The Vibes Economy 1: Beef it's for Christmas dinner unless you're Jason "Storm Chaser" Nelson of Texass

There's a stupid joke I remember riffing on the Teach a man to fish parable that adds this bon mot;

Teach a man to create an artificial shortage of fish and he eats steak...

On Christmas Eve, an All-Hat, No-Cattle Texas right-winger who claims to be 100% permanently disabled, named Jason Nelson posted an X-Tweet about the outrageous price of Prime Rib, 

No response from Nelson

$313.52!!!

Like all outrages from Republicans it's done in such Bad Faith you'd think Jesus would strike down all these modern day Pharisees.  But, since Jesus is busy being blown apart by the IDF in Gaza it was up to the remaining Twitter fighters to drag Nelson.  For instance, he  elided the fact it was a 16.51lb prime rib with 7 ribs attached or $18.99 a pound.  When this and other responses undercutting his bullshit was pointed out to him Nelson decided to Just Tweet through it and responded with spite, vitriol, childish your mom style insults.

Now, I am gladdened that Nelson spent his Christmas angry and upset, and not paying attention to his wife and 4 children, and instead responded to everyone who rightly questioned his bullshit. But, interestingly Nelson didn't respond to the people who absolutely dragged him for what he does as a side-business; selling freeze-dried beef at over $50-a-pound.

No response from Nelson

I've known a couple of dishonorable veterans who gamed the system to get a disability rating from the VA.  Did Nelson do this to get a 100% disabled rating?  Well, going by his disingenuous (at best) tweets and the bevy of other falsehoods he spouts it lends credence to the idea that Jason Nelson is lying about his "disability".

I also look askew at any Veteran who self-proclaims to be "highly decorated" while also having changed branches of service.  Nelson's pathetically failed congressional candidacy includes a picture of him as an Army Staff Sergeant.  And he might have had a completely honorable very brave time in the service.  But, I highly doubt it.  Nelson has signed himself up to be a solider in The Lost Cause, the eternal War on America conservatives gleefully sign up for.

It shows how much the Rightwing Media Chamber and propaganda comapign of the Republicans has warped and distorted the minds of so many, especially white men in America.  Nelson thought he'd be a good foot solider for the Republicans and fire a salvo in the Bideneconomics battle.  

It shows us that these people are not reachable.  Nelson spent his Christmas attacking libtards, #OwningtheLibs, and was ecstatic that Newsweek wrote a piece about him.  Don't waste your time trying to change their minds.  We have to utterly defeat the vile evil lying Fascist wannabes like Jason Nelson, because what they have in mind if they secure power is nothing less than the End of the United States and the ushering in of a NeoConfederate Slave State held aloft be the pillars of White Power and Fascist Fundamentalism.

Student Debt Slavery No Bankers Left Behind

The federal Loan Rate for approximately 7 million Students doubled on Monday. Federal law has set the rate for new subsidized Stafford loans at 6.8 percent, up from 3.4 percent.

We are living in an Ultra-Reactionary Time when the Ruling Class doesn't just want to reassert the Dominance of Neo-Feudal Capitalism but crush the hopes of the Working Class and Middle Class.

So of course Congress didn't do anything about the Student Loan Rate. With a few exceptions Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders being the two loudest proponents, the Ultra- Reactionary Republican Party and the Pro-Business Democratic Party are enforcing the Neo-Liberal Economic Strategy in an attempt to grind the Middle Class out of existence and return the 99% to the Status of Wage Slavery; Cogs in the Gears of Industry and Massive Debt for a career in the Petty Bourgeoisie.

Of course, it shows the utter hyporcisy of the Free Marketers. The Stafford Loan rate isn't determined by "The Market" but by fiat from the Congress. So, it's just another way in which Capitalism is a rigged game, for the Banking Institutions get their federal loan rate set by the Federal Reserve. It's currently set at 0.75% for Big Predatory Banks.

Inscribe his name in the Veteran Book of Death

See, that's the difference between a great investigator like me, and a piece of Spam like you. Spam? You're a piece of spam. That's what I think of you. No, I call you a piece of spam, cause that's what you are. ... Spam. ~ Ed O'Neill and Andrew Dice Clay discuss an epistemological self-evident proposition in The Adventures of Ford Fairlane

Obama wants to kill Veterans, or more specifically he wants them to kill themselves to save money or benefits which he can give to ACORN Thugs. The Veteran 'Death Books' premise was advanced by Jonah Goldberg and trumpted by Sean Inshannity to Michael Steele on Fox Propaganda. Goldberg is famous for his well accepted theory that Nazis are Liberals because the Nazis were environmentally sound and tolerant and accepting of homosexuals just like those Liberals of today Michelle 'Jesus Saved the Planet Already' Bachmann and Rick 'man on dog' Santorum. 

 The epistemological self-evident proposition Nazis were Leftists because they had the word Socialists in their title and the Democrats of today are Nazis because they are Leftists (when we just proved that Leftists are Nazis) is tantamount to the proof the Chicago Bears are made up of actual Grizzly and/or Polar Bears because they have the word Bears in their name. Jonah Goldberg is the rising doughy conservative chicken hawk star, who was guest lecturer at the University of Massachusetts Amherst Young Republicans All I am Saying is Give War a Chance in which he; (joined) the UMass Republican Club for yet another lively and edifying political discussion on the costs, necessities, consequences, and benefits of war. 

So, Obama is to blame for Veterans neglect and wants Veterans to kill themselves. Even though President Obama has increased funding and expanded benefits for the VA he hasn't done enough to stem the tragic rate of Veterans suicide, but the criminal malfeasance and neglect Bush showed to Veterans for years was actively defended by the Republicans and their Right Wing Extremists Supporters. It was turned into a point of strength used to attack the patriotism and denounce anyone who was anti-war for hurting the Troops. The Bush Regime knew it could get away with passively and actively ignoring Veterans care and actively underfunding the VA because society would accept Bush's I love the Troops rhetoric and staged performances using Marines, Soldiers, Airmen and Sailors as back drops for his Let's Have More War Speeches. And pudgy Jonah never quite got around to calling out the Bush Regime in 2005 when the Pentagon's undersecretary for personnel and readiness, David S. Chu stated, Veterans benefits are hurtful to national defense: "The amounts have gotten to the point where they are hurtful. They are taking away from the nation's ability to defend itself." 

 Or in 2008 when CBS News revealed the Department of Veterans Affairs and Doctor Ira Katz the VA's head of Mental Health deliberately withheld critical information about the true suicide risk among veterans. Or when NPR reported Army officials pressured the Department of Veterans Affairs to stop helping wounded Veterans with their paperwork so Veterans wouldn't get their proper disability rating or benefits. But to Right Wing Extremist Chicken Hawk Scum like Hannity and Goldberg, Veterans are only useful when they can use them to attack Democrats.

Gonna Go Galt

"It seems to me that one of the predictors of a happy versus an unhappy outcome, has to do with the role of the elite or the decision makers or the politicians, or the rich people within the society. If the society is structured so that the decision makers themselves suffer from the consequences of their decisions, then they are motivated to make decisions that are good for the whole of society. If the decision makers can make decisions that insulate themselves from the rest of society then they are likely to make decisions that are bad for the rest of society." - Jared Diamond, Interview with PBS 02/12/2009.

All the people talking about "Going Galt" do just that they talk, pout and throw tantrums but they never, ever leave. So, ruck up and leave already. Go... Go... Go... However, remember to bring some long underwear when you make your "Capitalist" Wunderland in the Colorado Rockies, because none of you has the comic book abilities of a John Galt.

None of those threatening to leave are the mythical supermen producers of Atlas Shrugged they are the parasites. The bankers, the high priced lawyers, the lobbyists, the brokers, the bureacrats, the Jim Cramer short-selling paper shufflers, who demanded deregulation in order to bilk trillions out of the US and then when everything crumbled wanted a bailout.

And society won't miss your sorry ass. The niches you currently exploit will quickly, readily and easily be exploited by someone else.

Of course the parasitic plutocrats never leave because it's a hollow threat, a childish temper tantrum in order to get more billions from the government. So go on and hold your breath until you get your way because we all know you wouldn't last a month away from civilization.

Update 03/12/09
John Amato at Crooks and Liars highlights Stephen Colbert's Galt Exodus.

The Cool Parent

Poor people get bored, too... ~ JCvD, Hard Target (1993)

During the last dreadful months of Tipsy Canoe's Reign of Terror, at the behest of the economic bastards who control him and his party, the American people experinced a smash-n-grab pilfering. As a last kick to the coccyx a scheme was concocted to push through the TARP and directly funnel Billions of dollars to the rich (My Base as Tipsy calls them) while Oil companies gouged people with super-inflated gas prices, reaching over $4.50 a gallon in the Chicago-land area in 2008, which to this day no one in the Bush regime has explained or seems to have any inclination of explaining.

The battle between the parties* is like the battle between two divorced parents over their kids. Each wants the kids to choose them over the other, each uses dirty tactics. Each wants to use the government to enrich themselves, their cronies and their masters. The Republicans, have, developed a very clever idea. Be completely irresponsible and when the bill comes due leave it to the Democrats. They want to be the "Cool Parent".

Over the last 8 years Bush, like all Republicans, ran the country into the ground using the Piss Down Your Back Reaganomics. The clean-up is now in the hands of Obama. And wouldn't you know it, before he even took office the Republican Hounds began barking and yelping at the uncool Democrats who want to raise taxes and be fiscally irresponsible. Heres what Jack Cafferty has to say about Republican "fiscal responsibilty".

Will Obama's plan work? I don't know. But, the Republican party is a criminal Corporate Welfare Gang, they work tirelessly to Privatize Profits and Subsidize Losses. The Republicans know if they're honest about their Socialist plans to funnel Trillions of dollars to the Gang of Corporate Hacks, the people would rebel.

*- Libertarians are like your uncle who drops by every few years smelling like Denmark.

Illinois Get To know Your Laws 1

With the recent financial implosion and the realization that the US system is designed to benefit the elite at the expense of the masses, Privatize the Profits, Socialize the Losses here's an Illinois Law readers should know.

From the Illinois Complied Legal Statutes:

(720 ILCS 300) Derogatory Statements About Banks Act.

Any person who shall willfully and maliciously make statements... which is derogatory to the financial condition of... any corporation doing a banking or trust business in this State... shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor: However, the truth of said statement, established by the maker thereof, shall be a complete defense in any prosecution under the provisions of this Act.

Follow the link to read the full legal jargon, which includes the elements of the offense and the manner in which a person can commit the offense, but here is the defense again: However, the truth of said statement, established by the maker thereof, shall be a complete defense in any prosecution under the provisions of this Act.

...the truth shall set you free...

So, when you point out tax payers are funding the bonuses given to anti-american communist executives and bankers of Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Merrill Lynch and others who facilitated the necessity of the TARP Bailout by their corruption, greed and avarice you are innocent of the charge and free of prosecution.

It Seems Slightly Disingenious

to rally the forces of Small Fiscally Responsible Government to Champion the Downfall of the US Automakers over a sum between 15-34 billion after having allowed 1 Trillion or more to be allocated to save everybody else. But then those monies were used to help the Bankers not the evil evil Union of Auto Workers.

And the Bush Regime could always defiantly tell those Socialists at the Big 3 and their commie Union their bailout monies were "lost" in Iraq. But I suppose the 23 Billion is a paltry sum when compared to the 3 Trillion dollars Bush has managed to funnel to those who profit on Death, Destruction and Mayhem.

Rush Limbaugh explicitly and unequivocally states Barack Obama is causing the recession to continue in order to strengthen himself politically. There was a day when White House spokesmen warned Americans to watch what they say and segments wedded to the Left/Right divide claimed any criticism of the president in a time of War was tantamount to being the anal sex slaves of Al Qaeda.

Rush Limbuagh is not alone. Karl Rove (Paragon of Troof) and Bill O'Reilly both claim there is a sinister plot to keep the economy down in order to aid Obama.

Whomever is in charge you are the chattel of government. In the pursuit of National Interests, sometimes they take your money, sometimes your life and sometimes they take the monies and lives of your children.

Responsibility

They just heard you offer the apology for all the monsters of our times. Death's Head Revisited, The Twilight Zone

Stand by... The reason for the economic collapse hath been found. According to Daniel Henninger, The collapse has at it's terrible root the Secularization of America.

Responsibility and restraint are moral sentiments. ...the steady secularizing and insistent effort at dereligioning America has been dangerous. Northerners and atheists who vilify Southern evangelicals are throwing out nurturers of useful virtue... Feel free: Banish Merry Christmas. Get ready for Mad Max.

Dereligioning? Awesome. We neede to rereligion America!

Because if we get rid of religion we face an apocalyptic future. It is only the Southern Gentleman holding back the godless northerners and secular americans bereft of morals and ethics who are itching to go all Lord Humungus on the Federal Reserve.

Mr. Henninger needs to go to Collative Learning for the excellent analysis of The Road Warrior by Rob Ager. Then he needs to google the name Alan Greenspan.

Of course, the best thing is this article brings out the ObamaisHitler theorists.

Despite this, the American people have elected a president who is at the forefront of the cultural revolution and up to his ears in the movement to eliminate so-called redlining. This is using the system to destroy the system writ large, and we may be entering a new age of government control of the privately owned economy, an arrangement known as fascism. Göring had a five-year plan, and the Democrats are showing many signs of wanting to follow in his footsteps, right down to the “anti-Zionism.” - comment by Wm. l. Woodford of Little Rock.

The End of Wine & Roses (The Final Countdown)

I guess there is no one to blame
We're leaving ground
Will things ever be the same again?

It's the final countdown... ~ The Final Countdown, Europe

WBBM is reporting United Airlines is grounding 100 planes, while also eliminating an additional 1000 salaried positions after having previously planned to fire 500.

What's not mentioned in this story is United has made several failed merger attempts this year with Continental, Delta and US Airways in a move to provide some financial solvency.

Additionally, General Motors announced it is closing 4 North American car plants (including one in Mexico!) and may sell the Hummer line (to whom I do not know...)

Now, of course the Government is going to have to step in and protect the Corporate interests. Oh no not Socialism! Never fret, the thousands who are going to lose their jobs will get no help (They are Just A Number) except perhaps as the bailout monies trickle down to the few who save their untenable jobs making fuel inefficient cars.

Banks and Businesses believe in the "Free Market" as long as they are doing well, but when the vagaries of economics turn against them they run to the protective skirts of the government. Of course, Bush and his Merry Band of Miscreants will have to do something because while it's perfectly acceptable to let people lose their homes and jobs and make tough choices with food and fuel the US Government can not allow large corporations to suffer such ignominious demises.

Update 06/06/08:
The US Airline Industry is about to go under.

Unemployment rates in the US reach a 20 year high.