Ronald Reagan, possibly in some folks minds, the absolute best president that the American people have ever had (endured), used to say, “Ask yourself. Are you any better off now, than you were four years ago?” And the obvious answer would be … “No.”
The economy is in worse shape than the numbers show. When you look at the macro numbers, you fail to look at where all the positives have gone, which is the top 1 or 5 percent. Between 2001 and and 2007 – this was before the recession – incomes went down $1,000 for the average family. But buying power went down $9,000, if you include college tuition for families with tuition.
So the average family was living at a level of $47,000 in 2001, and is living at a level of $38,000 in 2007. It’s worse now, obviously. So for the average middle-class person, it’s not just, “Oh, things aren’t great.”
Things are tough.
According to recent polls, most Americans point to the economy as the top issue they’re concerned about. Obama’s Grecian or Roman backdrop at the convention doesn’t appear on the list of concerns. This is what he doesn’t get. He’s busy talking about I don’t know – the marble columns in Invesco [Field]. When people are feeling pretty good about things, they like that kind of stuff: “Oh that’s fun; Barack Obama’s an emperor.” When people are hurting, it doesn’t work. This dog and pony show doesn’t mean anything to those amongst us that are in dire straights.
Day #3 of Democratic convention drew more than 24 million viewers, Neilsen reports, “More than 24 million people watched the third night of the 2008 Democratic National Convention – a 7.5% decrease from 26 million viewers on day two of the convention. … In comparison to day three of the 2004 convention, which drew almost 18 million viewers, the audience for day three of the 2008 convention was still significantly larger (up by a third to 24 million viewers).”
I asked my neighbor, “You watch the Convention?” and he replied, “No. I have seen those bastards lie to me before.” Or in other words, “I don’t know what apathy is, and I really don’t care.”
Things are going rather well on this train wreck we call the Bush Administration. A new KBR lawsuit alleges “slavery.” First it was outright lying, thieving on contracts (no bid contracts by the way), then allegations of rape, now we have kidnapping and slavery to add to the list.
A Washington law firm filed a lawsuit yesterday against Iraq contractor KBR, “alleging that the company and its Jordanian subcontractor engaged in the human trafficking of Nepali workers,” the Washington Post reported today. The suit states that 13 Nepali men were recruited for kitchen work in Jordan only to have their passports seized upon arrival and “told they were being sent to a military facility in Iraq.” TPM Muckraker notes that the complaint calls these actions “slavery“:
The suit alleges: Defendants’ actions as set forth above constitute the torts of trafficking in persons, involuntary servitude, forced labor, and slavery. Trafficking in persons in a modern day form of slavery, and along with involuntary servitude and forced labor constitutes a tort in violation of the law of nations and/or in violation of treaties of the United States.
Something else for us to be proud of … And we wonder why the rest of the world hates us?
The Generals are speaking out. When you are in the military you are told (warned) to not make a statement about anything concerning the government. That you do NOT have an opinion as long as you are in service to your country. Afterward, when you are retired then you can have an opinion. As in the times of Rome, the Generals are starting to murmur and they speak in terms unflattering to the Emperor. More …
John Hagee Ministries was contacted this week to see if erstwhile, big time John McCain endorser Rev. Hagee saw the Lord’s hand in reports that President Bush might not speak at the Republican National Convention on Monday because of Tropical Storm Gustav.
If you remember, back in 2006, Hagee declared that “Hurricane Katrina was, in fact, the judgment of God against the city of New Orleans.” Hagee said that “New Orleans had a level of sin that was offensive to God,” because “there was to be a homosexual parade there on the Monday that the Katrina came.”
So naturally someone thought of calling the good Rev. Hagee’s ministry to inquire.
A spokesperson, Kara Silverman, was asked Gustav’s possible impact on the Republican National Convention might be seen as punishment against Republicans for their not having done enough to combat the “homosexual agenda,” or whether this storm could be attributed to some other target of divine wrath.
Ms. Silverman said Hagee had “no comment.”
Finally in all this mess, we find someone with a modicum of intelligence.
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“This material [cartoon] was published by the Center for American Progress” (online)
