How did we get here?

If you’re one of those wondering how we ended up in the current banking crisis, you should take a look at my friend Bill Heisel’s stories on mortgage provider IndyMac. Which, incidentally, was the bank that financed my first house. Now I’m even more glad we sold and paid off our loan before everything went [...]

Walt Wins

I covered Walt Minnick’s political debut back in 1996, when he ran against men’s-room superstar Larry Craig. He was a good man who got involved in the race to try to make things better. He got trounced.
Now he’s Idaho’s newest congressman, beating a right-wing dipshit named Bill Sali for the 1st District Congressional seat in [...]

Better Angels

In 1994, I covered the mid-term elections from cheesy hotel ballrooms in Boise, Idaho, before running back to a drafty office to input my thoughts on an ancient Mac. I was stunned at the march of Newt Gingrich and his Contract With America crew across the whole country. I was in Washington D.C. the night [...]

A Good Day

Will you look at that.
The good guy won.

I May Have Been Wrong

Don’t get me wrong. I don’t think it’s going to be all free blowjobs and ice cream if Obama wins…
At least half of that sentence has already been proven false. Ben & Jerry’s is offering free ice cream to voters on Election Day.
So, you know, fingers crossed.

No Comment Required

This Fucking Election.
Hold your nose and vote. For better or worse, it’s almost over.

Why I Back Barack

I’ve been watching the conservative movement — which has ruled the public discourse in America for most of my life — completely melt down over the past few days. There are insane predictions, vicious slanders, and of course, comparisons to Nazi Germany.
All because Barack Obama is probably going to be elected President.
(Note: this doesn’t mean [...]

Heavy Chatter

In 1995, I still lived in Boise, Idaho, at the height of the militia movement. I listened, every day, to AM talk radio. Aside from the usual right-wing blowhards — many of whom are still with us — there were a couple local hosts who were big fans of the militias. One in particular could [...]

Everyone Wants To Be Trendy…

First it was Christopher Buckley. Then Christopher Hitchens. Now that Colin Powell and Scott McCellan have joined the Obama bandwagon, there’s a stampede of conservatives who want it known they’re endorsing the Democratic nominee for prez. Including one guy who was a McCain adviser and a former Reagan administration official.
This week, Fried announced that he [...]

Easy Credit Terms

Remember that $700 billion bailout? Supposed to rescue the economy by encouraging banks to make new loans, get everybody moving again?
Yeah, someone should have told the banks. From today’s New York Times:
On the contrary: at another point in the conference call, the same executive (who I’m not naming because he didn’t know I would be [...]