Well, Welcome to the Sixties!

This is reminding me of the “civility” and bipartisanship that was “SO” evident during the civil rights movement in the sixties.

After Health Vote, Democrats are Threatened

By CARL HULSE

WASHINGTON — Democratic lawmakers have received death threats and been the victims of vandalism because of their votes in favor of the health care bill, lawmakers and law enforcement officials said Wednesday, as the Congressional debate over the issue headed toward a bitter and divisive conclusion.

Representative Steny H. Hoyer, Democrat of Maryland and the majority leader, said at least 10 House members had raised concerns about their personal security since Sunday’s climactic vote, and Mr. Hoyer characterized the cases as serious.

At least two Congressional district offices were vandalized and Representative Louise M. Slaughter, a senior Democrat from New York, received a phone message threatening sniper attacks against lawmakers and their families.

Ms. Slaughter also reported that a brick was thrown through a window of her office in Niagara Falls, and Representative Gabrielle Giffords, Democrat of Arizona, said Monday that her Tucson office was vandalized after the vote.

The Associated Press reported that the authorities in Virginia were investigating a cut propane line to an outdoor grill at the home of a brother of Representative Tom Perriello of Virginia, after the address was mistakenly listed on a Tea Party Web site as the residence of the congressman. Representative Bart Stupak, Democrat of Michigan and a central figure in the measure’s abortion provisions, reported receiving threatening phone calls.

Representative James E. Clyburn of South Carolina, the highest-ranking black lawmaker in the House, said he received an anonymous fax showing the image of a noose.

As they prepared to leave Washington for a two-week recess, House Democrats met with Capitol Police and representatives of the Federal Bureau of Investigation to get advice on how to deal with security issues, and they pressed Republicans to join them in renouncing threats and violence.

“What we want to be sure is that people know that these threats have no place in our country,” Speaker Nancy Pelosi said. “We have a legitimate disagreement. We have passed landmark legislation, and there are strong differences of opinion about it. Our Constitution allows us to have a lively debate in that regard, and that does not include threats to violence.”

Representative John A. Boehner of Ohio, the Republican leader, spoke out against violence but encouraged Americans to continue to find ways to counter the legislation.

“I know many Americans are angry over this health care bill, and that Washington Democrats just aren’t listening,” Mr. Boehner said in a statement. “But, as I’ve said, violence and threats are unacceptable. That’s not the American way. We need to take that anger and channel it into positive change.”

But as history would lead you to remember and think, violence is the American way. So, it sure looks like these are people we can work with just like in the sixties. Don’t you think?

It Looks Like “It” is Going to Happen.

Not exactly Healthcare Reform but small bore Health Insurance Reform. Considering where we are now politically “it” is better than nothing. Though it now means we are going to have to get serious about actual Healthcare Reform. A good start would be repealing the monopolistic anti-trust status of the AHIP members. Not to mention a little not-for-profit competition, like say a Public Option!

This is really the start of a very serious as a heart attack dialogue on whether the U.S.A. wants to join the civilized world where Healthcare is a Right and not a Privilege for folks under 65.

Pretty good cat herding Speaker Pelosi!

Shoop Shoop Song

I loved the movie “Mermaids.” And this version of one of my favorite songs was an added gift.

You go Flax girls.

Pelosi’s Job!

It’s cat herding time folks.

Wish her luck!

From the Way Back Machine!

It is with great pleasure that I go back in the day and present Ralph Graham. He was an entertainer and songwriter that we all loved at a local club in Massachusetts in the early seventies. He sang for us regularly and the club would be shoulder to shoulder. When his album finally came out we all grabbed it and I still have it on vinyl.





Wish there was some video as he was wonderful to watch. Memories are good when you share them.

Jon Stewart Explains Financial Reform and Lehman.

Here is the link. My embedding skills have failed me.

Remember Enron and Anderson, well now it’s Lehman, Ernst & Young and the Fed. Come on, tell me you didn’t know that there was some criminal behavior in all of this. It wouldn’t be an American story if there wasn’t. This is a real test for retaining Timmy. So, pop some popcorn and pull up a chair and let’s see where this goes.

And Dylan lays it out:

Happy Saint Paddy’s!

Here is a link to the McKrells and one of my favorite forward looking songs at my favorite Pub in Saratoga Springs.

Sorry but I couldn’t embed it.

It’s All About Demand!

It isn’t as if this is Brain Surgery! But then seeing the approaching Meltdown wasn’t Brain Surgery either.

So, many of the small businesses that for years I have been dealing with have now closed. Broadway in my neighborhood has more plywood in the windows than Home Depot has on the shelves. And yet as empty retail space proliferates and Commercial Real Estate falters NYC landlords continue to demand rent increases at a time when consumer spending falters as well. Meanwhile our representatives in Washington and pundits elsewhere are talking about how we need tax cuts so that small businesses can hire employees. And they should be hiring employees to do what?

This is all well and good except that we are an economy that depends for 70% of its “GDP” on consumer spending and a service economy. And this is during a recessionary period of 10% formal unemployment and approximately total unemployment and underemployment of around 20%. Folks are looking at a future with long term unemployment and as a result are pulling back on spending for anything other than absolute necessities.

Everyone I have spoken to has talked about demand and that their businesses have dropped off dramatically. People are not spending money on any extras, not on eating out, buying any extras and they are trying to make every dollar stretch by looking for deals on necessities. And this includes the small business owners as well.

Now the Mom and Pop stores have been under attack by the Big Box Stores for some time now, which is why I shop small and local. And I would also urge you to as well.

Tax cuts to businesses that have fewer customers will do nothing to incease employment in small business, what will help is customer demand and that is what we need and that folks is stimulus and the only place we can get this now is from the gummit. It may well increase demand which is what we need. When people start spending, as that is what stimulus is about, putting money into the hands of actual folks, there maybe some turn around in our errant consumer economy. Now it isn’t just me saying this. There is also Atrios and CR. And they are very serious folks.

Now I will admit that I have been part of the Church of Stop Shopping for years, mostly because I believe our economy should be based on producing actual stuff that is necessary and not just buying Chinese “salad spinners” as Kunstler would say. But if you must, buy small and local.

It is the least we can do. The American way is changing and even though our “Leaders” aren’t talking about it “The Times They Are a Changing.” And the old fixes will no longer work. Cutting taxes on “Business” is one of the solutions that got us into this fix. Back in the day I ran a small business and under the tax code I was able to write off everything and a tax cut would have done nothing to increase demand for our services.

I am not saying, I am just saying!

And here is Dr. Doom’s two cents:

Judging Judges

And do they need to be judged.

And who better to do it than Glenzilla.