David M. Walker:Profit (Prophet) of Doom

A couple of weeks ago, I received an email from an acquaintance of mine, Kirk Shamberger, urging me to watch an interview with David M. Walker, the Comptroller General of the United States.

Being a financial advisor, Kirk usually has an interesting take on the news that I am likely to overlook.

It took me a little while before I got around to seeing the story from 60 Minutes, but it was worth my time- I hope you will watch it, too.

Mr. Walker is, in effect, the nation's top accountant. And he has some startling news:

when ... boomers start retiring in mass, then that will be a tsunami of
spending that could swamp our ship of state if we don't get serious

Politicians on both sides of the aisle are aware of the problem. They will need a great deal of help and support from their constituents, however, if they are to effect unpleasant changes.

From the 60 Minutes transcript:

[Senate Budget Committee Chair Kent] Conrad acknowledges that most people
in Washington are aware how bad the situation is. "They know in large measure
here, Republicans and Democrats, that we are on a course that doesn't add up,"
the senator tells Kroft [of 60 Minutes.

"Why doesn't somebody do something about it?" Kroft asks.

"Because it's always easier not to. 'Cause it's always easier to defer, to
kick the can down the road to avoid making choices. You know, you get in
trouble in politics when you make choices"

I hope you will watch the video, or read the story. I would certainly like to hear other options discussed, in addition to the scaling back of Medicare. For instance, I would definitely hope to see upper income tax breaks reversed, and I would like to see us decide, as a nation, how to empower our MIDDLE class- rather than reward the very rich.

Still, this debate is worth having. As a nation, we have high aspirations, and lofty dreams. It is impossible to reach those goals, however, if you are economically crippled. On the flip side, remember, it can actually be quite WONDERFUL to live in a third world country...but only if you're rich.

See the piece here:

http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/i_video/main500251.shtml?id=2534935n

Or read it here:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/03/01/60minutes/main2528226.shtml

After the Veto

The New Dem Dispatch has a piece worth reading entitled: Iraq After the Veto. I'm not sure if I am totally in agreement, but I found food for thought.

Here are the Highlights:

House and Senate Democrats over the next several weeks will reconcile their
versions of a massive supplemental funding bill for U.S. military operations in
Iraq and Afghanistan. President Bush, meanwhile, has threatened to veto any
compromise that includes deadlines for withdrawing U.S. troops.

Normally, we would be skeptical of attempts by Congress to write war
strategy into law -- as opposed to exercising its Constitutional duties to
declare and finance wars. But these are not normal times. President Bush
continues to run the war as if the 2006 midterm election didn't happen, and as
if the U.S. Congress doesn't matter.

If, as seems likely, Bush Veto's this bill, the temptation will be to send the same bill back again.
This would be a mistake, and would perhaps allow Bush to regain the initiative when it comes to the battle for public opinion.

Sen. Barack Obama is right: Regardless of the truly high stakes of this
dispute, Washington should not play "chicken" with funding for our troops.

The DLC offers three alternative suggestions:

First, they should quickly pass a short-term and clean supplemental appropriations bill that will simultaneously give the troops what they need while forcing the president to come back and ask for more funding in three months. That will give Congress a chance to evaluate the administration's "surge" of troops into Iraq, which administration officials have assured us will show results by late summer...

Second, Congress should examine not only whether security has improved in Baghdad, but also whether the Maliki government has made a good faith effort to reconcile Iraq's Sunni community to the post- Saddam political order. While there is too much glib talk about forcing the government to somehow deliver a "political solution" to the war, there's no doubt that real progress on the political front, more than U.S. troop levels, is the key to stabilizing the country.

Third, congressional Democrats should call for a diplomatic strategy to accompany the administration's military strategy in Iraq. For four long years, we've been fighting in a regional and international diplomatic vacuum. This makes absolutely no sense.

Personally, the idea of funding our troops while making Bush crawl back to Capitol Hill to ask for even MORE money for his unpopular war makes a lot of political sense to me.

The New Democrats finish with the following thought:

Democrats cannot totally impose their will so long as George W. Bush clings to
power. But they can expose his stubborn folly in the court of public opinion,
which he cannot forever defy.

I hope ahd believe this is true.

Lincoln and Bush....Of COURSE!

This was a while back, but it was funny... go and take a look.

http://www.glumbert.com/media/lincolnbush

Jon Stewart: I'm joined now by Senior Comparative Presidential Historian, John Oliver. Uh, Bush and Lincoln? Clearly the pundits are trying to make that comparison. Is this a fair comparison?

John Oliver: It's not a comparison at all, Jon. It's an opening bid. The first salvo by the President in the negotiation over where he'll rank among his predecessors. Obviously, he's starting high. He knows he's not going to GET Lincoln; it's just part of the game. Bush opens with Lincoln; America comes back with Harding. Bush says, "Harding? You're killing me here! I'm at least Eisenhower!" America says, "I'm sorry, we can't go any higher than Hoover." And so on and so forth, until we all settle on something in the low "Van Buren" range.

Jon Stewart: Are there any similarities, historically, between Bush and Lincoln?

John Oliver: There are some, Jon. Both men presided over civil wars. One ours and historically inevitable; one someone else's and ridiculously evitable. Both men suspended the writ of habeas corpus, although Lincoln did mention it publicly. And, of course, both weren't afraid of the grand gesture: we all remember Lincoln on the deck of the U.S.S. Monitor hailing the end of Civil War combat operations three years before the South actually surrendered.

"Take My Water And My Glass...They've got Me Totally Paranoid"Lurita Doan feels the heat.

Well, the story still isn't on the front page, or even in it's own article, but at least the Washington Post gives this terrific nugget inside a different column:

The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform grilled General Services Administration chief Lurita Doan on Wednesday over allegations that she tried to give a no-bid job to a business associate, intervened in a contract
dispute with a technology company, and had a White House official brief top political appointees at the agency on targeting Democrats and helping Republicans in 2008. All that in just 10 months running the agency.

...Doan, apparently not realizing her microphone was still on, turned to an aide and said: "Take my water, and my glass. I don't want them to track my fingerprints. They've got me totally paranoid."

Someone should explain to the administrator that, when you've done something illegal, it is not called paranoia...it is called guilt.

Hear the audio for yourself here. (You'll have to sit through a preroll ad, but it's worth it.)

Republican Corruption at the GSABut Where Is The Story?

Yesterday, Laurita Doan was grilled by members of the House Oversight Committee, Democrats wondered how it was that Doan, could not remember the meeting in which she may have violated the law by offering to use her Government Agency to help Republican Candidates.

NPR has the Story.

In her testimony, Doan preferred to emphasize her entrepreneurial efforts. But Democrats were interested in other things: a contract that she tried to award to an old friend; negotiations with Sun Microsystems, in which she became involved; and, more especially, the briefing. In January, Scott Jennings — the top aide to White House political adviser Karl Rove — talked to GSA political appointees about the 2006 election results and the Republican goals for 2008.

However, NPR does NOT have the story on it's front page. You have to search for it.


Meanwhile- here were the story's that the AP felt were important enough to serve me at breakfast:

AP: Top Stories

Iran broadcasts British sailor's apology - 10 minutes ago
Coaltion forces detain Iraq bomb suspect - one hour ago
Report: Helicopter shot down in Somalia - 2 hours ago
Dems edge closer to showdown over Iraq - 2 hours ago
Giuliani faces questions about Sept. 11 - 42 minutes ago
Milk prices expected to rise 9 percent - one hour ago
ICANN rejects creation of '.xxx' domain - one hour ago
Prosecutors: Revoke Hilton's probation - one hour ago

Neither the Attourny General who-ha, OR the GSA story makes the list-- but porn AND Paris Hilton do...

And so I ask again...WHAT LIBERAL MEDIA?

Well! We Knew It was Going to Be Fun But...Hearing on Allegations of GSA Misconduct

Hearing on Allegations of GSA Misconduct: Braley Questions

A couple of days ago, Rip and Read knew this was going to be a fun story!

But WOW! I Love this question:

"Can you tell us what, if anything, these slides have to with the GSA's core purpose of procuring supplies and managing federal buildings?"

And can she answer? Hell no!

Poor Lurita Doan -- she's like a fish on a hook. It's really difficult to feel too sorry though!

Check out You Tube for More: http://www.youtube.com/results?search=related&search_query=Democrats%20Congress%20Waxman%20Oversight%20GSA%20Doan%20Braley&v=VePqzIrR-ao

Demonstrating Against Vermont's Congressional Delegation: Noise for the Sake of Making Noise?

Last week, a group of protesters staged a sit-in of Peter Welch’s office to protest his lack of willingness to end the Iraq war right this minute.

Yesterday a group of protesters did the same at Bernie Sanders’ office.

The demonstrators, irate that Sanders wasn't present and didn't join the telephone call, said they didn't understand why a war opponent would vote for funding. "The funding has got to stop," said Bunny Daubner, 75, of Bristol. "How can you say you're against a war and still give money to it?"

I understand the frustration; I share it, but good grief, what a USELESS way to focus one’s energy.

“I believe it would be counterproductive to take the position that some are advocating, namely to vote against anything that doesn't include an immediate or nearly immediate withdrawal from Iraq," Sanders said. "That would mean voting with the Bush administration and congressional Republicans and handing a victory to those who want to continue and perhaps expand the war into neighboring countries."-Burlington Free Press

Despite the ages of the protesters, it strikes me as immature grandstanding; I can’t help but think that they are secretly more than a little gratified to have gotten their names in the paper.

In fact, it’s worse than useless…

For one thing, in case these protesters have forgotten: many of us still have friends and relatives in Iraq. George W. Bush has made it quite clear that he is going to keep them there, and he has made it quite clear that he’s not all that concerned that they have the protection they need (body armor, for example) to be as safe as possible.

Would these protesters be willing to sacrifice the life of a young American Solider just to score a political point against Bush?

Also, by focusing their anger on strong potential allies like Peter Welch and Bernie Sanders, the protesters actually help to turn in the energy of the center-left coalition in on itself.

As George W. Bush has proved time and time again, he doesn’t NEED to maintain a majority to retain his hold on power; he simply needs to KEEP the majority divided against itself.

I am proud of the way Vermont’s Congressional Delegation is working to do the long, difficult and painstaking work necessary to knit the majority back together in order to accomplish the goals supposedly cherished by these protesters.

Between the growing scandals at Department of Justice, the recent revelations about Political Abuses at the GSA, and the growing dissatisfaction with the War held by the American public, this work is actually going faster than I would have dared to hope.

Given that, I think it is ironic that some have chosen to thank our delegation by trying to paint them as the enemy.

The Rush To the PrimariesIt's Just Too Damn Early.

Edwards, Hillary, Obama. It's just too damn early for this. A combination of Democratic eagerness for a rematch (where, it is to be hoped, the game won't be rigged this time) combined with the surge of State Pride (and desire for campaign cash) have pushed the primary season ridiculously early.

New Donkey, the centrist Democrat blogger, posted on this subject about a week ago- and I think it's worth a read.

This [the rush to nominate] ... is simply crazy. February 5 is nine months before the general election, and roughly six months before the nominating conventions ... It virtually guarantees that three factors: money, name ID, and success in the earliest states, especially Iowa,will determine the outcome. And it may well snuff any serious chance for the lower-tier candidates in both parties ....Most importantly, the emerging calendar will provide zero opportunity for second thoughts after the early rush has anointed nominees. It could be a very long spring, summer and autumn if a nominee commits some major blunder, or some disabling skeleton jumps out of a closet [emphasis added].

New Donkey goes on to say point out that this problem could be solved by having the Democratic National Committee take a leadership role to stop thmadnesses:

...what should happen before the next go-around, is a truly national approach. Whether it's a lottery, or a carefully matched series of states around the country, or regional primaries, or just the kind of spread-out process that prevailed until recently, it could be imposed by the DNC through a combination of (a) strict rules against seating of delegates chosen outside the calendar guidelines, and (b) an aggressive effort to recruit all candidates in advance to support the decision, with ejection from DNC-sponsored debates, or if necessary, a ban on speaking opportunities at the Convention, being the stick.

But if we don't get seriously angry about this abomination right now, we're going to find ourselves in the same situation four and eight years from now.

Given the source (New Donkey is after all, usually butting heads with MyDD and Daily Kos), it's possible that these ideas will be rejected by the netroots as rhetoric of the Republican-Lite wing of the Party...

But...given the fact that HRClinton is the likely beneficiary this year of this insane process...I think it's a conversation in which all should participate.

Henry Waxman Strikes Again!

According to the Washington Post, more trouble is brewing for the Bush-ies today. Lurita Alexis Doan, head of the General Services Administration, is expected to pay a visit to the committee this week.

Did she improperly use the resources of her agency to play politics for Karl Rove?

And how about this?

The committee is also expected to question Doan about her attempt to give a no-bid job to a friend and professional associate last summer. In addition, the committee plans to look at Waxman's charge that Doan "intervened" in a troubled technology contract with Sun Microsystems that could cost taxpayers millions more than necessary.

This could be fun.

Links

I have to admit, I didn't know much about the General Services Administration OR Lurita Alexis Doan until this morning. Here are couple of things I found out.

Doan founded her own technology firm in the 1980s. She eventually made enough money so that she could afford to give some whopping big chunks to various Republican Election Committees. This definitely seems to be someone who knows who her friends are.

The General Services administration oversees about $58 Billion in federal contracts. (See Washington Post and Wikipedia)

• Info on General Services Administration


• Biography of Lurita Alexis Doan


• Doan's Campaign Contributions

Welcome to Parasite Gal&Rip And Read Turns 100

Yesterday, Rip and Read ran a picture of a pudgy, hypocritical Texas Republican. Today, we are running a picture of a louse. As much as you might like to think that there is a connection, it must be denied.

The louse is on Rip and Read because we take this opportunity to welcome Parasite Gal to the blog roll and wish her well in her new online venture.

So, when you tire of reading about Republicans here at Rip and Read, take a virtual stroll over to Parasite Wonders .There, you will learn how the OTHER half of the Parasite World lives.

Also, it must be noted that with the posting of this announcement, Rip and Read turns 100 today! This entry marks our 100th post. Happy Milestone to us. Here are links to some of our favorite entries:

• Newt Gingrich


• Iraq War Debate


• Impeachment?


• Henry Waxman Part 1


• Henry Waxman Part 2


• What's Wrong with Politics: Taking it On Faith


and, yes,
Walter Wrenchall returned:

• Michael J. Fox Vs. Rush Limbaugh Vs. Walter Wrenchall.

Of course, we must admit that, as much as we've learned from writing these essays, the post which generates the most hits on Google is still our second entry: Peeing In the Shower On You Tube. We suspect that this popularity has more to do with the inclusion of the word "pee" in the title than in our brilliant political analysis. It's a sick world, but hey! We'll take what we can get.

Thanks, too, to Vermont Daily Briefing for the chance to participate in The League Of Extraordinary Republican Gentleman. It's been a lot of fun!

PS-

Again, We must note that it is merely a coincidence that Representative Gohmert's Picture is juxtaposed with that of a louse. There is no other connection. As they say in the movie business, any resemblance is completely coincidental. Honest.