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Subscribe to RSSNBC's Domenico Montanaro digs into Newt Gingrich's financial disclosure and finds the way the former House Speaker reports his income is not as transparent as it could be.
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Newt earned it the 'old fashioned' GNOP way - he conned & cheated to line the pockets of his elastic waistband pants!
Unlike Willard, who was born with a silver spoon in his talking out of both sides of his mouth!
Please note that his family is on that gravy train, too. He has a lot of other "corporations" under the so called leadership of family members. Guess one of his hero's is Rupert.
Hey First Read, you guys are hilarious!
BTW How did Nancy Pelosi make her millions?
If Gingrich wins the nomination it will prove two things:
1) There is a God.
2) God hates Republicans just as much as I do.
If you compare and contrast the actions of Newt'r and the teachings of the Bible you will see God has his/her reasons for hating the GOP. Heal the sick? Feed the poor? Healing the sick is out of the question; that would be socialism. And feeding the poor? Feeding them to what? Rich people are into some weird stuff, but cannibalism is not, as far as I know, a rich man's vice.
Yes nisl God hates Republicans.
Stick with that. It doesn't make you sound crazy at all......
Interesting fact that he rolled all his "companies" into Gingrich Communications. And lo and behold, Calista runs this family business.
Maybe she learned something from his former wives... be in charge of the money just in case...
Is she running for President?
PS - You are aware that all members of Congress file personal financial disclosures each year, yes?
@nisl
You bring up some interesting points. For a party that say God belongs to them, they sure don't seem to follow the teachings of that Jesus dude. Guess Jesus was too progressive for them.
I dont understand why we dont have a blog for everyone in politics that says how "politician" made their millions. We should start with Obama and trace his economic legacy mentoring as a community organizer and state legislator with the chicago democratic machine. We can learn how he sold 10 feet of land to Tony "the fixer" Rezco in order to bankroll his first couple of hundred thousand dollars and how he networked with the billionaire Pritzker family to bankroll his campaigns. I am sure if we dug in deep we would find interesting tidbits on he made his money too. We might even learn how he used the successful economic policies in Illinois to turn a great state into chaos and used those so successfully at the national level--oh right they didnt work did they.
Phine - Jesus was the original long haired hippy.
"Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's" Those are the words of Jesus... What a socialist.
Karl Rove, Grover Norquist, Newt Gingrich, all Republicans who came to Washington to "shrink government" and who have made their fortunes off exploiting their government connections. What's really sad is knowing there are small town conservative voters out there sending the Republican Party their nickles and dimes, while Republican leaders reap millions off the very system they pretend to hate.
President Obama wrote two best-selling books...it's in his tax return.
Kirk,
You are reaching into the stars for something on Obama. Anything on Obama. Can't stand that he appears squeeky clean next to all the GOP candidates, can you? Even Romney has more dirty laundry than Obama. So you throw stuff out hoping something sticks. Try working for a living rather than trolling for the GOP!
Kirk-2957282
President Obama made his fortune off the sales of his books. That he wrote himself. And people bought. Funny you don't mention Obama also donated the money his was given for winning the Nobel Peace Prize to charities. Nice try, equating Obama's book writing to Gingrich's labryinth of deals, though. Nice try.
Well noid, you are predictable with the "she's not running for President" line.
No she is not, but she seems to have a lot of influence.
At least 60 minutes was a bit curious.
Please don't feed Kirk...
His appetite is insatiable! ;o)
At this very moment the senior conservative GOP members are meeting .. deciding what to do about Newt ...Most want nothing to do with him..because they have had the pleasure of knowing him 20+years now. And know what he is capable of .He isn't a true conservative and his views change daily ..two months ago he could have cared less about abortion ...because it wasn't is his best interest. Being a Washington insider / lobbyist .and was on the take for over 100 million .
Better yet is the new book coming out: 'How I made my Millions in just 4 Years' by Barry Obama. Co-written by George Soros and staff at Goldman Sachs.
Sure to be a best seller from the FR minions!
@Amy
The Nobel was in reality awarded to America for having changed its foreign policy to ask questions first. Obama recognized this and did the right thing with the prize money.
Wow, Newt certainly does not seem to stimulate reasonable discourse here! The vitriol level on both sides whenever he is the subject rises to Palin-esque levels. Entertaining, indeed, but sad in a way.
This has really caught me by surprise, I did not see Mr. Gingrich becoming relevant in the GOP race. I am not a Newt fan in any way, shape, or form, and I do not think he is an appropriate candidate (an appropriate candidate so desperately needed by the GOP). Didn't support Mr. Cain either, but am completely burned out from the scandal plagued publicity storm his campaign deteriorated into. Not interested in another round. This is a presidential campaign, for crying out loud. Deserving of considerably more dignity.
"She turned me into a Newt!"
"A Newt????"
"Uhmmm..........I got better....."
"Please don't feed Kirk...
His appetite is insatiable! ;o)"
Wasn't that the name of a Porn movie????
Oh and ring around the collar...I do believe the discussion was about Newt and not Nancy. What's your point?...If they are in Congress they are all crooks and line their pockets? I'll agree that Nancy is crooked if you do the same about Newt..What say?
The Constitution states: "No title of nobility shall be granted by the United States: and no person holding any office of profit or trust under them, shall, without the consent of the Congress, accept of any present, emolument, office, or title, of any kind whatever, from any king, prince, or foreign state."
In simpler terms Amy, a sitting president cannot accept the gift.
Really? Who are these "senior conservative GOP members" and just where are they meeting? Will there be a press conference after they are done?
-
Oh boy, the RWNJ runaway trolls are out fantasizing again. Pennies for every RWNJ troll's fantasy. You do work hard for the money.
JoJo, the Nobel Committee is neither a king, a prince nor a state.
Oh my, it's been a very bad couple of days at Chuck's show.
Now I have been watching it everyday since it started. I miss Savannah, but she got to go to bigger and better things so good for her.
Yesterday was terrible - Chuck got beat down by Trump. Note to Chuck - don't make up crap you cannot defend. You called him, not the other way around. And you did it for the ratings.
But today was probably worse. Domenico's piece on Newt's cash was just a piss poor effort.
First it is very obvious that Dominico does not understand taxation, or more importantly for this, how various corporate and partnership entities are taxed, or how they distribute income.
In fact, I bet Domenico is like so many of you all - and has never read the IRC. So poor Dominico was 'unable' to figure out the flow of income, through the corporations, LLCs, and partnerships.
See gang most of the 1% derive income from multiple sources - 1099s, 1098s, K-1s, draws, bonuses and other instruments.
But man, it sure seemed like Domenico thought all the money Newt earned would be in his own name, not one of his many entities.
Come on Domenico, either bone up before you do the piece, or get on of the big brains over at CNBCto help. I want the show to succeed, but am starting to give up. Even the tools over at CNN have a better grasp on economic issues than you guys. And that's the bottom of the old barrel.
Cause they know what's up over there.
It's not certain that the Nobel Committee is not part of the Norwegian government.
Better to be safe than sorry, right ideo?
Besides, what person thinks Obama earned it after less than 60 days in office?
Kirk,
That sounds like a good idea, Kirk! Why don't you start doing some research. Dig deep! Take your time. A year, two years--take all the time you want. Then come back and tell us what you learned. (You might even uncover all the salacious details about the "10 feet of land" sale.)
We can't wait for all the revelations! Run along now.
Great post Jack. Keep'm com'in.
Go ahead and poke fun at Newt. He is merely the latest Republican in what now seems to be a never ending parade of clowns devoid of ethics. Granted, when it comes to political corruption, Gingrich takes lobbying and graft to new levels.
However, Gingrich will be shoved aside in just a couple of weeks, when the sordid truth of this clown of corruption trickles down to his supporters.
It's Ron Paul's turn to move up the G.O.P. popularity charts.
Do you guys understand hypocrisy at all? My point wasnt to support Newt because he is clearly a flawed candidate but that if we are going to throw stones lets throw them at everyone. If Newt has more baggage than Obama, I have no problem with point that out. But Obama isnt squeaky clean and the bar or ethical and monetary expectations we put on our candidates is pretty low if we excuse Obama's economic legacy and crony capitalism ties and failed economic policies both in Illinois and now nationally by saying "Hey Newt is worse". Is that really the best we can do? You guys are going to defend Obama based on the theory that Newt is a millionaire and made his money lobbying?
Looks like Democratic Party patriarch Bill Clinton had a good money making gig at MF Global. You know, Corzine's Wall Street company, at least until he ruined it:
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/jon_bubba_twist_2uQpRRaeEVM7RNVGelCojO
Kind of the same thing, right Dom?
Mr. Corzine may be able to shed some light on this arrangement when he testifies before Congress in the coming weeks, if he doesn't just take the 5th that is.
Would someone please define "troll" (within the context the word is used on this board)? Seems to me a catch phrase to dismiss a poster you do not agree with. Am I correct?
This looks like a job for FUX News!
It's not like the RWNJs and their noise machine haven't tried everything and thrown in the "Donald" as well.
Get a life will ya? Oh and why don't you take Jack's advice and run along now, your tin foil hat pals hang out on FUX.
Now I just know that our man Dominico is all over the news that Bill Clinton was earning $50k per month form MF Global.
Right Domenico?
You will be putting out with an in depth article on how it was that Bill Clinton was pulling down $50,000 every month from a company that just 'lost' $60 billion, and 'misplaced' $1.6 billion in client money.
Seems like that might be a fun one, right Domenico? Much easier for you than trying to track Newt's income stream through various corporations.
This one should be very simple and straight forward.
I can't wait for your article.
Kirk,
Your subtlety was lost on us, Kirk. We didn't realize that Newt's and Obama's "baggage" were in the same ballpark, much less on the same planet.
Good one Jack--I dont want to do the job that the media should be doing plus I really dont care. I could care less who Obama slept with or how he made his money no different than I care how Newt did. I would rather have a competent president that could actually lead this country out of its economic morass and someone who was fiscally conservative and not destroying this country's standard of living for our kids and grandkids than worry who they slept with and how they legally made money.
Big important issue re: payroll tax right now.
All of Washington and the media a flutter.
So where is Obama these days? Knee dep in negotiations? Furiously meeting with top officials from both sides to ensure the deal gets done?
Naa, he's gunning for a birdie on a tough par 5 right now. I understand the whole leading from behind, but golfing from behind?
Christmas vacation already? Man, must be nice, some 20 days out.
Jack, do you think its even relevant? Clinton had a ton of baggage both financially, morally and ethically including everyone in his first cabinet getting indicted and in my mind he was a great president. I am not a Newt fan and I am not equating Newt's baggage to Obamas, but how squeaky clean or not clean Obama is doesnt change the fact that he has been a horrible president. It blows my mind that we went from one really bad president and ended up with another really bad president for completely different reasons.
My point is this blog and its authors only try and find and personally attack every GOP candidate for any possible reason other than will they actually be a good president. Do you ever see them put an actual issue up that could be discussed? They cant because Obama doesnt have any successful issues to discuss so they use this blog to personally attack and try to invalidate the credibility of the GOP candidate for reasons other than would they do a good job.
AnaBanana-1782128
Well AnnaBanana, the general public will never know much about Obama since he has spent quite a sum of money to seal (HIDE) his records. The stigma is that there is something there that he doesn't want to be seen, doesn't it?
As for squeeky clean, no person walking planet earth meets this statement, everyone has something buried in the closet.
But then again, the media and the DNC really vetted this man, didn't they? And if someone questions his background, then you are a racist. Come on Banana, don't you find it interesting how the Moo received her Chicago job while rarely going to the office, or wonder how she lost her certification to the bar? How about how Barry lost his?
Ah, but that may be the way political business is accomplished in Chicago and within the DNC. But keep spinning the Barry story for in 2012 he's toast. Only on this site is he glorified.
You forgot to mention the Kochs! Oh, that's right, the Koch lover is the Bev. She's the one that loves the brothers.
Good question. Obama is rarely in Washington. Every new week brings another scatter brained economic idea from him that is more political than it is an overall plan for improving the economy. Obama is not a "People person" and he really doesn't understand what his job is or how to do it. He's clueless on getting things done and making a deal, instead he just brings his grievances to his adoring media who print his talking points verbatim and without question.
Obama is more of a speech maker, but only in front of hand-picked audiences. He's a terrific campaigner, bringing people to their feet with his gospel-preaching style of rhetoric. He sounds so good, but performs so bad. Obama doesn't appear to even like his job, he rarely performs it, preferring more to have photo-ops and pointing fingers at his political opponents (of which there are more and more everyday). Even his fellow Democrats in Congress don't much like him, and with their negative votes on Obama's preferred legislation, they prove that fact everyday.
So it's not just where is Obama, it's what is Obama.
nisl's post is real proof that the liberals deserve the moniker of libretards! :))))!
Spanky,
I am glad you watch Daily Rundown. It's a good show.
We did clip the Post article on Bill Clinton/MF Global here this morning: http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/12/06/9246891-obama-agenda-a-fair-shot-and-a-fair-shake
A couple of points though:
(1) Bill Clinton's not running for president
(2) There were plenty of stories about his and his wife's financial disclosures, including in 2008 when Hillary Clinton listed the speeches her husband gave.
(3) The story I did (and in a longer blog post last week), which you describe with quite unfortunate language, looked at HOW Gingrich chooses to report his income. There is a question of transparency. Again, it is to the letter of the law, which we acknowledge in the piece, but by common-sense standards, as Bill Allison from Sunlight points outs, perhaps not the spirit of the law.
The spirit of the disclosure is to be able to tell where money exactly comes from and for what services for voters to determine if there are any potential conflicts of interest. That's not discernible from his financial disclosure.
Thank you for reading and watching.
Domenico
Spanky:
You'll note that Domenico thanked you for your reading and watching. I note he didn't mention anything about your comprehension.
[I note he didn't mention anything about your comprehension.]
...or lack thereof.
What, no "conspiracy" talking point about Corzine? No Solyndra? No F&F? What about that Global Whatchamacallit Dealie you were on a bender about not too long ago? How about "tax code"?
Oh, wait...wrong thread...except for the "Corzine Conspiracy"...
Way. To. Go. "counselor"...adequacy, you say?
I'm sure YOU, of all people, can do a better job, right Lionel?
"Spirit of the law.'
Too funny Domenico, particularly when talking about the IRC.
Perhaps you can define the spirit of the tax code.
Oh Mickey Fast and Furious is blowing up. The idiots had to withdraw Their letter of denial to Grassely. How dog and pony can you get?
Don't worry Mickey - I'm here for you. Casue without me there is not you.
You are welcome.
[Perhaps you can define the spirit of the tax code.]
Yeah, cuz you know you some tax code...right Lionel? Or are you a journalist today?
Sorry it has to hurt so much, "counselor"...but I see you're posts are becoming more and more pointed...more than usual. I know, it doesn't hurt so much to be wrong, but when everyone, including the writers point out just how wrong you are...OUCH! Not a good feeling, right Lionel?
See, your "opinion" is just...wrong. Face it. Move on.
Remember what I said about adequacy?
Oh, and please stop stalking me...you're beginning to creep me out.
Good one, David!
Done in the sleaziest way possible, the Newt way:
As everyone knows because of his braggadocio, he got $60K per speech.
The Newt is quite the businessman, especially with his 'Entrepreneur of the Year' Award from his now dismantled Solutions for Winning the Future!
Send the Newt $5,000.00....and you get, and...well, just send Newt the money.
The Lodge, a topless club in Dallas thought they hit the Newt recognition button, sent the money.....then, .....sorry guys, Newt's got the money and afterall maybe you're not the entrepreneurs he outwardly can recognize!
Newts around.......Scam alert!
All this time I thought he built his empire by providing janitorial services to inner city schools and paying the help in Happy Meals. Of course, I'm sure his circus act of "Newt the talking salamander" can be quite lucrative as well.
Thousands of inner city poor kids in New York, yet, the altruistic dynamic duo of Newt and Trump will pick 10 for their program!
They just want to help.......The Apprenti Program......I wonder how the folk in New York City feel about it!?
TeaParty know how to waste everybody's money - paying the over inflated speaker fees of jacka$$e$ like Gingrich, Cain and Trump. Spend, spend, spend...
He plays the system for every penny it's worth and then wants to be President. I don't think so
lisa, the funny part of all this is the fact the GOP/TP says they don't want a Washington insider. Yet the man's business address is K Street. Can't get more insider than that!
"Those guys were the new kids on the block and 'isn't this wonderful' and 'boy it'd be great if it worked out' - and we don't know anything about them. I'm the guy that's been around forever." - Newt Gingrich
Just in case some don't remember Newt Gingrich I posted a story from 1997 below. This guy blamed his hard work as Speaker for his many affairs. Can you imagine how many more affairs he'll have once he is President. What a national security risk! Want to make corruption and adultery in the White House a front and center story for four years? Elect Newt President.
http://anastasia-1782128.newsvine.com/_news/2011/12/04/9212749-washingtonpostcom-ethics-panel-supports-reprimand-of-gingrich
Ana, if my hubby were to ever be that patriotic, he wouldn't have anything left to be patriotic with!
No honey, don't use that knife. It's for special occasions.
Like the patriotic 4th of July?
Hiding your benefactors behind a corporation is pretty much what the Supreme Court did when they granted freedom of speech to corporations. It just gets murkier and murkier. Now we have a corporation running for president.
Why was this man never neuwtered?
He is Newtered--that's why he has to buy all the jewelry and go on expensive vacations to the Greek Isles.
I pray every day now that Newt wins Iowa and South Carolina--before deeper scrutiny focuses on his depraved personality and past actions.
Hey First Read, Nancy Pelosi ordered that the mudslinging against Newt should be released "at the appropriate time".
You messed up. Timing is everything.
There's PLENTY more where this came from Bob :)
Not only that- this is a rerun. They ran this same story last week. Maybe they think the video will have more legs?
Tell ya what- do the same digging into how Obama made his millions.
Do some digging into the billions of taxpayer dollars he gave to his big dollar donors- and for what.
Who knows, you might even get some credibility back.
I'd settle for the DOJ to file a charge or two against Obama's "Man on Wall Street" Corzine.
Funny how that just has not seemed to hae happened yet, eh?
FR specializes in the Nya-Nya!! and "he hit me first" style of political discourse...
Or the Two wrongs make it alright school of morality...a school utterly devoid of credibility on either side. Two opposing parades each carrying the same DOUBLE-STANDARD...
Either everyone is held to the same standard or there is no standard at all.
Im sorry, dangerfield- did I miss some allegation of illegal means to Gingrich's wealth accumulation?
In the case of Corzine, over a billion dollars is missing from client accounts. That is clearly illegal.
So, what we have is a rerun article that seeks to impugn someone with innuendo because there is no evidence of wrongdoing.
That's sort of problematic for those of us who watch in horror as egregious violations of the law occur, willy nilly, in this administration, with certain members of the press telling us they cannot possibly cover any of it because reporting on the scandal du jour is beneath them.
Then they run an article on the possible extra marital peccadillos of any republican you can name.
I'm sorry if my wont is to put pins in the balloons of their egos by pointing out the egregious dereliction of their duties as embodied in the Conatitution.
Rest assured, I'll keep right on doing it, nonetheless.
All hail the double standard!...You are just another ideologue digging for nuggets one side of the goldmine when there is just as much to be mined from your own back yard.
Hypocrisy and selective outrage are hypocrisy and selective outrage whichever side of the ideological divide you come here to promote.
Corzine is a bum and a criminal, and a democrat. There are many others. There are bums and criminals who are republicans/conservatives. Their wrongdoings are THEIRS and not the crimes of the parties they belong to, so the political leanings of criminals and bums are important to ideologues with an ax to grind but as Ronald Reagan and Frank Sinatra, among others used to be Democrats BEFORE that were Republicans, and many republicans have morphed into dems over the years, it's HUMAN NATURE that determines criminality, not GENDER, not RACE, not RELIGION and not political philosophy, so unless you are here to
"put pins in the balloons of their egos by pointing out the egregious dereliction of their duties"
For all parties...you are singing to the choir and not reaching anyone else...
I understand your argument, dangerfield, but you seem to be missing the most salient point-
There is nothing in this article about Gingrich to be outraged ABOUT. Well, unless people earning money outrages you.
The POINT that Spanky and I were making is that this is a regurgitation of the same non-story from last week. There is no wrongdoing- so they use innuendo in an attempt to plant the idea that there must be wrongdoing-but they're just not smart enough to find it.
Meanwhile, they ignore completely the kind of wrongdoing the Constitution gives them the power to expose.
Sorry, that's not "my side good-you're side bad" pettiness. It's dereliction of duty- and the bias for the left leaves them feeling smug about their supposed superiority.
Incidentally, I've said before that I am uninterested in ANY politician's sexual mores. Check my archives- I'm on record, more than once- but took my stand on these boards during the Edwards fiasco.
The theft of public funds is quite another story. When some republican blatantly uses billions of taxpayer dollars to repay his or her donors, I'll decry that as loudly as I decry Obama's Dollars to Donors program.
Why? Because I DO have one standard.
So should the media.
Money is access in politics and my point about YOUR hypocrisy, or blind-spot, is that the TRADITION of big contributors getting sweet deals is a practice that is as old as politics itself but that your outrage is limited to the last 30 months or so, as if this administration is the most flagrant abuser, or even less credible that they INVENTED it.
My point has nothing to do with Newton's successful post-congressional career.
Money in politics is access, and access is everything. You're not naive and you're not unintelligent, therefore you must be blinded by you politics when you claim to have one standard.
The Obama administration is no better, but really no worse, or for that matter different from previous administrations in their "relationship" with their big donors. When "W" was president, the liberals here expressed the same sentiments you express now and were just as sure that they weren't applying a double standard.
So, as usual, you simple minded socialists are demonizing someone for being rich. Ho Hum. And you people better watch what you pray and wish for. Ignoring just how unhappy the nation is with B. Hussein Obama will only work for you people for so long. At some point you have to face it and realize that he is in deep, deep trouble politically. He claims that he needs "another term to finish the job." Unfortuantely, most Americans are waking up to the fact that what he means is, "I need one more term to finish the job of destroying America."
You sir have brain damage, it's as simple as 1 2 3.
Whatever you say Mr. Potter, whatever you say.
(Personally, I support the George Baileys of America, you know, guys who help angels get their wings.)
More like "Cranial Rectal Insertion Disease."
Why do RWNJ's always use the word socialist, communist, Stalin, Hitler, nazi, Hussein, Muslim to describe whoever disagrees with them? Must be some sort of issue with the brain. (Or lack of said organ)
Actually, you support taxing George Bailey for all he's worth after seeing that nice house he owns and he realized what a good life he has. Other people don't have such a good life so it must be George Bailey's fault. Tax him.
Amy misses the entire point of the movie
See, Frank Capra was an immigrant to this country who detested socialism- he also detested FDR. So, he took a three page short story that bears only slight resemblance to the movie- and used it as a vehicle to attack FDR.
Old man Potter IS, in fact, Roosevelt. The bank takeover, the constant striving to eradicate the "little guy", who thwarts his plans to have total control- heck, even the fact that Potter is wheelchair bound.
According to my grandparents, when the movie debuted, it was not all that well concealed. Folks in the theaters recognized the message very clearly. Most were not too pleased.
I'm really not surprised that so many liberals miss the point. If it isn't written in letters ten feet gal, and shoved under their noses, they just don't get it.
So, as usual, you simple minded socialists are demonizing someone....
----------------------------------------------------------
And DEMONIZING is WRONG, Take it from him...Unintentional humor is my favorite...:)
Oh come on NOJO, be fair to our gal AMY.
She like the guys who earn the angels the wings. The analysis is literally that simple.
Amy sees a tree. That is all.
Fact I bet Amy has no idea exactly how Corzine did it, or why it is so terrible horrible for her beloved team blue.
Yep Spankster, you hit the nail on the head! It's Team Red vs Team Blue, and the only time either of you see any fault is when it's with the other team...
And you debate with the same level of courtesy and respect as Team Edward vs Team Jacob, but those little girls have you all beat when it comes to maturity...
Good thing, and great comparison there danger.
I'm team Jacob.
Those abs are dreamy.
Now, if only we could get those little girls to pay their fair share of taxes, eh danger?
No Jo All Blow...You are a liar..No other way to say it. From the IMDB:
"Capra's philosophy, which has been variously described as a kind of Christian socialism (his films frequently feature a male protagonist who can be seen a Christ figure in a story about redemption emphasizing New Testament values) that is best understood as an expression of humanism, made him an ideal propagandist. He loved his adopted country with the fervor of the immigrant who had realized the American dream. One of his propaganda films, The Negro Soldier (1944), is a milestone in race relations".
Capra was much more complex than your portrayal..
You madam are a Poltroon of the first order.
Stop with the crap already!
He made the films "Why We Fight"to counter FASCIST propaganda...and to enlist the USA to ALLY with the SOVIETS...
----------------------------------------------------------
Why We Fight is a series of seven war information training films commissioned by the United States government during World War II whose purpose was to show American soldiers the reason for U.S. involvement in the war. Later on they were also shown to the general U.S. public to persuade them to support American involvement in the war.
Most of the films were directed by Frank Capra, who was daunted yet also impressed and challenged by Leni Riefenstahl's propaganda film Triumph of the Will and who worked in direct response to it. The series faced a tough challenge: convincing an only recently non-interventionist nation of the need to become involved in the war and ally with the Soviets, among other things. In many of the films, Capra and other directors spliced in Axis powers propaganda footage going back twenty years, and recontextualized it so it promoted the cause of the Allies.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Why_We_Fight
-------------------------------------------------
but NoJoe is correct that Capra and FDR were Frenimies...
Capra: Please, don’t get up.
[FDR sits in a wheelchair and does not seem to think this joke is funny.]
Capra: I’m kidding. I know that you’re in a wheelchair because you have polio, but people used to not know this about you.
FDR: Yes, I kept it a secret.
Capra: I was alive when you were the president and I know that you were elected to office four times.
FDR: I was popular because I got us out of the Depression.
Capra: Or in a way, World War II got us out of that, right? What with the job creation and everything?
[FDR mutters something under his breath that sounds like, “I’ll World War II you.”]
FDR: And you were popular because your movies made people feel good, right?
Capra: Exactly.
FDR: They play that one movie every year around Christmas because it’s such a happy family film, right?
Capra: That they do.
FDR: You know, except for the guy who yells at his family, goes out and gets drunk, and tries to kill himself.
Capra: Yes…except for that.
[Capra mutters something under his breath that sounds like, “Every time a bell rings, I’ll kick your @!$%#ing ass.”]
Capra: Lots of people think you were a socialist, huh? You know, because of the New Deal and how it was pretty much socialism.
FDR: I just had to do what was necessary to get the country out of a depression.
Capra: Yeah, just had to socialize the country.
FDR: I guess I did have to use a bit of socialism. If only government were so easy that just any idiot could go to Washington and get things done by giving sappy dramatic speeches on the floor of Congress. But nobody would buy that, right? It would be too absurd.
[Capra mutters something under his breath that sounds like, “I’ll march some dimes all over your @!$%#ing face.”]
FDR: Anyway, I should be going.
Capra: Gotta go round up some Japanese-Americans and throw them in camps?
[FDR pretends to laugh.]
FDR: No, actually I have to go blow Jimmy Stewart as a thank you for giving me a career. Wait, no sorry, that’s you.
Capra: Oh, I almost forgot, tell Eleanor I said thanks for last night.
FDR: Ew. Seriously? Ugh.
http://whimquarterly.com/conversation-pieces/a-conversation-between-frank-capra-and-franklin-delano-roosevelt
It's satire but indicative of their 'relationship"...
----------------------------------------------------
Joseph McBride's masterly, comprehensive and frequently surprising biography, "Frank Capra: The Catastrophe of Success," that the man who seemed to put the spirit of the New Deal on the screen was, in reality, a closet reactionary and a dogged Roosevelt hater.
http://www.nytimes.com/1992/05/03/books/it-wasn-t-such-a-wonderful-life.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm
Newt has no staff on the ground, but, is now rushing to put it in place. He never believed the T-pubs could screw it so good. what started as a book selling publicity stunt has, unfortunately, become a campaign.
HOW? I sure don't know.
At this very moment the senior conservative GOP members are meeting .. deciding what to do about Newt ...Most want nothing to do with him..because they have had the pleasure of knowing him 20+years now. And know what he is capable of .He isn't a true conservative and his views change daily ..two months ago he could have cared less about abortion ...because it wasn't is his best interest. Being a Washington insider / lobbyist .and was on the take for over 100 million .
The poor, poor GOP. They are having a bad year. Not a single candidate to run in 2012. Should we feel sorry for them? Don't think so.
Newt Gingrich, Nov 18: MSNBC is 'Essentially, the Obama Re-Election Team'
First Read, Dec 6: Newt is right!
Oh dear poor FOX, who to cheer for? Who will rise from the Muddle of Morons and carry the flag of blame it on lefties who don't use hairspray. Perhaps Newty? I understand Calista sprays him with Pam every night.
While wearing nothing but her Tiffany's tiara & some CFM shoes...
Kinky bastard isn't he? lol
Ewwww. Well there goes the appetite for lunch. Thanks Feisty for that picture. LOL
Feisty Redhead Roselle, IL
While wearing nothing but her Tiffany's tiara & some CFM shoes...
Kinky bastard isn't he? lol
After that Callista will try and say thank you in Newtspeak; but Newt will be busy stuffing his mouth
(Beating head on desk) Please, get picture of an oiled down Newt'rs peaking with Callista saying thank you out of my head.
@ phinephancy
Come on visions like that are every woman's dream..........still laughing, can't help it :)
While wearing nothing but her Tiffany's tiara & some CFM shoes...
Kinky bastard isn't he? lol
EEEEEEEWWWWW...MY EYES MY EYES....Stop with the visuals already!!!!
or stuffing the mouth of some poor staffer...
-Newtissa Pigg: I was shown a "good time" by mr. Blingrich!
Well GEE WHIZ, Bob thanks for helping to keep us all here together. Your very enlightening posts keep me on the edge of my seat.
Thanks again
You are welocme, Fuzzy, glad to oblige.
An MSNBC First Read diet of 100% Obama koolaid is not healthy; you may end up as wacky as Feisty.
Booby, you forget your prune juice today, didn't you? Shame on you, you know without it your brain forgets to function.
@Bob,
If that means I won't become a full fledged WACK JOB like most of the T-PUBS are, I certainly hope so :)
At least Feisty has a good sense of humor!
"as wacky as Feisty"
Well we can all dream but only some can achieve. Don't think you make the list BoB
newt is just a good old fashion huckster, plain and simple. he uses the podium to promote is own good. he has no ambition to be pres as he collects the millions in retirement donations.
Looks like FR hit the RWNJ nest (again)! Their out in force trying to redirect the conversation in force. Oh don't pay attention to the video or the topic... Yeah it's Obama's fault. No wait it's the DOJ and Eric's fault. No it's...
Oh Boy!
Thats because..............ITS ALL OBAMA'S FAULT!!!
Obama made Hermie do all those things
Obama made Mitt tie his dog to the roof of his car (for a twelve hour trip)
Obama made a rock hit my windsheild yesterday!
dang him!!
devie, it is the old Wizard of Oz syndrome. Do not pay attention to the man behind the curtain.
In other news, scientists have discovered another planet with conditions very similar to Earth. although it has not been confirmed, It's believed to be the home planet of both Michelle Bachmann and Gov. Rick Perry
Kirk-2957282
So now you have changed your argument to: Obama is as bad a President as Bush was, and we should just elect any old Republican, because he or she has got to be better.
Let us now discuss what constitutes a good President. I was one of those feminists who gave Bill Clinton a pass on his marital infidelities because he was a darn good President. What made Bill a good President? A) His ability to compromise on domestic issues. B) His willingness to work with NATO to remove the murderous tyrant Milosevic.
Which leads us to President Obama. Foreign policy successes, check, willingness to compromise on domestic issues, check. How in the world can you say Obama is a worse President than Bush, who neither compromised or succeeded? President Obama has done the best he could, with the mess Bush left behind, and active opposition from the right wing in this country. In fact, if you were objective, you'd have to say Obama has been a great President. If you think Romney or Gingrich could do a better job, you should make that argument - but their obvious flaws seem to indicate, they couldn't.
"I was one of those feminists who gave Bill Clinton a pass on his marital infidelities because he was a darn good President"
Amy, thanks for your honesty in admitting you are nothing but a Party hack and total hypocrite.
Hardly a whole hypocrite, Bob. To be an entire hypocrite, you have spend millions in taxpayers' money prosecuting a sitting President for infidelity, while cheating on your own wife.
Oh, snap, Ames -
Way to Serve big Bobby lotsanumbers!
They say this crap with absolutely NO SENSE OF IRONY whatsoever,...It is priceless.
Amy, I never changed my argument, I was being consistent the whole time. I realize maybe I was being too subtle with this hypocrisy thing. You really think you are being objective and I am not on these blogs? Come on seriously? I appreciate your candor on Clinton and I agree that his personal issues (I struggled more with his ethical issues more than personal and he had plenty of ethical issues too. His cabinet and his financial affairs prior to presidency were not at the level we should expect from a high quality president) didnt impact his presidential abilities. But my guess, every president since the beginning of time has been unfaithful at some point, we just caught Clinton. We seem to find out the truth after they are dead. As for Obama, I dont think he is worse than Bush and he is certainly more personally likable but he has been a failure in so many ways. For me its economically and his financial policies and yes you have rose colored glasses on. I am a fiscal conservative and have voted for many democrats including an independent John Anderson against Reagan so you cant make me a GOP troll as they like to call me. I dont believe Obama has had foreign policy success and in fact quite the opposite. He certainly has had success militarily but if you travel overseas like I do, you would quickly find out that Obama has not had any foreign policy success except to make us no longer a world economic superpower and loss of respect. Israel, North Korea, Iran, Europe, China have all been disasters for Obama and you dont notice because we are having so much economic trouble at home. As for domestic polices, what makes you think he has compromised? Where? If he doesnt get what he likes he signs executive orders or has cabinet positions execute his policies like the EPA. He has no understanding of the unintended consequences of basic financial behavior and he is dividing this country in class warfare that is not only wrong but unfair. He likes to point to a few bad situations to paint the hard working successful as bad. He wants equality of outcomes without equality of effort, investment or work. He wants to punish success and reward mediocrity by eliminating the concepts of self reliance and personal accountability. This concept of Obama compromising is such a joke because he hasnt offerred anything close to a compromise on his big government spending or real tax reform. Like he says, he likes to lead from behind. I truly dont know if Gingrich or Romney would be better nor do you quite frankly but in my opinion they certainly couldnt be worse from an economic standpoint.
Kirk
What the heck are you talking about? Do you even know what your problem with Obama is?
You make general statements like "Israel, Iran, North Korea, Europe and China" have been "disasters" for Obama.
Got news for you, American Presidents have been trying to forge peace between Palestinians and Israel since Nixon's era, and if Obama hasn't created a utopia there, at least he isn't any less successful than they were.
Got news for you, Obama inherited two wars, and he has successfully wound down one of them. When Republicans couldn't decide whether to accuse him of "dithering" on invading Libya, or of doing too much, Obama let France take the initiative, while providing air support, and Qaddafi, our decades old enemy, is now gone baby gone.
God knows how you think Obama was supposed to straighten out Europe, given how America's financial crisis, stemming from a decade of laissez faire attitude towards banking, contributed to Europe's woes, but I think he's done a good job managing the global crisis.
When Obama took office we were losing 700,000 jobs a month. That slide was halted by the stimulus, and now the economy is adding jobs. The big three American auto companies were on the verge of bankruptcy, and now they are turning a profit, for the first time in a decade. I think it's so strange Republicans don't count saving an American industry as a "win" for all of us.
God knows, what you people want.
Amy, respectfully we just come from a different point of view. You want him to be successful so bad it hurts and thats the part I dont understand. This visceral need for him. I could care less if its him or someone else, I just want it to work. You also act like I am similar to the Bush haters and I am not. I never said that everything Obama has touched as been a disaster just like I dislike Bush but give him credit for the things he did well. I have never criticized Obama's handling of Iraq or Afghanistan or the War on Terror. I think your world view of Obama in these countries is not consistent with how they feel and I do think he has tried to hard to appease the Muslim world at the expense of Israel and I think even he realizes that now. Some parts of his Libya strategy were ok but when he didnt broker a deal for their oil and allowed China to take it while doing nothing to help the resistance, it was another naive move on his part. I dont think Obama should straighten out Europe as I think he is driving us towards being just like them.
Amy, and as for the stimulus and auto industry I think you need to recheck your facts. I have never said the stimulus was a failure but it certainly was a pork filled payback to the unions across the country that did very little job creation and the cost per job was too expensive. It was poorly targeted and again he led from behind and let democratic congressional people dictate who got what as pork. As for GM, I got news for you but they did go bankrupt and all the government did was a poltical payoff for the unions by giving them ownership of the company over the lenders. Any chapter 11 filing and a plan of reorganization did was eliminate their debt. They were operating at a profit but were too highly levered and wow they make money when the debt is eliminated. The government didnt save the industry and nothing different would have happened except that the lenders would own the company and the business model might have been revised to better compete in the future when the next economic downturn hits. So no I dont count that as a win and I dont understand why the Occupy Wall Street Crowd isnt all over that because I thought they hated bailouts? Shouldnt they hate that bailout too? But even if you counted that as a win, its hard to see how 3 years later, the guy we have brought in to fix the mess has done anything but make it worse.
So yes I know what my problem with Obama is! Its called fiscal sanity and his lack of the principles of fiscal conservatism that has historically made this country great as I posted above.
Kirk
Fiscal insanity is what the House Republicans did in rejecting the President's offer to cut spending by historic amounts, egging the rating agencies to down grade America's credit rating in the process, all so they could say they protected the Bush era tax cuts, which have put us into this deep hole, in the first place. President Obama, on the other hand, risked the ire of Democrats who were afraid he was agreeing to too deep a cut in social programs. President Obama, it seems to me, is the one who was willing to make hard choices, which is what fiscal sanity used to mean.
What country cuts taxes while waging two wars? That a weird sort of "fiscal conservatism" in my opinion.
Objective economists say the steps President Obama took brought us back from a Depression. Why you think the conservative "purity" of not bailing out companies takes precedence over saving the whole system, is beyond me.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obama-gop-leaders-said-to-discuss-new-debt-plan/2011/07/21/gIQAT81BSI_story.html
Amy, not everything is so black and white and extreme on the edges. First you are painting me as if I agree that tax cuts are the answer. I dont. I agree that Bush should never have cut taxes, adopted the expensive prescription drug plan, passed the huge increase in education spending and put us into two wars (one of which everyone agreed with at the time) and also cut taxes. The tax cuts did create temporary stimulus and job creation but it wasnt long lasting. As I said before I am a fiscal conservative not a Bush supporter nor an Obama hater. I think we need to reform the tax code make is simpler, fairer and progressive. We should eliminate all special deductions, social engineering and loopholes and lower the rates. But we should do it in a manner that increases revenue so dont lower rates just to make it equal. In addition we need to increase taxes on all of us not just the wealthy. Half the people who dont pay income tax need to pay some but before you get all hot and bothered I think the wealthy should bear by the far the largest burden of any aggregate revenue increase.
Obama didnt make any tough choices, you are believing in the political partisan process. He was never willing to make any cuts that would really get passed it was politcal gamemanship that he knew Harry Reid wouldnt even take up for a vote. Dont you realize the games both parties play (yes I blame the GOP too) but Obama was never going to really go for cuts and never has. Do you realize that not one program has been cut since he has been in office even when they adopted the $100 billion spending reduction? They just reduced the rate of growth on some budgets. At no point as Obama put in front or advocated actual deep cuts (not rate of spending growth) to any budget item including social security or medicare.
Not sure why you think Obama brought us back from a depression as this country goes through economic cycles all the time and we had a housing bubble burst reducing GDP and it naturally was going to stop and level off. He may have played a part in stopping the slide but he hasnt done anything to fix any of the underlying issues but only has made them worse and has kept the economy from recovering since. I dont think the government should be in the business of bailing out anyone so not sure what you mean by taking precedence over the system. I dont have any conservative purity, I think our spending is going to reduce the standard of living for our kids and grandkids. I think someday in the future, you will see our kids rioting in the streets because of austerity programs here in the US as we have to reduce our standard of living to pay off our chinese debt. What do you think is going to happen here in Illinois when sometime in the next 10 years some democratic governor is going to say, Illinois is bankrupt as our promised benefits to the teacher's and other government unions is so much we cant fund it nor can we tax it to pay off these benefits so we are going to give all of you paycuts and reduced pension benefits. That will reduce the standard of living in Illinois and its just a small subset of what is going to happen nationally. And how do you think Obama has made that better over the last 3 years and how do you see him fixing it or making it worse?
So you were against the Bush tax cuts, but support "any Republican" who will surely view their election as a mandate to continue them. Obviously, you're not opposed that much.
It sounds like you have wiped away the memory of our financial crisis of 2008, when states couldn't pay teachers, cops and firefighters, and Obama got a stimulus passed to keep those people working - because to let the layoffs go forward would have deepened the recession, not shortened it, as conservatives like to believe.
I think what lies behind your anti-Obama stance is that you, like many conservatives wanted to see a widespread collapse of the American economy. It would fufill your dark vision of America going back to the land, folks defending themselves with guns, the whole "apocolyptic" wish fufilled. Your're mad that Obama stopped that from happening. Confess, now.
Amy, when you make comments like that you wonder why there is no compromise and so much rancor and bad feelings. Obama continues to campaign with rhetoric just like that which is silly because I could say similar things back with embellished rants about socialism and nanny state and how you want to create a country just like Europe where everyone just lives off the government. Lets differentiate social conservatives from people like me who are fiscal conservatives. Why would I want to put my children and myself at such economic peril by advocating a collapse. If Obama were successful with his programs all of us would be happy.
As for Bush tax cuts and mandate, what I hear from Romney etc is we need to reign in spending and reform the tax code. Yes they are against tax hikes without an overall fix and so am I. Its not that I am against raising revenue, I think we need to fix it in concert with spending reform otherwise congress wont have the will to do it.
As for the stimulus helping teachers, cops and firefighters--some of that is true especially for teachers and again I never said everything he did was wrong or not helpful. But lets look at the reality of many of those subsidies. For example, here in Illinois it was a budget gimmick and those funds really just subsidized unfunded union liabilities and not a single job was created. In other places, the cost per job saved was so expensive, they would have been much better off just cutting a check to everyone. Because Obama led from behind and let Pelosi and Reid design the stimulus it was more a political payoff and pork bill than a jobs bill. The stimulus in concept just like Obamacare in concept was good, but left to congress without leadership, they became badly designed legislation.
Amy, do you agree with everything Obama has done? Are you willing to look at things objectively? Can you see why its hard to compromise when your views are so slanted and you come at as if anyone who disagrees with you must be slanted and wrong?
"Nutty Newt" has never worked for an honest daily wage in his whole life. He has no clue about living in poverty, and struggling to feed his family. "Nutty Newt" has never has too struggle to pay for his education. He has a history of being a GOP Lobbyist, and taking money from anyone who is willing to give him it. "Nutty Newt" met with "Trampy Trump" and agreed to go on the GOP Clown Show sponsored by "Trampy Trump." This will not be a debate America! Now the rantings of "Lunatic Limbaugh" the "Moron With A Mic" is a GOP "Zombie." This goof like to hum to himself on the air. The Tea Begger's do alot of talking to themselves. The scary thing is that they like to answer themselves back. Mental illness America??? The clear answer is YES America!
A lot of the right wing believes that by pointing out the wealth of Democrat legislators they are making a case against them. Nancy Pelosi, Rengel, former president Clinton and Hilary, all of the Kennedy (deceased and alive)and President Obama, etc. are mentioned. And we all know they certainly are very wealthy people. Vice President Joe Biden, however,is the poorest of the White House Democrats. In fact there must be at least as many wealthy Democrats as Republicans. I have no doubt about that.
But what makes the difference between the Democrat millionaires and the Republicans is that the Democrats are willing to pay higher taxes and are trying to pass legislation that will even hurt their own bottom lines! Not so the Republicans. They are fighting tooth and nail to hoard every last cent of their own fortunes, refusing to do their fair share for this country. Meanwhile they are more than willing to foist more of the responsibility and tax burden off onto the weakest and most vulnerable citizens of the United States. The middle class. As president Obama pointed out so eloquently in his speech.
So right wingers. When the wealthy President of the United States speaks about raising taxes on the wealthy, he is talking about his own taxes going up. He's not crying and screaming that he deserves to keep every penny because HE EARNED IT. Instead he tells us that we've worked just as hard and we deserve to keep more of our money, and he acknowledges that we are in dire need of that tax relief. And when those "horrible socialist liberals" in Congress and the Senate vote to raise their own taxes rather than YOURS, that should tell you something about the right and the left. You don't see your right wingers voting their own TAX HIKE. Again, they'd much rather put that on YOU.
Wow. What a concept. The rich and wealthy law makers, paying their own fair share not only without complaint but willingly. At least those on one side of the isle.
The right wing media has you so boggled you don't even stop to think about what you are saying. Their talking points aren't working anymore because their flaws have been so clearly and thoroughly exposed. You'll have to find your own angle for backing up the Republicans plan to RAISE YOUR TAXES. You lemmings!
i'm not seeing where it makes much difference who is president, it the house, senate, and congress that need to be booted out and ban from politics forever.