House Votes To End Public Funding Of Presidential Campaigns

“Good for them We already subsidise the folks who pay for presidenti­al campaigns with enough tax dollars. If they want to buy a president, they should pay for it out of their own pockets.”

Obama Turns To A New Campaign Phrase: 'Change Is'

Commented Dec 2, 2011 at 08:11:15 in Politics

“Change is Hope; Yes We Can! (This time I mean it.)”

Massachusetts AG Lawsuit: Five Major U.S. Banks Accused Of Deceptive Foreclosure Practices

Commented Dec 1, 2011 at 16:38:10 in Business

“Well about time! Sadly, this is a civil suit. it should be a criminal prosecutio­n for fraud.”

Eurozone Crisis: Sarkozy Calls For 'Refounding' Of Europe

Commented Dec 1, 2011 at 16:32:14 in UK

“If he knew, he certainly would not have told us.”

Alastair Campbell Tells Leveson Inquiry: Modern Journalism Is Not About Truth

Commented Nov 30, 2011 at 15:02:19 in UK Politics

Of course it is not about truth - particular­ly the coverage of politics which, as we all have learned to our cost, has almost nothing to do with truth.

Mitt Romney's 'Inevitable' Strategy Wobbles As Newt Gingrich Rises

Commented Nov 30, 2011 at 09:54:43 in Politics

Republican­s 2012: Vote Gingrich: at least he doesn't lie about his total lack of family values.

Barney Frank Will Not Seek Reelection In 2012

Commented Nov 28, 2011 at 19:44:55 in Politics

“No wonder the markets went up”

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   on Senate Rejects Extending Payroll Tax Cut -- For Now 8 minutes ago

  Of course you are right about who pays for Social Security and Medicare. Sadly, it was not just obama and the liberals whole stole the money, both sides of the aisle have been stealing it for decades, with both fists.
  
  However, if you want to ring fence those programs and not increase revenues, and you know that our budget deficit currently equals our discretionay spending, you know we will need to cut out ALL discretionary spending to balance the budget. No discretionary spending in:
      Security, incl defense, overseas contingencies, and Homeland Security ($815 billion)
     Veteran Aministration, incl medical care for veterans ($60.1 billion)
     Health and Human Services, incl. food safety and center for disease control ($84 billion)
     Education, incl Pell grants and special ed ($64.3 billion)
     Transportation, incl FAA, road and bridge repair ($49 bllion)
     Housing and Urban Development, incl for homeless vets ($42.8b)
     Justice, incl some courts and federal prisons ($27.6 billion)
     Agriculture, incl forestry and food safety ($25 billion).

• 
  
   on Advice sought on Jeremy Clarkson comments 1 hour ago

  Absolutely!  Although we know from the context he was stating the position of others, and not his own position, we should be protected from knowing that such extreme positions exist.    

       Anyone who tells us about these extreme positions, especially anyone who uses extensio ad absurbam as an rhetorical device, should be prosecuted!

      PS: Unison is run by complete idiots or by cynical publicists who know how to get media attention?

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   on Sarkozy wrongfoots Cameron as he calls for two-tier Europe 1 hour ago

  They will find a way to fudge it so that referenda do not take place.  The last thing EU leaders want is to follow the will of their people, since that will is opposed to their own.

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   on Osborne: The new enemy of the green movement? 1 hour ago

  Absolutely!  Anyone who will not give me and my pet projects millions of other people's money must be the enemy.

Carina Trimingham, Chris Huhne's Partner, In Lobbying Row

Commented Nov 23, 2011 at 08:26:28 in UK Politics

“Gosh. She wanted to be a lobbyist, she had contacts and she told her potential employers about them? How dare she! She should have lied on her applicatio­n and said she didn't know anyone.”

PS: For those who want to ban all lobbyists: Careful. 

Every citizen is entitled to lobby the politician­s who run the country. The latest vacancies list for paid lobbyists include the Access to Justice Foundation­, British Union for the Abolition of Vivisectio­n, Institutio­n of Civil Engineers and the following registered charities: Parkinsons UK, Consumer Credit Counsellin­g Service, World Vision, Christian Aid, Royal National Institute of Blind People and the YMCA

Leveson Inquiry Mark Lewis: Phone Hacking Went Beyond News International

Commented Nov 23, 2011 at 08:05:23 in UK

“"journalis­ts engaged in phone hacking thought the activity was no worse than "driving 35mph in a 30mph zone" 

We all thought so too when the targets were just royals and politician­ - but when they started hacking the stars of movies, music and sports, we just had to draw the line.

Computerised Contact Lens Could Lead To Hands-Free Email

Commented Nov 22, 2011 at 08:03:37 in UK Tech

I look forward to the wonderful effect this will have on driving.

Fox News Viewers Know Less Than People Who Don't Watch Any News: Study

Commented Nov 22, 2011 at 07:57:07 in Media

“"there is something about watching Fox News that leads people to do worse on these questions than those who don’t watch any news at all."

Please write 1000 times: correlatio­n is not causation. Correlatio­n is not causation.

Super Committee's Failure Is A Win For Occupy Movement, Some Progressives Say

Commented Nov 22, 2011 at 07:52:32 in Politics

“"A Win For Occupy Movement, Some Progressiv­es Say"

Those who say this is a win for anyone need to go back and finish high-schoo­l.k

Newt Gingrich: Congressional Budget Office Is 'A Reactionary Socialist Institution'

Commented Nov 22, 2011 at 07:50:46 in Politics

“"he should be ashamed of himself"

Too late: that bus has already left the building.

Obama Campaign Blasts Romney's First TV Ad As 'Deceitful'

Commented Nov 22, 2011 at 07:48:51 in Politics

“Well, lying personal attack ads have been shown to work. Of course it lowers people's faith in politics and government­, increases apathy and anomie and makes America a worse place to live - but what is that compared to winning an election?

Super Committee Deal Not Reached, Leaders Say

Commented Nov 21, 2011 at 17:36:38 in Politics

“This failure is clearly the fault of BOTH sides. The cowardly jobsworths in both parties were not willing to put the country and its people ahead of their campaign contributi­ons and primary endorsemen­ts. Throw them all out and replace them with citizens selected by random lot.

American Policy Made in China

Commented Nov 21, 2011 at 13:56:41 in Politics

“We have just seen Europe force two regime changes (Greece and Italy) simply by saying: if you don't do it, we won;t lend you any more money. How long before China does the same to the US?

Americans, Western Europeans Divided On Society's Role In Protecting The Impoverished

Commented Nov 21, 2011 at 13:49:32 in Business

“Solving the deficit problem will require both fewer services (lower spending) and more revenue (higher taxes). That is why the jobsworths in congress will do nothing about it. Both cuts in service and rises in taxes cost votes. Party lines are set by who loses the most votes (and campaign contributi­ons) from which actions.

A 'Fare Deal' for Londoners

Commented Nov 16, 2011 at 18:14:49 in UK Politics

“Absolutely­, Ken! Give us more of other people's money! 
I know: we could just borrow the money and let our kids and grand-kids pay tomorrow for our cheap fares today.

Oliver Letwin 'Broke The Law' When He Dumped Constituents' Letters In Bin

Commented Nov 15, 2011 at 23:43:26 in UK Politics

“Then every MP who ever threw a constituen­t letter into his/her rubbish bin is also breaking the law, Letvin's actions were stupid but if they are illegal we have far, far too much government­.

John McCain 'Very Disappointed' By GOP Candidates' Endorsement Of Waterboarding

Commented Nov 14, 2011 at 16:19:08 in Politics

“I am very happy to listen to anyone endorsing water-boar­­ding if they have actually been through it. 

If they have not (Cain, Bachmann, who-ever) they are silly little Monday-mor­­ning quarterbac­­ks who are talking out of their recta