Equifarce Reporting

OK, after that ghastly data breach and their sale of stock the top execs at Equifax are toast and ought to be. But this Charity Case NY Times story has prompted an entirely different rant:

Equifax Hack Exposes Regulatory Gaps, Leaving Consumers Vulnerable

Equifax warehouses the most intimate details of Americans’ financial lives, from the credit cards in their wallets to the size of their medical bills.

But the company doesn’t face the constant monitoring and auditing that help strengthen banks’ systems and data protections. Despite the wealth of sensitive information in its databases, Equifax, in essence, falls through the regulatory cracks.

The dangers of such lax oversight became apparent on Thursday when Equifax disclosed that hackers had compromised the personal and confidential information, including Social Security numbers, of nearly half of the American population.

This mindset that only the government regulators can protect us from Stupid Businessmen is reflexive at the Times (and in progressive circles generally). It is unimaginative, ahistorical, and utterly agenda-driven, since they are the proponents of Always Bigger Government. (Let's have a hurricane tie-in as a progressive discusses his vision of Bigger Government with a conservative).

As an alternative, it is conceivable that in pursuit of profit companies concern themselves with their reputation. They might also make an effort to keep their customers satisfied (Not always!).

To pick an example seemingly at random, the NY Times prints all sorts of news from all sorts of sources. Is the government vetting their reporting? Well, the formal government, not the DNC? (Teach me to ask a rhetorical question...)

The Times also promises all sorts of confidentiality to their sources. These sources could lose their jobs or be susceptible to blackmail if a hacker probed the Times emails and calendars and learned who they were. Which government agency oversees the Times computer security?

Please - the Times will insist they are highly motivated to prevent these problems in order to assure their reputation for whatever brand of progressive activism they are flogging this week. And good for them! Yet somehow, everywhere else they look they see a need for government oversight. (I should review their coverage of the Cajun Navy in Houston, and yes, I remain highly confident that somewhere in that fleet is a boat with a Confederate flag decal.)

As to Equifax, first, as the Times eventually explains, they are subject to government regulation and oversight. The relevant agency, the FTC, just isn't that active and assertive. Wow, "the government" is not eternally vigilant and hyper-effective? Hold the front page! Maybe later the Times can describe the regulatory oversight of the hacked Office of Personnel Management.

Second, it is easy enough to imagine that the customers of the credit bureaus could fund an outside Data Security Audit group to inspect and certify the credit bureaus. And who are the customers?

Credit reporting is big business. Equifax made $3.1 billion in revenue last year, collecting the vast majority from businesses like banks and other financial service companies.

So banks couldn't bankroll this? Please.

As a caveat I should add that we have all had a bit of a grim experience with the free-market solution for debt issuers, the credit rating agencies. They were private, for-profit and meant to provide objective expertise. Of course, they were funded by debt issuers, not buyers, and the natural conflicts of interest somewhat overcame them. That said, Government agencies are not immune to that process (other than in the imagination of Times reporters), which is why we talk about "regulatory capture".

For an alternative vision, the Times might want to consider the history of the Underwriters Laboratory, a self-started group from 1894 meant to test and devise emerging technologies. The entry from 1921 is illustrative - they certified the first refrigerators in 1921, presumably providing assurance to buyers, home insurers, and even manufacturers who might like the boost to their confidence.

Who knew? Or consider Consumer Reports magazine, founded in 1936:

Consumer Reports is an American magazine published since 1936 by Consumers Union, a nonprofit organization dedicated to unbiased product testing, consumer-oriented research, public education, and advocacy. Consumer Reportspublishes reviews and comparisons of consumer products and services based on reporting and results from its in-house testing laboratory and survey research center. The magazine accepts no advertising, pays for all the products it tests, and, as a nonprofit organization has no shareholders. It also publishes general and targeted product/service buying guides. As of April 2016 it had approximately 7 million subscribers (3.8 million print and 3.2 million digital) and an annual testing budget of approximately US$25 million

Mind-boggling - one can actually get paid for providing reliable information without government oversight. Odd that the Times can't figure this out.

 

Comments

[maryrose]

First

[maryrose]

Shout out to Ann and Kave!

[henry]

Safety tip: if you sign up for the Equifax special service, you lose legal rights (it has forced arbitration in the click through legal agreement). Best bet is to do the credit freeze thing, then check free credit reports (you get one a year from each service, might want to spread those out).

[Janeprobably about 10 minutes after getting there]

Ann, thank you so much - it takes a death defying event to get you here. Rocco depending on how long I'm in Sturbridge let's have a get together with Dave, TC and anyone else who is around.

I think official toast day is tomorrow, for me. I hope Narc checks in.

[henry]

Jane, looks like your place will be eyewall landfall. Glad you and kiwi are somewhere else, wish you were together.

[Threadkiller]

I remember when the media was in charge of oversight:

NBC Admits It Rigged Crash, Settles GM Suit
February 10, 1993

In an extraordinary public apology, NBC said Tuesday night that it erred in staging a fiery test crash of a General Motors pickup truck for its "Dateline NBC" news program and agreed to settle a defamation suit filed by the auto maker.

"We deeply regret we included the inappropriate demonstration in our 'Dateline' report," said a statement read by NBC News co-anchors Jane Pauley and Stone Phillips Tuesday night. "We apologize to our viewers and to General Motors. We have also concluded that unscientific demonstrations should have no place in hard news stories at NBC. That's our new policy."

http://articles.latimes.com/1993-02-10/news/mn-1335_1_gm-pickup

[Janeprobably about 10 minutes after getting there]

Hopefully within a week Henry. Is your mother getting out?

So speculation at Insty is that since Trump and Koskinan are old friends the deal is Trump won't go after the IRS if the IRS doesn't go after Trump.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/09/08/nuclear-option-trumps-rebuke-washington-gop-surprise-no-one/

Charlie Hurt has a few words for the GOP in Washington.

[DebinGA]

I can't remember a more inert bunch of elected Republicans in my lifetime; much less when they're in the majority, head all the committees, and have a Republican president begging them to leave the dugout and take the field. It's surreal.

[JimNorCal]

Thanks for that Equifax detail, henry. I hadn't noticed that.

[Captain Hate]

"We deeply regret we included the inappropriate demonstration in our 'Dateline' report," said a statement read by NBC News co-anchors Jane Pauley and Stone Phillips Tuesday night. "We apologize to our viewers and to General Motors. We have also concluded that unscientific demonstrations should have no place in hard news stories at NBC. That's our new policy got caught."

[JimNorCal]

"Turban" Durbin lobbies Pres Trump on behalf of illegals via Jared.
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/09/08/jared-kushner-helped-top-democratic-senator-lobby-wh-daca-amnesty/

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

"Inert". Perfect description.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

Jane,

My opinion on this is the same as for that of Lois Lerner's getting a pass right now.

There is little to be gained right now from firing Kosiken and much to lose. I do not think opening the Trump tax return controversy will do anything productive. It would derail almost all of the legislative agenda, allow endless virtue signaling about how various elected officials have revealed THEIR tax returns, and accomplish nothing.

I think it was Jack who said last night that he has armies of lawyers and accountants to prepare those returns and there isn't one thing wrong with them. Trump was a huge fish for someone in the IRS to catch in order to make an example of, and you cannot convince me that if ANYTHING were wrong with those returns they wouldn't have somehow been released during the campaign. The reason they weren't is because there wasn't any point to it.

There are a gazillion IRS employees who are NOT friends of Trump, who would love to be the "hero" of the democrats, who figure they could probably get away with releasing those returns and would receive a hefty reward from people like Cher and Michael Moore.

The reason they haven't is that there isn't any point to it.

[narciso]

Morning all, Equifax did give a fair amount to gop take beast's congresscritter who used to employ olc head boyd and Mike Lee to chose two random nanes.

[Old Lurker]

Jane "So speculation at Insty is that since Trump and Koskinan are old friends the deal is Trump won't go after the IRS if the IRS doesn't go after Trump."

Hard to read it any other way since nobody in fly over land would have any objection whatsoever for teaching the IRS thugs a lesson. That was the lowest of low hanging political fruit in the Swamp. Not doing that has fueled some of the frustration aimed at Sessions, and if the above is true then Sessions is getting a bum rap on that one.

Jane, did I miss a post about where Kiwi is and have they moved away from ground zero?

[Captain Hate]

So speculation at Insty is that since Trump and Koskinan are old friends the deal is Trump won't go after the IRS if the IRS doesn't go after Trump.

That sounds as insane as MSNBC.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

The Week in Pictures; Epic Hurricane Edition.

[Captain Hate]

I can't remember a more inert bunch of elected Republicans in my lifetime; much less when they're in the majority, head all the committees, and have a Republican president begging them to leave the dugout and take the field. It's surreal.

A good starting point for a new party would be a pledge to work the same type of schedule as the people they purport to represent do. This August recess has to go the way of Prohibition.

Right now I'm looking for any sane alternative to the Uniparty which obviously doesn't include those Libertardian potheads.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

Both primary candidates for the Indiana Senate race against Donnelly voted AGAINST the Hurricane Harvey package because it allows too much deficit spending.

http://cbs4indy.com/2017/09/09/indiana-gop-senate-hopefuls-opposed-harvey-aid-package/?utm_campaign=trueAnthem:+Trending+Content&utm_content=59b3dff904d301728867c956&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=twitter

Both Rokita and Messer are currently sitting House members. This is the type of poor strategic thinking and green eyeshade conservatism that drives me crazy. Donnelly is a Catholic, fairly moderate democrat. Neither of these two are going to win against him if they keep up with this sort of thinking.

How easy it will be for Donnelly to portray them as heartless skinflints! Meanwhile, I am sure BOTH of them voted for the last continuing resolution under Obama, which pushed the deficit up and they said NOTHING about it.

I am no longer fooled by this type of posturing. These two were Cruz supporters and are all about sticking it to Trump. That's it.

Meanwhile, Todd Young, the GOP Indiana senator, voted FOR the Harvey relief package.

[Old Lurker]

Iggy ""Inert". Perfect description."

Well that works for many in GOPe, but not for all. Inert means just sitting there watching the clouds go by...McCain and others are actively pushing in the opposite direction so that does not qualify as "inert".

Second point is that the related word "inertia" means staying in the steady state the body has...that can be at rest or moving in a steady direction and velocity. Using that notion, I cast Ryan & McConnell in the opposing force group with McCain et al because but for the actions of those two, Congress would have been expected to roll along in regular order especially on matters like appointments, budgets, and real, not pretend for show, investigations and oversight.

[sbw]

TM™, you are every bit as good -- dare I say better -- than any of the columnists we run on our editorial page, including those from the [snicker] Washington Post Writers Group.

You point the magnifying glass where it belongs so we can see more clearly what it is useful for us to know. You add extra context, with links, to back up your insight.

Thank you!

[joan]

"Equifarce Reporting?" Wow! What great wit! Sometimes I wonder why Mr. Maguire isn't a noted American writer -- though he is our 'national treasure.' :)

[Old Lurker]

Cap'n "That sounds as insane as MSNBC."

But what explains the total lack of action against obvious wrong doing at the most hated arm of the Federal Government? I argue that launching against them back in the beginning would have had no downside, but that doing nothing and not explaining doing nothing is doing damage to the administration.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

Lots of push on Twitter for challenging Ryan as Speaker.

This makes me nervous because this isn't like the Senate Majority leader vote. The entire body of the House votes for the Speaker. If you split the vote of the GOP, you end up with Nancy Pelosi as Speaker and although she wouldn't have the majority, she would still control the legislative agenda.

The best solution would be for Ryan to be taken out in the primary, or, failing that, let a dem have his seat. I don't think Paul Nehlen has enough support from people in Ryan's district, regardless of how much money and approval he gets from places like Breitbart. So his victory as a primary challenger I give a slim to none chance.

Maybe Trump could appoint Ryan to something. LOL!

[Old Lurker]

"Maybe Trump could appoint Ryan to something. "

Ambassador to Greenland?

[Threadkiller]

But what explains the total lack of action against obvious wrong doing at the most hated arm of the Federal Government?

Issa, Chafed-putz, and Gowdy-Doody had their shot. The chose to do diddly squat. Is the IRS looming over them as well?

[Janet the expert 🚬]

http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/09/08/jeff-sessions-doj-will-not-investigate-irs-suppression-tea-party-groups/

I sent off $$$ to get my required vehicle tags the other day.
Why do I have to obey THAT law?

Think of all the laws & regulations we are supposed to obey - local, state, & federal. I could get a f'n ticket for my dog being off-leash.

There was this story last year - "Harley-Davidson is being fined $15 million by the EPA for selling an aftermarket upgrade that caused motorcycles to emit more pollution than legally allowed."

http://www.investopedia.com/stock-analysis/082216/harleydavidson-fined-15-million-emissions-hog-vlkay.aspx

An EPA REGULATION!

Why does Harley-Davidson have to obey regulations?

It is sickening that Americans & American businesses are expected to obey endless laws & regulations while SOME don't have to.

Absolute lawlessness is allowed for certain politicians while businesses are fined millions for not obeying a regulation.

Citizens of other countries that are here illegally are allowed to break our laws while American citizens are expected to obey every jot & tittle of endless laws & regulations or be fined.

[Old Lurker]

TK "Is the IRS looming over them as well?"

Honest people throughout the land in all income categories feel the hot breath of the IRS looming over them, so why would those three be any different TK?

[Old Lurker]

Janet "...obey every jot & tittle of endless laws & regulations or be fined."

Oh, being fined is but the least painful of the things the State can do to you or your business for not complying with every jot & tittle.

[Threadkiller]

So the IRS is unstoppable. No matter who you are.

[joan]

Yes, swb, I continue to chuckle and admire Mr. Maguire, especially for the depth of his writing. I hadn't read your comment when I posted mine, and when I did see it, you gave me another smile, plus confirmation that jom is rich and deep, and so often humorous in political and social commentary.

I started to add another paragraph in my first comment to include Ig, Clarice, you, MM, et al., but, there are just so many I decided not to because as soon as I didn't add a specific name, that person would probably say something brilliant and witty, and I'd feel bad. :) Thinking CH, Old Lurker, Porch, Matt, Beasts, maryrose, momto2, debinGA, and the list goes on and on. :)

[DebinGA]

I see zero chance Ryan would be "taken out in the primary". I can imagine his massive ego leading him to pull "a Boehner" and announce he wouldn't run in 2018 if he thought he couldn't continue as Speaker in the next Congress with the votes of Dems.

[Captain Hate]

But what explains the total lack of action against obvious wrong doing at the most hated arm of the Federal Government?

I'm not sure what's driving it. Maybe since he knows that if the revenue collection arm of the government had nobody in place that has at least a proven track record of getting the underlings to do their jobs chaos would ensue. Maybe it's something else but using Trump's tax returns as a reason strikes me as tinfoil hat material.

[Janet the expert 🚬]

old comment -

Who gets to disregard laws?
*Hillary Clinton
*Democrat operatives in government positions
*activists from Democrat organizations
*citizens of other countries
*not YOU

Perhaps we can ALL claim to be "activists" if we are ever accused of breaking the law or if we disobey some regulation.
**Hey, leave me alone...I'm an activist for social justice!**
Or we can lie & say our last name is Clinton & therefore we don't have to obey any laws.
Or we can claim to be in America illegally & therefore we want to be excused for our lawlessness.

All Americans should be able to trespass on other people's property, vandalize property, mishandle classified info., riot, block roads, disregard workplace laws & regulations, assault people that disagree with our political views, lie to get government benefits, ...

[Threadkiller]

At least Breitbart provides an incomplete link to the letter that supposedly said that the order came from Trump. I had to use cleverness to find page two.

Oh.

[DebinGA]

How indicative of the sorry state of this Congress that Devin Nunes, the one Republican who showed courage and smarts, is now sidelined by a bogus "ethics' investigation because his gutless brethren didn't like the contrast between him and them.

[Old Lurker]

TK, because the IRS reaches every aspect of our society and has extra-constitutional powers (remember that under the law, all citizens are presumed guilty if the IRS so claims and the taxpayer has the burden to prove his innocence...and the IRS under that has the power to seize your assets and income until you win, using your own lawyers and your own money against the legions of free lawyers arrayed against you, in court proving otherwise)...makes a rogue IRS the single most effective offensive weapon of the Deep State.

[Janeprobably about 10 minutes after getting there]

OL, Kiwi is in Alabama with Auntie Debbie, headed north tomorrow. I'll probably finally get to see her Tuesdayor Wednesday. Talk about great friends!

I will not make excuses for Trump about the IRS. Seems he is rapidly learning the ways of D.C. ''Twas inevitable I guess.

My neighbors are still in Port Charlotte headed to a hotel. So I'll get an update on Monday.

[henry]

No R politician will primary Ryan, that would be career suicide even if they won (and they might). The only outsider running is that boob Nehlen. Nehlen seems to shoot himself in the foot at every opportunity. Not gonna happen. Can another self funder pop up and go for it? They need to get moving soon.

[lurkersusie]

Who will be the next commissioner?

John Koskinen is the 48th Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service. Official end date of Commissioner Koskinen's term ends November 12, 2017. (Note: given calendar, last day in office is November 9, 2017.) Next Commissioner 5 year term begins then on November 13, 2017.

[Threadkiller]

I'm with you, OL. But three consecutive power brokers from Oversight have failed to do shit. And if you read the letter it turns out that they did not provide the evidence necessary for the DOJ to do squat.

The link yesterday was a flat out fabrication that Trump reviewed any of this.

#JiggeryPokery

Here are the links:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DJONyLJXYAAUhKz?format=jpg

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DJONyLEXoAAcnmg?format=jpg

[Old Lurker]

Thanks Jane. I knew Kiwi was with trusted real people, but I had not heard if they were smart enough to get outta Dodge. At least you don't have to worry on that front.

[henry]

Jane, mom is staying put as she has through every hurricane since Andrew. My guess is her building will be fine, even the parking garage is over 12 ft. Most year round residents are staying too. They have a generator for the elevators, etc.

[Janeprobably about 10 minutes after getting there]

If I ever get organized I'll find my notes on discussions about the Republican Party split in 3 and who thinks who will prevail. Fascinating stuff.

[maryrose]

Joan:
I so enjoy your posts.I also love the humor portrayed here as well as the compassion.
I do try to remember all those who need prayers in their daily struggles in life.
Neo always has good posts as does Pagar.
Just a reminder, the House did pass a Healthcare bill and no Ryan will not be replaced because no one wants the job.I like the fact that it is not business as usual for the Republicans and lately Old Lurker is making a lot of sense to me.

[Old Lurker]

TK, I think Old J. Edgar is spinning in his grave seeing how much more power the IRS has for managing its opponents than he ever had with his private dossiers on his political opponents!

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

OL,
Physicists and chemists renamed the inert gases, noble gases.
While the Rep leadership are without doubt gasbags, if my choice is between calling them inert or noble, well...

[Old Lurker]

:-) ! Iggy.

[Momto2]

I know many JOMers have property in the path of the storm. Who is still physically in Florida in the "danger" zone?

At the Atlanta Motor Speedway, we have reports of people who are camping out in cars or under just a tarp. Local residents are rallying to the cause, delivering supplies, and keeping a check on them.

[Janet the expert 🚬]

We're all a bunch of chumps for obeying laws while citizens of other countries, the Clintons, Dem. businesses, & Dem. operatives are allowed to be lawless.

Harley is fined 15 million because of an EPA regulation.
Planned Parenthood was caught on video selling baby scalps & eyes & the people that caught them are being prosecuted & fined.

"Green" companies get a waiver for chopping up protected birds, but YOUR business better obey.

IT is all so random.

[narciso]

so it's been a month, and they still can't tell us how they were hacked, something stinks.

[Threadkiller]

Yesterday Ext quoted this from the Wash Examiner:

Republicans asked the agency in April to take a "fresh look" at the case against Lerner. On Friday, Assistant Attorney General Stephen Boyd responded by saying President Trump reviewed the case and decided against it.[emphasis mine]

http://justoneminute.typepad.com/main/2017/09/gays-bayes-and-ai.html?cid=6a00d83451b2aa69e201bb09c155c6970d#comment-6a00d83451b2aa69e201bb09c155c6970d

Here is that link today:

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/gop-outraged-after-trump-refuses-to-consider-lois-lerner-prosecution/article/2633848

Good luck finding that quote. It has been sanitized without any notation of the change. AN ENORMOUS CHANGE.

You are falling for a con.

[Threadkiller]

IMO, Judicial Watch should be doing a better job of explaining this. Since they aren't I am left with the conclusion that this misdirection makes for good fundraising red meat.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

OL,

When my dad ran a furnace repair and sheet metal shop with a total of 4 employees, he got audited back in the 1950's. I remember it vividly even though I was a little girl, because my folks spent hours and hours pulling records out of file cabinets, with my mom periodically crying and my dad cussing.

He finally went into the Indianapolis office armed with proof he was correct. My granddad (his father) went with him. After the agent reviewed all of the documents, he leaned back in his chair, put his feet up on the desk, and said "Well, looks like you're ok. We'll get you next year."

My granddad held my father by the shoulders to keep my dad from lunging at the guy. Seriously.

My sister has a friend who started her career as an attorney for the IRS, and LOVED her job. She only quit when her husband incompetently managed an indoor sports arena and she had to take over.

Of all of the people I know, this woman is the MEANEST person I ever met other than my ex-husband.

I tell these two stories to point out that I think the IRS draws the worst sorts of people into its bureaucracy. Do you know anyone who ASPIRES to be in the IRS? Of course not, because we instinctively avoid those sorts of people.

The only thing that will reduce the power of the IRS is both a reduction in its manpower and its authority. The first can be done by modern computers, less complicated tax rules, and other efficiency measures.

The second is trickier, and revamping the tax courts and the rules for litigation within them would be a good start. Getting Congress to act on this would be very difficult, however.

[Buford Gooch]

Speaker of the House is elected by majority vote, not plurality vote. Dems could pick which Republican, and vote for him or her, but couldn't elect one of their own without Republican votes.

[Old Lurker]

MM, I agree with your 9:50 entirely.

My Dad was a tax lawyer who went from law school to the IRS in DC for a few years so he would learn from the inside how he would defend clients when he went private. That was all circa 1950-3 or so. So I grew up hearing all the horror stories at the dinner table - especially that thingy of "presumed guilty unless you (pay my Dad) to prove otherwise". So I built in fear/dread/hatred of the IRS was learned in the crib.

[Captain Hate]

Has anybody considered that maybe Mnuchin, McConnell and Ryan all strongly advised Trump not to fire Koskinen but just replace him when his term is up?

[henry]

Momto2, people in the path:

Narciso, near Jacksonville
My mom, on the beach in Naples
My brother and sister in law, inland in Naples

I expect property to be hit harder than people, but the storm is just getting there.

[Old Lurker]

Cap'n "Has anybody considered that maybe Mnuchin, McConnell and Ryan all strongly advised Trump not to fire Koskinen but just replace him when his term is up?"

I can sure see Ryan & McConnell advising that because they would know exactly how that would play against his Base and the MAGA agenda. It worked as well as "give us 100 days..."

[Captain Hate]

henry,

Does that mean RG is on the outside? Thanks for that list btw.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

OL,

I used to do our taxes myself. Did them for years until my ex-husband got laid off and started a consulting business. I was ok handling the 1040 with deductions for mortgage, charity, etc. but when the business stuff started, we had to go to an accountant, which I used until last year, when I discovered that his "ethics" kept him from informing me how much my husband had actually earned (over a half million in 2 years, only discovered when my attorney demanded them during the divorce litigation).

Last year I still had part of my eBay business on my income, so I used Turbotax. It cost me $150 to find out I owed $180. This is a huge rip off and I will be doing my taxes by hand this year, since I only have SS and pension income.

I wonder how much H.& R. Block, Turbotax, and the CPA association pay in donations to Congresscritters to keep this entire scam going.

[Captain Hate]

OL,

You defeat a large army one soldier at a time. Complaining about not nailing Koskinen is like blaming Rumsfeld for not killing Saddam Hussein first imo. Defeating the Deep State will not be a lightning strike but will require a strategy will many revisions through time.

[henry]

CH, RG hasn't mentioned leaving. I think we add him to the list.

[Barbara]

This says it all.

I can't remember a more inert bunch of elected Republicans in my lifetime; much less when they're in the majority, head all the committees, and have a Republican president begging them to leave the dugout and take the field.

Posted by: DebinGA at 08:46 AM

And yet Ryan is crowing that,

“The House has passed over 300 bills in the first six months of this Trump presidency,” he said. “Three hundred...More bills have passed in the first six months of the Trump administration in the House than under Clinton, Obama and both Bushes. If you want to learn about all we’ve done, go to didyouknow.gop.”

That site will tell you that 6,411 bills and resolutions have been introduced in this session of Congress. Fifty-five bills and joint resolutions have been passed by both houses and signed by the president.

“You probably don’t know that in the House we passed a complete overhaul of career technical education, to close that skills gap, to get people from where they are into the careers that they want,” Ryan said at the town hall. 
“You probably didn’t know that we passed a repeal and replace of the entire Dodd-Frank law because we’re losing up to one community bank a day in America.”

He also mentioned what he described as the biggest expansion of the G.I. bill in a decade.

See: COMMENTARY: U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan says his agenda is moving ahead, sort of

http://indianaeconomicdigest.com/Main.asp?SectionID=31&SubSectionID=91&ArticleID=89238

He just doesn't get it.

[James D.]

Janet @ 9:50

It's not random at all.

[Momto2]

Thanks for the list, henry. I will pray for each by name. Where is RG?

[Momto2]

You are so right, MM. Have you ever heard a young person declare, "I want to be an IRS agent when I grow up?"

They have been despised since the days of Zacchaeus.

[narciso]

No my cone of silence is near Daytona, which inn the big scheme of things isn't that big a difference

So that boyd letter is a posee. The head of the criminal division would make the determination.

[Captain Hate]

I think RG is in or around Tallahassee, Momto2.

[henry]

Stay dry Narciso

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

Joe Bastardi‏Verified account @BigJoeBastardi 6m6 minutes ago

weatherbell track yesterday had the weakening because of the interaction with Cuba but I also have this intensifying again to cat 5

[DebinGA]

Wow. Sounds like Ryan sees his House mission as disconnected from Trump's, aka "You do your thing and we'll do ours". Unfortunately for Speaker Bubble Boy, we watched/experienced 4 yrs. of Pelosi-Reid-BOzo's coordinated, full speed ahead, and ruinously successful "Project Fundamentally Change America".

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

DebinGA,

I follow Ryan on Twitter mostly to see what useless crap he's up to. Here's an example:

Paul Ryan‏Verified account @SpeakerRyan 9m9 minutes ago

It should always pay to work. Our focus with welfare reform should be on getting people the skills they need to obtain a good-paying job.
=================================

It's accompanied by a short, annoying video of him saying this with his usual "regular guy pose."

WHY is he talking about welfare reform? Who brought that up? Trump wants to create high-paying manufacturing jobs, which should solve some of the problem.

Why start in about welfare reform now? This isn't the 90's; we already did this once. It is exactly the sort of tin ear stuff those GOP primary candidates in my state are using.

WHAT IS WRONG WITH THESE PEOPLE????

[Clarice Feldman]

Jane, glad you are no longer shoeless and will soon get Kiwi back.

[Old Lurker]

I hear you, Cap'n. 10:08

Just chompin at the bit out here on the Ledge.

[DebinGA]

In Ryan's case, imo he doesn't know anything by experience outside his overwhelmingly white, middle class+ District 1-WI,,, which likely has one of the lowest % of residents on welfare rolls in the nation.

[rse]

CH is correct with RG's location. He has learned to make my famous chicken broth tonic first developed when I had pneumonia.

[Threadkiller]

I will be praying for the well being of all my Florida friends. Please be as safe and as cautious as possible.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/349702-trump-lawyer-id-take-a-bullet-for-the-president

I believe he would. You cannot buy that level of loyalty; it comes from respect.

I always liked the guy because he sort of sounded like a mob lawyer but was plenty smart.

[Barbara]

DebinGA,

The Republicans are totally disconnected from the President. His agenda is not their agenda, and the first and most important item on their individual agendas is to get reelected.

The Republicans have never bought into the President's Make America Great Again, populist view. For them, it's like government by the numbers. Just follow the time tested methods of governing set down by your predecessors, and keep the citizens outside the curtain wall of the castle.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

Here's that graphic someone mentioned this morning:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DJR-6wQUQAAKoJM.jpg

[Captain Hate]

OL, frankly I get pretty impatient too and have to periodically reconsider the magnitude of the undertaking. The IRS is an obvious target because it's such a Stasi like entity in terms of being diametrically opposed to freedom. Calling it a necessary evil is being far too kind; more like manifestations of the daft tyranny of Saints Woodrow and Delano.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

http://shark-tank.com/2017/09/09/latvala-kills-his-gubernatorial-campaign-questions-life-saving-hurricane-evacuations/

[Janeprobably about 10 minutes after getting there]

Clarice,

Oh I'm still shoeless (short story) but my niece promised to send me to Sturbridge wearing socks.

[henry]

new thread

[hrtshpdbox]

Have you ever heard a young person declare, "I want to be an IRS agent when I grow up?"

Kids of IRS agents probably say it. Just like kids of funeral directors are probably the only ones saying it about that job, too. Y'know, death and taxes.

[glasater]

Cash is king..until the gov sez it isn't my friends :-)