O'Reilly, Miller Make Homophobic Jokes on Air

Bill O'Reilly and Dennis Miller make homophobic jokes about Barney Frank. We've all heard these sorts of jokes and maybe even laughed about them but there is something very disturbing and despicable about the context here. Watch the video clip for yourself and leave your two cents in the comments if you are so inclined.



H/T: Think Progress

The Voters Have Spoken

Baney Frank (D-MA) blows a hole through his Republican opponent's arguments about same sex marriage.

...As far as putting the issue to a vote, Frank noted that in both the 2004 and 2006 Massachusetts statewide elections, gay marriage was a central issue on which every candidate was asked to take a side. And, Frank said, Bay State voters elected a legislature "that voted by about 77 percent in favor of same-sex marriage."

"I believe the voters do know what they are doing and I believe the voters showed their choice," he said.

News Briefs, 10/26/08

With an unemployment rate of 8.8%, Rhode Island has the highest rate of joblessness in the country.

State officials in North Carolina reported late last week that more than 800,000 people had already cast their ballots.

Obama responds to McCain campaign's insinuations that his campaign hacked into Joe the Plumber's private files.

Why hasn't Condoleeza Rice endorsed McCain?

McCain-Palin target "Uncle Frank" for his statements on spending and taxes.

Scientist develop purple tomatoes which they hope will keep cancer at bay.

Blaming Fannie, Freddie, Frank, Poor People...

McClatchy News:

As the economy worsens and Election Day approaches, a conservative campaign that blames the global financial crisis on a government push to make housing more affordable to lower-class Americans has taken off on talk radio and e-mail.

Commentators say that's what triggered the stock market meltdown and the freeze on credit. They've specifically targeted the mortgage finance giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which the federal government seized on Sept. 6, contending that lending to poor and minority Americans caused Fannie's and Freddie's financial problems.

Federal housing data reveal that the charges aren't true, and that the private sector, not the government or government-backed companies, was behind the soaring subprime lending at the core of the crisis... (emphasis added)

American Prospect:

...But what they choose instead to deflect attention from the train wreck that has been Bush administration supervision of the economy are some claims that are completely divorced from the truth. The three claims that have come across our view screen are:

• It’s the fault of the Community Reinvestment Act
• It’s the fault of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac
• It’s the fault of immigrants

And just for fun, here's a video of a shouting match between Barney Frank and Bill O'Reilly.

The Poison Pill

Ian Welsh on the proposed bailout:

(Barney) Frank, who has been in phone discussions with Paulson, said the secretary
appeared receptive to adding some foreclosure-relief language. The second
Democratic proposal — to impose compensation limits on Wall Street executives —
is meeting more resistance.
“Hank says it’s a poison pill,” Frank said. “I say I don’t think it’s very patriotic for someone to not give up his golden parachute when we’re trying to save the markets.”
A poison pill? The executives who drove their banks into insolvency won't let the government save their banks if it means they have to give up multi-million dollar golden parachutes? After they've been paying themselves millions a year for the sheer incompetence necessary to bankrupt their companies? Did we step through the mirror and I didn't notice?
I can only read this as Paulson saying that Republicans will stop any bill that reigns in executive compensation in exchange for a bailout. I cannot think of words sufficient to describe my contempt at the greed, selfishness and sheer hubris being displayed by Paulson, Republicans and the bankers who believe they can dictate that not only should Congress hand over 700 billion dollars, but it should do so with no meaningful conditions.
Call or fax your Congressman and tell them not to pass this bill. Please. Please do it now. Please tell everyone you know to do it.