Archive for February, 2009

The Reemergence Of Romney

By Justin Gardner | Related entries in 2012 Election, Republicans, Romney

With Jindal’s epic fail already in the rear view and Palin’s relevancy quickly fading, the GOP will be looking for the standard bearer for 2012. And guess who’s at the front of the pack? From Politico: While others may be indecisive or distracted, he’s already, quietly, clearly focused on solidifying his position inside the party, [...]

February 26th, 2009 | Permalink| 3 Comments »

Where to Cash in On the Stimulus

By Alan Stewart Carl | Related entries in Economy, Jobs, Stimulus

Whether you think the stimulus plan is a brilliant idea or a dangerous waste of money, chances are, you wouldn’t mind getting your hands on a little of that $787 billion the government will be paying out. So, how can you cash in (in ways larger than the pittance of a tax break most of [...]

February 25th, 2009 | Permalink| No Comments »

Republicans Shift Strategy Back To Ideas?

By Justin Gardner | Related entries in Republicans

If the following is true, it would be refreshing. Mostly because it’ll hopefully bring about good ideas instead of tired rhetoric. Still, the plan is fraught with peril, mostly because Republicans lost power because of their ideology. Some say it’s because they didn’t adhere to that ideology closely enough, but how many conservatives do you [...]

February 25th, 2009 | Permalink| 6 Comments »

David Brooks On Bobby Jindal

By Justin Gardner | Related entries in 2012 Election, Jindal, Republicans

I don’t want to beat up too much on the Louisiana governor because he did have a thankless task, but…whoa. I mean, that was painful, and not just the style. Sure, we can make fun of his delivery, but the tired old ideas he was proposing and the political points he attempted to score failed [...]

February 25th, 2009 | Permalink| 3 Comments »

Republican Governor: House/Senate GOP “Inconsequential”

By Doug Mataconis | Related entries in Politics, Republicans

Utah Governor John Huntsman doesn’t have many nice things to say about the Republicans in Congress: The Republican governor of Utah on Monday said his party is blighted by leaders in Congress whose lack of new ideas renders them so “inconsequential” that he doesn’t even bother to talk to them. “I don’t even know the [...]

February 25th, 2009 | Permalink| 3 Comments »

Bobby Jindal Strikes Out

By Doug Mataconis | Related entries in Jindal, Politics, Republicans

Last night Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal who, notwithstanding his denials of interest, is still considered a contender for the 2012 Republican Presidential nomination was given center stage to deliver the Republican response to the President’s address: Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) continued his sharp criticism of the stimulus signed into law last week, as the [...]

February 25th, 2009 | Permalink| 6 Comments »

A Special Offer For Donklephant Readers: Veritocracy

By Justin Gardner | Related entries in General Politics, Technology

Veritocracy is a new social news recommendation site that I’ve been trying out behind the scenes for a couple months and now you have the opportunity to try it before it launches. My contact over there explains it better than I so check this out and if you have any interest to use the technology [...]

February 24th, 2009 | Permalink| 5 Comments »

All Combat Troops to be Out of Iraq in 19 Months

By Alan Stewart Carl | Related entries in Barack, Iraq, War

Barack Obama’s early campaign was fueled, in part, by his opposition to the war in Iraq. Now, as president, he looks ready to live up to his promise to remove our troops from the nation we invaded almost six years ago. Obama’s plan would pull out all combat troops 19 months after his inauguration, although [...]

February 24th, 2009 | Permalink| 6 Comments »

Should You Start Buying Stocks?

By Justin Gardner | Related entries in Economy, Stocks, Video

Not yet says Robert Shiller, the author of Irrational Exuberance and creator of a variation of the P/E ratio (price/earnings) called CAPE (cyclically adjusted price/earnings). Here he goes into how CAPE is determined and how it’s shows that there’s still room to go down. Are you buying right now?

February 24th, 2009 | Permalink| 8 Comments »

Quote Of The Day – Murdoch’s Warning

By Justin Gardner | Related entries in Economy, Quotes, The World

“We are in the midst of a phase of history in which nations will be redefined and their futures fundamentally altered.” – Rupert Murdoch talks about the current state of the global economy in an internal memo Anybody willing to bet against Murdoch’s prediction? And do you think these futures will be better or worse? [...]

February 24th, 2009 | Permalink| 4 Comments »

Congress Not Getting Message on Fiscal Responsibility

By Alan Stewart Carl | Related entries in Barack, Congress, Economy, Fiscal stimulus

The Obama Administration might be talking about fiscal responsibility, but such wisdom doesn’t look likely to arrive in Washington this year. On the heels of the massive stimulus package comes the next wave of spending. On Wednesday, the House will consider a proposed $410 billion spending plan for the rest of fiscal 2009 — and [...]

February 23rd, 2009 | Permalink| 4 Comments »

I Love Alan Keyes

By Justin Gardner | Related entries in Barack, Crazy, Video

I say that with all sincerity because where would I be without clips like this? Obviously I’m putting aside his economic views, because many of you would agree with those, but as for most of the rest of it…Keyes is a living, breathing example of why 3rd party candidates aren’t allowed into serious presidential debates. [...]

February 23rd, 2009 | Permalink| 3 Comments »

Our Bear Market Compared To History

By Justin Gardner | Related entries in History, Money

Note the trajectory we’re on… Some think it’s a good time to buy since the stimulus package just got pushed through and fixes for the banking and housing problems are on their way. And if Obama can push through Social Security reform, that’ll instill a lot more confidence worldwide in our long term fiscal credibility. [...]

February 23rd, 2009 | Permalink| 2 Comments »

ANP (VIDEO): The Food Lobby Goes to School

By American News Project | Related entries in News

Somewhere… in a high school cafeteria… a student is putting mayonnaise on their pizza. While back in Washington, DC, a powerful group will fight to ensure that pizza goes down with a Pepsi. Meet the food lobby… This is Steven Greenstreet with ANP. Congress and the Department of Agriculture approve what foods can (and can’t) [...]

February 23rd, 2009 | Permalink| No Comments »

California Republicans Dismayed With Schwarzenegger, Reject Apology To Gray Davis

By Glenn Church | Related entries in California

The California Republican Party is in a sad state of disarray. After formulating a budget compromise with Democrats and a handful of dissident Republicans, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger skipped the party’s state convention in Sacramento and headed to a Governor’s conference in Washington, D.C. Undoubtedly, that was a wise move on his part. Schwarzenegger is going [...]

February 22nd, 2009 | Permalink| 1 Comment »

Budget Transparency To Come With Massive Political Price?

By Justin Gardner | Related entries in Barack, Bush, Money, Transparency

As was the case with many things the Bush administration touched, the federal budget was gamed in such a way to make the deficit problems look smaller than they actually were. But now Obama and his team are set to change that. Only problem? The deficit is going to get a lot bigger. How much? [...]

February 20th, 2009 | Permalink| 30 Comments »

Obama Shoots Down Mileage Tax Idea

By Justin Gardner | Related entries in Barack, Energy, Gas, Taxes

The moment I heard this idea it sounded like box office poison, and it looks like the administration did too. Because not only does it mean you’d have to have some sort of Orwellian GPS system attached to every car, but it completely negates the benefits of higher mileage hybrids that are in the pipeline. [...]

February 20th, 2009 | Permalink| 3 Comments »

Quote Of The Day – Richard Perle Redux

By Justin Gardner | Related entries in Dumb Things Said By Smart People, Foreign Policy, History, Partisan Hacks, Quotes

“There is no such thing as a neoconservative foreign policy.” – Richard Perle talking to a gathering sponsored by National Interest magazine. WTF?! Dana Milbank digs through this nonsense… So what about the 1996 report he co-authored that is widely seen as the cornerstone of neoconservative foreign policy? “My name was on it because I [...]

February 20th, 2009 | Permalink| 4 Comments »

The Business Of Marijuana

By Justin Gardner | Related entries in Business, Drugs, Law, Video

CNBC with a great look at the ins and outs of the “industry” in Marijuana, Inc. Listen, I can understand bans on harder narcotics, but not marijuana. Everybody knows that marijuana is FAR less dangerous to your health and the public’s safety than alcohol. I could literally go out right now and buy enough alcohol [...]

February 20th, 2009 | Permalink| 10 Comments »

Should Obama Be More Positive?

By Alan Stewart Carl | Related entries in Barack, Economy

This morning on “Good Morning America,” Bill Clinton said he thinks President Obama should assure Americans that we will surmount our economic problems. The gist was that Clinton thinks Obama has been too negative, although the former president did praise Obama for not coming in with a bunch of “happy talk.” The attitude a president [...]

February 20th, 2009 | Permalink| 2 Comments »