Weekend Wambling

Evening Sky, Niagara © 2008 Robert Sommers

I find it interesting that the head of the FDIC, Sheila Bair, thinks that the government is doing too much to help financial institutions and not enough for homeowners.

"Why there's been such a political focus on making sure we're not unduly helping borrowers but then we're providing all this massive assistance at the institutional level, I don't understand it," Bair told the Wall Street Journal in an interview.

I guess we will have to find out in time if the recipient banks even loan out the money they get or instead just try to use it to either swallow up the competition or even just sit on the gelt. (not than anyone will be able to qualify for credit) We are definitely picking winners and losers in this movie. What did Lehman do that deserved the death sentence - or was it just their turn at the musical chair? I think that when all is said and done, this whole bailout could turn into a Capitalist's wet dream.

AIG was on the hill yesterday to ease some provisions in a new federal law establishing strict oversight of mortgage originators, according to state regulators. Now you really couldn't make this stuff up.

Neat how Senator Ted Stevens is attempting to shift all the blame for Vecogate to his wife Catherine.  Might want to remove the scissors from the nightstand tonight.  "Now sweety, you're going to be taking the fall on this one..."

Rep. Tim Mahoney (D-FL), responding to the question of how many affairs he's had: "You're asking me over a lifetime? I'm just saying I've been unfaithful and I'm sorry for that." You are a piece of crap, Tim. God forbid that you should have to count.

I predict that Joe the Plumber will wish he'd never opened his crack regarding this presidential  election. This poster boy for McCain is unlicensed, has a lien from the state, never went to apprentice school, and might be in for a big heap of sewage. Payday's thursday, crap flows downhill and don't bite your fingernails, Joe.

The Republican Party has hired a company called YPM that is alleged to have deceptively caused voters across these United States to unknowingly switch their party affiliation.  Many voters thought that they were signing petitions increasing the penalties against child molesters.  The company is being investigated across the country.  Read about it in the Los Angeles Times.

Kudos to the EPA for finally doing something right on lead emissions.  I am sure that there are many dedicated career employees there that have been grinding their teeth the last eight years under Stephen Johnson's toxic reign.

Is it just me or does Barack Obama's backtracking on his initial promise on public campaign financing bother anyone else? He has clearly equivocated on this issue without an honest or just explanation. McCain has a valid point on this one. 

Like watching rodents doing endos off sinking vessels, it's a real hoot to see Condoleeza, Tenet, Cheney, the FBI, Kit Bond, John Yoo, the CIA and the Justice Department engaged in this incestuous cannibalism - all trying to pass the responsibility for the torture episodes and memos back and forth to each other in these final days of their employment.  Kit Bond said this week that nobody in their right mind would have thought that the agency's conduct was not authorized at a higher level and that the matter should just be dropped now.  The CIA saw early on whose head was in the noose and started requesting a paper trail so that they could cover their own asses.  Like they could trust these guys?  I see why those CIA guys burned the tapes now...

I think that it is time to institute the flat tax. George Bush was right - Rich people find their way around the paying of taxes.  My father would hate it because he believes in a progressive tax but I think that we would probably increase revenue.  I find it disgusting that our government does business with companies like Halliburton that find a mailbox in the Cayman Islands to do business from and yet reap obscene profits from the American taxpayer.