Larisa Alexandrovna: Now What? ("I continue to stand against this hostile takeover of our nation")

[Hissyspit]

http://www.atlargely.com/2008/10/now-what.html

Now what?

Apparently no one is willing to understand (and certainly the corporate media is making sure people are very frightened and very confused) that the solution to the current financial crisis is not a). more of our money to bail out Wall street and b). more power for the Executive Branch. The majority of the public is against this bill and continues to be against it even though it passed - all-patriotic-like - because both Presidential candidates endorsed it (that should tell you something). This is a quick solution so that both parties can got on with more important business, like winning elections (or did you think anyone actually cared about this country?). Yes, I am upset about this bill and it is even worse than I thought given the overwhelming Democratic support for it.

I am going to ask the following of the House leadership:

1. Explain to us under what emergency with huge economical ramifications so urgent as to be addressed without our consent does the following fall:

Limit courts from issuing restraining orders or injunctions against the Treasury secretary unless alleging a constitutional violation. In those cases, injunctions would have to be handled on an expedited basis by federal courts. Significantly, there is no limited liability expressed that would necessarily protect the federal government from lawsuits by investors when the government purchases distressed assets
Make permanent authority for undercover operations.
Make permanent authority for disclosure of information relating to terrorist activities.
Clarify income averaging for settlement amounts received in connection with Exxon Valdez litigation

2. Where in this piece of fraud is there any concern over accountability, legal action against those involved in illegal banking practices, and liability of those same people to pay back embezzled funds or funds acquired through fraudulent means to the public coffers?

3. Where in this piece of trash is there language addressing a tax increase on those who make over $250k and a tax penalty for those who hide their money off-shore?

4. Where is the language that would demand full transparency of the entire process?

5. Where is the help for main street, other than wooden arrows (I kid you not) and support for the Puerto Rican film industry?

This is our money and for once - maybe just once - we have the power to demand something in exchange. Why are we not demanding that home-owners be bailed out - particularly those who were victims of the sub-prime scam? If the housing market is creating this ripple affect, should we not address the problem directly? I may be wrong, but this is at least something to consider.

In fact, why does Congress and the Executive Branch have time to meet with lobbyists for Wall Street, but no time to meet with leading economists and NGO groups? So now what? The House still has to vote and you NEED to demand they kill this bill. In an emergency, you don't address your wish list. In an emergency you address the basics to stabilize the situation. So why do we need all of this extra power grab language and extra gifts with very little oversight language (IMHO)? Right, because there is no time like an emergency during which to commit a crime. Think about that.

I continue to stand against this hostile takeover of our nation. Call it Socialism, Communism, Fascism (the most accurate), Nationalism, whatever you need to have it make sense to you. But understand we are talking about authoritarian powers, nationalisation of private property, a merger of corporate and state interests. This is not a democracy anymore. The vote yesterday underscored this very basic point. If the majority of the nation does not want this, then why is the Senate passing this? If they represent us, then why are they going against our wishes? Yes, my point exactly.

[cyberpj]

1. I stand with you. How quickly we forget to resist being herded into a decision by fear tactics.

[anigbrowl]

2. This indignation is most annoying to people who've been saying the government needs to act for over

I mean, if we'd addressed this back in spring, summer, last winter or last fall, we wouldn't be trying to rely on this emergency package now. As it is, though, it didn't get properly addressed and so there's a last-minute scramble to avert disaster. I can't help feeling that the people protesting about being railroaded into it (here on DU, on FR etc.) are the same people that shrugged it off whenever it was brought up in the recent past.

[RainDog]

5. you would be wrong, then.

I see the new meme is to equate any democrat who objects to this with a freeper. This sort of insult is counterproductive because those who oppose this could look at you and say... wow, just like George Bush, you want to put money into the hands of corporate thieves. You must like the way Bush has governed. Or we could say... you must be a corporate whore.

So can we stop the insults and talk about the issue?

for what it's worth - I have a masters degree in library and information science. I was a phi beta kappa student who won awards for my work that dealt with the French Revolution and English political rhetoric. I had a grant from the national endowment for the arts before I went back to school and got a masters degree. I worked as a writer, previously, for a magazine, a newspaper and a production company...to give some examples. I've worked as a librarian in a University. I have two children. I have money invested for retirement. My ex-husband is a professor. I have lived in Europe and have been there many times because my ex-inlaws have lived there all their lives. I've visited about 10 different nations in Europe and I have friends who live there now who are from those other countries. In addition to living in Europe, I have lived in four different states - and all but one of those in large cities - where I live now is a college town which has one of the most educated populations per capita in the U.S. and is considered, by Forbes magazine, one of the top ten places to start a new business because of this.

I am not a freeper nor a rural hick, in other words, and you and your friends here who keep up with personal insults to those who disagree with you need to stop.

In European terms, you could label me as a social democrat, which, in American terms means I support regulated capitalism and a strong social safety net. This is different than being a socialist or a liberal, in the classic or neo- sense, and has nothing to do with communism. I guess Bernie Sanders is the only person in the government who comes close to representing my view of the best way to govern.

now that I've established that, may I also note that the problem is that Paulson is STILL getting permission to loot the treasury. The bill STILL does not address the mtg crisis for those who hold mtgs. The arrogance of assuming that any "solution" has to come from rewarding those who created this is simply wrong.

I think the solution I read here that dealt with mtgs via Fannie/Freddie makes a lot of sense. I think that, once the money is gone, it is the height of gullibility to think changes will come about that stem directly from this deal. I lived through the savings and loan moment and this is worse -- and the proposed solution is worse.

[anigbrowl]

12. Three points

Because I don't care to necro threads.

1) I don't think Paulson is going to loot the treasury or anything like it. In my view he has been doing his job relatively competently while struggling with an executive who wasn't willing to deal with the issue.

2) this bailout is not 'the solution', it's an emergency measure designed to unfreeze the credit markets. We are going toneed major structural changes in both our regulatory environment and our economy, and by major I mean the kind that won't fit in a single bill and might not even fit into a single presidential term.

3) I did not equate you with a Freeper, but observed that the fringes of both parties (as represented on DU and FR) disagree with this. They disagree for quite different reasons, but in both cases I think the people complaining loudest were the ones least willing to put their weight behind doing something about it earlier. You took a general comment and interpreted it personally, which makes no sense; and then you complained about me and others of my ilk insulting people - which I suppose we do, if pointing out ignorance among some people is an insult.

The fact that I strongly support the Democratic party and always have doesn't alter the fact that the left has a lunatic fringe just like the right wing does, and that the lunatic fringes of both parties are made up of people who are ignorant, illogical, and extremely militant. I make no apologies for dismissing their views, and I don't always do so with good manners because those people rarely respond with good manners to reasoned and pedestrian arguments.

For example, I started a thread earlier this week about the practical effects of the credit crunch on business and the delivery of goods and services, explaining in basic terms what the commercial paper market was and what difficulties it was going through and what the consequences would be. An hor later I was being accused of being some country club fat cat living in a gated community (when in fact I've never even visited such an establishment in my life). People who go on that way make a lot of noise and take up a lot of bandwidth in forums, but they're only interested in promoting their own views and shouting down others. Left or right unfortunately have nothing much to do with it: I dislike left-wing authoritarians as much as I dislike right wing authoritarians.

[cyberpj]

14. Your assumptions that only you and your "people" have been aware of the coming crisis is unfair -

I think the people protesting this bailout the loudest are those that saw it coming and believe that the financial industry saw if coming even long before and did nothing at that time.

If the people within the industry did nothing before the last minute, what did you expect citizens to do?

Your post is an unfair judgement with a little too much personal superiority.

So what did you do to address it "properly"?

[snappyturtle]

3. I am in total agreement. This is a last ditch effort to grab, not only

the taxpayers wallet but, our democracy. I have had a terrible time today, as evidenced by a rant I posted, to even have access to my representatives by phone or e-mail, to express my disdain for the legislation being shoved down our throats. I do not like being threatened with the credit 'emergency". Who made it an emergency? Not us. We have a right to know the entire framework of the problem.

We know little of the 400+ pages of the bill. Do you really thing anyone or most read it and voted anyway? We have to keep e-mailing and phoning, our liberty depends on it.

K&R

[AntiFascist]

4. K&RRR...

and proud to put this on the Greatest list.

[Mnemosyne]

6. KnR for Larisa! Thanks Hissy! n/t

[Hissyspit]

7. kicking this again n/t

[Hissyspit]

8. and again for the morning. n/t

[judasdisney]

9. The New Deal worked fine. Until the New World Order came along.

[moodforaday]

10. k&r, nt

kick:

[HamdenRice]

11. Is it easier to get these additional measures now? Or under a Democratic Congress and Pres. Obama?

I'm puzzled why everyone seems to think that everything we want in exchange for the bailout has to be this bill. I'm also puzzled that everyone thinks we are going to get a better deal now than in January.

Legislation is not written in stone.

[bluesmail]

13. Where is the outrage you ask? It's been there all along

We no longer have representation, it's a sham. It's a farce. Transparency? Nope. It's set up for the filthy rich sociopaths to do as they like to us, people thinking they have a voice but don't. I wish I could scream a word that w_o_u_l_d .... Good Article. I wish you well LaLa.