Blog Archive: October, 2012

History will judge us, at least in part, by our willingness to defend our moral principles against the corrupting influence of the Wall Street capos. So far their campaign cash and lucrative revolving-door jobs have kept them above the law, while their PR firms and personal salesmanship have exempted them from moral judgement in the inner corridors of wealth and power. more »

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Man, that felt good. And it was fun, too. Vice President Joe Biden certainly looked like he was having a good time. In fact, Republicans' biggest complain seems to be that Biden was having too much fun. He laughed too much. That Republicans can't find much to attack in what Biden said during the debate — or much to defend about what Paul Ryan said — speaks volumes about the difference between the two major parties.

That difference was reflected in the two men who represented the parties last night, and how they each came to be there.Joe Biden was chosen to be on the Democratic ticket because of what he knows. Paul Ryan was chosen to be on the Republican ticket because of what he believes. That was the "BFD" of the VP debate. And the "D" is for "difference."

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TheMiddleClass.org Voter Guide is getting attention this week for its rating 200 members of Congress "zero" on a set of votes it deems reflective of the members' stands on middle-class concerns. It turns out it was not alone in taking a dim view of the performance of the 112th Congress on kitchen-table issues.

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Once again, Mitt says everybody in America has hunky dory health care even if they don't have insurance:

“We don’t have a setting across this country where if you don’t have insurance, we just say to you, ‘Tough luck, you’re going to die when you have your heart attack,’  ” he said as he offered more hints as to what he would put in place of “Obamacare,” which he has pledged to repeal.

“No, you go to the hospital, you get treated, you get care, and it’s paid for, either by charity, the government or by the hospital. We don’t have people that become ill, who die in their apartment because they don’t have insurance.”

He pointed out that federal law requires hospitals to treat those without health insurance — although hospital officials frequently say that drives up health-care costs.

Uhm: more »

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MORNING MESSAGE: Joe Shows Up

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Joe Biden showed up for the debate. He was engaged and engaging. He expressed his well deserved impatience with the wild claims and nitpicking criticisms of his opponent. Viewers saw energy, confidence, a willingness to mix it up. The mainstream media is arguing that his scornful smiles and interruptions hurt Biden, just as Ryan’s permanent smirk irritated. But that’s a quibble. more »

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Sen. Todd Akin calls for abortion on demand and free distribution of condoms. The CEO of Exxon decries global warming and demands an end to oil company subsidies along with new public investment in renewable energy. Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio calls for amnesty for undocumented workers.

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Robert Reich has some excellent advice for Vice President Joe Biden, regarding his debate we VP wannabe Rep. Paul Ryan: Don't debate the earnest, affable Paul Ryan who's likely to show up tonight. Debate the right-wing Randian behind those blue eyes. more »

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The August trade figures are out and they are not good. The terrible trade deficit is where the jobs and the economy went but is ignored because it makes a few elites wealthy. more »

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