Marian Robinson, "Grandma" to Malia and Sasha

Read more!

In the Beginning, or How We Got Robbed

I couldn't sleep well last night thinking of how we got cornered this way by the very banks bilking us more flagrantly than ever before.

I'm old enough to remember when regular working people were not invested in the stock market, 401k's and online trading accounts, for our retirement. We relied on social security and savings. The equity built up in a home if we could sacrifice enough to get one was our largest savings. Hopefully the house was paid off by retirement to either live in or sell when we could no longer earn income, but most hopefully to leave a house to our kids.

I remember in the Reagan-1980s, being a paralegal in a firm that set up private investment retirement accounts for small business owners. Thus it began.

Reagan and his crew decided the way to get people off the social security "dole" was to push everyone into getting their own 401k. Doctors' small practices were the first target - physicians are infamous for being clueless about investing, but they felt they needed investments to shelter their considerable pay from taxes. Reagan was trumpeting the claim that their tax dollars paid for Cadillacs for Welfare Queens, after all!

With the internet, and cable tv, the rush to get the least knowledgable and marginally-surviving people to invest in Wall St was on. Emails and glossy ads in our mailboxes, telling the average Joe and Mary - investing is so easy, you can get so rich, we have great "insider tips" for you - were as common as spam.

Where are those billions, probably trillions, invested in the 401k's that were supposed to insure our old age now? Well, they paid for those exorbitant salaries, those obscene bonuses, the "trust us" tv/radio/web ads, those conferences and corporate-named stadiums and every other "advertising" scheme ever devised by man.

Not a day goes by without ads pushing us to not save in a regular local savings account, but instead dump every dollar to invest. Workers whose wages were daily falling farther and farther behind the managers and big-wigs were scammed, pure and simple, out of the savings that could help them buy and keep a house, or to help a son or daughter make a down payment on their house.

I remember - before Reagan - not being able to get a credit card without having worked at least 3 years at one job, and unless I paid no more than 33% in housing costs from my wages or salary.

Then after Reagan scammed his way in, I remember the credit cards coming into the mailbox almost as fast as spam comes into the inbox.

As unions were busted, everyone was shucked and jived into making up the lost wages with credit cards, all while setting aside - often with employer matches especially in their own companies - their 10% of ever-diminishing-in-real-value wages into 401k investments, investments we didn't understand - often we didn't even know what we were invested in.

As long as we could feed these corporate-tapeworms their obscene wages and bonuses, perks and elite lifestyles, their "creative" means of squandering that money of ours and squirreling it away in overseas tax shelters grew, and grew.

When the wages inevitably became pitifully insufficient to pay living costs, never mind 401k's and credit cards, the housing bubble was the answer for the addicted corporate tapeworms. There weren't just the usual rope-a-dope infomercials, there were entire hour-long programs on network tv and cable about the glories of house-flipping, the utter casualness of "moving up" with a bigger, fancier house, in a more and more expensive area.

I watched the charade, and being only-human yearned to buy and flip. "Luckily" I was decimated w/disability thanks to lousy HMO care before I ever had the means. Even still, I was cajoled by my friend's brother, one of the seemingly millions of mortgage-brokers, who kept telling me I - get this - could become a mortgage broker with a mere $100 for a "license" and could quickly own and maintain a house in California on social security - no more than $15k/year - plus get my $1,000 commission for everyone I could hustle into getting a new mortgage through me.

I only resisted because I had a friend do the application through me after my friend's brother paid the $100 for me to be "licensed" to fill out mortgage apps, a pyramid-scheme that paid them bonuses for their bringing in more brokers, usually poverty-level, clueless "brokers" like me!

My friend had perfect credit, equity in one very very humble home she'd worked decades to pay off. What did the broker come back with? A high interest mortgage with a balloon. She wanted to take it to get me the $1,000 commission, because I was pretty much living in poverty, as I am now. Instead, I sent her to her realtor for the very-slightly-better home she was trying to purchase, who promptly came back with a lower-interest fixed mortgage. To me, the scam was crystal-clear then, and I never again tried to hustle a single client.

In sum, we got hustled to "invest" and rely on something other than or on top of social security decades ago. Without privatizing, the other-people's-money-addicted-tapeworm corporate scum hustled us out of decades of savings. With credit card offers like spam, and advertising paid for with our suckered 401k dollars, with the ads to push us to get another credit card, to get a "reliable broker" and invest every dime we didn't really have thanks to those credit cards, they stole the retirement money of millions of people.

Privatizing social security was the last gasp, to make it mandatory to put whatever we hoped to have when we couldn't work anymore into their gaping tapeworm mouths.

We keep asking for help from the very people who got rich screwing us. Congress, the Senate, bankers and brokers. I listened heartbroken to Washington Journal this morning while an elderly, disabled but not-quite retirement age woman talked of not being able to take what little was left of her 401k out without penalties and interest, while her humble house was getting foreclosed on. People too disabled and depressed and isolated to even find out they could qualify for a waiver to get their 401k's are literally suffering hunger, worrying their way into fatal heart attacks, while our "retirement" dollars feed tapeworms.

I watched all this, with no background whatsoever in finance, and begged and warned people to not think they were able to beat "The House" with a 401k, that it was nothing more than a gamble, that they could not possibly know where that market would be when they needed their retirement funds the most. I felt like Don Quixote against the windmill.

It wasn't until the tapeworms went after our last refuge and tried to privatize social security outright that people began to wake up and realize, "No matter how much I save (when they were really only investing/gambling, not "saving"), I have no safety net. No, don't privatize the only albeit insufficient safety net I have left - social security!"

What if, instead of waiting for rescue from all those invested in this worldwide Ponzi scheme, we all pulled our 401k's out, every dollar in the bank, ripped up every credit card and refused to pay another dime after banks were already paid back the principle - sometimes twice over? This is exactly what the tapeworms are trying to stop us from doing, with their threats to the ones who get voted in or out to back them up or else the elected ones will pay, not the tapeworms.

Yet think what would happen if we carry out our threat to make a run on the banks. How would paychecks get honored? The first thing they'd do is refuse to cash them. How would our bills get paid? How could we buy food? Every dollar we earn usually goes straight into direct deposit. We haven't had cash in our hands from our work in decades.

The thought of those banks leaving us that bereft is probably what's making BO's hair so white, so fast. He became our president in the worst of times. He has to save those thieving banks to save us. Damn.


Type rest of the post here
Read more!

MCCAIN IS WRONG ON FANNIE PAY

On the campaign trail in Minnesota today, McCain incorrectly suggested that the executive pay that former Fannie Mae CEOs Frank Raines and Jim Johnson earned came from taxpayers.Why do neither McCain not Palin know that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were public companies with shareholders - before the government just socialized them with a bailout? How can those two help pull our economy out of China's banks (with interest), when they don't even know the structure of ownership of the biggest mortgage lenders in the U.S.? After all the trash-talking from ditto-heads calling Obama, of all things, a "socialist" - y'all eat those words, now! I have never seen such government takeover - socialism - of such loser loans from every loser in financial services until now. We keep hearing we can't "socialize" health care, yet you want to privatize medical care to corporate bottom-line bureaucrats, privatize even K-12 education and preschool, make state universities dependent on corporate grants, privatize retirement, and "socialize" friggin' debt - bad debt! No wonder so many fiscal conservative socially moderate Republicans are voting for Obama, and welcome to Sanity and Pragmatism - finally! Obama is a quick-study, he respects free markets and sensible regulation, and he'll make it a priority to keep people in their homes so the country doesn't tumble into Squatters Wars and Tent Cities in abandoned developments.No more oil men or oil women in the White House. Out with lobbyists and PACs, let the true experts and successful business people in again! Let us work on the cutting edge of science, technology and industry again and damn the speculation bubbles. We want to export quality solutions and products for the 21st century. We need Real Change.

read more | digg story Read more!

What Obama Should Say

I will not apologize for saying the truth, even if it hurts McCain's and Palin's feelings. These past eight years, Americans have suffered a lot more than hurt feelings... This is a democracy -- not a monarchy. You don't get to demand "deference" from the American people as if they were your royal subjects

read more | digg story Read more!

Half Of McCain's Campaign Cash Came From 500 Bundlers

Republican John McCain's elite fundraisers have helped collect more than half of his presidential campaign money, while Democratic rival Barack Obama has relied on his own top fundraisers for nearly one-fifth of his coffers, a USA TODAY analysis shows. Kindly remember that we only know who is bundling for whom because Obama pushed through the legislation to make it public information. Aren't you glad he did?

read more | digg story Read more!

My Plan for Iraq

On my first day in office, I would give the military a new mission: ending this war.

read more | digg story Read more!

Obama's New Radio Ad - MP3

Text & MP3: Obama's new Radio Ad debunks McCain's lie that Obama wanted to raise taxes on the middle class. GREAT AD! Barack is one Democrat who will not be swift-boated!

read more | digg story Read more!

What Iran Wants - ForeignPolicy.com

Check this out:

FP: What do Iranians think about the U.S. presidential election and John McCain versus Barack Obama?

KS: There’s far more intrigue about Obama than about McCain. Apart from the fact that he advocates dialogue with Iran, he’s African-American and his middle name is Hussein, who is the paramount figure in Shiite history and culture. If Obama were to win, it would be much more difficult for Iran to constantly paint the United States as this grand oppressor. It’s interesting to note that a few days after the hostages were taken at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, the Iranians released all the women and blacks because they said these groups were historically oppressed by Americans.

An Obama victory in November could tremendously change the dynamics in U.S.-Iran relations. If you’re a hard-liner in Tehran and you survive in isolation, like Ayatollah Khamenei, it presents far more of a quandary for you to have a president in Washington who says “Let’s be friends” than one who says “Let’s be enemies” and essentially continue the status quo. I would wager the vast majority of Iran’s political elite, who do want to see some sort of reconciliation, support Obama. But then you have a small, but powerful minority who survive in isolation, much like Fidel Castro in Cuba. They see Iran opening up to the world as a threat to their interests, and I’m sure they would much prefer John McCain to be president.

read more | digg story Read more!

Have We Missed the Key to Obama's Leadership Style?

I'm starting to suspect we've all missed the real story behind Barack Obama's leadership style. His recent actions may not have been driven by calculation or centrism, as most people thought, but by something else. - Writer makes the point that Obama has a Japanese-style of leadership, perhaps from his Hawaiian upbringing. Interesting, and a valid comparison.

read more | digg story Read more!

(Liberal) Fear of a Black President

About Barack Obama
Regarding the FISA progressive-backlash. All the things Obama's done to protect and help people as much as he could, with as much cooperation from either side as he could get, outweigh this single-issue for me, because the FISA bill was not the end-all be-all of the privacy war. It's about more than someone reading our email, as if that were something new. The internet was developed for the Pentagon. They've had a record of everything on the web since Day One. And I haven't considered my phone calls private since I heard of Watergate - as it happened!

What's BO done to impress me? http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gA2VRM3QhIBwdNeApjcfZZ0SKbCQD91H8GT04

And what will he do with all these unconstitutional laws signed by Da Bush?

http://blogs.reuters.com/trail08/2008/05/28/bushs-laws-will-be-scrutinized-if-i-become-president-obama-says/

Review and revoke 'em, in the first 100 days, when unconstitutional.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost Read more!

McCain's Deficit Reduction Proposal: Adopt Obama's Iraq Plan

The CBO projects $443 billion deficit in 2013 if Bush's tax cuts are extended as McCain calls for. On top of this McCain calls for additional cuts for the rich. McCain says he will pay for this by cutting Social Security, Medicaid,Medicare, and bringing troops back from Iraq and Afghanistan... Yes you read that right.

read more | digg story Read more!

McCain; Gramm: It's all in your head

Does John McCain actually agree with Phil Gramm's statement on a "nation of whiners"?

McCain's top economic adviser Phil Gramm: "...this is a mental recession... We have sort of become a nation of whiners."

read more | digg story Read more!

Matthews Vs. McNulty

Hilarious, "bitter" commentary on elitist media judging if politicians are authentic or "elitist". The pundits make more than one of the candidates (Obama!) but sling their charges like someone appointed them Guardians or Patron Saints of the McNultys. I miss The Wire.

read more | digg story Read more!

Richardson endosa Obama - subtítulos en español

Este es en hombre que nos entiende y que nos va a respetar. Discurso de Bill Richardson que endosa a senador Barack Obama. “Senador Obama nos recordó que el cinismo no es realismo y esa esperanza no es una falacia.” Gov. Richardson's endorsement of Obama, subtitled in Spanish.

read more | digg story Read more!

Clinton surrogate targets pledged delegates: Calls Obama a dictator

"We have seen Mr. Obama's ayatollah-like arrogance before: Peron/Argentina, Mussolini/ Italy, Mugabwe/ Zimbabwe, and elsewhere historically. "Hope and Change" can become seductive temptations for an adorative addiction of emotionalism over rationalism. That we don't need."

This is what Barack is up against! Go to BarackObama.com, click on Action Center, and start Phonebanking from Home!

read more | digg story Read more!

On Liberal Tirades Against Obama to Prop Up Edwards

Dennis Kucinich gave his Iowa supporters his preference for their second choice if he doesn't reach 15% of the caucus-goers. He chose Barack Obama, the candidate who doesn't have to apologize for supporting the Bush/Cheney assault on Iraq for oil.

"Progressives" like to forget that Edwards didn't just vote for the Iraq War; he co-sponsored it.

Environmentalists like to forget Edwards had a 32% rating from the League of Conservation Voters - Obama has 100%.

Living Wage supporters like to ignore that Obama is committed to raising the minimum wage with the cost of living, not leaving it out as a political football while workers’ literally go hungry if they don’t over-produce for investors in two jobs instead of only one.

Open Government supporters, Net Neutrality supporters and Corporate Media Monopoly opposers like to forget Obama's plan for technology opens the airwaves to communities, ends paid campaign ads thereby eliminating millions in campaign costs, and guarantees equal time to all candidates. It also makes all donations to all government officials and all earmarks traceable, online, for everyone to see. It also ensures net neutrality, but also will wire the most poor and rural areas cheaply or for free, to connect everyone.

Oh, and let's just all pretend we didn't notice when Obama promised to never sign a non-emergency bill without presenting it to viewers first, online and on C-SPAN (which streams live online so it’s not a gift to cable companies) with days to actually comment on the bill - and he's already set up to read and incorporate suggestions on his website, and he's done it.

I supported Dennis as 1st choice in 2004 for his anti-Iraq War stand, so did Alice Walker, I recall. I've supported Obama from the start this time, so has Alice Walker. So should any true Progressive Voter, from any party or Independent/Unaffiliated.

It's time to stop dividing because some of us have such a self-righteous but rather faulty view of America as a pack of racists who can't possibly recognize a great candidate because he's black. We’re better than that. Let's not even pretend we're still in the 80s or even 90s.

Progressives like to forget that Edwards, like Gore, Clinton I and want-to-be Clinton II, as well as Biden, Richardson, and Dodd, and Lieberman of Connecticut, were all DLC members, some very active, some former Chairs; none have renounced the most anti-progressive group among Democrats.

Progressives like to forget Obama's work for the poor, the unemployed, seniors, the working poor, the uninsured, the veterans, the single parents, the innocent on Illinois' Death Row, the thousands who, when not if they are race-profiled, will have it fully documented - by police themselves. They like to forget Obama is a constitutional law lecturer who registered 150,000 new, poor voters and defended their right to vote and be counted.

It's time we stop complaining and use some sense. Obama can and will win. Just use your head and your feet. America's ready to judge the man's record, character, advisers and supporters and say Yes! Are you?

Read more!

Obama on Experience and Foreign Policy

Jan Touney, Managing Editor of the Quad-City Times, talks to presidential candidate Barack Obama during an editorial board meeting.Intense, brilliant, serious discussion, not soundbytes, 10 min. video with poor lighting, no glitz - all content! Obama's the leader for our times, endorsed by heavyweights and not for his "pretty speeches"! Watch this video and you'll agree Obama is the leader we need, now.i

read more | digg story Read more!

"Hope peddler"; Obama makes wisdom central in presidential campaign

CONCORD, N.H. - The Boston Globe reports from NH, with interviews from intellectuals from both sides of the aisle, all but one of whom admire Barack's intellect, common sense, honesty, and most are admiring of his activism as well. The one [Epstein] who says Obama is not an intellectual because he is an activist, shows he is still living in an ivy-league dichotomous-either/or world. In the real world, people are more complicated than that. How refreshing that we'll have an intellectual activist in the West Wing - and a sharp, pragmatic one at that, who knows how to get laws passed!

read more | digg story Read more!

Obama addresses HillaryCare's forced mandates [VIDEO]

Barack Obama addresses an Iowa voter's healthcare question at length: "She [HRC] has a mandate. And John Edwards has a mandate. Where the only way to get 100% coverage is if you pass a law where government forces everybody to buy insurance." Barack shows why it's a "phony argument" to claim 15 million won't buy insurance because they are young and don't want to pay premiums. Obama shows his plan mandates insurance companies to cover youth until age 25 under their parents' health insurance, whether the youth are in college or not (right now, health insurance corporations drop youths 18-25 as soon as they graduate or drop/stop out of college!). As Obama says, and I agree, people don't refuse to buy health insurance because they are lazy or irresponsible and need to be forced to (with what penalties, Hillary and John?). People want health insurance, as good as the Senators get, only affordably and to get full coverage, pre-existing condition or not, job or not. Right now inflation is in the high-double digits on insurance premiums, you don't know what or if you'll be covered after you pay a fortune, and you can get dropped for using it - just like an auto insurance corporation manages claims! We are more than vehicles, I would hope we get better insurance prices and policies without the mandates put on vehicles. And, btw, have you bought Uninsured Motorist Liability Coverage for your vehicle lately, even with those mandatory laws and penalties? So, mandates with penalties don't guarantee 100% coverage either, do they?

read more | digg story Read more!

Obama shows he's best of Democratic field

All presidential choices come with risk. "Do you match up with the times?" Obama has said about an intangible ingredient necessary for the next president. We believe that Obama is like another candidate, a lightly experienced man from Illinois who burst upon the national scene in the midst of the country's greatest crisis in 1860. Abraham Lincoln matched up with his times. We believe the same of Barack Obama, and encourage voters to support him in the Democratic primary

read more | digg story Read more!