http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/corruption/ en-us Mon, 28 Dec 2009 06:06:05 GMT Focus Forum 15 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416107/posts A new global currency should replace the US dollar as the international reserve currency, as the long-term deterioration of America's economy and the greenback is fuelling a "currency-regime crisis", says Martin Wolf, associate editor and chief economics commentator of the Financial Times. Wolf, who has honorary doctorates from three universities, bases his argument in part on the Triffin dilemma, an economic paradox named after economist Robert Triffin. The paradox shows that the US dollar's role as a global reserve currency leads to a conflict between US national monetary policy and global monetary policy. It also points to fundamental imbalances in... United Arab Emirates' Dubai Media Emirates Business 24-7 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416107/posts#comment Mon, 28 Dec 2009 06:06:05 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2415818/posts Think back to December 2008. Your governor was in handcuffs, accused of trying to sell Barack Obama's Senate seat -- and of shaking down a children's hospital executive for campaign lucre. In response, Illinois politicians passed middling "reforms" that in some ways enhanced their power and diminished yours. For this, yes, they now praise themselves. Also in 2009, the political heirs of Rod Blagojevich surveyed the abyss of debt they've dug in Springfield and . . . dug deeper. They can't pay today's bills, yet continue to stick taxpayers with obligations to be paid in endless tomorrows. Their motto: "Splurge.... Chicago Tribune http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2415818/posts#comment Sun, 27 Dec 2009 18:22:18 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2415619/posts (snip) Sen. Lindsey Graham believes his fellow South Carolina Republican's verdict is too harsh. He plans to vote to confirm Bernanke, who just turned 56. “I remember what it was like in September 2008 when the stock market went down a thousand points, and we had one failure after another of major financial institutions,” Graham told McClatchy. “Bernanke and some others came up with a game plan to save us from another Great Depression,” Graham said. “I think he's been a pretty steady hand at the tiller.” DeMint also blasts Bernanke on the $700 billion financial bailout bill pushed by... The Herald, Rock Hill, SC http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2415619/posts#comment Sun, 27 Dec 2009 05:27:45 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2415423/posts Baucus is drunker than a skunk, but I'm just as upset as him railing on the Republicans not being "Bi-Partisan" on healthcare. Other than that, funny (and sad sad sad) stuff. You Tube http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2415423/posts#comment Sat, 26 Dec 2009 19:56:25 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2415422/posts A Michigan man who was aboard Northwest Airlines Flight 253 says he witnessed Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab trying to board the plane in Amsterdam without a passport, and believes at least one other person from the flight was arrested on Friday at Detroit Metro Airport. Kurt Haskell of Newport, Mich., who posted an earlier comment about his experience, talked exclusively with MLive.com and confirmed he was on the flight by sending a picture of his boarding pass. He and his wife, Lori, were returning from a safari in Uganda when they boarded the NWA flight on Friday. Kurt HaskellLori and... mlive.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2415422/posts#comment Sat, 26 Dec 2009 19:55:38 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2415184/posts Fannie / Freddie - What Does Treasury Know? by: Karl DenningerDecember 25, 2009 On Christmas Eve one would think you could have a nice evening with your family. Little did I know what Timmy Geithner had up his sleeve: The two companies, the largest sources of mortgage financing in the U.S., are currently under government conservatorship and have caps of $200 billion each on backstop capital from the Treasury. Under the new agreement announced today, these limits can rise as needed to cover net worth losses through 2012. I see. But I thought housing was getting better? That's what I... Seeking Alpha http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2415184/posts#comment Sat, 26 Dec 2009 03:30:21 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2415078/posts William Daley, brother of Chicago's Mayor Richard Daley has placed the equivalent of the head of a dead horse on President Obama's bed. In today's WaPo, Daley pens an op-ed where in part he writes: Either we plot a more moderate, centrist course or risk electoral disaster not just in the upcoming midterms but in many elections to come...Witness the drumbeat of ominous poll results. Obama's approval rating has fallen below 49 percent overall and is even lower -- 41 percent -- among independents. On the question of which party is best suited to manage the economy, there has been... Economic Policy Journal http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2415078/posts#comment Fri, 25 Dec 2009 21:41:00 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2415070/posts NEW YORK – The government has handed its ATM card to beleaguered mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The Treasury Department said Thursday it removed the $400 billion financial cap on the money it will provide to keep the companies afloat. Already, taxpayers have shelled out $111 billion to the pair, and a senior Treasury official said losses are not expected to exceed the government's estimate this summer of $170 billion over 10 years. Treasury Department officials said it will now use a flexible formula to ensure the two agencies can stand behind the billions of dollars in mortgage-backed... Yahoo http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2415070/posts#comment Fri, 25 Dec 2009 21:00:40 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2414971/posts The government has handed its ATM card to beleaguered mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The Treasury Department said Thursday it removed the $400 billion financial cap on the money it will provide to keep the companies afloat. Already, taxpayers have shelled out $111 billion to the pair, and a senior Treasury official said losses are not expected to exceed the government's estimate this summer of $170 billion over 10 years. Treasury Department officials said it will now use a flexible formula to ensure the two agencies can stand behind the billions of dollars in mortgage-backed securities they sell... Associated Press http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2414971/posts#comment Fri, 25 Dec 2009 15:55:43 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2414780/posts Gov Palin interview with Greta Van Susteren was probably one of her best interviews, in that interview Van Susteren asked Palin about resignation, quitting, ethic violations and the prospect of dealing with attacks in future political positions. This is to all of those hacks, the misinformed and the haters that hide their true intentions against Gov. Palin, and you know who I'm talking about.......here are excerpts. PALIN: Because it was the best thing for the state of Alaska to be able to progress the conservative agenda up there without the distraction that the new normal in Alaskan politics had become... Blog Disclose TV Forum http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2414780/posts#comment Fri, 25 Dec 2009 01:35:37 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2414750/posts Dear Attorney General Holder: We write to demand an immediate investigation into the activities of White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel. We believe there is an abundant public record which establishes that the actions of the White House have blocked any investigation into his activities while on the board of Freddie Mac from 2000-2001, and facilitated the cover up of potential malfeasance until the 10-year statute of limitations has run out. The purpose of this letter is to connect the dots to establish both the conduct of Mr. Emanuel and those working with him to thwart inquiry, and to... Naked Capitalism http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2414750/posts#comment Fri, 25 Dec 2009 00:22:20 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2414605/posts No surprise here....the Senate passed their version of Socialism today: The Senate approved sweeping healthcare reform legislation by the narrowest of partisan margins early Christmas Eve morning, placing President Barack Obama just one step away from signing into law a longtime Democratic priority ~~~ The 60 to 39 tally split directly along partisan lines, underscoring not only the great divide between Democrats and Republicans but also the deftness with which Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) at long last united his fractious caucus by offering key compromises to centrists but keeping liberals in the fold. Deftness me ass. This was bribery... Flopping Aces http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2414605/posts#comment Thu, 24 Dec 2009 19:06:03 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2414374/posts The top regulator for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac is expected to announce millions of dollars in pay packages for top executives at the government-run mortgage-finance titans, people familiar with the matter said. The Federal Housing Finance Agency approved compensation plans for Fannie Chief Executive Michael Williams and Freddie CEO Charles Haldeman Jr. Those packages are expected to be in a range of $4 million to $6 million, people familiar with the matter said. The companies are expected to spell out pay details for their top executives in securities filings Thursday morning. The Christmas Eve announcement is likely to provoke... The Wall Street Journal http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2414374/posts#comment Thu, 24 Dec 2009 11:37:07 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2414300/posts What's happening with ObamaCare this week in the Senate is raw, rank politics at its worst. PASSING LAWS has been compared to making sausage. But in the case of the mammoth health care bill expected to pass the Senate on Christmas Eve, that's an insult to employees at the Jimmy Dean plant. It's also a slap at Americans who want Congress to take its time to make thoughtful changes that will affect one seventh of the U.S. economy. President Obama campaigned on "change we can believe in." Most voters believed him. Yet many polls show that only a minority of... The Savannah Morning News http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2414300/posts#comment Thu, 24 Dec 2009 05:55:17 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2414290/posts The final Senate vote on the "Health Care Bill" is tomorrow (Christmas Eve). It is imperative that you contact your Senators and tell them to vote against it, particularly if your senator is a Democrat up for re-election in 2010! Let them know you will campaign tirelessly against them during the 2010 election cycle if they vote for the bill, even let them know you have (or will) sign the Liberty Petition and boycott their campaign donors. It is a last ditch effort, but still worthwhile. the Liberty Petition Project http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2414290/posts#comment Thu, 24 Dec 2009 05:16:18 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2414261/posts Today, Grover Norquist and I are calling for an investigation into Rahm Emanuel’s activities at Freddie Mac, and the White House’s blocking of an Inspector General who would look into it. The letter follows: December 23, 2009 Attorney General of the United States of America U.S. Department of Justice 950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20530-0001 Dear Attorney General Holder: We write to demand an immediate investigation into the activities of White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel. We believe there is an abundant public record which establishes that the actions of the White House have blocked any investigation into... firedoglake http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2414261/posts#comment Thu, 24 Dec 2009 04:03:32 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2414191/posts The gist: With his antics, U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson is making a mockery of his office and letting down constituents. * * * In a letter to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, the 8th District Democrat asked that a Lake County woman behind a Web site critical of Grayson be investigated, prosecuted, fined and imprisoned -- for five years. * * * Being the target of rough criticism is an occupational hazard for public officials, especially those as high-profile as a U.S. congressman. Any politician who pursues legal action against critics, even critics who may not have followed the letter... Orlando Sentinel http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2414191/posts#comment Thu, 24 Dec 2009 01:53:55 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2414162/posts Self-Evident Truths: Sen. Dianne Feinstein says it comes under the Commerce Clause. Rep. Steny Hoyer says it's mandated by the "general welfare" clause. Despite liberal wishes, health care is not a right. The "living Constitution" that Democrats and their court appointees have given us may be the death of our freedoms. Their constitution adapts to the times and serves the whims of the elitists. The Constitution is supposed to limit government powers. It does not allow government to do anything it feels like doing. Cass Sunstein, the head of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, is the author of... Investors.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2414162/posts#comment Thu, 24 Dec 2009 01:08:51 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2414128/posts Violating its own guarantee of unprecedented transparency, the White House is blocking an investigation into the controversial firing of an inspector general who exposed one of President Obama’s political supporters—a California mayor—for misusing federal funds. First Lady Michelle Obama was reportedly behind the contentious June dismissal of AmeriCorps Inspector General Gerald Walpin and congressional investigators want to interview the aide (Jackie Norris) who may have given the order. At the time Norris was the First Lady’s chief of staff but the White House counsel’s office has blocked investigators from interviewing her, according to a national news report. Norris is currently... Judicial watch http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2414128/posts#comment Thu, 24 Dec 2009 00:08:48 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2414064/posts Much has been made about how Democrats are committing political suicide with the healthcare bill and all the other onerous legislation they have proposed and/or passed this year. There is no mistaking that these actions are extremely unpopular. The widespread uncertainty they have fostered in the business community by coupling job-killing legislation and talk of big tax increases with unprecedented, reckless deficit spending has kept our economy at a virtual standstill. And their insulting, arrogant, dishonest and blatantly corrupt behavior has brought citizen concern and anger to a fever pitch, while Democrat poll numbers plummet. But those who believe in... http://www.examiner.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2414064/posts#comment Wed, 23 Dec 2009 22:42:05 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2414049/posts You've heard it before, how the pharmaceutical industry has a giant "revolving door" through which corporations and government agencies frequently exchange key employees. That reality was driven home in a huge way today when news broke that Dr. Julie Gerberding, who headed the CDC from 2002 through 2009, landed a top job with Merck, one of the largest drug companies in the world. Her job there? She's the new president of the vaccine division. How convenient. That means the former head of the CDC was very likely cultivating a relationship with Merck all these years, and now comes the big... natural news http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2414049/posts#comment Wed, 23 Dec 2009 22:14:36 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2413976/posts At least 10 states are now raising questions about the legality of the deal that Senator Ben Nelson, a Democrat, cut for his home state of Nebraska during the health care negotiations. Under the agreement, which is on the verge of being approved Thursday by the Senate, Nebraska is permanently exempt from paying for its expansion of Medicaid, shoving that cost onto taxpayers in every other state. Mr. Nelson was able to exercise such leverage because in exchange, he was providing the magical 60th vote that Democrats needed to advance their health care bill. The deal has enraged other Senators,... New York Times http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2413976/posts#comment Wed, 23 Dec 2009 20:13:54 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2413892/posts A Congressional Research Service report commissioned by the House Judiciary Committee says ACORN hasn't violated any federal regulations the past five years. The report, released by Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers's, D-Mich., staff Tuesday evening, also reports that the undercover filmmakers that allegedly caught employees of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now breaking the law may have violated state law in their filming operation. politicon http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2413892/posts#comment Wed, 23 Dec 2009 18:18:37 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2413989/posts   Exhausted senators are eager to go home for the holidays and get as far away from Washington as possible. You just wouldn’t know it by watching the Senate floor. Senators are still talking virtually nonstop — even though they’re voting on very little. By the time they vote on the Democrats’ health care bill on Christmas Eve, senators will have been in session 25 days straight — one day short of a record that’s stood since World War I. But in all those days of talking, they held roll-call votes to kill or approve just 20 amendments to the bill before... Politico http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2413989/posts#comment Wed, 23 Dec 2009 20:38:03 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2413961/posts Alaska’s two U.S. senators are offering conflicting views on the merits of the health care bill under consideration by the U.S. Senate this week. SNIP: The bill reauthorizes the Indian Health Care Improvement Act for the first time in 21 years- a major accomplishment pushed for by Begich and eight other senators. It also protects Alaska Natives from penalties for not acquiring insurance and expands coverage to other public programs. The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2413961/posts#comment Wed, 23 Dec 2009 19:46:17 GMT