Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Hello? Is this thing on?

Photo courtesy CBS News

Did you notice that Eric Cantor’s (R-VA) been in a heap o’ trouble ever since his debt ceiling–related conflict of interest was revealed?

That’s because he hasn't.

Since the story broke on June 27, I’ve heard virtually nothing on the radio and seen nothing on television about it. The all-powerful Obama/Pelosi/Reid machine has been silent. I just scrolled through ten hours of Facebook postings and not one was about Cantor.

I read about Casey Anthony, which is apparently the Most Important News Story of All Time, and saw a Yahoo “news” item speculating that Obama may drop Biden from the ticket next year. I saw something about the government shutdown in Minnesota and an article revealing where dictator Muammar Qaddifi can go if he decides to flee Libya. There was even an interesting Chicago Sun-Times editorial asserting that electric cars are right for America.

But nothing on Cantor the Creep.

He was the Republicans’ chief debt ceiling negotiator until he stormed out of a meeting like a petulant little boy on June 23 because Democrats were insisting that tax increases ought to be on the table. (Democrats have been pushing for an end to subsidies for oil and gas companies and people who make more than $500,000/year. House Speaker John Bonehead er Boehner has declared any and all tax increases dead on arrival in the lower chamber.)

Then it was disclosed that he stands to reap a small financial windfall from his investment in a mutual fund that does better if there’s turmoil surrounding the debt ceiling.

The Number Two Republican in the House – who owns a million dollars worth of real estate in Virginia and is therefore not too worried about where his next cup of Joe’s coming from – invested up to $15,000 in “ProShares Trust Ultrashort 20+ Year Treasury EFT.” If the federal government begins defaulting on its debt payments on August 2 and Cantor still has money in this fund, the value of his holdings will skyrocket.

When I posted a Facebook status update about this last week, one friend posted a one-word response: “Surprised?” My answer was no, I’m not surprised that Eric Cantor’s an ass. I am surprised that he doesn’t even try to hide it and no one seems to care.

Again, I have to point out that a Democrat tweets his meat and all hell breaks loose but another Republican is found to be sleazy and corrupt and unethical and no one bats an eye.

I’ve written before that nonpartisan economists predict disastrous economic results – including the likelihood of a double-dip recession – if the debt ceiling’s not raised. Apparently it wouldn’t be disastrous for Eric Cantor, though.

I don’t know how some of these dickheads can sleep at night. I really don’t.

***

I just read that the Yacht Brokers Association of America has come out against repealing federal subsidies for that industry after Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said tax breaks for yachts should be eliminated.

The association’s vice president, Joe McCann, pointed out, “These yachts can go anywhere they want and they're gonna go where it's most economically beneficial to go."

I’m not making this up.


Sources: Huffington Post, Salon.com

3 comments:

  1. I'm simply dumbfounded by what IS expectable, what is wrong with these people, they have been entrusted with a great responsibility and they just seem to be self-serving f**ks!

    I want to do well just like the next person but not at *the expense of others*.

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  2. What Casey Anthony did was nothing short of horrific, but the media acts like she is the first mother ever to kill her own flesh and blood, however this is nothing more than a distraction from the corrupt politicians ( mostly from the right )who convinced the public that they would fix things and now we find out it was all a load of crap, Cantor should be ashamed of himself for betting against a deal that could save America from defaulting for personal gain...

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  3. I am not surprised nor do I feel that anyone in government in general have any interest in the public, rather opting to buy into our ever growing greed. They would have us all dying to work for even below minimum wage so their bottom line increases. Why don't we hear about the republicans? Because they OWN 90% of the media! Of course it gets swept under the rug. They can stop it anywhere along the line they want. And they're all getting fat while we wither and eventually die to leave them in charge of the "making money for us" department. As one of my musician friends said today about the Casey Anthony verdict "Another sign of the impending Apocalypse".

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