consumetheconsumer's Blog

consumetheconsumer Commented on New Jersey Poll: Birthers, Truthers, And The Anti-Christ -- Oh, My! by Eric Kleefeld

2009-09-16T18:53:41Z

ibc - they are not fair comparisons. We know that the Bush administration had facts in its possession which, had they acted on them, could have prevented the attacks. Could have, should have, would have, I know, but it is that way because they did . . . nothing. Ergo, it had some "advance knowledge"

Obama is the anti-Christ . . . give me a break. The same number would probably agree he's Hitler / Stalin / Ho / Pol Pot / etc. reborn in one.

It's apples and concrete - no comparison.

consumetheconsumer Commented on New Jersey Poll: Birthers, Truthers, And The Anti-Christ -- Oh, My! by Eric Kleefeld

2009-09-16T18:38:22Z

The anti-Christ question, not certain how you can spin that - Do you believe BHO is the anti-Christ - yes, no or maybe. But, I do not believe that answering yes to a question posed as do you believe the administration had advance knowledge of the 9/11 attacks necessarily makes you a truther. As I understand things (and I could be wrong), the truthers not only think there was advance knowledge, they think it was kept quiet for the express purpose of allowing the attacks to take place so that all manner of craziness could occur. I have no problem with answering yes, the administration had some advance knowledge and didn't act on it. I think they just didn't focus on the threat or believe it was real -- i.e. they were basically incompetents masquerading as Real Americans Keeping the Country Safe because keeping the country safe, pre 9/11, was a campaign slogan with little meat behind it. Having some facts and intentionally not acting on them is quite the different thing.

consumetheconsumer Commented on Gibbs Denies That White House Is Giving Up On Bipartisanship by Rachel Slajda

2009-08-19T17:13:16Z

what would be most helpful is if the WH would come up with a single message to put out today, rather than the 2 or 3 we're being subjected to - and it's not even 10 am on the West Coast. Losing control of the message?!?! What's the message? This is ridiculous. Tuning out.

consumetheconsumer Commented on What Should Be Done With The Next $350 Billion of Taxpayer Bailout: Criteria for TARP II by Robert Reich

2009-01-15T18:36:18Z

Ah, thank you for pointing that out. I did misread. That makes more sense and I agree, it likely won't ever happen, but it's a nice thought.

consumetheconsumer Commented on What Should Be Done With The Next $350 Billion of Taxpayer Bailout: Criteria for TARP II by Robert Reich

2009-01-15T17:33:01Z

Re: "You may judge these conditions harsh." Harsh?!? Give me a break. These recommendations allow a 10% raise in a recession / depression and for those that caused the problems in the first place to keep 50% of their previous salaries. All the rest of the recommendations are just either good business decisions for the long run or the cost of doing (or continuing in) business.

consumetheconsumer Commented on Conyers Wants Criminal Probe Of Bush Officials' Wrongdoing by Zachary Roth

2009-01-14T16:09:38Z

It's not necessarily Obama's job to clean up the mess his predecessor made. His job, in less than a week, is to be the President of the United States. The head of 1 of 3 branches of government.

Congress' job -- then, now and when Obama is the POTUS -- is to police the POTUS, tell him what laws to enforce and make sure, through oversight, that the POTUS and all those who serve in the Executive Branch follow the law. Another job it has, IMHO, is to not make laws that allow the POTUS to hide what it's doing from Congress, the Courts or the "American people."

Obama's got a new hat to wear. It's unlikely, without Congressional investigations which produce actual evidence, that Obama's DOJ will do much other than stop the bad practices going forward. Obama, as POTUS, wants to look forward. While admirable, this only puts the problem off to the next POTUS who, like Cheney / Bush, don't take so kindly to the rule of law.

Congress, however, has that same hat it's always had and which it has allowed to grow moldy in the closet for the past 8 years. It can choose to ensure that the law is the law and is upheld and followed. It's time for Congressional leaders to do their jobs. Once the "facts" come out - and a judge just yesterday order the Bush administration to turn over certain documents to the Obama administration rather than the Archives - the snowball, if one is created, will take care of itself.