Well, at least these “bonuses” is something that the neo-liberals and faux populists can “march on DC” about and still be acceptable at Dem fundraisers as “the Left”....Geithner is simply a joke.

Pres. Obama needs to stop campaigning and get to work.

I have no idea how there can still be defense of the Dems when THEY are actually siding with the thugs who got us where we are.

If Pres. Obama continues to side with these so-called “moderates” , he will achieve very little. If the Dems continue to side with Blue Dogs, does it even matter?

So far—pathetic.

Max, Jackpine and Beerdoctor- I guess what it is with Louise and Cyrena is that there is no other policies than thosse of the Dems and Gops, and if you don’e support the Dems, you must be a Republican.

The absurdity of this accusation doesn’t seen to diminish its use, both truthers having stated it several times.  This is comparable to Inherit’s accusation that if you oppose Israel’s policies, you hate all Jews.  I suppose when you can’t rationalize the irrational or justify the unjustifiable, these wild accusations is the best one can do.

So then the rest follows as to Dem policy: to cure the economy, siphon tax money to the banksters.  To stop war, continue and expand the wars.  To stop torture, continue the rendition of the Bushites.  Like the Gops, the Dems simply abandon reason and evidence and dredge up sleaze and absurdities.

That being the case, opposing it with rationality does no good. The adherence to the Dem leadership isn’t rational.  Both Louise and Cyrena are intelligent, but where the Dems are concerned, they have pompoms for brains.  Like Tony Wicher. 

Just as Inherit maintains that I hate all Jews, and Cyrena maintains that I am a pathological liar, Lousie maintains that I and Jackpine and the others must be Republicans. What else could we be if politics is restricted to the Dems and Gops?

I confess I don’t understand how anyone could have such loyalty to such an obviously corrupt entity as the Democratic party, but the grandmother of my daughter does.  She led the Nevada Dem campaign for McGovern and has loyally supported all the Dems of every persuasion since.  If they started goosestepping in parades with swastikas, she would no doubt argue that the Gop swastikas were bigger, and they were the Lesser Evil.  I suppose Louise and Cyrena have the same bonding.

So apparently there isn’t any way (that I know of) to have Dem loyalists put pressure on Obama.  At least not by reason, evidence and values.  Their view is the same as Purplegirl’s: forget truth and values, we all have to cluster around Obama and defend him.  I find it puzzling that such loyalty can exist to such a motley, corrupt and ineffective crew.  But apparantly it does, especially by the older adherents.

Max,

Very, very well said.

And you too, Litl Bludot

Louise,

Maybe i sound so “Republican” because i don’t sound exactly like you.  I have a feeling that it’s you who needs the comfort of like minded individuals so that your beliefs won’t ever be questioned.  Usually when people start SCREAMING, that’s a clue.

But why don’t you tell us about the solutions and what we can do.  Why don’t you explain to us why we should put our faith in the likes of Summers and Geithner. 

You’re right about one thing: this is far, far bigger than either party.  This is fundamental and systemic, and Mr. Obama - apparently - does not have what it takes to speak honestly about it to the American people. 

He’s a politician, nothing more and nothing less.  When there are facts to change that assessment, i will change that assessment.

Until then i’ll continue to do what i’ve always done: opt out of (to the best of my ability) the debt-fueled consumer culture and “invest” my way riches society that i find myself living in.  I’ll keep on keeping my money in local bank that holds its mortgages to term, carry zero balance on my credit card, invest in local farmers, not watch TV, not take a bunch of prescriptions, keep my 24 year old pickup truck running, and save as much money as i can…and not trust any politician until he earns it through his actions, rather than expecting it from his words.

Selah

Good people, may I ask you, if the “banks”, hedgefunds, insurance companies, and all the other corporations of death and destruction weren’t allowed to give campaign contributions, would we be at edge of economic, social, and environmental destruction?

cyrena and Louise,

The problem is systemic and Obama is simply playing within the same box that got us here.

For some it was apparent during the campaign that Obama was built to please not challenge. He is simply part of the system which created and perpetuates the larger economic problems which are wrapped in a massive military industrial complex (one he is enlarging, by the way).

Obama is simply a return to Clinton, including the Clinton administration advisors. This is clear to anyone who looks at the problem as it is not as they wish. If you think Bill was good for the country (neoliberal, unfettered free market and Bosnia interventionism, etc.) than Barrack is definitely your man. But Bill with his shananagens managed to escape this unraveling.

As far as solving the problem, it will take a significant transformation of the economic system. As I mentioned below, the global economy is byond borders and the US has outsourced much of what once existed leaving it naked. Stimulus packages won’t do it - though it may reduce some of the bleeding, there is little to keep it money cycling within the US long enough to provide create an indigenous economy.

It’s not 1930. I’ve been posting the fallacy of seeing this through Great Depression lens. The US is not what it was during the 30s, 40s and 50s. The Vietnam war was the beginning of the long emergency with oil peaking in the 70s (only to be delayed by the short term reduction in oil usage, before the massive upswing during the Reagan years with the addition of more and more developing nations).

This will take bold, not timid action. It’s not just big spending, it must be focused. It looks like there will be massive contraction in the economy which will mean staggering unemployment, here and abroad. The US government has eliminated much of the social safety netting it once had, and it never had a healthcare system that worked for everyone. So the pain will be greater here, as it is becoming everyday for more and more Americans.

cyrena, defending Obama is just beyond ridiculous. The problems we face are massive and you and other Obamaites made this guy into the GREAT SAVIOR. Of course he’s not, but I’m afraid he’s yet to demonstrate he even has a real connection with workers and poor. He’s chasing down the Clinton “middle class”, that mythological class of yesterday.

That’s the problem, cyrena.

Geithner’s TurboTax excuse doesn’t hold water. According to Pulitzer Prize winning journalists Don Barlett and Jim Steele:

Senate Finance Committee [reported that] Geithner “filled out, signed and submitted an annual tax-allowance request with the IMF that states, ‘I wish to apply for tax allowance of US federal and state income taxes and the difference between the ‘self-employed’ and ‘employed’ obligation of the US Social Security tax which I will pay on my Fund income.’” In other words, Geithner—now charged with making sure Americans obey the tax laws—was given money by his employer to pay his taxes, but then didn’t pay them. Not until, that is, he decided to become Treasury secretary.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-02-04/why-geithner-was-worse-than-daschle/full/

Geithner not only should resign, he should be indicted for perjury! And the Senate Finance Committee who voted to recommend his confirmation should be thrown out of office!

Louise writes:
“No, don’t question republicans. Don’t even question democrats. Question yourself, and ask ... is there a way out of this mess? Might that require I move beyond blaming Summer, Geithner, and Obama, [so simple] and actually look at solutions being proposed, or tried. Sounds like a lot of damned hard work ... eh?

And that gut thing? Come on now, it takes no guts to join the “me-too” parade, and certainly no guts to surround yourself with the security of the party of no, regardless of who populates that party. In fact, that’s the easy way.”

~*~*

As usual Louise THANK YOU!!!

Sadly, those with the anti-Obama agenda are NOT going to question themselves, because the ‘agenda’ is set in their minds, and was set long before now, maybe not so much for Jackpine Savage, but clearly for the rest of the anti-establishment like Folkliar.

So, here’s what we’ve got with them, and we’ve known this since the beginning, since we’ve commented on it here so many times before. The guy (Obama) volunteers to try to help them put out the fire that is burning down their house, and they pour fuel on him and set him on fire as well. Or, their kid is drowning in Lake Michigan, and they are standing there helplessly as the kid drowns, unable to save her/him themselves. The guy shows us (Obama again…since he’s a strong swimmer) to save the kid, and damn if they don’t throw a 500 pound anchor on his back to make sure he drowns as well.

As for actually coming up with some ideas of their own, TO GET THEMSELVES OUT OF THE MESS THAT THE DICK BUSH CABAL CREATED, that ain’t gonna happen. In fact, what would people like this have left if they are actually rescued from the fate of their own sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity? Blame is all they have, and it can ONLY be to blame someone else!!

You’re asking them to do something that would most likely reveal their own complicity in their own miseries, and that just cannot be allowed to happen. BLAME is what they live for, and it HAS to be somebody else’s blame. It c an NEVER be theirs.

These people will not survive this. It used to worry me a lot. Now it doesn’t, if only because there are too many others who actually want to survive, and can appreciate the collective effort required. The others will die off. I call it attrition, others might call it Darwin’s survival of the fittest. The blamers are the least fit among us. They just won’t make it, and that’s probably just as well.

Again thanks to jackpine savage for the Matt Taibbi article in Rolling Stone:

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/26793903/the_big_takeover/7

“shadow government”; “entitled assholedom”; “taxpayer illiteracy”; “why aren’t these assholes in jail?”

The Treasury Department is in the hands of Goldman-Sachs people. The current AIG intention to pay bonuses is the THIRD time for doing this since last September.

jackpine savage,

Oh please!

“i certainly am, non-partisan”

~~~

Really. Then how come you sound so Republican? Maybe I need to re-define what I mean. Party policy and principle, as opposed to party individual. There is no shortage of dems who had a hand in voting for the repub deregulation. But, they were a definite minority. And THEY did NOT create the legislation. YES! Clinton signed the legislation in 1999, but he DID NOT sign the Legislation that REMOVED the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) jurisdiction over ALL futures contracts, including futures contracts on stock indices (plural for index) and options, and the infamous CDS. That bill was introduced by repub Boner, voted into reality by a republican majority. And was signed into law by Bush!

As for Clinton. When everybody was wondering how come he behaved so strangely when Hillary was running for president, I think that was a reflection of his not wanting to accept responsibilty, not something easy for Bill to do. He had to know this was coming. I also think that’s why Hillary fell from front-runner. ‘Cause the party elders saw it coming too! All the same, there is no shortage of politicians without vision. Just as there is no shortage of people without memory!

It should be clear to everyone by now, current republican policy regarding the financial collapse is: Blame Obama, blame Obama’s Cabinet, find fault with everything they do, or try to do, and offer absolutely nothing as an alternative! Well, if that sounds a lot like what you do, I’m sorry, but you do it, not me.

No, don’t question republicans. Don’t even question democrats. Question yourself, and ask ... is there a way out of this mess? Might that require I move beyond blaming Summer, Geithner, and Obama, [so simple] and actually look at solutions being proposed, or tried. Sounds like a lot of damned hard work ... eh?

And that gut thing? Come on now, it takes no guts to join the “me-too” parade, and certainly no guts to surround yourself with the security of the party of no, regardless of who populates that party. In fact, that’s the easy way.

re: jackpine savage

Great thanks for posting the link to Matt Taibbi’s Rolling Stone article. Like the Sarah Palin article last year, Taibbi literally nails down what this is all about. (Note to President Obama: Hey Barry, download the Taibbi article to your Blackberry and read the entire thing.)
Thank you again jackpine savage.

But you are right about one thing. This is now Obama’s problem. And quite unlike the REPUBLICANS you love so much, he has the GUTS to stand up and say so! And even more un-republican like, he’s even got the guts to say he’s trying to find solutions! Now that’s a word you probably for sure don’t understand!

Oh please!  He has not displayed any “guts” and he has not stood up and said anything remotely resembling the truth about the issue.

This is, and i certainly am, non-partisan.  Are you?

It was he who appointed Geithner and Summers, it had nothing to do with the Republicans.  It was he who pushed for Geithner to be confirmed even after it was revealed that he cheated on his taxes.  And Obama has supported bailing out his campaign funders on Wall Street every step of the way…flushing money down the toilet to make a few rich people happy.

But when confronted (at least by me, i won’t speak for Folktruther) by a little bit of truth, you start screaming a little partisan rant and accusing people of things that are patently not true based on their history here at Truthdig.

Christ almighty do the Dems now sound like Bushbots from the beginning of that reign of terror.  What, am i only supposed to question Republicans?

Folktruther I think you are grappling with the real problem as opposed to the one Obama and his advisors are dealing with.

The real problem is that the global economy, of which the US is merely included, has collapsed rapidly. What took 3 years to happen in the 1930s happened within 3 weeks.

The stimulus package will do nothing - forget about AIG - to stimulate the economy.

Why is that? Because the fundamental economics behind the stimulus package is the economic multiplier effect. In order for the multiplier effect to really work, most goods and service purchases need to stay within the so-called American economy. Since this economy has pretty much disappears as jobs and manufacturing have all been outsourced, and the US is mostly an importer nation, there is NOTHING to multiply - we have what is called wholesale economic leakage.

We don’t have a repeat of the Great Depression because back then the multiplier effect actually worked. There was no global economy, and the US ruled supreme regarding manufacturing. There are many key differences.

Obama is far from seeing (or demonstrating that he sees) the picture as it is emerging. This is not your grand-dads Depression. In fact, it might be better not even to refer to it as Depression, because it is really an unraveling. War will not get the US out of it because we outsource much of the miltary industrial complex and yet spend endlessly on it. We have a bucket with NOTHING but holes.

Until polices begin to re-frame around reality, things will get precipitously worse. There is no saving “capitalism”, it is new game with new rules that no one understands. It’s the corner we painted ourselves into.

jackpine savage, Folktruther,

People versus power? Folktruther, what on earth would you know about either, since you daily defame both!

In the spirit of “lets bring this cracked and teetering house down upon our heads!” Once again you demonstrate you have no interest in seeing ANYBODY fix ANYTHING for ANYONE! 

Instead of construction, you offer demolition. Instead of progress you cheer on regression. Last time I looked, that WAS the REPUBLICAN way! I mean, look how hard they’ve worked all these years to deconstruct the fixes FDR put in place after REPUBLICAN control brought us the GREAT DEPRESSION and the DEMOCRATS led by FDR brought us OUT of it!

Oh never mind. “Look” may be a simple four letter word, but that doesn’t mean you know what it means.

So absent your ability to rationally discuss a possible way out, I repeat, ” they’re (the republicans) still smart enough to remember how EASY it is to get us (especially you) focused on the bump in the road. Then while we’re watching the bump, they nose-dive us right into the hole!”

I’d offer a shovel, but you probably wouldn’t be able to figure out what to do with it.

Besides, I think you eagerly welcome complete collapse! Then you can scream from beneath the rubble, “See! We told you so!”

But you are right about one thing. This is now Obama’s problem. And quite unlike the REPUBLICANS you love so much, he has the GUTS to stand up and say so! And even more un-republican like, he’s even got the guts to say he’s trying to find solutions! Now that’s a word you probably for sure don’t understand!

SOLUTIONS. Not easy, which probably adds to your frustration. If it isn’t easy, it defies understanding, right?

So do the easy thing. Repeat talking points created by your beloved repubs, for the sole purpose of de-railing any possible fix. And go buy a hard hat. Oh never mind. Your heads probably hard enough to take any collapse.

I believe it was a mistake for both Bush and Obama to put their “Treasury Secretaries” in charge of these bailouts in the first place. Putting them in charge was just asking for trouble. It makes no difference how honest their “Treasury Secretaries” may or may not be there is still the “appearance” of a potential conflict of interest, which automatically creates issues.

It would have been wiser for Bush and Obama to appoint some kind experienced “bailout cop” like Eliot Spitzer (Yes, yes, I know, but you know what I mean) to oversee these bailouts. Lets face it, the track record of some of these financial corporations is obviously very shady, especially AIG. It’s still not too late for Obama to do this, and I think he should – the sooner, the better.

The American people, to resist the depression and wars that are coming, are going to have to transform their historical presuppositions about politics.  Instead of thinking about politics as what occurs between the Dems and Gops, they have to think about politics in terms of the class power struggle: the working population against the rich and powerful.

Louise is a key to this change.  She is intelligent, knowledgeable, honest and always defends Obama despite his obviously being part of the problem.

Why?  It is essential to know why because there are a lot of Louises in the population that we need to lead the people.  Louise is much different than Cyrena, who is intellectually dishonest and malicious instinctively, the Libargher or Coulter of the Dems.  It is people like Louise who will lead a resistence to the American power structure if they can be pursuaded to join the people rather than stay on the side of power.

But what is the key to politically turning the Louises of the country.  Is it Obama they are hung up on?  Is it the Dem party?  Is it the worldview that restricts politics to the Dem-Gop continuim?  Of if it is partially all three, what is the dominant tendency.  What should be concentrated on to convince the Louises of the US to conceptual transform their poltical worldviews of reality?

Or perhaps this is too difficult to do and we need to concentrate on younger and less experienced people.  I don’t know the answers to these questions, but I know they are crucial to the historical changes of opinion that are necessary in the US and the world.

Louise, i’m sorry to burst your bubble, but this mess goes far deeper than the GOP and Bush.  There are Democratic fingerprints all over the issue.

The deregulation of banking, insurance, and investment happened under Clinton and was promoted by his Treasury Secretary, one Larry Summers (who’s back with his hands on the levers of power).  Geithner is a protege of both Paulson and Summers.

I have no idea what Mr. Obama’s intentions are, but his actions do not, in any way, suggest that he is on the people’s side.  Why he appointed these people is beyond me, but he did.

We were told to deal with it because the “change would come from me”.  Well?  It was either Summers or Geithner who insisted that the shitty Dodd amendment would become even shittier before it was passed.  Both of those men serve at the pleasure of the president; therefore, Obama is as responsible for their behavior as Bush was for the behavior of his appointees.

But the bonuses are a red herring anyhow.  The real crime is that all the bailout money poured into AIG has gone to its counterparties from the CDS craps table (like Mr. Paulson’s Goldman-Sachs among others).

Matt Taibbi does a good job of breaking the entire issue down without overly complex economic bullshit and with just the right of righteous anger.

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/26793903/the_big_takeover

But this is now Obama’s problem and he most certainly did not set a new course upon entering office regarding this situation.  If he’s not on-board with the plundering of America, he’s going to have to prove it.  He certainly hasn’t yet.

Geitner & Summers are burying their shit like cats in a litter box. I had hoped they were going to be more like the ‘Sammy the Bulls’, by not only showing US where the bodies are buried, but also WHO put them there- seems it was (and Is) Them!
When faced with Greed and/or incompetency, Why worry about ‘retaining’ those who caused the economic meltdown.
both either need to step down or be fired .Either way they should be added back on thelist of those who are legally culpable. Not going to redeem yourselves by actually trying to Fix the problems- then you are an accomplice. Their Crimes Range from those covered under RICO, To Economic Treason, To Crimes against Humanity. they have blood on their hands and there is no way now thye can try to wash it off.
Replace Geitner with someone who has a clear understanding of Economics (minus the greed and enpotism)- Krugman. And Replace Summers with someone who actually understands the masses generate and support a truely healthy economy- Robert Reich- It’s all about thsoe who actually labor and produce or provide services, Not those who play middlemen and skim off the transaction. Labors are not only the producers of wealth, they are the consumers and TAXPAYERS. An Economy can not live off the Fews paper pushing, it requires Real goods and services. Trickle Down was not only inately UnAmerican, it created a inverted pyramid of wealth and resource accesiblity. the ‘Trickle’ literally Dehydated the masses ability to produce & consume.
One only need to review the Fall of most ancient (and not so ancient) empires to know the consequences of a ‘Trickle Down’ ideology. Thus they are not only guilty of Forethought, But also malice. how many have literally died because the spiket was only opened to a Trickle? Crimes Against Humanity. Start with the Reagan Admin (Greenspan) and work your way to every economic treasonous asshole who still utters that doctrine and prosecute them For High Crimes.

By tropicgirl, March 20 at 1:41 pm
•  “I THINK OBAMA IS GOING TO BE THE NEXT JOHN EDWARDS. There’s no credibility here anymore. Not only is there no credibility but there is the distinct impression that Obama is helping the banks rob us. ANd still refuses to help people directly. What other conclusion can one come up with?”
Well, for those of us who pay attention, our conclusions are the exact opposite. But then, unlike tropicgirl (I’m guessing Florida for her ‘tropics’ the swamps are plentiful there) and other long time Obama haters, we actually do pay attention and see the direct help. No credibility? Humm. That’s odd, since he’s already done most of what he promised to do in terms of the issues that we know are most important to the long term survival of our society as a whole. And contrary to what tropicgirl here seems to think, or chooses to lie about, the ‘distinct impression’ that he is HELPING people directly (the opposite of what the lying tropic says) is more than an ‘impression’ because he’s put his signature to all of it. Guess tropic girl hasn’t noticed the huge stimulus package that the repigs tried to refuse, even as she claims that Obama is refusing to help people directly. What a crock of shit that is. We’ve got another folkliar here, who claims the opposite of everything. Black is white, up is down, and wrong is right. However, crazy is still crazy.
And, from the passion of hatred and jealousy spewing from tropic girl as displayed here:

•  “ I can’t wait for the immigration fight. The other most emotional issue in the entire country. Its Obama that doesn’t get it. Geithner surely does…The Obamas are too busy posing for photos.”
Hers is a dangerous kind of crazy, fueled if you will, by extreme bigotry and jealous hatred, noted in her posts long before now. She CAN’T WAIT for the immigration FIGHT, which SHE deems the ‘most emotional issue in the entire country’. How arrogant and ignorant can one be? The most emotional issue in the ‘entire country’ eh? Well tropicgirl, your ‘entire country’ is a whole lot smaller than what the rest of us see. Your entire country is apparently represented by the size of your mind. Tiny. Rest assured, immigration is clearly not the main emotional issue among those struggling to survive now, not to mention those far-sighted enough to actually care about the future.
No direct help to the people? That’s odd too. Guess tropic girl doesn’t figure that education, jobs, health care, alternative energy development, or any of the stimulus money to extend unemployment benefits and provide for the basic survival of those who were starving to death and dying in the streets under the old shadow regime that remained in hiding for 8 years are any direct help.
She says the Obamas are too busy ‘posing’ for photo ops. But every time I see one or both of the Obama’s they aren’t POSING at all. They’re flippin, WORKING, and the press is there to record it. Wonder why tropic girl has issues with the President and First Lady being ‘photographed’. How odd is that? An alleged American citizen who isn’t accustomed to the President being photographed? Oh well, it’s probably because the last one who had the title stayed in hiding or on vacation for the last 8 years, and out of sight.

Dick Bush couldn’t exactly accomplish all of those crimes under the eye of the paparazzi now could he?

I agree with tropicgirl and Fadel.  I’s an Obama problem not a Geither problem.

I can’t understand whether Louise identifies with the personage of Obama rather than his policies, with the Dem organization, or prefers to restrict politics to Dem vs Gop, rather than the people vs power.

Republicans did away with the rules that kept the people safe from financial abuse, long before Obama became a U.S. Senator!

And THEIR Treasury Secretary Paulson and THEIR Bush, came up with the first huge infusion of tax dollars into AIG, [$85 billion] in September 2008, long before Obama was elected, and long before the public figured out what was going on!

And BUSH and PAULSON created the guidelines that allowed AIG to write the rules governing 2008 bonuses, in SEPTEMBER 2008!

And their Bush signed off on the whole deal. Again, long before Obama won the election!

And the human outcry at THAT time led to the re-naming of bonus to retention! Again, back in September 2008!

But few if any remember that far back, so blame Obama and his secretary of the Treasury ... so much easier than PAYING ATTENTION!

And helps the SHORT of memory forget, whether called bonus or retention, it was a REPUBLICAN gift!

Geithner GETS this!

Do ANY of you people get ANY of this?

NOPE!

Geithner is more interested in saving the bankers than the banks.

The Geithner problem is the result of the short-sightedness of his boss, President Obama. Appointing a known tax-evader to run an economy in mess, is like the proverbial fox put in charge of the chicken house.

But the problem becomes even more seriously dangerous, when one thinks about a country of 300 million, boasting so many costly universities, and so many so-called economic experts, you cannot find but one person, who was part of creating the problem, to be put in charge of fixing it! It defies the simple logic of those endowed with wisdom!

“Obama’s job would be much easier if Geithner was more effective at communicating with the public about what happened to the economy and what the administration is doing to fix it.”
—————————————————————-

Geithner’s presentations before congress reminded me of Henry Paulson’s attempts to explain away his TARP proposal.  They both come off as executives trying to give a rousing PowerPoint presention using such positive, empty statements like, “We’re moving ahead in a positive direction.”  Everything is elliptically positive, and there is just not that much to grab onto or sink ones teeth into in his presentations.
He’s got a lot to hide and he’s not going to say anything that reveals who’s behind AIG being used a conduit for payments to Goldman Sachs, etc. of 100 cents on the dollar.

Nice try Gene.

If you interact with people, such as hiring, supervising, teaching, counseling, you’ve seen this behavior before. GEITHNER DOES GET IT. HE CAN GET AWAY WITH MURDER.

He put the retention bonus on a piece of government legislation, in the back room, TO BENEFIT HIS FRIENDS, when it didn’t exist before.

He doesn’t want any cabinet positions filled around him because he doesn’t want anyone LOOKING AROUND HIS SHOULDER just yet.

I THINK OBAMA IS GOING TO BE THE NEXT JOHN EDWARDS. There’s no credibility here anymore. Not only is there no credibility but there is the distinct impression that Obama is helping the banks rob us. ANd still refuses to help people directly. What other conclusion can one come up with?

I can’t wait for the immigration fight. The other most emotional issue in the entire country. Its Obama that doesn’t get it. Geithner surely does.

The Obamas are too busy posing for photos.

Sen. Dodd is a shill for Wall Street bankers. President Obama, dump Geithner, Summers and Bernanke before they sink your presidency, the time to act is now!

“A simpler way of asking the Geithner question is: Does he get it?”
~~~

Oh you bet he does! Problem is, most of US don’t get it!

I once overheard a conversation between a former employer and a community elder which told me, in no uncertain terms, my employer and that elder had no moral scruples. What I overheard was not illegal. Nor did it in any way involve me. It simply told me the possibility for law breaking was there. And for that reason it would be in my best interests to disassociate myself from him ... and his company. I found new employment and left that position as quickly as I could. Point being ... guilt by association is sometimes more damning than actual guilt!

Points out something else. When angry people decide there has to be immediate accountability they forget. Punishment is not always accountability! Accountability is hard to establish without investigation. And investigation to determine guilt takes a while.

But since punishment is so satisfying, people turn to the easiest target. Much easier [and quicker] than tracing years of abuse, finding layers of fault and waiting periods of time, to see actual accountability.

Besides, this works well for the Republicans. After all, THEY did away with the rules that kept the people safe from abuse, long before Obama became a U.S. Senator. And their chosen Treasury Secretary Paulson and their Bush, came up with the first huge infusion of tax dollars into AIG, [$85 billion] long before Obama was elected, and long before the public figured out what was going on. And they created the guidelines that allowed AIG to write the rules governing 2008 bonuses, and their Bush signed off on the whole deal. Again, long before Obama won the election. And the human outcry at that time led to the re-naming of bonus to retention. But few if any remember that far back, so blame Obama and his secretary of the Treasury. As noted ... so much easier. And helps the short of memory forget, whether called bonus or retention, it was a REPUBLICAN gift! And NONE of this could have happened if the Republicans had not done away with rules and regulations in the first place!
What happens when rules and regulations disappear?

Lotsa bad stuff. Torture springs to mind. And spying on the citizenry. And lying to start a war. And, in the case of banks, brokers and the creators of CDS, what would have been clearly illegal just a decade ago, became “legal” in the first decade of the twenty-first century!

In other words. What the wall street types did, while amoral, greedy and reprehensible, was perfectly legal! Courtesy Republican Leadership! And that my friends is why we are where we are! But like so many obedient poodles we cry ... Blame Geithner! Blame Obama!

And while that may bring some level of satisfaction, it wont clean up the mess the REPUBLICANS are responsible for. Like it or not, what they created in ten years is going to take a little longer than two months to clean up. Sorry, no instant fix here! Even stupid left-over congressional republicans know that! And since they are the exclusive property of said wall street types, they never will figure out how to fix it anyway!

However, they’re still smart enough to remember how EASY it is to get us focused on the bump in the road. Then while we’re watching the bump, they nose-dive us right into the hole!

Based on pumping them constantly with money and anticipating a return to normalcy based on credit is indication that they have no new ideas or solutions. Once the bailout funds are exausted, the market will come cascading down again without anything left to prop it up. Last night I heard one of these old rich white men claim that the next boon will be investment in overseas(formerly located in the USA)industries. The fool didn’t seem to realize without consumers, investment is foolhardy—and these are the experts? They think that if only they can create the next bubble, they can stay afloat, problem is their glory days are fading and now they are just trying to make off with what they can grab before the bottom drops out. It will never be the same again and rather than try to paint a happy picture promising prosperity right around the corner—best to walk boldly into the future rather than pine for a depleted past—otherwise it will continue to spiral downwards. Don’t know if Obama has it in him to act—rather than allowing dire circumstances to give him no other choice. That is a follower, not a leader.

In the midst of the AIG bonus mess, poor Tim Geithner has been caught squarely in the crosswires.  My heart really bleeds for him.

His predicament is rather akin to the case of the hunter being hunted.

In fact, he committed a grave error of judgment in exchanging his cushy job at the New York Federal Reserve Bank where he could hobnob and chum with the denizens in the den of thieves, aka the Wall Street for the dubious distinction of a cabinet post in another similar den , aka Washington, D.C.  A bright and intelligent man that he appears to be (he would not have reached the pinnacle at the NY Federal Reserve otherwise), he ought to have anticipated that he would be getting himself into a no-win situation and would be damned if he did, damned if he didn’t, as the Treasury Secretary under the present precarious circumstances.  Any success he manages to score, if at all,  will automatically go to the score card of his boss, the Prez and, for any failure (a scenario much more likely), he will be pilloried and hauled over coals by every passer-by in the street.  Of course,  there will be the customary “vote of complete confidence” from the Prez every now and then relayed through the White House press secretary until he is eased out eventually in the wake of the gathering clamor demanding his resignation.

I am sure that Geithner is regretting now,  every minute of his waking hours, his fateful mistake in taking that call from Obama on that wintry night asking whether he would be keen on joining his team and saying, in an impulse, “yes”!

Bring us the head of turbo timmy. well and, clod dodd!