Zeke Emanuel Wants to phase out Medicare and Medicaid.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/3684

Madfloridian's Journal
Zeke Emanuel is a health care advisor to Obama. Wants to phase out Medicare and Medicaid.
Posted by madfloridian in Ge...

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[Source: WAR ON YOU FORUMS

Angry citizen(s) spray paint Congressmans car and home

Angry citizen(s) spray paint Congressmans car and home

On October 22, just after the first round of bankster bailouts was passed by Congress against the will of the American people several representatives in Minnesota found their cars and home...

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Arrest In Murder of Prominent Cancer Researcher

Atlanta, GA -- Atlanta police made an arrest overnight in the murder of a prominent cancer researcher.

Lieutenant Keith Meadows says homicide detectives filed murder warrants late Wednesday for the arrest of Jamal Thompson who also goes by the name "Shamel". Thompson was ...

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Obama Sells US To China Inc

By Cliff KincaidAIM Column2-23-9 With Hillary Clinton having signaled to the Chinese dictators that we will beg for their money and ignore unfair trade practices and even human rights violations, it will be left up to President Obama to seal the deal. [...]No related posts.

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Todays Polls: Americans Trust Obama On The Economy, Not Congressional Republicans

(Bumped, just because I love the poll numbers. SusanG)Whether it’s Gallup or ABC/WaPo, the story is the same. From Gallup:President Barack Obama remains highly popular among the U.S. public at the end of his first month in office. However, the 63% of Americans currently approving of his job performance is down slightly from his initial [...]

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[Source: vote tags: Tracking the Vote

Video: Rick Santelli Answers Back To Whitehouse

I fail to see why the WH attacked him. He spoke nothing but facts in this. The bailout for certain people and not others is dead wrong. Those who are managing to pay their way are struggling as well. Why should those who aren't be bailed out? They have managed to pit Amer...

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[Source: WAR ON YOU FORUMS - Posted by FreeAutoBlogger]

The Great Economic Recovery Deception

By Mark E. HenryWe, the American people are supposed to be in debt. That’s how the system works, right? If you’re listening closely, that’s what they’re saying. Politicians are sprinting wide eyed and panting to banks with billions and possibly trillions of “Taxpayer” dollars, OUR dollars.Why? Because if they give the banks our money, we [...]

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[Source: Mint Dollar

Worst economic collapse ever

In 2009 were going to see the worst economic collapse ever, the Greatest Depression, says Gerald Celente, U.S. trend forecaster. He believes its going to be very violent in the U.S., including there being a tax revolt.
[url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nJ7LM3iyNg#noex...

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[Source: WAR ON YOU FORUMS

David Rockefeller admits NWO 9/11 conspiracy pre9/11

<a href="//www.youtube.com/v/g1dE8OMB-bM&amp;rel=0&amp;fs=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/g1dE8OMB-bM&rel=0&fs=1</a>

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[Source: WAR ON YOU FORUMS

H.R. 599, To prohibit the receipt of Federal funds by any institution of higher education with a football team that participates in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, unless the national championship game of such Subdivision is the culmination of a playoff system

H.R. 599 would prohibit the receipt of Federal funds by any institution of higher education with a football team that participates in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, unless the national championship game of such Subdivision is the culmination of a playoff system….Vote on This Bill: For | Against

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[Source: vote tags: Tracking the Vote

Inaugural Memorabilia: What It's Worth

An estimated two million people will visit the nation’s capital over the weekend to watch Barack Obama’s presidential inauguration. And while witnessing history will be rewarding enough to some, other attendees will be looking to reap some sizable financial rewards, as well.

Inaugural memorabilia — anything from inauguration tickets and ball invitations to event programs, newspapers, buttons or even street signs — will without a doubt surface on eBay as soon as the inauguration is over. The question is: Will such items end up being merely sentimental keepsakes or lucrative investments?

The answer depends on what you’ve got and how long you hold onto it. Here's what you need to know to help you decide whether stocking up on Obama posters on Inauguration Day or hoarding newspapers the day after makes good financial sense.

It’s a numbers game

In November 2008, the Heritage Auction Galleries in Dallas sold a ticket to Lincoln’s 1865 inauguration for $14,430. Astounding, to be sure. But Obama inauguration ticket holders shouldn’t get their hopes up that they'll reap anywhere near that amount. “Those [inaugural tickets] were extremely rare because of the war effort at the time,” says Marsha Dixey, consignment director for the historical department at Heritage Auction Galleries.

In most cases, the rarer an item, the more value it’ll have in the future. And with 240,000 swearing-in tickets for Obama's inauguration already distributed through members of Congress, chances are ticketholders will have to wait a long time before they can make any significant profits off of their own.

“If you have limited tickets to a special party with President Obama where there are just 200 printed, those very limited edition items will become collectibles,” says Wes Cowan, owner of Cowan’s Auctions and a featured appraiser on PBS’s "Antiques Roadshow." But consider this: There are 10 official inaugural balls in Washington, D.C., on the night of the swearing-in ceremony. And more than 1,000 free tickets have already been distributed to just one of these events, the Neighborhood Inaugural Ball.

The same goes for the inaugural souvenirs that have already flooded both eBay and D.C.’s shops. “My guess is President Obama is going to be so popular, there are going to be so many T-shirts, coffee cups and bumper stickers, that it will take years and years for a market to be created for this stuff,” says Cowan.

Location, location, location

The value of inauguration memorabilia increases exponentially as you get closer to the president on that day. Anything given to participants in the ceremony, say, a security badge given to a guard with access to the podium or even a photographer’s press pass, should garner some attention from collectors in the future, says Dixey. And, needless to say, getting the president’s signature on anything will boost its value immediately. “An invitation to an inaugural ball signed by Obama — that’s going to be aces in the future,” she says.

A matter of timing

As with investing, some items are worth holding for the long term while others will only have a fleeting appeal.

Items that are distributed in large numbers will see their prices spike immediately after the events, Dixey says, but will then cool off. “You’ll see people who didn’t get to go wanting that inaugural invitation as a memento,” she explains. “And right after the event, I think you’ll see lots of them surface on eBay. It’s anybody’s guess what they’ll go for at that time, but after three or four months you’ll see prices soften.”

That's exactly what happened with the newspapers that came out the day after Obama won the election. The so-called “Obama” issues of the New York Times were selling for as much as $120 on eBay right after Nov. 5, Dixey says. Today, you can buy three copies for just $9.99.

Meanwhile, items that are more valuable to begin with — limited-edition memorabilia, tickets or invitations to exclusive events, press passes or security badges, anything signed by the president or first lady — will only increase in value as time goes by. To get a better return on your item, wait at least until President Obama’s term is over, Dixey advises. And should Obama’s term in office be considered a success and Americans continue to embrace him as their leader, the value will hold even longer.

SMARTMONEY ® Layout and look and feel of SmartMoney.com are trademarks of SmartMoney, a joint venture between Dow Jones & Company, Inc. and Hearst SM Partnership. © 1995 - 2009 SmartMoney. All Rights Reserved.

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[Source: SmartMoney.com - Consumer Action

The EU has brokered a deal between Russia and Ukraine

A deal has apparently been brokered between Russia and Ukraine

The complete halt in Russian gas deliveries to Europe via Ukraine looks likely to end soon, following a three-way deal on the deployment of monitors in Ukraine and Russia. However, transit is only one facet of a Ukraine-Russia gas relationship that is far from settled. For Ukraine, transit and its own imports are inextricably linked, yet turning the taps back on for Europe will not result in any gas supply for Ukraine. So while gas supplies to Europe may soon resume, their stability cannot be taken for granted.

The EU announced on January 9th that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to the introduction of monitors at gas transportation facilities in Ukraine. This was made possible by Ukraine relenting on its refusal to allow Russians to join the EU monitoring team. ...

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[Source: The Economist: News analysis

Help for Homeowners May Be on the Way

Two years into the housing crisis and several widely-criticized bailout plans later, struggling homeowners may finally be getting some real help.

The good news came from an unexpected source Thursday, when one of the nation's largest lenders, Citigroup (C), announced its support for legislation that would allow consumers in Chapter 13 bankruptcy repayment plans to get their mortgages modified. These modifications, also known as "cram downs," would involve both a reduction of the interest rate and, if the homeowner is underwater on their mortgage, an adjustment of the loan principal down to the home's current market value.

"This is the only program that gives homeowners actual rights, and therefore leverage, negotiating with their lenders," says Henry Sommer, a bankruptcy attorney in Philadelphia and director with the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys.

Although the plan directly affects only homeowners filing for Chapter 13 bankruptcy protection, consumer advocates and bankruptcy attorneys hope that the legislation -- if it becomes law -- would prod lenders to offer the same type of cram downs to all troubled homeowners.

"The hope is that when the mortgage companies understand that if they don't do anything, the person will file bankruptcy and get this relief, they'll offer them something reasonable," Sommer says.

Previous bailout plans encouraged the mortgage industry to modify troubled loans, but they often had questionable results. While loan modifications increased last year, 55% of these loans were 30 or more days delinquent just six months later, according to an Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) report. The problem? Many of the modifications rarely resulted in an affordable mortgage payment, explains John Rao, an attorney with the National Consumer Law Center, an advocacy group.

In fact, an alarming 45% of modifications actually increased the homeowner's monthly payment, while 20% left the payment the same, according to a report published in November 2008 by Alan White, assistant professor of law at Valparaiso University.

So what are the chances of this legislation becoming law? There were several unsuccessful attempts to pass this bill last year, most recently as part of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, more well known as the $700 billion bailout. But now that that a major lender is behind it -- and others may soon follow, Rao says the chances it will be signed into law are pretty good. He thinks it could happen as soon as President-elect Obama takes office.

There is one possible blockade, however. The Mortgage Bankers Association continues to oppose the bill. “We remain opposed to bankruptcy cram down legislation because of the destabilizing effect it will have on an already turbulent mortgage market," said John A. Courson, president and CEO, and David G. Kittle, CMB chairman in a statement.

How the "cram down" legislation will help homeowners:

1. Encourage lenders to do more loan modifications in order to keep homeowners out of the bankruptcy courts. Effectively, give borrowers leverage in negotiating with their mortgage servicer or lender.

2. Improve the quality of loan modifications, including a reduction in mortgage principal to reflect the current market value of the home. This may result in fewer homeowners walking away from their homes.

3. Improve the likelihood that Chapter 13 bankruptcy filers get to keep their homes. Currently, as judges do not have the right to modify mortgage loans on primary residences, many homeowners who file for bankruptcy protection in order to avoid foreclosure fall behind on their payments. Then, the mortgage company gets permission from the courts to foreclose anyway.

SMARTMONEY ® Layout and look and feel of SmartMoney.com are trademarks of SmartMoney, a joint venture between Dow Jones & Company, Inc. and Hearst SM Partnership. © 1995 - 2009 SmartMoney. All Rights Reserved.

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[Source: SmartMoney.com - Consumer Action

The financial crisis: Commerzbank's mixed blessing

Germany's government bails out Commerzbank, amid renewed anxiety about financial markets

IT WAS meant to be the transformative deal of German banking, when, just four short months ago, Commerzbank agreed to buy Dresdner, an ailing rival. The chief executive of the former, Martin Blessing, called it a “unique opportunity” to build the biggest retail and small-business bank in Germany. The takeover, which is due to be finalised soon, may still promise that, but it has now become transformative in another way. As a result of the deal, Commerzbank becomes the first German bank to be partly nationalised by a government bail-out fund that was set up a few months ago.

On Thursday January 8th Commerzbank said it would get a capital injection of €10 billion ($13.7 billion) from the government, just weeks after it tapped the bail-out fund for €8.2 billion. A small portion of the new money will be used to buy a 25% stake in Commerzbank, but most is in the form of loans that count towards the bank's core capital. A bank that now has a stockmarket value of less than €4 billion has received more than €18 billion in just a matter of weeks. ...

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[Source: The Economist: News analysis

New world order will emerge in 2009, with U.S. plunging

By Paul Kennedy var requestedWidth = 0; if(requestedWidth > [...]No related posts.

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[Source: RETROGRESSING

Climate-change diplomacy: Fiddling with words

Global consensus on climate change is maddeningly elusive

IMAGINE that some huge rocky projectile, big enough to destroy most forms of life, was hurtling towards the earth, and it seemed that deep international co-operation offered the only hope of deflecting the lethal object. Presumably, the nations of the world would set aside all jealousies and ideological hangups, knowing that failure to act together meant doom for all.

At least in theory, most of the world’s governments now accept that climate change, if left unchecked, could become the equivalent of a deadly asteroid. But to judge by the latest, tortuous moves in climate-change diplomacy—at a two-week gathering in western Poland, which ended on December 13th—there is little sign of any mind-concentrating effect. ...

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[Source: The Economist: News analysis

The coming days: The week ahead

The Federal Reserve considers how to get the economy moving again

• AMERICA’S Federal Reserve begins a two-day meeting on Monday December 15th to consider how to tackle the country's mounting economic woes. An interest-rate cut is likely and observers reckon that the Fed will probably announce a raft of less conventional measures to inject some life into America’s foundering economy. The doubt over the future of General Motors and Chrysler, which failed to secure a government bail-out on Friday, will add to the gloom. The two may try to avoid going bankrupt before George Bush hands over to Barack Obama by trying to get cash from the TARP, a bail-out fund meant for financial institutions.

For background, see article ...

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[Source: The Economist: News analysis

Abhisit's chance in Thailand

Thailand gets a new prime minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva of the Democrat Party

Thailand's next prime minister will be Abhisit Vejjajiva, leader of the opposition Democrat Party (DP), according to the results of a parliamentary vote on December 15th. This completes a dramatic makeover of Thailand's political scene in just under a fortnight: the DP will now head a coalition government; the political allies of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra have taken the opposition benches; and the anti-Thaksin People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) has called off its street protests. However, anyone hoping that this means Thailand is on the verge of returning to political stability will be disappointed.

The shift in power from pro-Thaksin forces to the DP does not reflect a major change of allegiance by Thai voters. Instead, it represents a return to good old-fashioned politicking. In essence, politicians in a number of minor parties jumped ship to align themselves with the DP because it appears to have the best prospects of holding on to power. In the parliamentary vote Abhisit secured 235 votes out of around 437, enabling him to become the country's fourth prime minister since Thaksin was ousted in September 2006—and the youngest ever at the age of 44. ...

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[Source: The Economist: News analysis