Reason Morning Links: Gates in Pakistan, Obama Takes Aim at Banks, Gitmo Suicides

• Obama scales back health care goals, turns focus to new bank regulations.
• China's economy booming, in spite of recession.
• Obama loses Paul Krugman. Does this mean I should like Obama less or more?
• Robert Gates in Pakistan, urges crackdown on Al Qaeda, Taliban.
• Why is no one talking about the torture/suicides at Gitmo?

Comments

[adam]

Seeing Krugman so upset is so satisfying.

[Kyle Jordan]

+?

(The spam filter should be raped with a broken bottle.)

[Scott Brown]

We can do this!

[Corduroy Rocks]

I assume no one is talking about Gitmo, because, in reality, noone, including our left-minded friends who so vociferously condemned Gitmo a couple of years ago, really gives a sh*t. It was a convenient thing to beat Bush over the head with, and that's about all they cared about.

[Attorney]

This.

[@]

It's a matter of priorities. There are only 24 hours in the news cycle, and each story must be recycled, rehashed, taken apart, reassembled and spun dry. Brown and Haiti use up 23.5 hours. Not much left for the weather, Hollywood gossip and Gitmo.

[The Ghost of Bill Sparkman]

Hey, it could happen.

[Johnny Longtorso]

Only a handful of large banks would be the targets of the proposal, among them Citigroup, Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo. Goldman Sachs, the Wall Street trading house, became a commercial bank during this latest crisis, and it would presumably have to give up that status.

But w/o big banks, who will make 94% of the $6 trillion in CRA commitments like these 4 did?

[Johnny Longtorso]

Will Fannie and Freddie be kept small on "don't become too big to fail" grounds?

[Barney Frank]

Uh, let's keep rolling the dice!

[SugarFree]

I still megaloathe Krugman. He's just cutting his losses to hold on to some bit of pundit authority. It's like he ran out of burning house, barricading the doors and window behind himself and watching the people inside burn to death while begging for rescue and then telling the firemen who shows up to late "I told them to get a fire extinguisher for the kitchen."

But this is funny:

Maybe House Democrats can pull this out, even with a gaping hole in White House leadership.

More slips than Freud on ice skates. And he mentions Barney Frank in the next sentence.

[Kyle Jordan]

Again, +?.

[mark]

+1

[Rich]

Harry Reid ... made clear that Democrats did not see a clear path forward.

So, then how about they do *nothing*?

[Hank]

Does this mean I should like Obama less or more?

It simply means it's not to soon to go out and get your Hillary 2012 bumper sticker.

Progressive Canibalism - delicious!

[Barney Frank]

too soon, dumbasth

[Xeones]

More slips than Freud on ice skates. And he mentions Barney Frank in the next sentence.

EWW EWW EWW EWW EWWWWWWW

[Fluffy]

Although one reason that no one is talking about Gitmo is because now that Obama is in charge the "pragmatic" left doesn't give a shit -

One other reason is because even fire-breathers on the subject like me realize that no matter how much evidence is brought forward of criminality, nothing is going to happen to the guilty either way. So fuck it.

The problem is that people like our frequent poster John have decided that there is nothing that can be revealed about war on terror atrocities that will justify any punitive action against anyone whatsoever. When 40% of the public wouldn't care if crematoria and empty canisters of Zyklon B were discovered at Gitmo, and when that 40% will do whatever they have to do to make sure that nothing about Gitmo is even investigated, let alone prosecuted, there is really no point to talking about it anymore. The only thing you can really do is just say, "Well, if there is no law for them, there is no law for me either. Fine."

[Kyle Jordan]

Damn. Once more, +?.

You guys are on today.

[SugarFree]

Word up, Fluffy.

[Untermensch]

And these idiots act like it doesn't matter and it's all OK, even though we wouldn't sit still for an instant were the same thing being done on a systematic basis to our guys by another government.

The argument I hate the most is that "well, we do the same things to our guys in training so it isn't torture." Now I can point them to this article and ask them how many of our own soldiers have been killed by not-torture. And even so, the point of that training is to teach our soldiers to resist torture carried out by the other side, so just because we do it to our own side for a few hours doesn't make it not torture when we do it to captives for days and days on end.

I so badly want to believe in American exceptionalism, and then we pull things like this.

[????]

But because we only have rights by government fiat, this isn't a violation of human rights since the government says it's OK.

[Enjoy Every Sandwich]

Well said. The only thing I can add is that the "pragmatic" left not only doesn't care, they also are fearful of establishing the precedent that a president and his minions are actually responsible for what they do. They're afraid it could be catching.

[TrickyVic]

Pretty much describes the Bush admin too.

[mark]

Having just been to Yad Vashem last week, I find your reference to the holocaust hyperbolic... it's Gitmo not fucking Auschwitz.

[Fluffy]

Umm...of course it was hyperbolic. It was supposed to illustrate that the people who want to sweep this under the rug would continue to want to do so no matter how horrible the evidence revealed became. I made that illustration by making reference to the worst atrocity I could think of.

I was describing the mental state of those who don't want Gitmo investigated, and how far they would be plainly be willing to take their obstruction.

[hmm]

hyperbolic racist

[SugarFree]

SugarLinks?

Terrifying documentary on the early days of Steve Smith discovered.

Merkin News Update

[Warty]

This is not at all surprising

Motherfuck you for getting me to check Feministing occasionally, by the way.

[SugarFree]

How anyone could listen to that voice for more than three seconds is fucking beyond me.

[SugarFree]

And now a word on the Gay Marriage issue from the horrific apparition of Cindy McCain.

[Warty]

I was just thinking that that's the best picture I've ever seen of her.

[SugarFree]

Well, now that she's been lost to The Rage Virus, someone's going to have to put her down with a headshot. It might as well be you.

[Warty]

Well, if she's all taped up and harmless, we might as well throw things at her for a while.

[brotherben]

My gawd! between her and Miss Nancy, my arms are gonna fall off.

[Johnny Longtorso]

Speaking of Barney Frank....

Last Night on Late Night: The Masturbating Bear Returns

[P Brooks]

I pictured that Krugman post as being hand-written (in purple ink), on a tearstained page torn from his diary.

Maybe Barney Frank will come over and give him a backrub.

[SugarFree]

Maybe we should all share a sexual experience that we think others might learn from.

Nothing could go wrong with that, right?

[Warty]

How anyone could listen to that voice for more than three seconds is fucking beyond me.

[SugarFree]

Sweet fuck! My ears! I didn't watch the video. Warty, you madman!

[Kyle Jordan]

She sounds like that chick from Coming to America that wanted to act and sing and direct and dance and do every fucking thing under the sun.

[Kyle Jordan]

Ok.

Gaffers tape does everything Duct tape does and leaves far less residue.

[SugarFree]

If you like her, don't get a blowjob when you are drunk and have a full bladder.

[Nick]

OK, my work is blocking feministing now due to it being "Advocacy Groups." Really?

[SugarFree]

But not Reason? Bizarre.

[MattXIV]

If you're getting a bj while driving, make sure there aren't any sharp turns ahead when you climax.

[P Brooks]

Rear Adm. Harry Harris, then the commander at Guantanamo, not only declared the deaths "suicides," but blamed the victims for "an act of asymmetrical warfare waged against us."

res ipsa loquitur

[Mike M.]

I truly feel sorry for Krugman's therapist.

[WWJGD]

I truly feel sorry for Krugman's therapist the Craigslist-casual-encounters boy-whore that he rapes and strangles in a filthy motel.

FTFY

[Naga Sadow]

Krugman's alter ego is Steve Smith?

[SugarFree]

Krugman is a utterly human monster. All too human.

[casual encounters boy whore]

We use a very nice motel.

[Xeones]

I truly feel sorry for Krugman's therapist.

How anyone could listen to that voice for more than three seconds is fucking beyond me.

[Warty]

HEY BUDDY WHY DONT YOU JUST IRON MY SHIT

[P Brooks]

KNOCK IT OFF, YOU FUCKERS!

[Hank]

Or, come over and fuck Krugman's cat.

[Hank]

To above P Brooks comment.

[Warty]

Gratuitous 80s metal video of the day

[Kyle Jordan]

That's fucking right.

[Nipplemancer]

greatest baseline ever.

[Almanian]

Perfect choice

[ben tej]

The palpable self-flagellation in the comments on Krugman's article is fantastic.

[Attorney]

"Democrats asked for too little, and waited until too late."

No comment necessary.

[hmm]

The self realization in this one is great.

I was baffled at yesterday?s results. Of course, I tried to find some kind of relief in the thought that things would be speeded up before the new senator comes in, or the House accepting the bill as it is.
Now I have to hear the President say that he will settle for less than he has in his hand at this very moment. I?ll be damned.
Not a very Hillary Clinton thing, I would say ... Maybe?
Not a doubt about the fact that I am an idiot, though. And I have company.
What is happening with this country?

[ben tej]

Plus there's the bonus rhetorical question at the end. Is it in reference to the first sentence or the last sentence of the comment?

[R C Dean]

Now I have to hear the President say that he will settle for less than he has in his hand at this very moment.

What was that about Freud on ice skates?

[Joe M]

Yes! Yesss! Oh, let me taste your tears, Paul! Mm, your tears are so yummy and sweet! Oh, the tears of unfathomable sadness!

[P Brooks]

President Obama on Thursday will publicly propose giving bank regulators the power to limit the size of the nation's largest banks

Has anybody told Sheila Bair?

[Marc]

It's about time that banks were subjected to some kind of regulation.

[R C Dean]

I know, Marc. Its just shocking that we've gone all this time with this wild west banking, operating completely without any government oversight.

[Pro Libertate]

It's funny. I used to be paid good money by Washington Mutual to interpret tons of laws, regulations, vague staff commentary, etc., thinking that all of those regulations were government issued. Must've been wrong about that.

[Marc]

I was thinking that they should have at least one regulator for banks, another for thrifts, and possibly one dedicated to oversight of Fannie and Freddie. Also the Fed could have some kind of supervisory role, and there should be someone watching banks whose deposits are insured.

[Pro Libertate]

For federally chartered institutions, you already have the OCC for national charters and the OTS for thrifts. Not to mention other federal regulators like the Federal Reserve, the FDIC, NCUA, etc. Further not mentioning state regulators.

[Marc]

Paging ProL, please turn up the power on your snark detector...

[Pro Libertate]

I thought as much, but I thought it was worth noting the SHITLOAD of regulatory oversight in banking today.

[Marc]

I agree. I work in banking, and I can't keep the regulators straight, let alone the regulations.

Then again, I don't try that hard.

[TP]

I don't think it's been decided exactly who is going to get the new regulatory power. Although, I'm sure she's been lobbying hard on her own behalf.

[hmm]

Damn. Looks like Krugy is more prone to self pity than rage. I was hoping for a tirade of mouth frothing stupidity. Instead I get a whimpering sniveling surrender.

I guess that will do.

[When You've Lost Germany...]

DER SPIEGEL: The World Bids Farewell to Obama...

http://www.spiegel.de/internat.....92,00.html

[Pain]

German commentators say it is the end of hope.

I see hyperbole is not just an english word.

[Tulpa]

You know who else was a leader Der Spiegel bid farewell to...

[Pro Libertate]

Franz Beckenbauer?

[Chris]

"Does this mean I should like Obama less or more?"

Hate is not a zero-sum game.

[The Norwegian Nobel Committee]

Shit!

[SugarFree]

I sure hope no one posts a link to this thread in the comments on Krugman.

[Max]

The Democrats can't be seen being against the murder of innocent people. That's exactly the Jimmy Carter cry-for-the-children weakness that they've been trying to overcome all these years, so they can gain power and pass health care...er, never mind.

[WWJGD]

Did SCOTUS just strike down McCain Feingold?

[Johnny Longtorso]

You read Instapundit too?

[WWJGD]

Nah, C-SPAN ran it along the bottom.

[Pro Libertate]

Holy shit.

[Pro Libertate]

I took a quick look. They are actually hitting the undo button on previous decisions, because of the fact that they can't make a narrow ruling for this case without unduly chilling protected speech.

Holy shit!

[Pro Libertate]

It's not all dead, either. I've only skimmed a summary, mind you, but it looks like the disclosure and disclaimer requirements remain, which, of course, are the least offensive (Thomas dissenting alone on those--sounds like he may be saying the whole law should go).

[P Brooks]

*glares menacingly at Sugarfree*

[SugarFree]

*ignores someone as menacing as an American Girl doll*

[brotherben]

Here is the SCOTUS ruling. yup it's a PDF thingy.

[CoyoteBlue]

Hudson: That's it man, game over man, game over! What the fuck are we gonna do now? What are we gonna do?

http://theplumline.whorunsgov......nate-bill/

[P Brooks]

HEY!

I'm at least as menacing as one of those Bratz doll thingies.

[SugarFree]

Well, they are pretty disturbing.

But it's really boys who should be playing with the over-dressed, money-wasting, vapid whore dolls with the dead eyes to give them the life skills to avoid an unhappy marriage.

[R C Dean]

Whoa, SF. Too much information, dude.

[Johnny Longtorso]

Hate is not a zero-sum game.

Feel the hate....let it make you strong....

[Xeones]

By the way, y'all can all swing on my balls for not getting my Dic(tator) In A Box reference in yesterday's morning links.

VALIDATE ME GODDAMMIT

[Warty]

I got it, Xeones. Quit your blubbering.

[SugarFree]

X,

I gave them Sasquatch genital mutilation and Xena merkins and got squat. They are an ungrateful lot, worse even than my mother.

[Mike M.]

Nancy Pelosi has just delivered what sounds like the official eulogy for the travesty that is the Senate health care bill.

[Pro Libertate]

You know, it's funny. I once thought Gingrich was a poor Speaker. Now he seems like a friggin' genius. How Pelosi ever got the job is a mystery, but how she's holding it is even a greater one.

[Mike M.]

She could have been the reincarnation of Sam Rayburn and it wouldn't have made a bit of difference. She had a tough task with that bill even before Tuesday night; once Brown won there was zero chance of it passing.

[alan]

And now a word on the Gay Marriage issue from the horrific apparition of Cindy McCain.

She has the eyes of the white wolf! The most evil of the lycanthropes!

Still would do her though.