Politics Behind The Economic Crisis

Melissa Harris-Lacewell, polysci assistant professor at Princeton, gives us the skinny on the politics behind the economic crisis our nation is in. Check out The Kitchen Table, a blog by Ms. Harris-Lacewell and her colleague Ms. Yolanda Pierce. Their honest conversation-style format is amazing, as it is a model for healthy discussion, even if you do not agree. There is so much to learn from these two amazing women.

Taken from MLH’s article, The sky is falling. Seriously. The sky is falling.

I am not an economist and I have taken just enough economics to know that even the ivy league economists are often ill-equipped to explain the real world causes and consequences of international financial crises. So instead of focusing on the mechanics, I want to draw our attention to some of the politics involved. I do, after all, play a political scientist at work.

Lesson 1: It is a bad idea to have a major economic crisis one month before an election.

Our political system is a brilliant and intricate web designed to link the interests of citizens to the careers of their representatives. Members of the House are reelected every two years from small districts. This means they are tied intimately and immediately to the concerns of voters. The House is designed to be the most responsive arm of government. Senators, on the other hand, serve six year terms and are elected to represent the entire state. The Senate is supposed to be more level headed, more long term in its view of national problems, and less immediately tied to the whims of voters. Together these two houses of Congress are supposed to balance the twin democratic concerns of responsiveness and responsibility.

Usually it works pretty well. (Good job founders!) But at moments like this the system can be misfire. Yesterday’s vote broke along one clear dividing line: House Republicans facing tough reelection contests in their home districts universally voted against the bailout. Four weeks before the election, their concern with responsiveness to voters outweighed their longer view of the good of the country’s economic health.

This is a time when a little Senate intervention would normally be a very good idea. Except two current members of the US Senate are squaring off in a heated Presidential battle. So the normal “above the fray” position of the Senate is substantially compromised this year. The sitting president could normally provide some leadership, but we have the lamest, lame duck in recent history. It is a bit of a perfect storm making conditions ideal for serving short term interests instead of pursuing long terms needs.

Lesson 2: This may signal the end of the GOP as we know it.

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Now is the Time to Resist Wall Street’s Shock Doctrine

VIA: NaomiKlein.org

By Naomi Klein – September 22nd, 2008

I wrote The Shock Doctrine in the hopes that it would make us all better prepared for the next big shock. Well, that shock has certainly arrived, along with gloves-off attempts to use it to push through radical pro-corporate policies (which of course will further enrich the very players who created the market crisis in the first place…).

The best summary of how the right plans to use the economic crisis to push through their policy wish list comes from Former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich. On Sunday, Gingrich laid out 18 policy prescriptions for Congress to take in order to “return to a Reagan-Thatcher policy of economic growth through fundamental reforms.” In the midst of this economic crisis, he is actually demanding the repeal of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, which would lead to further deregulation of the financial industry. Gingrich is also calling for reforming the education system to allow “competition” (a.k.a. vouchers), strengthening border enforcement, cutting corporate taxes and his signature move: allowing offshore drilling.

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Naomi Discusses The Economic Crisis on Real Time with Bill Maher

Naomi Klein, author of The Shock Doctrine, speaks the truth about how we have been swindled once again. Unapologetically, too! Definitely a she-ro mine.

Generation X

Sadat X is dropping his lastest project, Generation X. It’s available for digital download today and the CD’s will be in stores November 4th.

Brooklyn Bullshit

I can’t front, I’m not checking for Maino’s music, but I definitely understand and respect where he came from and the fact that he’s trying to step outta his box. I’m not justifying the dirt that he did, but I’m saying. It be like that. Where the respect comes in is Maino trying to move forward. That’s all we can do, right? You can’t change the past, so you gotta take hold of your future. There is no way around that — unless you trying to be a bum. And for people like myself who have no other option but to carve out their own lane cuz the ones that everyone else is in doesn’t work, respect is due.

Brooklyn, feel yourself! Everyone else, respect it!

“Brooklyn Bullshit” from Executive Nick on Vimeo.

Pop the trunk for Episodes 1 & 2
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Why Me? – Ice Cube feat. Musiq Soulchild

It’s been a long time since we heard from Ice Cube. Here is a video from Cube’s new album. He is sure sending out a message: STOP THE SENSELESS BLACK ON BLACK KILLINGS!!!

Swarovski Edition – Samsonite Black Label

Samsonite Black Label will premiere this trunk at colette Paris. This 1920′s styled truck was re-issued and then encrusted with Crystallized Swarovski Elements. There will only be 30 pieces available in Europe.

Rove And Cheney Are Running for President, AGAIN! WAKE UP!

Has Sarah Palin Been Picked as the Titular Head of the Coming Police State?

By Naomi Wolf, Huffington Post
http://www.alternet.org/story/100069/

Please understand what you are looking at when you look at Sarah “Evita” Palin. You are looking at the designated muse of the coming American police state.

You have to understand how things work in a closing society in order to understand “Palin Power.” A gang or cabal seizes power, usually with an affable, weak figurehead at the fore. Then they will hold elections — but they will make sure that the election will be corrupted and that the next affable, weak figurehead is entirely in their control. Remember, Russia has Presidents; Russia holds elections. Dictators and gangs of thugs all over the world hold elections. It means nothing. When a cabal has seized power you can have elections and even presidents, but you don’t have freedom.

I realized early on with horror what I was seeing in Governor Palin: the continuation of the Rove-Cheney cabal, but this time without restraints. I heard her echo Bush 2000 soundbites (“the heart of America is on display”) and realized Bush’s speechwriters were writing her — not McCain’s — speeches. I heard her tell George Bush’s lies — not McCain’s — to the American people, linking 9/11 to Iraq. I heard her make fun of Barack Obama for wanting to prevent the torture of prisoners — this is Rove-Cheney’s enthusiastic S and M, not McCain’s, who, though he shamefully colluded in the 2006 Military Tribunals Act, is also a former prisoner of war and wrote an eloquent Newsweek piece in 2005 opposing torture. I saw that she was even styled by the same skillful stylist (neutral lipstick, matte makeup, dark colors) who turned Katharine Harris from a mall rat into a stateswoman and who styles all the women in the Bush orbit — but who does not bother to style Cindy McCain.

Then I saw and heard more. Palin is embracing lawlessness in defying Alaskan Legislature subpoenas — this is what Rove-Cheney, and not McCain, believe in doing. She uses mafia tactics against critics, like the police commissioner who was railroaded for opposing handguns in Alaskan battered women’s shelters — Rove’s style, not McCain’s. I realized what I was seeing.

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For that female Vandal – Quickstrike

Two colorways of the Nike Vandal Quickstrike has been released for the ladies this Fall season. These Vandals feature bright colored stitching around the sole and shiny leather uppers. These are already available. 

Ouch! Dude From Oasis Goes In on Jay!!!

Seems like Jay-Z has another Ether on his hands.

Jay, Damn son! It’s time to face reality! If dude from across the world is airing you out, you might wanna rethink things. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been a huge fan since jump — well, at least since In My Lifetime with the exception of Can I Get Open, but dude has some valid points. I do think it is type wack that you’re near 40 still rapping, but whatevz.

Noel gallagher hits back @ Jay-z after Jay-z took a swipe @ him @ glastonbury!
Apparently Noel paid a large amount of money to an un-named UK Rapper to help put the song and video together???

After the jump, check out Jay looking silly as hell wearing shades at night and indoors, much less at a benefit. Also, speaking of shades at night, I dug up an old school video. Enjoy!

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