Thursday Morning Coffee--New Guinea

Odds and Ends--And it's really odd. The attorneys for the SEC refused to answer congress' questions about their failure to investigate Madoff yesterday by invoking "executive privilege"--what executive are they referring to? Chris Cox?

The Pentagon flap over Iraq and Dick Cheney's "Darth Vader" interview are making the round of the conservative types. What has been missing here was the astounding exchange between Obama and the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the Pentagon's "tank"--which is the military's version of Rick Warren's "Cone of Silence". Obama asked what the endgame in Afganistan was and the answer was,"We don't have any, Sir." Remember John McCain saying we would muddle through. Apparently, that was official policy. This might be the real reason General Petraeus looked so grim at the Super Bowl.

The National Review has proclaimed the Obama presidency a failure. My e-mails hail a resurgence of support for the Republicans. Democratic bloggers are complaining that Obama must put the hammer down on them. It would be good if after the stimulus package passes, Obama goes on the offensive to explain how we got here. The media has been wall-to-wall in listing the superfluous spending in the bill. I said yesterday it amounts to 1.9% of the package but Obama claims it's more like 1%. But it's this list that the media repeats. I think one mistake Obama may have made was incorporating Republican tax cuts into his proposal without making them negotiate for them. Now they feel they are on a roll. Even so, if this bill passes, Obama will have done more for the American people than Bush in his whole eight years.

One blogger on Daily Kos wanted to know why there is no New Deal. The problem is that America under FDR was not a debtor country, the US under Obama is the biggest debtor country in the world. So he has a tight-rope to walk. However, I could do with some of FDR's speeches about "money-lenders" or Harry Truman talking about "fascists". Unfortunately, Obama can't scare what remains of the market.

Dick Cheney's interview that Obama is going to let terrorists out in your neighborhood is ironic with yesterday's news that 11 of the detainees released from Gitmo were on the most wanted list in Saudi Arabia. Of course, that might be for anything from advocating women's rights or to wanting to publish a newspaper. But let's take them at their word. Prince Bandar was practically a member of the Bush family. You mean no one picked up the phone and questioned this? Another goofy thing from Cheney's "dark side" interview is his assertion that 25% of those released return to terrorism. This figure has been disputed by everyone including Bob Gates. The large figures include all those who have ever appeared in an anti-American interview, documentary or activity after being released. But, Dick, Obama hasn't released anyone. It was your Administration who did.

Another funny thing about the Tom Daschle withdrawal. I know he had a driver and limo on which he didn't pay taxes and he should have withdrawn for these matters. But there was another American politician, who had a driver and car, received state per diems for working home, and had the state pay for her children's travel and lodging. Normally, this would be taxable income. However, this politician produced a letter from her lawyer saying everything was OK. Her name was Sarah Palin and the media gave her a pass.

Speaking of losers, John McCain continues his rants about eliminating the Made in America provisions from the stimulus bill. Recall he sided with Airbus over Boeing for a Pentagon contract and also his benevolent stance on illegal immigration had everything to do with getting a cheaper work force, rather than humanitarian concerns. Is this what "real America" wants? Shouldn't he have consulted new GOP consultant Joe The Plumber for advice?

Dick "Diapers" Vitter condemned the stimulus bill because none of his colleagues knows what's in it. Unlike the Patriot Act, which no one ever did read, the stimulus bill has been on the internet in all its dull, boring prose since it was introduced. The White House even asked for comments and Huffington Post.com produced it. But he is right on one thing--it's doubtful that any of his colleagues have read it.

Why don't we do nothing? The Obama people claim we will lose 5 million additional jobs. That would essentially double the current unemployment in the country, which is the highest level since 1982. In total numbers, more people now are on unemployment than at anytime since 1967. If we want to accept becoming a banana republic and deliberately choose to do so, that would be one way to go.