IS AMERICA FINALLY WATCHING BIG BROTHER?

For more than a century ideological extremists at either end of the political spectrum have seized upon well-publicized incidents such as my encounter with Castro to attack the Rockefeller family for the inordinate influence they claim we wield over American political and economic institutions. Some even believe we are part of a secret cabal working against the best interests of the United States, characterizing my family and me as ‘internationalists’ and of conspiring with others around the world to build a more integrated global political and economic structure – one world, if you will. If that’s the charge, I stand guilty, and I am proud of it.

- David Rockefeller of Standard Oil, Chase Manhattan and the Council on Foreign Relations, from his Memoirs in 2002.

Capital must protect itself in every way... Debts must be collected and loans and mortgages foreclosed as soon as possible.  When through a process of law the common people have lost their homes, they will be more tractable and more easily governed by the strong arm of the law applied by the central power of leading financiers. People without homes will not quarrel with their leaders. This is well known among our principle men now engaged in forming an imperialism of capitalism to govern the world. By dividing the people we can get them to expend their energies in fighting over questions of no importance to us except as teachers of the common herd.

- JP Morgan - Questionable quote, reported by John Pierpont Morgan (1837-1913) Tycoon

The Spirit of the Christ was in the time of Jesus described to be "whatever you have done unto the least of these, you've done it unto me" [Matthew 25].  Even Christian's themselves buy into a Capitalistic ideology that looks at the "least of these," the thirsty, the hungry, the homeless, the rif-raf in prison and say, "let them rot."  

If at any time, the now Christian ideology of "anti-christ" were alive and well--that time is now. As Bush famously stated, “This is an impressive crowd: the Have's and Have-more's.  Some people call you the elites.  I call you my base” (insert the usual Satanic giggle).  The blinded "Christian Nation" has been standing far too long upon the precipice of a high mountain and drooling over the power that the world holds, abandoning those at the bottom for more monetary gain.

The man whom Christians uphold as their God, they abandon, failing to recognize how closely he identified himself with the poor and "criminals," while he consistently reprimanded the power structure Capitalist's are pushing us to bailout, leaving those most cherished by Jesus at the bottom, trampled in debt to the growing legion of masters at the top of the economic food chain. 

Jesus also said, "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon" (Matthew 6:24/Luke 6:13).  America is anti-christian as it is largely interested in the welfare of the wealthy, markets, and serving those power structures that take away freedom, in exchange of the sacrifice of the real Spirit of Christ, which is the love of the poor, with whom he identifies, recognizing God in people, and treating them in kind, saying "whatever you've done unto the least of these, you've done it unto me."  At least half of America, on the conservative side and definitely 1% who make up the super-wealthy hate the poor and desire to create a world government where every Constitutional freedom is gone, the banks track our every move, and the commoners are enslaved as the poor and "criminals," not because they/we really are, but because "mammon" say's you're a criminal...you're not being a good consumer, not bowing at the alter of the power structure.

I use Christian theology to point this out because Jesus does not belong to those who simply call his name, but lives in those who actually live the life that values people over a market, the accumulation of money, and the fixation of Christians on "prosperity theology."  Those who claim to be "elite" are really morally bankrupt and will come to nothing, but those who are "the least" will be first in the world because they embody in their forced poverty the power of "being," valuing life even where it's devalued, thrown out, sacrificed, like on a cross.

For the first time in a long time America has it's eye squarely on "Big Brother," the Banks who want to control everything, the money power structure.  I wonder what choice we're going to make as a country?  Can we raise up the "least of these" or will we sacrifice them, and ourselves to "the Beast"?  Can we change the course and fulfillment of Christian prophecy?  I certainly hope we can be wise as serpents, because that's who we're dealing with in the midst of the death-grip upon our lives.

Check out the Christian political movement attempting to live the life, the real life of Christ, hopefully with more than good intentions: Matthew 25 Network

  

Kucinich’s Main Street Recovery Plan

www.Kucinich.us
216-252-9000 877-933-6647

1. Health Care for All: Insurance companies make money not providing health care. As the co-author of HR 676, a universal, single-payer, not-for-profit health care system, Medicare for All, I understand millions of Americans want health care that is accessible and affordable.

Medicare for All will help businesses large and small, create jobs as well as save the jobs of thousands of people including those of doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers who are currently leaving medicine because it is run by the insurance companies. $1 in every 3 dollars of the $2.4 trillion spent annually in America for health care goes to the insurance companies. If we take that money ($800 billion in unproductive wasteful spending) and put it directly into care, we will have enough money to cover everyone. We are already paying for Medicare for all, but not receiving it. HR 676 changes that!

2. Prescription Drug Benefit for Seniors: HR 6800 is the MEDS Act, which provides a fully paid prescription drug benefit, under Medicare, for all seniors. I wrote this bill to help alleviate the economic pressure that comes from the high cost of prescription drugs. We can pay for it by letting the government negotiate drug prices with the pharmaceutical companies as well as by permitting re-importation.

3. Stop the Oil Companies’ Price Gouging: As you know, I was the first one to step up to challenge of the corrupt price gouging and market speculation of the oil companies by proposing a windfall profits tax, on oil and natural gas companies, with revenues put into tax credits for the purchase of fuel-efficient American-made cars. However, it may be that nationalization is the only way to put an end to the oil companies' sharp practices.

4. Protecting the American Homestead: As Chairman of the Domestic Policy Oversight Subcommittee, I am working to protect your basic right to have a roof over your head, whether as an owner or renter. I have investigated and helped to expose the manipulation of mortgage markets, and I am crafting a new federal policy so that neighborhoods with the highest number of foreclosures get the most help.

5. Jobs for All: Congressman LaTourette and I have co-authored the bi-partisan New Deal-type jobs program, HR 3400, "Rebuilding America's Infrastructure." It will create millions of good-paying new jobs rebuilding our roads, bridges, water systems and sewer systems.

6. American Manufacturing Policy: I am drafting the American Manufacturing Policy Act, which for the first time, will state that the maintenance of U.S. steel, automotive, and aerospace industries are vital to our national economic security and must be maintained through integrated public-private cooperation, new trade policies, and investment.

7. Works Green Administration: I am also drafting plans for a green New Deal jobs program, in which the government creates millions of jobs by incentivizing the design, engineering, manufacturing, distribution and maintenance of millions of wind and solar micro-technologies for millions of homes and businesses, dramatically lowering energy costs and reducing our dependence on oil.

8. Fair Trade: The U.S. has lost millions of good-paying jobs, and more jobs have been out-sourced. As you know, I have helped to lead the way in opposition to trade giveaways. I strongly urge repeal of NAFTA. We must include workers' rights, human rights and environmental quality principles in all trade pacts. We must also protect the Great Lakes' water resources from the reach of multi-national corporations.

9. Education for All: I know families need help with the rising cost of day care. That is why I introduced HR 4060, a universal pre-kindergarten program to ensure that all children ages 3-5 have access to full-day, quality day care.

10. Protecting Pensions: I am working to change bankruptcy laws so pensioners' claims will be first, ahead of banks, and that corporate executives who misuse workers' pension funds are subject to criminal penalties. I want to fully fund the Pension Benefit Guarantee Board.

11. Social Security: From my first moments in Congress, I have exposed Wall Street's efforts to privatize Social Security and attacked it in the Democratic Caucus when it was being proposed. Can you imagine where seniors would be today if Social Security had been turned over to the stock market? Social Security is solid through 2032 without any changes.

12. Protect Bank Deposits: I will work to make sure the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has sufficient funds to provide for insurance of deposits up to $200,000 at all banks and savings and loans. This is an urgent matter since so many banks are said to be vulnerable.

13. Protect Investors: Bring back strong regulation to Wall Street. As Chairman of the Domestic Policy Subcommittee, I challenged the Wall Street hedge fund speculators as a threat to small investors. I intend to keep active watch over the machinations on Wall Street.

14. Strength through Peace: You'll remember when I led the effort against the ill-conceived Iraq war, which has now cost more than 4,100 US soldiers' lives, cost U.S. taxpayers between $3 trillion and $5 trillion, and resulted in the deaths of more than a million Iraqis. We must bring our troops home and end the war. We must engage in diplomacy. We must reduce the military budget, and we must stop outrageous cost overruns by the likes of Halliburton.

15. Safety in America: I am proud of my work for peace. In July 2001, I introduced a bill, which today is HR 808, that for the first time creates a comprehensive plan to deal with the issues of violence in American society, particularly domestic violence, spousal abuse, child abuse, gang violence, gun violence, racial violence, and violence against gays by establishing a Cabinet-level Department of Peace and Restorative Justice. This proposal has sparked a national movement and when implemented will save tax payers millions of dollars.

16. Monetary Policy: It is long past the time that we looked at the implications of our debt based monetary system, the privatization of money created by the 1913 Federal Reserve Act, the banks fractional reserve system and our debt-based economic system. Unless we have dramatic reform of monetary policy, the entire economic system will continue to accelerate wealth upwards. I am currently working on drafting legislation for an 'American Monetary Act' to address these and other issues in order to protect the economic wellbeing of America.

SHOCK AND AWE: DROWNING IN A BAILOUT

“Only a crisis, actual or perceived produces real change.” – Milton Friedman, Father of the Free Market Economic Shock Doctrine

"I don't want to abolish government. I simply want to reduce it to the size where I can drag it into the bathroom and drown it in the bathtub."
Grover Norquist, former Evangelical Liaison to the President, founder of The Americans for Tax Reform
ClaimDemocracy Panel, November 2007

That’s what it feels like right now for Americans, like you’ve been punched in the face, kneed in the stomach, and hit on the back of the head, and now you’re kind of awake, bleeding, and you feel someone pulling you across the cold hard floor to the bathtub…and bad for all of us—the water is running. As you’re pulled along you find yourself staring into space, tears running, in disbelief about what’s going on, what's about to happen, and almost numb, but definitely terrified….you’re in shock. Hopefully we’ll wake up a few people to become resilient in what’s happening while we're in shock and what we can do about it.

Yesterday on MSNBC, the Rachel Maddow Show outlined the eight-year disaster that is Bush policy, largely guided by the economics of Milton Friedman: move from de-regulation, wait for a real or perceived shock crisis that will paralyze the people and then enact pre-prepared policy privatization or additional shocks. Those disasters are September 11, the Iraq War, Hurricane Katrina, and now the economic crisis.



We half-watched in shock after September 11 as Bush rushed for massive privatization of contracts through Homeland Security for military functions, surveillance, and the Patriot Act dismantling of basic Constitutional rights. Then we saw $8 billion in cash disappear into the Shock and Awe Iraq Occupation hole; private contracts to Blackwater for security, the building of the Green Zone by Halliburton, and the take-over of 70% of Iraq’s oil--not to pay back taxpayers--but to fill the pockets of Multinational Big Oil Companies. Again, on our own land, we saw the prep work for Katrina; bleeding money away from fixing the levies, privatization of 95% of the schools, stealing away public low-income housing, and privatization of the police force during the crisis—again, Blackwater. In every case they’ve engaged in de-regulation, wait for a real or perceived shock crisis that will paralyze the people and then enact pre-prepared policy privatization or additional shocks.

Based on the above, can you predict what this economic bailout for the banks is going to look like? What are they operationally doing right now in this policy rush to save us from economic crisis?

While you’re in shock, Paulson, Bernanke and Bush are actually in a panic to gut out the government to its fullest extent before Bush leaves office, through their financial bail-out proposal. You will have to read on your own in Naomi Kline’s Shock Doctrine how they--and by “they” I mean neo-conservatives, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund--screwed over South Africa by tying up the country in so many geo-political economic rules and agreements that the country was bankrupted, their Constitution nullified, leaving the new social democracy with no real power. They have never truly recovered from the corporate takeover of the corporate ruling class.

This is what Bernanke and Bush have in mind for us. That, in Section 1 (a) of the proposed legislation purchases and handouts are “…terms and conditions as determined by the Secretary..,” giving the Secretary unilateral powers over this $700 Billion taxpayer handout. Make no mistake this action will NOT “socialize” these banks, because the “Federal” Treasury is not an arm of the Federal Government, but owned by several “independent” banks. So in essence, from Regan to Bush II, the neo-cons have been de-regulating the banks, among many things, and making a KILLING off of Americans, making them wealthy beyond measure. In squeezing every cent out of these de-regulatory loopholes, they’re now going to get their second round of pay. These banks that act “independent within the government" will seize YOUR $700 Billion in cash borrowed from CHINA, leaving us YOU with the tab. This will all happen with no government or legal oversight.

What will be left for the next president to fix any of our infrastructure mess? Healthcare? Schools? Social programs for Americans? I’ll tell you what they’ll do, because Friedman’s recommendations are always the same. Now that there is this huge debt, you have to gut out any “unnecessary” programs, like Social Security and all its related programs at the state level. Do you feel your face just hovering above the bath water now? See, government is not bad, but it’s only as good as the people running it. If you hate government, then the government is going to suck, but it’s nothing compared to corporations taking over your physical and emotional trauma-crisis management for a profit. I can just hear their lustful breathing for power and control over Americans. This is why they’re in such a rush to pass this legislation because they have to guarantee a broken government and future profits off of crisis. We’re going to make money off of this deal like Iraqi oil is paying for the war. Now, be good consumers or they’re going to shut off your Real ID Chip.

In the NYT story Democrats Set Terms as Bailout Debate Begins, “Some lawmakers also said they did not want to be rushed into approving extraordinary new powers for the Treasury secretary and the government without full consideration of the consequences.” 

Bush highlighted the problem regarding the economy on September 21st, unwittingly, by saying, "And, you know, I know a lot of people here in Washington saying, Mr. President, saying, well, who to blame? Now is not the time to play the blame game. There's plenty of time to analyze the situation. But from our perspective, it's time to solve the problem, and that's what we did." 

This is the repetition of words that happened in the aftermath of Katrina and now, again, Bush is expecting you to buy into the belief that you can solve a problem without knowing what the source of the problem is!  You’re still staring into the bathtub with a hand on the back of your head and your hands tied behind your back and he’s saying, it doesn’t matter how you got here, just let us dip your head into the water and it will all be okay.  If you can get your hands free will you prevent this from happing again? Will you put the guys in jail that perpetrated the shock in the first place or at least make them pay? In many American minds, we often buy the bitter pill that says now is the time for rapid response, rather than critical thinking and prevention.

The NYT article continues by saying, “Financial companies were already lobbying to broaden the plan. And the Bush administration did indeed widen the scope by allowing the government to buy out assets other than mortgage-related securities as well as making foreign companies eligible for government assistance.” After years of lip service to their base about “illegals” accessing government programs, they’re now going to bail out “foreign” corporations. This is the pinnacle of anti-social behavior, to value a money machine for the wealth of others against the welfare of actual human beings.

As in the aftermath of Katrina when government assistance was deregulated and downsized so as to limit assistance for our most vulnerable private citizens, so it should be for the banks. To this day thousands, if not millions of our citizens still have no access to all the public land that was privatized, or schools that were privatized, teacher salaries cut and contracts handed to big corporations for elite neighborhoods and nonexistent for “red-zones” who can’t pay.   So it was up to us to help our own.  Private citizens stepped in the gap to send millions of dollars to our fellow citizens and opened our homes to our American "refugees."  This should be the fate of the banks, turning to their own.

The people who caused this economic problem or profited most from deregulation should pay for this bailout, as recommended by Senator Bernie Sanders (we’ll get to at the end), since millionaires and billionaires fought from the Regan years until now for de-regulation of the financial sector. The conservative wealthy are not for "big-government" and welfare for irresponsible individuals, so why should government (We the people…) be there for irresponsible corporations, who engaged in predatory lending for a profit, to vulnerable citizens, uneducated in the deals they were making?  

Now, my understanding is that corporations have all the rights and responsibilities of individuals by law and so they should go to their own just as Americans have been forced to do. Wouldn’t it be great if the wealthy would dodge economic hypocrisy, do the moral and ethical things by going to their own, all the other corporations and billionaires and say, We need you to donate to help us recover from this economic crisis.  I don't believe that the US taxpayer should pay for a system that fought so hard for a hands-off government, made huge profits at the top, and then lobbied to use enhanced interrogation techniques, even water-boarding, to terrify us into giving more of our land, our privacy, our money, our lives for their greed.  This is the power they want, all banks owned by one or two banks, with no oversight, or ability for citizens to negotiate.

Have you made your voice heard to your legislators?  I agree with and am pushing for Senator Bernie Sanders proposal for the bailout, as outlined in his September 19th article on the Huffington Post:

Specifically, to pay for the bailout, which is estimated to cost up to $1 trillion, the government should:

a) Impose a five-year, 10 percent surtax on income over $1 million a year for couples and over $500,000 for single taxpayers. That would raise more than $300 billion in revenue;

b) Ensure that assets purchased from banks are realistically discounted so companies are not rewarded for their risky behavior and taxpayers can recover the amount they paid for them; and

c) Require that taxpayers receive equity stakes in the bailed-out companies so that the assumption of risk is rewarded when companies' stock goes up.

(2) There must be a major economic recovery package which puts Americans to work at decent wages. Among many other areas, we can create millions of jobs rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure and moving our country from fossil fuels to energy efficiency and sustainable energy. Further, we must protect working families from the difficult times they are experiencing. We must ensure that every child has health insurance and that every American has access to quality health and dental care, that families can send their children to college, that seniors are not allowed to go without heat in the winter, and that no American goes to bed hungry.

(3) Legislation must be passed which undoes the damage caused by excessive de-regulation. That means reinstalling the regulatory firewalls that were ripped down in 1999. That means re-regulating the energy markets so that we never again see the rampant speculation in oil that helped drive up prices. That means regulating or abolishing various financial instruments that have created the enormous shadow banking system that is at the heart of the collapse of AIG and the financial services meltdown.

(4) We must end the danger posed by companies that are "too big too fail," that is, companies whose failure would cause systemic harm to the U.S. economy. If a company is too big to fail, it is too big to exist. We need to determine which companies fall in this category and then break them up. Right now, for example, the Bank of America, the nation's largest depository institution, has absorbed Countrywide, the nation's largest mortgage lender, and Merrill Lynch, the nation's largest brokerage house. We should not be trying to solve the current financial crisis by creating even larger, more powerful institutions. Their failure could cause even more harm to the entire economy.

NO VETTING VETTER

SO, let me get this right....You're going to root out corruption and massive bonuses by big time corporate heads, but can't even be bothered to clean up the corruption in your own campaign staff. HE IS A LIAR!

BACKWARD LAND

This has been circulating around the "internets" so thought I would post a bit of light into backward America....

I'm a little confused. Let me see if I have this straight.....

* If you grow up in Hawaii, raised by your grandparents, you're 'exotic, different.'
* Grow up in Alaska eating mooseburgers, a quintessential American story.

* If your name is Barack you're a radical, unpatriotic Muslim.
* Name your kids Willow, Trig and Track, you're a maverick.

* Graduate from Harvard law School and you are unstable.
* Attend 5 different small colleges before graduating, you're well grounded.

* If you spend 3 years as a brilliant community organizer, become the first black President of the Harvard Law Review, create a voter registration drive that registers 150,000 new voters, spend 12 years as a Constitutional Law professor, spend 8 years as
a State Senator representing a district with over 750,000 people, become chairman of the state Senate's Health and Human Services committee, spend 4 years in the United States Senate representing a state of 13 million people while sponsoring 131 bills and serving on the Foreign Affairs, Environment and Public Works and Veteran's Affairs committees, you don't have any real leadership experience.
* If your total resume is: local weather girl, 4 years on the city council and 6 years as the mayor of a town with less than 7,000 people, 20 months as the governor of a state with only 650,000 people, then you're qualified to become the country's second
highest ranking executive.

* If you have been married to the same woman for 19 years while raising 2 beautiful daughters, all within Protestant churches, you're not a real Christian.
* If you cheated on your first wife with a rich heiress, and left your disfigured wife and married the heiress the next month, you're a Christian.

* If you teach responsible, age appropriate sex education, including the proper use of birth control, you are eroding the fiber of society.
* If , while governor, you staunchly advocate abstinence only, with no other option in sex education in your state's school system while your unwed teen daughter ends up pregnant , you're very responsible.

* If your wife is a Harvard graduate laywer who gave up a position in a prestigious law firm to work for the betterment of her inner city community, then gave that up to raise a family, your family's values don't represent America's.
* If you're husband is nicknamed 'First Dude', with at least one DWI conviction and no college education, who didn't register to vote until age 25 and once was a member of a group that advocated the secession of Alaska from the USA, your family is extremely admirable.

OK, much clearer now.

PHASE ONE: NORTH AMERICAN UNION? BRAVE NEW WORLD ORDER? TRACKING CITIZENS ELECTRONICALLY?

"Today, America would be outraged if U.N. troops entered Los Angeles to restore order [referring to the 1991 LA Riot]. Tomorrow they will be grateful! This is especially true if they were told that there were an outside threat from beyond, whether real or promulgated, that threatened our very existence. It is then that all peoples of the world will plead to deliver them from this evil. The one thing every man fears is the unknown. When presented with this scenario, individual rights will be willingly relinquished for the guarantee of their well-being granted to them by the World Government."

- Dr. Henry Kissinger, Bilderberger Conference, Evians, France, 1991

I just finished working out and as I was leaving a commercial came on the locker room TV, sponsored by NEXUS for the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative.  I tried to find the commercial to post here, but there was no posting, but will post it when it shows up.  The new chips in the cards, passports, and who knows what the range is on the sub-dermal embeded chips, but we know from the AMERICA: FREEDOM TO FASCISM movie that many of the corporations are already "tracking product" with this technology.  THE CORPORATIONS ARE WATCHING YOU....I haven't even begun investigating who owns the technology for NEXUS, SENTRI, or FAST but I'll let you know what I find out...

FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT WEBSITE:

Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative [CHECK OUT THE STATE DEPARTMENT BIOMETRIC SCARY DETAILS]

Areas that fall under the WHTI:
Canada
Mexico
Bermuda
The Caribbean region (includes 17 regions)

AIR TRAVEL

ALL PERSONS traveling by air outside of the United States are required to present a passport or other valid travel document to enter or re-enter the United States.
LAND AND SEA TRAVEL
The following summarizes information available on the Department of Homeland Security’s website.

CURRENTLY:
U.S. citizens need to present either (a) a passport, passport card (scheduled to be in full production beginning in July 2008), or WHTI-compliant document; or (b) a government-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license, along with proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate.

LATER:
On June 1, 2009, the U.S. government will implement the full requirements of the land and sea phase of WHTI. The proposed rules require most U.S. citizens entering the United States at sea or land ports of entry to have a passport, passport card, or WHTI-compliant document.
Note: The passport requirement does NOT apply to U.S. citizens traveling to or returning directly from a U.S. territory.

U.S. PASSPORT AND WHTI COMPLIANT DOCUMENTS:

U.S. Passport: U.S. citizens may present a valid U.S. passport when traveling via air, land or sea between the U.S. and the aforementioned Western Hemisphere countries.
The Passport Card: Passport card applications are currently being accepted in anticipation of land border travel document requirements. Based on current projections, we expect the passport card to be in full production beginning in July 2008. We will provide additional updates as available. Once in production, the passport card it will only be valid for land and sea travel between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean region, and Bermuda.
WHTI-Compliant Travel Documents for U.S. citizen travel via land or sea, as of January 31, 2008:
Trusted Traveler Cards (NEXUS, SENTRI, or FAST)
State Issued Enhanced Driver’s License (when available)
Enhanced Tribal Cards (when available)
U.S. Military Identification with Military Travel Orders
U.S. Merchant Mariner Document when traveling in conjunction with official maritime business
Native American Tribal Photo Identification Card
Form I-872 American Indian Card
For further information see U.S. Customs and Border protection.

ABOUT WHTI
The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative is a result of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (IRTPA), requiring all travelers to present a passport or other document that denotes identity and citizenship when entering the U.S.
The goal of the initiative is to strengthen U.S. border security while facilitating entry for U.S. citizens and legitimate foreign visitors by providing standardized documentation that enables the Department of Homeland Security to quickly and reliably identify a traveler.

McCain's Green Economy: Drill, Baby, Drill

THE LIST: McCain & 177 Lobbyists...I Mean Campaign Staff

Posted by Mother Jones on 09/17/08

McCain Attacks Wall Street Greed—While 83 Wall Street Lobbyists Work for His Campaign

In the past few days, as the economic crisis has deepened, Senator John McCain has been decrying the excesses of Wall Street. At a campaign rally in Tampa on Tuesday, he vowed that he and Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, if elected, "are going to put an end to the reckless conduct, corruption, and unbridled greed that have caused a crisis on Wall Street." He noted that the "foundation of our economy...has been put at risk by the greed and mismanagement of Wall Street and Washington."

He blasted CEOs who "seem to escape the consequences." He denounced Wall Streeters who "dreamed up investment schemes that they themselves don't even understand" and who used "derivatives, credit default swaps, and mortgage-backed securities" to try "to make their own rules." He excoriated Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac for gaming the system. And he slammed financial industry lobbyists for misguiding members of Congress. "I can promise you the days of dealing and special favors will soon be over in Washington." On Wednesday morning, after the federal government committed $85 billion to prevent the collapse of the American International Group (AIG) insurance conglomerate, McCain again assailed irresponsible corporate executives. "We need to change the way Washington and Wall Street does business," he proclaimed.

McCain has been quick with fiery, populist-tinged speeches. But one thing has been missing: any acknowledgment that McCain's own campaign has been loaded with the type of people he's been denouncing. (The McCain campaign did not respond to a request for comment; we will update the post if they do.) As Mother Jones previously reported, former Senator Phil Gramm, McCain's onetime campaign chairman, used a backroom maneuver in late 2000 to slip into law a bill that kept credit default swaps unregulated. These financial instruments greased the way to the subprime meltdown that has led to today's economic crisis. Several of McCain's most senior campaign aides have lobbied for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. And the Democratic National Committee, using publicly available records, has identified 177 lobbyists working for the McCain campaign as either aides, policy advisers, or fundraisers.

Of those 177 lobbyists, according to a Mother Jones review of Senate and House records, at least 83 have in recent years lobbied for the financial industry McCain now attacks. These are high-paid influence-peddlers who have been working the corridors of the nation's capital to win favors and special treatment for investment banks, securities firms, hedge funds, accounting outfits, and insurance companies. Their clients have included AIG, the newest symbol of corporate excess; Lehman Brothers, which filed for bankruptcy on Monday sending the stock market into a tailspin; Merrill Lynch, which was bought out by Bank of America this week; and Washington Mutual, the banking giant that could be the next to fall. Among these 83 lobbyists are McCain's chief political adviser, Charlie Black (JP Morgan, Washington Mutual Bank, Freddie Mac, Mortgage Bankers Association of America); McCain's national finance co-chairman, Wayne Berman (AIG, Blackstone, Credit Suisse, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac); the campaign's congressional liaison, John Green (Carlyle Group, Citigroup, Icahn Associates, Fannie Mae); McCain's veep vetter, Arthur Culvahouse (Fannie Mae); and McCain's transition planning chief, William Timmons Sr. (Citigroup, Freddie Mac, Vanguard Group).

When cable news shows air footage of McCain railing against greedy execs and the lobbyists who rig the rules for the benefit of Wall Street dealmakers, there ought to be a crawl beneath him listing these lobbyists. (Talk about a fair and balanced presentation.) Short of that, here's the list of the McCain aides and bundlers who have worked for the high-finance greed-mongers McCain has pledged to take on. So far, it seems, none of them have been cast out of the campaign. If McCain were serious about his outrage, he might throw these money-changers out of his own temple.

Phil Anderson: American Council of Life Insurers, Aetna, AIG, New York Life, MassMutual, VISA

Rebecca Anderson: Aegon, American Council of Life Insurers, Cigna, Barclays, Credit Suisse First Boston, HSBC

Stanton Anderson: The Debt Exchange

David Beightol: Allstate, Amerigroup, Charles Schwab, HSBC

Rhonda Bentz: VISA

Wayne Berman: American Council of Life Insurers, AIG, Americhoice, Shinsei Bank, Blackstone, Carlyle Group, Broidy Capital Management, Credit Suisse Securities, Highstar Capital, VISA, Ameriquest Mortgage, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Fitch Ratings

Charlie Black: JP Morgan, Washington Mutual Bank, Freddie Mac, Mortgage Bankers Association of America, National Association of Mortgage Brokers

Judy Black: Colorado Credit Union League, Genworth Financial, Bay Harbour Management, Merrill Lynch

Kirk Blalock: Credit Union National Association, Financial Executives International, American Insurance Association, Mutual of Omaha, Zurich Financial Service Group, Fannie Mae, Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco

Carlos Bonilla: Financial Services Roundtable, Freddie Mac

Christine Burgeson: Citigroup

Mark Buse: Freddie Mac, Goldman Sachs, Manufacturers Life Insurance Company

Nicholas Calio: Citigroup, Managed Fund Association, Fannie Mae, Merrill Lynch, The Investment Company Institute, TIAA-CRE, Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association

Ben Nighthorse Campbell: Amscot Financial Corporation, Community Financial Services Association, Fidelity National Financial

Andrew Cantor: American Insurance Association, Merrill Lynch

Alberto Cardenas: Fannie Mae

James Courter: Goldman Sachs, Donaldson Lufkin & Jenrette, Investment Company Institute, Merrill Lynch

David Crane: Financial Services Roundtable, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Deloitte & Touche, KPMG, Ernst & Young, Bank of America, Association of Corporate Credit Unions, Freddie Mac

Dan Crippen: Merrill Lynch, National Multi-Housing Council

Arthur Culvahouse: Fannie Mae

Bryan Cunningham: Arch Capital Group

Alfonse D'Amato: AIG, Freddie Mac

Doug Davenport: Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco, Goldman Sachs, VISA

Ashley Davis: Prudential Financial, American Financial Group, American Premier Underwriters, Great American Insurance Company

Mimi Dawson: MassMutual

Melissa Edwards: Freddie Mac, National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts, Access to Capital Coalition

Chris Fidler: American Bankers Association, Milcom Venture Partners, National Association Real Estate Investment Trusts

Samuel Geduldig: American Bankers Association, American Institute of CPAs, America Gains, Berkshire Hathaway, Consumer Bankers Association, Ernst & Young, Financial Services Roundtable, Investment Company Institute, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Prudential Financial, Sovereign Investment Council, Fidelity Investments, FMR Corp.

Benjamin Ginsberg: Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance, AIG Technical Services

David Girard-Dicarlo: American Financial Group, American Premier Underwriters

Juleanna Glover Weiss: RJI Capital, American Institute of CPAs, BNP Paribas, Ernst & Young, PriceWaterhouseCoopers

Slade Gorton: Allstate Insurance, Hannan Armstrong Capital

Phil Gramm: UBS Americas

John Green: Laredo National Bank, Alternative Investment Management Association, AIG, Blackstone Group, Carlyle Group, Citigroup, Credit Suisse Group, Fannie Mae, Icahn Associates, FMR Corp., AFLAC, VISA

Janet Grissom: American Institute of CPAs, NYSE, Merrill Lynch

Kristen Gullott: San Diego Credit Union

Kent Hance: Stanford Financial Group, Municipal Capital Markets Group, Inc.

Vicki Hart: American Financial Services Association, Citigroup, Investment Company Institute, Lehman Brothers, Merrill Lynch, New York Stock Exchange, VISA, Carlyle Group, Credit Suisse, Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis, Goldman Sachs, National Association of Government Guaranteed Lenders, Stanford Group, Lloyd's of London, National City Corp.

Richard Hohlt: Capmark Financial Group, Fannie Mae, JP Morgan Chase and Co., Student Loan Marketing Association, Washington Mutual, Guaranty Bank & Trust, Peachtree Settlement Funding, Dime Savings Bank of New York

Gaylord Hughey: Heartland Security Insurance Group

Kate Hull: Credit Union National Association, Fannie Mae, Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco, Zurich Financial Services, American Insurance Association, Financial Executives International

James Hyland: American Insurance Association, Seattle Home Loan Bank, Self Help Credit Union, National Association of Bankruptcy Trustees, Merrill Lynch, Mortgage Investors Corp., Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis, Freddie Mac, New York Stock Exchange, Citigroup, VISA

Aleix Jarvis: Credit Union National Association, Fannie Mae, Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco, Financial Executives International, Mutual of Omaha, American Insurance Association, Zurich Financial Services

Greg Jenner: American Council of Life Insurers, JG Wentworth, UBS, VISA, PriceWaterhouseCoopers

Frank Keating: American Council of Life Insurers

Steven Kuykendall: California Bankers Association

William Lesher: Chicago Mercantile Exchange, Commerce Ventures, Rabobank International

Thomas Loeffler: Citigroup, Fannie Mae, Investment Company Institute, World Savings and Loan Association, United Services Automobile Association (USAA)

Kelly Lugar: RJI Capital Strategies

Peter Madigan: Arthur Andersen, Bank of New York, Broadridge Securities Processing, Charles Schwab, Deloitte and Touche, Goldman Sachs, International Employee Stock Option Coalition, Mastercard, NYSE, Fannie Mae, Merrill Lynch, PNC Bank

Mary Mann: MassMutual

Paul Martino: Morgan Stanley, Baker Tilly

Jana McKeag: Venture Catalyst

Alison McSlarrow: Fannie Mae, Hartford

Mike Meece: Georgetown Partners

David Metzner: Ernst & Young, Harbinger Capital Investments, Prudential, Public Financial Management, Western Union

Susan Molinari: Freddie Mac, American Land Title Association, Association of Consumer Credit Unions, Beacon Capital Partners, College Loan Corp, Coventry First, E-Trade, Financial Services Roundtable, Rent-A-Center

John Moran: Cerberus Capital Management, American Council of Life Insurers, Accenture

John Napier: Freddie Mac

Susan Nelson: AIG, San Antonio Credit Union

Paul Otellini: Ernst & Young, Financial Services Forum

Steve Perry: Charles Schwab, Hoover Partners, HSBC, National Stock Exchange

Nancy Pfotenhauer: American Land Title Association, Mortgage Bankers Association

Elise Pickering-Finley: Credit Suisse, DE Shaw, Hartford Financial Services, Research In Motion, Retail Industry Lenders Association, URL Mutual

James Pitts: Advanced Association for Life Underwriting, AETNA, American Council of Life Insurers, AIG, Council of Insurance Agents and Brokers, Debt Advisory International, Financial Services Coordinating Council, GE Financial Assurance, Hartford Life, Jefferson Pilot Financial, Kenwood Investments, MassMutual, Mutual of Omaha, New York Life, UNUM Provident, VISA, PMI Group

Tim Powers: AP Capital, Genworth Financial, Retail Industry Lenders Association, E-LOAN, General Electric Mortgage Insurance

Walter Price: Wachovia

Sloan Rappoport: Friedman, Billings, Ramsey Group, Inc. (FBR), Trafelet Delta Funds

Hans Rickhoff: Capital One, Investment Company Institute, United Services Automobile Association (USAA)

Kathleen Shanahan: New York Stock Exchange

Andrew Shore: Accenture, Retail Industry Lenders Association, Barclays, Bond Market Association, Credit Suisse, TPG Capital

Katie Stahl: Alliance for Investment Transparency, Ares Management, Fairfax Financial Holdings, Uhlmann Financial Group

Milly Stanges: TIAA-CREF

Aquiles Suarez: Fannie Mae

Don Sundquist: Freddie Mac, The Hartford

Peter Terpeluk: JP Morgan Chase, Ernst & Young, Prudential

Fred Thompson: Equitas

Jeri Thompson: American Insurance Association

John Timmons: National Association of Federal Credit Unions

William Timmons Sr.: American Council of Life Insurers, Citigroup, Dun & Bradstreet, Freddie Mac, Vanguard Group

Vin Weber: Agstar Financial Services, AKT Investment Corp., American Institute of CPAs, Ernst & Young, Freddie Mac, Louis Dreyfus Corp, PriceWaterhouseCoopers

Jeffery Weiss: JP Morgan

Tony Williams: Russell Investment Group, American Life Inc., Northwestern Mutual

— David Corn, Jonathan Stein, and Nick Baumann

McCain Ads Fact Check

PALIN AIP WELCOME

And the founder of the Alaskan Independence Party...Joe Volger:

"I'm an Alaskan, not an American. I've got no use for America or her
damned institutions. The fires of hell are glaciers compared to my hate for
America and her government".

Why would you "welcome" and "God bless" such an anti-American organization? Can you say "Reverand Write"? Yes, you can and it's all on the table, but in this case, it's a neo-conservative white woman, so I'm sure at least conservatives will be very forgiving of her association with this party whose motto is "Alaska First...Alaska Always." We must be discerning of what is "anti-American" sentiment. McCain/Palin's slogan is "Country First"...which country?

"QUEER" QUOTES: McCain Campaign Manager, Rick Davis

September 2, 2008 - “This election is not about issues [?????!!!!],” Davis said. “This election is about a composite view of what people take away from these candidates.” Maverick...riiiiiiiiiiight....

GET REAL: WHY WAS THERE AN IRAQ VETERAN PROTESTING McCAIN'S RNC SPEECH?

I'll tell you why! Why would they respect a man who has supported a WAR OCCUPATION in which they've given their lives and limbs, that was devised by neo-conservatives in league with oil giants and war profiteers, bent on getting their greedy hands on Iraq's land and resources, while privatizing the US GOVERNMENT through no-bid contracts that used to be run by the military at controlled costs? They wouldn't and shouldn't, and neither should we.

I DO respect SOLDIERS who ARE DOING THEIR JOB...up to a point. It's time for America, including military servicemen to research the voting records first hand and pay attention to what candidates SAY and how that translates into their legislative ACTIONS. Indeed, lets support our troops and vote for a president who will do the same. Here are links to the ratings from the top war veterans organizations and their ratings on McCain and their ratings on Obama in their support of legislation that actually addresses veterans best interests, as well as their ACTUAL votes on various legislation in the last few years, on which I will go into detail further down.

A family acquaintance actually sent me the video above and in response to the McCain and Obama ratings I sent him he wrote: "AND...let us both remember...Senator McCain has voted more extensively on bills before the Senate than Senator Obama has...so no matter what his 'grade' is...in my book, Hussein Obama is still just the freshman junior Senator from Illinois...with limited practical world experience. Senator McCain is just another POW Vietnam vet that has served his country in and out of the Congress for the last 40 years." Then why is it that since 2002 McCain has voted down 17 pieces of legislation that would have supported our troops before, during and after serving? How is it that in only TWO years Obama has supported 16 pieces of legislation that would have supported our troops before, during and after serving?

Beyond our family aquaintence's blatant racism, using Obama's middle name as if it MEANS something, this is all that is disturbingly wrong with 1/3rd of Americans and the way they educate themselves and vote. This man ACTUALLY expects me to believe that I should throw out REASON! That when it comes down to my actual welfare I should choose "experience" over "substance," even if it means voting against my own welfare and that of family. Even if it means supporting a man who says he supports the troops and then screws them at every turn. He suggests that regardless of the abysmal ratings that Veterans organizations have given McCain and despite his voting against the best interests of our military and the American people, that his being tortured and being in Congress for 40 years somehow makes all his anti-troop voting okay. I will no more support McCain because he's a 40 year politician who was tortured, than I will support an abusive father because he's been a father for 40 years.

I have dedicated 12 years my life to working with marginalized, exploited and oppressed populations, but that means NOTHING if I work to compromise their safety, decrease their funding, or shut down their programs to a bare minimum, all for corporate greed. Our military is being HARMED for no good reason. So, I'M PISSED LIKE I'VE NEVER BEEN PISSED before and you can easily say I'm at the point where I'm not PLAYING AROUND with irrational, fear mongering, sociopathic lunatics any longer.

John McCain can say what he wants about supporting the troops until he's blue in the face , but there are some inconvient little facts called A VOTING RECORD that sets John McCain's military voting record, and his veterans voting record apart--so far apart in fact, that what he SAYS and what he is ACTUALLY DOING is a worthy of a multiple personality disorder. If you choose to ignore his documented record, you ignore it at your own peril.

NO: On supporting the health needs of our veterans and military personnel and reducing the defiit by making tax rates fairer for all Americans Tax Rate Extension Amendment (HR 4297)

NO: On providing an additional $500,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2006 through 2010, to be used for readjustment counseling, related mental health services, and treatment and rehabilitative services for veterans with mental illness, post-traumatic stress disorder, or substance use disorder. Additional Funding For Veterans Amendment (S 2020)

NO: On ensuring that future funding for health care for former members of the Armed Forces takes into account changes in population and inflation. Health Care for Veterans Amendment (HR 2863)

NO: On redeployments, reductions, timetable withdrawals from Iraq (S Amdt 3875, S Amdt 2898, S Amdt 2087, HR 1591, S 2766)

NO: On minimum rest periods between soldiers' deployments(S Amdt 2909)

NO: On military prisoners having haebeus corpus rights (S 3930)

NO: On the president NOT being allowed to establish future military commissions (S 3930)

NO: On congressional oversight of CIA detention, interrogation and rendition programs (S 3930)

NO: On a ban on funding of cluster munitions to protect civilian populations from un-detonated bombs (HR 5631)

NO: On a repeal of capital gains tax cuts from 2010 moved to 2008 to appropriate $47.27 billion for Army and Marine operations and maintenance (HR 4297)

YES: On use of Military force against Iraq (H J Res 114)

YES: On the Military Commissions Act of 2006 (S 3930) - Abolishing the Geneva Convention and suspending haebeus corpus outside the US, no jurisdiction for courts outside the US, allow evidence seized without a search warrant, allow hearsay evidence as long as the adverse party is informed of it.

NV: Not Voting, Excused, Absent, or Present and not voting for 14 votes on military/veterans issues since 2002: Defense Authorizations Bill HR 4986, National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 HR 1585, Condemning Iraq Abuse of Prisoners resolution SRes 356, United States Policy in Iraq Resolution of 2007 S J Res 9, National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 HR 1585, Permanent Residence for Certain Undocumented Immigrants S 2205, Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for the Department of Defense S 2340, Supplemental Appropriations for the Department of Defense and Timeline for Withdrawal from Iraq HR 4156, Concurrent Budget Resolution S Con Res 70, Funding for Operations in Iraq and Afghanistan with Provisions Regarding Conduct and Congressional Oversight S Amdt 4817, Funding for Operations in Iraq and Afghanistan S Amdt 4818, Nomination of General Petraeus as Military Leader of the Middle East PN 1641, MOST IMPORTANT FOR RETURNING TROOPS:Iraq and Afghanistan War Funding, Unemployment Benefits Extension, and GI Bill HR 2642 & GI Bill and Other Domestic Provisions S Amdt 4803.

AND WOW! He missed EVERY opportunity to fund the troops, without exception! UNBELIEVABLE!

Now let's look at Barack Obama's military voting record & veterans voting record:

YES: On supporting the health needs of our veterans and military personnel and reduce the defiit by making tax rates fairer for all Americans (HR 4297).

YES: On a vote to adopt an amendment to HR 2642 that provides education funding for eligible members of the Armed Forces, extends unemployment compensation, establishes moratoria on certain actions regarding Medicaid, and appropriates a total of $28.67 billion for various domestic and international purposes. GI Bill and Other Domestic Provisions (S Amdt 4803)

YES: On providing an additional $500,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2006 through 2010, to be used for readjustment counseling, related mental health services, and treatment and rehabilitative services for veterans with mental illness, post-traumatic stress disorder, or substance use disorder. Additional Funding For Veterans Amendment (S 2020)

YES: On ensuring that future funding for health care for former members of the Armed Forces takes into account changes in population and inflation Health Care for Veterans Amendment (HR 2863)

YES: On the Iraq and Afghanistan War Funding, Unemployment Benefits Extension, and GI Bill (HR 2642)

YES: On appropriations for 2008-2013 - $3.56 trillion for National Defense, $2.79 trillion for Medicare, $2.49 trillion for Income Security, $2.03 trillion for Health, $577.28 billion for Veterans Benefits and Services, $479.81 billion for Transportation, $155.31 billion for Social Security (S Con Res 70: Concurrent Budget Resolution)

YES: On reductions of US forces in Iraq (S Amdt 2898: Iraq Troop Reduction Amendment)

YES: On prohibiting deployment unless time between deployment is equal to last deployment, recommend rest periods be 2x the deployment time, prohibits deployment of National Guard if previously deployed in the last three years, recommend Reserve deployment be no longer than one year, and onely once every 5 years, President can waive requirements if substantiating an "emergency," (S Amdt 2909: Time Between Troop Deployments)

NO: On striking language that required a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq (HR 1591)

YES: On a phased withdrawal of troops (S J Res 9)

YES: On striking language prohibiting a court, justice or judge from hearing haebeus corpus (S 3930)

YES: On prohibiting the establishment of new military commissions after December 31, 2011(S 3930)

YES: On congressional oversite every three months of CIA detention, interrogation, rendition programs (S 3930)

NO: On the Military Commissions Act of 2006 (S 3930) - Abolishing the Geneva Convention and suspending haebeus corpus outside the US, no jurisdiction for courts outside the US, allow evidence seized without a search warrant, allow hearsay evidence as long as the adverse party is informed of it.

YES: On a ban on funding of cluster munitions to protect civilian populations from un-detonated bombs (HR 5631)

YES: On a repeal of capital gains tax cuts from 2010 moved to 2008 to appropriate $47.27 billion for Army and Marine operations and maintenance (HR 4297)

The odd ones out:

NO: On a redeployment of troops (S 2766 - 6/2006)

NO: On prohibiting a permanent base for purposes of controlling Iraq oil, limits on deployment, Congressional input for security agreements, suspend statute of limitations to 5 years for contractors and government agencies, allow prosecution of contractors and non-armed service employees, investigation of contractors (HR 2642 - 5/2008)

NO: On allowing for House Amendements to a bill "...which makes emergency appropriations to certain departments for various purposes..." (?) Looks like a mixed bag...(HR 2206 - 5/2007)

NV: Not Voting, Excused, Absent, or Present and not voting for 5 votes on military/veterans issues since 2006: Nomination of General Petraeus as Military Leader of the Middle East PN 1641, Funding for Operations in Iraq and Afghanistan S Amdt 4818, Iraq Withdrawal Amendment S Amdt 3875, National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 HR 1585, Defense Authorizations Bill HR 4986.

Yes, John McCain was totureed and has had over 40 years in politics, but what is he DOING RIGHT NOW to meet the needs of people, like the soldier in the video earlier? I know...AND NOW--so do YOU! What are Obama's three crappy decisions against McCain's 17? I would like that soldier to actually look at what these organizations have found in the ACTIONS of these two men and then see if he'd be doing that spot. Who ACTUALLY makes it possible for him and his fellow soldiers to get the mental and physical services they need?

Like McCain, just because a soldier loses his leg, while noble in serving his country, does not make him educated on policy or veterans services, nor does it enable him to have sound judgement. Nor is disclosing the loss of his leg in any way appropriate or a JUST response to SERIOUS policy questions that effect people's safety and welfare. Just because McCain doesn't want to talk about the legislative voting facts of his record, creating every left-field distraction to keep us off his trail, doesn't make him a hero, it actually makes him less than any honest man. This soldier certainly gave no facts about how McCain's experience translates into legislation and much needed monetary support for military service women and men.

I'm only supporting candidates who can back their words with action...and INACTION is why an Iraq Veteran was protesting John McCains speech!

T Boone Pickens, Halliburton & Energy Independence?

If you want more money going to Dubai!

I'm watching Kieth Olberman and the Premier of MSNBC's Rachel Maddow Show, which I'm a HUGE FAN because she's also a talk show host on Air America, and a Gay icon with a tremendous amount of integrity and calm strength.

I couldn't help noticing all of these natural gas commercials, and a company with the vast majority of holdings, called Chesapeake Energy Corp. What is the question we need to ask? Exactly--Who owns this company?  T. Boone Pickens, a neo-liberal oil man who has a great idea, even a green idea.  But, do you want this guy to be the one who makes money off of the remaking of our energy infrastructure?  I don't!  Now that Halliburton has moved its corporate offices to Dubai, all this does is tie our energy again to countries who are suspect in funding terrorism, and to Cheney.

T Boone Pickens Buys Chesapeake Energy Corp., Devon Energy Corp., Halliburton Company., Tenaris S.A., Sells Titanium Metals Corp, From www.gurufocus.com: Sock Market Insight article, August 27,2008.

As oil prices decline, energy stocks lost their multi-year uptrend and come down quickly. But oil man billionaire T Boone Pickens is buying more. If you like to buy more energy stocks, see what T Boone Pickens is buying. T Boone Pickens owns 27 stocks with a total value of $2.1 billion. These are his buys and sells during the second quarter.

T Boone Pickens buys Chesapeake Energy Corp., Devon Energy Corp., Tenaris S.A., EOG Resources Inc., BPZ RESOURCES, INC, sells Titanium Metals Corp. during the 3-months ended 06/30/2008, according to the most recent filings of his investment company, BP Capital. T Boone Pickens owns 27 stocks with a total value of $2.1 billion. These are the details of the buys and sells.

New Purchases: BZP, CHK, DVN, EOG, TS,
Added Positions: ABB, DNR, FLR, HAL, JEC, OXY, RIG, SGR, SLB, SU, TLM, WFT, XTO,
Sold Out: TIE,
For the details of T Boone Pickens's stock buys and sells, go to http://www.gurufocus.com/StockBuy.php?GuruName=T+Boone+Pickens

Added: Halliburton Company (HAL)
T Boone Pickens added to his holdings in Halliburton Company by 65.78%. His purchase prices were between $40.99 and $52.16, with an estimated average price of $47.5. The impact to his portfolio due to this purchase was 2.43%. His holdings were 2,447,470 shares as of 06/30/2008.

Halliburton Company provides a variety of services equipment maintenance and engineering and construction to energy industrial and governmental customers. The company is made up of the following three business segments: Energy Services Group Engineering and Construction Group and Dresser Equipment Group. Halliburton Company has a market cap of $38.24 billion; its shares were traded at around $43.61 with a P/E ratio of 15.90 and P/S ratio of 2.35. The dividend yield of Halliburton Company stocks is 0.83%.

AMERICA: FREEDOM TO FASCISM

Take some time to sit for an hour or so and watch this documentary on the Federal Tax, the law that does not exist to enforce Federal taxes, that go to pay interest only to the Federal Reserve, which is privately held by unknown private banks. It also lays out the plan for the North American Union, the US ID, and ultimately the tracking of citizens by bankers to control world populations under the New World Order. It's amazing! Watch it with friends, family and spread the word to as many people as possible.

Sometimes the videos come up as "no longer available," but if that happens be persistent on youtube.com in continuing to type in the search "freedom to fascism" and the videos keep on getting posted in a rotating effect.

JUSTICE!

Son of Chaos

PART 1


PART 2


PART 3


PART 4


PART 5


PART 6


PART 7


PART 8


PART 9


PART 10


PART 11

Life is Palin under McCain

Two questions: What conditions create a pregnant teen? And related, Why McCain chose Palin? For her "Life," that's why.

First of all, Palin is an Evangelical wet dream. I smile with mild amusement at all the backslapping in response to her “moral” example of Pro-Life before all of America. Yes, bravo Palin, you had a baby with Downs, something that American women do every day, and have to make tough decisions about. Double bravo, you have a daughter who is going to keep her baby and get married, not because she’s in love, but a result of having an “illegitimate” child. I’ll give this to you, you’re consistent, or are you? If you’re elected, all families and those who care for our youth can look forward to moving closer to a world where teens go into the world with abstinence-only education, the moral intention to wait until marriage (or for gay youth--never to have a legitimized relationship), hormones raging and with not a clue of how to protect themselves if the former fail.

See, I disagree with Obama, that families are off limits, specifically in cases when the policies of social and economic conservatives directly contribute to abysmal quality of life conditions for America’s youth, families and communities at large, AND then take no responsibility for those conditions, but blow smoke like their doing something moral—like keeping a baby. Let me tell you something about keeping babies.

What is the penalty for irresponsible parenting? Well, in this case, it should involve a call to CPS. However, in this backward Republican dimension, that brown bonus falls heavily upon our teens. Abstinence-only teaching and Anti-abortion-only pregnancy options lead to increases in pregnancy rates, HIV infections, and marriages based on nothing that has roots in a stable home for a child to actually thrive. In my work, when children are at risk for getting pregnant, STD’s, and are being pushed into unstable or chaotic relationship—we call that neglect. It may be legal, but it is certainly not ethical, far from moral and pro-life.

As a matter of fact, there is nothing pro-life about this approach and all the policies it upholds, and far from consistent. Palin and her pro-life Republicans are pro-life until you’ve exited the va-jae-jae—then you’re on your own, baby! Once you’re out, they want to cut social welfare programs like early childhood education, public education, housing, food programs, and actually seek to drive up your prices for insurance and medical care, because the bottom line is of more value than any individual life. We all get to feel the impact of living in the aquarium called Earth with limited space and food, with population moving toward 9 Billion in the near future. How much longer before we start eating each other? But, I’m getting ahead of myself. So, our American child gets to struggle with a parent not ready to parent, lack of jobs and basic needs, which will lead this child to grow up in a dysfunctional environment and if “blessed,” turn to crime. Only then do Republicans again pay attention to this sacred child they saved—by supporting tough on crime legislation and the death penalty for America’s child! Suddenly, pro-life sounds so hollow, doesn’t it? But hey, this idiotic religious value also benefits the fiscal conservatives because with more population, there are more American babies to consume all the crap they sell, and when they can’t consume, they turn to crime, and with more crime, there’s more need for security against these American babies, and more need for privatization of OUR lands, that actually belongs to the babies they’ve saved, but to keep this elite corporate machine making record profits off of the consumers, they will need to protect themselves from those “undesirables,” those ones for which they once waved the banner of pro-life.

So, for those fiscal and social conservatives, you can clap all you want but there is nothing noble about this woman or your cause. She can’t parent her own child and she wants to push her parenting on the rest of America. Oh, and don’t think I forgot about the second question—Why Palin? First, she’s a female (token); because forcing the Republican hand or pocketbook is the only way you get these people to change anything. Second, you’re not paying attention to McCain are you? This is a win-win for McCain and the corporate owned media, both who count on a hundred more years of war and resulting profits. Watch the noble lady who kept her baby and has forced her child into a situation that is disgusting on all angles. Absolutely, don’t pay attention to the fact that McCain did everything in his power to shoot down the GI Bill, that he is pro-torture, that he voted with Bush over 90% of the time in 2007, that his campaign is run by Roves former #2 and is infested with corporate lobbyists, that he has consistently voted in favor of policies that send more of YOUR jobs to foreign countries, that he wants to privatize more public land for oil companies, which fuels more wars, wars over oil and land privatization—and your children will die in those wars for these people, not America. Palin needs to stop acting like a white man and grow a va-jae-jae—a real one. But, hey, she’s going to make sure your baby gets out of that va-jae-jae safe and sound. But remember, after that, American baby, you’re on your own.