14 Comments
author

Krystal Ball does a nice job comparing the rapid and generous response of the government to the banking crisis to the slow and ungenerous response to the train wreck in East Palestine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zb0-kHQEL1Q

Expand full comment
Mar 15, 2023Liked by Bill Astore
author

Interesting article. Thanks.

Expand full comment

Are you being too hard on LimboJoe? He's trying to shift right to keep the DemocraticParty from falling over entirely, and considering the issues he has with speaking, probably thinking and almost certainly keeping his hands to himself, I think we should all consider the possibility that Joe ain't running a damn thing in his administration and should be left next to a beer-flavored soft-serve machine to enjoy his remaining years before the failings of his life are carried into whatever is next for him.

If only MayorPete wasn't essentially a poser, those Transpo bucks strewn around the country might have helped his image, and since there's not enough Xanax to keep Kamala from presenting herself like a wackaloon, we should be a little more accepting of the bullying failure that the US government has become, learning to expect nothing from it, except bullshit, useless spending and debt. And war, of course.

Thanks Joe-we knew you couldn't do the job going in, but it's very generous of you to prove we were right. As someone conditioned by modern culture to not only want but need validation, I am forever grateful for the failure.

Expand full comment

A very powerful piece from Krystal Ball comparing the SVB case to the Ohio derailment. It begins at 1:16:45 at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaixVF944Vg

Expand full comment
founding

i admit to being more than a bit surprised, Bill, by Your apparent surprise at ~ and disappointment about ~ what Biden has done and not done as President, and which campaign “promises” he broke.

Before he became President and Vice President, Biden had been a Senator from the.Home of Corporatism in America ~ the Great State of Delaware ~ since Nixon was in the White House.

Is there, has there ever been, or could there ever be a more perfect champion of the Corporatist Agenda than Uncle Joe? Has there ever been a more resolute and dedicated instruction follower and script reader than Comatose Joe? Other than, of course, Trump, Obama, Cheney/Bush the Lesser, Clinton, Bush the Elder, Bozo, and The Peanut Farmer? And all those embedded folks over the years up on The Hill down at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue?

And as far as The Willow Project is concerned: There are a LOT of Alaskans who are totally and completely in favor of maximal “Drill, Baby, Drill” ~ as Sarah once put it ~ because it puts free money in their pockets thru Alaska’s “Permanent Fund Dividend,” thru which Alaskans get an annual chunk of money based on the State’s revenues from Oil drilling.

And there are a Lot of Alaskans who are equally against Willow. It will be very interesting to see what falls out from this whole project as far as State politics is concerned.

ps: One promise he did keep as President, tho, was to see the Nord Stream Pipeline rendered inoperational: an Act of War against Russia and, particularly, NATO buddy Germany.

Expand full comment
author

I just can't get rid of my streak of integrity and idealism, Jeff. Though I admit it keeps shrinking by the day ...

Expand full comment
founding

Heh. And what does Your "integrity and idealism" have to do with Biden or anybody else in Swampland? Or has ever had Anything to do with Anything going on there since first 9/11 and then since World War II?

In any event, there is a very fine line between idealism and naivety, Bill. Just as there is between cynicism and realism.

Expand full comment
author

Nothing, Jeff. Nothing.

Expand full comment

I'm beyond appalled about the approval of the Willow project. Not at all surprised, mind you, but deeply offended.

Expand full comment

Not sure I understand the concept of climate terrorism. Is it to make the climate afraid? How would we know if the climate is afraid?

Expand full comment
RemovedMar 14, 2023·edited Mar 15, 2023Liked by Bill Astore
Comment removed
Expand full comment
author

A great video explanation, Ray. Thanks for the link.

Another bailout of billionaires at the expense of the U.S. taxpayer: I should have known!

It's good to know the billionaires and bankers will be just fine.

Expand full comment
author

Or you were way ahead of me, Ray. :-)

Expand full comment

duration risk is certainly evident. duration risk is a law of fixed income debt investing since sinners established usury in gamorrah.

but it goes far deeper than failing at risk management.

and trump is not to blame for the bi-partisan bill that modestly lessened dodd frank oversight, btw svb was over $100B.

this panic goes back to repealing Glass-Steagall Act of 1933 in 1999, a democrat.

this permitted banks to become hedge funds, and dodd frank did little to strop that and svb held a lot of assets from private equity, venture capital etc from two poor performing sectors: start up techs and climate start up depending on tax breaks......

rather less of svb deposits were in commercial loans, it was not a local bank!!

the fdic covering millions in deposits above the insurance limit is pay back for contributions from silicomn valley.

the little guy was not harmed in svb going insolvent!!!

maybe biden can cast elenski off now he has cover from the fdic!

Expand full comment