I guess you could say turn about is fair play… I thought it was funny when I read that Rubio was selling water bottles with his name on it and they can’t keep them in stock they’re so popular.
On Joe Scarborough’s Friday show, he announced, (and I paraphrase due to drain bamage)“The syrian war is over, sequestration has been resolved, gridlock is over in Washington, and the NRA and anti gun activists have compromised! According to CNN, the only news left is Marco Rubio was thirsty Tuesday night and there’s a cruise ship with backed up toilets.”I took real liberties with that, but it is in essence what he said as he commented on the focus CNN had placed on what was important last week.Good cartoon, Ms. Benson.@ Mikefive – i’m don’t care unless there’s video!! And a backed up toilet. good one, Mike. Always enjoy reading you.with amazement at what passes for news…C.
Truly a fine commentary about how our society chooses what’s important. As an example, if I were Barack Obama, I would have learned that, no matter what happened or where, I should first say the words “terrorist attack” to describe it.
Ane while we’re off the subject, someone please tell me why mom and all the kids are thrilled to see a giant pitcher of non-food crash through the outside wall of their house.
Adrain, yesterday you commented on debt and the consequences by the government.
“The conservatives make like the debt is “evil”.I do NOT know if they are correct or not….I do suspect that they know nothing of economics….”
I think this is an important point to clarify and so in a non-partisan way I would like to add to this. Our debt is significant because when we borrow money (sell treasury bonds) to pay for our governments expenses, we are “financing” roughly 50% of the governments spending. Aside from the significant amount of interest having to be paid, we inadvertently devalue our currency (create inflation). The Chinese and others that own our debt could do significant damage to our economy if they cashed in their debt holdings. Aside from that, our debt rating gets lowered, just like yours, when your ‘over borrowed" and your availability to borrow becomes more expensive (higher interest). This debt not only costs us progressively more to maintain, it also ’crowds out" capital that is available for borrowing by the private sector. As governments borrow more and more, interest rates rise because demand for money increases.
There are only a few remedies for this to break this cycle. You can raise taxes on a broader range of Americans, or realistically decrease spending so we don’t have to borrow as much. We are already experiencing inflation on our cost of living. Our GDP is stagnant, which means the taxes collectible on business and personal income decreases. I don’t care who you politically throw rocks at, deficits do matter and the lofty hypothesis that we will grow our way out of the problems we are in are unrealistic.
Rubio may recover from this bizarre moment. Actually, I think the “aqua lunge” helped by distracting from the “substance” of his speech. Same old Republican policies, except he admitted that he likes it when government helps him & his family.
OK, back up: this morning the papers and the web are full of nuance-sniffing, as people try to find omens in the SOTU and the GOP response. I don’t think I can add anything useful to all that. But there was one important point in Marco Rubio’s remarks that I don’t think has been highlighted. It’s true, as Andy Rosenthal says, that Rubio mainly reminded us that Republicans don’t like government or taxes; surprise! But he also reminded us that Republicans don’t like reality.
Here’s the passage:
This idea – that our problems were caused by a government that was too small – it’s just not true. In fact, a major cause of our recent downturn was a housing crisis created by reckless government policies.
OK, leave on one side the caricature of Obama, with the usual mirror-image fallacy (we want smaller government, therefore liberals just want bigger government, never mind what it does); there we go with the “Barney Frank did it” story. Deregulation, the explosive growth of virtually unregulated shadow banking, lax lending standards by loan originators who sold their loans off as soon as they were made, had nothing to do with it — it was all the Community Reinvestment Act, Fannie, and Freddie.
Look, this is one of the most thoroughly researched topics out there, and every piece of the government-did-it thesis has been refuted; see Mike Konczal for a summary. No, the CRA wasn’t responsible for the epidemic of bad lending; no, Fannie and Freddie didn’t cause the housing bubble; no, the “high-risk” loans of the GSEs weren’t remotely as risky as subprime.
This really isn’t about the GSEs, it’s about the BSEs — the Blame Someone Else crowd. Faced with overwhelming, catastrophic evidence that their faith in unregulated financial markets was wrong, they have responded by rewriting history to defend their prejudices.
This strikes me as a bigger deal than whether Rubio slurped his water; he and his party are now committed to the belief that their pre-crisis doctrine was perfect, that there are no lessons from the worst financial crisis in three generations except that we should have even less regulation. And given another shot at power, they’ll test that thesis by giving the bankers a chance to do it all over again."
It wasn’t the water, it was that he prepared for what he thought Obama was going to say, but then Obama didn’t and Rubio couldn’t think up a new speech that had the right words in time.I’m giving him the benefit of an out here.
THe way I see it the GOP lost this time because there lied,they wouldn’t care what the fact checkers said, and their attemps to prevent voting.All of that was very visible to anyone who was paying attention.Also with the RED-MAP thing, if you succeed in gerrymandering the states so as has been said even admitted to, the goal to never let a Democrat win again ever.What that would achieve is a one-party regime. the opposite of democracy. But that is no secret that many republicans are not all that committed to democracy. Like G.W. once said “this would be so much easier if I were king.”
Clueless? Because he wasn’t aware of how to properly take a drink of water during a televised speech? So the only people capable of political careers are those who are always calm, poised, and cool? Politicians aren’t capable of having a human moment? As someone else pointed out, Obama had a moment on camera swatting at flies. Should his career have been sunk? Wow. That’s pretty short sighted.
We live in the age of Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. I have not watched a SOTU since 1998. I did not hear about the water incident from one of the cable channels. I read a comment by another reader on website.As for Rubio selling the water bottles, have to give him credit for making the best of the situation.
Mickey 13 about 11 years ago
I guess you could say turn about is fair play… I thought it was funny when I read that Rubio was selling water bottles with his name on it and they can’t keep them in stock they’re so popular.
ConserveGov about 11 years ago
Who would decide how they are going to vote based on a speech, not the politicians qualifications?
Oh yeah, those people elected Barry the Terrible.
HabaneroBuck about 11 years ago
Why do all of the photos of Obama with flies on his face not sink his career?
alex Coke Premium Member about 11 years ago
Ridiculous. Must have been a real slow news day
Bandusia15 about 11 years ago
Lisa’s finally shown her preference for green Kool-Aid.
avarner about 11 years ago
Looking like an idiot didn’t sink Wolfie’s career…
Francis Lapeyre Premium Member about 11 years ago
He does look more hydrated than the President.
dahhardee about 11 years ago
GOOD ONE !!!
chazandru about 11 years ago
On Joe Scarborough’s Friday show, he announced, (and I paraphrase due to drain bamage)“The syrian war is over, sequestration has been resolved, gridlock is over in Washington, and the NRA and anti gun activists have compromised! According to CNN, the only news left is Marco Rubio was thirsty Tuesday night and there’s a cruise ship with backed up toilets.”I took real liberties with that, but it is in essence what he said as he commented on the focus CNN had placed on what was important last week.Good cartoon, Ms. Benson.@ Mikefive – i’m don’t care unless there’s video!! And a backed up toilet. good one, Mike. Always enjoy reading you.with amazement at what passes for news…C.
I Play One On TV about 11 years ago
Truly a fine commentary about how our society chooses what’s important. As an example, if I were Barack Obama, I would have learned that, no matter what happened or where, I should first say the words “terrorist attack” to describe it.
Ane while we’re off the subject, someone please tell me why mom and all the kids are thrilled to see a giant pitcher of non-food crash through the outside wall of their house.
josefw about 11 years ago
If I am not mistaken, he is still a senator.
rockngolfer about 11 years ago
@ Bruce I remember both of those stories.
nanellen about 11 years ago
Why doesn’t someone comment on Hillary and O drinking water on camera? Maybe it’s because their eyes were closed while they drank?
Mickey 13 about 11 years ago
Adrain, yesterday you commented on debt and the consequences by the government.
“The conservatives make like the debt is “evil”.I do NOT know if they are correct or not….I do suspect that they know nothing of economics….”
I think this is an important point to clarify and so in a non-partisan way I would like to add to this. Our debt is significant because when we borrow money (sell treasury bonds) to pay for our governments expenses, we are “financing” roughly 50% of the governments spending. Aside from the significant amount of interest having to be paid, we inadvertently devalue our currency (create inflation). The Chinese and others that own our debt could do significant damage to our economy if they cashed in their debt holdings. Aside from that, our debt rating gets lowered, just like yours, when your ‘over borrowed" and your availability to borrow becomes more expensive (higher interest). This debt not only costs us progressively more to maintain, it also ’crowds out" capital that is available for borrowing by the private sector. As governments borrow more and more, interest rates rise because demand for money increases.
There are only a few remedies for this to break this cycle. You can raise taxes on a broader range of Americans, or realistically decrease spending so we don’t have to borrow as much. We are already experiencing inflation on our cost of living. Our GDP is stagnant, which means the taxes collectible on business and personal income decreases. I don’t care who you politically throw rocks at, deficits do matter and the lofty hypothesis that we will grow our way out of the problems we are in are unrealistic.
Uncle Joe Premium Member about 11 years ago
Rubio may recover from this bizarre moment. Actually, I think the “aqua lunge” helped by distracting from the “substance” of his speech. Same old Republican policies, except he admitted that he likes it when government helps him & his family.
lonecat about 11 years ago
I’m tired of jokes about Rubio and his water. Then again, I’m tired of Rubio.
coffee_mom11 about 11 years ago
Love it! Hey Kooooolaid! Wake up Libs!
lonecat about 11 years ago
Krugman on Rubio:
“Marco Rubio Has Learned Nothing
Because his party has learned nothing.
OK, back up: this morning the papers and the web are full of nuance-sniffing, as people try to find omens in the SOTU and the GOP response. I don’t think I can add anything useful to all that. But there was one important point in Marco Rubio’s remarks that I don’t think has been highlighted. It’s true, as Andy Rosenthal says, that Rubio mainly reminded us that Republicans don’t like government or taxes; surprise! But he also reminded us that Republicans don’t like reality.
Here’s the passage:
This idea – that our problems were caused by a government that was too small – it’s just not true. In fact, a major cause of our recent downturn was a housing crisis created by reckless government policies.OK, leave on one side the caricature of Obama, with the usual mirror-image fallacy (we want smaller government, therefore liberals just want bigger government, never mind what it does); there we go with the “Barney Frank did it” story. Deregulation, the explosive growth of virtually unregulated shadow banking, lax lending standards by loan originators who sold their loans off as soon as they were made, had nothing to do with it — it was all the Community Reinvestment Act, Fannie, and Freddie.
Look, this is one of the most thoroughly researched topics out there, and every piece of the government-did-it thesis has been refuted; see Mike Konczal for a summary. No, the CRA wasn’t responsible for the epidemic of bad lending; no, Fannie and Freddie didn’t cause the housing bubble; no, the “high-risk” loans of the GSEs weren’t remotely as risky as subprime.
This really isn’t about the GSEs, it’s about the BSEs — the Blame Someone Else crowd. Faced with overwhelming, catastrophic evidence that their faith in unregulated financial markets was wrong, they have responded by rewriting history to defend their prejudices.
This strikes me as a bigger deal than whether Rubio slurped his water; he and his party are now committed to the belief that their pre-crisis doctrine was perfect, that there are no lessons from the worst financial crisis in three generations except that we should have even less regulation. And given another shot at power, they’ll test that thesis by giving the bankers a chance to do it all over again."
pam Miner about 11 years ago
It wasn’t the water, it was that he prepared for what he thought Obama was going to say, but then Obama didn’t and Rubio couldn’t think up a new speech that had the right words in time.I’m giving him the benefit of an out here.
pam Miner about 11 years ago
Howard Dean didn’t deserve for that to be held against him. I don’t care much for right wing extremists but a weird drink of water shouldn’t either.
pam Miner about 11 years ago
THe way I see it the GOP lost this time because there lied,they wouldn’t care what the fact checkers said, and their attemps to prevent voting.All of that was very visible to anyone who was paying attention.Also with the RED-MAP thing, if you succeed in gerrymandering the states so as has been said even admitted to, the goal to never let a Democrat win again ever.What that would achieve is a one-party regime. the opposite of democracy. But that is no secret that many republicans are not all that committed to democracy. Like G.W. once said “this would be so much easier if I were king.”
Don Winchester Premium Member about 11 years ago
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_z2Nv-pYmknk/Sgask96bwBI/AAAAAAAAEcc/akH3Fg1PqCo/s400/obama-smoking-pot.jpg#obama%20smoking%20pot
And yet the MSM won’t ask why this didn’t end Obama’s career….
warjoski Premium Member about 11 years ago
Clueless? Because he wasn’t aware of how to properly take a drink of water during a televised speech? So the only people capable of political careers are those who are always calm, poised, and cool? Politicians aren’t capable of having a human moment? As someone else pointed out, Obama had a moment on camera swatting at flies. Should his career have been sunk? Wow. That’s pretty short sighted.
Newshound41 about 11 years ago
We live in the age of Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. I have not watched a SOTU since 1998. I did not hear about the water incident from one of the cable channels. I read a comment by another reader on website.As for Rubio selling the water bottles, have to give him credit for making the best of the situation.