12 November 2009
11 November 2009
Two Views In The Healthcare Debate: CNBC's Dylan Ratigan vs. Chamber of Commerce's James Gelfand + One Bonus Ratigan Video
Ratigan points out We the People are being left out of the current health care debate. We are haggling over values systems (abortion) to hide who is really benefitting from the current Health Insurance monopoly in this country. Lower quality, higher premiums and Ratigan asks, "Do you think your employer really cares as much about your health as you? You should be the "decider" of what type of health care you will need over your life, not the government, not the Insurance Company."
Ratigan also shows Auto Insurance commercials pitting All State vs. Geico vs. Progressive and wonders why we the citizens who can pick among competing car insurers cannot pick among competing health insurers which would drive down prices, and jack up quality? Good questions, Dylan.
Finally, I love how Dylan reframes the debate by saying, "Tell Congress healthcare shouldn't be a collective decision made by Corporate Communitsts or the National Government." Keep fighting the fight, Mr. Ratigan.
On the other hand is James Gelfand of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce who says people are afraid health care costs will go up under the Democrats healthcare plan.
Liz Clayman doesn't want to eat out of Gelfand's hand. She points out that private health insurance costs have jumped over 74% in the past eight years for small businesses. She rhetorically asks, "This is an outrage, is it not?"
Clayman then asks this corporate flack for his solution to this problem. "Well, actually it should be pretty simple. It shouldn't cost us a trillion dollars, we shouldn't have to raise taxes by $600 Billion, we shouldn't have to slash Medicare by another $500 Billion," and then he suggests we get costs under control (the same thing the Democrats have been seeking to do since the 90s), and that we do this with tort reform, regulate the Insurance companies (did he really say "no more turning people away"?), but then this blow light says there are really only 10 million people in this country who don't have health insurance. That tells me right there this shill, this sellout, is no more than a squawking parrot of people who've got free health insurance as part of their employment package (like Congressmen and Banksters and Corporate Execs), while not having any idea how many people driving taxis, digging ditches, working in bars, hotels, and convenience store have absolutely zilch health care insurance because they cannot afford the payments.
What David Lareah was for the National Realtors Association in its run up through the Housing Bubble (chief Kool-Aid dipper), so to is James Gelfand to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Except whereas Lareah blew happy smoke up consumers' asses, Gelfand is trying to drive spikes of fear into consumers' minds and hearts.
Ratigan talks more sense than Gelfand, no question about it.
Bonus - MSNBC's Ratigan Calls out Guest for Lying: Coming on Television and Lying is Not Journalism
Ratigan also shows Auto Insurance commercials pitting All State vs. Geico vs. Progressive and wonders why we the citizens who can pick among competing car insurers cannot pick among competing health insurers which would drive down prices, and jack up quality? Good questions, Dylan.
Finally, I love how Dylan reframes the debate by saying, "Tell Congress healthcare shouldn't be a collective decision made by Corporate Communitsts or the National Government." Keep fighting the fight, Mr. Ratigan.
On the other hand is James Gelfand of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce who says people are afraid health care costs will go up under the Democrats healthcare plan.
Liz Clayman doesn't want to eat out of Gelfand's hand. She points out that private health insurance costs have jumped over 74% in the past eight years for small businesses. She rhetorically asks, "This is an outrage, is it not?"
Clayman then asks this corporate flack for his solution to this problem. "Well, actually it should be pretty simple. It shouldn't cost us a trillion dollars, we shouldn't have to raise taxes by $600 Billion, we shouldn't have to slash Medicare by another $500 Billion," and then he suggests we get costs under control (the same thing the Democrats have been seeking to do since the 90s), and that we do this with tort reform, regulate the Insurance companies (did he really say "no more turning people away"?), but then this blow light says there are really only 10 million people in this country who don't have health insurance. That tells me right there this shill, this sellout, is no more than a squawking parrot of people who've got free health insurance as part of their employment package (like Congressmen and Banksters and Corporate Execs), while not having any idea how many people driving taxis, digging ditches, working in bars, hotels, and convenience store have absolutely zilch health care insurance because they cannot afford the payments.
What David Lareah was for the National Realtors Association in its run up through the Housing Bubble (chief Kool-Aid dipper), so to is James Gelfand to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Except whereas Lareah blew happy smoke up consumers' asses, Gelfand is trying to drive spikes of fear into consumers' minds and hearts.
Ratigan talks more sense than Gelfand, no question about it.
Bonus - MSNBC's Ratigan Calls out Guest for Lying: Coming on Television and Lying is Not Journalism
Peter Schiff Says "What Gold Tells You Is What the Purchasing Value of the US Dollar Is Worth"
Peter Schiff guesses gold will go to $5,000 or higher. Wow, big call.
Bill Moyer's Exclusive Web Interview of Glenn Greenwald
This particular interview did not run on PBS, it was a web exclusive.
Bill Moyer interviewed Glenn Greenwald, author of "How Would A Patriot Act," and "A Tragic Legacy".
This interview is broken into 3 parts. It is going to cover politics more than business/Economics, but the underlying theme here is a story about government controlled by Corporate Policy.
Greenwald also writes an award winning blog for Salon.com, and he is very well spoken and brutally honest about why America fights wars with countries which have no Air Force. Greenwalds also talks to Bill about the corruption of the Afghan government by the CIA and drug lords. Greenwald asserts that we are basically funding drug lords to raise arms money which are in turn used against our own soldiers and NATO troops.
Greenwald also scores points when talking about America's perpetual state of war, where we always find some country in whose affairs we must meddle. Greenwald asks, why are we overseas "nation building", erecting schools, paving highways, building infrastructure, when our own citizens are losing their jobs and having to do without?
This is an eye opening interview and should be used to frame the debate about Afghanistan, Iraq and all foreign policy.
All parts of this interview have nuggets of gold, from an Adam Smith quote I've never heard to Greenwald making a huge point about "empathy" for our enemies in understanding why our war mongering is manufacturing more terrorists and hatred for America.
By the way, lest you think Greenwald is a flaming knee-jerk Liberal, he is very critical of the Obama White House in Part 3 over issues such as the continuance of Bush/Cheney's use of torture, no habeus corpus jails in Afghanistan, corporate welfare for Big Banks, etc.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Bill Moyer interviewed Glenn Greenwald, author of "How Would A Patriot Act," and "A Tragic Legacy".
This interview is broken into 3 parts. It is going to cover politics more than business/Economics, but the underlying theme here is a story about government controlled by Corporate Policy.
Greenwald also writes an award winning blog for Salon.com, and he is very well spoken and brutally honest about why America fights wars with countries which have no Air Force. Greenwalds also talks to Bill about the corruption of the Afghan government by the CIA and drug lords. Greenwald asserts that we are basically funding drug lords to raise arms money which are in turn used against our own soldiers and NATO troops.
Greenwald also scores points when talking about America's perpetual state of war, where we always find some country in whose affairs we must meddle. Greenwald asks, why are we overseas "nation building", erecting schools, paving highways, building infrastructure, when our own citizens are losing their jobs and having to do without?
This is an eye opening interview and should be used to frame the debate about Afghanistan, Iraq and all foreign policy.
All parts of this interview have nuggets of gold, from an Adam Smith quote I've never heard to Greenwald making a huge point about "empathy" for our enemies in understanding why our war mongering is manufacturing more terrorists and hatred for America.
By the way, lest you think Greenwald is a flaming knee-jerk Liberal, he is very critical of the Obama White House in Part 3 over issues such as the continuance of Bush/Cheney's use of torture, no habeus corpus jails in Afghanistan, corporate welfare for Big Banks, etc.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
10 November 2009
Nick Hildyard On Civil Society And Banks
Nick Hildyard from the Cornerhouse at The Bigger Picture Festival in London October 2009 (organized by nef - the new economics foundation. Filmed by EcoLabs.)
Since its founding in 1997, The Corner House has aimed to support democratic and community movements for environmental and social justice. It is motivated by the concerns of such movements, whether they be locally-based struggles for land or water rights or better health care; campaigns against destructive mining, dam or forestry projects; or struggles against racial discrimination.
Here, Nick Hildyard of the Corner House tells his audience that the Big Banks are much better organized than We the People. I believe it's always a good thing to listen to people whose views on religions, Economy, politics, etc., don't mesh with my views . . . and Hildyard's view on government is way more benign than mine. However, I like what he says about people vs. the Big Banks.
I'm outraged about Goldman Sachs power and how it is growing geometrically throughout this crisis. So is Nick Hildyard. Listening to him, I found myself shaking my head virorously in agreement and disagreement during his short speech. Still, his anger against the Big Banks is not misplaced.
Give this a listen to understand more clearly we are sitting on a powder keg of lower and middle class anger across the world, and if the banksters don't start listening soon, this Recession could turn into something much worse than what we've experienced thusfar...
Since its founding in 1997, The Corner House has aimed to support democratic and community movements for environmental and social justice. It is motivated by the concerns of such movements, whether they be locally-based struggles for land or water rights or better health care; campaigns against destructive mining, dam or forestry projects; or struggles against racial discrimination.
Here, Nick Hildyard of the Corner House tells his audience that the Big Banks are much better organized than We the People. I believe it's always a good thing to listen to people whose views on religions, Economy, politics, etc., don't mesh with my views . . . and Hildyard's view on government is way more benign than mine. However, I like what he says about people vs. the Big Banks.
I'm outraged about Goldman Sachs power and how it is growing geometrically throughout this crisis. So is Nick Hildyard. Listening to him, I found myself shaking my head virorously in agreement and disagreement during his short speech. Still, his anger against the Big Banks is not misplaced.
Give this a listen to understand more clearly we are sitting on a powder keg of lower and middle class anger across the world, and if the banksters don't start listening soon, this Recession could turn into something much worse than what we've experienced thusfar...
Charlie Gasparino Warns Against Banks Wanting Another Bailout
Charlie Gasparino says if unemployment goes to 11%, watch out. Banks will be going back to the government for more loans. He says Wall Street hasn't learned any lessons here. He says banks aren't lending and that Goldman Sachs is now a commercial bank with cheap borrowing from the Fed which goes to bonuses and preparations for the next bailout.
Gasparino says cut the umbilical cord now. No more bailouts!
Gasparino says cut the umbilical cord now. No more bailouts!
09 November 2009
Elizabeth Warren on "Life After Tarp" or "How We've Increased Moral Hazard In The Finance Sector"
Here's hoping that Elizabeth Warren will quit teaching at Harvard and leave her Congressional post for a run at the Presidency.
$8,000 First Time Home Buyer's Tax Credit Extended And Explained
If you are a first time homebuyer wanting to buy a home/condo/houseboat, you need to know that the $8,000 homebuyers tax credit has been extended
Eventhough I was against the extension of this handout, I'm still going to pass along this info for those of you who may have waited long enough for what you may feel is a real deal. (Caveat emptor: I still feel Real Estate will fall another 25 to 50% across the nation.)
That said, some of you still do not understand how the tax credit works. Here's a short video to explain it in very clear fashion:
Eventhough I was against the extension of this handout, I'm still going to pass along this info for those of you who may have waited long enough for what you may feel is a real deal. (Caveat emptor: I still feel Real Estate will fall another 25 to 50% across the nation.)
That said, some of you still do not understand how the tax credit works. Here's a short video to explain it in very clear fashion:
Sullivan & Cromwell's Cohen Says the Abolition Of Glass/Steagall Was Not Responsible For Current Economic Crisis
Cohen lays most of the blame for the current Economic Crisis on "unregulated" Mortgage Bankers and Mortgage Brokers.
He says "If we don't get it (regulatory oversight of Mortgage Bankers and Mortgage Brokers)now, we are just sowing the seeds for a financial crisis where we won't come out of it."
He says "If we don't get it (regulatory oversight of Mortgage Bankers and Mortgage Brokers)now, we are just sowing the seeds for a financial crisis where we won't come out of it."
An Uplifiting Story About A Blind Boy Who Uses Sonar To See
The following is not the usual business/economic post you are used to seeing here on the Watchworld.
What you are about to view is an uplifting story about an extraordinary boy who lost his eyes to cancer at a very young age. Through the help and love of his family, especially his mother, he learned to see in way no other human has ever seen: with sonar. And with the help of other blind people who use echo location, this young man has learned from the blind leading the blind.
I'm placing this video here tonight knowing that there are Americans who are at their wits' end with mounting debt, loss of jobs, foreclosed homes, repoed cars, and full of despair. This video is for them. It might make some forlorn, hopeless person see some light at the end of the dark tunnel they've been traveling through for too long, just as this boy in this video learned to see things in a new way and learned to work with all the tools at his disposal, despite being blind.
This story about Ben Underwood is in five parts. If first aired on the BBC show "Extraordinary People".
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
What you are about to view is an uplifting story about an extraordinary boy who lost his eyes to cancer at a very young age. Through the help and love of his family, especially his mother, he learned to see in way no other human has ever seen: with sonar. And with the help of other blind people who use echo location, this young man has learned from the blind leading the blind.
I'm placing this video here tonight knowing that there are Americans who are at their wits' end with mounting debt, loss of jobs, foreclosed homes, repoed cars, and full of despair. This video is for them. It might make some forlorn, hopeless person see some light at the end of the dark tunnel they've been traveling through for too long, just as this boy in this video learned to see things in a new way and learned to work with all the tools at his disposal, despite being blind.
This story about Ben Underwood is in five parts. If first aired on the BBC show "Extraordinary People".
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
08 November 2009
Professor Steve Keen from Australia on Debt and Economy asks, "How Do We Pay For All This?" 3 Parts
An oustanding talk on Minksy vs. Friedman, debt creation, the danger of securitized loans, debt to GDP levels, money creation, and more. Highly recommended to all deflationists and inflationists.
Professor Keen says we may have delayed the Day of Reckoning, but the danger of further damage to the World Economy is out there because we have not addressed the cause of the crisis: DEBT.
p.s. A reminder that you can buttons on the bottom of the youtube player for Hi-def and an expanded screen (to fill your computer screen) so that you may see Professor Keen's charts and graphs more clearly.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Professor Keen says we may have delayed the Day of Reckoning, but the danger of further damage to the World Economy is out there because we have not addressed the cause of the crisis: DEBT.
p.s. A reminder that you can buttons on the bottom of the youtube player for Hi-def and an expanded screen (to fill your computer screen) so that you may see Professor Keen's charts and graphs more clearly.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
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