Bail Out Failed!

[w8tlftr]

Of course not, the military creates robots, not thinking statesmen.

So... Ron Paul isn't a thinking Statesman?

[Buffgeek]

So... Ron Paul isn't a thinking Statesman?

Or Colin Powell? (Who I wish was running)

[Hugo Chavez]

Or Colin Powell? (Who I wish was running)

I like Powell...  But he would have a hard time passing the memories of his UN presentation.  Bless him for his loyalty but it was his downfall for not seperating loyatly with wrong.  By accounts he knew it was bullshit, but he went along with it.  The humiliation coming when it was revealed that most of the details were lifted from a student paper written during the first gulf war.  To his credit, I think there must have been a point where he drew the line, which is why Condi got the job.

[Buffgeek]

I like Powell...  But he would have a hard time passing the memories of his UN presentation.  Bless him for his loyalty but it was his downfall for not seperating loyatly with wrong.  By accounts he knew it was bullshit, but he went along with it.  The humiliation coming when it was revealed that most of the details were lifted from a student paper written during the first gulf war.  To his credit, I think there must have been a point where he drew the line, which is why Condi got the job.

Losing someone like that was a huge blow. That was a turning point for me.

[24KT]

what usually happens after "the perfect storm"

There's a big BOOM, and some people get rich!
...provided they foresaw the prevaling winds and sets their sails accordingly 


There are forces in this world that are bigger than you or I
They will either crush us, or push us into success.
We may not be able to control them, ...however, we can harness their power.
We can moan about the coming storm, ...or we can learn how to dance in the rain. 

[24KT]

the perfect storm is brewing........

...to destroy the dollar, and usher in the cashless society, ...and the mark of the beast. 

[Hugo Chavez]

Losing someone like that was a huge blow. That was a turning point for me.

I agree.  Powell is at heart a good person.  Got a lot of respect for him despite that collosal blunder at the UN.  Yes that was a big mistake but we should absolutley respect the years and years he honorably served this country.  In the end I think he's a good man.

[Hugo Chavez]

At this point the only thing coming out of this is a bump for third party candidates.

[Hugo Chavez]

Just listening to more of the media on this... what a fucking mess...  I would definitely not be eager to place blame on either party here where the bailout is concerned.  Where the blame is concerned, it is much easier to debate than the response to the crisis.

[stormshadow]

So... Ron Paul isn't a thinking Statesman?

Ron Paul is GOD

[Colossus_500]

The Politics of the Bill
29 Sep 2008 10:46 pm
Megan McArdle
theatlantic.com

There is no glory to go around here.  Assume, arguendo, that most people in the House believed both that the bill would be passed, and that anyone who voted for it would suffer politically, except maybe in New York.

Pelosi screwed up royally.  She is the Democratic Tom DeLay.  Newt Gingrich was an ideologue, but Tom DeLay was simply a partisan, most keenly interested in maximizing his party's political power.  Pelosi cut a deal in which, as far as I can tell, every single Republican in a safe seat had to vote yes so that the Democrats could maximize their no votes.  Given that the Republican caucus is pretty much in open revolt, this was beyond moronic.  She then spent a week openly and repeatedly blaming the Republicans and the Bush administration for the current crisis.  The way she set things up, it was "Heads I win, tails you lose":  vote for the deal and I'll paint you as heartless reactionaries bailing out your fat cat friends.  If you're going to do that, you'd better make sure you have some expletive margin for error in your own party.  She didn't.  Then she got up and delivered yet another speech blaming the Republicans for the bailout deal she was about to pass.

Being in power means that you get to give your party special favors on many occasions--but it also means that you, yes you, have the ultimate responsibility for getting things done.  She didn't particularly try to bring her party in line, and so of course as soon as a few Republicans defected, hers stampeded.  The ultimate blame for this failure has to be laid at her feet.

That doesn't excuse the Republicans; I've already expressed my opinion of their conduct.  If they do not understand that there are some things more important than reelection, they do not deserve to be in Congress.  I'm not sure they deserve to be let loose in society.  But Pelosi is the one who was vested with the ultimate responsibility for shaping the legislative process in the House.  She not only dropped the ball; she picked it up and drop kicked it through her own goal.