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Moving right along….
• After 5 years, Gilad Shalit is free and back in Israel in a mass prisoner swap. As Spencer Ackerman explains, this is a failure of negotiating posture by the Israelis.
• The numbers are in: 400,000 deportations in Fiscal Year 2011, which wrapped up at the end of last month. Many have speculated that this is a kind of quota that needs to be filled to fulfill prior agreements with private prison contractors who carry out the deportations.
• CFPB Director nominee Richard Cordray received the endorsement of 37 sitting Attorrneys General, Democrats and Republicans. Not going to matter, but heightens the level of obstructionism at work here by the Senate GOP.
• While Olympia Snowe breaks with her colleagues on the issues of block granting Medicaid and reducing Medicare eligibility, Jon Tester and Ben Nelson may break with their party on the state fiscal aid bill that will put teachers and first responders back to work – the bill that has Mitch McConnell spitting with rage. The do-nothing Senate continues.
• The Commodity Futures Trading Commission presented their rule to stop speculation in the commodities markets, and boy are the Senators who care about this, Bernie Sanders and Maria Cantwell, pissed off. I should have made this a fuller post today.
• The US charge d’affaires in Uganda says that the 100 troops deployed to the region by the President not only will not maintain a combat role in hunting down Joseph Kony, most of them won’t even leave Uganda, where the LRA hasn’t attacked in years. Those people waving bloody images of the victims of the LRA should be mighty disappointed at this, no? And here’s a fun note about the last time we tried this:
The United States has helped plan and pay for offensives against the group before, including an operation in 2008 and 2009, which was seen as a failure after the guerrillas dispersed into small groups and carried out retaliatory attacks, killing up to 900 civilians.
• I tried and was unsuccessful to get more information on this belligerent quote about Iran attributed to Elizabeth Warren. It is a right-wing paper, the Boston Herald, reporting this, so skepticism is advised, but I’d certainly like to know the full context.
• James Kwak thinks Occupy Wall Street should adopt the do nothing strategy that would allow the Bush tax cuts to expire fully, increasing tax fairness. I think they’re doing a good job of setting their own parameters so far, not that this is a bad idea.
• Walter Pincus goes full Walt and Mearshimer. Didn’t know we paid for 18% of the Israeli military budget.
• Bani Walid is in the hands of the Libyan rebels, and Sirte may not be far behind.
• Dallas Fed chief Richard Fisher wants to deliberately tighten monetary policy to force austerity. He calls this a “policy” rather than sheer vindictiveness, and I’m not sure why.
• Another analysis of the 9-9-9 plan shows it to be extremely regressive. Even the architect of the plan wants to drop the sales tax piece. I’m waiting for the part of the 9-9-9 plan where one of the 9% goes right into purchases of Herman Cain’s book.
• Banks have slowly started to make more loans, and they are slowly starting to allow more short sales. Maybe the banks are finally realizing that they cannot survive with this crappy an economy.
• What the Occupy Wall Street protests tell us about the lack of limits of Anne Applebaum’s desire to front for global elites. I prefer Rebecca Solnit’s prose.
• One farm subsidy goes away, to be replaced by another farm subsidy under a different name.
• BREAKING: Rand Paul actually gave up on something, and as a result, the nation’s pipelines might be a bit safer.
• No, there is no such thing as an EPA farm dust rule. It’s a complete fabrication.
• The Bevilacqua case, where a buyer of a clouded title home could not sue over it because he isn’t the true owner, is less a setback for accountability on foreclosure fraud and more an example of why the system is so painfully messed up.
• Iowa sets their caucuses for January 3. The New Hampshire primary is the missing piece of the puzzle at this point.
• Ohio may end up holding a referendum on their redistricting plan the same day as general elections using those districts. I don’t think it’s such a big deal, if the districts are invalidated, they just redraw for 2014, no?
• Goldman Sachs’ Judd Gregg is proud of his role in back-door killing the CLASS Act, making it harder for the old and sick to survive. He is proud of doing it after Ted Kennedy died, since the inclusion of CLASS was merely a “courtesy” for him. Thing is, there are ways to save the CLASS Act and make it completely sustainable, rather than simply repealing it and causing continued hardship on older Americans and their offspring.
• US ignores complaints from human rights leaders and even Congress, finalizes an arms sales deal to the repressive government of Bahrain.
• John Mica is such a hack.
• Rick Jacobs and the Courage Campaign score with their Occupy the Golf Course hit on Speaker John Boehner in Orange County, California.
• It will cost you one more cent to mail a letter.
• Best economic stimulus plan I’ve seen yet – Stone Roses reunion tour.
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About FDL News Desk
Wall Street Firms Spy on Protestors In Tax-Funded Center
“Wall Street’s audacity to corrupt knows no bounds and the cooptation of government by the 1 per cent knows no limits. How else to explain $150 million of taxpayer money going to equip a government facility in lower Manhattan where Wall Street firms, serially charged with corruption, get to sit alongside the New York Police Department and spy on law abiding citizens.”
More here.
Eminent Domain Fight Has a Canadian Twist
“A Canadian company has been threatening to confiscate private land from South Dakota to the Gulf of Mexico, and is already suing many who have refused to allow the Keystone XL pipeline on their property even though the controversial project has yet to receive federal approval.
. . .
“By its own count, the company currently has 34 eminent domain actions against landowners in Texas and an additional 22 in South Dakota.”
LINK.
That is fucking frightening, and I don’t frighten (or surprise) easily. Anybody who thinks fascism is coming has the wrong tense. It’s here.
This is horrible. How dare we deport people who aren’t here legally? And how dare we try to prevent anyone else from entering. We must provide for anyone who wants to come here. Their own countries have no responsibility.
Is a snark tag really necessary?
What a concept! Oil companies could be “held liable for acts of torture and other human rights violations . . ..”
Chevron may rethink Ecuador strategy after US court move on Shell: analyst
“Chevron likely wants a resolution in the ongoing legal dispute over the former Texaco assets in Ecuador, Oppenheimer analyst Fadel Gheit said Tuesday, adding that Monday’s US Supreme Court agreeing to hear a case charging Shell for human rights violations in Nigeria could hold implications for Chevron. . . .
“The Supreme Court agreed to decide whether Shell can be held liable for acts of torture and other human rights violations in Nigeria in the 1990s. The court agreed to hear an appeal of a case brought by 12 Nigerian plaintiffs who allege Shell should be held responsible for violence against people who opposed oil exploration in the Ogoni region of the Niger Delta.”
Commander Who Pepper-Sprayed Protesters Faces Disciplinary Charge
This isn’t over, but things are looking up in Bolivia:
“Hundreds of Bolivian Indians are winding up a weeks-long march against government plans to destroy part of an Amazon nature refuge to build a highway, and now are just one day’s walk from La Paz, the group’s leaders said Tuesday.
. . .
“Earlier this month, President Evo Morales agreed to postpone construction of the roadway, a delay which was later approved by Bolivia’s legislature.
“But the protesters are seeking assurances that the project — or at least the Amazon portion of it — will be scuttled for good.”
RE: Elizabeth Warrren quote:
Her position is consistent with what every decent negotiator would do. Most Presidents (except the current one) “take nothing off the table” before any negotiation.
That’s “right”, cobernicus, every neoliberal-neoconnish “decent” negotiator knows that unless you include total anihilation among your negotiating “offers”, as the ultimate “backup!”, that you just ain’t playing with a full, if marked, deck “on” the table … it’s that extra “something” up the sleeve, or “implied” … how is it put, oh yes, “under” the proverbial “table” …
Would Elizabeth Warren “go nuclear”?
Why not?
DW
Seriously interested in hearing you coherently state your position vis-à-vis the LRA thing David. You appear to either want the deployed personnel to violate the terms of the congressional bill so you can yell about another war, or to fail so you can yell about a failure. Is there any part of you that would like an end to the LRA madness? Or are you just interested in having a failure of the 100 soldiers, or a duplicity of the Administration for the record books? The LRA are not nice people.
There are 200 LRA left. Why is that any business of the U.S.
But you won’t go so far as to accuse DDay of supporting baby killers and mother rapers, now will you, ondelette?
Some have done that, recently on this site, on DDay’s posts … and it does NOT enhance argument FOR futher bloodshed, despite what the self-determined morally superior might imagine.
Just as a balance, when or how might the US, somehow make uup for their not niceness in Irak? If we consider the numbers, then who has done more death-dealing, refugee-creating, and general mayhem-making?
And, if you manage to read the entirety of this comment, should it not be the United Nations which deals with this atrocity, with the support, though not necessarily militarily, of the US?
Everyone agrees the LRA are NOT nice people, but is America, morally standing on any “high ground”, at all, today, considering its recent history?
And, among those who are vociferously in favor of American intervention, several at least, would have no problem if America helped itself to the oil which has recently been discoverd “there”, claiming such behavior is both traditional and proper. Have you any thoughts about that “aspect”, or do you consider it crass and or merely tangential?
If Obama wishes to take your reasonable moral concerns to the people of the United States of America, using his bully pulpit and convince them it is the appropriate thing to do, then let him begin, and then let there be some reasonable debate … if time is of essence than why has NOTHING been done these past twenty years? Perhaps, those who rule this nation, primarily for their own narrow benefit and “interests” had other wars to wage and other nations to “rebuild”, other dictators to prop up?
And, as a final thought, do you have any concerns for the Rule of Law as it applies to the USA deciding to go to war … or do you regard that as superfluous and a silly concern with “slippery slopes”?
Just curious, ondelette, as to how you would find legal as well as outraged moral (which I can certainly understand, btw) reasons … as the LRA does not present the USA a security threat? Again, if your reasons are moral, I ask, is the US the proper entity to engage in stopping the LRA? Or, should the US only engage in the role of supporting the UN?
DW
In defense of O’s humanitarianism, I have to repeat what I typed on the last thread:
Well, now that you’ve finished with your long list of accusations and diatribes, how about letting dday answer my question?
He originally trumpeted that the US had gone to war in Africa. When that turned out not quite to be the case, he brought in Russ Feingold to weigh in on his legislation. Now that it turns out that the soldiers appear to be following the legislation to the letter, he is catcalling and appears to want to see their mission fail. So I’m asking a legitimate question: What does he want to see happen in Uganda? Does any part of him want to see the LRA brought to justice, or does he want to see either a violation of US law or a failure as the only outcomes so he, and apparently you, can complain?
I have not taken all the positions you are attacking me on. But I could. I think your idea that the US providing the troops in the region with intelligence, if they are capable of it, that would help them hunt down someone they are already hunting down, does not increase bloodshed. If the US is not capable of providing intelligence, then they are useless there and shouldn’t be there. I think the war in Iraq is irrelevant to the conflict in Africa with the LRA. I think the UN has already worked to try to bring the LRA to justice, go read on the subject, or contact the Under Secretary for Children in Armed Conflict and ask for information. I think that America’s moral ground standing is irrelevant to the status of the LRA as bad people. I think your notion that this is about oil is ridiculous, uninformed, and quite childish — the kind of argument someone with a second grade education or a lack of attention and a broad brush would make. I agree that President Obama should address the nation about his foreign policy and be up front about what he wants to do and why he wants to do it, on everything, not just this. On the rule of law, he has followed it here, he gave notification for the WPA, he followed the congressional action on the bill regarding intervening on the LRA.
I am not making a case for doing what the President is doing. I’m merely asking why, having not made the case that the President is opening up a new war, David is actively cheering for a failure. If they are going to be there, given what the LRA indisputably are, one would hope they would succeed.
You really should shut the fuck up about the LRA. So far you’re embarrassing yourself.
Here’s what you wrote in your last idiotic hit-piece:
So i click on the “handy” link that you provide and I notice that it is just a summary of the bill. So i decided to go to lexis and look up the actual bill. Here’s section 3 the Statement of Policy and section 4 the incredibly vague, nearly incomprehensible Requirement of a strategy to support the disarmament of the Lord’s Resistance Army:
So either 1. You were out and out lying about the “vagueness” of the bill or 2. You didn’t even bother to research this. Either way you ought to shut the fuck up and let the grown-ups handle things.
I remember when “liberals” used to be outraged when we stood by and did nothing to help the people in Darfur. Now it seems to be the stated “liberal” position is that if poor black people are killing each other in areas that we haven’t heard of we should just let them. Because they’re you know, poor…. and black.
And as far as your using Bush’s alleged actions, if you haven’t noticed from are successful killing of Osama Bin Laden and our successful campaign in Libya, President Obama is a much better commander and chief. Despite him being black and not being as obedient to your wishes as you’d like him to be.
Not cheering for failure to point out that the last time U.S. did this, it failed.
U.S. sucks at this kind of operation, and KNOWS NOTHING about that part of world, so U.S. providing intel is too funny for words.
Man, something tells me AFRICOM and it’s neo-colonial actions, as usual, hidden behind a bunch of Dudley Dooright American Imperialist Bullshit (Never heard much concern about the LRA until–NOW)–Is high on the Imperial Oligarchy’s Agenda.
http://www.blackagendareport.com/category/department-war/africom
Good on Bernie!
GAO Finds Serious Conflicts at the Fed
“A new audit of the Federal Reserve released today detailed widespread conflicts of interest involving directors of its regional banks.
‘”The most powerful entity in the United States is riddled with conflicts of interest,” Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said after reviewing the Government Accountability Office report. The study required by a Sanders Amendment to last year’s Wall Street reform law examined Fed practices never before subjected to such independent, expert scrutiny.
“The GAO detailed instance after instance of top executives of corporations and financial institutions using their influence as Federal Reserve directors to financially benefit their firms, and, in at least one instance, themselves.”
More.
Banks Raided in EU Antitrust Probe Over Euribor Derivatives
“The European Commission said it had “concerns that the companies concerned may have violated EU antitrust rules that prohibit cartels and restrictive business practices.” It didn’t name the businesses involved.
“The EU probe adds to earlier inquiries by the commission, U.K. and U.S. financial regulators into the possible breach of rules governing the Libor benchmark borrowing rate. Barclays Plc, HSBC Holdings Plc and Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc have said they were quizzed by the EU earlier this year.”
More.
Conflicts of interest at FRB. I’m shocked.
David Dayen,
Have you considered that Spencer Ackerman might be full of shit, always ready to discuss the tactical aspects of some Israeli action (e.g., massacring flotilla participants) vs. the obvious moral qualities. For a little perspective, recall that Ackerman supported the invasion of Iraq.
Here’s one thing he says:
Isn’t it obvious to you what it means when the Israelis trade 1027 prisoners for one soldier? It means those prisoners were mainly hostages, people grabbed off the street, regardless of the label the Israelis slap on them.
I see. Not cheering, just laughing at the US soldiers who are going into harm’s way? Oh, my mistake.
BTW, the U.S. is sooo good at intel, it can’t even find the U.S. birth certificate of a child it assassinated.
Ooops, forgot that one U.S. soldier is so much more impt than 500 dead Africans. My bad.
Ackerman’s job is to insert himself as a buffer between Israel and the left.
Nobody said that, asshole. You were laughing about US soldiers doing badly. You don’t want the mission to succeed. It’s pretty damned obvious. Once you got the message clearly that you couldn’t yell foul about a war, and once you got the message that you couldn’t yell foul about abrogating Russ Feingold’s bill, and that the action was actually really in line with what the groups that had called for the bill and had called for the action had wanted, and that the LRA wasn’t a group that could be called persecuted, and that nobody was going to believe donbacon’s ridiculous blatherings about how the ICC was slanted against Africans on somebody like Joseph Kony, and how you really weren’t going to pull out the oil arguments and all the other tired tricks that pass for anti-war bullshit this time, you resort to catcalling and laughing.
Civilians got killed last time? Are you sure they were due to the Americans or were they due to the whole operation? Were they due to the LRA? They do have a tendency to kill whole villages except for the children, you know. They are to blame for a huge displacement of IDPs and refugees in northern Congo right now, as well as displaced people in the surrounding countries. They really are nasty. I’ve talked to people, reporters, who have encountered them close up. And have suffered the PTSD to show for it.
So why don’t you just go fuck yourself with your smug theories and your stupid laughter. Maybe it’s not the best plan. And yes, the President should be transparent. And yes, we should have an accounting of what he is doing. And I don’t know whether this is something I agree with. But as long as they are there, betting on them to fail, or laughing at them and calling them ridiculous is not helpful, we probably should hope they succeed. Child soldiery is the worst form of trafficking there is. Bar none. And Kony is probably the worst child soldiery trafficker in the world.
I appreciate your courteous language.
It was in response to yours.