Progressive Banking

The NY Times takes us in an unexpected direction with their quasi-coverage of the Bank of the Left:

Owned by Union, Amalgamated Bank Gives Lift to the Left

When Ready for Hillary, a pro-Hillary Rodham Clinton “super PAC,” wanted to take out a million-dollar loan five months before it planned to go out of business, it turned to a bank that was founded to guard the savings of New York City garment workers.

When the Democracy Alliance, an influential club of liberal donors, sought to recruit members in advance of the 2016 elections, the bank’s president helped to make introductions.

And when workers-rights groups wanted to embarrass Walmart and the Gap for unsafe working conditions at factories supplying their stores, Amalgamated Bank, which manages $40 billion in pension fund assets, stepped in again, rounding up fellow investors to warn the companies that they could face lawsuits and shareholder actions.

Four years after nearly collapsing amid the financial crisis, Amalgamated has aggressively carved out a position as the left’s private banker, leveraging deep connections with the Democratic establishment to expand rapidly in a niche long dominated by larger but less nimble financial institutions.

...

Founded and still principally owned by labor unions, the 92-year-old bank has signed up hundreds of new political clients, including most of the Democratic Party’s major committees, the progressive organizations that align with them, and several of their top Senate recruits.

One might worry that this massive political clout might allow the bank an unusual amount of, well, regulatory flexibility. Or, if one is a reporter for the Times, then one would not worry at all.

In the course of explaining that the Republicans do this too "reporter" Nicholas Confessore mentions a bonus wrinkle:

But many Republican candidates and super PACs, including Jeb Bush and the deep-pocketed super PAC supporting him, do the bulk of their banking with their own version of Amalgamated, the smaller Chain Bridge Bank [link], based in McLean, Va. Founded by Peter Fitzgerald, the former Republican senator from Illinois, Chain Bridge broke into political banking amid the 2008 financial crisis when the Republican presidential nominee, Senator John McCain of Arizona, was looking for a safe place to deposit his war chest. He chose it for its Republican pedigree and low-risk balance sheet.

But unlike competitors, Amalgamated marries its political banking business to $40 billion in trust assets, mostly union pension funds, that it has used to help activist investors who share its ideological bent.

Amalgamated has been a lead plaintiff in several of the largest derivative lawsuits in recent years, including a successful $150 million lawsuit against Duke Energy, one of the largest power companies in the country.

So Amalgamated splashes around union pension fund assets to launch lawsuits backed by Democratic Party activists. I am not so sure Elizabeth Warren had quite this in mind when she called for banking reform, but she is not quoted in the story, so who knows?

Having read about Amalgamated and Chain Bridge, I would say that some of their services do seem to be utterly legit and campaign oriented. This is about Chain Bridge but applies to both:

The bank requires employees to list cell phone numbers on their business cards so clients can reach them after hours. It will greenlight credit cards immediately for campaign staffers scattered across the country without waiting for credit checks, and it will let campaigns make large wire transfers as soon as their accounts are open. It will also send and receive wire transfers until the Federal Reserve window closes, usually around 5 p.m.—more than two hours later than most banks. That extra time can make a difference. “If you’re a presidential campaign and you need to be up on the air in Iowa tonight, then you need your wire to go to television stations in Des Moines this afternoon,” says Peter Fitzgerald, the bank’s founder and chairman. “That’s a big deal for campaigns.”

Both banks have expertise in byzantine campaign finance regulations, so they zip through paperwork that might daunt a competitor. And both are comfortable making loans on the basis of donor pledges and upcoming fund-raising drives, so there are legitimate benefits offered by these banks.

However. Come the day that Amalgamated puts pension fund assets in a company that then catches an unexpected regulatory tailwind from Washington, the Times will undoubtedly be shocked. And if they actually report on it, I will be shocked too.

And come the day that Amalgamated advances funds to a Democratic candidatebased on promised fund-raising that ultimately falls short, well, that is simply a loss on a loan. If shareholders then contribute new capital to cover the loss, that is hardly a campaign contribution, right? In any case the regulators will oversee that fairly, won't they? Please.

 

 

 

Comments

[henry]

May they invest their assets in IL and Chicago debt.

[Jeff Dobbs]

Amalgamated? I really wish the Republican equivalent was Acme.

[MarkO]

I blame Uncle Scrooge.

[Miss Marple]

Who are The Beagle Boys?

[Buckeye]

Wonder how good their cybersecurity is?

[Miss Marple]

So, if I am understanding this, both parties have set up their own private banks.

Gee, I wonder why people are fed up and voting for non-politicians.

[Buckeye]

Worse than that. Suppose the Garment union decides they like one candidate better than another. Those wire transfers to the TV stations are all of the sudden mysteriously late.

[Captain Hate on the iPad]

How is the GOPe any different from the commiecrats?

[daddy]

Long OT paste to follow for which I shall not apologize:)

church-donald-trump-belongs-to-says-he-is-not-a-regular-member/

Narciso,

All that stuff earlier this week about Trump being grilled BY MSM Dem shills on what was his favorite Bible book got me thinking about a scene from an old fav that I imagine most of us have forgotten.

You guys remember what Tom Sawyer got paid, once he talked all his buddies into the pleasure of Whitewashing his fence?

That's right, "Bible tickets", (Little certificates that said the owner of the tickets had memorized so many Bible verses)

Anyhow, in Chapter 4 of that great Book , to impress The Judge and especially Becky Thatcher, Tom swaps knives and trinkets for every ticket owned by any goober in Hannibal Mo, and wind's up proudly being called up in front of everybody in town to receive his fancy award of a gilded Bible. But then everything goes sorta' Trump:

There was only one thing wanting to make Mr. Walters' ecstasy complete, and that was a chance to deliver a Bible-prize and exhibit a prodigy. Several pupils had a few yellow tickets, but none had enough -- he had been around among the star pupils inquiring. He would have given worlds, now, to have that German lad back again with a sound mind.

And now at this moment, when hope was dead, Tom Sawyer came forward with nine yellow tickets, nine red tickets, and ten blue ones, and demanded a Bible. This was a thunderbolt out of a clear sky. Walters was not expecting an application from this source for the next ten years. But there was no getting around it -- here were the certified checks, and they were good for their face. Tom was therefore elevated to a place with the Judge and the other elect, and the great news was announced from headquarters. It was the most stunning surprise of the decade, and so profound was the sensation that it lifted the new hero up to the judicial one's altitude, and the school had two marvels to gaze upon in place of one. The boys were all eaten up with envy -- but those that suffered the bitterest pangs were those who perceived too late that they themselves had contributed to this hated splendor by trading tickets to Tom for the wealth he had amassed in selling whitewashing privileges. These despised themselves, as being the dupes of a wily fraud, a guileful snake in the grass.

The prize was delivered to Tom with as much effusion as the superintendent could pump up under the circumstances; but it lacked somewhat of the true gush, for the poor fellow's instinct taught him that there was a mystery here that could not well bear the light, perhaps; it was simply preposterous that this boy had warehoused two thousand sheaves of Scriptural wisdom on his premises -- a dozen would strain his capacity, without a doubt.

Amy Lawrence was proud and glad, and she tried to make Tom see it in her face -- but he wouldn't look. She wondered; then she was just a grain troubled; next a dim suspicion came and went -- came again; she watched; a furtive glance told her worlds -- and then her heart broke, and she was jealous, and angry, and the tears came and she hated everybody. Tom most of all (she thought).

Tom was introduced to the Judge; but his tongue was tied, his breath would hardly come, his heart quaked -- partly because of the awful greatness of the man, but mainly because he was her parent. He would have liked to fall down and worship him, if it were in the dark. The Judge put his hand on Tom's head and called him a fine little man, and asked him what his name was. The boy stammered, gasped, and got it out:

"Tom."

"Oh, no, not Tom -- it is --"

"Thomas."

"Ah, that's it. I thought there was more to it, maybe. That's very well. But you've another one I daresay, and you'll tell it to me, won't you?"

"Tell the gentleman your other name, Thomas," said Walters, "and say sir. You mustn't forget your manners."

"Thomas Sawyer -- sir."

"That's it! That's a good boy. Fine boy. Fine, manly little fellow. Two thousand verses is a great many -- very, very great many. And you never can be sorry for the trouble you took to learn them; for knowledge is worth more than anything there is in the world; it's what makes great men and good men; you'll be a great man and a good man yourself, some day, Thomas, and then you'll look back and say, It's all owing to the precious Sunday-school privileges of my boyhood -- it's all owing to my dear teachers that taught me to learn -- it's all owing to the good superintendent, who encouraged me, and watched over me, and gave me a beautiful Bible -- a splendid elegant Bible -- to keep and have it all for my own, always -- it's all owing to right bringing up! That is what you will say, Thomas -- and you wouldn't take any money for those two thousand verses -- no indeed you wouldn't. And now you wouldn't mind telling me and this lady some of the things you've learned -- no, I know you wouldn't -- for we are proud of little boys that learn. Now, no doubt you know the names of all the twelve disciples. Won't you tell us the names of the first two that were appointed?"

Tom was tugging at a button-hole and looking sheepish. He blushed, now, and his eyes fell. Mr. Walters' heart sank within him. He said to himself, it is not possible that the boy can answer the simplest question -- why DID the Judge ask him? Yet he felt obliged to speak up and say:

"Answer the gentleman, Thomas -- don't be afraid."

Tom still hung fire.

"Now I know you'll tell me," said the lady. "The names of the first two disciples were --"

"DAVID AND GOLIATH!"

Let us draw the curtain of charity over the rest of the scene.
--------------------------

But the takeaway, is that after all is said and done in this fine, fine novel, who winds up with the prettiest gal in town and who winds up with all the money?

That's right, Tom (Donald Trump) Sawyer!

As Insty sez, "read The Whole thing":)

[Buckeye]

They are not different. Maybe even worse.

Would be interesting to know who uses these banks.

[James D.]

Old Lurker - I've been catching up, and I saw your appalling link about the latest civil forfeiture atrocity.

And, yes, it did get me all agitated. But then again, I'm pretty much in a constant state of agitation when I read the news.

But I just wanted you to know I saw it!

[matt]

Son, I have one word for you....Solyndra.....

[James D.]

By the way, the new book is up for pre-order (just like the big authors do!):

http://getBook.at/DreamWedding

and also the short story collection is up for preorder:

http://getBook.at/DreamFragments

[daddy]

Tuff call trying to get an update on the arrest of the Texas cop murderer---FOX's Kennedy, or CNN?

Sadly, I'm having to opt for CNN.

[FTL]

I've always kept things well between the lines in my life.

An improper seizure of any of my property under these joke civil forfeiture laws would end with me on death row.

[daddy]

Eff it. Neither one of them is watchable. Back to the Little League World Series and the BoSox/Met's game.

[glasater]

Amen FTL @5:03

[Pierrot]

If the Beagle Boys and Uncle Scrooge are mentioned here, then a word should also be said about the indefatigable Junior Woodchucks, Huey, Dewey and Louie.

As agents for Uncle Scrooge, they met met the Beagle Boys, and took their measure, on many stirring adventures.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

--How is the GOPe any different from the commiecrats?--

The commies are Spike. The GOPe is Chester;

[daddy]

Suspect identified and arrested.

[daddy]

Shannon J Miles:

Previous criminal history includes charges of:

---resisting arrest
---trespass
---evade and detention
---disorderly conduct with a firearm

[FTL]

I admit that what I said might be over the top.

Thinking it all the way through, the most heinous crimes that have been in the news recently are undoubtedly horrific to the point of being unthinkable, but they are being committed by evil individuals.

Stuff like civil forfeitures and all the crap that Obama's side is pulling is another level worse because it is effectively a conspiracy of about half the people in the country.

I think that's the part that Mona Charen missed in that "rule of law" piece she wrote in National Review to beat up on Trump supporters. Our flavor of the rule of law depends on overwhelming voluntary compliance, and we have been in limbo since Obama took office and appointed his gallery of crooks his cabinet (and random czarships). That level of compliance is now down around the kind of percentages that Obama probably took home on his schoolwork. The system doesn't work at that low a level no matter how much those of us who reflexively comply want it to or how hard we work to keep it intact. This needs to be resolved, and it will be resolved one way or another.

Another way to put it: I think the people quick to warn about a "man on a horse" kind of missed the fact that Obama has been the left's man on a horse.

[Jane]

23 cops killed since Obama declared open season on them.

[daddy]

According to a Press question, the suspects mother has told the News media that it could not have been her son who did the murder since she was with him at home last night.

Sheriff says he had heard that from news reports but that he had not talked to the mom. Sheriff says a handgun has been recovered and ballistics matches the murder shots at the scene.

[daddy]

Any statements yet from the "Free Mumia" crowd yet?

[GMax]

And as I am sure is shocking to all of you, if Obama had a son, he definitely would look a lot like Shannon J Miles...

[Miss Marple]

daddy,

I watched the presses as wells. W noticed the female reporter attempting a gotcha on the sheriff spokesperson, concerning why they were asking for publics held when they already had perp in for questioning.

Pretty illustrative of how much of the press treats the police.

Answer was that they needed people who had seen this or been in the area. He handled it well. I would have pulled a Trump.

[Miss Marple]

I am on iPad which explains my garbled comment.

[Captain Hate on the iPad]

When does a non Trump candidate call out 404 and the MFM for their complicity in open season on police?

[James D.]

FTL @ 5:41 makes a great point.

Obviously cold-blooded murder (or, worse, multiple murders) is far, far worse than a cop stealing somebody's life savings on the roadside under color of law.

But as FTL says, it's an individual doing the murder. And, also, we all recognize that the murderer is evil, and his actions are obviously unacceptable on every possible level.

The cop who steals somebody's life savings with a thin (or nonexistent) pretext is doing so with the full support of his superiors, and the district attorney, and his state legislators, and the federal government. That, to me, is far more frightening than the number of individual lunatics with guns out there.

Especially because if the cop will steal your life savings with no pretext, he might very well be willing to kill you with no pretext, if he's ordered to (or trained and conditioned to the point where that becomes the automatic response in any stressful situation on duty).

[Gentlejim]

James D,
You're making a pretty big stretch from "theft" to homicide. Neither is acceptable.

[daddy]

He handled it well. I would have pulled a Trump.

Yeah Miss m, I noticed a bit of "attitude" in her voice in her questioning, but he did handle it well. Good Joe Friday answer he gave in reply.

Reporter: Is this the man who was in your custody at 2:30 this morning?

Sheriff: He is the man who has been with us all night.

Reporter: All right, then why were you asking for the Public's help if you had this man in custody? It sounded this morning like you needed the Public's help because you had nobody in custody.

Sheriff: We always want to make sure that we have left no stone unturned, because people who were at the scene that we have not talked to yet can have additional details that help solidify our case.

[clarice]

The old National Bank of washington once owned by the UMwA used to play a similar role before it went out of business some years ago.

[boris]

"You're making a pretty big stretch from "theft" to homicide"

He qualified his point well enough IMO.

Besides, theft is the wrong word. More like tyranny. Not such a big stretch.

[narciso]

it's a travismockasham, all around,

http://therightscoop.com/global-warming-will-wipe-out-american-cities-obama-hoax-fear-mongering/

[Buckeye]

Imagine those mine workers have found it difficult to make big deposits lately.

[James D.]

I know it's a big stretch.

But if you're willing to "just follow orders" to violate someone's rights and possibly ruin their life, is it really so unbelievable that you'd "just follow orders" to do worse?

I don't think so.

Look at the John Doe raids. Look at the SWAT-team raids to serve search warrants on people for non-violent crimes, where they sometimes don't bother to even double-check they've got the right house. Is it really that big a leap from that to outright murder?

[daddy]

Religion O' Peace update: Thai police arrest suspect in Bangkok bombing

initially said the suspect arrested Saturday was a Turkish national. But he subsequently told CNN: "At first we thought he is Turkish. But we just found out two Turkish passports he is holding are all fake.

"We also found many empty fake passports, also various kinds of evidences."

He is not the suspect in the yellow T-shirt and sunglasses. That guy's still on the loose.

"The man we have is not the man in the sketch, but we believe he is part of the network which carried out the two bomb incidents,"

[narciso]

surprise, surprise:

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/08/28/epa-says-clean-water-rule-in-effect-despite-court-ruling/

[narciso]

yes, he didn't look turkish, either Pakistani or from the Gulf States,

[GMax]

If the judge has a TRO in place, I think a very sober case can be made to the judge that to allow the EPA to go forward in the non litigating states violates equal protection of the law.

[Captain Hate on the iPad]

How did I miss the ewok's Tuesday meltdown? Some things never change...

[Gentlejim]

"Theft" is a synonym for steals. James D used steals in his post. Is it everybody that is willing to steal would also be willing to kill you? Or is it just the police or people taking orders? It's a massive leap from being willing to steal something to being willing to kill someone.

Yes James its a huge leap.

I do agree that tyranny in any form should be extinguished. I just don't agree with your premise that it's an easy move from stealing to murder.

[Janet]

This came by on FB - Claim: Subway’s Jared Fogle Admitted to Having Sex with Children Under 10 in Thailand, Subway Knew

Could we get this same kind of coverage for Howard Gutman, our former Ambassador to Belgium?

How come it wasn't a big deal that our STATE DEPT. knew about an Ambassador soliciting minors?!

http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/state-dept-inspector-general-us-ambassador-belgium-solicited-prostitutes-including-minors_735057.html

What happened to HIM? Where's THAT story?

[narciso]

Wicket's (phone won't spit out Ewok), reign of terror, is awesome to see,

[James D.]

I think at some point, tyranny is tyranny.

If you're willing to do things you know are morally questionable, or outright morally wrong, because it's easier than speaking up, because you don't want to look bad in front of the other officers, because you're afraid for your job...

...where DO you draw the line?

[daddy]

Just read Kudlow's latest Town Hall column in prep for my Saturday Dog Walk with Larry.

Don't bother. Trump is Herbert Hoover.

can't help wondering whether the panic in world financial markets is in part a result of the Trump assault on free trade...

...In the 1980s and '90s the United States admitted nearly 20 million new legal immigrants — one of the largest waves of newcomers in our nation's history. Over that time period, the U.S. created nearly 40 million new jobs, the unemployment rate plunged by half, and the middle class saw living standards rise by almost one-third (from 1983-2005)...

Brainiacs, brainiacs, brainiacs.

[narciso]

I've become a little more cynical about these trade pacts, since Nafta was immediately followed by the devaluation of the peso and the bailout of the banks involved, since the cartels seem to have profited most,

[narciso]

there's a category error in Kudlow's piece, see if you can spot it,

[Jane]

The Trump effect:

Jason Chaffetz just posted this on Facebook:

Judge Tells IRS It Can’t Hide White House Emails

Now I love Chaffetz but I found myself responding as follows:

"Yeah right, tell us when you actually do something about it".

And then I looked at the other comments, and they all said the same thing.

At some point, they will have to wake up.

[boris]

"don't agree with your premise that it's an easy move from stealing to murder"

I'd say stealing "under color of law" is an element of tyranny. History informs that tyranny is not a very large stretch from homicide.

If tyranny is not stopped, homicide always seems to follow as night follows day.

[Buckeye]

So that fat POS Fogle is a pervert. There are lots of perverts. Why is the media fixated on this?

[daddy]

"What are Legal Immigrants?" for 200 Alex Narciso?

[narciso]

the two minute hate continues unabated,

http://www.weaselzippers.us/232904-slate-bush-hitler/

[Miss Marple]

narciso,

I have been turning a jaundiced eye towards free trade and global markets and such because although I understand how it is supposed to work, I can't help noticing that the only ones who benefit from it are big banks, large corporations, and assorted crony types.

Average people, they maybe get a cheap hammer at Wal 'art.

[Gentlejim]

Seems pretty clear.

I do agree that tyranny in any form should be extinguished. I just don't agree with your premise that it's an easy move from stealing to murder.

Posted by: Gentlejim | August 29, 2015 at 06:31 PM

[narciso]

sadly so, miss marple, this was something the commenters on that miami station kept missing,

why Thai pad is still better than Discus

http://www.weaselzippers.us/232903-donald-trump-interviewed-by-sarah-palin/

[daddy]

I see none of you have commented on my Tom Sawyer paste above. Hmpfffff.

Well all I can say is that I miss having a little one around anymore so I can read that out loud to them at bedtime. Reading Twain to my young weasels was about as fun as it gets.

[narciso]

a populist billionaire is a rare thing,

http://m.weeklystandard.com/articles/traitor-his-class_1020527.html

[Miss Marple]

daddy,

It was a really good literary analogy.

Sorry I didn't comment. I have messed up my camera and it now won focus.

Always something.

[narciso]

the same biblical scholars like Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, don't raise an eyebrow when Zaphod
bungles a bible passage, like taking Cain's dodge
as a positive statement, when he misses the whole point of sin, and sainthood,

[narciso]

too many marvel comics,

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/08/29/inside-the-kgb-s-super-power-division.html

[clarice]

I love Mark Twain and I loved that excerpt, daddy.

[narciso]

yes, that was a great passage,

part of the problem today is young people, aren't taught classics like Tom Sawyer, when they come home, they don't even have cartoons like those classic Warner Bros, more often then not, you have sub Springer garbage, they don't even have saturday morning cartoons anymore, just more of the today show, that's not good for anyone,

[narciso]

well they read Carlos Slims, so there explanation,

http://conservativewahoo.blogspot.com/2015/08/joseph-nocera-thinks-his-readers-are.html

[daddy]

Uh Oh! Jeb's gonna' be angry.

Donald Trump disrespects some CNN reporters

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said “CNN is terrible” after one of its reporters asked him about protesters outside his press conference in Norwood, MA on Friday.

After being asked about the protesters outside the event, Trump stated, “I don’t see many protesters. I see thousands of people, and there’s a few protesters. And I figured you’d ask that question because you know — no, that’s the way it is. CNN is terrible. CNN, you’re with CNN? Are you with CNN?”

After the reporter answered that they were, Trump continued, “You people do not cover us accurately at all. So they have a few protesters outside, and they have thousands of people, and the first question from CNN is about protesters.”

In response, Jeb Bush said: “I think people in the press should be treated with more respect and dignity.”

"Welcome to SubWay!

[narciso]

well how did Eisenhower do it,

http://twitchy.com/2015/08/29/ron-fournier-challenges-critics-how-do-you-deport-12-million-people-without-boxcars/

[Peter]

Daddy I loved the po st and you inspired me to reread TS.

[daddy]

...don't raise an eyebrow when Zaphod
bungles a bible passage

Great point, Narciso, and so true.

[Buckeye]

daddy

I was struck by the fact that I remembered the whitewashing of the fence, but nothing about the bible scam.

I think I was pretty young when my mom stuck that book under my nose.

At the end of the last thread I ask if you have 2 at college now? Nobody to read to anymore?

[daddy]

Judge Tells IRS It Can’t Hide White House Emails

Well here's tomorrow's headline:

IRS Tells Judge It Can’t Find White House Emails

[narciso]

they got rid of the Iowa Straw Poll, but they ran headlong into Donald, which had much the same effect:

http://theconservativetreehouse.com/2015/08/29/jeb-bush-ground-campaign-collapses-campaign-fundraisers-quit-super-pacs-bushs-only-hope/#more-105495

[Dave (in MA)]

He's even won over Citizens for Limited Taxation's Barbara Anderson.

FB:Barbara Anderson
1 hr ·
And if someone still doesn't see what Americans see in Trump, here is his speech at the Ernie Boch Jr. event Friday. This is not the news conference, where the mainstream media kept pathetically obsessing over whether it was a fundraiser or not; this is Trump saying what I am often yelling at the television news as I hear it. Yes, I could vote for this guy. Good job, Ernie Boch Jr. introducing him to your friends and neighbors.Donald Trump FULL SPEECH Norwood MA, Ernie Boch Fundraiser, August 28, 2015 Presidential Campaign

[narciso]

so the 'brilliant and beautiful' gack, Amal Clooney loses a case in the Egyptian Courts,

[danoso]

You'd think the Fournier's of the world would understand if you enforce rules to not employ illegals then they'd deport themselves.

[Buckeye]

"Just a Reminder, this is an insurgency. – The modern enemy of Wall Street is Main Street vulgarians. The enemy of the RNC/GOPe is not Democrats, it’s Grassroots Conservatives, more vulgarians."

Vulgarian.....and proud of it.

[daddy]

FOX running a segment now titled: Trumps History Of Flip Flops.

I've had FOX on and off all morning and still waiting for the segment titled: Hillary Clinton's History of Flip Flops.

BTW, Just as a mental change of pace, I do have to say that a company I am familiar with is in I think year 4 of trying to get a new contract with it's employees, and it is refreshing for me to read the rash of vitriolic and snide comments back and forth on the Peanut Gallery website between the potential Yea's and Nay's on voting for the new TA (Tentative Agreement) that has just come out,

Here, for example, (with pix) is a little of the argument, concerning this company trying to eliminate the current First Class International Deadheading requirements down to cheaper Business Class Deadheading requirements: Things I (we) don't like about TA

[narciso]

even business publications are nearly useless,

http://fortune.com/2015/08/29/trump-gets-two-things-right-on-china-sort-of/

[daddy]

Wow, Shep Smith looked a lot less "gayer' back during Katrina, when he was watching bodies float thru the Hotel Lobby with Brian Williams.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

Chain Bridge and Amalgamated Bank.
TCTF; Too Connected To Fail

[DebinNC]

The county sheriff's office posted the wrong mugshot of Darren Goforth's accused killer. They've corrected it now, but sheesh.

[Dave (in MA)]

daddy, flip flops and cankles are a bad combo.

[boris]

"Seems pretty clear"

The only comment that contains a "premise that it's an easy move from stealing to murder" is yours.

If you had written that you ""don't agree with my own premise that it's an easy move from stealing to murder" ...

I would have no problem with it.

[narciso]

law enforcement has a similar place to vent,

http://www.leoaffairs.com/

[daddy]

At the end of the last thread I ask if you have 2 at college now? Nobody to read to anymore?

Yep, Buckeye, I'm hosed in that regard---nobody to read Twain to and a hole in my wallet:(

Daddy I loved the po st and you inspired me to reread TS.

Posted by: Peter

My day is complete, my mission in life is accomplished:)

It really is astonishing how Twain could be so good so often, and 150 years on he still comes across with a marvelous, wonderful freshness, that lasts like the Mona Lisa but effects me as if he pumped it out this morning.

[DebinNC]

Harry Reid is threatening a filibuster to prevent a vote on BOzo's Iran give-away? Wow, they must not have the votes.

[DebinNC]

New Iowa poll is bad news for Jeb, which is good news for me.

[FTL]

I'm neither a thief nor a murderer, so I have no idea what the distance is between the two in terms of how much intent needs to be gathered to commit one act or the other. I am guessing that the two crimes are not necessarily on a continuum because they depend on the criminal's own makeup.

Having spent time thinking about this in the past, I can think of numerous realistic scenarios where I could live with myself as a murderer in the eyes of the law. I come up short on scenarios that would make me a thief.

[Buckeye]

daddy

My mom was an English Lit teacher. She had me reading by 4 and kept books stuck under my nose.

I think Twain and Kipling were the two I enjoyed the most.

Sorry to say it wasn't until I was an adult, and she was gone, that I appreciated what she had done.

[daddy]

Hillary Is In the Zone of Maximum Danger

I had no idea she was in Detroit.

[narciso]

good new everybody,

http://overlawyered.com/2015/08/nlrb-were-coming-after-franchisors-and-subcontractors/

that deal just gets better and better,

[Strawman Cometh]

Listening to the rewind from Friday night, Mark will be doing a book signing at the Boca Raton Costco

[daddy]

Sorry to say it wasn't until I was an adult, and she was gone, that I appreciated what she had done.

Me too Buckeye, That reminds me of this other great wonderful observation:

When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much he had learned in seven years.

[narciso]

ripley's advice seems on point:

http://hotair.com/headlines/archives/2015/08/29/the-lessons-of-anwar-al-awlaki/

[boris]

thought it was Paxton ...

[boris]

Guess not ...

[boris]

Ripley says it first then argues with Burke. Then Hicks (Bien) ...

HICKS
Prep for dust-off. We're gonna
need an immediate evac.
(to Burke)
I think we'll take off and nuke
the site from orbit. It's the
only way to be sure.

[narciso]

another prophetic film from the 80s, the best of the series, like Khan was to Star Trek,

[narciso]

which is why the people behind the second Trek revamp should be flayed, a reasonable accomodation I think.

[daddy]

I've noticed

that about every

3rd or 4th Viagra commercial

they run on FOX

they slip in this "Expedia" commercial Connections.

It starts with some gal running thru some airport trying to make a connection,
then quickly shifts to 2 gay guys introducing their adopted daughter to every trendy enlightened stereotype in San Francisco that doesn't poop in the streets, .

I don't know what "Expedia" does or is, or what this ad is about, but then the next scene is of some guy who likes like the "Most Interesting Beer Drinker in the World guy" trying to visit a Mosque somewhere: (it won't let me post that pic so I'll post this one)

but what gets me is that it tries to somehow give the impression that he is treated friendly in the Mosque and makes a connection, whereas all I get as a takeaway is that he doesn't get a smile or welcome of any kind from anyone in the Mosque---he simple puts up a halfhearted smile as if it means something, then leaves, and then the next shot is some bearded young guy visiting some overgrown Temple in SouthEast Asia:

Anybody have any idea what that ad is all about and what subliminal ideas they are supposed to be subtly sticking in our brains?

Gays are great parents?
Islam's are friendly, but not really?
Don't miss your plane?

Beats the hell out of me. All I know is that between FOX News reports on how awful Ashley Madison is at encouraging cheat in', we need to be sure to drink your Ovaltine! take your Viagra!