Wednesday, October 26, 2005
Do We Know It's Fitzmas?
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More likely Fitzmas Eve.
In other news, BLS data (per CNBC without CC) appears to show that Household Liabilities among those making more than $110 have skyrocketed since 2002.
Anyone still wonder about the source of the economic "recovery"?
In other news, BLS data (per CNBC without CC) appears to show that Household Liabilities among those making more than $110 have skyrocketed since 2002.
Anyone still wonder about the source of the economic "recovery"?
I don't really care if Bush goes down anymore, but this whole Wilson affair has to be one of the biggest non-stories of all time. More print has been wasted on it than probably any other pointless story in history, maybe even more than the OJ trial.
My prediction: Fewer indictments than expected and no one will ever be convicted. Rove escapes, but maybe not Libby. The American public doesn't really know or care about Libby, anyway. He resigns, story goes away.
Seriously, can't you guys get Bush on something real, like no WMDs, 2,000 US dead, 30,000+ Iraqi dead, gigantic deficits etc.? And you think Joe Wilson is going to take them down? It's almost comical.
My prediction: Fewer indictments than expected and no one will ever be convicted. Rove escapes, but maybe not Libby. The American public doesn't really know or care about Libby, anyway. He resigns, story goes away.
Seriously, can't you guys get Bush on something real, like no WMDs, 2,000 US dead, 30,000+ Iraqi dead, gigantic deficits etc.? And you think Joe Wilson is going to take them down? It's almost comical.
# posted by 
: Wed Oct 26, 08:55:00 AM
: Wed Oct 26, 08:55:00 AM
Ken: I can't find anything new on household liabilities, though I have some computer programs to run today that should give me some time to poke around. I recall Kevin Harris having made the point in a DeLong comment a while back that the well-to-do have been spending like drunken sailors, so I'm not at all surprised.
Bryan: What's a little light treason, eh? As for the rest, I think we've been on Bush's case plenty about the 'real' stuff. There are, as you should know, plenty of people on your side of the aisle who think that the 'real' stuff just indicates that things are going along swimmingly.
Bryan: What's a little light treason, eh? As for the rest, I think we've been on Bush's case plenty about the 'real' stuff. There are, as you should know, plenty of people on your side of the aisle who think that the 'real' stuff just indicates that things are going along swimmingly.
Treason? You and Al Franken been hanging out?
I love leaks in the political world. They are always worse than what actually happens, so that when the actual news comes out it looks like a yawner. Bill Clinton was a master of this, and Bush has been too. My guess is that all the Rove talk is BS, because people are now salivating over that idea. If just Libby is indicted, it's a big yawner. I wouldn't be surprised if good ol' Joe Wilson faces an indictment. Wouldn't that be a pill to swallow?
Best of luck.
BTW, I don't have an aisle anymore.
I love leaks in the political world. They are always worse than what actually happens, so that when the actual news comes out it looks like a yawner. Bill Clinton was a master of this, and Bush has been too. My guess is that all the Rove talk is BS, because people are now salivating over that idea. If just Libby is indicted, it's a big yawner. I wouldn't be surprised if good ol' Joe Wilson faces an indictment. Wouldn't that be a pill to swallow?
Best of luck.
BTW, I don't have an aisle anymore.
# posted by : Wed Oct 26, 09:49:00 AM
: Wed Oct 26, 09:49:00 AM
"Treason" is the word GHWB used to describe it.
If I were a CIA chief who had to close down a company, relocate people, probably end up with several sources killed and hundreds of others compromised, I would want it to be a "non-story" as well.
Tom - Good to know that the AMT has been reducing household spending.
If I were a CIA chief who had to close down a company, relocate people, probably end up with several sources killed and hundreds of others compromised, I would want it to be a "non-story" as well.
Tom - Good to know that the AMT has been reducing household spending.
Wow, it keeps getting better! Treason! Several killed! Hundreds compromised! Almost as good as a movie.
Maybe they shouldn't have done photo shoots for Vanity Fair.
Maybe they shouldn't have done photo shoots for Vanity Fair.
# posted by : Wed Oct 26, 11:19:00 AM
: Wed Oct 26, 11:19:00 AM
Bryan, the direct quote from Bush the Senior is:
"I have nothing but contempt and anger for those who betray the trust by exposing the name of our sources. They are, in my view, the most insidious of traitors."
The VF article was in January, 2004, long after the damage had been done.
Libby may not be well-known, but as Cheney's chief of staff, he's ipso facto no less important than Andy Card. Insofar as he's shaping up as the designated fall guy, a good Q (as James Wolcott notes) is whether he's willing to take the knife in the back.
"I have nothing but contempt and anger for those who betray the trust by exposing the name of our sources. They are, in my view, the most insidious of traitors."
The VF article was in January, 2004, long after the damage had been done.
Libby may not be well-known, but as Cheney's chief of staff, he's ipso facto no less important than Andy Card. Insofar as he's shaping up as the designated fall guy, a good Q (as James Wolcott notes) is whether he's willing to take the knife in the back.
Since when do you guys care so much about what GHWB has to say?
In ten years are you going to be using W quotes to support your arguments? I would consider that mildly amusing ;-).
In ten years are you going to be using W quotes to support your arguments? I would consider that mildly amusing ;-).
# posted by : Wed Oct 26, 11:40:00 AM
: Wed Oct 26, 11:40:00 AM
BTW, Ken, Ritholtz saw what you saw on the over-extended well-to-do.
Bryan: In ten years, "Even George W. Bush thought it was wrong" may be the most powerful argument-ender there is.
Bryan: In ten years, "Even George W. Bush thought it was wrong" may be the most powerful argument-ender there is.
Bryan : I use W quotes now. Not the easy ones ("Mission Accomplished"; "Don't misunderestimate me"), but the "I will fire anyone" and "I want to get to the bottom of this" variety.
Since his speech to the Economic Club of Washington (D.C.) appears to be unchanged from what he was saying in 2002 (though, in fairness, I'm judging by CNBC headlines, without the CC), he's more likely to have the staying power of Ford or Carter than Pappy.
Tom - Thank you.
Since his speech to the Economic Club of Washington (D.C.) appears to be unchanged from what he was saying in 2002 (though, in fairness, I'm judging by CNBC headlines, without the CC), he's more likely to have the staying power of Ford or Carter than Pappy.
Tom - Thank you.
I didn't see the CNBC piece yet -- but they used part of my research from this past Summer (see this).
I'm curious as to how much they used, and whether they heeded my caveats (here).
I'm curious as to how much they used, and whether they heeded my caveats (here).
re: even w thought it was wrong.
Boy, I walked right into that one.
Boy, I walked right into that one.
# posted by : Wed Oct 26, 02:17:00 PM
: Wed Oct 26, 02:17:00 PM
The speculation is fun:
"It was not clear why Mr. Fitzgerald chose to use a back stairway or elevator to reach his session with the chief judge, but if he took the usual route he would likely have been followed by a parade of journalists who gathered at the courthouse to await predicted indictments in the case.
Reporters expressed bewilderment as Mr. Fitzgerald returned to the grand jury area without ever having appeared to have left."
Like I said, more print wasted on this non-story than OJ.
"It was not clear why Mr. Fitzgerald chose to use a back stairway or elevator to reach his session with the chief judge, but if he took the usual route he would likely have been followed by a parade of journalists who gathered at the courthouse to await predicted indictments in the case.
Reporters expressed bewilderment as Mr. Fitzgerald returned to the grand jury area without ever having appeared to have left."
Like I said, more print wasted on this non-story than OJ.
# posted by : Wed Oct 26, 02:39:00 PM
: Wed Oct 26, 02:39:00 PM
Bryan: Those are certainly wasted words, though since the meta-story is the very big story of the trumping up of the Iraq casus belli, I won't agree that the entire thing is a non-story.
Barry: I'll be curious to see the '04 data. The '03 data do offer some new info on expenditures for the upper-middle class that goes a long way to addressing your caveat regarding the super-rich skewing the upper quintile. I'd have thought that the '03 change in net assets less liabilities for the upper quintile would have been better, since it was a good year both for real estate and for stocks, though I'll have to see if there's something in the timing and/or definitions that is driving things.
Barry: I'll be curious to see the '04 data. The '03 data do offer some new info on expenditures for the upper-middle class that goes a long way to addressing your caveat regarding the super-rich skewing the upper quintile. I'd have thought that the '03 change in net assets less liabilities for the upper quintile would have been better, since it was a good year both for real estate and for stocks, though I'll have to see if there's something in the timing and/or definitions that is driving things.
I recognized the album cover... perhaps the way to make Fitzmas come is to make Bono step to the mike?
oh boy looks like i missed the mix on this one... i'll just say that i enjoyed reading all of that, especially your comments bryan. :)
# posted by : Thu Oct 27, 10:23:00 AM
: Thu Oct 27, 10:23:00 AM
Phantom: You can tell that I have no Photoshop skillz as I did not past in Cheney, Rove and/or Libby into the bottom part of the cover.
Tetricus: Better late to the party than never!
Tetricus: Better late to the party than never!
Hey tetricus,
I predicted that Tom DeLay would be smiling in his mug shot (not that it wasn't obvious). We'll see how my predictions go on this issue. The Magic 8 Ball says my outlook is good. Of course, as a member of the VGDRWC*, are my predictions really predictions or insider info? BWAHAHAHA
Good to hear from you again.
* Vast God-Damn Right Wing Conspiracy
I predicted that Tom DeLay would be smiling in his mug shot (not that it wasn't obvious). We'll see how my predictions go on this issue. The Magic 8 Ball says my outlook is good. Of course, as a member of the VGDRWC*, are my predictions really predictions or insider info? BWAHAHAHA
Good to hear from you again.
* Vast God-Damn Right Wing Conspiracy
# posted by : Fri Oct 28, 09:58:00 AM
: Fri Oct 28, 09:58:00 AM
Is it official now?
Scooter got indicted on three charges - false statements, perjury, and obstruction of justice. Rove not indicted. No one else indicted. Of course, Scooter has a lot to answer for and should face appropriate punishment.
No one was indicted for the "crime" of outing Valerie Plame. This whole conspiracy created by Joseph Wilson was a complete farce. And the fact that Scooter apparently tried to cover-up for a non-crime seems rather ridiculous in retrospect.
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Scooter got indicted on three charges - false statements, perjury, and obstruction of justice. Rove not indicted. No one else indicted. Of course, Scooter has a lot to answer for and should face appropriate punishment.
No one was indicted for the "crime" of outing Valerie Plame. This whole conspiracy created by Joseph Wilson was a complete farce. And the fact that Scooter apparently tried to cover-up for a non-crime seems rather ridiculous in retrospect.
# posted by : Fri Oct 28, 12:08:00 PM
: Fri Oct 28, 12:08:00 PM << Home
