This is stupid. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have been screwed up for a long time (and there's a lot of blame to go around for that - starting with each of us), but Congress is not raising your taxes to bail out shareholders and management. That's just stupid.

Republican and Democratic politicians have sworn for years that there was no government guarantee for these corporations, but the fact is (as most people realized), they are just too big to fail. We just can't afford to let that happen. You think the economy is bad now? Hah!

Now, the shareholders (including mutual funds in your 401-k, pension plans, etc. - we aren't all fat cats!) in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have already lost hugely. The stock value was down something like 80% last I heard. Upper management will almost certainly get booted for this fiasco. Yeah, they won't suffer much, but get real. There's a certain saying about cutting off your nose to spite your face. That definitely applies here!

This is the same kind of knee-jerk response we heard after the Bear Stearns fiasco, and it's just as stupid now. It's like we can make up for our earlier apathy and inattention by complaining about unfair bailouts afterwards. Well, this whole mess is (collectively) OUR fault - the fault of the American people who let this happen. Well, it's a mess now, and measures to stave off even further disasters won't be pretty and won't be fair. So what? It's an emergency. We need to grow up and start acting like adults.

Posted at July 15, 2008 8:49 AM in response to Bush and Congress Want to Raise Your Taxes to Help out Fannie and Freddie's Management and Shareholders

I'm from Nebraska, and I respect Sen. Hagel for his opposition to the Iraq War. That principled stand has cost him his political career.

But on every other issue, Hagel has been one of Bush's staunchest supporters. He is very much a right-wing Republican (his anti-environmental stance has been a particular pain). Do not look at his intelligent statements on Iraq and forget about the rest of his positions.

Some people here apparently see what they want to see. Look closer. I respect the man, but I do NOT agree with him about most things. He is certainly not the person we need as vice-president!

Posted at July 14, 2008 8:40 AM in response to Hagel's Office Officially Announces Iraq/Afghanistan Trip With Obama

"But as the Obama campaign was quick to point out,..."

That's the part I liked to hear. The Obama campaign has been quick - and very effective - at responding to these kinds of things.

Posted at June 27, 2008 8:47 AM in response to GOP Senator Questions Obama's Bipartisanship -- But He Repeatedly Worked With Obama!

Er, I'm not sure that Musgrove leading in Mississippi is such good news. He was that religious nut involved in the Ten Commandments idiocy, wasn't he? We don't need Democrats like that!

I'm not proposing a litmus test for Democrats, since I don't suppose I agree with anyone about everything, but some things - such as freedom of religion and the strict separation of church and state - are just too important. We've had so much religious idiocy in the White House for almost eight years that we certainly can't support it in the Democratic Party!

Posted at June 27, 2008 8:34 AM in response to Polls: Dems Running Strong In Multiple Senate Races

Hey, I continue to be impressed at the way Barack Obama plays offense. Instead of being constantly on the defensive, like our past two Democratic presidential nominees, he doesn't let the Republicans direct his own campaign. It's very good to see a Democrat play offense, isn't it? Especially when he's so very good at it!

Posted at June 24, 2008 11:10 AM in response to Obama Camp: McCain Flip-Flopped On Question Of Whether Specter Of Terrorism Helps Him Politically!

And some of us have already given more than we can actually afford - or, at least, more than we have ever donated before. That extended primary has wiped me out. Well, OK, I'll be sending another $100 soon, but there IS a limit. I'm hoping all that spending to defeat Clinton is not just money that won't be available against McCain.

Posted at June 24, 2008 10:55 AM in response to Poll: Obama Holds Enormous "Voter Enthusiasm" Edge Over McCain

Sometimes, I really wonder about my fellow Democrats. I think some of you would prefer to lose in November, just so you can continue being the perpetual victims.

I have no idea why you're so upset about Obama's statement, which seems reasonable enough to me. The FISA bill IS an improvement, and he'll try to get the immunity provision stripped in the Senate version. What else could you possibly want? Yes, he'll probably fail. Boo, hoo. That's politics. You can't get everything, you know. You do what you can.

But some of you are apparently going to take your ball and go home, if you don't win every game. What a bunch of crybabies! Christ, it's no wonder the GOP wipes the floor with us year after year! Politics isn't a schoolyard spat, you know. It's the real world, and progress is halting and slow. If we lose this one, we still may win the rest,... unless you start pouting and go home.

I'm really embarrassed at some of the comments here! I don't agree with Barack Obama about everything - far from it - but so what? I don't agree with ANYONE about everything, and he's still a million times better than McCain - not to mention that he'll be working with Democrats in Congress, too. Some of you really need to grow up!

Posted at June 21, 2008 9:58 AM in response to Obama Backing FISA "Compromise"

This has always been the Democrats' election to lose. The GOP can't win it, but the Democrats can lose it,... and we seem to be almost dumb enough to make that happen. It's no wonder the Republicans have stomped us for more than a decade.

I read Obama's comments on the FISA bill, and I can't imagine why there's such a controversy here. I can only believe that you've come to LIKE being the perpetual victims, so you're determined to do everything necessary to throw this election. Certainly, there seems to be little logic or reason in this 'cave-in' complaint.

If you want to bitch about the House vote, fine, but even there, politics is a matter of doing what's possible. As Obama says, this IS an improved FISA bill. Perfect? No, of course not,... but definitely an improvement. And if he says he'll work to get the immunity provisions stripped in the Senate version (though I'm guessing that's unlikely to succeed), what more do you want?

Jeebus, it's no wonder the GOP has wiped the floor with us for years and years. We're like spoiled children, ignoring the real threats to fight among ourselves. Grow up!

Posted at June 21, 2008 9:42 AM in response to Why Obama's Support For FISA Cave-In Is Such A Downer

This is fine, but do we want Musgrove to win? He's that religious nut who was involved in the Ten Commandments spat, wasn't he? Do we really want to support a Democrat who has no respect for the separation of church and state?

I'm not advocating a litmus test for Democrats, but some things are too important, too fundamental to our democracy, to ignore.

Posted at June 20, 2008 8:41 AM in response to Alarmed GOP Sends In Bush To Help Save Mississippi Senate Seat

Sweeney is a Republican, I assume? Not all of us are New Yorkers, you know. It might help to note his party affiliation.

Posted at June 20, 2008 8:14 AM in response to Feds Searched Sweeney's Congressional Office, Grand Jury Set For Next Week