Comments on: Shell Game http://www.newclarion.com/2009/02/shell-game/ Our mission is to combat the unreason and selflessness that are sweeping our culture from the nihilist left to the religious right, and to sound a new ideal of capitalism and individual rights in American politics. Mon, 06 Feb 2012 03:04:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Inspector http://www.newclarion.com/2009/02/shell-game/#comment-951 Inspector Fri, 20 Feb 2009 03:26:29 +0000 http://www.newclarion.com/?p=617#comment-951 Oh and Burgess - I also found out that Fannie and Freddie were given the power, by the government, to make "purchases" without using any actual assets. (basically, they're allowed to <del datetime="2009-02-20T03:57:19+00:00">run a negative balance</del> purchase even if they don't have the money to back it, writing what are basically blank checks, implicitly backed by the fed) So they are, in effect, spending government money, even if it is in a very roundabout and deniable fashion. So the term "shell game," it seems, applies to the way their finances worked as well. Oh and Burgess – I also found out that Fannie and Freddie were given the power, by the government, to make “purchases” without using any actual assets. (basically, they’re allowed to run a negative balance purchase even if they don’t have the money to back it, writing what are basically blank checks, implicitly backed by the fed) So they are, in effect, spending government money, even if it is in a very roundabout and deniable fashion. So the term “shell game,” it seems, applies to the way their finances worked as well.

]]> By: Inspector http://www.newclarion.com/2009/02/shell-game/#comment-950 Inspector Fri, 20 Feb 2009 03:22:14 +0000 http://www.newclarion.com/?p=617#comment-950 Madmax - exactly so; you have nailed the matter on the head. I wanted to yell at the television, as what I was seeing was so *obviously* false and so easily countered. For me, that is. For a Republican who implicitly accepts all of the Leftist premises that he is supposedly against, it was an impossible task. Madmax – exactly so; you have nailed the matter on the head. I wanted to yell at the television, as what I was seeing was so *obviously* false and so easily countered. For me, that is. For a Republican who implicitly accepts all of the Leftist premises that he is supposedly against, it was an impossible task.

]]> By: madmax http://www.newclarion.com/2009/02/shell-game/#comment-943 madmax Thu, 19 Feb 2009 23:02:52 +0000 http://www.newclarion.com/?p=617#comment-943 Stewart is just rehashing and cheerleading for what in effect is the official leftist "narrative." That is that: Bush, Cheney, Greenspan and other Republican "free market ideologues" systematically removed all regulations and oversight of the economy and methodically undermined the regulatory "infrastructure" which had been "thoughtfully" and carefully built by Social Democrats for decades. They did this because they are ideologues and thus cling to their Randian free market philosophy despite the fact that empirical data has repeatedly shown that the free market doesn't work. But they approach economics with religious faith in free markets and thus have subjected all of us to economic hardship. Thankfully the Obamasiah will now save us. This is Leftism 101. And it would be so easy to challenge if not outright destroy it. Easy that is for us. For a Republican, its all but impossible as Stewart continuously proves. BTW, why do all these Republicans go on Stewart's show? Don't they have any self-esteem? They know they are going to get bombarded with this socialist/egalitarian crap and they also know that they agree with most of it. Are they that starved for attention that they will voluntarily allow Leftists to spit in their face for 10 minutes on TV? Yeah, yeah, I know, its Republicans we're talking about. But still... Stewart is just rehashing and cheerleading for what in effect is the official leftist “narrative.” That is that:

Bush, Cheney, Greenspan and other Republican “free market ideologues” systematically removed all regulations and oversight of the economy and methodically undermined the regulatory “infrastructure” which had been “thoughtfully” and carefully built by Social Democrats for decades. They did this because they are ideologues and thus cling to their Randian free market philosophy despite the fact that empirical data has repeatedly shown that the free market doesn’t work. But they approach economics with religious faith in free markets and thus have subjected all of us to economic hardship. Thankfully the Obamasiah will now save us.

This is Leftism 101. And it would be so easy to challenge if not outright destroy it. Easy that is for us. For a Republican, its all but impossible as Stewart continuously proves.

BTW, why do all these Republicans go on Stewart’s show? Don’t they have any self-esteem? They know they are going to get bombarded with this socialist/egalitarian crap and they also know that they agree with most of it. Are they that starved for attention that they will voluntarily allow Leftists to spit in their face for 10 minutes on TV? Yeah, yeah, I know, its Republicans we’re talking about. But still…

]]> By: Inspector http://www.newclarion.com/2009/02/shell-game/#comment-933 Inspector Thu, 19 Feb 2009 13:19:32 +0000 http://www.newclarion.com/?p=617#comment-933 L-C, I was also struck by how the former congressman's inconsistent premises led him to cave into Stewart at every turn. Burgess, yes that is correct although I think you may be understating matters. These are actual government entities established by the government which operate according to the mandates laid out by congress. While there have been varying degrees of autonomy over the years, both of these have always answered directly to government agents. L-C, I was also struck by how the former congressman’s inconsistent premises led him to cave into Stewart at every turn.

Burgess, yes that is correct although I think you may be understating matters. These are actual government entities established by the government which operate according to the mandates laid out by congress. While there have been varying degrees of autonomy over the years, both of these have always answered directly to government agents.

]]> By: Burgess Laughlin http://www.newclarion.com/2009/02/shell-game/#comment-932 Burgess Laughlin Thu, 19 Feb 2009 12:54:28 +0000 http://www.newclarion.com/?p=617#comment-932 I see two essential defining characteristics of a private organization: (1) Its owners can freely set or reset the goals of the organization; and (2) All of the organization's income comes from trade (sale of products, donations). What is the status of Fannie Mae? Governmental, private, or a supposed mixture? My understanding from news sources (always a shaky procedure) is that organizations like Fannie Mae are at best "semi-private" in that their income (all, part?) comes from sale of "services" but their owners are required by law to continue performing the functions designated by Congress. The owners cannot, for example, convert their assets into a chain of restaurants selling hamburgers. They are thus not private. Correct? I see two essential defining characteristics of a private organization: (1) Its owners can freely set or reset the goals of the organization; and (2) All of the organization’s income comes from trade (sale of products, donations).

What is the status of Fannie Mae? Governmental, private, or a supposed mixture?

My understanding from news sources (always a shaky procedure) is that organizations like Fannie Mae are at best “semi-private” in that their income (all, part?) comes from sale of “services” but their owners are required by law to continue performing the functions designated by Congress. The owners cannot, for example, convert their assets into a chain of restaurants selling hamburgers.

They are thus not private. Correct?

]]> By: L-C http://www.newclarion.com/2009/02/shell-game/#comment-931 L-C Thu, 19 Feb 2009 12:05:29 +0000 http://www.newclarion.com/?p=617#comment-931 When leftists argue with inconsistent supporters of liberty, they don't need to employ truth. They can substitute reversed definitions and have their opponents defeat themselves against their arguments, like a fighter with spiked brass knuckles equipped inwards. It's a setup that can only end one way, especially since the confused fool didn't know quite what he was for or against to begin with. When leftists argue with inconsistent supporters of liberty, they don’t need to employ truth. They can substitute reversed definitions and have their opponents defeat themselves against their arguments, like a fighter with spiked brass knuckles equipped inwards.

It’s a setup that can only end one way, especially since the confused fool didn’t know quite what he was for or against to begin with.

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