I am trying to write more fiction these days. Still, you can't make this stuff up:
Let’s review why the little game Republicans are playing is so dangerous. If the debt ceiling is not raised by Aug. 2, the United States government faces default. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, a man not given to hyperbole, said Wednesday that the result would be a “huge financial calamity” — and the wound, he noted, would be entirely self-inflicted.
“Fairly soon after that date,” Bernanke said, “there would have to be significant cuts in Social Security, Medicare, military pay or some combination of those in order to avoid borrowing more money.”
I don't know what Eric Cantor and his lemming colleagues are doing. At this point, I just hope someone's smart enough to stand up and ask these clowns what in the hell they're doing.
"[H]uge financial calamity"? It's on their shoulders if they let it happen. Clowns.
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By the way, Beach Peanuts paints a picture of just how clueless hospital grifter and Governor Rick Scott really is.
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And speaking of Florida blogs, both Kenneth at the FPC and Mustang Bobby at Bark Bark Woof Woof will have some changes, while even more locally, Gulfport Watchdog is on hiatus.
It's always a good idea to keep your blog fresh, looking good. I haven't done a Political Newsclippings since February. I might do one again... maybe not. The Finally Friday and Almost Friday series, as well as the Off the Radar, seem to be doing okay, at least for me.
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Rick Santorum's presidential bid is in trouble.
As of June 30, the campaign managed to collect $582,000 in donations. But they've already used up $352,900, leaving him few resources to staff up, get on the airwaves, and organize supporters ahead of key events like Ames Straw Poll.
Give up now, Rick. It's not happening for you.
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In fact, Republican fundraising for the entire field is a bit anemic.
Bachmann, Michele: $4,000,000
Cain, Herman: $2,460,000
Gingrich, Newt: $2,000,000
Huntsman, Jon: $4,100,000
Johnson, Gary: $180,237
Paul, Ron: $4,500,000
Pawlenty, Tim: $4,500,000
Romney, Mitt: $18,250,000
Santorum, Rick: $582,348
That's in alphabetical order. On top with the money by a long shot is Mitt Romney with eighteen million and change. Next would be Tim Pawlenty tied with Ron Paul. After that, as you can see, it is Huntsman, but barely over Bachmann. And remember, two million or so of Huntsman's cash is a personal loan from himself. Bachmann loaned herself two million from her Congressional campaign.
Go ahead and bring to mind all the usual disclaimers: it's early, anything can happen, blah, blah. True enough.
But when it's this early, early money is important. The money is the leading indicator (true in pretty much every political race, actually; what did you think the EMILY in EMILY's List was an acronym for, anyway: Early Money Is Like Yeast -- it raises itself, ie, if you get early money, people are more likely to give you money later).
So who was the big fundraising winner this quarter?
President Obama. He raised $47 million on his own, and the DNC chipped in another $38 million. In other words, he's outpaced all his potential rivals... by a lot.
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Emeline update.
My baby girl is... well, not much of a baby anymore and a lot more like a little girl. She's 17 months old, nearly 18 months. You can ask me where that time went, but I could hardly tell you.
She's great.
Emmy is walking now, a lot. She takes some spills, but this is one resilient kid, a trait she gets from her mother, because I'm the biggest crybaby you ever met. She is using words, now, but just words. She hasn't quite made it to the sentence stage yet.
But that doesn't mean she can't communicate. Emeline will let you know what she wants, and you'll figure it out. That part is easier than I thought it'd be.
Every day is something different. I know that sounds like a cliche, like what you hear from every parent, and there's that part of your brain that just edits it, qualifies it, or throws it out. Oh, every new parent says that. Trust me, it's true. Her development is a daily thing, and it is by far the most entertaining, most fun thing I've ever done.
It's also the most challenging. I worry about her every day. We have a place to take her where we trust the person watching out for her. Emmy is happy there and is thriving. And a little piece of me dies every time I leave her there and walk out to the car (I'm the drop-off guy; it just works out that way with our schedules).
Emeline was a wonderful baby. She's turning in to a great kid. Her mother and I could not be more pleased.
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It's finally Friday.
I don't need to be forgiven.
It's only teenage wasteland.
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