The House banking committee yelled at the CEOs of some of the biggest banks in the world today.

They called them names.

The CEOs were sorry.

Maxine Waters said that she thought they were finally "beginning to get the message".

Barney Frank was mad. He was The Brave Little Tailor.

It was seven with one blow... another Grimm Fairy Tale (number 20 to be exact).

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51ZSYJSTDFL._SL500_AA240_.jpg

Dems are in a real bind now. They have to look tough, but not actually do anything. Of course that is their greatest talent and what they get paid to do, but they may be a little out of practice. If people don't have jobs, houses or food they won't give a shit how good of a show the Democrats are presenting anyway. They already don't think very much of it.

If conditions keep deteriorating, things could explode as early as summer. The Obama sycophants will start squealing - "why are the stupid sheeple blaming Obama? Can't they see how much 'better' he is than Bush?" Doesn't matter. The people need a hammer, and rejected the loufah sponge the Republicans were offering. The Dems have been running around saying "we are the hammer! Right here! We are the only choice when you need a hammer. Pay no attention to those people who actually have a hammer, they are unrealistic or Communists or something - you know, dangerous. We are the safe AND the radical choice." But now, they are choking on actually delivering anything like a hammer. "Oh we meant, you know, kind of sort of a hammer thingie somewhere down the road. These things take time. Meanwhile, here is a pebble. You can do a little pounding with that. Hey! It is a lot better than a loufah sponge! Did you ever try to pound anything with a loufah sponge?"

Luckily we have Reid, Feinstein and Pelosi to blame. They wouldn't know a hammer if it hit them in the face. Why, if we didn't have them to blame we'd have to create them. Oh wait, we did. Sort of like Al Queda. Funding? We funded Osama bid Laden? You don't say...

And what's this about hammers - are you talking about v-v-v- violence? Obama is anti-violence. Except for upping that troop count in Afghanistan...

Luckily we have Reid, Feinstein and Pelosi to blame. They wouldn't know a hammer if it hit them in the face. Why, if we didn't have them to blame we'd have to create them. Oh wait, we did. Sort of like Al Queda. Funding? We funded Osama bid Laden? You don't say...

And what's this about hammers - are you talking about v-v-v- violence? Obama is anti-violence. Except for upping that troop count in Afghanistan...


You're on fire TBF, now get over to DU and take it to 'em even more than you already are ;)

I love this "speaking truth to power" bs from the Dems. Hey, assholes, you ARE in power.

I did appreciate Marci telling her constituents to squat and not be driven from their homes.

Luckily we have Reid, Feinstein and Pelosi to blame. They wouldn't know a hammer if it hit them in the face. Why, if we didn't have them to blame we'd have to create them. Oh wait, we did. Sort of like Al Queda. Funding? We funded Osama bid Laden? You don't say...

And what's this about hammers - are you talking about v-v-v- violence? Obama is anti-violence. Except for upping that troop count in Afghanistan...


You're on fire TBF, now get over to DU and take it to 'em even more than you already are ;)


I think I need a break from that place for awhile. I can't believe they watch the same events we do and interpret them so differently. As long as you put a "D" on it they'll accept it, no matter what's inside.

I think I need a break from that place for awhile. I can't believe they watch the same events we do and interpret them so differently. As long as you put a "D" on it they'll accept it, no matter what's inside.


Robert Reich, Krugman, Kucinich, now Helen Thomas - all thrown under the bus in the last 24 hours. They are all PUMAs with hidden agendas to tear down Our President.

Have you noticed people using that - "Our President" - lately?

This adulation has now gone way beyond anything I have ever seen. The insanity around Sinatra, Elvis, the Beatles - those stood out because they were so unusual. But whatever that is, it has grown.

I saw it as a performer. Starting in the mid-90's people started showing up at concerts, sitting cross-legged at the foot of the stage, and gazing up with that certain dreamy look. Gave me the creeps.

I think I need a break from that place for awhile. I can't believe they watch the same events we do and interpret them so differently. As long as you put a "D" on it they'll accept it, no matter what's inside.


Robert Reich, Krugman, Kucinich, now Helen Thomas - all thrown under the bus in the last 24 hours. They are all PUMAs with hidden agendas to tear down Our President.

Have you noticed people using that - "Our President" - lately?

This adulation has now gone way beyond anything I have ever seen. The insanity around Sinatra, Elvis, the Beatles - those stood out because they were so unusual. But whatever that is, it has grown.

I saw it as a performer. Starting in the mid-90's people started showing up at concerts, sitting cross-legged at the foot of the stage, and gazing up with that certain dreamy look. Gave me the creeps.


http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e36/jenlhughes/beatlemania-783942.jpg



http://therecord.blogs.com/withinearshot/images/2008/07/30/big_jesus.jpg

That's particularly funny given that Reich has never been a huge fan of Hillary, and in fact endorsed Obama in his blog. I've seen the rock-star adulation behavior with following Bo's career. I've managed to make it to exactly one concert since he came on the national scene in 2005, but I know women who follow him around the country and have literally gone to dozens of shows. "American Idol" meets politics is not a pretty sight.

Fear and loathing at the whine & cheez party:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x5038394

Oh no, a turd in the punchbowl:



55. "I'm a die-hard capitalist."

"Who Keeps Screwing Us Over?" You do, Cenk!Your thinly veiled message of "planned economies don't work" would have us believe, at this point in time in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary, that un-planned economies do!Fuck you, Cenk!

------------------

Capitalism is the astounding belief that the most wickedest of men will do the most wickedest of things for the greatest good of everyone.

- John Maynard Keynes

And now Rahm (reply #9) is swiftly run over by the Obama Fan Express. There are many and varied reasons to dislike Mr. Rahm, but to suggest he removed executive pay caps from the Stimulus Bill without Obama's knowledge is a bit insane.

Fear and loathing at the whine & cheez party:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x5038394

Oh no, a turd in the punchbowl:



55. "I'm a die-hard capitalist."

"Who Keeps Screwing Us Over?" You do, Cenk!Your thinly veiled message of "planned economies don't work" would have us believe, at this point in time in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary, that un-planned economies do!Fuck you, Cenk!

------------------

Capitalism is the astounding belief that the most wickedest of men will do the most wickedest of things for the greatest good of everyone.

- John Maynard Keynes


Waded in there.

Thee has been one hearing in many decades on the IRS by Congress. I think it lasted an afternoon and included some sort of shield to hide witnesses.

One day for the CEO's. Why not? Congress made two moves shortly thereafter:

1) they gutted the $500,000 bonus cap for CEOs and
2) they gutted whistle blower protections placed in the omnibus bill.

Now that's some serious work. The CEO colloquy was the beard and the guttings were the real deal.

What do you expect? The "peoples' House?"

Thee has been one hearing in many decades on the IRS by Congress. I think it lasted an afternoon and included some sort of shield to hide witnesses.

One day for the CEO's. Why not? Congress made two moves shortly thereafter:

1) they gutted the $500,000 bonus cap for CEOs and
2) they gutted whistle blower protections placed in the omnibus bill.

Now that's some serious work. The CEO colloquy was the beard and the guttings were the real deal.

What do you expect? The "peoples' House?"




The banking committee hearing with the Bank CEOs was downright surreal:

1. For the most powerful group of humans on the planet, the bank CEOs were absolutely ordinary... sub-ordinary, even. No lizard people, no cunning vampires.

2. Though the CEOs were contrite ("We get it now"), for the life of them, they had no idea what they had done wrong ("We did what we supposed to... no?").

3. The Congress people were angry to the point of sputtering, but they weren't sure why either... "Ya shoulda done different... errr... cause ya shoulda."


Be mean... But don't be mean. Be rapacious... but, in a sensitive way. Devastate whole continents, but care about how it looks.

It's a fookin' head-twister.

The banking committee hearing with the Bank CEOs was downright surreal:

1. For the most powerful group of humans on the planet, the bank CEOs were absolutely ordinary... sub-ordinary, even. No lizard people, no cunning vampires.

Yes. People have these "evil elite" scenarios in their minds. Not sure where that comes from. It is almost impossible to talk to them, because they are talking about invisible imaginary beings.


2. Though the CEOs were contrite ("We get it now"), for the life of them, they had no idea what they had done wrong ("We did what we supposed to... no?").

Important point there. They WERE doing what they were supposed to be doing.


3. The Congress people were angry to the point of sputtering, but they weren't sure why either... "Ya shoulda done different... errr... cause ya shoulda."


Isn't that interesting to watch? The Congress people are not angry that the bankers ripped us all off, they are angry that they didn't pull it off smoothly and that now the people are all upset and the politicians are being forced to do something.

This one is for Mike - http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8199986

This one is for Mike - http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8199986


That's fuckin' embarassing.

Thee has been one hearing in many decades on the IRS by Congress. I think it lasted an afternoon and included some sort of shield to hide witnesses.

One day for the CEO's. Why not? Congress made two moves shortly thereafter:

1) they gutted the $500,000 bonus cap for CEOs and
2) they gutted whistle blower protections placed in the omnibus bill.

Now that's some serious work. The CEO colloquy was the beard and the guttings were the real deal.

What do you expect? The "peoples' House?"




The banking committee hearing with the Bank CEOs was downright surreal:

1. For the most powerful group of humans on the planet, the bank CEOs were absolutely ordinary... sub-ordinary, even. No lizard people, no cunning vampires.

2. Though the CEOs were contrite ("We get it now"), for the life of them, they had no idea what they had done wrong ("We did what we supposed to... no?").

3. The Congress people were angry to the point of sputtering, but they weren't sure why either... "Ya shoulda done different... errr... cause ya shoulda."


Be mean... But don't be mean. Be rapacious... but, in a sensitive way. Devastate whole continents, but care about how it looks.

It's a fookin' head-twister.




These are the "Hollow Men."

This is what I expected, what I've experienced looking at guys like this up close or at some distance. They're ready to lay off 5,000 to 50,000 on Monday right after they've attended church on Sunday and given to "the poor," generally in some other country. They're called "good corporate citizens" ... of their own country in their own minds on their own terms. It all makes sense to them. "Let the markets take care of it" and other mantras of the terminally superstitions, in a self serving way.

My favorite was the Citi CEO who said he was now working for a dollar a year. Well, isn't that terrific. I'm heartened!

They should have all admitted the fucking truth ... the system is over, finished, kaput. The $1.3 trillion subprime crisis has a black hole following it called credit default swaps, a derivative monster valued at between $45 trillion and $62 trillion. How do you think we'll handle that one? How do you think they will? That dollar may come in handy for Mr. Citicorp

We are the hollow men
We are the stuffed men
Leaning together
Headpiece filled with straw. Alas!
Our dried voices, when
We whisper together
Are quiet and meaningless
As wind in dry grass
Or rats' feet over broken glass
In our dry cellar

Shape without form, shade without colour,
Paralysed force, gesture without motion;

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v474/autorank/hallowmen.jpg

These are the "Hollow Men."

This is what I expected, what I've experienced looking at guys like this up close or at some distance.

Shape without form, shade without colour,
Paralysed force, gesture without motion;



All of 'em... their businessmen, their dysfunctional politicians, their blood sucking experts and military bufoons.

And then there is the all powerful Executive: A drool, a ghoul, a stool, a fool, and a tool...

http://z.about.com/d/americanhistory/1/6/4/A/40_reagan.jpghttp://z.about.com/d/americanhistory/1/6/5/A/41-georgebush_1.jpghttp://z.about.com/d/americanhistory/1/6/6/A/42_clinton-1.jpghttp://z.about.com/d/americanhistory/1/6/7/A/43_georgewbush-1.jpghttp://tbn1.google.com/images?q=tbn:zyI5D9lY6P3GiM:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9d/Barack_Obama.jpg