS 2 HD: "You got to be kind to the disabled?
Rangel: "Yes."
Rangel: "You got to be kind to the disabled.
CBS 2 HD: "You got to be kind to the disabled?
Rangel: "Yes."
Pretty disgusting comment especially when the woman whom you're calling disabled is a mother of a son with Down's Syndrome.
Nice one Charlie.
It's the Economy, Stupid!
Each year the National Taxpayers' Union (NTU) analyzes congressional members' votes and ranks them based on these votes (related to anything affecting taxes, budgets, etc.) In 2007, the top 20 members in both House and Senate were Republicans. Anyone above 70% is deemed a "Taxpayers Friend" while anyone scoring below 23% is a "Big Spender."
McCain: 88%
Obama: 16%
Biden: 11%
Hillary: 17%
From the Press Release of the NTU: "The Taxpayers Score measures the strength of support for reducing spending and regulation and opposing higher taxes. In general, and higher score is better because it means a Member of Congress voted to lessen or limit the burden to taxpayers"
Another thing to consider - Obama swears he will only raise taxes on those making $250,000+ per year. What he actually means is couples make that much (so that individually, someone may only be make $125,000/year. Furthermore, 80% of the top income tax bracket is in fact small businesses, which employ about 75% of the U.S. workforce. Where do you think they will get the money to pay for the huge tax increase Obama is proposing? By cutting workers and lowering salaries or by passing it on to customers in the form of higher prices. This practice restricts on savings, investments and expansion! Thus, Wal-mart may end up paying a smaller percentage in taxes than a small business. Does that sound fair? No, but then again, neither do higher taxes.
An Argument Against Government Spending
Some Democrats argue that by increasing federal spending, we can stimulate our economy. However, history has shown us that that is rarely the case. Higher spending leads to a decrease in business investment and reduction in growth opportunities (according to a study done by researhers are Harvard, Columbia, and Boston College). When federal spending grows, the stock market falls (case in point - what's going on right now!) A study by Lowell for the Joint Economic Congress found that the rise of stock market averages from 1994-1999 reflected a decrease in federal spending (as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product - GDP). Thanks, mostly, to Republicans limiting pork barrel spending (Lowell E. Gallaway and Richard K. Vedder, Government Size and Economic Growth (Washington D.C. Study prepared for the Joint Economic Congress, December 1998). Thus, to increase economic growth, one should create an environment in which the private sector can best flourish (since it is more productive than the public sector). This means lower taxes, fewer regulations, and a truly free trade economy.
***UPDATE
Obama, while criticizing our nation's current spending, is promising to spend tens of billions more dollars on a U.N. program that gives cash to poor countries. Cuz throwing more money at problems usually works.
McCain was RIGHT about Obama sex-ed ad.
So in a sickeningly excellent turn of events, it seems McCain's ad regarding Obama's support for kindergartener sex-ed was dead-on-balls accurate. Obama did in fact support "comprehensive sex education." Which is what? you might ask. Well, the bill (linked at the end of this post) states that children of all elementary and secondary (public) schools should be taught about Sexually Transmitted Infections/Diseases and how to prevent pregnancy. It's a huge worry for Kindergarteners...And first graders, so I hear. The following is excerpted from Byron York of the National Review Online:
"The second purpose [of the bill] was to increase the number of children receiving sex education. Illinois’ existing law required the teaching of sex education and AIDS prevention in grades six through twelve. The old law read:
Each class or course in comprehensive sex education offered in any of grades 6 through 12 shall include instruction on the prevention, transmission and spread of AIDS.
Senate Bill 99 struck out grade six, changing it to kindergarten, in addition to making a few other changes in wording. It read:
Each class or course in comprehensive sex education in any of grades K through 12 shall include instruction on the prevention of sexually transmitted infections, including the prevention, transmission and spread of HIV. (emphasis added)
Certainly, Obama wasn't flat out lying about the part about protecting elementary schoolers from sexual predators - the bill contains a small section on that. However, in no way does it comprise a majority of the bill nor can it be said to be the bill's primary purpose. Furthermore, while the bill may not explicitly state that teachers must educate children about the actual "act of sex" it is a mystery to me how it would be possible to teach about STDs without mentioning how they are transmitted and what their symptoms are. Yes?
Another fun nugget of cheerfulness - TNS Media Intelligence Campaign Media Analysis Group (TNSMI/CMAG) and the University of Wisconsin Advertising Project analyzed the political ads being (officially) produced/sponsored by each respective campaign. Both campaigns are spending approximately $15 million per week across all states and territories (about $7.8 million per candidate/week). McCain's ads are typically paid for by McCain and the RNC while 97 percent of Obama's ads are paid for solely by his campaign. The study found that 77 percent of Obama's ads qualify as "negative" while only 56 percent of McCain's are "negative. The organization is nonpartisan.
In case you're curious, the breakdown by state:
Table 1: Advertising Spending by State
| McCain | Obama |
Colorado | $553,000 | $522,000 |
Florida | $1,040,000 | $1,327,000 |
Iowa | $352,000 | $148,000 |
Indiana | None | $263,000 |
Michigan | $761,000 | $954,000 |
Minnesota | $472,000 | $18,000 |
Missouri | $353,000 | $504,000 |
Montana | None | $37,000 |
North Carolina | $245,000 | $300,000 |
North Dakota | <$1,000 | $22,000 |
New Hampshire | $225,000 | $172,000 |
New Mexico | $214,000 | $155,000 |
Nevada | $365,000 | $297,000 |
Ohio | $812,000 | $801,000 |
Pennsylvania | $1,612,000 | $948,000 |
Virginia | $312,000 | $868,000 |
Wisconsin | $487,000 | $432,000 |
* Money spent by the Obama campaign in Minnesota was in the Rochester market,which also covers parts of northern Iowa.
Anyway...happy day for us! McCain's bounce is certainly finished, but if he continues the emphasis on the economy and keeps us thinking about my girl Sarah, I think the polls will remain close if not tied until November 4th. :-) Happy reading!
Links!!
Illinois SB 99 www.ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=&SessionId=3&GA=93&DocTypeId=SB&DocNum=0099&GAID=3&LegID=734&SpecSess=&Session=
Negative campaign data:
http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/09/obamas_run_more_negative_ads.php
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
There are so many things wrong with this ad I really can't even list them all.
'I'm so proud of all of them [soldiers killed in Iraq. But it's the price we pay for freedom."
-Claremont Anderson, 2006 (http://www.militarycity.com/valor/1464138.html)
The DNSC (Democratic National Senatorial Committee), headed by Chuck Schumer (of course) is essentially pinning the death of Major Stuart Anderson on Sen. Norm Coleman. Because he voted for the war? Because he voted to fund the war? I think, then, we can also blame the war on Hillary, Obama (funding), and, interestingly, Chuck Schumer himself. Furthermore, Norm Coleman's opponent in Minnesota is Al Franken, and he verbally supported the war at the time of the invasion (Interview, MSNBC, 2002). I hope Minnesota is smarter than Al Franken is.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Does anyone even know what a subprime mortgage is?
I googled it and I was completely expecting it to be a trivia question but alas, it was not. But the following is an interesting article from the LA Times (That well known bastion of conservative politics) stating that Obama and Clinton have become the new darlings of Wall Street. Economic policy advisers are questioning whether Obama will shape his economic policies based on his friends on Wall Street.
If Obama told me he would shut Barbra Streisand up if he wins the presidency, I would totally vote for him. But she sang at his $28,500/person dinner tonight so I don't think that's in the cards unfortunately for me.
In case, like me, you're struggling with the gobbledegook of the financial crisis and what the heck "regulation" actually means, a few quotes below:
The Democrats throughout the past year have been calling for the kind of control that the Fed has over banks, which is super-strict oversight. It would mean Wall Street firms would have to keep larger "capital reserves" (actual money I think) on hand. The problem is that it means less money for lending, trading, and "underwriting new securities."
While Republicans advocate an updating of regulations (they are currently fragmented, difficult to understand, and many are obsolete), they ideologically reject strict or severe regulation of financial activity. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson (who was Hamilton's graduation speaker last year) stated the general gist of what Republicans are hoping for:
“The objective here is to get the balance right,” Mr. Paulson said last week. “Regulation needs to catch up with innovation and help restore investor confidence but not go so far as to create new problems, make our markets less efficient or cut off credit to those who need it.”
Another issue with regulation is the experiences of the past. Some point to the fact that despite having bank regulators, they
"did little to slow the explosive growth of high-risk subprime mortgages, many of which were “liar’s loans” that did not require borrowers to verify their incomes."
Essentially... there's a difference between "strict" regulation and "consolidating" regulation. There are problems with both, but both McCain and Obama are calling for more regulations on Wall Street. Congrats to anyone who actually could have explained any of this without Google.
If you were Sarah Palin's child...
If you want to know what your name would be if you were Sarah Palin's child, check out
My mother's would be Revolver Trooper Palin, which I think fits her well.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Obama's Love Affair with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac
Excerpted from powerlineblog:
"Over the weekend, I saw on several occastions an Obama campaign ad attacking John McCain's credentials as a reformer by pointing out that lobbyists occupy key positions in his campaign. The ads are classic "guilt" by association attacks, and their effectiveness against a candidate known to much of the public as a maverick reformer and a war hero is likely to be limited. On the other hand, with Obama apparently now trailing McCain, he has little choice but to go negative with ads of this sort that seek to peck away at McCain's image.
However, today comes word that, with the exception of Chris Dodd, Barack Obama received the most money of any member of Congress in campaign contributions from Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac, a total of $126,000 plus change. John McCain is well down the list at around $22,000.
If the choice is between a candidate whose aides make money by lobbying for various big industries and a candidate who himself benefits through contributions from an industry that Congress failed to keep an eye on, to the well-publicized detriment of taxpayers, it's pretty clear who wins that argument."
However, today comes word that, with the exception of Chris Dodd, Barack Obama received the most money of any member of Congress in campaign contributions from Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac, a total of $126,000 plus change. John McCain is well down the list at around $22,000.
If the choice is between a candidate whose aides make money by lobbying for various big industries and a candidate who himself benefits through contributions from an industry that Congress failed to keep an eye on, to the well-publicized detriment of taxpayers, it's pretty clear who wins that argument."
New York
Obama is only up by 5 points in New York, which is a significant decrease from the Spring, when he was up by about 18%. If I was super-optimistic, I'd think that McCain could win NY. But the numbers were collected a few days prior to the crazy anti-Palin spew on the big networks, so who knows! ;)
Don't forget though...
Reagan carried New York twice! :-)
Al Gore has a house boat
...and apparently it uses energy.
http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080915/NEWS01/809150337/1006/NEWS01
This might be news if Gore wasn't a has-been.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
T.R. and Lipstick Sarah
I saw someone wearing a t-shirt (on tv) the other day that proclaimed the following:
"I love the outdoors (especially hunting) and have many children
I'm a reformer and have gone up against the Republican Party Establishment
I'm the VP candidate on a national party ticket and am under 45 years old. Who am I?"
I expected to find that the answer was Sarah Palin, but in fact it was our 26th President (and former vice president) Theodore Roosevelt (Teddy to the public.) I decided to do some research and see if they were actually similar. Here's a summary of what I found.
1) Both were 1 of 4 children (Both have 2 sisters and 1 brother, though Teddy was 2nd born and Sarah was 3rd born)...
*It should also be noted that Teddy Roosevelt and I have the same birthday.
2) Both were avid outdoorspeople. Roosevelt moved to the badlands in the 1860s after the death of his first wife, Alice. He learned to "run, rope, and hunt" despite a bad heart. Palin, after to moving to Alaska as a child, became an enthusiastic hunter, rider, and generally active woman. Both were also known for their love of the outdoors.
3) Roosevelt had 1 child with his first wife, Alice and had 5 children with his second wife, Edith Carow. Palin has 5 children.
4) Roosevelt reformed the NYC police department (the "most corrupt in the country") and Sarah Palin created a police force in Wasilla, Alaska (which, fyi, is the 5th largest population center in Alaska).
5) Roosevelt was 40 when he was elected as Governor of New York, Palin was 42 when she was elected governor of Alaska. Both ran on "anti-machine politics" platforms and rooted out significant amounts of corruption.
6) Both were governors for less than 2 years when tapped as VP candidates.
Teddy Roosevelt succeeded McKinley after McKinley was shot and killed by an anarchist. Roosevelt became the youngest president in our history (younger than JFK). On that sidenote, JFK wasn't exactly Mr. Experience either. Though he did serve in the House and the Senate, he spent most of his Senate years cooped up in a hospital because he needed several spinal surgeries. During that time, he wrote "Profiles in Courage" - or rather, his speechwriter Ted Sorenson wrote it (as he confirmed in his autobiography). JFK received the Catholic last rites 4 times in his life.
Now it is important to note that there are key differences between Palin and Roosevelt, too. Namely, that TR had military experience (in the Spanish-American War). But McCain more than makes up for that shortcoming, I think.
One more quick note: No one ever criticized Teddy Roosevelt's right to be president despite his large family. Upon being elected in 1901, TR had a 17 year old, a 14 year old, a 12 year old, a 10 year old, a 6 year old, and a 3 year old.
"I love the outdoors (especially hunting) and have many children
I'm a reformer and have gone up against the Republican Party Establishment
I'm the VP candidate on a national party ticket and am under 45 years old. Who am I?"
I expected to find that the answer was Sarah Palin, but in fact it was our 26th President (and former vice president) Theodore Roosevelt (Teddy to the public.) I decided to do some research and see if they were actually similar. Here's a summary of what I found.
1) Both were 1 of 4 children (Both have 2 sisters and 1 brother, though Teddy was 2nd born and Sarah was 3rd born)...
*It should also be noted that Teddy Roosevelt and I have the same birthday.
2) Both were avid outdoorspeople. Roosevelt moved to the badlands in the 1860s after the death of his first wife, Alice. He learned to "run, rope, and hunt" despite a bad heart. Palin, after to moving to Alaska as a child, became an enthusiastic hunter, rider, and generally active woman. Both were also known for their love of the outdoors.
3) Roosevelt had 1 child with his first wife, Alice and had 5 children with his second wife, Edith Carow. Palin has 5 children.
4) Roosevelt reformed the NYC police department (the "most corrupt in the country") and Sarah Palin created a police force in Wasilla, Alaska (which, fyi, is the 5th largest population center in Alaska).
5) Roosevelt was 40 when he was elected as Governor of New York, Palin was 42 when she was elected governor of Alaska. Both ran on "anti-machine politics" platforms and rooted out significant amounts of corruption.
6) Both were governors for less than 2 years when tapped as VP candidates.
Teddy Roosevelt succeeded McKinley after McKinley was shot and killed by an anarchist. Roosevelt became the youngest president in our history (younger than JFK). On that sidenote, JFK wasn't exactly Mr. Experience either. Though he did serve in the House and the Senate, he spent most of his Senate years cooped up in a hospital because he needed several spinal surgeries. During that time, he wrote "Profiles in Courage" - or rather, his speechwriter Ted Sorenson wrote it (as he confirmed in his autobiography). JFK received the Catholic last rites 4 times in his life.
Now it is important to note that there are key differences between Palin and Roosevelt, too. Namely, that TR had military experience (in the Spanish-American War). But McCain more than makes up for that shortcoming, I think.
One more quick note: No one ever criticized Teddy Roosevelt's right to be president despite his large family. Upon being elected in 1901, TR had a 17 year old, a 14 year old, a 12 year old, a 10 year old, a 6 year old, and a 3 year old.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Palin is a book-burning, librarian hating, gun toting, creationism teaching, Pat Buchanan supporting Alaska seccessionist (not!)
A few articles over the past week have mentioned some now-debunked rumors about Palin, her husband/family, and her life in Alaska. Perhaps you've heard mention of her "book banning, special-need children hating, librarian firing, Alaska secession supporting days" in Alaska... Sadly for Palin's opponents, all of those remain just that...rumors. Here are a few of the facts!
1) FALSE: "Palin slashed the budget for special-needs children by 62%" - This rumor was apparently reported frequently among blogs and at least 1 major news source - CNN.
FACT: Palin signed a bill in March '08 that increased funding for public schools in Alaska significantly. Furthermore, it increased spending three-fold on students whom the state deemed "intensive need" students. According to an article in the Anchorage Daily News and one in Education Week magazine, special needs students received just $26,000/year prior to the Palin's new bill. Under Palin's governorship, the "intensive need" students now receive more than $73,000 per year per child. In fact, this increase is almost $1,000 less than Palin's initial proposal.
1) FALSE: "Palin slashed the budget for special-needs children by 62%" - This rumor was apparently reported frequently among blogs and at least 1 major news source - CNN.
FACT: Palin signed a bill in March '08 that increased funding for public schools in Alaska significantly. Furthermore, it increased spending three-fold on students whom the state deemed "intensive need" students. According to an article in the Anchorage Daily News and one in Education Week magazine, special needs students received just $26,000/year prior to the Palin's new bill. Under Palin's governorship, the "intensive need" students now receive more than $73,000 per year per child. In fact, this increase is almost $1,000 less than Palin's initial proposal.
The "62% decrease" figure comes from a misinterpretation of the Alaska state budget - people assume that the "special schools budget" is the same as the "special needs budget." The special schools budget refers to money set aside for certain school projects and programs. However, this wasn't cut either. Instead, a project called the "Alaska Military Youth Academy's ChalleNGe Program" was moved out of the budget and placed onto its own line in the state budget. All other programs received the same funding.
2) FALSE: Palin banned books and fired a librarian who opposed book banning. (Initially rumored in an email by a resident of Wasilla (Anne Kilkenny), who has "hated Palin for years" and has since clarified her statements regarding the Wasilla town librarian)
FACT: According to Newsweek "Palin never asked that books be banned: no books were actually banned, and many of the books on the list that Palin supposedly wanted to censor weren't even in print at the time, proving that the list is a fabrication." According to both Palin and Wasilla librarian Mary Ellen Emmons, Palin asked theoretical questions about the procedure of the library, including what would happen if the Mayor requested that certain books be banned. Emmons, the libarian, was fired at one point for one day because Palin "didn't feel that she had Emmons' support" (Newsweek). One version of the story recounts how all department heads were fired because they had openly supported Palin's opponent for mayor - Palin was ensuring that she had their loyalty. They were all, including the librarian, reinstated the following day. Here is the fake list of books from the supposed Palin book ban list (it is copied and pasted, apparently, from a list on the internet of books banned "at one time or another in the U.S.")
A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
Annie on My Mind by Nancy Garden
As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner
Blubber by Judy Blume
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
Canterbury Tales by Chaucer
Carrie by Stephen King
Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
Christine by Stephen King
Confessions by Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Cujo by Stephen King
Curses, Hexes, and Spells by Daniel Cohen
Daddy's Roommate by Michael Willhoite
Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Peck
Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller
Decameron by Boccaccio
East of Eden by John Steinbeck
Fallen Angels by Walter Myers
Fanny Hill (Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure) by John Cleland
Flowers For Algernon by Daniel Keyes
Forever by Judy Blume
Grendel by John Champlin Gardner
Halloween ABC by Eve Merriam
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Prizoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling
Have to Go by Robert Munsch
Heather Has Two Mommies by Leslea Newman
How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell
Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
Impressions edited by Jack Booth
In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak
It's Okay if You Don't Love Me by Norma Klein
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
Lady Chatterley's Lover by D.H. Lawrence
Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman
Little Red Riding Hood by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Love is One of the Choices by Norma Klein
Lysistrata by Aristophanes
More Scary Stories in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz
My Brother Sam Is Dead by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier
My House by Nikki Giovanni
My Friend Flicka by Mary O'Hara
Night Chills by Dean Koontz
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
On My Honor by Marion Dane Bauer
One Day in The Life of Ivan Denisovich by Alexander Solzhenitsyn
One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Ordinary People by Judith Guest
Our Bodies, Ourselves by Boston Women's Health Collective
Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy
Revolting Rhymes by Roald Dahl
Scary Stories 3: More Tales to Chill Your Bones by Alvin Schwartz
Scary Stories in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz
Separate Peace by John Knowles
Silas Marner by George Eliot
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
The Bastard by John Jakes
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
The Color Purple by Alice Walker
The Devil's Alternative by Frederick Forsyth
The Figure in the Shadows by John Bellairs
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
The Headless Cupid by Zilpha Snyder
The Learning Tree by Gordon Parks
The Living Bible by William C. Bower
The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare
The New Teenage Body Book by Kathy McCoy and Charles Wibbelsman
The Pigman by Paul Zindel
The Seduction of Peter S. by Lawrence Sanders
The Shining by Stephen King
The Witches by Roald Dahl
The Witches of Worm by Zilpha Snyder
Then Again, Maybe I Won't by Judy Blume
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare
Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary by the Merriam-Webster Editorial Staff
Witches, Pumpkins, and Grinning Ghosts: The Story of the Halloween Symbols by Edna Barth
3) FALSE: Sarah Palin advocated for Alaska to secede from the Union.
FACT: Palin was never a member of the AIP, although her husband, Todd Palin, was a member for a number of years but is not any longer. Palin did attend one meeting of the AIP because it was held in Wasilla, where she was mayor. She attended in her capacity (and obligation) as mayor of the town. AIP president Lynette Clark incorrectly stated Sarah was a member, but she has issued a retraction that was printed on the AIP's website (you can view the retraction at http://www.akip.org/) The state of Alaska confirms that Sarah was registered for the first time in 1982 (when she was 18) as a Republican and has not changed her party affiliation since then. Todd Palin was registered with the AIP from 1995-2002, and is now registered as undeclared. AIP Party officials support Palin's statements that Todd has never participated in any party functions, save for attending one party convention in Wasilla with his wife, who was mayor.
FACT: According to Newsweek "Palin never asked that books be banned: no books were actually banned, and many of the books on the list that Palin supposedly wanted to censor weren't even in print at the time, proving that the list is a fabrication." According to both Palin and Wasilla librarian Mary Ellen Emmons, Palin asked theoretical questions about the procedure of the library, including what would happen if the Mayor requested that certain books be banned. Emmons, the libarian, was fired at one point for one day because Palin "didn't feel that she had Emmons' support" (Newsweek). One version of the story recounts how all department heads were fired because they had openly supported Palin's opponent for mayor - Palin was ensuring that she had their loyalty. They were all, including the librarian, reinstated the following day. Here is the fake list of books from the supposed Palin book ban list (it is copied and pasted, apparently, from a list on the internet of books banned "at one time or another in the U.S.")
A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
Annie on My Mind by Nancy Garden
As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner
Blubber by Judy Blume
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
Canterbury Tales by Chaucer
Carrie by Stephen King
Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
Christine by Stephen King
Confessions by Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Cujo by Stephen King
Curses, Hexes, and Spells by Daniel Cohen
Daddy's Roommate by Michael Willhoite
Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Peck
Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller
Decameron by Boccaccio
East of Eden by John Steinbeck
Fallen Angels by Walter Myers
Fanny Hill (Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure) by John Cleland
Flowers For Algernon by Daniel Keyes
Forever by Judy Blume
Grendel by John Champlin Gardner
Halloween ABC by Eve Merriam
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Prizoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling
Have to Go by Robert Munsch
Heather Has Two Mommies by Leslea Newman
How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell
Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
Impressions edited by Jack Booth
In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak
It's Okay if You Don't Love Me by Norma Klein
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
Lady Chatterley's Lover by D.H. Lawrence
Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman
Little Red Riding Hood by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Love is One of the Choices by Norma Klein
Lysistrata by Aristophanes
More Scary Stories in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz
My Brother Sam Is Dead by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier
My House by Nikki Giovanni
My Friend Flicka by Mary O'Hara
Night Chills by Dean Koontz
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
On My Honor by Marion Dane Bauer
One Day in The Life of Ivan Denisovich by Alexander Solzhenitsyn
One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Ordinary People by Judith Guest
Our Bodies, Ourselves by Boston Women's Health Collective
Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy
Revolting Rhymes by Roald Dahl
Scary Stories 3: More Tales to Chill Your Bones by Alvin Schwartz
Scary Stories in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz
Separate Peace by John Knowles
Silas Marner by George Eliot
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
The Bastard by John Jakes
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
The Color Purple by Alice Walker
The Devil's Alternative by Frederick Forsyth
The Figure in the Shadows by John Bellairs
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
The Headless Cupid by Zilpha Snyder
The Learning Tree by Gordon Parks
The Living Bible by William C. Bower
The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare
The New Teenage Body Book by Kathy McCoy and Charles Wibbelsman
The Pigman by Paul Zindel
The Seduction of Peter S. by Lawrence Sanders
The Shining by Stephen King
The Witches by Roald Dahl
The Witches of Worm by Zilpha Snyder
Then Again, Maybe I Won't by Judy Blume
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare
Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary by the Merriam-Webster Editorial Staff
Witches, Pumpkins, and Grinning Ghosts: The Story of the Halloween Symbols by Edna Barth
3) FALSE: Sarah Palin advocated for Alaska to secede from the Union.
FACT: Palin was never a member of the AIP, although her husband, Todd Palin, was a member for a number of years but is not any longer. Palin did attend one meeting of the AIP because it was held in Wasilla, where she was mayor. She attended in her capacity (and obligation) as mayor of the town. AIP president Lynette Clark incorrectly stated Sarah was a member, but she has issued a retraction that was printed on the AIP's website (you can view the retraction at http://www.akip.org/) The state of Alaska confirms that Sarah was registered for the first time in 1982 (when she was 18) as a Republican and has not changed her party affiliation since then. Todd Palin was registered with the AIP from 1995-2002, and is now registered as undeclared. AIP Party officials support Palin's statements that Todd has never participated in any party functions, save for attending one party convention in Wasilla with his wife, who was mayor.
4) FALSE: Sarah Palin endorsed Pat Buchanan.
FACT: Palin in fact worked for rival Republican Steve Forbes. This rumor started after Palin wore a Buchanan button to an event held in Wasilla (Palin was mayor at the time.) The AP reported that Palin was a supporter of Buchanan's. Palin responded by writing a letter to the editor of the Anchorage Daily News and set the record straight - she wore the button as courtesy to Buchanan, who was a visitor to Wasilla. Palin was appointed to the state leadership committee for Forbes less than 1 month after the Buchanan "incident."
5) FALSE: Sarah Palin thinks creationism should be taught in schools.
FACT: First of all, what's wrong with teaching creationism? It's a theory just like any other theory, right? Can't be proven wrong or right. If teachers can teach a theory that humans are evolved from bubbles, I think creationism should be taught, too. Back to the facts: Palin supports allowing students to debate creationism if it comes up in class. Her exact quote was "I don't think there should be a prohibition against debate if it comes up in class. It doesn't have to be part of the curriculum" (October, 2006 Anchorage Daily News). Palin, a few days prior to that quote, did remark that creationism "should be taught along side evolution (and theories of evolution)" - she clarified her statement with the former quote. She has never pursued teaching creationism as governor.
See for yourself if the information in this email is true or not:
1) Sutton, Anne "Governor signs revamped education package into law." Anchorage Daily News, 28 March 2008
2) Www.akip.org (website for the Alaska Independence Party)
3) Http://www.newsweek.com/id/157986/output/print
4) Tapper, Jake. "Members of 'fringe' AK Independence Party incorrectly say Palin was a member in 90s." ABCNews.com, September 1, 2008
5) Stuart, Paul. "From the archive: Palin: Library Censorship Inquiries were "rhetorical'" December 18, 1996.
6) Paulson, Michael. "Sarah Palin on faith, life, and creation" The Boston Globe, August 29, 2008.
What is the Bush Doctrine??
Charlie Gibson's Gaffe:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/12/AR2008091202457.html?hpid=opinionsbox1 by Charles Krauthammer
The Wikipedia article Krauthammer references: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bush_Doctrine
Thursday, September 11, 2008
In honor of 9/11
The New Colossus
Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
"Keep ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
~Emma Lazarus
God Bless America
Never forget
9/11/01
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
The religious left?
Surprising to note that while the Dems typically condemn religious Americans, they treat their own leader much like a Messiah. And it's not just me who thinks that...even more surprising.
Like stealing lipstick from a baby?
"Make no mistake about this," Biden responded. "Hillary Clinton is as qualified or more qualified than I am to be vice president of the United States of America. Let’s get that straight. She’s a truly close personal friend, she is qualified to be president of the United States of America, she’s easily qualified to be vice president of the United States of America and quite frankly it might have been a better pick than me. But she’s first rate, I mean that sincerely, she’s first rate, so let’s get that straight." - Joe Biden
Let's get this straight...He didn't think that Obama was ready to be president ("It's not a job that lends itself to on-the-job training.") and now he doesn't think he's qualified either? Excellent confidence there, Joe. Definitely what I'd like to see in a Veep candidate.
Additionally, South Carolina Democratic Chairwoman Carol Fowler apologized for her revolting remark yesterday that "[Palin's] primary qualificiation seems to be that she hasn't had an abortion." Fowler said that she was "clumsily trying to make a point." I'll say.
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
Social Security and a few random thoughts
Here's a link explaining Obama's social security plans (or lack thereof) - an excellent resource for young voters since social security most definitely matters to us!!
Thanks Susannah for the tip!
P.S. McCain is up 20 points in North Carolina http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=news/politics&id=6380065
P.P.S. McCain made $5 million in 5 hours today...in Obama's Chicago!! http://cbs2chicago.com/politics/mccain.chicago.fundraiser.2.812952.html
One more thing...Gallup poll shows McCain up 15 points among Independents (post-GOP convention) and up 5 points among Democrats (post-GOP Convention). Check out the full analysis here: http://www.gallup.com/poll/110137/McCain-Now-Winning-Majority-Independents.aspx
Monday, September 08, 2008
Obama (Ironically) Accuses McCain/Palin Of "Dishonesty"
In a new Obama ad today, an announcer accuses McCain and Palin of "lying about their records." In a speech today, Obama criticized the Republican candidates as attempting to "reinvent themselves." It's ironic that Obama is accusing the duo of lying about their record when he himself has frequently flip flopped and changed opinions on a variety of issues. Since most won't accept such a comment without proof, here ya go:
1.) Public Financing of Elections
In September 2007, BO pledged to accept public financing should he become his party's nominee "if his major opponents agree to forgo private funding in the general election campaign." (Newsweek 2007). McCain, in March, said he would accept public funds. Obama stated "If I am the Democratic Nominee, I will agressively pursue an agreement with the Republican nominee to preserve a publicly financed general election." (February 2007, Newsweek). Obama has since renegued on his pledge and has foregone public funding. Obama is the first presidential candidate since Nixon (1972) to state that his campaign will be financed totally and completely by private donations with no limits on spending. In 2004, Democratic 527s spent three times as much as Republican 527s. Obama, however, claimed he did it because "John McCain’s campaign and the Republican National Committee are fueled by contributions from Washington lobbyists and special interest PACs," he said. "And we’ve already seen that he’s not going to stop the smears and attacks from his allies running so-called 527 groups, who will spend millions and millions of dollars in unlimited donations." (Newsweek). Too bad he's outspent McCain thus far, as have Democratic-leaning 527s (The Washington Post).
2) The Cuban Embargo
In January of 2004, Obama stated that he thought it was time to end the Cuban Embargo because "it [had] utterly failed in the effort to overthrow Castro." However, 3 years later, when speaking to a Cuban-American audience in Miami, Obama said he "would not take off the embargo" if were elected President because "it is an important inducement to change." (Reason.com)
3) Illegal Immigration
In a questionnaire he filled out in March 2004, Obama was asked should "[the U.S. government] crack down on business that hire illegal immigrants." Obama answered "oppose." In January 2008 (televised debate) Obama remarked that "we do have to crack down on those employeres that are taking advantage of the situation." (The Washington Post)
4) Special Interests
In January 2008, Obama described the union members contributing to the campaings of Clinton and Edwads as "special interests." However, once he began collecting his own union endorsements, he referred to the money as coming from "working people" and said he was "thrilled" by their support. (Washington Post)
5) Marijuana
While campaigning for the U.S. Senate in Illinois in 2004, Obama spoke before a college-aged audience and told them that he supported eliminiating "criminal penalties" for marijuana use. However, on October 30, 2007 (presidential debate) he tagged along with the other Democratic candidates and stated he did not support the decriminalization of marijuana.
6) Running For President
On Meet the Press (1/22/06) Obama was asked wether he would serve his 6-year term as U.S.
Senator from Illinois. Obama responded "I will serve out my 6-year term. You know, Tim, if you get
asked enough, sooner or later, you get weary and you start looking for new ways of saying things. But
My thinking has not changed." Russert said, "So you will not run for President or Vice President in
2008?" Obama: "I will not."
7) Iran
Prior to clinching the nomination, Obama pledged that he would meet with various heads of
terror states (most notably Ahmadinejad of Iran) "without preconditions." Then, soon after, Obama
rescinded earlier statements and said "There's no reason why we would necessarily meet with
Ahmadinejad. He's not the most powerful person in Iran."
8) NAFTA
In October 2007, Obama stated he supported NAFTA expansion. In March 2008 (while
campaigning in Ohio) he expressed a desire for a "reopening" of the trade pact's terms. In June
2008, in describing his own rhetoric, he used the word "overheated." He said NAFTA has had a
positive effect on the U.S. economy.
In other news...Obama, on O'Reilly Factor tonight stated 1) That he supports income/wealth
redistribution (he claimed, however, that that is not a socialist policy.) Dick Morris (on Hannity
and Colmes after the interview) revealed the following tax figures:
In 1986 the top 1% pays 20% of taxes
In 1993 the top 1% pays 36% of taxes
In 2008 the top 1% pays 40% of taxes
The bottom 10% of taxpayers consistently pays just 2% of taxes.
Obama stated that he will raise taxes on those making $250,000+ in the U.S. These taxpayers
will see their taxes go up in excess of $50,000. Morris also made the point that Obama has yet
to elucidate how he is going to pay for the programs he's proposing. He will raise payroll, capital
gains and income taxes, which will amount to about $80 billion. However, Obama (in the interview)
stated that his programs will add about $1 trillion to the budget. Where's the extra $920 billion
coming from?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
