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REWIND - A Week of Quotes & Cartoons SUNDAY Quote of the Day December 12, 2010 'On the third Wednesday of every month, the nine members of an elite Wall Street society gather in Midtown Manhattan. 'The men share a common goal: to protect the interests of big banks in the vast market for derivatives, one of the most profitable - and controversial - fields in finance. They also share a common secret: The details of their meetings, even their identities, have been strictly confidential. 'Drawn from giants like JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley, the bankers form a powerful committee that helps oversee trading in derivatives, instruments which, like insurance, are used to hedge risk. 'In theory, this group exists to safeguard the integrity of the multitrillion-dollar market. In practice, it also defends the dominance of the big banks. ' New York Times December 12, 2010 http://tinyurl.com/24octxk Toon of the Day http://tinyurl.com/2exvsuz A GOP Xmas Carol Rob Rogers MONDAY Quote of the Day December 13, 2010 'The federal stimulus bill saved or created more than 3 million jobs, and states received some relief to help them cope with falling tax revenues. But federal dollars are fading long before we've solved the unemployment problem. 'But now much of the conversation in Washington is turning to paring back spending, rather than focusing on job creation. Washing our hands of the problem of high unemployment won't make it go away. We need to demand that our elected leaders continue to focus on job creation - and not accept the notion that they can't solve the problem.' Heather Boushey, a senior economist at the Center for American Progress. Boston Globe December 13, 2010 http://tinyurl.com/28knomo Toon of the Day http://tinyurl.com/29gvyo8 Scam Ben Sargent TUESDAY Quote of the Day December 14, 2010 'The student protesters of this winter of discontent are my heroes. Instead of giving up on politicians who failed to deliver their promises on tuition fees, the students have been galvanised into action. Their demonstrations and occupations are the antidote to the cynical bile that is spewed out on internet forums against anybody who dares challenge the notion that free-market capitalism is the answer to all our problems' Billy Bragg.English alternative rock musician and activist Guardian (UK) September 14, 2010 http://tinyurl.com/2wrj3cs Toon of the Day http://tinyurl.com/2c66b5h Happy Holidays Tom tomorrow - Salon WEDNESDAY Quote of the Day December 16, 2010 'The problem, of course, is not finding the person who can forge a compromise, but locating the terms. In the past, there was always a policy that needed to be decided, comprised of terms that could be negotiated. But here the decision has been reached, and it is the decision that is causing controversy. The election of Abraham Lincoln is a baby that cannot be halved. 'Which is perhaps why on both sides the men who are showing the strongest leadership are the men who have little or no interest in compromise. And this week, the most effective of those men was a private citizen from Springfield named Abraham Lincoln.' Will the North Compromise Or Hold Fast? By Jamie Malanowski New York Times December 12, 2010 http://tinyurl.com/25apmcf Toon of the Day http://tinyurl.com/26luef3 All We Want Tom Toles - Washington Post THURSDAY Quote of the Day December 16, 2010 'Yet another study has been released that proves that watching Fox News is detrimental to your intelligence. World Public Opinion, a project managed by the Program on International Policy Attitudes at the University of Maryland, conducted a survey of American voters that shows that Fox News viewers are significantly more misinformed than consumers of news from other sources. What's more, the study shows that greater exposure to Fox News increases misinformation.' News Corpse December 13, 2010 http://www.newscorpse.com/ncWP/?p=3409 Toon of the Day http://tinyurl.com/29hp6t3 Grinch Rob Rogers FRIDAY Quote of the Day December 17, 2010 'Not many senators in Congress can claim in their time to have made C-Span, the cable equivalent of BBC Parliament, the hottest topic on Twitter. Such was Bernie Sanders' achievement when he spoke for eight and a half hours on the Senate floor. His fire was aimed at President Obama's Faustian pact with the Republicans which allowed the Bush tax cuts for the rich to continue for two more years. It was not technically a filibuster because Mr Sanders did not hold up Senate business. But he did generate an audience for his principal theme that America's besetting sin is to make the richest people richer still. And a marvellous performance it was too. It was not simply that he spoke from the heart. It was also that he was manifestly and abundantly right. One of the worst elements of the deal was an estate tax that would affect just 3,500 families. Government of the people, by the people, for the people ? Hardly. Mr Sanders is sui generis, as is the state of Vermont, which he has represented for 20 years. In a nation where liberal can be used as a term of abuse, he has no hesitation calling himself a socialist. He is an independent but caucuses with the Democrats and has been an Obama supporter. For all these reasons, no one should kid themselves that the Democrats will turn as a result of this intervention into a progressive party. But in a climate where congressmen are expected to mouth the lines their funders feed them, Mr Sanders reminds us that there are still people around who refuse to be bought.' Editorial The Guardian (UK) December 15, 2010 http://tinyurl.com/25ujbuq Toon of the Day http://tinyurl.com/26cgcrg Principles Tony Auth - Philadelphia Inquirer SATURDAY Quote of the Day December 18, 2010 'On the Today Show Friday, American Express gave a million dollars to Donors Choose, the nonprofit that lets teachers seek funding for school projects, supplies and initiatives they otherwise can't afford. It's a sexy charity that gets lots of buzz and does much good work, I'm sure -- letting citizens scour the site for projects they're interested in sponsoring via small donations is creative and wonderful. 'And yet...something about the entire enterprise depresses me. Seeing Amex's smiles and oversized check atop news this week that the Los Angeles school board will allow schools reeling from years of budget cuts to seek corporate sponsorship for sports and arts facilities, it all strikes me as markers of American decline. What kind of country relies on these mechanisms to deliver what most would say are the basics of decent public education? Wouldn't an alternative be to figure out what we think decent schooling involves, and then actually find sensible ways to fund that (and to cut other spending in the education blob that doesn't fit the bill)? Especially in California, where we've gone from near the top in per-pupil funding (and school quality) three decades ago to near the bottom among states today (and abysmal achievement), the prospect of middle school soccer fields "brought to you by Nike" doesn't exactly make you think our best years lay ahead.' 'Another sign of American decline?' By Matt Miller Washington Post December 17, 2010 http://tinyurl.com/26fzjr4 Toon of the Day http://tinyurl.com/2eassqr Weighed Down Stuart Carlson ___________________________________________ Portside aims to provide material of interest to people on the left that will help them to interpret the world and to change it. Submit via email: [log in to unmask] Submit via the Web: http://portside.org/submittous3 Frequently asked questions: http://portside.org/faq Sub/Unsub: http://portside.org/subscribe-and-unsubscribe Search Portside archives: http://portside.org/archive Contribute to Portside: https://portside.org/donate