Bloomberg Defends NY's Poor Millionaires

After tens of thousands of New Yorkers came out to support the Fair Share Tax plan, someone needed to speak up for the wealthy elite. Being a millionaire must be tough these days, only being able to buy one yacht instead of two. So who better to speak up for their rights than our billionaire Mayor?

From The Daily Politics:

"We can tax the rich, except that, if you haven't looked at the stock market lately, they aren't making any money," the billionaire mayor told John Gambling during his weekly WOR radio show.

"They're not making that money," Bloomberg continued. "I hear the protesters, you know. I think that deep down inside, I assume, they understand that we live in a different world."

"The first rule of taxation is, you can't tax those that - too much - you can't tax too much those that can move. And a very small percentage of people do account for a big part of our income."

"You know, the yelling and screaming about the rich, we want rich from around this country to move here. We love the rich people."

"They're the ones that buy in the stores so that people that work in the stores have jobs in the stores, generate sales tax. The rich are the ones that go to the expensive restaurants where, as a matter of fact, I looked at a list the other day of restaurants where the staff is unionized. They're the expensive restaurants. They're not the cheap restaurants."

Wow, does Bloomberg really think that us proles will believe that crap? The riff-raff that Bloomberg expects to vote him into a third term is suffering more than it has in decades. Yet Bloomberg wants to make the poor pay for the budget cuts.

If we would focus on getting the working class back to work, it would be they that would purchase the goods and dine at the stores. The rich already do that, in good times and bad. The rich aren't going to move out of New York, because this city offers so much to so many, especially those with money to spend. And this may be news to the Mayor, but it is the working class and the poor that are being driven out of the city by the thousands. Thanks to zoning laws that favor developers and the real estate industry, affordable housing is an afterthought to Bloomberg and the units he leaves aren't affordable to those that make less than the median salary.

Mayor Bloomberg is clearly out of touch, just another reason to show him the door in November.

Rachel Maddow Asks Don Siegelman About His Thougts on Rove's Upcoming Testimony

Former Democratic Governor of Alabama Don Siegelman went on Rachel's show this week to talk about what Rove might say. He wants Congress to take their time to ensure that Karl Rove and the entire appartus behind him is held fully accountable.

Dr. Gupta Goes Back To CNN, Can We Finally Make Dr. Dean Surgeon General?

The breaking news last night was that Dr. Sanjay Gupta of CNN declined the Surgeon General position. His only relevance to the position was that he's been on TV and of course, he's a neurosurgeon. Yeah, being a neurosurgeon is cool, but lying about our health care crisis is not, and we don't need that, especially in these times. So like any CNN personality, he went to another CNN personality to explain himself:

"This is more about my family and my surgical career," Gupta told CNN's "Larry King Live."

The neurosurgeon said he would likely have had to give up practicing had he taken the job as the nation's top doctor.

In addition, the 39-year-old and his wife are expecting their third daughter any time, and the government job would have meant long periods away from his family, he said.

"I think, for me, it really came down to a sense of timing more than anything else," he said. "I just didn't feel I should do that now."

Families are important, and if he isn't up to helping protect America's families, then we need someone who will. I heard that Howard Dean was back and he's made himself a full plate for the foreseeable future. Coming back to run DFA, consult and help wherever he can is great news. It just wouldn't be the best news, at least to me. Now that the Surgeon General position is open again, it is time for Rahm to put his bad feelings aside and get Dr. Dean into the Administration as Surgeon General. Dean is a passionate advocate of providing great health care, as Governor of Vermont for more than a decade, on his campaign for the Presidency in 2004 and for the last five years even while he ran the DNC.

Mr. President, Dr. Dean is the man for the job.

Tens Of Thousands Rally For Fair Share Tax Reform

Governor Paterson, Majority Leader Malcolm Smith and a few too many other State Senators have not come forward as of yet to support the Fair Share Tax Reform Act. What the proposed bill would do is simple. Instead of punishing the working class for the budget deficits caused by Wall Street's unadulterated greed, we should split that burden with the rich by making the state income tax progressive in nature with a tiered system.

However, with multiple bills presented in the Senate, Majority Leader Smith has not shown the leadership necessary to support his middle class constituents. Instead, he and the governor are listening to the lobbyists of big business at the expense of hard working New Yorkers. So what are those New Yorkers to do? Turn out for a huge rally at City Hall Park.

Having the afternoon off, I had to go down and join the action, though I had no idea how many people would actually show. Here's the first sight I saw:



Don't worry, all the cops were on their best behavior at the event with what looked like a good amount of people, perhaps even a couple thousand. Then I was told I had to walk over a block and then up a few to enter the crowd you see behind the sleepy police officer.



While walking, all sorts of signs were on display, including this sweet guy that still refers to his mother as "Mommy."



Once I went around, I got a better view of the stage and not surprisingly it was full of politicians and union organizers. If you can't tell the man at the podium is City Comptroller and Mayoral candidate Bill Thompson.



While the speeches were great, they were mostly the same, so I decided to venture away from the stage and check out the people who showed up for this. As you can tell, the area around the four-block long park was packed. The park however, was only so big, so the crowd overflow was led up Broadway. Jumbo-trons and sound systems were set up so that people could hear who were nearly a mile up the street. At one point the crowd was checked at 40,000 people....40,000, on a Thursday afternoon! Ahem, Governor Paterson, that translates quite a few votes, if you know what I'm saying, cough, primary race next year, cough, cough.



Then just before I reached the back of the crowd, I ran into City Council candidate Josh Skaller, who came out from Brooklyn to demand that Albany listen to the demands of working New Yorkers. He may look happy and serene in the picture, but he's ready to get tough and defend this barricade and many more if he gets the chance to represent the 39th Council District.

Tens of thousands of dedicated working people, all who can vote and want to not only be heard, but recognized and respected by their Governor and the rest of the politicians up in Albany. I certainly hope they got the message to support this legislation. Of course, it doesn't hurt to keep reminding them. You can do that by contacting your legislator and by getting involved locally.

Betsy Gotbaum's Mediocre One Minute At The Fair Share Rally

I took this video in the afternoon during the Fair Share Tax Rally downtown. The crowd was great and at first Gotbaum sounded pretty decent and enthused about being on stage. The ending however, especially the last twenty seconds and her laughter was not as inspirational as I'd have hoped it to be.



Could you imagine Mark Green, Norman Siegel, John Liu (he just dropped out) or Eric Gioia sounding like that? Yeah, I don't think so either.

Dems Vs. Repubs: Should Health Care Be A Right, Or A Privilege

As much as Ralph Nader says there's no difference between the two parties, the facts say otherwise. Case in point, health care. Barack Obama is holding a conference today on what to do about our currently broken system. One thing is for sure about it, the President stated that the status quo must change. Entrenched business interests are frightened about losing the power to set rates, for if the people had a chance to have a real choice in what plans were offered, health care executives would either have to lower their obscene rates and exclusionary practices or lose customers. In this debate, it is important to know who has the people's interests at heart and those that back the wealthy insurers.

From ThinkProgress:

...In response, Rep. Zach Wamp (R-TN) went on MSNBC to explain his opposition to Obama’s stated goal of comprehensive health care reform, arguing that health care is “a privilege,” not a right:

WAMP: Listen, health care a privilege. […]

MSNBC: Well, it’s a privilege? Health care? I mean if you have cancer right now, do you see it as a privilege to get treatment?

WAMP: I was just about to say, for some people it’s a right. But for everyone, frankly, it’s not necessarily a right.

Wamp went on to claim that many Americans are uninsured by choice because they “rejected” the insurance plan offered by their employers. Asked to respond to Wamp, Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) remarked “Well my reaction is that it was said by somebody who has a really good health [insurance] plan as a member of the House of Representatives.” “More importantly than that [health care] is a right in this country,” Brown concluded.

In Wamp's view, if you can't manage to afford life-saving surgery or treatment, then too bad for you. Of course, he has no problem taking money from taxpayers for his own incredible insurance plan, but to Republicans like Wamp no matters in this world but him. I wonder how the people of his district feel about a statement like that? With a median income of less than $36,000 a year in the district and an 8.6% unemployment rate across the state (generally worse in the Applachian areas than the rest of the state), I'm sure there are at least a few people who might have a word or two with Mr. Wamp next time he visits the district.

Skelos And Senate GOP Love Budget Cuts, Hate Taxes

What's new right?

Minority Leader Dean Skelos is trying to make some headway into the budget battle by submitting his own plan. That brilliant plan includes all the cuts to essential services that Paterson is in favor of, but with an added stipulation, no new taxes, whether they be on the rich or for soda. Oh and they have a plan for that stimulus money Obama is throwing our way. Can you guess what they'd do with it?

From PolitickerNY:

Minority Leader Dean Skelos and over a dozen of his members--many of whom have decades of experience on issues as committee chairmen--unveiled a budget counterproposal that would use stimulus funds to roll back proposed tax increases and a repeal of the STAR rebate program, save additional money by consolidating state agencies (scant details were provided) and reducing spending as well as collecting cigarette taxes on Indian reservations.[...]

The Senate Republicans also proposed an alternative college savings program that will allow families with children under 14 to pre-pay tuition at SUNY and CUNY schools by either the semester or the credit hour to "lock in" rates. It wasn't immediately clear whether such payments would be eligible for federal tax incentives or student loan programs.

The Republican plan would also keep money raised from increased SUNY and CUNY tuition within the system, instead of sending 90 percent of the money to the state's general fund.

I personally like the idea that money for schools be kept in the school system over Paterson's proposal, even though it isn't the ideal situation where we do not raise tuition at all. However, the rest of it is just ridiculous. Keeping taxes where they are now is the wrong idea with the budget deficit we are dealing with. Shared sacrifice is crucial to making this next fiscal year work. A combination of cuts, tax increases (on the wealthy, not Paterson's punitive model) and stimulus money can help put us back in the black. Of course, Skelos is in the minority for a reason and much like the election of Barack Obama, it is time to change how things work in New York.

Jon Stewart Decimates CNBC

Reminiscent of when Stewart went on CNN's Crossfire several years ago, this segment from last night is going down in the Daily Show's greatest memories:

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

CNBC Gives Financial Advice

Daily Show Full Episodes
Important Things With Demetri Martin

Political Humor
Joke of the Day

It seems as if it were better that Santelli did cancel on Stewart. I'm sure that Rick would have been asked some question, but there was no way that these few minutes could have gone any better if he did have Mr. Santelli to question.

Steele's Latest Gambit, Getting The GOP Sober

RNC Chairman Michael Steele is the gift that keeps giving. Just as having Rush as the actual leader of the GOP, Steele's almost daily comments must have much of his party on edge while he has Democrats laughing almost constantly. Although this doesn't beat his "suburban hip-hop" comments to the Washington Times two weeks ago, comparing his party to an addict in throes of their addiction is certainly amusing.

From The Huffington Post:

Speaking to the Maryland radio station WBAL, Steele said that "no one individual" was head of the party and described his comments downplaying Limbaugh's show and influence as inartful. He added that if Republicans wanted to ascend back to the heights of political power, they had to stop trying to be "cool and hip in a Democrat way," and admit their past mistakes.

"I am putting the party on a 12-step program of recovery," said the RNC chair. "This is going to take some time, it is going to take some effort. But we are prepared to move forward and to state the case, make the case to the American people that we have something to offer. We are not here to be the party that is just here to say no. We are not the party to be in opposition just for the sake of opposition."

Funny enough, drug addict Rush Limbaugh is the head of the party and he'll fight tooth and nail (at least through a microphone) to make sure people know it. I wonder if Steele was indirectly telling Rush to find recovery for his own good. I don't know how he's doing with Oxycontin, but Overeaters Anonymous could be at least one program for him to try.

As for the Republican party, there is no way that anyone on the right is going to get past the first step if they don't even acknowledge a problem with their actions. Over at CPAC last weekend, the general idea was that they were not active enough in their addiction to "free markets" and hating the Democratic party at all costs. It would be akin to an alcoholic drinking more to solve his or her problems caused by all that booze. What the GOP really needs is to be thrown into rehab where they learn how their pro-corporate policies have been ruining millions of American lives.

Cuomo Remains Tough As NY's Attorney General

While Paterson's popularity plummets, Andrew Cuomo's stock continues to soar. The difference is attributable to what each politician is doing. The former can't keep his agenda straight, with budget woes, being off-message, inability to control his staff and starting off with the Senate appointment saga, looks like the typically secretive Albany pol. Meanwhile Cuomo is busting financial bad guys.

From The Huffington Post:

Some of the top earners at Merrill Lynch who were given $209 million in 2008 were subpoenaed by New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo on Wednesday, a source close to the investigation tells the Huffington Post.

The subpoenas were served on the seven executives - including Andrea Orcel, the firm's top investment banker (who was paid $33.8 million in cash and stock in 2008), trading chief Thomas Montag and former head of strategy Peter Kraus, who were named in a story in the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday, according to the source.

The subpoenas compel the executives, some of whom currently work at Bank of America, to come in and discuss their bonuses, who they communicated with regarding their bonuses, when they got their bonuses and other relevant information, says the source.

He's forcing these crooks out into the opening with their books in hand. It seems that these companies protest and then Cuomo swoops in and while not giving these people the jailtime they deserve yet, certainly working hard to expose what they've been up to and showing how they screwed the economy for their own personal gain.

The news must be bittersweet for Paterson, as catching corporate criminals that caused the state's budget woes is a great thing, but his competition in the Democratic primary is the one getting all the credit. Of course, no one knows how Cuomo would be in the Executive's chair. The last time we had a kick-ass, take-no-names Attorney General become governor....well, we all know how Paterson got this gig anyhow. I'm not saying that Cuomo will be like Paterson's predecessor, but the trappings of each office are remarkably different. It almost seems that it's better to be the A.G. than the Gov.

Dean Gives His Two Cents On Obama's Health Care Plan And The Power Of Choice

Basically what the good Governor is saying is that you cannot take an academic health care model and simply impose it on the people. Instead they must be able to choose what they want and depending on who serves their needs best, gets the majority of the people's business. What is certain though is, that the way things are going now, where health insurance companies get to run the show, is a dead deal.

The Neverending Greed Of Countrywide Execs

In the last few months there have been myriad stories of greedy bankers and financial types that got rich by making risky ventures and putting the entire economy in peril. These people were all in it for making it rich today, without thinking about the consequences that would inevitably come tomorrow. Some have repented, but most are just looking to escape with their loot. Others though, are in a class of evil all to themselves.

From RawStory:

Stanford L. Kurland, the former president of Countrywide Financial the bank that has become most synonymous with the bad mortgage lending practices that eventually caused the housing market to burst, setting into motion the current financial crisis and colleagues from the defunct firm now run PennyMac.

The company, headquartered in the same Los Angeles suburb where Countrywide was managed before it was sold to Bank of America last summer, specializes in buying up bad home mortgages that the U.S. government took over from other failed banks, the New York Times reported Tuesday.

PennyMac has been buying up some of those mortgages for just a fraction of their value, and they keep a portion of whatever money they collect from the mortgage holder.

Basically they are scumbags of the lowest order. Making money on top of the money they made by destroying the lives of families across America. Without hesitation, these people are jumping from one market their greed destroyed to the next. If there is something to compare this to, it would be this in this quote from the article:

It is sort of like the arsonist who sets fire to the house and then buys up the charred remains and resells it, said Margot Saunders, a lawyer with the National Consumer Law Center. The organization has for years sought to limit the sort of abusive lending practices that were employed by Countrywide and other financial companies.

And instead of arresting the arsonist, we are rewarding him for the embers he has left behind. Of course, a real arsonist, once identified would be hunted down, caught and thrown in jail with compliments of the full weight of the legal system. However when it comes to financial destruction, the criminals get a chance to make even more money.