You can view this video right here by getting the latest version of Flash Player!

DOWNLOADS: 757

PLAYS: 416

(November 12, 1979 - Getting a bit testy all around)

As the hostage drama continued to unfold (still at over 60 sitting in the Embassy in Tehran), Jimmy Carter started imposing sanctions on the Iranians, to not much success.

Jimmy Carter: “I am ordering that we discontinue purchasing of any oil from Iran for delivery to this country."

Making matters worse, demonstrations were popping up at college campuses all over, especially in Los Angeles, where Iranian students demonstrated in support of the hostage takers and the anti-Iranian crowd started making their presence felt.

All in all, it was clearly not going to be solved any time soon, and situations only made a bad situation worse.

And there was that added bonus of Ronald Reagan declaring his candidacy for President - to be official the next day.

Interesting coincidence, that.

Here is an excerpt of the day, as heard over KNX in Los Angeles

You can view this video right here by getting the latest version of Flash Player!

DOWNLOADS: (206)

PLAYS: (794)

Real Time's New Rules for Sept. 25, 2009.

Maher: And finally if America can't get off its back and get something done it must lose the bald eagle as our symbol and replace it with the You Tube video of the puppy that can't get up. As long as we're pathetic, we might as well act like it's cute.

The Mahablog: Drama Queen exits, stage right

The Moderate Voice: Happy Motoring America; Shafted Again

The Existentialist Cowboy: Texas: The Gulag wasteland Bush left behind

Bernard Avishai: While Prime Minister Netanyahu scoffs at Ahmedinajad’s beatings of peaceful demonstrators, his government does the same

open Democracy: The archaeology of Iran's regime

Vagabond Scholar: Diagrams On Conservatism

You can view this video right here by getting the latest version of Flash Player!

DOWNLOADS: (67)

PLAYS: (163)

June 08, 2009 News Corp

The truth may set you free, but not if you're a Republican and the subject is taxes. After all, 95% of American families as promised received a tax cut from the Obama stimulus package. And while three-quarters of Americans support President Obama's proposal to roll back the Bush tax cuts for those earning over $250,000 to their Clinton-era levels, it turns out that affluent voters, too, chose Barack Obama over John McCain. Making matters worse, a Gallup poll Monday revealed that Americans' "views of income taxes among most positive since 1956."

So as their furious followers head off to their April 15th orgy of tea-bagging, the leadership of the GOP and its amen corner in the right-wing media have instead turned to tall tales on taxes.

Here, then, are 10 Republican Tax Day lies:

1. President Obama will raise taxes on small businesses.
2. The estate tax devastates small businesses and family farms.
3. 40% of Americans pay no taxes.
4. Tax cuts always increase revenue.
5. The GOP is the party of fiscal discipline.
6. Ronald Reagan was the greatest tax cutter of all time.
7. FDR caused the Great Depression, or at least made it worse.
8. Obama's cap-and-trade plan will cost each American family $3,100 a year.
9. Obama's tax proposals will undermine charitable giving.
10. The rich pay too much in taxes already.

For the details behind each of the GOP's Tax Day deceits, continue reading.

Continue reading »

January 09, 2009 News Corp

December 16, 2008 C-SPAN
Marine scientists and a deep sea photographer described the cumulative and unintended consequences of human activity on marine life. In their illustrated presentations they focused on global impacts of overfishing, oil extraction, toxic pollution, and climate change. They presented their recommendations to policymakers and the new administration about what should be done now to prevent further damage and a potential collapse of fisheries by mid-century. They responded to questions from reporters in the audience at the National Press Club. Pat Rizzuto moderated. See more CSPANJunkie Videos here

October 21, 2008 BBC
Western concerns about global energy markets hit new heights last night when Russia, Iran and Qatar said they were forming an Opec-style gas cartel. The move by the three countries, which control 60% of the world's gas reserves, was met with immediate opposition from the European commission, which fears the group could drive up prices.

Wow

Government officials handling billions of dollars in oil royalties partied, had sex with and accepted golf and ski outings from employees of energy companies they were dealing with, federal investigators said Wednesday.

The alleged transgressions involve 13 former and current Interior Department employees in Denver and Washington. Their alleged improprieties include rigging contracts, working part-time as private oil consultants, and having sexual relationships with - and accepting golf and ski trips and dinners from - oil company employees, according to three reports released Wednesday by the Interior Department's inspector general.

The investigations reveal a "culture of substance abuse and promiscuity" by a small group of individuals "wholly lacking in acceptance of or adherence to government ethical standards," wrote Inspector General Earl E. Devaney, whose office spent more than two years and $5.3 million on the investigation. "Sexual relationships with prohibited sources cannot, by definition, be arms-length," Devaney said.

The reports describe a fraternity house atmosphere inside the Denver Minerals Management Service office responsible for marketing oil and natural gas that energy companies barter to the government in lieu of cash royalty payments for drilling on federal lands. The government received $4.3 billion in such royalty-in-kind payments last year. The oil and gas is then resold to energy companies or put in the nation's emergency stockpile. ...read on

UPDATED: Charlie Savage has much more at the NY Times.

 In three reports delivered to Congress on Wednesday, the department's inspector general, Earl E. Devaney, found wrongdoing by a dozen current and former employees of the Minerals Management Service, which collects about $10 billion in royalties annually and is one of the government's largest sources of revenue other than taxes. "A culture of ethical failure" besets the agency, Mr. Devaney wrote in a cover memo.

The reports portray a dysfunctional organization that has been riddled with conflicts of interest, unprofessional behavior and a free-for-all atmosphere for much of the Bush administration's watch. The reports portray a dysfunctional organization that has been riddled with conflicts of interest, unprofessional behavior and a free-for-all atmosphere for much of the Bush administration's watch...read on
 (h/t Murray W)

Aside from Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney gallivanting around the Denver Metro area (hoping to pick up a couple of undecided Democrats or just to monopolize broadcast air time?  You decide) another notable non-Democrat in the Big Tent in Denver is T. Boone Pickens. 

About The Big Tent

The Big Tent will be the place to be for new media journalists, bloggers, reporters, and non-profit leaders covering the Democratic National Convention in Denver this summer. [..]

Quite simply, for anyone concerned about fostering a path toward a prosperous, climate-friendly society, The Big Tent's agenda reads like a who's who of heroes. From Lester Brown to Van Jones to Majora Carter to ..., there are people's whose fights for a better future cannot be question and whose visions merit a hearing in the halls of power. And, come next January, they will have a more receptive audience in the Oval Office and the Executive Branch.[..]

Another sponsoring organization could raise even more concern.

The Pickens' Plan is a "Major Sponsor" and is sponsoring a lunch in The Big Tent. And, speaking within The Big Tent will be T Boone Pickens. Next Wednesday, in The Big Tent, outside the Democratic National Committee, T Boone will be on the stage with Carl Pope, the Executive Director of the Sierra Club, and John Podesta, the President and Chief Executive Office of American Progress.[..]

For those listening to The Pickens Plan, a small reminder might be in order about The Pickens' Problem which ranges from being a key (and unrepentent) funder of the Swift-Boat Veterans for Truthiness and a continuing major contributor to the Republican Party, including his most recent political contributions maxing out to Jim Inhofe who, quite simply, is perhaps the worst member of the Senate when it comes to ending our oil addiction and moving toward a sensible energy future.

 So why is a guy with that kind of resume hanging with the Dems?  Get Energy Smart sees the difference between the Pickens' Plan and the Pickens Problem: 

T. Boone Pickens speaks to the need to end America's oil addiction, to move off oil. T Boone Pickens' political contributions speak to continuing the status quo, to drilling the hole deeper when it comes to oil addiction.

Thus, until there is a resolution of The Pickens' Problem, all are advised to tread very carefully when it comes to T Boone Pickens and The Pickens' Plan.

Josh Nelson reminds us (as if you needed it) that this is a man Democrats should be leery of praising.  Hear that Harry Reid and Dick Durbin?

  For some strange reason, prosecutors in the corruption case against Ted Stevens (R - VECO) don't want to mention a letter Dick Cheney sent at Stevens' behest, shilling for corporate wheeler-dealer Bill Allen's pet pipeline project.

In a conversation secretly tape-recorded by the FBI on June 25, 2006, Stevens discussed ways to get a pipeline bill through the Alaska Legislature with Bill Allen, an oil-services executive accused of providing the senator with about $250,000 in undisclosed financial benefits. According to a Justice motion, Stevens told Allen, "I'm gonna try to see if I can get some bigwigs from back here and say, 'Look … you gotta get this done'." Two days later, Cheney wrote a letter to the Alaska Legislature urging members to "promptly enact" a bill to build the pipeline. The letter was considered unusual because the White House rarely contacts state lawmakers about pending legislative matters. It also angered state Democrats, who accused Cheney of pushing oil-company interests. The former executive director of Cheney's energy task force had gone to work as a lobbyist for British Petroleum, one of three firms slated to build the pipeline.

Stevens confirmed to NEWSWEEK last week that he asked Cheney to write the letter. "We wanted the federal government to tell the state to act quickly on it," he said. (A spokesman for Alaska's other senator, Lisa Murkowski, said her office also had contacts with Cheney's office.) A Cheney spokeswoman said his office does not comment on pending legal matters.

Now why do you think Bush's Justice Department isn't too keen on using this important bit of evidence? Stevens is charged with offfenses under the Ethics in Government Act. Could it be that following all the leads would open up a big can of worms for the White House?

I guess the only plus for McCain on this trip is that there wasn't an oil spill.

Sometimes political attacks materialize all by themselves. John McCain is set to board a helicopter today and travel 150 miles off the Louisiana cost to host a campaign event on the Genesis Project oil rig.

The overarching point is to stress the Senator's newfound commitment to offshore drilling. But the stop also plays into a meme critics have been pushing for weeks. The oil rig on which McCain will be speaking is partially owned by Exxon Mobil. According to the website RIGZONE.com, the energy giant has a 38.38 percent share in the Genesis Project, topped only by Chevron's 56.67 percent.

the DNC sends out an email hitting McCain for his oil rig visit, adding, among other things that "on that rig, it took 10 years from the date oil was discovered until the rig he will be standing on today produced a single drop of oil.

What, 10 years you say?

 Since he's trying to exploit the anger Americans are feeling at the pump by basing his entire domestic platform on an "all of the above" energy policy, don't you think John McCain would be wise to actually show up and vote on crucial renewable energy legislation? Well, according to Tom Friedman, John McCain is a big fat hypocrite after missing eight important Senate votes.

NYT:

John McCain recently tried to underscore his seriousness about pushing through a new energy policy, with a strong focus on more drilling for oil, by telling a motorcycle convention that Congress needed to come back from vacation immediately and do something about America’s energy crisis. “Tell them to come back and get to work!” McCain bellowed.

Sorry, but I can’t let that one go by. McCain knows why.

It was only five days earlier, on July 30, that the Senate was voting for the eighth time in the past year on a broad, vitally important bill — S. 3335 — that would have extended the investment tax credits for installing solar energy and the production tax credits for building wind turbines and other energy-efficiency systems.

Both the wind and solar industries depend on these credits — which expire in December — to scale their businesses and become competitive with coal, oil and natural gas. Unlike offshore drilling, these credits could have an immediate impact on America’s energy profile.

Senator McCain did not show up for the crucial vote on July 30, and the renewable energy bill was defeated for the eighth time. In fact, John McCain has a perfect record on this renewable energy legislation. He has missed all eight votes over the last year — which effectively counts as a no vote each time. Once, he was even in the Senate and wouldn’t leave his office to vote.

This is precisely the reason we are so addicted to fossil fuels. Renewable energy will never become financially competitive with oil and gas until the feds invest in it and incentivize its progression. I hope every Obama energy ad from now til November notes that while he may be talking a good game about supporting alternative energy, Senator McCain 0-for-8 when it really counted.

Download | play    Download | play   (h/t Bill W)

Steve Benen has already covered how the right has picked up their new symbol to mock Barack Obama's energy policy, as if the entirety of Obama's program is to have people keep their tires inflated.  Jon Perr points out this isn't a new tactic for them.  However, Keith Olbermann goes further, and points out that this strategy (at least amongst the critical thinking in the electorate) may backfire when this advice has been endorsed by GOP Veep shortlister Charlie Crist, California Governator Arnold Schwarzenegger, NASCAR and even President Bush's Highway Traffic Safety Department, none of whom could credibly be called in Obama's corner.

Anti-science as the GOP likes to be, I'm sure these facts will go right over their heads: 

The study indicates that substantial benefits would accrue if car care facilities systematically offered complimentary tire pressure checks with oil changes including: (i) increased safety by decreasing all crashes and saving more than 100 lives per year, (ii) reduced petroleum consumption by over a billion gallons/year, which would (iia) provide over $4 billion in economic savings for US consumers that could in part be recouped in retail/auto-care facilities, (iib) reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 13.5 million tons and automobile pollution and (iic) enhance national security.

As Obama says, "it's like these guys take pride in being ignorant."  

Oh, snap!

 Full transcripts below the fold

Continue reading »

Download | play    Download | play   (h/t Heather)

The cognitive dissonance involved in being Bill O'Reilly is truly stunning.  Take, for example, the latest edition of his Talking Points Memo, in which he castigates Obama for saying that he would give an $1000 energy rebate check to American families derived from windfall profit taxes of the oil companies.

Oh noes! Obama is talking about taxes, that liberal!  Doesn't he realize that we have a HUGE deficit???  That we can't afford to keep spending money frivolously?  Of course the fact that Billo's been cheerleading and apologizing for this deficit every dime along the way is conveniently swept under the rug.  Because damnit, we're on the edge of a collapse! We can't tax oil companies, silly Obama.

Bill's solution: ask the oil companies to volunteer 2% of their record-breaking profits.  That's fair, and since it's voluntary, we don't have to use the dreaded T-word.  Of course, when Billo sent his minions to approach the oil companies, they were less than receptive.  Quelle surprise!  But it's unacceptable to think that Americans will go cold this winter, and since the oil companies so far are not interested in helping their fellow Americans (a surprisingly *gasp* socialist notion coming from O'Reilly), so what's a presidential candidate to do?  Maybe not giving them tax breaks would be a good first start, right, Bill?

Full and ridiculously circular logic of the transcripts available below the fold

Should the oil companies help out the folks?  That is the subject of this evening’s Talking Points Memo.  Understanding that many Americans are furious with the oil companies, Barack Obama is trying to tie John McCain in with them and putting forth this:

OBAMA:  I believe we should give every working family in America a $1,000 energy rebate and we should pay for it with part of the record profits the oil companies are making right now.

Taxing windfall profits, how exactly would that work?  Would that be constitutional, selecting a single industry for advance taxation?  That’s not going to get done, for a variety of reasons.  Also giving the folks another rebate is a bad idea.  The government must get out of the giveaway business, this country is now running a half-trillion dollar deficit.  All together, we owe about ten trillion dollars.  That’s why the U.S. dollar is a disaster.  If the USA continues to spend more than it takes in, we will have a complete economic collapse. Does Obama or McCain want to be the next Herbert Hoover?   If so, continue to run up those deficits. 

The United States simply must stop its massive spending, must begin to balance the budget and must return to the value of the US Dollar to its once elite status. We’re all in big trouble if that doesn’t happen.  But — and this is an important but – many Americans are getting hammered by energy prices.  Some will have trouble heating their homes next winter.  That is completely unacceptable. 

So here is my proposal: I am asking the five major American oil companies, Chevron, Occidental, Conoco Phillips, Exxon Mobil and Hess, to donate 2% of their profits for the last four quarters to a fund that would help struggling Americans pay their heating bills.  That way, the oil companies could pay back their country.  A nation that has allowed them to prosper more than any other concern in the history of civilization.  A 2% charitable disbursement would alleviate the suffering of tens of millions of Americans and not hurt the oil companies much at all.  Last year, they made a combined $80 billion in profit, a record amount for any industry at any time.

Now we contacted the five big oil corporations and to say the response to my idea was lukewarm is to be kind.  Exxon and Chevron pointed out they pay huge amount of taxes to the government, which is true.  But what about directly helping those in need?  Not much enthusiasm so far.  If just one of the oil companies would establish such a charitable fund, the goodwill that corporation would receive would more than make up for the money spent, as millions of Americans would buy that company’s oil over the others.  So we encourage the oil companies to directly help out their fellow Americans who are struggling.  No one – no one -- in this country should be cold this winter. But it is going to happen.