Always strive to learn something useful. --Sophocles

"Management."
—how Karl Rove referred to Dick Cheney during the Bush presidency -- as in "Better check with Management."

Nothing to see here, move along.

Though personally I think Geppetto would have been more accurate.

Gee, ya think? "...54 percent of those surveyed say Bush is responsible for the "current condition" of the economy, compared to just 27 percent who blame Obama. Among self-described independent voters, a key 2012 voting bloc, the number shifts slightly: 49 percent point the finger at the former GOP president, while 24 percent blame Obama."

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/voters-blame-bush-more-obama-economy-143014602.html


Here's the stupid thing: when we had a default in the 80's due to an accounting/computer error, THE ADDITIONAL INTEREST NEVER WENT AWAY. It wasn't much, I believe the number that I heard was 0.03%, or maybe 0.3% (yes, hundredths of a percent), but it was on THE ENTIRE DEBT, not just the amount that was defaulted on. I heard a report that studied this specific time frame, and they couldn't see the higher interest rate ever going away due to the constant fluctuations of interest rates.

Congress raised the debt limit SEVEN TIMES for Bush. They'd better get off their butts and raise it for Obama, or they're REALLY going to see an economy tank! They're also going to have to cut sacred cows like defense and some entitlement programs because that's where the real money is, not this nickle and diming that they're trying to pass as substantial cuts.

I think if Congress doesn't raise the debt ceiling they're pretty much going to guarantee a (D) win in next year's elections and could well totally turn the country against them.

"If we have multiple, highly skilled Special Operations forces identifying targets for precision-guided munitions, we will need fewer conventional ground forces. That's an important lesson learned from Afghanistan."
— General Tommy Franks, in "American Soldier"

"If we have multiple, highly skilled Special Operations forces identifying targets for precision-guided munitions, we will need fewer conventional ground forces. That's an important lesson learned from Afghanistan."
— George W. Bush, in "Decision Points"

I'm really curious how Fox News treats this. It'll be massive softballs, but still.

"It will go down in history as one of those pivotal moments in the course of our country. [It will lead to] the beginning of the restoration of the foundational aspects of our country."
-- Jeb Bush on the election of Scott Brown

I find Brown interesting. He said right off the bat that he's not going to vote in lock-step with the Republicans and is in favor of abortion rights among other things. He's already voted against the Republican caucus, I believe it was an unemployment benefit bill.

It's good to see someone in Washington whose specialty isn't marching to the same drummer as the rest of his party.

And just what "foundational aspects" are we talking about here? Do I get to own slaves? I have a feeling Jeb isn't going to keep his promise and he's going to be running for higher office, not that I expected him to keep that particular promise in the first place.

As just recently mentioned in my journal, the Administration wants to cap the size of the Army Reserve at its current level, and Rumsfeld thinks we can make do with a smaller Army. Then why is Stop-Loss being used?


http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060129/pl_nm/iraq_usa_stoploss_dc
(full story under cut, emphasis mine)
( Read more... )

I'm not sure whose blog I saw this on, but it's pretty good.

http://www.defectiveyeti.com/archives/001561.html