Rotwang Ruminates (2)
Reveling in the perversity of your enemies seems like clever political tactics, but does anybody remember "After Hitler, us"?
Anyone with a website on which a video starts automatically ought to be horsewhipped.
La Marshall Continua. I am happy to take credit for TPM being a "far-left blog." Not like that milquetoast Atrios.
Take a gander at this goose. Maybe some are outraged that Karl Rove compared Bush era political influence of DoJ to campaign manager Robert Kennedy becoming attorney-general. But Rotwang remembers that the saintly "Bobby" authorized FBI surveillance of Martin Luther King. (See also this.) And we won't even bring up the Joe McCarthy stuff. Oh wait . . . we did.
Since Jim Cramer is such a rah-rah conservative now, I hope the Republicans put him in charge of RNC finances so he can get in on the ground floor of the next company to go tits up. (Always wanted to use that Brit expression.)
Advances in microsurgery.
In your guts you know he's nuts. Forget Palin, Huckaby, Romney. Run Rush run!
Worthwhile Canadian Initiative. Since Canada's banks were sufficiently regulated to completely avoid the present debacle, I say let them buy up the U.S. banks. I for one am ready to welcome our new Canadian overlords.
A conspiracy so vast. The Right has misjudged the dimensions of the dilemma they face. The Democrats did not conspire to make Limbaugh their national symbol. No, they in fact engineered the election of a certifiable imbecile named George Bush who would accomplish the profound discredit of the G.O.P. For his sacrificial dive into the tank, Al Gore was compensated with a Nobel Prize and an Oscar.
Michael Steele . . . . oh what's the point. Too easy.
I just can't see you following every statement with, "eh?"
I am now totally depressed. Thanks Rotwang.
March 5, 2009 8:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
About Canadian banks 'buying' US banks:
(1) We would have to pay the Canadians to take over the Us banks because the US banks are all bankrupt.
(2) By their nature, Americans are a pain in the ass, and frequently outright crooks, particularly if they work in banks, and since the world is flooded with soon-to-be-wallpaper US dollars:
(3) Canada would have to be given sovereign territory as payment for the task of cleaning up our finance system. Warmer territory. Not inhabited by Limbaughtomized white trash or felonious financiers. Perhaps Canada would do it for a few thousand (empty, unfinished houses/condo's OK)square miles of Florida, minus the gangsters and flim-flam artists, some regular Americans OK if they apply for Canadian green cards.
March 5, 2009 11:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
Maybe we could sell Alaska. Or redo the Anglo-American Convention of 1818 and the Oregon Treaty of 1846, maybe we could pay off our debt.
Instead of using the 48th Parallel we could let Canada buy up to Interstate 90 or Interstate 80.
March 6, 2009 12:29 AM | Reply | Permalink
Beauty, eh. Would our 'National Pastime' have to be changed from baseball to hockey? Maybe a North American pro curling league too?
Maybe they'd import their form of health care too, because banking isn't the only thing they do better than us...
March 6, 2009 12:43 AM | Reply | Permalink
I think they would take Washington, Oregon, California (except for San Diego) and maybe Miami.
Most of the Republican bankers wouldn't even notice those places were gone.
March 6, 2009 1:32 AM | Reply | Permalink
I would be Canadian then!!! I could travel again and not even have to lie!
March 6, 2009 1:55 AM | Reply | Permalink
Brilliant point! Now that's a positive outlook.
March 6, 2009 10:32 AM | Reply | Permalink
Look on the bright side, people. Just because Canada's taking over, doesn't mean life will be all flannel & oatmeal. For starters, you'll all be reclassified as political conservatives. "Rotwang the Tory" has a nice ring to it I think, and since Conrad Black seems to be writing less & less these days, perhaps there's an opening? And socially, people will describe you as being "exuberant" and "enthusiastic." No one's going to come out and SAY "Loud-mouthed drunk." Believe me, I know.
Now, as for those banks, a small bit of truth wouldn't hurt. Canadians HATE their banks. Railing against them was a national sport for many decades. Why? Because of their... conservatism. It's great that we lucked into solvency, but I can assure you, it wasn't as the result of some grand national debate, or deep financial insight. More that we have a deep genetic hatred of any twisted bastard that wants to stay inside and play with money all day instead of being outdoors making bannock & playing with the dogs like normal people.
Besides, we're kinda worried now, having the strongest banks in the world. We feel much more comfortable when we finish 6th or maybe even... 4th. Like at the Olympics. "Ohhhhh.... so close. Could have had a medal. Still, WONDERFUL achievement. And especially doing it without drugs."
Ahhh, to be young, in Winter, in Saskatoon. Nothing quite like it.
March 6, 2009 10:26 AM | Reply | Permalink
Just tell me one thing, and if it's not true, lie to me. Tell me Scotiabank and RBC are solvent and there is no cause for distress.
March 6, 2009 7:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
Since Quinn is apparently sulking over his failure as an Olympic athlete, let me comfort you: Scotiabank and RBC are not only solvent but continue to pay out hefty dividends.
Share prices have fallen because of the U.S. crisis, however; some tell me this would be a good time to buy in.
In fact, precisely TWO Canadian banks have failed in the past 85 years -- they were tiny ones (less than 1% of the entire banking sector) and depositors were government-insured. That was back in 1985.
Canadian banks did hold some worthless U.S.-issued commercial paper last year, but with a $4-5 billion in gov't aid, they dumped it. All gone.
March 8, 2009 12:31 AM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks, Acunuck. Much relieved -- even if as I advised, you lied to me?
March 8, 2009 1:14 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, you caught me. The only banks we have left are food banks. Want to buy this potato?
March 8, 2009 11:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
Dear Rotwang, you are fast becoming the person I look for most when visiting the Café. Seriously. :)
I'm so happy we have made advances in microsurgery, after all Aortic valves are very important. I wish Wall Street and the zombie banks understood that.
Duncan Black is a milquetoast? Oy. And all this time I thought YOU were Atrios. Like, really.
I am so glad to find, finally, an acceptable explanation of how the Vast Left Wing Conspiracy really worked. Were mice in charge of it? Well, perhaps not. Most likely it was Douglas Quaid and Limbaugh is a sekrit Mars Intelligence Agent working for the GOP of Vilos Cohaagen.
March 6, 2009 2:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
Re: the surgery, the aortic valve was replaced by one from a pig, thereby raising the risk not that the Ms. Bush would reject the valve, but the pig valve would reject her.
We'll be exposing more conspiracies in the future, assuming we are not ourselves in the conspiracy. Ha!
March 6, 2009 2:55 PM | Reply | Permalink