Tuesday, December 09, 2008

So Very Many Stories....All About the Benjamins



Today has certainly gone from the ridiculous to the sublime.

The ridiculous? If the Blogo story (complaint PDF warning-language) had been written as a Hollywood script, it would have been laughed out of development offices as too contrived. This should provide plenty of entertainment for weeks...and how close will it get to Obama?

If you'd like to read the actual auto bailout bill, it's here. I actually read the original TARP bill at the same blog (thank you, Marc Ambinder and The Atlantic) -- all three pages. It is instructive to see how this sausage is made. My first car way back when was a Dodge Charger muscle car with a 383 V-8 slapstick, and I have been a Chrysler girl ever since. I now tool around in a PT Cruiser (paid for, thank you) and have believed in buying American -- my husband has been driving Chrysler products for 25 years, and my father was a Dodge dealer in New York. I'm just sayin'

As Ed Schultz asked today, where the hell were these Republicans who are so against money for the automakers when they were authorizing billions to go down the drain in Iraq...for WHAT infrastructure? To add insult to injury -- literally -- , this report (PDF) out today that military leaders knew about the dangers of IEDs before the war started but stopped processing and urgent request for mine-resistant ambush protected vehicles. WTF?

And, finally, the sublime...Bank of America has offered a loan so Republic Windows and Doors workers in Chicago can get paid. Congratulations to workers standing up. Meanwhile, the Tribune company screws the people laid off at the Courant, as its bankruptcy filing immediately ends all severance payments. Scrooge.

Photo credit: Dani Simmonds

13 comments:

CT Bob said...

Kirby, yeah the Blagojevich saga is really awful. How do people like him get into such positions of power? I'll be glad to see him get everything he deserves.

My first car was a rather modest 1970 Dodge Dart with a slant 6. Red 2-door with a black vinyl roof. God I loved that car! It's been American ever since; I never once owned a foreign car. Joyce also.

Anonymous said...

The illinois governor is a prime example for the need to have all republicans out of power and prevented from ever running for office. If wiretaps are all they got then they have doctored them. That is why all wiretaps should be illegal. Wiretapping is about the most anti liberty tool the american gestapo has, rather than regulate it (fisa) it should be eliminated for any and all situations. If you can't see this is an attempt by the party of the past to ruin obama you are all all blind. Rod B. needs all americans support against the present day gestapo and the old white american party.

CT Bob said...

Nope.

I can't top that.

Won't even try.

aaronsinger said...

Anonymous is hilarious!

The joy of Illinois politics is that we may be corrupt, but we're balanced and bipartisan in our corruption. What other state can lay claim to consecutive Governors [soon to be] sent to prison on corruption charges, one from each party?

Anonymous said...

I may be hilarious, but there really is NO reason for any wiretap, they are nothing but a violation of privacy. It is sad that the presumption of innocence can be so easily laid aside, recorded messages are very easy to manipulate. republicans will stop at nothing to destroy obama, what is easier than the frameup of the governoer of illinois?

Anonymous said...

other anon-- 1. Blagojevich is a democrat and 2. why are you talking about wiretapping? isnt this post about the bailout?

Jonathan Kantrowitz said...

I only buy American as well - but who knows what's American any more - the last "American" car I looked at was actually manufactured in Australia!

Hard to believe anyone would be as blatantly stupid as Blago, but then again there is the current Mayor of Shelton - probably going down for bribe taking.

Kirby said...

But the big question -- is Blago more corrupt than Rowland?

Anonymous said...

If you read Denis Horgan [http://denishorgan.com/], former columnist for the Courant, you will see that Blago is just a loser. Unlike Rowland, he never got the money.
A sample:
"Come on. Connecticut is not about to give up its pride of place to a big hollow drum like Illinois where the corrupt governor hasn’t really done much except to shoot his yap off, offending prissy prosecutors who know that salty language on tape will get on the news and mask the fact that cash never much changed hands."
oldswede

CT Bob said...

Regardless of whether he received even a nickle, the fact that he ASKED for payment in exchange for the appointment is a crime, and more than reason enough to prosecute.

Anonymous said...

No one is saying he isn't a criminal. Just far more delusional than competent.
oldswede

CT Bob said...

Oh sorry, that's what it sounded like Horgan was saying, with his claim he "...hasn’t really done much except to shoot his yap off, offending prissy prosecutors..."

Sounded like that to me, along with a little slam at Fitz thrown in for good measure. I guess I missed his point then.

Anonymous said...

Horgan has several pieces about this. His main theme is that Blago is a punk piker compared to Rowland and Illinois has no claim to fame as a corrupt state compared to Connecticut. He offers examples and he is always entertaining reading. A real old-time pro. Word is that when the Tribune Corp. took over the Courant, he and his column were 'retired' as too liberal.
Anyway, I think the delusional meme is a good one to keep in play. It deflates any claims by Hannity, Rush and the usual gang that Obama has links.
It's all in Rod's head. Rinse, repeat.
oldswede