pretty sure that President Obama is talking to an imaginary friend when he speaks now because he sure as shit isn't saying anything that a real person would believe.

Barack Hussein Obama has given a priceless gift: the failure of liberalism, and it's attendant fascism and Marxism.

Liberals are freaking out over the Tea Party because they fear such a huge and powerful movement of American patriots in the face of this colossal failure of progressive/liberal policies.

"Barack Hussein Obama has given a priceless gift: the failure of liberalism, and it's attendant fascism and Marxism."

You really need to get your isms straight. Also, BHO is as much a Marxist/Socialist/Liberal as I am the President of the United Federation of Planets.

"huge and powerful movement"
Lulz. 18-20% on a good day--yep, gonna take the country by storm.

I trust Barack Obama.

So that ass-hat talks for 8:21, and the market crashes by another 48.94 points... That's 5.86 points for every minute of bullshit.

I believe in him as much as I could any politician in this day and age, save maybe Bernie Sanders (he doesn't count cuz he's from Vermont, which we all know doesn't really exist.) However, I am getting tired of these pep talks. I know he has to do it. He's just doing it to stay on message so he can go back and do some real work for the rest of the day. But they are boring and completely predictable. I want him to get his mojo back. I think it'll be a few months yet and only after one more painful compromise. (Sorry it's coming and maybe more than one.) But as long as he stays low-key while everyone blows up around him, I think he can find his voice again and show real leadership once this debt deal is really done. Fingers crossed.

If you think you're AAA then you ARE AAA!!

(Good fucking god we are soooooo screwed)

I'm for political reform as much as the next guy, but you will not take away my drawing of lines in the sand!

Unfortunately, my 401k disagrees.

it's just S&P, right? did the other rating agencies downgrade - Moody's for instance?

By the way, Teapartiers, you are not a "movement." You are White, working class or middle class, overwhelmingly Christian, from small towns and rural communities and you resent the changes you've seen over the past 50 years in this country. In other words, you are the conservative wing of the Republican party. You gave yourself a new name because a bunch of racists in your midst were really pissed that Barack (gee, I wonder why you always mention his middle name?) Obama was elected. You don't have any intellectual or ideological consistency because you were silent for 8 years of the Bush administration when he rapidly expanded the federal government and sunk this country into debt with no end in sight. You were silent because you thought of him as one of you. What drives the bulk of you is your hatred of all things liberal. Like I said, nothing new.

Moreover, when I think of a teapartier, I think of "Joe the Plumber" who was angry because candidate Obama wanted to raise taxes on people making over 200 thousand a year, which unfortunately does include small business owners (they tend to get other tax breaks). The thing about Joe - he didn't make close to $200,000 a year, not even close. He probably would never make that much as a plumber, because he didn't even own his own business. He had money problems, heavy debt if I remember correctly. Yet, he identified more with rich people than people who use Medicaid, Pell grants, subsidized farms or other government programs, even though he might fall into the same tax bracket as them. He was holding onto the fantasy that he was just like the rich folk. It's the American dream through innovation, hard work and education; it's the dream through living vicariously. A pipe dream, so to speak, but it is one that is shared by many people in the tea party.

Fabulous day to be a bond trader, though.

#12 and that's probably the point.

@12 for most insightful

@10,

Moody's is threatening it.

Much more of this, I'll be in AA.

@2: Inkabunga wankee, pateesa.

#3 and #16 - Lord Basil is actually a satirical sock puppet. (I think for Fnarf, but I can't remember for sure) On his profile there used to be a link that gave it away, but now that link takes you to Hannity's web page. So yeah, not a real troll.

@19: The link was to thehardtraditionalist.blogspot.com, apparently Lord Basil's blog. One day a few months back, Fnarf found that the domain had lapsed, claimed it for himself, and filled it with good honest liberal ideas. Lord Basil, whoever he is, seems to have wised up (so to speak). But I don't think he's Fnarf's sockpuppet.

We don't need a friggin "pep talk". What we need is a President who will hand the Republicans their collective ASSES !

20 - Interesting, very interesting. After I found that link, it seemed to make sense that basil was just satire - I mean, no one is actually that stupid, right? But I guess someone really is thaat stupid. My faith in humanity is once again dashed. Thanks.

@20

Ideas may be good. They may be honest. If they're either and especially if both, they can't also be liberal.

No thanks needed for the correction.

@21, HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!! You funny...REAL funny!!!!!