Clearly the Bushies have taken to heart the concept of change..

If one theme typifies, and may well become the Bush epitath, it is but one word:

Incompetence.

Great. Many ordinary Americans will lose their jobs, but the government's taking care of the execs who caused the meltdown.

If one theme typifies, and may well become the Bush epitath, it is but one word:

Incompetence.

#2 | Posted by NumberSix

I dunno. I'd pick 2 -- Greed and Hubris.

Remember, Bush's friends have made out... well... like bandits during his administration. He seems to have accomplished his goals.

Three posts out of four, from people who don't know that the Fed is independent of the federal government.

Just so you know, FedEx isn't a government agency either.

The Fed may not be a part of the US Government, but it is far from independent.

Actually it might make some sense since who'd better know the warning flags than someone who has personal experience?

Incompetence.

#2 | Posted by NumberSix

It is very intoxicating to think that all this evidence equals pure incompetence. IT's a nice simple answer and people are always trying to find the simplest answers all tied up with a ribbon on them.

It's the wrong answer. Every time we talk about how incompetent this administration is, a huge hunk of american wealth gets tranferred to private hands.

Gimme a Scotch --

Actually it might make some sense since who'd better know the warning flags than someone who has personal experience?

I agree with you entirely. Who better to know how thieves and crooks work than another thief and crook.

In fact, in 1933 when Joseph Patrick Kennedy was appointed by President Franklin Roosevelt as the Chairman of the newly established Securities and Exchange Commission, there were a lot of critics about Roosevelt choosing Kennedy to head the SEC due to Kennedy's sordid past dealings. It was then Roosevelt answered his critics with the line "it takes a crook to catch a crook." Guess maybe the Feds are using the same line of thinking here too?

Actually it might make some sense since who'd better know the warning flags than someone who has personal experience? --#7 | Posted by Gimme_a_Scotch

Absolutely. Now if they'd just recruit some terrorists to head Homeland Security, we'd have both the economy and our safety covered.

Three posts out of four, from people who don't know that the Fed is independent of the federal government. -- #5 | Posted by rightisright

One out of five appears not to know that Bernanke is a Bush appointee who has coordinated policy very closely with Treasury Secretary Paulson.

just recruit some terrorists to head Homeland Security

Set a thief to catch a thief is a fool's gambit.

It's the wrong answer. Every time we talk about how incompetent this administration is, a huge hunk of american wealth gets tranferred to private hands.

#8 | Posted by Lipzoidial at 2008-11-09 08:13 PM

Yes, "incompetent" is the exact opposite word to use when describing the criminal activities of the last eight years of this Bush Administration. They are probably the most "competent" criminal organization outside of the Mafia (and my apologies to any Italians on here). The Bush gang has literally stolen/conned/defrauded more of our tax dollars for themselves and their corporate cronies than all other criminal organizations put together. Look at the shambles they have left our economy in and how much they have done to destroy the American workforce.

The Iraq war has been nothing but a steady stream of war profiteering contracts and was the reason for the war in the first place.

BILLIONS of dollars in no bid, cost plus Iraq war reconstruction contracts were handed out to the Republican donors and there is nothing to show for it. The bombed-out people of Iraq still have nothing rebuilt, neither clean water nor electricity, no schools or hospitals even though we American taxpayers have paid out billions to these Republican war profiteers to supposedly get war reconstruction work done over there.

That's the beauty of Bush's no bid, cost plus war reconstruction contracts though. Whether the work in Iraq was completed or not -- these Bush war profiteering crooks still got paid for their reconstruction contracts as if their work had been completed. It was pure out and out thievery. And this looting of our Treasury with these war reconstruction contracts would have been continued as long as the Republicans remained in office and kept the war in Iraq going. They had absolutely no intention of ever giving up that money maker.

Anyone who sticks up for Bush after what he and his Administration have done these last eight years to destroy our country, the country of Iraq, our economy and everything else they have done to the detriment of our country is no better than they are.

Bush and his thugs should be in jail. Think about it. If we let Bush and his cohorts get away with all they have done then where is the bar set for the next President and the President after him? We will never be able to impeach anyone in the future if they first have to surpass all the criminal activities Bush was allowed to get away with.

just recruit some terrorists to head Homeland Security

Set a thief to catch a thief is a fool's gambit.

#12 | Posted by OzarkAggie

"...recruit some terrorists" was a joke, Oz.

You wouldn't be the first, though, to think I'm too subtle.

The Fed may not be a part of the US Government, but it is far from independent. -- #6 | Posted by JimmyWallback

RisR doesn't know what he's talking about. The Fed is part of the government.

from Wikipedia --

The Federal Reserve System (also the Federal Reserve; informally The Fed) is the central banking system of the United States.

Created in 1913 by the enactment of the Federal Reserve Act, it is a quasi-public (government entity with private components) banking system composed of

(1) the presidentially appointed Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System in Washington, D.C.;

(2) the Federal Open Market Committee;

(3) twelve regional Federal Reserve Banks located in major cities throughout the nation acting as fiscal agents for the U.S. Treasury, each with its own nine-member board of directors;

(4) numerous private U.S. member banks, which subscribe to required amounts of non-transferable stock in their regional Federal Reserve Banks; and

(5) various advisory councils. As of February 1, 2006, Ben Bernanke serves as the Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

Incompetence.
#2 | Posted by NumberSix

It is very intoxicating to think that all this evidence equals pure incompetence. IT's a nice simple answer and people are always trying to find the simplest answers all tied up with a ribbon on them.
It's the wrong answer. Every time we talk about how incompetent this administration is, a huge hunk of american wealth gets tranferred to private hands.
#8 | Posted by Lipzoidial at 2008-11-09 08:13 PM

Britain just provided a $300 billion bailout for it's banks too.

China is attempting to follow suit.

What amazes me is that there really isn't a way for these "executives" to live privately. Financial fingerprints in the form of private expenditures should assist locating their vacationing families, what cars they drive, houses, jobs, etc. I'm shocked that there have been so few vendettas, abductions and whatnottery. They must be charmed. Heckuvajob.

Rahm Emanual is a failed bank executive and I don't hear the complaints about Obama hiring him.

RisR doesn't know what he's talking about. The Fed is part of the government.

#15 | Posted by Phoenix
* * * *

LMAO. Okay. So you slept through Econ 101. Don't worry--so did most people. Including our new president-elect.

Perhaps incompetence is a word light for some, but then, a friend who is retired FBI once told me that many mafia weren't exactly Einsteins.

"Why do you think we call them wise guys?"

Ergo, then, third-rate criminals, then. Bumbling idiots surrounded by crafty henchmen.

And we get the short end.

And, yes, the Fed's a private firm, but has a hand up America's anus, sadly.

#19 | Posted by rightisright

...the Fed's a private firm, but has a hand up America's anus, sadly. -- #20 | Posted by NumberSix

Great. You guys can't read Wikipedia, either:

The Fed) is the central banking system of the United States. Created in 1913 by the enactment of the Federal Reserve Act, it is a quasi-public (government entity with private components) banking system -- Wikipedia, #16 | Posted by CalifChris

I think what's confusing you is that it is not subject to political oversight. It is, however, part of the government. The government signs Bernanke's paychecks. Only member banks are private corporations. (Do you really think our monetary policy is set by the private sector??)