Video: 1985 - Not Necessarily the News

Some thoughts from Ron Reagan on Mr. Limbaugh

I saw this quote from Ron Reagan on Daily Kos. Ron Reagan is one of the positive things that I attribute to his Dad, former President Ronald Reagan. May he rest in peace.

I may not have appreciated the Reagan presidency in terms of politics and policy, but his son is an entirely different story. I'm glad that Ron is on our side.

Bless his heart and thanks to BarbinMD for bringing this to my/our/your attention.

Limbaugh hasn't had a natural erection since the Nixon Administration; think he's compensating for something? Now, I wouldn't pick on him for any of this stuff, not his blubbiness, not his man-boobs, not his inability to have a natural erection—none of that stuff—to me, off limits until! until! Mr. Limbaugh, you turn that sort of gun on somebody else—once you start doing that, you're fair game, fat boy. Absolutely, you jiggly pile of mess. You're just fair game, and you're going to get it, too.

Jesse Ventura takes on Hannity

Cafferty: Should Republicans listen to Jeb Bush?

The Day in 100 Seconds

Monday, Happy Monday, Cuatro de Mayo, Did our caution stop the spread?, Elbow Bump Fist Bump, Not a Good Idea, Pigs, Uncertainty, Stay the Course, Hand washing, Stay Home, GOP Members Are Dwindling, Tea Baggers, Nobody Likes Paying Taxes, Prison Time, Crack Down, Ronald Reagan, Go Away, Republican Party, Intellectually Dead, The Man, Huh.. that's kinda weird idn't it?

Regulation: Who held up a deal with Chrysler?

I listened to this on Progressive Talk Radio yseterday.

Leveraging debt to buy companies, then saddling the debt upon those companies, sometimes disassembling the company and selling off parts of it for profit for themselves, while workers lose jobs, benefits, pensions.

It's more often than not about betting against American industries. It's nothing new. It just doesn't get heard and understood by the masses to register in votes.

We keep voting against our own interests, we Americans. Probably because many of us thing we are going to be those people one day.

The up side is, that it is possible for people to change. Maybe not so much like in the movies, but people can change.

Presidents sucking up to the 'Commie World'

Op Ed: Don't Mess With Obama

Reagan Administration records released by Obama Administration

Greg Craig, President Obama's White House Counsel announced the release of 250,000 pages of materials from the Administration of President Ronald Reagan, but will the previously requested, denied, litigated, denied papers surrounding the Iran-Contra period be among these?

From Politico:

"This is a great development," Scott Nelson of the Public Citizen Litigation Group said. "It's very encouraging that the Bush order and the burden it imposes on the White House to do a page-by-page review apparently won't be taking place under this administration. We won't have this additional layer of delays."

However, there were indications that the most contested presidential records from the Reagan era might not be among the roughly 250,000 pages cleared for release by Obama.

Nelson’s group fought a court battle for about a dozen documents, including memoranda about possible pardons for Iran-Contra figures such as Oliver North and John Poindexter. Representatives of former President Reagan objected to the release of those documents and were backed up in almost all instances by lawyers for President Bush. A federal judge ruled that the requesters’ had no legal grounds to overcome the incumbent president’s assertion of privilege.

Miltary Spending As Economic Stimulus v. Healthcare, Education, Infrastructure Spending, Mass Transit, Home Weatherization, Tax Cuts

Breaking down the bull pucky.

Outrage: President Obama's lax dress code in The White House aka much ado about nothing

The photograph that stirred up an imaginary controversy

I came upon this story by way of The Political Carnival

Is that who I think it is down there, signing some official looking papers and what? No tie. No dress coat.

Woa.

I don't really mind that he isn't wearing a coat and tie. But former Bush 43 White House Chief of Staff Andy Card is very concerned about it because it represents disrespect of the Office of the President of the United States and he's speaking out about it.

Mr. Card said this to Inside Edition:

Card also told "Inside Edition":

"The Oval Office symbolizes...the Constitution, the hopes and dreams, and I'm going to say democracy. And when you have a dress code in the Supreme Court and a dress code on the floor of the Senate, floor of the House, I think it's appropriate to have an expectation that there will be a dress code that respects the office of the President." source: The Huffington Post

But wait. Isn't that Andy Card's former boss down there? My God. He doesn't have a suit coat on.

And Mr. Card, give it a rest.

Sometimes a man just thinks better with his jacket off.

Tax and Spend: The Reagan Mythology

Remember what Paul Krugman said. The rate is at 0% right now. The Fed can't help us this time, with this set of circumstances.

Lower corporate tax rates and lower capital gains tax rates will not get us out of this looming catastrophe in the economy.

Trickle-down economics ( tax cuts mostly to the already extremely wealthy) has not served to fuel the economy through more investment and job creation, but has served to shift wealth upward to the already filthy rich.

I don't begrudge the wealthy their wealth, their success, or their excess. This also isn't about class warfare. It is about fundamental economic fairness and economic justice.

The very smart, very wealthy, and very connected have the ability to shape everything from Washington, D.C. to each and every state house in each and every capitol throughout the land to their own benefit.

The rest of us don't have that power or that control.

Well until now. That's why during the campaign we kept saying, this is our moment. This is OUR time.

Check Rachel and her guest discussing the Reagan mythology:

Democrats are behaving like Democrats again and we have a President who really does believe that the success and prosperity of the United States of America is best served when it is created from the bottom up, and when all interests subscribe to the idea that we are all in this together, and we all share a measure of responsibility in the process.

Florida is struggling. Hoosiers enjoy vacationing in Florida, but many cannot book that vacation because of uncertainty. We are all in this together. We are interconnected.

The President of the United States isn't about destroying small, middle or big business for the benefit of the common man. He is about balance, and for far too long the balance has been tilted in the favor of the already have way more than they need, let alone far more than everyone else could ever dream of.

It's true. We all cannot be rich. We don't all have the tools, drive, knowledge, ability, deal making skill set, or value systems within us to become wealthy.

We also forget, as the Republicans cry out in the wilderness 'More big government! The Democrats! They bring us more big government!", that Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush both increased the size of government in substantial ways. Yes they got big tax cuts, mostly to the wealthy and well connected many of whom were close personal friends.

Reagan may have increased the size of government as Rachel's segment suggested, but he also increased the national debt substantially while simultaneously cutting taxes. That sounds familiar.

Then there was George W. Bush and there you go again.

We have to spend to stimulate the economy and slow the job losses. Then we have to get back to a bit of fiscal conservatism, the likes of which we saw pretty much only during the Clinton era.

Less than Kennedy but more than Reagan: Nate Silver graphs newly elected Presidential approval,ratings

It shore looks perty when it's graphed!

Source: FiveThirtyEight.com

Although Barack Obama defied our prediction of starting his term with a higher initial approval rating than John F. Kennedy, his 68 percent approval score (versus 12 percent disapproval) is nevertheless noteworthy in comparison with his recent predecessors:

This chart tracks the initial Gallup approval and disapproval ratings following the inaugurations of newly-elected presidents since Eisenhower; Truman, Johnson, and Ford, who took over following the death or resignation of their predecessors, are excluded. read more here

Obama and Biden have a date with 'The Supremes"

The President-elect and the Vice President-elect have accepted a pre-inaugural invitation to visit The Supreme Court. Chief Justice John Roberts extended the invitation which in the more recent history of Presidential inaugurations is becoming tradition.

Tis better to have been elected and invited than appointed and forego the need to be invited.

I just can't get the song 'Baby Love' out of my head. You gotta love The Supremes.

The court said Roberts, who will administer the oath of office to Obama next Tuesday, invited the pair to meet with him and the associate justices in the ceremonial West Conference Room, and maybe take a tour of the place. Reporters and photographers are not invited.

A meeting between the president and the court is something of a modern-day tradition. Ronald Reagan and his vice president, George H.W. Bush, visited with the justices before they took office in 1980, and Bill Clinton and Al Gore made the trip in 1992 (the famously late Clinton kept the justices waiting). In the wake of the court's 5 to 4 decision in Bush v. Gore that settled the 2000 presidential election, President Bush and Vice President Cheney did not visit before taking office. source: The Washington Post

Morning Joe Quote --"You can't blame what is happening now in Israel on the Bush Administration."

It's not Bush's fault. It's not. Bah!

Anyone who has lived during the last 30 to 40 years can remember what productive engagement in foreign policy by American Presidents has accomplished.

Carter made an astonishing peace accord between Israel and Egypt that stands today.

Nixon changed the relationship between the United States and China with engagement.

We all know that Reagan ended the 'cold war' with the Soviets.

None of these Presidents had perfect records and there were stains on each, but they each did something remarkable with respect to foreign policy, notwithstanding any disagreement about the value of respective legacies.

They did something.

Joe is probably right. We can't really blame the current violence and crisis in Gaza on George W. Bush.

It's too bad those other Presidents set a standard though. It does make the 43rd look pretty bad, even if it is not his fault.

Iran Contra Affair - Subverting the Constitution of the United States and The Secret Government

We're only talking about subverting the constitution, that's all.

It's time for a change. Don't worry about the leaks that used to be called scoops by journalists that are coming out regarding Obama cabinet picks or other nonsense. This is the way Democracy is supposed to work.

I like to think of it as little bit of transparency heaven and perhaps even the media actually doing it's job.

More on The Secret Government

The Young Turks: Center-Right? Chris Matthews calls out Republican Todd Harris on Hardball - I say Center-Wrong!

Listen up Democratic Leadership,
Barack Obama and Joe Biden!

Matthews Statements:

"Democrats should go in there and be cautious

Gee wiz I'm sorry for being here.

I hope we don't offend the Conservatives."

Don't miss this opportunity for change Democratic Party!

More Matthews:

"You speak with a forked tongue Todd.

The idea that you should pussy foot if you're a Democrat
but if you're a Republican you should go in there whole hog
you have a totally -- two standards here."

The Other Party: Where does the Republican party go from here?

Conservative columnist David Brooks answer

--world of pain, a generation of pain...

Barack Obama apologises to Nancy Reagan

I think this was an appropriate response by President-Elect Obama. Stuff happens. Mistakes will be made. This was one, but I believe he handled it well. We all say stupid things now and then. I am also confidant that his apology was sincere.

As to the conservative radio talk-show hosts who are responding with great outrage to the Obama comment, these are the people who make a career out of saying stupid things, so I think I'll be cutting the President-Elect slack here on Peon.

I'm also grateful that he didn't make up any new words that will be added to the English language.

President-elect Obama Transition Team Spokesperson Stephanie Cutter said: “President-elect Barack Obama called Nancy Reagan today to apologize for the careless and off handed remark he made during today’s press conference. The President-elect expressed his admiration and affection for Mrs. Reagan that so many Americans share and they had a warm conversation.”

Obama had been asked whether he has “spoken to any living ex-presidents” as part of getting ready for the job. His reply: “In terms of speaking to former presidents, I've spoken to all of them that are living. Obviously, President Clinton — I didn't want to get into a Nancy Reagan thing about, you know, doing any seances.” for source - click here

Republican Ken Duberstein, former Chief of Staff to Ronald Reagan will vote Obama for President

Wow! Totally cool.

Former Reagan chief of staff Ken Duberstein told CNN's Fareed Zakaria this week he intends to vote for Democrat Barack Obama on Tuesday.

Duberstein said he was influenced by another prominent Reagan official - Colin Powell - in his decision.

"Well let's put it this way - I think Colin Powell's decision is in fact the good housekeeping seal of approval on Barack Obama."

Powell served as national security advisor to Reagan during Duberstein's tenure as chief of staff.

for source - click here