Jane Hamsher, Grover Norquist Call for Rahm Emanuel’s Resignation

[seafan]

From William A. Jacobson at Legal Insurrection:

I think what we have here is the beginning of opposing sides teaming together against the manipulation of our legislative process which has resulted in a Senate bill which the Left and Right, and the majority of Americans, correctly reject. "The enemy of my enemy is my friend" thing definitely is going on.

It is time to start over, to have a real debate over principles, and to bring transparency to the process. The effort to hold Emanuel accountable -- and I do not presume he did anything unlawful -- is just the tip of the angry iceberg of Leftists who feel betrayed and Rightists who feel vindicated in their fears.

Emanuel is the first target of this coalition of the aggrieved because he has been the driving force behind the health care legislative process, including the payoffs, the secrecy, the abandonment of campaign promises, and the hardball tactics. Make no mistake about it, Emanuel is merely a proxy for Obama, who has lost credibility with the Left and never had credibility with the Right.

The politicians who insist on pushing forward with unpopular health care legislation do so at their political peril, now that cats and dogs are getting along.

Forty-eight hours ago, a letter calling for an investigation into Rahm Emanuel’s activities at Freddie Mac, and the White House’s blocking of an Inspector General who would look into it, was submitted to Attorney General Eric Holder:

December 23, 2009

Attorney General of the United States of America
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20530-0001

Dear Attorney General Holder:

We write to demand an immediate investigation into the activities of White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel. We believe there is an abundant public record which establishes that the actions of the White House have blocked any investigation into his activities while on the board of Freddie Mac from 2000-2001, and facilitated the cover up of potential malfeasance until the 10-year statute of limitations has run out.

The purpose of this letter is to connect the dots to establish both the conduct of Mr. Emanuel and those working with him to thwart inquiry, and to support your acting speedily so that the statute of limitations does not run out before the Justice Department is able to empanel a grand jury.

The New York Times reports that the administration is negotiating to double the commitments to Fannie and Freddie for a total of $800 billion by December 31, in order to avoid the congressional approval that would be needed after that date. But there currently is no Inspector General exercising independent oversight of these entities. Acting Inspector General Ed Kelly was stripped of his authority earlier this year by the Justice Department, relying on a loophole in a bill Mr. Emanuel cosponsored and pushed through Congress shortly before he left for the White House. This effectively ended Mr. Kelly’s investigation into what happened at Fannie and Freddie.

Since that time, despite multiple warnings by Congress that having no independent Inspector General for a federal agency that oversees $6 trillion in mortgages is a serious oversight, the White House has not appointed one.

We recognize that these are extremely serious accusations, but the stonewalling by Mr. Emanuel and the White House has left us with no other redress. A 2003 report by Freddie Mac’s regulator indicated that Freddie Mac executives had informed the board of their intention to misstate the earnings to insure their own bonuses during the time Mr. Emanuel was a director. But the White House refused to comply with a Freedom of Information Act request from the Chicago Tribune for those board minutes on the grounds that Freddie Mac was a “commercial” entity, even though it was wholly owned by the government at the time the request was made.

If the Treasury approves the $800 billion commitment to Fannie and Freddie by the end of the year, it will mean that under the influence of Rahm Emanuel, the White House is moving a trillion-dollar slush fund into corruption-riddled companies with no oversight in place. This will allow Fannie and Freddie to continue to purchase more toxic assets from banks, acting as a back-door increase of the TARP without congressional approval.

Before the White House commits any more money to Fannie and Freddie, we call on the Public Integrity Section in the Justice Department to begin an investigation into the cause of Fannie and Freddie’s conservatorship, into Rahm Emanuel’s activities on the board of Freddie Mac (including any violations of his fiduciary duties to shareholders), into the decision-making behind the continued vacancy of Fannie and Freddie’s Inspector General post, and into potential public corruption by Rahm Emanuel in connection with his time in Congress, in the White House, and on the board of Freddie Mac.

We also call for the immediate appointment of an Inspector General with a complete remit to go after this information.

We both come from differing political ideologies. One of us is the conservative head of a transparency foundation, and the other is the publisher of a liberal political blog. But we make common cause today out of grave concern for the future of our country in the wake of corruption-riddled bailouts. These bailouts continue to rob Main Street to benefit Wall Street, and, because of that, we together demand the resignation of Mr. Emanuel, a man who has steadfastly worked to obstruct both oversight and inquiry into the matter. Rahm Emanuel’s conflicts of interest render him far too compromised to serve as gatekeeper to the President of the United States.

We will lay out the details further below, and are available at your earliest convenience to meet with you directly.

Sincerely,

Jane Hamsher, Firedoglake.com

Grover Norquist, Americans for Tax Reform

Included below are some interesting responses to this announcement at Firedoglake:

earlofhuntingdon December 23rd, 2009 at 1:12 pm
Reply #127:

For a little context, consider how long it took American companies to take seriously their Japanese and now Chinese competitors. They grabbed market share, remade industries and bought out their US competitors. Former American television or white goods manufacturers are two examples.

Then a few of American businesses did something surprising. Photographic film, for example, used to be as commonplace as Mr. Obama claiming that he was fulfilling 95% of his campaign promises. Japan’s Fuji Film was a dominant competitor, taking market share from Germany’s Agfa and the once giant Rochester, NY, based Kodak. Fuji’s marketing was creative: its multi-colored blimp appeared over American cities more often than Goodyear’s.

Kodak finally got wise. A new blimp in Kodak colors started flying over Fuji’s Tokyo headquarters. Fuji scrambled to retrieve its blimp from a planned marketing tour in the US, to defend its own marketing skies.

Programs such as Jane’s novel cooperation with anti-tax crusader for the rich Grover Norquist – not normally an ally of progressives – is flying the progressive blimp over the White House and it’s too cozy attitude toward past crimes and questionable deals among Village players. It is a creative example of the kinds of functional cooperation we’ll need to reframe politics as a fight between insider-haves and outsider-have nots, instead of one between left and right.

Thank you, Ms. Jane. How rude of you to upset the Village applecart.

jackstraw December 23rd, 2009 at 1:13 pm
Reply #130:


I took a look at Grover’s website. Someone there made an interesting observation about this crappy bill. Basically, his strategy is to encourage all healthy people to drop their insurance and pay the fine. If you get sick, then you just go get insurance. This will bankrupt the insurance companies pretty quickly. Remember, the fine is never going to be exceed the cost of insurance.

I’m not in the least shocked or dismayed by this alliance with Norquist. Where the right and the left can agree on any issue– importation of prescription drugs comes to mind– we should work together. That’s how we’ll beat the corporate special interests and a corrupt Congress. Once we’ve beaten the Health Insurance Bailout Bill, we can retire to our respective corners and resume the argument over the scope of government, taxation, etc. But for now, I agree with the sentiment that the enemy of my enemy is my friend.

Teddy Partridge December 23rd, 2009 at 1:29 pm
Reply #161:

This is one of the most important steps in American political action in this century. Finding and acting on the common cause we share as Americans will shock the dominant paradigm: the one the Corps use to keep the people down.

We don’t have to agree with Grover Norquist about much of anything, but if we agree with him on the utter corruption of Rahm Emanuel, let’s use each other to get rid of Rahm. His influence on America must come to an end. He is ruining the Obama presidency.

ShotoJamf December 23rd, 2009 at 1:38 pm
Reply #176:


Aligning with Norquist is going to shine a light on him, also. Of course he’s a crazy fuck, but given enough sunshine, the sensible people out there may well recognize him for what he is, too – and the truth will out. In the meantime, Rahm gets taken down. What’s wrong with that? I’m for more information, not less. I’m also for shaking up a game and a process that is completely ossified.

The rules are changing.

CalGeorge December 23rd, 2009 at 1:47 pm
Reply #197:

In response to ShotoJamf @ 178

....

Two people with opposite political views agreeing on an issue startles us and brings much more attention to this issue than it ever would have gotten if Progressives (whom Rahm dismisses anyways) had acted alone.

Woke me up!

It’s brilliant.

MayDaze December 23rd, 2009 at 1:53 pm
Reply #211:


Great video. Calling the exploitation of policy differences (in this case abortion) between right and left “distractions from the real issue” – the looting of the working/middle class by corporations – is excellent. Keep it up!

Twain December 23rd, 2009 at 1:54 pm
Reply #213:

In response to Mymy @ 194

Jane doesn’t do things on a whim. I’m sure this was carefully thought out. She is way smart enough to know that Grover is not her friend and to use him. It’s a delight to watch.

LynnDee December 23rd, 2009 at 1:49 pm
Reply #202:

Color me disgusted by what Jane Hamsher and some others on the left are doing. Please take me off the FDL and ActBlue mailing lists. Those days are over.

marxmarv December 23rd, 2009 at 1:55 pm
Reply #214:

In response to LynnDee @ 202

Hey, instead of stamping your foot and pouting, why don’t you explain to us (and not least Jane) exactly what your beef is? Assuming that it’s something more substantive than “ew cooties”.

earlofhuntingdon December 23rd, 2009 at 2:02 pm
Reply #235:

Jane isn’t getting in bed with Grover Norquist; they aren’t even sharing an apartment. They share a target that has earned the critical spotlight being shined on him, just as progressives claim that Obama should apply the rule of law to his predecessor, even though he was president and his direct reports were following Cheney’s orders.

Ms. Jane is saying the progressive team – and most of America – has given 110% to win one for Obama, the Democrats and the Gipper. Now, in this health care bill and government actions across the board, they are being told they won’t be allowed a ticket into Notre Dame stadium, or be allowed to sit in a pew for five minutes to escape a heatless Indiana winter.

To be sure, Grover Norquist would do anything to twist a Democrat’s tail, bind their knickers, and make any politician admit to infidelity with a moose rather than raise taxes on the wealthy. He’s as nutty about that as any gun nut is about taking weapons to children’s sports events. That must be one reason he’s letting his name be associated with Jane Hamsher’s.

But it’s no longer enough, as Glenn Greenwald keeps saying, to follow and protect Democrats simply because they are Democrats. They have to act like them, too. So far, to use a variation on Stephen Colbert’s term, this administration and this Senate are acting like self-absorbed hermaphropublicans.

A country in dire need of constructive change – and forthright leadership – is being told that whatever Joe Lieberman will agree to must be good for them, or Joe would not have agreed to it (or “vetoed” all else). That’s a leadership that needs to be taken out behind the woodshed for a little clearing of the air, wouldn’t you say?

If Grover Norquist is a useful sorority paddle to use in that exercise, so be it. If we’re lucky, it won’t be the last unusual pairing we see in progressives’ attempts to get Washington and, specifically, the Democratic Party, to remember that voters, not K Street, are their most important asset.

applepie December 23rd, 2009 at 2:02 pm
Replay #237:

This will be a big blip on Obama’s radar screen.

He seems to be so cavalier in ignoring the peace-loving, thoughtful, equity and social justice-based Americans who propelled him to where he is now. Can he so easily ignore this new federation that he is forcing into creation?

Just remember Jane, when the juggernauts from the DLC come after you: it is Obama who forced this alliance. He has no one else to blame but himself and his fave crony Rahm.

earlofhuntingdon December 23rd, 2009 at 2:10 pm
Reply #258:


This is called breaking the mold.

The governing coalition that includes banksters, insuresters and warsters of both parties – and their political pets – is not working for most Americans. If we don’t consider new alliances, shake the system without breaking it, and put unusual and novel pressure on villagers to govern as if the rest of the country depended on how well they do it, we’ll get more of what Bush and Obama have already given us.

Jane Hamsher December 23rd, 2009 at 2:11 pm
Reply #262:

In response to CalGeorge @ 197

Nobody would’ve cared if I’d called for Rahm’s resignation alone.

I met Grover’s wife when I was seated next to her and Seymour Hersh at a J-Street dinner (the one Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand didn’t show up for). She’s a Kuwaiti of Palastinian descent and Grover has battled the right on that issue for years.

A few weeks ago CAF circulated a letter that Grover, Jamie Galbraith, Dean Baker and I all signed against reconfirming Bernanke until there was an audit of the Fed. So when I wanted to pursue this issue and thought it could use some left/right heft cutting through the media noise, I contacted him.

Yes, he’s Grover Norquist. I get it. Believe me, I haven’t been doing this for 5 years without realizing what that means. But that enormous bailout of Fannie & Freddie was going to get jammed through in the next week, and it wasn’t going to stop itself.

Jane Hamsher December 23rd, 2009 at 2:16 pm
Reply #267:

In response to humboldtblue @ 216

I get it — people who can only interpret politics through personalities won’t know where to file this in their brains. Those who understand “principles before personalities” will probably have an easier time, whether they agree or not.

CTuttle December 23rd, 2009 at 2:16 pm
Reply #268:


Jane… Legal Insurrection Has this to say…

Uh Oh, Cats and Dogs Getting Along…

…I think what we have here is the beginning of opposing sides teaming together against the manipulation of our legislative process which has resulted in a Senate bill which the Left and Right, and the majority of Americans, correctly reject. “The enemy of my enemy is my friend” thing definitely is going on…

…Emanuel is the first target of this coalition of the aggrieved because he has been the driving force behind the health care legislative process, including the payoffs, the secrecy, the abandonment of campaign promises, and the hardball tactics. Make no mistake about it, Emanuel is merely a proxy for Obama, who has lost credibility with the Left and never had credibility with the Right…

…The politicians who insist on pushing forward with unpopular health care legislation do so at their political peril, now that cats and dogs are getting along.

LynnDee December 23rd, 2009 at 2:17 pm
Reply #271:


Quote: “Yes, he’s Grover Norquist. I get it. Believe me, I haven’t been doing this for 5 years without realizing what that means. But that enormous bailout of Fannie & Freddie was going to get jammed through in the next week, and it wasn’t going to stop itself.”

Too damn late, Jane. It’s clear to me anyway that your feelings are bruised and you don’t give a damn who gets hurt while you enjoy your tantrum.

I am completely and totally disgusted.

LynnDee December 23rd, 2009 at 2:19 pm
Reply #275


Quote: “I get it — people who can only interpret politics through personalities won’t know where to file this in their brains. Those who understand “principles before personalities” will probably have an easier time, whether they agree or not.”

Really? Is that what you think is going on? Try this: For me, it’s the last straw.

I haven’t agreed with you for several days now, but I figured: “Well, that’s okay. Even if I disagree, I still think Obama needs to be pushed from the left. And she’s doing that.”

Well, fuck that. What I see now is an attention suck having a tantrum. I hope you get over it soon.

tbsa December 23rd, 2009 at 2:20 pm
Reply #276

In response to LynnDee @ 261

This has nothing to do with pride. Scroll up and read the complaint.
You might be okay with sitting on the sidelines while these criminals take every penny from average Americans to get their million dollar bonuses at the same time they are throwing folks out of their houses. Don’t come here expected to get alot of folks to agree with that.

Gordon Ginsberg December 23rd, 2009 at 2:37 pm
Reply #319


There seems to be a lot of agitated over-reaction goin’ on.

Lookit: Jane is allied with Norquist on this one task targeting Rahm (and rattling BHO’s cage quite nicely – and appropriately). She’s not adopting Norquist’s agenda.

Some form of health care reform is inevitable. The current system is unsustainable. But reform does not have to be this Senate bill; and it does not have to pass this month.

Get a grip, y’all.

LynnDee December 23rd, 2009 at 2:43 pm
Reply #334:

In response to tbsa @ 322

Uh, guess what? I can see for myself that I stand out like a sore thumb amidst what is mostly a bunch of little chicks scurrying after Mama Jane.

If it was agreement and approval I looked for when I posted online, I would wait to see what everyone else thought and pick the side that seemed to have the most votes. Obviously, since I’m still posting here, that’s not what I look for.

Anyway, I’ve had my say. Jane’s had hers. And you all have provided her with clucking support.

Job well done, peeps!

cinnamonape December 23rd, 2009 at 2:44 pm
Reply #336


This wouldn’t be the first time Grover has stepped on the hooves of AlPACa’s!

So Llamos!

eblair December 23rd, 2009 at 2:49 pm
Reply #354:


The more successful Jane and FDL are, the more drive-by-shill-bottings will happen. It is a good thing. Except maybe for the mods. Just give’em a couple of responses and then ignore.

tbsa December 23rd, 2009 at 2:50 pm
Reply #355:


Who the hell do you think will replace Rahm, anyway? Dennis Kucinich? No. Some other Beltway apparatchik who will be no more friendly to us than Rahm, but quieter. But Norquist will have a scalp on his belt

At the risk of sounding redundant. It’s is NOT okay for criminals to be the gatekeeper of POTUS. Mmmmkay?

LynnDee December 23rd, 2009 at 2:52 pm
Reply #360:


Quote: “I just want to know what her plan is for the aftermath, because that fucking matters.”

Exactly. The only upside to any of this is that, by joining forces with Grover Norquist, she’s completely undercut her own credibility, which in turn may mitigate the damage.

And that’s too bad, because I used to think she elevated and contributed to the debate.

Teddy Partridge December 23rd, 2009 at 3:44 pm
Reply #487:

In response to Jane Hamsher @ 262

Thank you, Jane, it means a lot to see you engage with the more reasonable questions about this. You understand as well as anyone that people are going to have questions, we’ve raved about Grover enough around here. But the paradigm has shifted so far off its axis that these new alliances, around single issues, will be the recipe for keeping the Corps and their lackeys off their game.

I’m not sure we’ll win this one, it’s a long shot at best. But Obama learned his lesson, keeping Reverend Wright in the tent long past time. Look how quickly Van Jones got jettisoned for his apostasy with Glenn Beck.

It’s simply a question now of which model Barack Obama chooses to implement for removing “damaged goods” from his team.

Jane Hamsher December 23rd, 2009 at 3:48 pm
Reply #495:


This is pretty funny. Do people really not realize that civil liberties people on our side and the ACLU were cosigning letters with Norquist and Barr and Bruce Fein all during the Bush years on domestic spying, FISA and other first amendment issues?

I guess when your memory only goes back 15 minutes politics becomes simple to interpret, but it completely ignores that last 9 years.

JClausen December 23rd, 2009 at 2:42 pm
Reply #333:


EPU land I hope.

If you read John LeCarre novels you will know that what Jane is doing is “Shaking the tree.”

Larue December 23rd, 2009 at 3:57 pm
Reply #515:

In response to JClausen @ 333

*G*

Don’t MATTER if Holder acts on it or not, casting the j’accuse is in of itself a disturbance in the force.

As was the previous action with a right winger.

Classic guerrilla tactics so far . . . within a much LARGER context with which I figure she’s working on = it’s classic.

*G*

Great call, JC . . .

booyah December 23rd, 2009 at 3:33 pm
Reply #462

In response to Frank33 @ 424

This is it in a nutshell”

“Rahm Emmanuel is far more dangerous than Grover, who merely laundered money for wingnuts.”

I came to the same conclusion… and I believe that’s what the ultimate Obama defenders really don’t get. If they truly knew all the things Emanuel has done to the Dem party… they would understand this strategy.

But alas it is too nuanced for their we must “defend Obama at all costs” weltanschaaung.

goldstandard December 23rd, 2009 at 4:27 pm
Reply #573:


Jane, I seriously hope your efforts gain traction, but if the Justice Department does take action and things begin to get too hot in the kitchen for Rahm, I hope someone, anyone will pull his passport before he gets to the airline gate. Rahm holds a duel citizenship with Israel and it wouldn’t be the first time a crook tried to escape through the back door. Marc Rich a perfect example.

PaulaT December 24th, 2009 at 12:41 am
Reply #786:

In response to humboldtblue @ 292

What you missed is that she (Hamsher) met his (Grover Norquist's) wife and the wife has some Israel issues. Grover has battled his own people on the right over those issues. Take Rahm’s view of Israel and his being a Democrat and add that to the mix and you get a very powerful guy willing to go to the mat to take Rahm down and Rahm has got to know this. He’s not afraid of the left, so he pressures the Congress to go right and appease the Liebermans and Nelsons. He will fear Grover and maybe will think twice before he goes around liberal bashing when Jane is allied with Grover. He’ll learn to fear Jane, too, when all is said and done, I have no doubt.

The other brillian(t) angle to this is that we’ve currently got a bunch of House progressives who pledged to vote against any bill without a strong public option who are looking like they’ll bail on us. Jane is letting them know she’s serious and they’d better think twice about crossing her. At the same time, she’s sending that message through an attack on Rahm, who has to be the number one person pressuring them to cave or he’ll make them pay. She’s not just saying cross me and you’ll pay, she’s saying don’t side with Rahm because he’s likely to be politically toxic in 2010.

Paraphrasing an astute poster above, any exploitations of policy differences between the right and the left (abortion, gay rights, church/state separation, race relations, AIDS funding, stem cell research, guns, judicial nominees, unions, immigration, education funding, etc., etc., ) are cynically calculated distractions from the real issue – the looting of the working/middle class by corporations.


It will require laserlike focus and exposure such as this, by a coalition of both Right and Left, that will dismantle and destroy this malignant corporate control over the lives of the people in this country.

Finally, after 50+ years, we know the true nature of our nation's enemy.


And it will require every last one of us to defeat it.

[truedelphi]

1. Proud to be rec three. And let the trolls begin! n/t

[natrat]

42. the issue is not jane or norquist, it is emanuel

even a cursory look into the matter reveals what an incredibly sleazy and corrupt corporatist he is

[truedelphi]

92. if you wonder about the character of another person

You have to look at their friends and their buddies.

Obama's friends include Geithner and the Emmanuel family.

Not a guy I want to be close to.

[justinaforjustice]

99. Emanuel Is a Sleazy Corporate Lobbyist, Obama Chose Him. But...

I couldn't agree more with your critique of Emanuel. He represents the corporate wing of the Democratic Party and the saner wing of the Republican Party, many of whom now support the DLC Taken together, these groups form the Democorporate or Republidem Party. Unfortunately, we are discovering that Obama too is a Republidem. Obama-Emanuel would be very happy to destroy the progressive wing of the Democratic Party so they and their corporate buddies can reign supreme in untroubled serenity.

But, forming an alliance with Grover Norquist, whose own goal is to destroy progressives, indeed all Democrats, just to attack Rahm on a fairly collateral issue, however factually justified, in hopes of bringing Rahm down is a diversion from our main job of keeping the progressive congressional reps united in supporting a stronger bill and electing progressive Dems to replace the Blue Dogs that Rahm put in office while head of the DCCC and to replace the conservadems in the Senate, to whom Rahm and Obama pander.

I'm sure Jane realizes that Attorney General Holder has no intention of investigating Rahm, with or without the signature of Grover Norquist. Nor will Congress do so. The demand letter is meaningless.

But, as a result of signing the demand letter with Norquist, Jane has created a serious division among those who oppose the Senate Bill and very much want to work for an improved bill with the public option, if not single-payer. That this division has been created is clear from the many, many posts on Dailykos and DU taking sides on the issue of Jane and Norquist.

So instead of debating how we are going to keep the progressive congressional reps strong and how we can find and elect more progressive Dems and truly destroy Rahm's power, we are debating Jane, Grover and Rahm. Jane has thus weakened her own credibility among some progressives, when we need so much to speak with one voice to pass a decent health bill.

[bvar22]

75. Also proud to Rec....#37

:patriot:

The more people who know what a scumbag closet Republican Rahm is, the better it is for Americans who Work for a Living.

I DON'T buy the excuse that Rahm is somehow secretly running the White House.
Obama KNOWS who Rahm is, and picked him because they agree.

[truedelphi]

96. Didn't Rahm appoint Obama to be

President?

At least that is what many here probably believe, as they continually justify O's actions by saying Rahm forced his hand.

In any event, Happy Holidays to you and your family and friends, bvar


:toast:

[bvar22]

105. Thanks.

Back-at-cha!
:toast:

[Bobbie Jo]

123. They're already here.

:think:

[FarLeftFist]

2. I hope Jane doesn't become a pawn for the RW

This could get deep and her association with the RW could compromise her credibility. They will use her and toss her aside.

[snagglepuss]

6. She wouls only ne compromised if it was a tinfoil hat type issue.

The statute of Limitations is about to runout so aggressive and radical steps need to be taken to insure this issue is investigated. Had she acted alone this may not get the attention this joint action.

If these accusations are true who in their right minds would want Emmanel to get off scot free and have such a position of influence?

[bvar22]

76. When The Left and The Right agree....

...it is time to take a very close look at what they are pointing at.

[TwilightGardener]

80. The Right don't "agree" with us--they simply want Democrats out of power.

Period. How absolutely naive and silly to think Norquist (and the Republican Party for which he stands) is just demanding an investigation of Emanuel for OUR own good. This is preposterous. Rahm may be an anti-progressive weasel, but the right isn't targeting him for that reason. They want to bring this administration down, or at least create a Whitewater 2, and willing dupes on the left are more than happy to help.

[bvar22]

86. Rahm was once a dirty word at DU...

..before the invasion of the issueless "Centrists" and Party Hacks.

My opposition to Rahm in any position of authority in the Democratic Party long precedes his appointment as Chief of Staff.

If old Grover (warts and all) decides to help me, thats his business.
Grover did MORE to protect the Civil Rights of Americans under the Bush administration than the "Centrist" Go along to get along Democrats.

http://www.alternet.org/story/106189 /

Corporatism is the #1 Enemy of Americans who Work for a Living, Left, Right, and Center.

[TwilightGardener]

91. Norquist used to be an even dirtier word.

But hey, he didn't like ONE thing about Bush's policies, so that makes up for everything he did to help DEVELOP Bush's other policies. In fact, he's really a good soul, at heart:

"From 1981 to 1985, Mr. Norquist was the front-man for Jonas Savambi, the leader of Angola's UNITA, in Washington serving as his unofficial ambassador and was instrumental in securing some $15 to $20 million annually in covert US military aid during the Reagan-Bush years and in tapping millions more from various conservative sources helping to prolong an unnecessary civil war. At least a portion of Mr. Norquist's wealth can be traced to fate of Africans who died in the blood diamond trade. It bears reminding that the Angolan Civil War claimed a half million lives and because these rebel movements made fertile use of land mines, they are still killing and maiming people to this day. Physicians Against Land Mines estimate that 1 in every 334 Angolans has lost an arm or a leg to landmine injury. The number of amputees in Angola is 70,000 - 8,000 of these are children under the age of fifteen. These children's prostheses have to be replaced every six months as they grow out of them. Most victims do not die: land mines are intended to maim, not kill, with the heavier consequences on cost of medical care and morale. Fewer than 7 percent of landmine victims in Angola die immediately, instead land mines beget a nation of amputees. Mr. Norquist's Angolan and Mozambican clients together laid over half of all land mines in Africa, land mines whose victims are 98 percent civilians. This is the legacy of Grover Norquist."

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/12/25/161820/03

[justinaforjustice]

101. Thanks for Posting Norquist's History.

Just as Norquist was happy to exploit the Angolians for his private gain, he is more than happy to exploit the American progressive movement. It is naive to think otherwise. By signing the demand letter for an investigation of Emanuel with Jane, he has helped to divide the progressive movement, thus hitting two birds with one signature.

[TheWebHead]

3. I call for Jane Hamsher's resignation

just another of the many people throwing spitballs from the sideline who if Democrats followed to the letter would land them forever in the political wilderness.

[Autonomy]

5. +1

simple way to tell she is on the wrong side of this: Grover Norquist agrees with her. She is a dupe.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

110. and Norquist's resignation

cause he really really sucks.

[TwilightGardener]

4. These people are fucking crazy. And one of them calls Rahm a "criminal".

I guess Jane is starting with that assumption and working backwards to try and prove it. That'll show Obama who's boss!

[bertman]

39. Very good chance he is a criminal. Why is there no Inspector General appointed? Could it

have anything to do with Emanuel trying to cover up his nefarious involvement in the Fannie and Freddie Show? We'll never know unless there's a Justice Department investigation BEFORE the statute of limitations runs out and Mr. Emanuel is scot free. Of course, with him whispering in the President's ear that there's no need to rush, nothing here, just bloviation from the left, the chance of an investigation is slim.

I'll be sending some more of my hard-earned cash to Firedoglake. They are wide awake and supporting the correct moves against this administration when they are WRONG and supporting them when they do what's good for the nation. Jane Hamsher is the kind of advocate all Americans need.

[TwilightGardener]

43. Is there a good chance YOU'RE a criminal? I think so. I think we should investigate.

Because I WANT you to turn out to be a criminal. Because I don't like you. And if I don't like you, you must have done something wrong. Other people investigated you and didn't find anything, but I want another crack at the bat, because they just weren't looking hard enough.

[defendandprotect]

51. Puerile . . .

[TwilightGardener]

53. That's the sum of firebagger argument.

And it is puerile, you're right.

[defendandprotect]

56. Your resort to reliance on personal attacks makes clear that the childishness

is on your part --

and the lack of any real debate is on your part.


Happy Winter Solstice -- Nature's New Year!

[TwilightGardener]

57. LOL. Can't handle the truth.

[bertman]

65. Your use of the word "firebagger" says it all, TwilightGardener. People who have been

Democrats for forty-plus years, who have supported Democratic candidates and Presidents with their time, money, and personal commitment, are now reduced to a demeaning negative stereotype because you disagree with them on this issue. That says more about you than it does about them.

Very sad.

[TwilightGardener]

66. Kind of like "cheerleaders", huh?

[bertman]

68. Very sad.

[TwilightGardener]

74. It IS sad. But that's where we are.

[suzie]

94. +1

[defendandprotect]

50. Agree overall -- and admire Jane Hamsher, as well -- Sharp lady!!

I also agree we need to resume the investigation --

Especially because it could begin to look like Obama is participating in a

coverup re Rahm!!

[TwilightGardener]

54. Oooh, exciting! IMPEACH!!!11!

[defendandprotect]

58. Thanks for the bigger hint . . . you're now on "Ignore" . . .

[TwilightGardener]

59. OH NOES!1!!

:D

[suzie]

95. Wow, maybe if we start to impeach Obama now, it'll give Dennis Kucinich

an even bigger chance for 2012 than he has now.

Oh the excitement.

[defendandprotect]

109. No one but YOU is suggesting that, suzie . . . needless to say....

but not an unusual for you from what I've seen of your prior posts.

I've moved you onto "ignore" with your teammate --



Happy Winter Solstice -- Nature's New Year!!

[suzie]

119. No one I know would have thougtht that any Democrat would be talking about

primarying the President of their party less than a year after he took office.

But here we are, the UFO guy cultists speak of it every day now.

[suzie]

120. No one I know would have thougtht that any Democrat would be talking about

primarying the President of their party less than a year after he took office.

But here we are, the UFO guy cultists speak of it every day now.

The Kucinich crowd is just like the Republicans in 1993. Your guy lost, but you won't accept that, so you have to figure out some way to make the sitting President illegitimate.

[inna]

7. Serves Emanuel well, given that he despises and dismisses progressives. :)

Smart move on Jane's part (I think. - We'll see.)


KR+22!

[laughingliberal]

8. The issues raised in the letter gained credibility, I thought, with the Christmas Eve story

of more bailout money for Freddie and Fannie being shoved through to avoid the need for Congressional approval.

NEW YORK — The government has handed its ATM card to beleaguered mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

The Treasury Department said Thursday it removed the $400 billion financial cap on the money it will provide to keep the companies afloat. Already, taxpayers have shelled out $111 billion to the pair, and a senior Treasury official said losses are not expected to exceed the government's estimate this summer of $170 billion over 10 years.

Treasury Department officials said it will now use a flexible formula to ensure the two agencies can stand behind the billions of dollars in mortgage-backed securities they sell to investors. Under the formula, financial support would increase according to how much each firm loses in a quarter. The cap in place at the end of 2012 would apply thereafter.

By making the change before year-end, Treasury sidestepped the need for an OK from a bailout-weary Congress.

While most analysts say the companies are unlikely to use the full $400 billion, Treasury officials said they decided to lift the caps to eliminate any uncertainty among investors about the government's commitments. But the timing of the announcement on a traditionally slow news day raised eyebrows (emphasis mine)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/24/fannie-mae-and-freddie-ma_0_n_403413.html

[ProSense]

9. Hamsher is an idiot

Yes, idiot.

[NNN0LHI]

15. So are her fellow trolls

Idiots.

Don

[live love laugh]

44. Hamscher is not an idiot--she's a duplicitous poser. nt

[cali]

10. team up with Grover and threaten to work against Bernie. That tells it all.

In any case, this is just grandstanding and trying to spread the meme that Emanuel has done something criminal.

[ima_sinnic]

14. the "meme" that Rahm has done something criminal? you KNOW it can't be so--how? (nt)

[cali]

17. lol. that's not how it works, dear. How do I know you didn't

molest the next door neighbor's kid? See, the thing is, you're supposd to have some evidence of criminal wrong doing. Otherwise, it's just a witch hunt.

[ima_sinnic]

19. so nothing stated in the letter even hints at evidence of crminal activity?

though some is "connect the dots," compiling of evidence has to begin somewhere, and suspending of disbelief is also needed for that beginning. You just sound awfully sure of yourself that it's nothing but a "meme."

[ChiciB1]

45. RAHM HASN'T DONE ANYTHING CRIMINAL! Well I Guess You Might Say That...

BUT FROM MY PERSPECTIVE... Rahm IS A CRIMINAL! A free-wheeling, accepted by all in D.C. bona fide CRIMINAL! I've watched this weasel for years and see him as born of the same "fungus" as TOM DeLay... THE HAMMER!! Same person, just with a (D) behind his name! However, the letter behind his name should be (A) for ASS-HOLE!

That Obama uses him as his "boy" is an affront to me and should be given some VERY SERIOUS thought by those who continually follow his lead!

He's a snake in the grass, a lizard with a forked tongue... one could go on and on! Obviously, my definition of him IS NOT a positive one, but it is MY OPINION!!

[HughMoran]

49. It's just that and it's indicative of a certain amount of desperation

Obama is going to get his agenda through. Those from various factions who've hated him since the primaries will probably have to learn to deal with it. Those of us who read DU regularly know that this is not about just Rahm.

[ChiciB1]

82. Sweets, I Worked VERY HARD To Get Him Elected! Not MY First Choice...

but did beat lots of pavements, had lots of get-togethers, went to many, many meetings, stood on the corners waving signs, marched in parades, went to THREE rallies... so for me it's Obama's decision to pick little Rahm that upsets and worries me! I walked the walk for this man OBAMA... this man I see now IS NOT THE man I thought he was!!

I've seen Rahm in action for a long time. One particular situation really bothered me and it was when HE TOOK CREDIT for Howard Dean's 50 State Strategy!! Acted like it was his IDEA and it was HIM that did the heavy lifting! It was SO NOT!!

And yea, Obama has now gotten many on board that will NEVER defect, and so much of it is simply about MONEY!!

NOT CHANGE I BELIEVE IN!!

[Dr.Phool]

11. K&R

Having first hand experience with some of Rahm's shenanigans, I hope they nail him to a wall. And I don't care who gets the scalp. He is not now, nor has he ever been one of us. He's a corrupt, cynical manipulator.

[defendandprotect]

12. It was just another outrage that Obama took Rahm into the White House!!!

We should kick entire DLC out of the Democratic Party before it kicks the

Democratic Party to hell --

[cali]

13. Fantasy politics. Idiotic.

How the fuck do you kick people out of the dem party?? We can work to defeat conservadems at the polls and to fight their agenda but we can't kick people out of the party.

[ChiciB1]

47. Well You Can Just Come On Down... Down Here To Florida & Help Everyone

KICK OUT BILL NELSON!! I don't see it happening because not only does he have "name recognition" he has MONEY, he's A DLC DINO, I'm also sure he's a member of "The Church" and he has many, many friends who will support him til the COWS COME HOME!!

Then maybe you can find a REALLY good "electable" Progressive Democrat to run against him!! Living down here, and living in my district leaves me with NO HOPE!! I have WISHES, but NO HOPE! And not a GLIMMER OF CHANGE!!

Am I being rude? I suppose so, but I so wish it was so different for me and many others!

[polmaven]

79. There is a good deal of difference

between working to have someone voted out of office and kicking him out of the party.

Have you drawn up the Democratic version of a purity test for membership in the party? If so, is collusion with the likes of Grover Norquist an acceptable activity? You're going to have to explain that one to me.

The last I knew, the Democratic Party was the one with the big tent.....When did that change?

[Dr.Phool]

85. You really ought to come down to Florida for an eye-opener.

They DO throw people out of the Dem Party here. Usually liberals who speak their minds. They undermine candidates, throw them out of conventions and dinners. Order people to remove their name from an election. They can also ban you from participating in the DEC's, and state party for four years. That's the law.

They only thing they can't do, is force you to change your party affiliation on your voter registration.

And, a follow-up on Chici's post, I've followed Bill Nelson's record for years, and he's thoroughly outraged me at town halls in years past. And at other meetings. You couldn't tell his voting record from Katherine Harris' voting record.

At least Harris had insanity for an excuse. Nelson doesn't have an excuse.

On edit: And the sitting Chair of the Florida Democratic Party, is currently engaged in lobbying activities for the former Chair of the Florida Republican Party. A PAID lobbyist in addition to the $100k annual salary the FDP pays her.

[polmaven]

87. Well, the point of my post

would be to ask you if you agree with allowing that kind of behavior?

[ima_sinnic]

16. now I'm sorry I criticized the idea of a "team of rivals"--such teams are what will finally

wipe out the virus infesting our government, the virus of greed and corruption disguised as "democrats" and "republicans" in "separate" parties. The basic premise of uniting of We The People against our true enemy, the ruling moneyed class, the corrupt, war-mongering, greed-head PIGS, is sound.

[cali]

18. hahahahaha. yes, teaming up with that man of the people, Grover Norquist

and teaming up with racist pig teabaggers is a noble thing that will save the party. You want to hang with such filth, feel fucking free. I'm not that stupid. Nor, fortunately, are the vast majority of liberals and progressives, but hey, feel free to be a tool.

[ima_sinnic]

20. who said anything about "saving the party"?

apparently you, like the average ordinary thinker, regards teabaggers as "the other" with whom you share not one aspect of daily living or human experience.
their shafting by the oligarchy is somehow irrelevant to yours. Or are you not being shafted?
and I have no interest in "hanging with such filth," but I do regard teabaggers as simply misguided in their anger, an anger that could be channeled to constructive purposes of exposing the true filth in this country. but continue your pearl-clutching outrage, it's rather amusing.

[SandWalker1984]

71. You still don't get it, do you? It's not red team vs blue team....

...it's us, the middle class/working class, against the rich corporatists who have bought and paid for most of Congress and are now controlling the writing of our legislation and spending of huge chunks of our government's budget.

These corporatists are trying to create a fascist United States, with them controlling the strings over all aspects of our lives. They are behind our country continuing the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan (defense contracts, plus gas pipelines), they are behind our country bailing out Wall Street, they are behind the high gas prices (Goldman & Sachs commodities stranglehold), they are genetically modifying our food so they can control the food supply, and they are behind the housing meltdown that they created to strip massive amounts of equity out of the hands of the people.

Rahm Emanuel embraces this philosophy, which is why the red flags went up for me when Obama selected him as chief of staff.

Rahm, during his time in Congress, voted for legislation providing President Bush with "fast-track" trade authority in order to bypass efforts by labor, environmentalists and other public interest groups to promote fairer trade policy.

He was the single most important official involved in pushing through the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the bill ending Aid for Families with Dependent Children (AFDC), and Clinton's draconian crime bill, among other legislation.

Emanuel was a major supporter of the Iraq War resolution that authorized the invasion of Iraq. He has also voted with the Republicans in support of unconditional funding to continue the Iraq War and has consistently opposed efforts by other Democrats to set a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. occupation forces.


Jane and Norquist are visionary enough to see the key to getting change in the White House on it's Republic-like policies is to get Rahm Emanuel out of the White House as quickly as possible.

Is Rahm Emanuel guilty of breaking laws while serving on the board of Freddie Mac? Considering his history, it's possible. Especially in light of some of his actions regarding Freddie Mac.

Rahm Emanuel was a huge influence in the direction and type of "health care" reform bill that we now have before Congress. If he stays in the White House, you will see more pro-big business legislation like this.

Jane understands this, and is fighting to save the Democratic Party before Rahm and his pro-big business buddies do to it what the Republicans have done to their party. So criticize her all you wish, but I happen to agree with Jane and support her stand on this.

[TwilightGardener]

77. Oh my God. You think Norquist is a VISIONARY who wants the

White House to be LESS REPUBLICAN in its policies?? :spray:

[inna]

106. project much?...

"but hey, feel free to be a tool."

[KharmaTrain]

21. When You Lie Down With Dogs...

Sorry Jane...Grover the embezzler never misses an opportunity to exploit others and this is mail order. Make it seem like he's "on our side" for a single issue is an act of desperation as he's the one perceived to have the real power here...not Jane. He gets to run around as some "bipartisan" or "trans-partisan" figure and then co-opt the spotlight and issue. I've watched this slimeball operate in the past and he looks for the low hanging fruit...becomes a parasite that destroys all from within. Just ask the Indian casino operators who thought he was their friend.

The only person who will get rid of Rahm is Rahm...especially when you try to back him and this administration against the wall. Ain't gonna work bringing in a right wing mole, and if anything, could stiffen resolve not achieve what Hamsher hopes. It appears the one thing the Hamsher and Norquist have in common is a love for an unitary executive...instead of focusing on the Senate which watered down much of this bill, they wish for a President who rules by fiat.

[defendandprotect]

23. Maybe that covers the situation with Obama eloping into WH with Rahm....? "Lie down with dogs?"

[KharmaTrain]

25. Eloping?

It's not like Rahm was some stealth, secret weapon. On the contrary...he was a very known comodity and was no surprise when he was selected Chief Of Staff. Emanuel is no Norquist. Don't like the guy, fine...but he's not an embezzler. And this surely isn't the way to get rid of him.

[defendandprotect]

30. It wasn't either like Obama told us that he was going with DLC and corporates . . .!!!

As a matter of fact, had I known that Obama had any affection for the DLC I would

not have voted for him -- and I think he recognized that danger because he seemed

to try to emphasize that he wasn't DLC.

Norquist isn't in the White House with Obama -- Rahm is --

And, we're supposed to take your word for it that he's not an embezzler?

Obama has to appoint an Inspector General and they have to resume the Kelly investigation --

other wise it could look like Obama is trying to cover up for Rahm.

And certainly there has been a lot of odd activity at Freddie/Fannie -- and during Rahm's

time there. It's something we need to find out about.

Based solely, however, on his involvement with DLC, Rahm should be out --

I think John Conyers has also alluded to the Rahm mischief in White House with his

complaints last week re health care, etal that "Obama only listens to Rahm!"

Meanwhile, Rahm also holds dual citizenship with Israel -- and I think that's a great concern.

We need to stop Israel's warmongering and stop their blitz against the Palestinians.

[KharmaTrain]

37. Then You Weren't Paying Attention

Rahm was one of Obama's first backers. And your other major choices in the primary were DLC as well...so no matter who was the nominee, they'd have some influence. The reason? They help bring in the big bucks needed to run and win elections. Also it was Rahm who was credited with the big election win in '06. This was no hidden secret...the fact they are both from Chicago should have been a clue.

So Rahm also is responsible for Freddie Mae? That's a new one...but go ahead and pile it on. I'm not a big fan of Emmanuel myself, but methinks you see a lot more than what's there. He can't vote on the Senate floor nor have I seen him purge prosecutors or try to throw governors in jail. But it sounds like you have a bigger agenda here.

I know several people who have dual citizenships...and as a Jew I could also apply for citizenship to Israel. And that matters how? Or is it Rahm = Jewish thus must be evil.

The irony here is I see a lot of criticism of Rahm from the right that now seems to have become similar talking points on the left. Hmmm.

[billh58]

113. The Far Left is

so emotional, and so bent on prolonging the bitterness of the Democratic Primary campaign, that they will accept counsel and comfort from any quarter -- even from the likes of Grover "drown it in a bathtub" Norquist. Yes, that Grover Norquist, the close friend of Republican stalwarts like Ralph Reed, Jack Abramoff, Newt Gingrich, Karl Rove, Dick Cheney, and the Bush Crime Family.

FireDogLake and Jane have gone over to the Dark Side, and here is just a snippet from her new boyfriend's past:

Norquist and his protege David Safavian started a lobby firm called The Merritt Group (later changed to Janus-Merritt). Safavian would later become head of the White House Procurement Office, then be convicted of lying about dealings with convicted GOP lobbyist Jack Abramoff while in that position. Norquist's clients included Abdurahman Alamoudi, head of the American Muslim Council(AMC), among other advocacy groups. He would later be convicted of terror financing.

http://nationalcorruptionindex.org/pages/profile.php?profile_id=21

Rahm Emanuel is a tough politician, but he has absolutely nothing in his past that would compare to the criminal dealings and associations of Norquist. Jane could not have picked a less credible co-conspirator to help with her attacks on President Obama and his team. Even Middle-American Conservatives can see through her Far Left bullshit.

[JVS]

126. False. Rahm was far from an early Obama endorser. June 4th 2008 was quite late.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/sweet/987034,rahm060408.article

[bvar22]

73. "this surely isn't the way to get rid of him."

This IS precisely the way to get rid of him.
The Obama administration has shown the tendency to cut loose anyone who attracts the least little bit of Republican displeasure.
.
.
.
.
Oh Wait.
I need to amend that statement

The Obama administration has shown the tendency to cut loose anyone <insert> from the Democratic Wing of the Party <end insert> who attracts the least little bit of Republican displeasure.

You are probably right.
The Obama Administration will fight like a Mad Dog to protect the stealth Republicans at the White House.


The DLC New Team
Republican Lite ONLY
Working Class Democrats Need NOT Apply

(Screen Capped from the DLC Website)

[ipaint]

22. The "oh so innocent" Rahm.

Rahm Emanuel's profitable stint at mortgage giant

"...The board met no more than six times a year. Unlike most fellow directors, Emanuel was not assigned to any of the board's working committees, according to company proxy statements. Immediately upon joining the board, Emanuel and other new directors qualified for $380,000 in stock and options plus a $20,000 annual fee, records indicate.

On Emanuel's watch, the board was told by executives of a plan to use accounting tricks to mislead shareholders about outsize profits the government-chartered firm was then reaping from risky investments. The goal was to push earnings onto the books in future years, ensuring that Freddie Mac would appear profitable on paper for years to come and helping maximize annual bonuses for company brass.

The accounting scandal wasn't the only one that brewed during Emanuel's tenure.

During his brief time on the board, the company hatched a plan to enhance its political muscle. That scheme, also reviewed by the board, led to a record $3.8 million fine from the Federal Election Commission for illegally using corporate resources to host fundraisers for politicians. Emanuel was the beneficiary of one of those parties after he left the board and ran in 2002 for a seat in Congress from the North Side of Chicago.

The board was throttled for its acquiescence to the accounting manipulation in a 2003 report by Armando Falcon Jr., head of a federal oversight agency for Freddie Mac. The scandal forced Freddie Mac to restate $5 billion in earnings and pay $585 million in fines and legal settlements. It also foreshadowed even harder times at the firm."

cont...

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/obama/chi-rahm-emanuel-profit-26-mar26,0,5682373.story


Freddie Mac scandals began during Emanuel's watch

Before its portfolio of bad loans helped trigger the current housing crisis, mortgage giant Freddie Mac was the focus of a major accounting scandal that led to a management shake-up, huge fines and scalding condemnation of passive directors by a top federal regulator.
One of those allegedly asleep-at-the-switch board members was Chicago's Rahm Emanuel—now chief of staff to President Barack Obama—who made at least $320,000 for a 14-month stint at Freddie Mac that required little effort.

...In an interview, Falcon said the Freddie Mac board did most of its work in committees. Yet proxy statements that detailed committee assignments showed none for Emanuel, Free or Ickes during the time they served in 2000 or 2001. Most other directors carried two committee assignments each.

Contrary to the proxy statements, Feinberg said she believed that Emanuel served on board committees that oversaw Freddie Mac's investment strategies and mortgage purchase activities. But Feinberg acknowledged she had no official documents to back up that assertion.

The Obama administration rejected a Tribune request under the Freedom of Information Act to review Freddie Mac board minutes and correspondence during Emanuel's time as a director. The documents, obtained by Falcon for his investigation, were "commercial information" exempt from disclosure, according to a lawyer for the Federal Housing Finance Agency.

cont...

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-rahm-emanuelmar26,0,1946702.story?page=1

[defendandprotect]

24. Right . . . and I had no idea of this -- I did know that Freddie/Fannie

handed out bonuses as though they were Merrill Lynch --

The other thing about Rahm that greatly worries me is his connections to

Israel and the failure to put their warmongering completely back in the box.

[seafan]

63. Thank you for those important articles, ipaint.

It's time for some eyes to be opened.

[snagglepuss]

118. Eyeopening. This should be a separate post.

Thanks for posting this.

[WeDidIt]

26. Jane Hamsher and the firebaggers can go drown themselves in a bathtub

The bullshit about Freddie and Fannie has been investigated THREE SEPARATE TIMES!

They've joined forces with Grover Norquist to Whitewater Obama because Hamsher's ego got bruised over HCR.

Fuck them all, and anybody who would support the firebaggers.

[ipaint]

28. What's your friend over at FR say about all this.

The one you recommended we all read the other day.

[WeDidIt]

32. pissant is no friend of mine

but firebaggers on DU are acting JUST LIKE pissant.

Pissant is a Taiter. He defends Orly Taitz just like I've seen firebaggers defending the whackjob, Jane Hamsher.

And that's why I suggested to some who would defend Hamsher unquestioningly read some of pissant's posts over at FR, because their posts and that teabagger's posts ARE WORDED IDENTICALLY.

[ipaint]

35. How many should we read? You seem to be well versed

on many of them. So everyone who supports Jane's tactic should click on over to FR and do some reading. Interesting.

[WeDidIt]

38. Any one of his posts in any of the "certifigate" threads

Especially those where Freepers bag on Orly Taitz, because that's where he and firebaggers are most alike.

[inna]

108. links, please?

[inna]

107. i missed that - does anyone have a link?

(doesn't surprise me at all.)

[Vidar]

27. K&R.

[JVS]

29. I feel obligated to support whomever calls for Rahm's resignation.

[cali]

31. so if Fred Phelps calls for his resignation or David Duke, you feel obligated

to support them? OK.

[JVS]

33. If Rahm gets trouble from anyone, I don't give a shit about him.

[ipaint]

34. A decade of the left partnering with norquist on civil rights issues and

Hamsher does it once and the all hell breaks lose from the center.

Malkin agrees with you anyway. She can't stand norquist for his decade of partnership with liberal organizations either.

[daa]

36. The problem is

Rahm is an excellent politician. He got done EXACTLY what his boss wanted. Your beef is with Obama not Emanuel.

[Faryn Balyncd]

40. Recognition that CORPORATISM is the #1 enemy of Americans left, right & center, is LONG OVERDUE..K&R

[bertman]

41. Rec. If we get rid of Rahm, that's one less cockroach to step on in this administration.

I'm sick of these wheeler-dealers running our ship of state into the ground. Of course, President Obama appointed him, so it's hard to imagine the Prez would do anything to jeopardize Rahm's stay as COS.

[Nikki Stone1]

46. The bill has to DIE before Americans become financial slaves to the insurance industry

...

[seafan]

48. Christmas Eve: 'US removes $400b cap on aid to Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac'

Nice to slip this one in under the radar. Wonder if Rahm Emanuel *sat in the room* on this one, considering his lucrative prior stint at Freddie Mac?



The Boston Globe reports:

December 25, 2009

NEW YORK - The Treasury Department has removed the $400 billion financial cap on how much money it will provide to the beleaguered mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, a step taken to keep the companies from failing.

So far, taxpayers have shelled out $111 billion to the pair.

Yesterday, Treasury officials said the cap would be replaced with a flexible formula. The goal is to ensure the two agencies can stand behind the billions of dollars in mortgage-backed securities they sell to investors.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac provide vital liquidity to the mortgage industry by purchasing home loans from lenders and selling them to investors. Together, they own or guarantee almost 31 million home loans worth about $5.5 trillion, or about half of all mortgages.

.....

The news follows the announcement Thursday that Fannie’s and Freddie’s chief executives could be paid as much as $6 million for 2009, despite the companies’ dismal performances this year.

Fannie’s CEO, Michael Williams, and Freddie CEO Charles “Ed’’ Haldeman Jr. each will receive $900,000 in salary, $3.1 million in deferred payments next year, and another $2 million if they meet certain performance goals, according to documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The pay packages were approved by the Treasury Department and the Federal Housing Finance Agency, which regulates Fannie and Freddie.

That pay is far less than what their predecessors earned. Fannie CEO Daniel Mudd received $10.2 million in 2008, and Freddie CEO Richard Syron pocketed $13.1 million. Both were ousted when federal regulators seized the companies in September 2008. The federal government blocked exit packages for the pair worth up to $24 million.

.....

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac declined to offer details on CEO performance goals.

The Obama administration has yet to offer long-term plans for the companies.

And, from the Detroit Free Press yesterday:

NEW YORK -- The government has handed its ATM card to besieged mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

.....

By making the change before year-end, Treasury sidestepped the need for an OK from a bailout-weary Congress. But the timing of the announcement on a slow news day raised eyebrows.

"The companies are nowhere close to using the $400 billion they had before, so why do this now?" said Bert Ely, a banking consultant in Alexandria, Va. "It's possible we may see some horrendous numbers for the fourth quarter and, thus 2009, and Treasury wants to calm the markets."

.....

Treasury officials are to provide an updated estimate for Fannie and Freddie losses in February when President Barack Obama sends his 2011 budget to Congress.

(bold type added)



How can Obama justify this stealthy end-run around Congress for yet another bailout, this time for his Chief of Staff's former associates, when the fiery outrage by the American people over the September 2008 bailout has not been alleviated?



Is this just another egregious example of circumventing Congress to feather the nests for politicians who recycle back into the *old stomping grounds*, or... just plain 'getting, while the getting is good'?


Somehow, an investigation into Fannie and Freddie and Mr. Emanuel seems very prudent.

[seafan]

115. On Christmas Eve: Massive bailouts to Big Ins/Big Pharma by Senate AND to Freddie/Fannie by WH

Many of us were unwilling witnesses to the giveaway to Big Health Insurance/Big Pharma, courtesy of the US Senate on Christmas Eve.

But on the same day, the White House announced an unlimited credit line at the disposal of troubled Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae.



Some days are just spectacular for the chosen few, aren't they?



Jane Hamsher writes:

December 26, 2009 11:00 am

The classy move on the part of the White House to give Fannie and Freddie an unlimited slush fund and dump the news on Christmas Eve is drawing rave reviews as finance bloggers get back to work.

Zero Hedge:

So. Let us summarize:

We do not expect the GSE’s to grow their portfolios at all, so we are fixing the bloated portfolio problem by easing the portfolio caps to permit a quarter trillion dollar expansion thereof.

We do not expect either of the GSEs to need more help from the Treasury, so we are responding to the underutilized $400 billion “lifeline” the GSE’s have with the Treasury ($111 of which is currently used) by expanding it to… infinity.

Oh, and though they have collectively lost nearly $200 billion, we are paying the CEOs around $6 million each.

Great work team! It’s already almost 11:00. Let’s go to lunch.

Chris Whalen: (from cached link)

The issue for Democrats and members of the American Left raised by this article in The Nation is why does Barack Obama allow this situation to continue one day longer? The continuance of Dugan at OCC and Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner at Treasury illustrates how feeble the White House remains when it comes to financial services policy.

Or maybe the problem is one of conflict. Like Larry Summer’s derivatives toxic waste dump inside Harvard’s endowment fund?

And let’s not forget Rahm Emmanuel’s proud legacy as a director of Freddie Mac.

Maybe the Obama White House just can’t go there when it comes to financial anything.

Dave Kotek:

When will Mr Geithner and his colleagues learn that there are no secrets and that transparency and explanation is much better than release of details in the middle of the night. Probably never but there are some of us who will leave our holiday time for a few minutes and keep reminding them. We are scheduled to remind them again on CNBC Closing Bell at 4:30 PM on Monday. CNBC Squawk Box Asia and on CNBC Power Lunch on December 30.

Numerian:

We are getting very used to watching the federal government operate with only the sketchiest information on what it is doing. Most everything seems to be done behind doors and in secrecy. That’s what makes this brief announcement about Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac so troublesome. When the federal government starts talking about unlimited guaranties to cover future losses, our biggest worry ought to be that whatever large number we can contemplate is included under the word “unlimited”, the government has an even larger number in mind.

Ian Welsh:

Notice also how they’ve made an unlimited commitment without consulting Congress. You only need Congressional approval to spend money on wars and healthcare, when it comes to bailing out banks, apparently the Presidency controls the power of the purse all by itself.

And still no independent auditor for Fannie/Freddie in sight.

But you want health care reform?


Ha! 60 votes.

[freddie mertz]

52. K & R. Emmanuel is the central figure in the current rightward drift of the admin.

He should be fired.

Now.

[Frank Booth]

55. I'm not a fan of Rahm Emanuel, but this just looks idiotic.

Asking for an investigation of his activities while he was on the board of Freddie Mac nearly 10 years ago? Without any shred of evidence of misconduct? Talk about grasping at straws.

Jane Hamsher seems intent on throwing away any credibility she might have had.

[scentopine]

61. A good example of bi-partisanship. Unlike the Obama example of bi-partisanship where

republicans and democrats agree to funnel money from tax payer treasury and tax payer savings into the the take home pay of corporate executives and politicians.

[ipaint]

69. Actually Ed Kelly , the inspector general was conducting an

investigation into fannie and freddie and their part of the housing mess, which of course leads directly to Rahm's time on the board in 2000 and 2001, when obama fired Kelly. Obama also denied a freedom of information request by the chicago tribune to take a look at the minutes of the freddie board when Rahm was on it. Rahm "can't remember" what happened when he was on the board.

Obama was able to fire Kelly because of a loophole in a law written and co-sponsored by none other than Rahm, the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008.
Obama never replaced the fired inspector general and lo and behold on christmas eve gave fannie and freddie a blank check for bailouts through 2012. Fannie and freddie are responsible for 6 trillion in loans.

No oversight, no accountability, no congress, no FOIA.


You think that's grasping at straws???

[SandWalker1984]

60. This story seems especially relevant now.

Is Obama Screwing His Base with Rahm Emanuel Selection?
By Stephen Zunes, AlterNet
Posted on November 7, 2008

I had really wanted to celebrate Barack Obama's remarkable victory for a day or so before becoming cynical again. I really did.

And yet, less than 24 hours after the first polls closed, the president-elect chose as his chief of staff -- perhaps the most powerful single position in any administration -- Rahm Emanuel, one of the most conservative Democratic members of Congress.

The chief of staff essentially acts as the president's gatekeeper, determining with whom he has access for advice and analysis. Obama is known as a good listener who has been open to hearing from and considering the perspectives of those on the Left as well as those with a more centrist to conservative perspective. How much access he will actually have as president to more progressive voices, however, is now seriously in question.

Illinois Congressman Rahm Emanuel is a member of the so-called New Democrat Coalition (NDC), of group of center-right pro-business Congressional Democrats affiliated with the Democratic Leadership Conference, which is dedicated to moving the Democratic Party away from its more liberal and progressive base. Numbering only 58 members out of 236 Democrats in the current House of Representatives, the NDC has worked closely with its Republican colleagues in pushing through and passing such legislation as those providing President Bush with "fast-track" trade authority in order to bypass efforts by labor, environmentalists and other public interest groups to promote fairer trade policy.

Emanuel began his political career as a senior adviser and chief fundraiser for the successful 1989 Chicago mayoral campaign of Richard M. Daley to seize back City Hall from reformists who had challenged the corrupt political machine of this father, Richard J. Daley. Emanuel later became a senior adviser to Bill Clinton at the White House from 1993 to 1998, serving as Assistant to the President for Political Affairs and then Senior Advisor to the President for Policy and Strategy, and was credited with playing a major role in shifting the Clinton administration's foreign and domestic policy agenda to the right. Emanuel was the single most important official involved in pushing through the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the bill ending Aid for Families with Dependent Children (AFDC), and Clinton's draconian crime bill, among other legislation.

Leaving the administration in 1998, Emanuel worked as an investment banker in Chicago, where he amassed an $18 million fortune in less than three years prior to being elected to Congress.

As head of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee since 2004, Emanuel has promoted pro-war and pro-business center-right candidates against anti-war and pro-labor candidates in the primaries, pouring millions of dollars of donations from Democrats across the country into the campaigns of his favored conservative minions to defeat more progressive challengers.

Emanuel was a major supporter of the Iraq War resolution that authorized the invasion of Iraq. Indeed, he was the only one of nine Democratic members of Congress from Illinois who backed granting Bush this unprecedented authority to invade a country on the far side of the world that was no threat to the United States at the time. Even more disturbingly, when asked by Tim Russert on "Meet the Press" whether he would have voted to authorize the invasion "knowing that there are no weapons of mass destruction," Emanuel answered that he indeed would have done so, effectively acknowledging that his support for the war was not about national security, but about oil and empire. Not surprisingly, he has also voted with the Republicans in support of unconditional funding to continue the Iraq War and has consistently opposed efforts by other Democrats to set a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. occupation forces from that country and related Congressional efforts to end the war.

At a time of record budget deficits, Emanuel has been a passionate supporter of increased spending for the Pentagon and has resisted efforts by fellow Democrats to trim excesses in the Bush administration's bloated military budget. For example, he has repeatedly voted against amendments to cut funding for Bush's dangerously destabilizing missile defense and even voted against an amendment to identify unnecessary Pentagon spending by examining the need, relevance and cost of Cold War weapons systems designed to fight the former Soviet Union.

A major hawk regarding Iran, Emanuel has also voted against Democratic efforts to prevent the Bush administration from launching military action against that country and has joined the administration in exaggerated claims about Iran's alleged nuclear threat. He is not opposed to nuclear proliferation if it involves U.S. allies, however. Emanuel has consistently voted against a series of Democratic amendments that would have strengthened safeguards in the Bush administration's nuclear cooperation agreement with India to prevent U.S. assistance from supporting India's nuclear weapons program.

Emanuel is also a prominent hawk regarding Israel, attacking the Bush administration from the right for criticizing Israel's assassination policies and other human rights abuses. He was also a prominent supporter of Israel's 2006 attacks on Lebanon, even challenging the credibility of Amnesty International and other human rights groups that reported Israeli violations of international humanitarian law. Emanuel's father had emigrated from Israel in the 1950s, where he had been a member of the terrorist group Irgun, which had been responsible for a series of terrorist attacks against Palestinian and British civilians in mandatory Palestine during the 1940s. Emanuel himself served in a civilian capacity as a volunteer for the Israeli army in the early 1990s.

It is unclear how serious of a blow Obama's selection of Emanuel is to those who hoped that Obama might actually steer the country in a more progressive direction. It's easy to see it as nothing less than a slap in the face of the progressive anti-war elements of the party to whom Obama owes his election,

- snip -

View this story online at: http://www.alternet.org/story/106189/

[seafan]

67. Great additional info, thanks. It's time the spotlight falls on Emanuel.

He is a major reason that progressives have been marginalized for so long. That he has the kind of influence over Obama that he has, is abominable.


Emanuel is characteristically not afraid of progressives, but he will see Mr. Norquist and Ms. Hamsher on his radar. Soon, it will become politically toxic for him to remain as Obama's right-hand man.


Ramp up the pressure.

[inna]

78. thanks for this link. nt

[Odin2005]

62. K&R. FUCK RAHM!!!

[bvar22]

64. Jane Hamsher, Grover Norquist , AND bvar22....

...call for the resignation of Rahm Emmanuel,
AND his banishment to The Republican Party where he really belongs.

[kstewart33]

70. Oh please.

And while we're at it, let's investigate Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi, Dick Durbin, and any other Democrat who's done something we don't like.

Oh please. Enough with this nonsense.

Don't we and the country at least, have far better and more important things to do?

The hard left is getting as obnoxious as the hard right.

[scentopine]

81. I'd be happy to see malfeasence rooted out of government

democrat or republican.

Centrists are all so over it all aren't they? The operate in a ideological DMZ- unencumbered by principals and ethics. It's so much more efficient this way. Centrists and moderates and realists simply quote the purity of the free market like evangelists thumping the bible. To the centrist everything is for sale, ethics, principals every means justifies the end. The realists and centrists understand only one thing- money. And with that singular instrument all things are achievable. Just follow the money.

So the new democrats are over it all, noving forward - torture, wiretapping, wall street corruption, Iraw war lies, lobbyists infecting the White House, Afghan war escalation, Obama's "misinterpreted" non-support for public option, government as a corporate proxy, Obama's cuddling the republicans, stroking them, caressing them. We need to move forward, don't we.

Now even the new democrats and centrists are blaming liberals and the liberal media for causing trouble for the establishment.

Yes, we have so many more important things don't we?

Centrists and new democrats are extremely dangerous. I don't want any part of this new democratic party and am now focusing energy fighting the new democrats. The seeds of the next rape of the treasury and national disaster are being planted now in the name of Health Care Reform. A reform that starts with the unshakable belief that the "free market" delivers necessary services to protect our population. Like the savings and loan disaster in 1980's, Enron, Wall Street Crisis, Health Care crisis, 10 years of war, all just inconvenient anomalies in the basic truth that the "free" market is best. We just need to move forward.

What happened with our latest Wall Street disaster is on par with the most horrific examples of government failure in all of world history. There should be a Nuremberg style trial for these traitorous scoundrels and capital punishment for their crimes.

I didn't spend all this time working and spending for change to have Obama and Emanuel lob non-stop fuck yous at me simply because I am a liberal.

I've seen the hell the right wing has created in this country as they kiss the black asses of their corporate benefactors. These problems can't be blamed on the liberals - we are few and far between. No this problem lies with the cowards behind the new democratic party, not brave enough to put corporation's best interests behind the citizen's best interest.

The hard left - unbelievable. Liberals reallly are like the jews in *pre-nazi* Germany. And before carelessly yelling at me for offensive remarks - look up the history of Germany before Hitler's rise and you will see that the parallels are palpable.

Liberals are hated in both parties and being blamed for things we had nothing to do with since we've been locked out of power since 1980 - although Clinton was more accomodating than Obama in this regard, however that isn't saying much.

[kstewart33]

90. Man, that's a mouthful.

Centrists have no principles or ethics and are extremely dangerous?

That's a mighty extreme label you've plastered on me and a few hundred other centrists on this site.

I'd say that your take on us is a mighty convincing example of your own extremist views.

Things are a bit more complicated than that, and your better mind knows it.

[scentopine]

93. LOL! What a thoughtful response. Spoken like Ayn Rand herself.

[tigereye]

114. so centrists, moderates and realists represent malfeasance?

:shrug: Rahm managed to take back the Senate, the House as well as the White House, so that some progressive and populist agendas could actually be worked upon, which would not be the case AT ALL had the Reps continued to control both houses. And, it's better to have a health care bill than none, which is what we would now have if he/Obama, etc, had been unable to get the votes. Democrats are the only party EVER to back much of ANY type of regulation, be it health care, banking, labor, what have you. I totally disagree that they have a free market philosophy as a whole.

[scentopine]

117. I think you may have responded to the wrong post and

you are attributing words to me that I did not write although I suppose since you mentioned it, I might have to agree with what you said in general regarding centrists.

I can't agree to compromising principals which should be self-evident. These principals are as valid today as they were 1000 years ago. They'll be valid 1000 years from now. I am happy to rid malfeasance, incompetence, corruption, incompetence in any of its forms from our government. It is time to clean house.

1. Torture. No mater how politically inconvenient, torturers should be prosecuted. I'm not willing to compromise on this no matter how much political capital it wins.

2. Torture. No mater how repugnant we find them, no mater how we disagree with their principals, these people are humans and deserve dignity and respect no matter what the court rules, no matter how politically awkward. I'm not willing to compromise on this. If they are guilty of crimes they should have a fast trial and if guilty, pay for their crimes. Our ten years war is no more successful keeping them locked up and at the mercy of an unregulated environment where torture and abuse are commonplace.

3. Wall Street Fraud. The perpetrators of this should have been subjected to a Nuremberg style trial. The damage we have incurred to our nation and the world is incalculable. There should be a massive prosecution task force and capital punishment for the most traitorous of these vermon. Politicians included. When these crimes here are put into a historical perspective, there is no precedent. Instead we have literally showered the guilty with money.

4. Iraq war deceptions and lies. It was cause for impeachment and the democrats did nothing. Now as more and more eveidence of the fraud gets uncovered, democrats do nothing.

5. Health Care. I disagree that a even bad bill is worse than no bill. Just like Banking reform in the 1980's led to banking disaster I, energy reform led to Enron disaster, Banking reform 2000's led to banking disaster II, telco reform led to worlldcom disaster, we continue the trend with health reform I. There are other examples of reform disasters (latest medicare part b included) but these take the cake in terms of corporate and CEO/executive windfall subsidized by our tax dollars. All of them have in common one thing - they were written by the corporations to benefit corporations with the idea that by default benefits would trickled down to common citizens. The plan is so deeply flawed with mandates and anti-competitive measure and insurance company subsidies that I cannot possibly support it. Have you seen what percentage of income a middle class family has to pay for this shit? Compare that to the 5% of people who control 95% of the wealth. Once again the middle class is being punished for not being rich.

6. Afghan escalation. Isn't 10 years of blood from 1 million innocent dead enough? How is it Obama can unleash his whoop ass on an impoverished nation and get in bed with a corrupt narco state, but he's impotent here against wall street where instead of cluster bombs he lobs softballs.

7. I am a liberal. This makes me an extremist. I am sick of being blamed for the problems in this country. Liberals and reformists had ZERO input to this health bill. Yet Obama is lecturing me and scolding me. We've been shut out of the legislative process. Why? We aren't to blame for the "reform" disasters created by Reagan, Clinton (who was arguably more receptive to us than Obama) and Bush? Yet here we are blamed by Obama as instigators on the "left". I have no representation from either party. I made a mistake thinking there was some small resonance between liberals and the new democrats. I was wrong. We are reviled like Jews in pre-nazi Germany. NOTE: I said *pre* meaning pre-hitler. People fly off the handle when I draw this parallel even a people openly talk about killing liberals in casual conversation on the radio, TV and around coffee pots. Read up on germany between the world wars and you will understand my point of view.

8. Obama has given me a fuck you and instead, sought out comfort and advice in the arms of his republican brothers. Centrists say its chess. I say its bullshit. Centrists are so quick to abandon principals as soon as it is politically expedient. In their view everything is negotiable and any means justifies an end. Obama has stuffed his admin to the gills with Wall Street lobbyists. No we have more money being thrown at Fannie Mae even as the execs collect massive bonuses. Now centrists are blaming liberals (and liberal media) for daring to expose duplicity when it surfaces. Jesus I am so sick of it.
This shit needs to stop. The democratic party has gone off the rails. They stay one small click left of the republicans and claim they are "centered".

As long as people continue to say - "well at least he's better than bush" nothing will ever change.

Back in the 1970's, my views were considered conservative. Now I'm a liberal extremist. Just fucking sick of the stupidity that has become our legislative process and am starting to fight back against the "realists" who call me naive and simple because I won't compromise on prosecutions for torture or wall street fraud or afghan war escalations - centrists seem eager to win their war chops - gambling that if they "win" (and what does win mean?) then they can prove they are better than bush and earn the respect of republicans. And for this they'll slaughter another 100,000 men women and children who couldn't give a fuck about America when they are scrounging around for scraps of food.

For me, Obama isn't acting like a chess master, he's acting like a pawn and treating liberals like chumps. Every time Obama lets the moral hazard genie out of the bottle, the centrists and realists are there to quickly defend the political necessity of it all.

Just fucking sick of it. It isn't making us a better country - it is making us a worse country.

And then there is outsourcing...

[tigereye]

121. I am totally opposed to torture - it is never acceptable

The bank fraud folks should be prosecuted, but Nuremburg and capital punishment? Come on.... Part of the problem here is our reactive American style and short-term memories - we do tend to make the same mistakes over and over.


The Democrats worked hard to stop what had happened in Iraq from happening again - they exposed information and changed laws to create more transparency. Why is it that no one seems to remember that in these threads?


From what I have heard and read about Afghanistan, many of the folks there supporting the Taliban have changed their minds, again so maybe we did not need that many soldiers. However, I guess I feel that a POTUS has to make some attempt to protect us from those who promulgated 911 to some extent, although I do not support any internal wire-tapping, etc.


I've read enough about pre-war Germany to know that Hitler co-opted and fooled the left, the right, and pretty much everyone. But it's an absurd comparison in this case. Playing any Nazi card is the end of a real discussion in my view.

Most folks here do not deride liberals and I do not feel that Obama does, either. We have a big Dem tent - and if you don't have the votes and consensus, you don't get entirely what you want. That's democracy. And Obama has not given in to the Reps- they foil and ignore and stop him at every turn! That's simply inaccurate.

[scentopine]

122. Trillions of dollars wasted, 100,000+ whose lifetime of savings is gone

Mortgage fraud, it goes on and on. I believe that capital punishment for fraud of this nature is absolutely necessary. Misusing the public trust like this is the same as treason. The scale is unprecedented in all of human history. It far exceeds the first banking reform disaster of 1980's and the fraud behind it. The magnitude of it is beyond what most people are capable of understanding. Much bigger than energy reform and Enron. But we don't even have a serious investigation. We just throw more money at the culprits - after all since the created the disaster they are clearly the best ones to mange the "recovery".

These are grave and serious matters that demand investigation and prosecution. Liberals are not stupid. We understand complexity. We also understand that our nation exists because of a solid foundation and principals and justice (as in a constitution) and without that we have nothing. We cannot let these crimes that have misspent trillions and trillions of dollars on the lifestyles of a tiny fraction of privileged insiders go unpunished. And because there is no punishment for these sons of bitches (they even get to keep private planes and CEO positions), health care will create an orgy of private companies raping the treasury - we are chumps.

As far as liberals being welcomed? Please. Obama has chosen republicans and whack jobs like Lieberman as bedfellows. And he has given liberals like me a big fuck you. Democracy is about choices - we now have two political parties - right and more right. Meanwhile Liberals continue to be demonized and marginalized all day and all night and even Rahm Emanuel continues to take pot shots. I'm completely sick of it. We've done nothing wrong.

Liberals are poison - for what? Unrelenting pressure to prosecute torture? War crimes? CEO fraud and misuse of public trust? Demanding fairness and equity for the middle and lower classes and not just the rich? For recognizing the corporate take-over of our legislative process?

To the right wing's credit they have put their best shock troops out front - Hannity, Limbaugh and the other blowhards saturating the air waves preaching hate against liberals all day and all night. The new democrats just have to drift along in the slip stream. As long as they stay a tiny bit to the left of the extreme right they can call themselves "centrists". All the heavy lifting is done by the right wing - the republican extremists set the political direction for the country and the new democrats just let themselves get pulled along. Its extremely efficient and preserves their relevance without defining an actual agenda - you simply react to the current temperature.

Obama is going to unleash hell's fury in a two bit country and prop up a narco dictator in what is acknowledged to be the most corrupt country on earth. But he is impotent against Wall Street.

I have said Obama delivered two stimulus packages:

- the first was to wall street in the amount of several trillion dollars with no oversight for them to spend on bonuses and market speculation.

- for the rest of us, another trillion has been committed - we just have to go to Afghanistan to collect it. Its the new democrats way of saying we need to pull ourselves up by our own combat boots.

I am so fucking sick and tired of coddling and worshiping the rich, the republicans, the two bit narco state and corrupt dictators, the out sourcing of jobs to India and China, the privatization of our public schools systems now in progress, the durg companies the corporate takeover of basic government services has gone out of control. Jesus it gets worse and worse every year. My background is 30 years in hard core engineering and telecommunications and I see the decline in "know how" and it is frightening. Wall Street is chopping every resource in America up into tiny pieces and selling them to Asia for pennies on the dollar. To the new democrats (just like the neo-cons) intellectual property is just a resource to be dug up and sold off on a commodity market. These sons of bitches couldn't give a damn about the United States or anyone else, They are their own country. Our long term problem with terrorism is lies in the incestuous relationship between Washington and Wall Street. Not in some dirt bag opium country just south of hell.

We have more contractors engaged in Asia fighting and supporting the war, than we have US government employees. That's had fucking bad it is. It is completely and totally wrong. We gave another handful of contractors 500 billion for reconstruction. They have barely got a single sewer system reparied. Hospitals, schools, power plants, oil fields - all supposedly reconstructed, all lie in ruins the money gone and no one accountable.

Enough of this shit.

[ipaint]

127. Thanks so much for expressing so well the disdain Obama and others has for the left.

This is getting to be a hell of a long nightmare and the only thing that tempers it a bit is reading posts like yours and others who actually get it.

[tigereye]

130. wow, sad that you can't see anything positive that has been done

enjoy your negativity. No point in discussing this any further.

[Hamlette]

72. This is obviously an attention getting mechinism on Jane's part

there was a way for her to do this honorably (if she had an ounce of honor left) but no, she took the road that would give her attention and hence money. Sad.

[scentopine]

84. LOL! Yes, blame the liberal media. Obama's whitehouse

is so accessible to liberals. The truth is as a republican she'd have a better chance at making a difference given how accommodating Obama has been to the right wing of both parties.

Obama is systematically rooting out the liberals from the democratic party. That includes me. We are hated even though our influence since 1980 has been negligible. Liberals like me remain a convenient scape goat since the right wing has done a brilliant job of turning us into enemies of the state.

Liberals are reviled in America by both parties. We have no representation, we have no voice.

Besides - how is it that Obama gets a lovefest from centrists and realists and other right wingers for his bi-partisan approach, even when kissing the asses of the most extreme elements in the Senate - yet when bi-partisanship occurs at the grass roots, its just for attention getting? Because a liberal is involved.

LOL! Honor. Obama has shown us honor takes a back seat to corporate cash.

The only thing I see from the neo-cons who hold power in both the democratic and republican parties is the resistance to change and reform and a common enemy in the liberals.

In spite of the fact that very little of the decline of life here in America can be attributed to liberals, liberals are hated in both parties.

I applaud what she did and hope to see more of this type of bi-partisanship.

[snagglepuss]

116. AMEN BROTHER.

"The truth is as a republican she'd have a better chance at making a difference given how accommodating Obama has been to the right wing of both parties."



:applause:

[bvar22]

89. Jane openly acknowledges that, if you bother to read the OP.

It is clear you are here just to repeat today's Centrist Talking Points.

Here.
I'll make it easy for you so you won't have to do anything hard, like read and all.

Jane Hamsher December 23rd, 2009 at 2:11 pm
Reply #262:

In response to CalGeorge @ 197

Nobody would’ve cared if I’d called for Rahm’s resignation alone.

[Hamlette]

100. my mind would explode if I read all of her drivel

Hillary lost, get over it.

[bvar22]

103. Judging by your posts,

your mind would explode if you read much of anything at all.

[Hamlette]

111. Not sure why you decided to get personal

but it is unbecoming and of course, says more about you than about me.

[amborin]

83. Rahm was terrible choice for many reasons, including this:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7206505

[azygous]

88. Recall "Red State"/Blue State" divide and conquer

GOP 2000 strategy? It's since almost completely polarized the US into two warring tribes. It's enabled the corp/gov to nicely do whatever they wish with no accountability because opposition to their policies has been so tremendously diluted. Instead of focusing on them as our adversary, we waste our energies battling each other.

Jane has all of a sudden challenged all that. Don't you guys see that by being close-minded about this alliance with Grover Norquist, you're perpetuating the blue/red tribal division, and are playing right into their hands?

You're so brainwashed into this tribe thing, you can't see that this alliance is doubling the power of us citizens against the Washington power structure.

Jane is both very brave and very astute to be attempting this.

[seafan]

97. You are right on the money, azygous. We the People comprise the Team of Rivals.

It's going to be up to all of us, the regular people, the disenchanted, the disenfranchised, the displaced, the betrayed, and the heretofore misdirected, to drive out this corporate plague that is robbing all of us blind and decimating our children's future.


We were warned from many a direction--- FDR and Eisenhower in particular, about the dangers of allowing the conglomeration of the vast economic power of corporations to seize control over our governing structure.

Now, it has happened. Corporate money and the levers of governmental power are fully entrenched.


We the people are relegated to the margins, and it will not EVER change until WE change it. The Corporate Dragon with its fawning media spends billions trying to divide us by policy differences-- turning us against each other on issues such as abortion, gay rights, immigration, race relations, AIDS funding, women's rights, stem cell research, torture policy, civil rights, detainee rights, etc. To keep us all bickering amongst ourselves is the only weapon they posses to solidify their power over us.



If the people of this country, of all political viewpoints, backgrounds and origins, rise up together, our corporate overlords will not survive the tsunami curling over their backs.



The opportunity is upon us that we return to the vision of America that our founders created.

....

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,— That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. .....

.....

Text from the Declaration of Independence, JULY 4, 1776

[leftstreet]

102. +1

[Blue_In_AK]

98. I loathe Rahm Emmanuel

and I agree that his dealings should be investigated. In the end, left, right and center have a common enemy, and that is the out-of-control corporate state. We American citizens really do need a paradigm shift, and it may be necessary to form uncomfortable temporary alliances in order to make our point. Obviously, progressives alone haven't been getting through to the powers that be.

It's easy for the powers to ignore the "fringes" on other side, but when the disgruntled masses form an alliance, they may be forced to change their ways to avoid a popular revolt.

[fishwax]

104. I don't think aligning with Norquist is an effective strategy for destroying corporate control

or corruption.

[snagglepuss]

112. Thanks for posting the Hamsher's and Norquist's letter to the Attorney General.

The points raised in that letter should be the focus of the discussion. Hamsher's bi-partianship her should not be getting any attention. If bi-partianship is good enough for Obama, it's good enough for Hamsher.

[nikto]

124. RAHM EMANUEL IS A CANCER ON THE PRESIDENCY!

Rahm Emanuel is a cancer on America as well.

He is more evil than even any Republicans except Rove and Cheney.

Rahm Emanuel is pure steaming shit, except far more toxic and malignant.

I'd like to see him tried, convicted and hanged.:) :) :)


But I'll settle for fired and disgraced.:)

[chimpyisstillsatan]

125. Into the media gutter she goes

I believe the OP is close to right, there is indeed exploitation going on here, but it's not what seafan seems to believe.

I appreciate the role JH and FDL has played in the establishment greater credibility for left Blogsylvania, but I think a careful accounting of JH's activities is in order before this latest shiny object draws our undivided attention. To me, Hamsher's increasingly frequent MSM appearances and her ever more shrill and radical stances on FDL point less to a pardigm-shifting genius than to a publicity-starved media hound.

IMO, this is Jane H being hoisted on a petard of her own making. She has lost all perspective on politics b/c she is being ground up in the very healthcae system she is trying to influence. As a cancer patient, JH is being quite crassly used by those who stand to gain the most from the status quo, and her minions and hangers-on are either unable or unwilling to stop it.

Three weeks ago, JH attacked the Susan Komen foundation, ostensibly to put pressure on Joe Lieberman. All that ever really happened was that Jane got some additional press. Now she's rolling around in the political hay with Norquist (and by extension Abramoff, Ollie North, and every other AEI, AIPAC, Club for Growth corporatist whore on the right). I predict that in another week this Norquist outrage will be followed not by measured follow-ons, but by increasingly bizarre stunts.

It's sad, but Jane is now an out-of-control media junkie, and like any addict, she will most likely become increasingly willing to do what it takes for the next fix. Such a person is dangerously malleable.

[Lord Helmet]

128. She is the company she keeps -- Norquist and Fox News.

:puke:

[earth mom]

129. Rahm needs to be kicked to the curb. I don't give a flying fuck who gets the job done. nt