The Tuesday ‘BushWhack’ing

We put the ‘bail’ back in ‘bailout.’

• Three years ago today, Scott and I started this little blog in an attempt to get our political views, opinions and prognostications out to the masses. At times we've had nary a sole visit our corner of the blogosphere, while other times we've had so many people stop by for a visit that we felt like one of the big boys; Daily Kos or ThinkProgress. Happy Blogoversary TBWA... here's to three more!
  
• Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke are pushing harder for fast approval of that $700 billion bailout of the nation's financial systems… for the record; Ron Paul wants you all to know he’s against the bailout… uh-huh.
  Early voting has begun…
• In anticipation of the VP debate this Friday, Gov. Sarah Palin is meeting with leaders from around the globe to get a handle on this whole international thing. She’s scheduled to meet with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and Bono… (Bono? Seriously? The fact that the VP candidate for a major party is having to cram for a debate should be the first clue that she’s not ready to lead at this level…)
• Palin is accusing Democrats of lying… (If I can stop laughing long enough to type, there’s a saying that is apropos here; something about a pot and a kettle…)
• In response to Sen. Chris Dodd’s alternative bailout proposal, the banking industry is up in arms about a certain provision that would allow bankruptcy judges to lower mortgages for distressed homeowners. Because of that, banking lobbyists are rallying to defeat his proposal, with Steve Verdier, a lobbyist for the Independent Community Bankers Association saying; “We are vigorously opposing that.” (Oh, I see… a bailout for you guys is a-ok… but a bailout for people isn’t acceptable. Is it any wonder people don’t like some individuals that work in banks? They’re becoming the new version of a used car salesman…)
• Three words that should send a shiver up your spine; Florida voting issues. Here we go again…
• During an interview with Iraqi television last week, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki was speaking about a timetable for US troops to withdrawal from Iraq. During the interview he said (the bolding is mine); “Actually, the final date was really the end of 2010 and the period between the end of 2010 and the end of 2011 was for withdrawing the remaining troops from all of Iraq, but they asked for a change [in date] due to political circumstances related to the [U.S] domestic situation so it will not be said to the end of 2010 followed by one year for withdrawal but the end of 2011 as a final date.” (Hmmmmm… if I were a conspiracy theorist, I would say it sounded as if he was asked to extend the US presence in Iraq in order to help McCain’s presidential aspirations. But this administration wouldn’t do that… right? Right? Anyone?)
• And have we mentioned? That yesterday saw the price of oil jump more than $16? It’s true, the jump, the “biggest daily gain in dollar terms since 1984 — when crude began trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange” was because of the Fed’s proposed bailout plan. (so prices start dropping in the last few weeks because the economy is tanking, and when a rescue plan is announced, prices shoot upward. You’re doing it wrong…)