Retiring Sen. Jim Bunning said he doesn’t oppose extending the programs — he just doesn’t want to add to the deficit.

via Lone senator blocks unemployment benefit extensions – CNN.com.

Why is it that many Republicans have no problem running up the meter to fund illegal and unnecessary wars of aggression but have an issue with increasing the national debt to help fellow Americans?

According to the News and Observer NC State Auditor Beth Woods admits she intentionally pays her taxes late every year and she  cannot pay them for 2009 until she gets her tax refund. What’s more shocking is the number of people who are okay with this because they say it makes her a “normal person like the rest of us”.

Well now let’s put this in perspective. Beth Woods makes $123,000 a year as the State Auditor. She has a property valued at $124,000 with an annual tax bill of $1234. That’s less than what I pay. I pay on time every year and make less than Mrs. Woods. I bet Mrs. Woods doesn’t have 2 car payments, 3 kids and a 45 mile commute costing her $70-$100 a week in gas. Hell, $102 a month would pay her tax bill. State employees get paid monthly so before taxes Mrs. Woods is paid $10,250 a month. Yet she can’t come up with $1234 to pay her tax bill.

Some people are saying it’s OK, “she’s human”. That’s bullshit. She is responsible for auditing state spending yet she can’t manage her own. In her position she needs to be above reproach and if she’s got personal financial difficulties then she is not.

Here’s the kicker: Her excuse is that she owes $90K on a loan for her campaign. Let me give you a little bit of financial advice Mrs. Woods: If you can’t manage your personal finances well enough to pay your taxes on time you have no business taking out a $90K loan to run for a public office making you accountable for the states spending. It’s not sound financial decision making. What unsound decisions are you making with the states money?

It’s one thing if your household earns around $40-60K a year, have a family of four and can’t pay your property tax bill right when it’s due. It’s another matter entirely if your are the NC State Auditor making $123K a year and can’t pay a $1,234 tax bill because you can’t manage your personal finances. I guess a credit check is not necessary if you are voted into a state office. Probably a good thing for Mrs. Woods. Based on the information available I speculate hers score isn’t looking too wonderful.

“Republicans oppose a public option, saying it would drive private insurers out of the market and eventually lead to a government takeover of the health care system.”

OK.  So where’s the problem?  I trust the government to handle health care benefits far more efficiently and morally than a private business with a profit motive.

via Public option would lead him to filibuster, key senator says – CNN.com.

“The House Democrats’ health care plan includes a surtax on wealthy Americans. The graduated tax would apply to families making more than $350,000 a year, with the rate increasing as income levels go up. But a number of freshmen Democrats argued that the initial income level should be raised so the tax doesn’t unfairly burden small businesses.”

Since when did “families making more than $350,000 a year” become “small businesses” that we do not want to burden?

Even the Blue Dogs have stopped trying to make sense.  Compromised legislation folks.  It is what Obama asked for.

via Pelosi: House Dems consider insurance tax to fund health care – CNN.com.

Banks under fire for ‘criminal’ overdraft fees – Washington Post- msnbc.com.

If you read my posts with any regularity you know this is one of my hot buttons.  Carolyn Maloney’s bills couldn’t get traction during a hyper-conservative, pro Wall St. era.  Now the banking industries true nature is showing.  They are enemies of the public and must be exposed for their extortion.  This issue should be ON FIRE.

“A backlash is brewing on Capitol Hill against banks that charge large fees for overdrafts without asking or telling customers, the latest sign that the financial crisis is shifting the balance of power from banks toward borrowers.”

Health care reform is in the spotlight again.  No matter what  compromised bill comes out of Congress one thing is certain: As long as health care remains a for profit venture in America it will remain a broken system.  No corporation should measure profits or shareholder returns by wagering on, or attending to, peoples health and well being.  Anyone who disagrees is most certainly too barbaric and immoral at their core to recognize the heartlessness of their position.

Then just look at this article about Hawaiian Senator Daniel Inouye and calls his office made to influence the distribution of TARP funds to a bank where most of his personal wealth is invested.  The bank did not qualify, at all, for TARP funds prior to his mysterious phone call.  If this continued rip-off by Congress and the banks is not annoying and obvious by now then I have no alternative than to think that most  American’s are dumb ass-hats who genuinely don’t care.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31675539/ns/politics-washington_post/

This week we will find out who rules America: the US Government put in power by the people for the people, or the banking industry lobby and the Republican legislators they hold in their pocket.

Obama is meeting with bank industry leaders to once again ask them to conform to more appropriate consumer protections.  The evil, vile bank lobby will attempt to argue they are too poor right now to ease up on fees and credit gouging.   Why are they poor?  Because of their own greedy lending practices but never mind that little inconvenience.

Even though many Democrats are on board with new consumer credit regulation they are not completely convinced they will get any bills passed.  The banking industry has a way too powerful special interest lobby working to convince lawmakers they must protect the interest of the banks.  It will be close regardless of which direction this takes and what’s at stake is more important than interest rates on credit cards.  It’s a decision of who controls the future of the American economy, lawmakers for the consumers or bankers for well, the banks and wealthy bank investors.

Update: From the NY Times this morning:

“Having won some early skirmishes by teaming with Republican allies, the banks now appear to have the upper hand and may wind up killing — or at least substantially diluting — both pro-consumer measures.”

This is all I want for my birthday.  Anyone who knows me can attest I haven’t asked for anything for my birthday in years.

Paul Krugman is a Nobel prize winning economist and Professor of Economics and International affairs at Princeton when he’s not writing for the NY Times.  He received a BS from Yale and a Ph.D. from MIT by the time he was 24.  I’ve been a fan since January of 2007 when he published an this article, The Dark Age of Macroeconomics.  He was also one of the first people to call out the sinister Phil Gramm as one of the architects of the recession long before it was known he authored the legislation allowing the retention bonuses at AIG.

We need a Wall Street outsider at the helm of this disaster.  Not another former Wall St. Chairman and bankers best friend.  Keeping bankers happy will only do so much to alleviate the crisis we’re in.  Bring in an outsider.  Since before Obama appointed Geithner (which was the moment I first questioned Obama’s commitment to “change”), Krugman was a known contender for the job.  Draft him if necessary but do what should have been done in the first place.  Time and money are burning.

President Obama better start looking out for the growing drug war in Mexico.  The Governor of Texas wants one thousand extra troops at the border to stop the rampant smuggling.

If he’s not careful some of this activity could spill onto our soil and become his 9/11 to deal with.