Hagel's Out, And Now For The Bad News

The NY Times headliners deliver a slap in the face to anyone who hoped for change on the national security front:

Hagel’s Departure Tightens White House Hold on National Security Policy

Yeah, there are plenty more clowns in that clown car. The Times gives the last word to a bit of a critic:

“Not only does the Hagel ouster not address the internal problems in the White House, but it’s also essentially a denial that the problem goes deeper,” said David Rothkopf, an expert on the National Security Council who just published a book, “National Insecurity.”

Well, Obama wasn't going to resign and Biden might not be an upgrade anyway.

Comments

[Extraneus]

From glas's link:

The two groups singled out by the congressmen were the National Council of La Raza and NeighborWorks America; these groups fund a national network of community organizers, according to the letter.

...

Citigroup reached a $7 billion deal with Justice in July, and Bank of America reached a $16 billion settlement in August.

The settlements provide incentives to give even more to the nonprofit groups.

Under the Citigroup settlement, a minimum of $50 million must be donated to community organizing groups as NeighborWorks and La Raza. Every dollar donated above the $50 million minimum, Citigroup earns a $2 credit off its its $2.5 billion consumer relief commitment, which makes up a portion of the $7 billion settlement.

The Bank of America settlement requires the bank to contribute $100 million to housing-related organizations, including counseling agencies, “legal aid” organizations and community development “non-profits.” For each dollar Bank of America gives to a nonprofit group, it gets a $2 credit off of its $7 billion consumer relief obligation.

Other types of consumer relief, such as loan modifications, earn only dollar-for-dollar credit.

[Beasts of England]

The gang that couldn't shoot straight has also lost their latest racism scam. It's bad enough that they picked an absolute thug as their poster boy, but it's been downhill since.

Wilson came across as a nice young man in his interview and the distinctions between the cop and the dead punk couldn't be any more stark. I strongly believe that America has had enough of these contrived race incidents and the backlash will last for decades.

Add to this failed narrative the fact that no one really gives a crap as we move into Thanksgiving and the huge football weekend. Preznit StompyFeet has gone from hope and change to WTF and he won't recover.

And if that weren't enough, Schumer has said that focusing on Obamacare was a mistake - they should have focused on the economy. There ain't enough fingers in DC to clog all the holes in the Dem Dam. And they're gonna need a bigger bus soon: not enough room left under the current model!

[Jeff Dobbs]

Beasts:
His build-up had been that heavy-handed policing had exacerbated the rooting, but the truth - and his inadvertent admission - had destroyed his premise!

"Tonight, despite the heavy presence of law enforcement, things seem to have calmed somewhat here. Live from the streets of Ferguson, this is Fox Butterfield reporting. Back to the studio."

[Jeff Dobbs]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SOYLENT!!!

[Miss Marple]

Most amusing thing yesterday morning: I was watching the Today Show (captive audience at the dentist office) and they made a big to-do about their social media poll. So they went over to the screen and it showed 85% of participants AGREED with the Grand Jury's decision.

Bwahahaha! Poor Matt had to put on his "seriously concerned face" but those numbers just didn't meet their expectations.

Maybe that is why they moved on to other stories.

[Pagar a bacon, ham and sausage supporter]

Happy Birthday, Soylent!

[Miss Marple]

Happy Birthday, Soylent!

[anonamom]

Andrew Branca summarizes Officer Wilson's testimony Part One at LI

http://legalinsurrection.com/2014/11/ferguson-grand-jury-police-officers-account-of-shooting/

He notes "a great deal of hilarity" from Dorian Johnson's sworn testimony, for those in the of some levity to offset the property damage. (You'll have to find that yourself.)

[narciso]

Happy birthday, Soylent.

So in totally unrelated news, two Fri agents were shot in the greater St Louis area

[Jack is Back!]

Happy Birthday, Soylent.

Getting ready for the deluge.

[narciso]

Unrelated to the events of the last few days.

[Extraneus]

Meanwhile, as Holder continues to funnel hundreds of millions to the farthest-left, anti-est-American groups going...

2,500 new documents ID'd in White House-IRS taxpayer harassment cases

In a shocking revelation, the Treasury Inspector General has identified some 2,500 documents that “potentially” show taxpayer information held by the Internal Revenue Service being shared with President Obama’s White House.

The discovery was revealed to the group Cause of Action, which has sued for access to any of the documents. It charges that the IRS and White House have harassed taxpayers.

In an email from the Justice Department’s tax office, an official revealed the high number of documents, suggesting that the White House was hip deep in probes of taxpayers, likely including conservatives and Tea Party groups associated with the IRS scandal.

[RickB]

Happy Birthday, Soylent!

[Jane on Ipad]

Happy Birthday Soylent! Waiting for the snow in Philly.

[jimmyk on iPad]

"a reporter was explaining that on the first night of riots that the police held back and everything burned, "

I guess they brought in David Dinkins to manage thei riot control?

[Janet]

more on Extraneus's link at Powerline -

http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2014/11/the-irs-scandal-rears-its-head.php

"What does this tell us? 1) Based on Mr. Goolsbee’s comments several years ago, there is every reason to believe that Barack Obama’s White House has illegally received confidential taxpayer information from the IRS. 2) Confronted by a lawsuit, the Obama administration, instead of responding forthrightly, has danced around the issue for years and erected every possible procedural barrier. 3) When finally brought to heel by a court, the administration asks for a ridiculously long period of time to produce a tiny number of documents on its own investigation of criminal behavior by the IRS and the White House."

[henry]

HB Soylent!

Milwaukee's Ferguson protest (combined with the local "lynch a cop for Dantre" group)peacefully marched along until they got to the Bucks game -- where they tried to enter without tickets injuring 3 police officers in the scuffle.

Basketball causes violence! Ban hoop!! For the children!!!

Make them play the classic african game of chess instead.

[Janet]

Happy Birthday, Soylent!! Lots of love to you!!

[GMax]

It struck me that Dana Gilbert Ward is the Dorian Johnson of JOM. He lies, makes $hit up and never ever backtracks despite all evidence and facts to the contrary.

Oh but he misses Sara. EYE ROLL. I would rather read birther stuff that the crap that comes from this anarchy loving indoctrinator of inferior minds...

[jimmyk on iPad]

Happy Birthday, Soylent!

[Extraneus]

Strong words from Hinderaker at the end.

How many members of the Nixon administration ultimately went to jail? I think no more than five or ten. The Obama administration has violated criminal statutes with an abandon that Nixon and his minions never dreamed of. An accounting remains; I think there are a considerable number of Obama minions and cronies who should be behind bars.

[Ben]

"Wilson came across as a nice young man"

Too funny B.

"Please now young man. Can't you kindly move over to the sidewalk?

Again. I ask you ....please move to the sidewalk"

Yeah. It's so credible.

[Miss Marple]

Boy, it is damp cold outside (just went out to call the dogs).

I think I will check for snow predictions.

[Jack is Back! (at 39,000 feet and Approaching Joisy)]

Has this been posted before?

Obama Amnesty, Obamacare clash: Employers offered $3,000 to hire illegals.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/nov/25/obama-amnesty-obamacare-clash-businesses-have-3000/

Entervirus soon on the menu at MickeyD's.

[NKontheNovreboot]

Happy Birthday Soylent!

[sbw]

. . . and many more, Soylent.

[Extraneus]

Where was Beasts last night?

21 dolls on bamboo stakes found in Alabama swamp

[James D.]

HB, Soylent!

[James D.]

I had on (I know, I know) Good Morning America to check the weather, and I saw some of the interview with Wilson and the odious Stephanolopous. I cannot imagine agreeing to speak to anyone in the media, if I were in Wilson's place.

Stephanoloupous (I can't be bothered to try and spell it correctly) was an ass, as you would expect.

[Threadkiller]

I would rather read birther stuff that the crap that comes from this anarchy loving indoctrinator of inferior minds...

Posted by: GMax | November 26, 2014 at 09:05 AM

Start here:

http://people.mags.net/tonchen/birthers.htm

[AliceH]

Today's agenda: make pies.

[Threadkiller]

Happy Birthday Soylent!

[Jack is Back! (at 39,000 feet and Approaching Joisy)]

JamesD,

According to the Daily Mail article on the interview, Wilson evidently watched all the MSM shows and even CNN (no mention of Fox) and had meetings with several before he settled on ABC.

Knowing his choices he should have just STFU.

[Jack is Back! (Between Good Ground and Water Mill)]

Test,

[Extraneus]

You want to just get sick of politics? Read this piece. Otherwise, don't.

White House veto threat ices plans to renew tax breaks

[Thomas Collins]

Apologies to TK and DOT, but the issue of the location of Obama's being born, and related matters such as plane crashes in Hawaii in which a state official didn't survive, have been trumped! :-))

http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/574079/20141126/woman-former-nasa-employee-humans-mars-1979.htm#.VHXqF2ctDMo

Happy Birthday to Soylent and Happy Thanksgiving to all!

[Threadkiller]

SOB "students" have walked onto 5 northbound in La Jolla and stopped traffic. The working class is stuck in a multi-mile backup.

I wonder if these punks will get investigated as if they closed a lane on a bridge in New Jersey?

Ben probably believes that the wage earners brought it upon themselves.

[Ben]

Autistic, black and wearing a hoodie.

He brought it upon himself.

http://dailyhowler.blogspot.com/2014/11/supplemental-punished-for-wearing.html

[jimmyk]

Mebola appears to be more contagious than Ebola:

http://www.ohio.com/news/local/bride-to-be-at-center-of-ebola-scare-wants-refund-for-bridesmaids-1.544071

[Threadkiller]

Cops are dispersing the crowd. The protesters cars remain blocking the freeway though.

Stupid.

[Miss Marple]

As Stephanie pointed out yesterday, stopping traffic on the busiest travel day of the year is not going to win them any sympathy.

[Extraneus]

See Spot relax: Pet massage growing in popularity, but trend raises concerns about regulation

Regulation, you say? For pet massage?

Some veterinarians argue that pet massage is a form of veterinary medicine that requires a license, but whether therapists need one varies by state. The issue has sparked a lawsuit in Arizona, where three practitioners are suing the state veterinarian licensing board.

...

The American Veterinary Medical Association classifies animal massage as a form of veterinary care that should require a license. It is up to each state's veterinary licensing board whether to categorize it that way.

"We do consider them veterinary procedures, and we feel the same standards should be used because a lot of harm can come from them," association assistant director Adrian Hochstadt said.

[Jack is Back! (Between Good Ground and Water Mill)]

TC,

Isn't that Coast to Coast show sp;onsored by Reynolds Wrap?

[Miss Marple]

Whenever I have on Coast to Coast I end up with nutso blowhards like last night, when it was Jesse Ventura.

[Jeff Dobbs]

When you put it that way...

[NKontheNovreboot]

Obummer has screwed the pooch royally. The Nation will have to clean up his obummercare, EPA and especially his amnesty messes. And we shall, but he will cause a lot of pain before they are set straight.

The good news: he has destroyed the modern Dem Party, even Schmuckie Schumer sez so. Look on the bright side.

[Jane on Ipad]

Ruth Bader just had heart surgery. She cannot be replaced. January can't come soon enough.

[Jane on Ipad]

I clearly have become the most cynical person on the planet.

[Janet]

The Dems are pinning their hopes on the wife of this loser.

http://happyplace.someecards.com/celebrities/a-woman-tried-to-take-a-selfie-with-bill-clinton-he-was-a-little-distracted/

[Jane on Ipad]

The next Congress better be much more willing to endure vetoes. Hell, they will be great things to use against the dems?

And Schumer throws Obama under the bus. His numbers must truly suck.

[Threadkiller]

The lead protester was a young black female student carrying a sign that said "black lives matter!"

During the blockade only one driver approach the group to insist that they open the freeway up. A reporter on the scene said he was very angry, he physically went after their bullhorn, and he was very intimidating. The reporter overheard him yelling that the group has put his job in jeopardy and if he is late he may lose that job. The protesters were unsympathetic.

The rich irony? The man who wanted to get to work is black.

I guess some black lives don't matter.

[Jane on Ipad]

I want an apology from Schumer to the tea party.

I can go on all day, since apparently I am the only person here. Snowing like a banshee in Philly.

[AliceH]

On what basis does anyone think the rioters are interested in gaining sympathy?

Their objectives are creating chaos, violence, and destruction. They're achieving those goals as well as they could hope.

[Ben]

Clinton should put some weight back on. Like Sharpton, he looks like an olive on a toothpick. Massive heads need some balance for their center-of-gravity.

[Extraneus]

Schumer is setting himself up to be Hillary's main man in the Senate and majority leader in 2016.

[James D.]

Jane, with all due respect, I think you have a LOT of competition for the title of "most cynical person on the planet."

Maybe we need to start with an intra-JOM contest to determine who's most cynical here, and then we can send them on to the national playoffs...

[Miss Marple]

Hey, Jane, I am here.

I want an apology from Schumer, too. A groveling apology.

[Extraneus]

When Schumer attacks ObamaCare, you can bet that Hillary has chosen that as one of her few available ways to separate herself from Obama, lame and dishonest though it obviously is.

[matt]

HB, Soylent!

Isn't the Mawson party still stuck down in the Antarctic ice? Didn't the Chinese icebreaker finally cut out the New Zealand icebreaker? Or was it another Russian icebreaker? It's so confucing and I can't wait until they set out to prove global something again. Wow that was a mess.

Just yesterday there was an article on how the scientisicists just can't seem to understand why the Antarctic sea ice is so thick.

Science is hard!!!

[Appalled]

Guys --

None of you all hold a candle to Squaredance when it comes to cynicism. Not even Threadkiller.

[Miss Marple]

AliceH,

Perhaps you are right. However, lack of sympathy will mean less air time on TV, less willingness for further benefits hand-outs, and increased arrests as people get fed up.

The chaos they cause will be short-lived. The disgust of the majority of Americans will last for a generation.

[Jack is Back! (Between Good Ground and Water Mill)]

From the Downtown Five-O-Five Club.

Quote of the Week: “The first Thanksgiving was a celebration of gratitude by a group of early English settlers known as the Pilgrims. The Pilgrims were Separatists who had come to the New World to practice their religion without government interference, and since the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms did not exist at that time they were allowed to do so.”

[Ben]

SCOTUS and the license to kill

Chapter 563 of the Missouri Revised Statutes grants a lot of discretion to officers of the law to wield deadly force, to the horror of many observers swooping in to the Ferguson story. The statute authorizes deadly force “in effecting an arrest or in preventing an escape from custody” if the officer “reasonably believes” it is necessary in order to “to effect the arrest and also reasonably believes that the person to be arrested has committed or attempted to commit a felony…or may otherwise endanger life or inflict serious physical injury unless arrested without delay.”

But this law is not an outlier, and is fully in sync with Supreme Court jurisprudence. The legal standard authorizing deadly force is something called “objective reasonableness.”

This standard originates in the 1985 case of Tennessee v. Garner, which appeared at first to tighten restrictions on the police use of deadly force. The case involved a Memphis cop, Elton Hymon, who shot dead one Edward Garner: 15 years old, black and unarmed. Garner had just burgled a house, grabbing a ring and ten bucks. The US Supreme Court ruled that a police officer, henceforth, could use deadly force only if he “has probable cause to believe that the suspect poses a significant threat of death or serious physical injury to the officer or others.” The ruling required that the use of force be “objectively reasonable.” How this reasonableness should be determined was established in a 1989 case, Graham v. Connor: severity of the crime, whether the suspect is resisting or trying to escape and above all, whether the suspect posed an immediate threat to the safety of officers or others. All this appeared to restrict police violence—even if, in the end, Officer Hymon was never criminally charged for fatally shooting Edward Garner.

“Objectively reasonable”—what could be wrong with that? But in actual courtroom practice, “objective reasonableness” has become nearly impossible to tell apart from the subjective snap judgments of panic-fueled police officers. American courts universally defer to the law enforcement officer’s own personal assessment of the threat at the time.

http://www.thenation.com/article/190937/why-its-impossible-indict-cop#

That's the sundae and the cherry on top is cop Omerta.

[Ben]

Ig; That's why I call MO the 'blow-me' state.

[James D.]

On the not-cynical side of things, if you want to read something that hopefully gives you a chuckle or two, I've posted a very short little holiday piece on my website:

http://writingdreams.net/just-for-thanksgiving-a-new-story/

[RickB]

Schumer is demonstrating an extraordinary imagination in believing the universe to be large enough for the Fascist Party to be able to escape BOzostink.

He's your schmuck, Chuck, you have two more years of stink to go and it's just going to get worse.

[Iggy]

--Autistic, black and wearing a hoodie.-

It appears he didn't go to jail for any of those things but for;

During Latson's three-day trial, no one disputed that he assaulted a Stafford deputy one morning in May. The deputy was bleeding so profusely that responding officers thought he had been shot.

[Ben]

'Support your police" regardless. Just to keep yourself safe.

[Ben]

I see you read and understood nothing about autism. Good onya.

[Threadkiller]

Squaredance really is the trump card.

Good call, Appalled!

;-)

[Jack is Back! (Between Good Ground and Water Mill)]

Another compelling reason for law-abiding people to live in Missouri. Thanks, Ben for linking that from The Nation. BTW, is The Nation still owned by Putin or was that Andropopov?

[jimmyk]

Hillary has chosen that as one of her few available ways to separate herself from Obama

That's as funny as Willard trying to run against Obamacare. What's she going to say? "At least I was honest about my plan"?

[Threadkiller]

If officer Wilson was autistic, he would get a pass.

[Iggy]

--Ig; That's why I call MO the 'blow-me' state.--

As your own link points out, MO's law is not an outlier and complies with SCOTUS rulings so the epithet doesn't make too much sense being restricted to MO.
If you want to be accurate while winning friends and influencing people you might consider saying the US is the blow me nation.

[jimmyk]

The Dems are pinning their hopes on the wife of this loser.

With all the women coming out about Cosby, it might be a good time Juanita Broaddrick, Kathleen Willey, and other Clinton victims to come out. (I have no doubt there are many more.) For some reason Cosby is persona non grata, but Clinton is still the toast of the town. Wonder why that is.

[NKontheNovreboot]

Schmuckie Schumer is Exhibit A of the destruction Obummer has caused to the Dem Party. Obummer is a full on raging racialist third world commie now. He has become Frank Marshall Davis. That is poison to the old white fat cat libs like HildaBeast and Schumer and the rest of the faux centrist clintonistas. This is a good thing for the long-term future of America.

[Dave (in MA)]

the US is the blow me nation.

Is that where Clenis got the idea?

[NKontheNovreboot]

Blow me is NOT sex.

--BJ Clinton 1998

[Iggy]

--I see you read and understood nothing about autism. Good onya.--

I have had many interesting conversations with a therapist for the autistic who is mildly autistic herself.
The kid in jail has Asperger's. I have a friend with Aspergers's who has not assaulted anyone to my knowledge and if he did would be properly charged with a crime.
Asperger's is a relatively high functioning form of autism and while I'm sympathetic to the condition don't believe it is sufficient to warrant a successful insanity defense.
At some point the impairment is probably sufficient for such a defense but it's a messy, difficult issue and not some obvious, cut and dried monstrous injustice as you seem to be implying.

[Jack is Back! (Between Good Ground and Water Mill)]

jimmyk

The Politiico (a more sympathetic Hildabeast rag) thinks Cosby is a problem for the Clintons.

http://www.politico.com/story/2014/11/social-media-bill-cosby-politicians-113182.html?hp=t3_r

New game in town since the 90's: Social Media.

Could be unrelenting.

[henry]

For daddy from Mel Federal Judge halts EPA preemptive veto of Pebble Mine.

Discovery of EPA lawlessness is next in the case.

[NKontheNovreboot]

NYC at the 'WARNING: Cliff Ahead' sign, Mayor Bane mashes down on the accelerator. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-11-25/nyc-incurs-record-732-million-cost-as-abuse-settlements-rise.html

[Iggy]

Hey, at least BillyJeff didn't don his reading glasses for a better look. :)

[Ben]

The death of capitalism. There. I said it. :)

I see pitchforks.

At the same time that people like you and me are thriving beyond the dreams of any plutocrats in history, the rest of the country—the 99.99 percent—is lagging far behind. The divide between the haves and have-nots is getting worse really, really fast. In 1980, the top 1 percent controlled about 8 percent of U.S. national income. The bottom 50 percent shared about 18 percent. Today the top 1 percent share about 20 percent; the bottom 50 percent, just 12 percent.

But the problem isn’t that we have inequality. Some inequality is intrinsic to any high-functioning capitalist economy. The problem is that inequality is at historically high levels and getting worse every day. Our country is rapidly becoming less a capitalist society and more a feudal society. Unless our policies change dramatically, the middle class will disappear, and we will be back to late 18th-century France. Before the revolution.

And so I have a message for my fellow filthy rich, for all of us who live in our gated bubble worlds: Wake up, people. It won’t last.
If we don’t do something to fix the glaring inequities in this economy, the pitchforks are going to come for us. No society can sustain this kind of rising inequality. In fact, there is no example in human history where wealth accumulated like this and the pitchforks didn’t eventually come out. You show me a highly unequal society, and I will show you a police state. Or an uprising. There are no counterexamples. None. It’s not if, it’s when.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/06/the-pitchforks-are-coming-for-us-plutocrats-108014.html#ixzz3KBzxTwSK

[Iggy]

Gee, a trillion in crony "stimulus" a Fed government at an all time peace time high in regulatory overdrive and we're becoming more feudal. Calling Fox Butterfield.
The more the geniuses try to "fix" the glaring inequities the larger the inequities become.

[Ben]

http://www.disabled-world.com/editorials/cops.php

Common enough problem for he disabled.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/08/us/california-police-beating/

"- A graphic video played at a hearing Monday to determine whether two California police officers should stand trial in the beating death of a homeless man showed them kicking and punching the mentally ill man as he lay on the ground -- screaming in pain and begging for help.
The victim, Kelly Thomas, died five days after the beating on July 5.
Manuel Ramos, a 10-year veteran of the Fullerton, California, police department, is charged with second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter, while Cpl. Jay Patrick Cicinelli faces charges of involuntary manslaughter and felony use of excessive force in the same case.

Both have pleaded not guilty."

And of course, both were acquitted. It's Orange County, the MO of CA.

[Miss Marple]

Ben,

That higher than minimum wage in Seattle works fine because of the locale of Microsoft and the large number of millionaires it produced.

It has, indeed, created a "trickle down" local economy in Seattle, where the competition for good employees has caused wages to rise across the board, much like the fact that out in the Bakken Oil Fields they are paying a starting wage of $16.50 at McDonald's.

This type of wage is impossible, however, in places like the impoverished Appalachian coal fields or much of rural America.

Mr. Zillionaire is welcome to pay whatever wages he wishes. Perhaps wages would rise on their own, without government interference, if we weren't importing millions of low-wage employees via the Rio Grande. Or perhaps he could start a private wage-support program to help out struggling employers in poor areas of the country.

[AliceH]

The "protests" are not spontaneous. https://storify.com/jose_galvan/post-ferguson-grand-jury-decision-riots-are-anythi

There is considerable evidence they are being organized and coordinated by Answer: "They latch on to any agenda, but their real drive is somewhere between Stalinism and Anarchism. And they love some disruption. Exploiters."

Again, they don't care about PR - it's just n opportunity for mayhem, and it will last as long as it lasts... until the next opportunity they can exploit.

[NKontheNovreboot]

The more the geniuses try to "fix" the glaring inequities the larger the inequities become.
Posted by: Iggy | November 26, 2014 at 11:35 AM

As GlennR says, for the Progs that is a feature of their efforts, not a bug. 325M serfs and a few Crony Masters, that is their evil plan.

[NKontheNovreboot]

The 'protests' this is all OFA orchestrated stuff... blind man can see that a mile away.

[Marlene on Kindle]

Happy Birthday,Soylent.
It is snowing at the daughter's in Maryland,just outside of DC.What a miserable day for travel on the east coast!

[RickB]

"Their objectives are creating chaos, violence, and destruction."

AliceH,

Aren't those just tactics for achieving the actual objective of more Danegeld flowing to the slave pens? The selection of two violent drugged thugs as symbols of everyblack was as intentional as inciting the prosecutorial lynch mob in Florida. The lynch mob would have happened again in Missouri had the DA been as spineless a worm as Corey.

I'm curious as to how the plea for more Danegeld to keep the slaves penned will be rejected. The actions of the Black Klan are eliciting anger rather than the hoped for response of fear and will not result in an increase in Danegeld.

[Ben]

Seattle is kinda like Silicon Valley insofar as the economy goes, MM.

I noted while there that the brandy I prefer costs $45 as opposed to 15-20 bucks in CA. In Oregon, the same liquor is 25 dollahs and I asked the clerk a state employee how much tax was built into that price and she was offended...'we don't have taxes here"

Many games are played, but taxes are paid.

LOL.

[Iggy]

A rational and fact based story on declining median household incomes.
Bottom line; it's mostly an artifact of changing demographics which result in different kinds of households.
More retirees, more singles and fewer two earner households.
The labor market continues to be a mess but that is coincident with and is tied to the scrawny neck of Barry and his Dem enablers like a rotting albatross.

[Buckeye]

Posted by: Ben | November 26, 2014 at 11:26 AM

WIC and EBT cards are piss-poor substitutes for a job. COLA increases are no substitute for a promotion.

If we continue to do more to expand the welfare state the numbers are only going to get worse.

[Ben]

"The labor market continues to be a mess but that is coincident with and is tied to the scrawny neck of Barry and his Dem enablers like a rotting albatross."

Do conservatives ever take accountability for their role in the present economy? I digress.

[Miss Marple]

Ben,

You prove my point. Zillionaire guy says Seattle pays a high minimum wage and thus has a thriving economy. Cart before horse in his example.

Seattle's thriving economy has caused wages (and prices) to rise due to market forces.
Same thing in the Bakken.

Without an external source of high income (Microsoft, Bakken oil) an increase in minimum wages will not do much for an economy, as employers will simply hhire fewer people. It's nice for the few who get raises, but sucks if you are one of the ones laid off.

It also makes employers hesitant to give high school kids a chance at a first job.

[Cat]

---]I would suggest McCain to replace him.

Posted by: peter | November 24, 2014

ARE YOU INSANE ?

[Captain Hate on the iPad]

That woman in the selfie with Bob Barker's perv brother hopefully has martial arts training to fend off the old goat. Otherwise she might have to counter claims from some bag lady in a pants suit that she entrapped him by putting ice on her assets.

HB Soylent.

Today I'm hopefully meeting up with DrJ and Iggy!

[Iggy]

--Do conservatives ever take accountability for their role in the present economy? I digress.--

There was very little "conservative" and nothing "libertarian" about W's tenure but regardless, Dems have either held absolute power or effective veto power for eight straight years and it's been six freaking years since the crash. This is their baby.

Six years after actual conservative policies were last tried in America after an economic crisis the economy had been in several years of vigorous expansion.