Yesterday the Obstructionist Party of a Vengeful God kept California from accepting over $2.5 Billion in Federal stimulus money which would have extended unemployment benefits for 20 weeks. California's unemployment rate is 10.1%. The vote in the California Assembly was one vote short of the super-majority needed to accept the money. All Democrats and 2 Republicans voted for the measure. The Republicans swear that they love the idea of helping the unemployed. They were just afraid that there might be flaws in the bill or, in my favorite comment, worried that the aid for people hurting NOW, "might raise costs [...]

It's time for the government to use its ownership muscle to fire the Board of AIG.  These folks ran the company into the ground. They begged for taxpayer money. Then they agreed to give multiple millions of dollars in bonus money to their employees (who would be out of a job completely if the taxpayers hadn't ponied up). Damn it. These managers just don't get it.  They're still paying bonuses to people who failed. Yeah, not everyone screwed up.  And, there's the argument that you want to retain employees so you have to pay them competitively. But, here's a thought.  [...]