TomCADem
TomCADem's Journal
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Member since: Thu May 7, 2009, 11:59 PM
Number of posts: 17,255
Number of posts: 17,255
Journal Archives
Bernie Is Stealing Trump's Campaign Playbook - Polls and Fake News
Look at this Board. Most Pro-Bernie threads consist of:
1. Bashing the media complaining about bias when he is covered or a Bernie blackout when he is not; or 2. Talking about polls that show him in the lead. Who does that remind you of? The Bernie revolution is just warmed over Trump style populism built on attacking the "Democratic Establishment." We need to get away from the status quo and elect a Democrat that can address and inform the people and elevate the political dialogue, rather than replicate and validate Republican talking points regarding Fake News, polls and Democrats. We need a movement that empowers and informs the people, rather than one built around unquestioning devotion to a personality. |
Posted by TomCADem | Fri Dec 27, 2019, 04:02 PM (182 replies)
WaPo - Federal government has dramatically expanded exposure to risky mortgages
Here is just another example of how the Trump administration has been trying to artificially goose the economy by returning to the liar loan days of the Bush administration.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/realestate/federal-government-has-dramatically-expanded-exposure-to-risky-mortgages/ar-AAIcp3f The federal government has dramatically expanded its exposure to risky mortgages, as federal officials over the past four years took steps that cleared the way for companies to issue loans that many borrowers might not be able to repay.
Now, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the Federal Housing Administration guarantee almost $7 trillion in mortgage-related debt, 33 percent more than before the housing crisis, according to company and government data. Because these entities are run or backstopped by the U.S. government, a large increase in loan defaults could cost taxpayers hundreds of billions of dollars. * * * In 2019, there is more government-backed housing debt than at any other point in U.S. history, according to data from the Urban Institute. Taxpayers are shouldering much of the risk, while a growing number of homeowners face debt payments that amount to nearly half of their monthly income, a threshold many experts consider too steep. Roughly 30 percent of the loans Fannie Mae guaranteed last year exceeded this level, up from 14 percent in 2016, according to Urban Institute data. At the FHA, 57 percent of the loans it insured breached the high-risk echelon, jumping from 38 percent two years earlier. |
Posted by TomCADem | Sun Oct 6, 2019, 10:25 PM (2 replies)
Nixon Was The First President Known To Pressure BLS to Manipulate Econ Data. What About Trump?
As Trump celebrates BLS labor data suggesting that unemployment is down even as the economy slows and record numbers of people are homeless, this reminds me of relatively small Trump scandal early in the Trump presidency when he appointedFred Malek. Who is Fred Malek?
Well, Fred Malek was infamous because he counted the Jews in the Bureau of Labor Statistics so President Nixon could demote them because Nixon believed that they were cooking the BLS's economic stats to make him look bad. So, Nixon asked Fred Malek, a future Trump appointee, to identify and demote Jews and Democrats in the Bureau of Labor Statistics in an effort to pressure the BLS to publish more favorable economic data? Could it happen again? Or, do we think that Trump has more scruples and is less racist than Nixon? https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2007/09/nixon-s-jew-count-the-whole-story.html Our story begins on the afternoon of July 2, 1971. President Richard Nixon is angered to read in the Washington Star that the Bureau of Labor Statistics has downplayed a drop in the unemployment rate from 6.2 percent to 5.6 percent, attributing it to a statistical quirk. (For details about the BLS interpretation, which was routine and unexceptional, see Hughes’ “Nixon vs. the Imaginary Jewish Cabal,” posted Sept. 24 on the Web site History News Network.) We join Nixon as he is talking to White House aide Charles Colson. (This is from a newly released Miller Center transcription.) |
Posted by TomCADem | Sun Oct 6, 2019, 02:32 PM (9 replies)
Spy Chief Dan Coats Goes 'Rogue' by Not Validating Trump's Russia Contradictions (2018)
Trump just fired his Director of National Intelligence, Dan Coats. Dan Coats, as you know, was on Trump's shit list for not backing Trump's efforts to cover up for Putin.
http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2018/07/dan-coats-goes-rogue-wont-back-trumps-russia-claims.html?gtm=top In the aftermath of President Trump’s disastrous performance at his summit with Vladimir Putin on Monday, familiar patterns have emerged. Anonymous White House staffers told Politico that White House morale is now even lower than it was after the last scandal, and some are eyeing the exits — though no one seems interested in resigning in protest. Top Trump aides tried to stake out a position that didn’t anger their boss, yet was still somewhat fact-based and inoffensive. |
Posted by TomCADem | Sun Jul 28, 2019, 09:44 PM (1 replies)
Revelations On the Anti-Christ - Isn't It Funny How Evangelicals Cheer on Trump?
The Bible's end-time prophecies state that religious people—including many self-professed Christians, would be deceived into accepting a counterfeit Christianity, and would oppose many of the teachings of Christ. In that sense, the New Testament states that many Christians would be deceived by a spirit of antichrist.
The Bible does not reveal specifically who the Antichrist is, speaking instead of his corrupt teachings. In 2 Thessalonians 2, Paul prophesied of a “man of sin,” a liar and deceiver whose natural abilities Satan enhances by supernatural power in order to confuse people in the end time. In addition, Revelations refers to a “false prophet” to come at the end time (Revelation 13:1-18; Revelation 16:13; Revelation 19:20). Finally, Revelations describes a great religious leader of the end time: “He had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon” (Revelation 13:11). That is to say, he takes on the image of (or imitates) Jesus Christ (the Lamb of God), but is empowered by Satan. Thus, a counterfeit version of Christianity fulfills the types we read of in the prophecies of Revelation. Well, I guess it is a good thing that our Evangelical leaders have not been deceived by Trump and have taken a strong, vocal stand against his infidelity, his cruelty, and his hate. 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4: 1Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, 2not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. 3Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. Revelations 13:11-18: 11Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon. 12It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence, and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed. 13It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people, 14and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived. 15And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain. 16Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, 17so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. 18This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666. Revelations 16:8-16 8The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch people with fire. 9They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory. 10The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in anguish 11and cursed the God of heaven for their pain and sores. They did not repent of their deeds. Revelations 19:20: And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. ![]() |
Posted by TomCADem | Tue Jul 16, 2019, 11:39 PM (9 replies)
Hidden Recession - Economists flee Agriculture Dept. after feeling punished under Trump
Trump's policies are harming the American working class. Yet, if any agency acknowledges the detrimental impact of such policies, they will be retaliated against.
https://www.politico.com/story/2019/05/07/agriculture-economists-leave-trump-1307146 Reports showing farmers hurt by the president’s policies have drawn the ire of top officials. |
Posted by TomCADem | Thu Jun 20, 2019, 10:52 PM (3 replies)
Like Trump, Does Bernie Still Think NATO Is A Waste of Money?
During the Trump administration, we have seen the ramifications of a US that has become more isolationist at home. Russia has become increasingly aggressive and willing to interfere abroad. Democracies increasingly cannot rely on the US, as Trump questions the value of alliances. However, would Bernie Sanders be any different? Afterall, Bernie has dismissed NATO as a "waste" of money for the U.S., which funds a disproportionate share of the alliance among its 28 member nations. During his debates with Hillary Clinton, Bernie was Trump like in demanding that "The countries of Europe should pick up more of the burden for their defense."
Finally, Bernie even suggested that NATO was obsolete as Trump has done by proposing that NATO admit Russia and be transformed into anti-terrorist organization, rather than a bulwark against Russian aggression. This pro-Russian stance is particularly concerning given Bernie's long standing opposition to Russian sanctions such as the Magnitsky Act, the 2015 reauthorization of the Act, 2017 Election sanctions, and the efforts to lift sanctions earlier this year. Put another way, if we oppose Trump's Russia friendly policies, why would we support Bernie Sanders and not a Democrat? https://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/260804-sanders-calls-for-new-nato-that-includes-russia Sanders calls for new NATO that includes Russia |
Posted by TomCADem | Thu Mar 7, 2019, 09:42 PM (19 replies)
Bernie and Trump's Scapegoating of Mexicans and Chinese on Trade and Immigration - Part I (Tariffs)
In response to a poster who wrote:
Do you have any links? I'm curious to see what you think are attacks against Mexico and China https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1287&pid=12692 I am going to explain how Bernie's dog whistle attacks on foreign countries parallel if not exceed the xenophobic attacks of Donald Trump. Even more so than Trump, Bernie has made a career of blaming America's problems on trade and immigration. In particular, the villain in Bernie's attacks has been Mexico and China regardless of the facts behind his attacks. Indeed, more so than Trump, Bernie has seen fit to mostly exempt white countries from his demands for demands even when Mexico or China account for a small portion of US imports for the product at issue. For example, lets look at steel tariffs. Trump announced the imposition of tariffs on steel imports, which is a move that Bernie Sanders has long championed: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/onpolitics/2016/03/31/bernie-sanders-pledges-rewrite-disastrous-trade-deals/82473012/ Along with NAFTA, Sanders said he also would rewrite CAFTA, permanent normal trade relations with China, and the Korean Free Trade Agreement. He didn’t specify what changes he would make but said U.S. workers shouldn't be forced to compete against people making “pennies an hour.” He also criticized deals that lead corporations to move to countries such as China where there are “virtually no environmental standards” compared to the U.S. “That is not fair competition,” he said. His campaign says Sanders also would impose countervailing tariffs on imports from China and Japan “until they stop dumping steel into the United States and stop manipulating their currencies.”
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Posted by TomCADem | Mon Mar 4, 2019, 09:42 PM (15 replies)
WaPo (2003) - Some Iraq Analysts Felt Pressure From Cheney Visits
Trump has been trying to justify his attacks on intelligence agencies with the idea that Dubya and Cheney were mislead into launching a war on Iraq. Of course, for folks who remember, a lot of the controversy behind the war was related to how Cheney was heavily pressuring Intelligence agencies to support the idea that Iraq had access to WMD. Remember Valeria Plane and Scooter Libby?
https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2003/06/05/some-iraq-analysts-felt-pressure-from-cheney-visits/4afb2009-20e7-4619-b40f-669c9d94dcf3/?utm_term=.b8957632813d Vice President Cheney and his most senior aide made multiple trips to the CIA over the past year to question analysts studying Iraq's weapons programs and alleged links to al Qaeda, creating an environment in which some analysts felt they were being pressured to make their assessments fit with the Bush administration's policy objectives, according to senior intelligence officials. |
Posted by TomCADem | Sun Feb 3, 2019, 04:05 PM (2 replies)
Must Read - Stacy Abrams Destroys False Choice Between Social Justice and Working Class
Why is it that even in the era of Trump where he attacks Democrats for engaging in identity politics by speaking up for women and minorities even as he panders to white resentment do some “progressive” politicians repeat this theme and attack such efforts?
Stacy Abrams has written a brilliant essay explaining why this is a false choice. https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/2/1/18206769/stacey-abrams-state-of-the-union-response-essay-identity-politics Stacey Abrams, the rising Democratic star and former Georgia gubernatorial candidate, is giving the Democratic response to plTrump’s State of the Union on Tuesday. On Friday morning, she published an essay with a spirited defense of one of the most controversial ideas in American public life: identity politics. |
Posted by TomCADem | Fri Feb 1, 2019, 03:35 PM (9 replies)