The Marx Brothers

The Marx Brothers

Aaron Swartz,is the 24 year-old Harvard fellow (studying ethics!) who stole 4.8 million articles from a MIT computer.  He faces up to 35 years in prison, if convicted.  In the following twenty-three words you will find all that you need to know about Mr. Swartz. “ Swartz is an online activist who founded the website Demand Progress, which says it "works to win progressive policy changes for ordinary people." From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs. Thirty-five years, no parole.

Gas Bag

Seven Reasons Why August 2 Isn’t the End of the World

“ The U.S. will still be able to pay its creditors (i.e., it won’t default).  There’s no reason why the government needs to stop paying its creditors.  Ever.  Debt service payments (interest on the national debt) will only cost $30 billion in August.  As I’ve noted, we will take in $170-200 billion. Social Security checks will still go out. On July 12, President Obama suggested that, come August 2, he might not be able to send out the 50 million Social Security checks slated to go out in August. But since those checks only cost $50 billion, compared to $170-200 billion coming in, there will obviously be sufficient funds to mail them. Medicare and Medicaid payments will go out as usual. Experts predict we’ll owe about $50 billion to doctors and hospitals. Well, with $170-200 billion coming in, granny will get her health care, just like always. Veterans and active-duty military personnel will get paid. Paying our veterans will cost about $3 billion.  Ditto our soldiers in uniform.  That $6 billion is chump change by DC standards.  So that’s a total bill of $136 billion, easily covered by the $170-200 billion we’ll take in.  Of course, we won’t be able to afford everything the government currently spends on.  The Departments of HUD, Transportation, Commerce, Energy, and Education, for example, may have to take a pause ... (5,6, and 7) Absent in all these discussions are ways to get the country producing again.  It's all so very simple. Suspend all EPA and other environmental regulations until further notice. Drill Drill Drill, Mine Mine Mine, and Build Build Build. Eliminate the Cap Gains tax.  Pass the American Fairness in Tax Act - every US citizen pays the same 18% income tax.  No deductions , no exceptions. The economy will boom. You're welcome.

Dunt try ta 'scape either

When Democrats are in charge,

OBAMA RESTATES THREAT TO VETO GOP SPENDING CUTS... Senate works on plan to raise taxes... Obama praises... LIBERALS EYE DEEP CUTS TO NATIONAL DEFENSE... San Francisco broke  —  to shutter courtrooms

Hello? We're fricken broke

McConnell gets McCalled out

Not thrilled with Mitch McConnell's plan to punt on the debt ceiling? Neither are TheDC's Tucker Carlson and Neil Patel, who write: "The debt limit plan designed by Senator Mitch McConnell is political engineering of the highest order: Take a thorny issue with lots of angles, distill it to its political essence and come up with a way to minimize your pain and maximize your benefit. No, the plan doesn't reduce the size of the federal debt by one dollar. It doesn't limit government or expand freedom, nor does it punish President Obama for failing to do the same. It may, however, give Republican officeholders an issue to run on in the next election cycle. For that reason, many in the Republican leadership consider it brilliant... Meanwhile, the laws of arithmetic remain unchanged. Last week, Standard and Poor's announced that unless Congress reduces the federal debt by $4 trillion, the ratings agency will be forced to downgrade America's bond rating. That would amount to disaster. Many of the countries and institutions that buy American debt could no longer do so if our bonds didn't meet their portfolios' AAA ratings requirement. The result:  the cost of federal borrowing would rise by trillions over time, adding to the debt spiral. A downgrade would also mean that rates on all sorts of non-government loans would rise as well, adding to the individual debt of all Americans and American businesses. How does the McConnell plan respond to this imminent and dire threat? It doesn't. Sen. McConnell and his growing band of Republican allies have apparently concluded that a debt downgrade is an acceptable cost of doing politics. It's not. It's horrifying."  [Daily Trawler] In the meanwhile Border's Book Stores can't make expenses.  So they're closing all their stores. It's what happens in the real world, Mitch. Start closing agencies.

Don't Know Squat?

Stranger moves into foreclosed home, citing little-knownTexas law

“ "This is not a normal process, but it is not a process that is not known," he said. "It's just not known to everybody." He says an online form he printed out and filed at the Denton County courthouse for $16 gave him rights to the house. The paper says the house was abandoned and he's claiming ownership. "I added some things here for my own protection," Robinson said. The house is virtually empty, with just a few pieces of furniture. There is no running water or electricity. But, Robinson said just by setting up camp in the living room, Texas law gives him exclusive negotiating rights with the original owner. If the owner wants him out, he would have to pay off his massive mortgage debt and the bank would have to file a complicated lawsuit. Robinson believes because of the cost, neither is likely. The law says if he stays in the house, after three years he can ask the court for the title. ”

I Know Nuth-ing

Norman Dicks is a dick

“ For instance, when Congressman John Carter (R-TX), at about 1:24:35, rose to introduce his amendment to prevent the Department of "Justice" from implementing new shotgun import bans, based on those shotguns' supposed lack of  a "sporting purpose," he mentioned not being particularly enthusiastic about granting this gun-banning authority to the very same government agency that we now know to have been responsible for deliberately facilitating the trafficking of firearms to known killers in Mexico (this was at about the 1:30:45 mark). At about 1:33:20, Rep. Norman Dicks (D-WA) claimed not only to have been completely unaware of "Project Gunwalker," but seemed a little offended that anyone would be making such allegations.  No excuse for any congressman to be unaware of 'Project Gunwalker'

Prolly so

MSNBC's Mark Halperin calls Obama a ‘dick,’ poisons atmosphere

Picture magically appears

Mass confusion reigns

Obama officially threatens to veto Republicans' 'cut, cap and balance' bill

Ahem. The balance bill is a balanced budget Amendment.  It would be sent to the states for ratification, not Obama's desk.  Mr. constitutional lawyer.  And this—    Couple says image of Jesus appears in Wal-Mart receipt.  Further analysis however shows that it's actually Rasputin's image.  Even weirder - these two stories are conjoined.      Rasputin