The American people should be required to read "The Cloward-Piven Strategy" ( you can Google it, to see exactly what our new president has in mind! It will open their eyes! If not, shame on them!!

are you serious, we are in a recession and the state of illinois can spend 10.5 million to come up with a mascot for olympic games that may or may not even be there, how much of that bailout is wrapped up in that.

Over the years i've used my homes to refinance and pay off bills. Now i rent and am on a fixed income. I've got myself caught up in way to much credt card debt. It's my own falt but now i don't know what to do. How or who can i talk to that i can trust to possibly get a debt consolidation loan. My credit is good but money is tight. I need an unsecured loan. HELP me please.

You are the new Bill O'Reilly. You spend way too much time patting yourself on the back for representing the "new journalism." If "new journalism" means not at all objective and obsequiously favorable to President Obama, perhaps you do represent the new journalism. The show is a joke!

Your unwillingness to allow people to complete their though without you inappropriately and embarrissingly interrupt them makes it too uncomfortable to watch your program.

RICK HERE'S A POEM THAT REFLECTS THE TIMES

MY BROKER

I CHECKED MY PORTFOLIO
AND WHAT DID I FIND,
MY INVESTMENTS WERE SADLY
LAGGING BEHIND.
THE MARKET WENT UP,
THE MARKET WENT DOWN.
LIKE A ROLLERCOASTER
IT BOUNCED ALL AROUND.
RECESSION, DEPRESSION
WHAT INVESTMENT IS SOUND?
HAD MONEY, HAD NO MONEY
I WAS STARTING TO DROWN,
DROWN IN RED INK,
PULLING ME DOWN.
WOULD THE MARKET
EVER REBOUND?
MY BROKER SAID,
"HERE’S WHAT I THINK,
TAKE OUT YOUR BLENDER,
MAKE YOURSELF A DRINK.
TOMORROW WILL BE BETTER,
BECAUSE TODAY REALLY STINKS."
SO IF YOU CALL YOUR BROKER,
AND HE GIVES YOU ADVICE.
MAYBE YOU BETTER THINK TWICE,
BECAUSE A DRINK IS PROBABLY,
THE BEST ADVICE.

Tomas Pullis NY 2009

I have never really written to a news media but I had to comment. I am a 42 year old white women that loved Princess Diana. Sad sad day for me when she passed away, I Idolized her I said to myself that there will never ever be anyone that can replace her and I have to say.... Michelle Obama is the next Princess Diana. Mrs. President Walks like a Statue, Beautiful women she is. She graces the magazines and life just like the princess did, Loves Children you can just see that in Mrs.Obama's Eyes and shes so true to her heart. I just wanted to express myself to someone. and thanx for reading this. I am so proud to be an american and watching our New First Family.

Hey, good one for you – (edited)
My Name Is Not Molly: Shocking Confessions of a Mormon Democrat

Awww Rick. We here in Massachusetts think of 3 inches of snow as a "dusting" LOL. We are going to get snow for 3 days. Some places a foot to two feet of snow. We laugh at the south for getting all out of joint for only an inch or two.

how about stimulus package for the octomom?

Rick, can someone please report on how the unions in this country are helping drive costs up in the educational field. This includes the teachers union and the construction unions. Here in New York, public school construction jobs must pay prevailing wage rates which are 35% to 50% more than non-union rates.
Teachers in Long Island NY are some of the highest payed in the North East.
Why can’t some report about the saving we could generate in the educational budget if thes unions where put in check and not have to be cattered to.

Rick,
How about asking viewers what they think of McCain agreeing with
Pres. Obama on Afghanistan?
McCain in my opinion is agreeing because he is seeking re-election.
He stated 100 years in Iraq now going with the wind (again).

I realize this type of thing is fun, and certainly a lot cheaper than actually reporting news, but it does this country no favor.
A Democracy can only exist in the presence of an informed electorate. You're making damned sure we don't have one.

I BELIEVE I HEARD YOU SAY YOU WERE BORN IN CUBA-GIVE US ONE HOUR OF YOUR LIFE AND THE COUNTRY OF CUBA. IN 1946 MY WIFE AND I SPENT OUR HONEYMOON IN MIAMI AND HAVANA, CUBA. I REMEMBER THERE WAS GOOD FOOD AND BEAUTIFUL MUSIC EVERYWHERE. IF OBAMA WOULD LIFT THE EMBARGOS ON CUBA, WE WOULD LOVE TO SPEND OUR 65th

Bush's 2008 Budget was 2.9 Trillion, plus the TARP, 700 Billion equals 3.6Trillion. Iraq 1.5 Trillion. GOP SHUT UP already.

Rick liked you in Miami Love you at CNN.Why dont we have pay back from Iraq?I believe Iraq can now pay U.S.A. for the present security,or even some of the past costs.We need and deserve the money now!
Seymour Friedman
Pembroke Pines,Florida

I think Mr Obama needs to look at the property taxes issues also when all the mortgages scams your going on appraisers jacked up prices on real state that caused taxes to go up and the houses re not worth what they appraised for but it was good for realtors state goverment and appraisers but know I got a 5400.00 annual tax on a property that is not worth 396000.00 as it was appraised 3 years ago people are going to start losing their homes do to high property taxes .

i am a recently out of work natural gas employee ,i've put alot of money back in the economy now i can't do that.alot of people i know can't do that anymore,but now there about to lose their homes and everything.

According to the paper President Obama’s plan will increase taxes on those couples who make over $300,000 by $1,100 per year. After listening to Fox news I am concerned.
1. Will this assure their eligibility for food stamps?
2. Will it earmark a better place in the unemployment lines?
3. Will the free, pork-barrel, health clinics empathize with their problems?
4. Will their Volkswagon bus condos be repossessed?
One fox commentator really focused my awareness on the inequity of his plight. He indicated that he would definitely have to cut back on tips to his doorman.
He stressed the importance of the trickle down principle—you know that’s the one that says, if you feed the front end of the horse enough oats, what comes out of the back end will allow sparrows to muddle through and scratch out an existence —provided they can stand the smell.

How creepy is it to view Rush Limbaugh in an open neck at the CPAC convention? He is no hotty...what was on his mind? Perhaps he thinks of himself as the cool side of the Republican Party, but I have my doubts.I guess I'm more old-fashioned than I admit, but where is the tie? I'm sorry, but he is no super star....he gives me the creeps in any venue, but particularly in attempting to look like something he is not.....he is a bigoted self promoter of the highest caliber and certainly the last person considered to be a rock star...ick!!!!

I am so sad that you guys put rush limbaugh on the air.
I am a big fan from CNN and watch you guys every day, but you cross the line showing Rush Limbaugh. Hi is so out of touch with the wolrd and with America tha it hurts.
I feel like I am listening to a KKK meeting.
Hi is one the most hateful figures in the midia as far I now.
Shame on CNN and I don't support you guys ever again

This has nothing in this world to do with your show. It has everything in this world to do with sanity. Who let the dog out with poor old Rush, standing and sputtering Saturday at the meeting of the conservative wonks? He tied up at least 30 mins. of time we could have been instructed as to how we best peel grapes. He is a fool, druggy, and an all round dork. No more of him please! Somehow CNN just doesn't seem the station to allow this hate to be spewed. Don't you make me stop watching you CNN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I took out an SBA from a loan from a bank and was never late never missed a payment. For some reason which no one understands to this very day they called in my loan and made me pay it in full with all the interest as if the loan had ran to its maturity date of 5 years. I went back to the SBA and ask them to get involved. They did nothing to help me. They said the only time they would get involved was if I defaulted on the loan. I sued the bank and the Minnesota Appeals Court denied me my day in court. They did ask the bank why they did what they did to me and their attorney responded because we could. The whole banking system is totally out of control. I wish you would contact me you would never believe what these people did.

What is on the minds of the people at CNN to telecast in full the rantings and ravings of Rush Limbaugh, the insults hurled at our President, the lies and fabrications spewed into the air to a bunch of zealots who clapped at idiotic jokes, meangless rhetoric, total nonsense and utter stupidity, What is CPAC that it deserves an hour of air time? What has happened to this cable outfit that has Blitzer veering to the right, questioning each and every move made by our elected government and scheduling an endless gaggle of nay-sayers? CNN is rapidly becoming the airwave equivalent of "No we can't" and I, for one, will no longer support it, or any of the people who make possible its existence.

RUSH LIMBAUGH SPEAKS
He is as incoherent as the Republican Party.
He is the epitome of ignorance.
He is true reflection of Republican Philosophy.
HE IS TO BE PITIED AND LAUGHED AT.

I'm a small business owner and I admire the President's direction and certainly every small business owner will concur with the following,

Rush Limbaugh, he's an idiot, a want to be as he is saddened by his own sadness. This guy makes me laugh with his falseness.

You see it takes a wise mind to own a business, it takes a smarter mind to understand business.

Rush, he's dishonest, he's insecure and he requires stimulation from attention, just like his followers. That's the truth and I know that people as I speak are saying the same thing. What an idiot...I thank GOD, that I am honest. micro vs macro, people need to understand macro b4 we fix micro.it's less expensive.....

Perry Sawchuck.

Watching Rush Limbaugh at the CPAC was like watching the video clips of Hitler from the 1930's.....it was beyond repulsive. His sarcastic, disrespectful and divisive rhetoric is completely empty with more of the same whining. It's no wonder the Republican party is floundering...they're listening to an idiot.

so now Pakistan and Somalia have given in to the Muslim thugs who've demanded Sharia law.

it is an outrage!

Oh, please, please, please CNN .......Bring back Aaron Brown or Don Lemon to replace Rick Sanchez. His egotistical lecturing does not match either of their professional reporting. CB

WHY IS THE NEWS MEDIA AFRAID TO ASK THIS QUESTION?
Why does America need to borrow money from China in order to expand the money supply? Article 1, Section 8, of the Constitution gives the Federal Government
the right to create new money. Goods and services have real value. Money should be
equal to the value of goods and services—not to a gold standard or anything else.

Dr Hal
I fully agree with your entire comment
Shame on you CNN for giving a platform
to such a VILE being to disrespect our
president in veiw of a world wide audience.
So CNN your deserve to be roundly criticised
world wide and I pray you will be.! Like Rush
YOU STINK!!

Whats up with all these fed.mod.loan sites that are charging $3000 upfront fees b/4 homeowners can be helped. Can you please let us know what sites to go to to get real help?.

Hi Rick,
Please try to stay clear from over report polarizing Rush Limbaugh in your Monday show, I watch your show everyday, but it was a great turn off during the weekend coverage. His ideas and approach to our American problems and issues are insensitive, biased and very prejudiced. I could not see how the republicans are trying to reach out by having such a character speaking to their base.

While Republican call Obama"socialist or communist" they implictly admit that they are "Nazist or Fascist" whith a vision of a world divided
between categories

The speach of Limbaugh on Fox (Satursday,February 28) is the more explicit confession ,a sad come back of a vision of the '50.

Poor America!

RUSH LIMBAUGH SPEAKS
He is as incoherent as the Republican Party.
He is the epitome of ignorance.
He is a true reflection of Republican Philosophy.
HE IS TO BE PITIED AND LAUGHED AT.
He is a parasite that lives off of ignorance.
He is just a hanger- on.
Eight out of ten people look at him and his kind
as something of a parasite, with no real work in
the world. He produces nothing of real value.
He doesn’t know this is the twenty-first century.
He is still in the Stone Age, in a cave, debating with
Republicans about whose mind is closed the tightest.
Ignorance like his produced the great depression; and
if his advice had been followed, Hitler would have
conquered the world. Incoherent, but true.

My wife is a registered nurse and I have a small business working from home. Our lifestyle has not changed so much due to the sagging economy even though we would love to have more.

I am confused my what the media is telling us. We are being told not to spend and if we do, only spend when we really really have to.

If everybody did this when would the economy ever recover? Wouldn't it be better if the media screened what is aired so as to stop instilling fear in consumers?

RICK SANCHEZ IS A LOUSY ACTOR !!!!

Go Harper!! Down with Limbaugh!!

The majority of Republicans and American conservatives are increasingly isolating themselves with what most of the rest of the world think of as lunatic-fringe rhetoric – baseless, divisive lunatic-fringe rhetoric spewed by opportunistic and irresponsible media personalities.

Without that lunatic-fringe, Pres. Obama is finally able to address America's problems in ways that the rest of the world have been hoping for. Afghanistan is a case in point: America's policy will be more coherent and therefore more clearly achievable. As well, it will be more consistent with the approach Canada adopted more than a year ago. Policy that was developed in a bipartisan committee that is likely to influence (and very positively I think) America's new Afghanistan policy.

wo wo wo wo w was it me or just rush, it looks like rush had it coming, please tell rush not to flip flap on live tv/special on cnn ,keep on the radio
i thought rush denied that he wishes obama fails,but its different on tv last saturday rush got comment.

Rick, I don't know if most of America can relate, but as a disabled and therefore now retired teacher, I had taught in mostly inner-city elementary schools in Las Vegas for almost 8 years, and in low-income schools as a sub or aide before that. I was an ESL sheltered English teacher (which meant I got advanced placement students, special ed, and behavioral- problem chldren) along with my limited and non- English speaking students. Although I reluctantly sent out a list at the start of school each year, I ended up providing these things for my students, as the parental supplies were also limited in poor households. This was between 1989-1997, not in 2007 or now. I asked for: facial tissue, bath tissue, paper towels, hand soap, pencils, pens, notebooks, backpacks, coats for winter, and hand sanitizer for flu season. I myself, with my starting teacher's salary spent roughly half my pay on: all the above, plus erasers, electric pencil sharpeners, all books for the class library, extra texts, all the A/V materials except the TV including cassette players and tapes for listening centers, books with tapes, extra backpacks, coats, and sometimes shoes for those whose shoes wouldn't hold up anymore or whose childish overgrown feet were aching from too small of shoes being handed down, shoestrings, all the decorations and learning posters in the room for the year, and any costumes that were required to put on plays or programs for the whole school. My husband and I also used our own musical equipment, mikes, and amps so that school programs could be heard, since the old PA systems in the dilapidated schools was/had been broken for years. We teachers felt "lucky" to be in portables in the parking lot, especially if it meant smaller class sizes or not having to team up or have split days for our classes. I gave out treats in their desks during lunch so they'd have some fuel to go on for the afternoon, and most days put out at least some money for lunches or milk for students whose parents had forgotten or hadn't filled out the mainly English-only forms. My students had mostly not been to Kindergarten and in some cases any school before that year. Teachers and parents in affluent schools who have PTA's and money to afford these items have NO idea what we had to do to beg, borrow, or even "steal" in order to have enough xerox copies for each student or to put together a heavily A/V infused lesson plan for our students who couldn't read a textbook in their native language or in English, had I even had texts for the whole class. NO idea. So why is it such a shock that the media is now finding this out?? Some of us in education have known this for years. Paint a wall or a hall? All in our summer vacation plans, of which I actually got about a month in total if that. 6-7 hour days for students? Try 15-20 hour days for teachers in those schools, with no extra pay for weekends, after school tutoring, or driving students home who got left without a parent or friend coming to get them. I had no parents volunteering to help grade papers. No quiet desk at home to study with an extended family of 14 living in a 2 bedroom home. No dinner for many, save the ice cream truck or a candy bar from the neighborhood quick mart. These are the facts America. Don't pretend to be indignant. It's been going on for years. Parent-teacher conferences.....well....I'd get a translation book and put together the best I could. I am highly educated and caucasion, but went where the children needed me most. A lousy lightbulb? Please!

Rush Limbaugh – when is this over weight, over paid drug addict going to get some sense of reality and morality? whenever this fat intellectually challenged idiot opens his mouth, it provides comic relief. Which planet does this bozzo thinks he lives on? Does this retard realize that has been a long long time that to be a nazzi or to be a klansman is out of fashion plain stupid?

Rick I remember you from channel 7 on Treasure Island in Miami Beach. Your a great reporter and fabulous anchor. So this is why I would like to express not only my feelings but I would think it is most Americans, as well, to you. One day the people of this Country will stand up and say there not going to take it anymore. We used to be a Democracy, but I truly believe no more! Anyone with a brain can see that the Government spends Our Money, yes OUR'S! the taxpayer, any way it sees fit to bail out corporations and banks, and insurance companies, that millions of people are not even associated with. Yet, we the taxpayer flips the bill and have to suffer from Government dictation on how it best represents the people! Congress passes bills without any say so from the people. We elect them to represent us in Washington, but they really don't! The house is a democratic majority, and they do as the President request! I thought President Obama was different, but I am beginning to believe he is not! Same Washington Bull! I am sick of this Government giving everyone a free ride at our expense, as well as spending Billions around the world to fictitiously help, while they channel un-tracked monies where they see fit! What happen to smart business ethics?When corp.'s filed chapter Bankruptcy to get in order? instead of asking for a handout that further destroys the economy and the lives of not just the simplest Americans, but all taxpayers! WE THE PEOPLE HAVE A SAY IN THE WAY THE GOVERNMENT SPENDS OUR MONEY, AND I THINK YOU SHOULD READ THIS TO THE CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTRY, and we the PEOPLE must take a stand and say enough is enough! One way is if the Congressman and the Senators don't keep there word, which they honestly do not. Then do not re-elect them for one, plus create an elective position individual to oversee our representatives actions, not to put us in the peril we are in and will continue to face unless we stand un-divided as a people! The giant corporations of this country do not care about its people. They only care about making a buck. Why else would they open factory's overseas, and in other countries? They do it to save money. And it take our jobs from us. They don't care about us. And there still in trouble, so they make us think. Why should we care about them? It tears my heart out and I cry almost every night what has gone on in Government the last 8-10 years. Our leaders are destroying this Country as well as Giant Corporations, Banks etc. Let them suffer like we continue to do. Its time for tough Love, then maybe, just maybe we can be a true caring leader of the World as we once were with the highest respect and admiration!

Rush Limbaugh is a symbol of a lunatic gone wild – only in America this moron can get make a lviing spiting some thing that should come out from the other end!!!

If a government is incapable or unwilling to protect and defend it's borders , how in the world can it expect to convince it's people it's capable of defending them. We complain Pakistan is not controlling it's border with Afghanistan, yet we can not control our border with Mexico. Part of the stimulus package should be in creating jobs building a controllable border fence or wall. We have millions coming into this country legally , it is a slap in the face of every law abiding immigrant to have people simply disregard the law and profit by it. Don't tell me we can not enforce current laws , don't tell me enforcement of laws against employers hiring illegals can not be maintained.
Terrorism, illegal drugs, murder, illegal arms, drains on our economy all can be reduced with protection of our borders. Home land security is a joke if you can not protect our borders.

What Rush Limbaugh is really saying when he says he wants Barack Obama to fail is, if Barack Obama succeeds, we, the Conservatives have been wrong, all along.

RICK I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE AS TAX PAYERS HAVE TO KEEP BAILING OUT AIG IT JUST NOT MAKE SENCE

make sure u make comments about global warming alarmists civil disobedience in Washington D.C. today led by Mr. Hansen from NASA......maybe u could get some comments from him about the huge snow storm!!!!!

I'm glad they found one person on the boat and I hope they find the others. Have they looked under the boat? Why have they not removed the boat from the water?

The Republican party is the party of hate and fear; personified by Rush Limbaugh.

UMMM... Rush considered a voice of the republican party?
Thats just like one of the three stooges telling us to be intelligent..

Mr. Limbo, should stick to his radio show, that is all I can think he is capable of doing. After all, it shows for the way he concucted himselve last time he was on T.V. that he still on drugs, remember when he was put in rehab...it was only prescribed drugs.....

If that is, what the Republic party has to offer, they should be shooting themselves in the back

21' boat 30 miles from land = rescue attempt. DUH!!

rick, i need help....what other means are there beside the supreme court ruling on abortion are there?
I cant get an answer from congress folks....i think there are 2 others ways...is one of them adding an amendment to the constitution?

you always appear to ans. any question folks send you

thanx in advance

jim

Hey Rick-
Another angle on getting separated from the boat-
The boat was anchored when the wave flipped it. Even if the anchor dragged or came off after a short time, loose objects (people) would go down wind/down wave/down current faster. They could rapidly separate from the boat beyond their ability to return for any one of these reasons – for example a guy in a life vest going downwind in a squall won't be able to get back no matter how strong a swimmer he is.
Mike

Hey Rick, I think you busted the server at twitter! My ISP is fine and that server is busy!!!

Rush is a buffoon and the more attention these serious politicians give him the better...they are feeding the beast.

Whats is this Im hearing about Sec. Clinton giving China eminent domain to US...I support Obama but this cant be true, is it?

The Proposal:
When a company falls on difficult times, one of the things that seems to happen is they reduce their staff and workers. The remaining workers need to find ways to continue to do a good job or risk that their job would be eliminated as well. Wall Street, and the media normally congratulate the CEO for making this type of "tough decision", and his board of directors gives him a big bonus.

Our government should not be immune from similar risks.

Therefore: Reduce the House of Representatives from the current 435 members to
218 members and Senate members from 100 to 50 (one per State). Also reduce remaining staff by 25%.

Accomplish this over the next 8 years. (two steps / two elections) and of course this would require some redistricting.

Some yearly monetary gains include:

$44,108,400 for elimination of base pay for congress. (267 members X $165,200 pay / member / yr.)

$97,175,000 for elimination of the above people's staff. (estimate $1.3 Mil in staff per each member of the House, and $3 Mil in staff per each member of the Senate every year)

$240,294 for the reduction in remaining staff by 25%.

$7,500,000,000 reduction in pork barrel earmarks each year. (those members whose jobs are gone. Current estimates for total government pork earmarks are at $15 Billion / yr.)

The remaining representatives would need to work smarter and would need to improve efficiencies. It might even be in their best interests to work together for the good of our country?

We may also expect that smaller committees might lead to a more efficient resolution of issues as well. It might even be easier to keep track of what your representative is doing.

Congress has more tools available to do their jobs than it had back in
1911 when the current number of representatives was established. (telephone, computers, cell phones to name a few)

Note:
Congress did not hesitate to head home when it was a holiday, when the nation needed a real fix to the economic problems. Also, we have 3 senators that have not been doing their jobs for the past 18+ months (on the campaign trail) and still they all have been accepting full pay. These facts alone support a reduction in senators & congress.

Summary of opportunity:

$ 44,108,400 reduction of congress members.

$282,100,000 for elimination of the reduced house member staff.

$150,000,000 for elimination of reduced senate member staff.

$59,675,000 for 25% reduction of staff for remaining house members.

$37,500,000 for 25% reduction of staff=2 for remaining senate members.

$7,500,000,000 reduction in pork added to bills by the reduction of congress members.

$8,073,383,400 per year, estimated total savings.

Big business does these types of cuts all the time.

If Congresspersons were required to serve 20, 25 or 30 years (like everyone else) in order to collect retirement benefits there is no telling how much we would save. Now they get full retirement after serving only ONE term.

IF you are happy how the Congress spends our taxes, then just delete this message. IF you are not happy, then I assume you know what to do.

Shouldn't regulators be making sure that businesses cannot become "too big to fail"?

545 PEOPLE

By Charlie Reese

Politicians are the only people in the world who create problems and then campaign against them.

Have you ever wondered, if both the Democrats and the Republicans are against deficits, WHY do we have deficits?

Have you ever wondered, if all the politicians are against inflation and high taxes, WHY do we have inflation and high taxes?

You and I don't propose a federal budget. The president does.

You and I don't have the Constitutional authority to vote on appropriations. The House of representatives does.

You and I don't write the tax code, Congress does.

You and I don't set fiscal policy, Congress does.

You and I don't control monetary policy, the Federal Reserve Bank does.

One hundred senators, 435 congressmen, one president, and nine Supreme Court justices 545 human beings out of the 300 million are directly, legally, morally, and individually responsible for the domestic problems that plague this country.

I excluded the members of the Federal Reserve Board because that problem was created by the Congress. In 1913, Congress delegated its Constitutional duty to provide a sound currency to a federally chartered, but private, central bank.

I excluded all the special interests and lobbyists for a sound reason. They have no legal authority. They have no ability to coerce a senator, a congressman, or a president to do one cotton-picking thing. I don't care if they offer a politician $1 million dollars in cash. The politician has the power to accept or reject it No matter what the lobbyist promises, it is the legislator's
responsibility to determine how he votes.

Those 545 human beings spend much of their energy convincing you that what they did is not their fault. They cooperate in this common con regardless of party.

What separates a politician from a normal human being is an excessive amount of gall. No normal human being would have the gall of a Speaker, who stood up and criticized the President for creating deficits. The president can only propose a budget. He cannot force the Congress to accept it.

The Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land, gives sole responsibility to the House of Representatives for originating and approving appropriations and taxes. Who is the speaker of the House? She is the leader of the majority party. She and fellow House members, not the president, can approve any budget they want. If the president vetoes it, they can pass it over his veto if they agree to.

It seems inconceivable to me that a nation of 300 million can not replace 545 people who stand convicted - by present facts - of incompetence and irresponsibility. I can't think of a single domestic problem that is not traceable directly to those 545 people. When you fully grasp the plain truth that 545 people exercise the power of the federal government, then it must follow that what exists is what they want to exist.

If the tax code is unfair, it's because they want it unfair.

If the budget is in the red, it's because they want it in the red .

If the Army & Marines are in IRAQ , it's because they want them in IRAQ

If they do not receive social security but are on an elite retirement plan not available to the people, it's because they want it that way.

There are no insoluble government problems.

Do not let these 545 people shift the blame to bureaucrats, whom they hire and whose jobs they can abolish; to lobbyists, whose gifts and advice they can reject; to regulators, to whom they give the power to regulate and from whom they can take this power. Above all, do not let them con you into the belief that there exists disembodied mystical forces like "the economy," "inflation," or "politics" that prevent them from doing what they take an oath to do.

Those 545 people, and they alone, are responsible.

They, and they alone, have the power.

They, and they alone, should be held accountable by the people who are their bosses.

Provided the voters have the gumption to manage their own employees.

We should vote all of them out of office and clean up their mess!

Charlie Reese is a former columnist of the Orlando Sentinel Newspaper.

What you do with this article now that you have read it.......... is up to you.

Let Aig fall!! What the Hell?! The us Banks are more important than mainstreet?! The ceo's need to live like we in mainstreeet live. Then, they we understand what LIVING is.

Many years ago I flipped on a boat. It was upside down. It was very slippery, nothing to hold on to. Waves are bashing you against the boat. They had a rought time

With the recent boating accident involving the NFL players, I think all new boats should be required to have handles on the bottom of the boat. I know that does not make the boat go as fast but it would saves lives. Maybe compartments that can be opened with handles inside?

Rush Limbaugh and his followers are no different than other extremists that want this President to fail. More of the same old republican divisive politics that almost ran our way of life into the ground for the last 8 yearts.

RICH THE REPUBLICAN PARTY HAS FELL TO A NEW LOW.THEY LET A PILL HEAD LIKE RUSH BE THERE VOICE.

The 15 yr old girl looked like she was kicking her shoes at the officer. He weighs 190, she 95? Why didn't the second officer stop.
Do they provide common sense training in police schools?
Sad

Ever heard of the "Big Bath" philosophy? In my opinion, all these large corporations are taking advantage of this economic sunami to shed the sins of the past, all those understated expenses and overstated revenues they recorded in order to meet unrealistic earnings targets. And why not, if they can get the government to fund these write-downs? Next year will be better for all of them b/c they will be traveling lighter, but in the meantime we, the taxpayers, are subsidizing the greed driven house of cards these businesses had constructed. (Think about WorldCom and how they hid their losses for years and you won't find this too hard to believe.) Investors and taxpayers will need to hang on and wait it out, but our regulators need impose closer scrutiny and tighter standards on these companies in the future.

I think AIG should return all the money that they received from the bail-out fund. Since it did not help them to recover, then they should not be using any taxpayers money.
I am sick and tired of all these banks and companies, who have done nothing but mess up with this country. I say, let them go under and let them lose everything. It can't make things worse than it is now.
Americans wake up and say, "We are fed up and won't take this anymore." Vote all incumbents out of office and let's put new people in office until they get it right.
President Obama is the best thing that has happened to America and let's give him a chance to show us.

Of course the judicial system is a "money making" scam. It has been that way for a long time. If you review the records 50 years back on crime and punishment, it is nearly hilarious to the amount of money that we are spending now.

I have witnessed when even mentally handicap people are victimized by the law and recieving punishment from the court, (even when they are innocent) just for the court to earn money off the case.

There needs to be a more immediate internal affairs office to explore the issues of law enforcement on all levels and stop this judicial and law abuse mess.

Rick,

Everyone knows the United States is broke. Not only broke, but in debt for Billions. Then why, and how, is Hillary giving away $9oo million dollars to the Palistinians,

I would think the President would have to OK this expenditure, and if he did, I am highly disappointed in a man that I thought was heading us down the right track.

Also, why aren't our good friends, the Iraq's helping us out with all of their oil money?

Jim

Could it be that AIG must be bailed out because it controls Congress's pension plan? Regardless of party, Congress does not object to the hundreds of billions given to AIG. Where is the righteous indignation over this?

Who set the qouta limits? How antiproductive to have a qouta to keep the Gov. money. Seems the camps would need less if they were productive?

Rick, I think part of the problem is the NFL is paying these players so much money they're getting involved with things they know nothing about and their parents never taught them. I would bet they never checked the weather forecast before going out, and that they don't even know how to swim.
It's very sad, but the reality is someone should provide some training to go along with their newfound wealth.

STOP GIVING AIG MONEY. If a company fails, let them fail. Bailouts are not helping anyone. Let smaller insurance companies buy the pieces of AIG that still have value. And the rest is just a loss. The free market can recover once all the failing companies have failed. Bailouts will only prolong this depression.

Imagine how often this type of police brutality happens when the video isn't running. Ask any cop, they will assure you that it is them against the bad guys. Tell me, is beating up a 15 year old girl heroic? These aren't my heroes.

I think we need an overall OVERHALL of the Government system!
Bribes/ drugs / brand new cars

When we have one or two persons commit murder against one or two persons with gub, they are called armed robbers and convited accordingly......however when Wall street and his co-hort commit murder by proxy with the pen and technology....killing millions of people directly or indirectly –what do they get? a little warning herer and there and then a bail-out.......hhhhnm...it says a lot about how all animals are equal but some are more equal than the others....Rick!

Rick you hit on what those of us with any knowledge of the prison system have known for some time, they are making huge profits on incaceration numbers. From the way the prisoners are counted in the census, to the pennies an hour labor that is contracted to the prisons, much of the incarceration rate is due to money!

You liberals don't have Bush to demonize anymore so you have to take your frustrations out on someone, it may as well be Rush. I challenge all you self-righteous, spoon-fed by the left-leaning mainstream media liberals to actually listen to Rush's show instead of the mainstream media for just a few days.

As a person who remembers ww2 I am amazed at the resemblance of Linbaugh to Benito Mussolini especially his rantings. Reincaranation maybe

You said it, Rick. Prison in the hands of private enterprise means more prisoners and more profit.

What happened to the "handle with care" technique that individuals are supposed to use when handling youth who may be a threat to you, themselves or another person. Regardless of the threat level, those techniques are required by law to be used.

Rick:

The police beating of the 15 year old girl is more common than people would like to believe. Not only is this a crime and a serious issue, some departments hire people who are not citizens, who only carry a green card and give them a gun and a badge and sanction to abuse the public in general. I married a woman from Romania and after she was here for only 10 months she had an affair with a cop who is from Poland, also not a citizen. It cost me $50,000 to beat the false charges they drummed up against me in order for her to stay in the country. Now we have a fraudulent woman, who would other wise be an illegal alien, working as a cop for the Jefferson County, Colorado Sherriff's Department. Oh, by the way, she was also reported to Social Services for beating and threatening my 11 year old son and nothing was ever done about it.

Rush should be careful or he will expire from terminal whinning.

hello for those officers that beat up that 15 yr old girl there was no call for what they did so they should be brought out back and beaten until they are unconous and let them die any officers that do that should get paid back twice for what they do to others let them officers die

Rush i do believe understands that this country has grown this far this fast based upon our past......does or should someone get a divorce that the couple have had 50 years of marriage and in so have had ups and down but have gained much......gained human rights....gained respect for our enviorment.........gained civil rights improvements........gained the ability to save lives........gained gained and gained and yes in the course there were bumps............u dont divorce that.u dont go the opposite way.....u ride it out,when ya dad gave u a spanking as a kid did u run away.....when a kid at school punched u in the eye did u run away........when they accused jesus of being a false god when they stoned him did he run away.....the country had issues for 8 years not all to blame of Bush yes some,did Bush cause 911 no did he cause Katrina..no did he cause Rita no did he cause Gustav no..did he cause ike..no..but all of these assisted in serious financial disaster,do we have anyone left that understands......and I dont believe Obama is intentionally hurting us but.......he is still the same.

More power to the deputy. That girl wouldn't have learned a lesson at all. She disrespected a police officer. Adults don't understand and need to open their eyes to how teenagers are now a days. They are not happy go lucky little innocent kids. That girl would have gotten out of where ever, jail, and thought she could disrespect any officer and get away with it. If they want to act like ADULTS they should get treated like ADULTS. That officer acted like he would if an ADULT women had disrespected any officer.

Rush Limbaugh? Rick, the Republicans will bounce back no doubt, but not because of people like Rush, but because 1, The DEMS are very good at mismanaging opportunities and 2, because the likes of Rush Limbaugh will soon be flushed into limbo of obscurity....away from this new world of inclusiveness where Rush's, philosophy and ideology will not thrive.

On CNN live, there was a question to a spokesperson on CNN about why isn't AIG coming out of debt, after being handed $150 Billion and now another $60 billion, the reason for this is AIG is an insurance co. that promises banks to pay them if the houses are defaulted on, if the houses are defaulted then AIG has to come up with the funds to pay the banks. Therfore they are handed money, they are hopefully paying the banks what they owe them for the defaulted homes they insured, and the homes keep defaulting which means they keep owing more money to the banks, this seems to be a black hole, it seems that this is going to continue to be a problem, AIG will keep going back to the Federal Government with their hands held out asking for more, this is a never ending story. If I am understanding this right, This is how I heard it explained to me on a Radio show, this made a whole heck of a lot of sense, for it to be put this way. No wonder why the monies are not really helping, & AIG is saying that we cannot survive without them! Is this really true?. I feel if we quit giving them money, then yes it would get real difficult, however we will survive, & somehow get through. In the other hand if we keep bailing them out, and giving them more money, this will just keep going on and on, again this is just an endless pit, a blackhole persay... I don't know..?? I would like to see it stop. Good luck America.

It is amazing that Rihanna after that beating could return to her abuser.She is a beautiful young woman who obviously is suffering with low self esteem . Why would anyone return to someone who treated them with utter disdain unless that person doesn't think very much of themselves.?

It is a sad state of affairs when Americans begin to try and rally other Americans to agree to hope for failure of the President of the United States of America. He is the President of all of America, if he fails we all fail. Did Mr. Limbaugh hope and look for failure in President Bush, did others hope for President Bush to fail. No, even though many did not agree with his policies, many felt that he was not the best President, but he was still THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. Mr. Limbaugh is inciteful, ignorant and behind in the times. America is tired of this type of thinking and that is why the Republican Party did not win the office of President!!! No one hoped that he failed when he was found to be a drug addict!!!

If the government cannot pay for private schools for juveniles, then they should not be paying for private jails

Chris beating up his girlfriend Rihanna was a shocker for us all and we hoped that she would hold him accountable and possibly never get back with him. Problem is, we all deal with similar situations in different ways and if Rihanna, who is an adult now decides she wants to get back with him, who are we to get outraged at her decision. Ultimately, the shoe-wearer knows where it hurts most and I'm sure Rihanna does too. And to those talking about examples, let's not let our kids be taught by Hollywood or anyone else but us.

hey rick, I'm native floridian from maimi, who's seen u 4 several years
and i I know that u get to the bottom of issues... I was also assaulted
by king co. jail in seattle, wa. @ which the U.S. dist. courts here in Seattle is in the procees to dismiss my case, with the same issues as this 15 yrs. old girl is being adress as we we speak right now.
but, I was in restraints w/o a chance to defend myself, in which I have no video because the defense says that the video does'nt record?in spite of the "facts" to my case.. the c/o and defends atty. both contridicted themselves on record, and the WA. St. justice and U.S. Dist. court refuses to charged them w/ obstructed of justice... please
help!!!!!!!!!!!

Unnecessary jailing for profit is one of the worst forms of corruption in my opinion. These judges should face a very, very harsh prison term to make an example of them and show how this level of corruption can never stand/succeed. Their heads on the city gates.

Lets be honest...A lot of people listen to Rush. But very few actually LISTEN to Rush. If they did, Barack Obama wouldn't be President.

Has the GOP lost its collective mind? Limbaugh doesn't have anything to lose, except an audience. He's not a politician. He's only out to make money and he's taking the GOP for a ride.

I have two questions for Americans- How can we consider ourselves the example of "freedom" in the world when we have both the largest number of prisoners and the largest percentage of prisoners to population on earth?
secondly, how could a person of conscience profit from the jailing of others, and how can we as a Christian country allow people to profit from the misery of others- and lets face it -people profited by actions that may have destroyed or at least negatively impacted these kids, and by result our society, for years to come, or possibly for their entire lives.

Hi Rick:
The story regarding judges taking bribes to jail teenagers is almost exactly what Naomi Klien mentions in her book: "Shock Doctrine".
And it all started with Ronald Reagan wanting to reduce the governments role in our lives=but then privatizing the same operation outside government control with a bunch of his friends who built privated federal prisons. Them the justice system uping the federal sentances for crack cocaine-used most by poor white and minorites-to five times those for powder-used by more affluent US Citizens. Yes the "Great Ronald Reagan" Que pendejada!!!
We all need to stay educated and vigilent.
Buena suerte-
Saludos,
Anastacio

Rick:

It's been obvious for some weeks that the Republicans/American conservatives have been engaged in what is only a cynical and destructive media campaign. 'GOP-enomics' have failed dismally yet Republicans continue to spew rhetoric that is only going to further corrode market/consumer confidence even tho' that confidence is just now starting to turn around into positive territory.

15 months ago, NOBODY said they wanted Pres Bush to fail with his largely market-driven approaches to the increasing credit problems. There were West European economic summits on the issue, with almost unanimous support for American government intervention back then!! Bush defied the majority of international/economic opinion and there still wasnt the level of criticism of his policies that there is now of Pres. Obama's approach. ??

If the US had acted quickly & more proactively back then, the economic problems wouldnt have been as bad, and the bailouts wouldnt have been as big.

There hasnt been nearly as much criticism of the failed economic policies – of GOP-enomics – as there would be in any other country in the G-20. In fact, if any other G-8 country had caused its trading partners as much grief as the US has its trading partners, there would be serious discussion at a summit about increased regulation/scrutiny on that country's trade or they'd just wanna kick-out that country!!

Stanford, Madoff, etc. ....Enron....for many worldwide those individuals and the problems they've created worldwide define the double-standard demanded by the American nation. As much as the double-speak around human rights and the use and definition of torture in Gitmo and other American detention centres also defines the double standard expected of its international partners.

But by all means, let Limbaugh define "American" policy, and set your national agenda.

Mr. Steele...some advice..."never wrestle with a pig, you both get all dirty and the pig loves it!

Rick, it's not just private enterprize on the Prison's..Look at who is the biggest employer's in each state Like Missouri,,State Prison employee's/State probation and parole employee's/ I Believe in Mo. this area is the largest employer in the state.. It's a big part of Mo. Economy.

Regardless of "how the teenager is" no one can be severely beaten for non-violently "disrespecting" an officer in this country. There is no context needed for the video beating, that officer is wrong, breaking the law, and unfit to serve. He's losing his job and hopefully going to jail and anyone defending that man is frighteningly ignorant.

Rick, Some of us may be tired of bailing out AIG, but before we throw the baby out with the bath water we need to understand the repurcussions of not bailing AIG out. Will it cause us to go into a worse recession? Will it not only affect the U.S. but also the world economy? Until we get the answers to these questions we really can't make a sound opinion about what should or should not be done.

rick , the guard that hit the girl was out of line.theotherguarddidnothing.thewaythiswasshown,bothguardswere madetolookguilty.

Rich,
The argument that Rush speaks for the conservatives and not for the GOP is dumb. All republicans claim to be consevative. If Rush speaks for the consevatives then he speaks for the Republicans.
Rush sounds insane. No group should allow them to speak for him.

Regarding the Sheriff that attacked the 15 year old as if he was in an MMA match:
I would like to issue an invite. I belong to a Martial Arts Academy in Santa Rosa California. I would like to invite this officer up for a sparing match with ME! I will even pay for him to get here and back home. We can both sign releases and waivers for legal protection. I would like to have him try to do to me what he did to her Mr. Bully.
YOU DONT PUNCH LITTLE GIRLS! YOU DEFINITELY DONT BEAT THEM THE WAY YOU DID IN THE HOLDING CELL! NO MATTER WHAT SHE HAS SAID TO HURT YOUR FRAGILE litte EGO!
Oh! And to his coward partner who just let it all happen, you can come too! Chris Brown is also welcome to attend!

As I always say, police officers are just other people!

Seriously!

Dominic
Santa Rosa California.

Rick, can you tell me why these idiots that open and close the stock market always clap, smile and look so happy even when the bottom drops out of it. Why are they celebrating.

Thanks
Doug

Rush Limberger, refereing to his stench.
He and the GOP are like a fat catfish that has jumped out of the safety of the water onto the shore with no foreseeable way to get back to the water. He and his followers are doing anything they can do grasp for air. He should be charged with treason, he is trying to insight his redneck follower to jump on to shore with him., nothing he did or said was needed to win this election, his insightful comments will make it even harder for them to win again, no matter who they put out there, cause his is also insighting people like me who will do whatever I have to make sure the next GOP candidate loses. He has out lived his usefulness, and should lie still on shore and wait peacefully for end. If John McCain was the best GOP had and e got his behinded handed to him on a platter this election. they are pretty well S.O.L. Rushes, mistake on Bush 4-8 years ago should have been the end of him. this is the GOP screw up that we are all living through and in 8 years they could not fix it. So times up its a new day and whether or not Rush likes it. To offer critizism and get his fewer and fewer follers all worked up. Face it Rush you lost. This is America and as always "Like it or Leave it." regardless of who is running.

I do not understand the political left's fascination with Rush Limbaugh. He is not a politician. He is a talk show host. He does bring a different perspective to political discussion. I suspect that the left does not like to hear their shortcomings(and out-right lies) discussed on the public airwaves.

Rick,

I really enjoy your' program.

Yes i think Rush Limbaugh is ahead of the GOP. Good Oxycontin Party. He should be in jail. John from Illinois

Yeah, if only the left could have as few shortcomings as the right. The GOP has done a great job we should just "stay the course" right? Lower taxes for the rich, that'll fix it....someday...right? Rush is a big fat idiot. The GOP is looking almost as pathetic as the economy they largely created. Now they sit. out of power and scream that NOW they have the answer and what the Dems are doing is all wrong... wow

Rick, My daughter and I discuss mental health issues all the time and the Chris Brown issue is one of them. Yes there is definetly a mental health issue with Chris Brown and the young lady. First it is evident that they no nothing about their African heritage and why this issue took place. Second this will happen again until they both find out who they are and to whom they belong to. It is common in our society among young and old. Many women and men are doing life in prison because of it. Though we look at their situation as negative, all things happen for a reason. Just think to now talk about this subject on national news may help prevent others to get to the root of their problem. My daughters eyes are wide open and she is now aware of how she carries herself as well as her male friend. Sometimes what's meant for bad can be for good. We will pray for the couple to get help. A concerned parent.

Any company too big to fail, is too big to exist. Stop them before they get that big!

Economic uncertainty?! The immediate reason for the massive selloff??!! Oh please...that argument makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. Objectively – by every measure imaginable – the greatest economic uncertainty was during the transition and the debate/vote of the Recovery Plan. But the massive selloff is on the day Pres. Obama announces his health care team??!! The cost of losing conservative policy/rhetoric is mindboggling!! Just more extortionate policy tactics.

This selloff is ONLY about retaliation and profiteering!! But apparently no one in the American media is prepared to call it like it is. ??!!

EVERYONE was warned that the bailouts were going to continue. Leaving problems to be resolved "by the marketplace" ...trusting 'the resiliency of the American banking system' to respond to all pressures on its own are ENTIRELY the reasons the US and therefore the global economy is in this meltdown!

This is in response to today's program (3/2/09). First of all, I'm tired of the hate attitude of a majority of republicans – be they politicians (Boehner) or Rush. Their faces show this everytime they are on camera. ENOUGH! They lost, get over it, grow up and start contributing something positive to help the people of America! I'm an independent and, if they continue acting the way they are, they ain't getting my vote, ever!!!

Also, the people writing to you stating "no more bailouts", must have a lot of money and they have no problem losing it. None of us know how to deal with what is happening, but at least the President is trying and I commend him on his swiftness to respond to all that is going on. I'm not crazy about this $410,000,000 bill in the Senate right now and I've let Wicker and Schumer know they can do without the grape and blueberry add-ons. And I've written the President to veto the bill. HAHAHAHAHA. Not that they'll listen to me, but at least I feel that my voice is being heard NOW.

I'm concerned about the Chris Brown story. Whay would he do such a thing? I don't care. People beat their wives and girlfriends everyday. This is not my main concern. My concern is that our news is turning into a tabloid. This is not the first story that brought this to my attention. It seems to be somewhat of a trend that news networks are focusing more and more on celebrities.
I watch the news for twelve hours-a-day sometimes. Its on in the background while I'm working.
Maybe I'm wrong, but it just seems to me like there should be enough important news happening in the world that cnn could afford to let the tabloids cover the celebrity "news." I'd like to know what's going on in the Middle East, with global warming, with space exploration, for example. What about issues that actually affect the world that we live in? How important are the lives of celebrities in the grand scheme of the universe? What kind of "news" are we reporting?

I dont think anyone could care less about Rush as a person or what he does as employment,what we all should care about is truth...simple old fashioned truth.we are here and now and we have issues.....a mean to be honest a large section of america has just been pimped ...yep old fashioned pimped...smooth talks with nothing behind it.
I mean we should have gotten some college school basketball scouts to find us a president atleast they research they watch they observe and when its said and done they pic someone that can win with the team.someone who its easy to see has skills...i saw no skills with Obama first years as a junior senator and i saw nothing in his legal brief carrer to show any accomplishments.......and i saw no beliuef in America from him nor by his wife statements...what i see are failures and alot of barely getting by.........they barely got by with purchasing their home he likes to bragg about..but not without the help of a mobster....he barely got by as a junior senator and again getting in office with help from a mobster.......he shows no patriotism by not only being apart of rev wrights hates against america and his prejudices but allowing his children to be a part of the same......during the civil rights movements we critisized the klan for pushing their children towards hate yet we have a president that allowed his children to hear the same........Rush is a belief,a belief that this country is a country all others wish to be a citizen..they risk lives to sneak here to pay to be apart of......Rush would simply express what every illegal alien wants...to be in a great country with opportunity to progress on our own not by being told how a government will govern our freedom to achieve. Our grand kids will be in debt because of this administration.

NATIONALIZE THE BANKING SYSTEM

You can call it Free Enterprise if you like, but the banking system controls the faucet for the life blood of all enterprise. It can put the economy on its back, and it can put people in soup lines. Interest rates should always be low and stable, and money should always be available to exchange the goods and services that the hands and minds of people produce. There is no need ever for a roller coaster economy of booms and busts. The medium of exchange is too important to all enterprise to be in the hands of private enterprise.

RECESSION is a product of the blatant ignorance of the President, Congress, Economists, and the News Media who do not understand Nature's Basic Law of Economics, and Article 1, Section 8, of the Constitution.

Nature’s Basic Law of Economics states: All goods and services flow from the action of people resources on natural resources— Money is the medium of exchange which should be equal to the value of the goods and services—and not to a gold standard or some other insane idea.

THE CONSTITUTION

Article 1, Section 8

The congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes, duties, impost and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States;

To borrow money on the credit of the United States;

To coin Money, regulate the value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;

To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with Indian Tribes;

To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States;
To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and current Coin of the United States; etc...

Mr. President, we need to help the governors of each state balance their budgets. They do not have the Constitutional power to create money like the Federal Government does (article 1, section 8, of the Constitution). You will save a lot of jobs and fuel the economy more by this than by giving money to the banks. The Federal Government has the responsibility to make sure there is enough money so every entity can have a balanced budget.

The word bankruptcy was a dirty unspoken word in my upbringing. You paid your bills, no matter what. Why would everyone talk about bankruptcy like it was nothing? Even the president used the word today none shallot. People should be made to pay if they pay the rest of their lives. They bought the merchandise on credit. It is no different than stealing and getting away with it. I never did get that new couch, gold necklace, or new purse and I never will because I always have a bill to pay. My grandchildren are hearing about bankruptcy through the tv and I really don't want them thinking it's okay. Peoples outlook on their priorities need to change.

The Stock Markets
Economic decisions often are unreasonably based on what the stock markets do. The problem is not the stock markets themselves but on the mythology surrounding them. We must cut through this mythology to make people aware that the stock markets do not play the role we are led to believe they do. Then we must use this knowledge to prohibit their undue influence on the basic economy. Instead, we must base our economic decisions on the mixturist philosophy of proper utilization of people and natural resources and a balanced money supply.
To more fully understand this, let's take a realistic look at how stock markets function. The rise and fall of the stock market is essential for the stock market to work at all. If prices continually decline, no one would buy stock. If stock prices continually increase, people would put all their money in the stock market, which would bankrupt the rest of the economy.

The economic effect of the rise and fall of the stock markets is a misconception and is, in fact, just the opposite of what people are told. Most of the hundreds of stocks that are listed on the New York Stock Exchange, NASDAQ and the American Exchange are not new stock issues. Most of them have been on the stock exchanges for years. When a new stock is issued to raise money to start a new company, it has a very positive effect on the economy by creating new jobs which produce more goods and services — the real wealth of a nation. What a stock sells for after the initial sale has no positive effect on the economy unless it sells for less. When the price of old stock drops, it takes fewer dollars to pay for the same stock certificate; therefore making more dollars available to purchase other items. If the price of an old stock goes up, it merely takes more dollars out of the economy to purchase the same stock certificate. This has the same destroying effect on the money supply as inflation.

The up and down cycles of the stock markets are made to work by the people who have seats on the stock exchanges, program buyers, and by institutional managers of many different kinds of pension, money-market , and a host of other funds. These people can make the stock market go up or down by selling or buying big blocks of stocks or by using any kind of psychological or capricious ideas around to justify their actions. Whichever direction the wind blows, the stockbrokers receive their commission. Stockbrokers have the best of both worlds; they get a commission when the stock is purchased and also when the stock is sold. Whether the stock is selling high or low or whether the stockholder is making money or losing money, the commission is still paid.

No one is suggesting that the stock markets should be done away with, but the real role they play in the economy ought to be understood so that their influence on economic stability is lessened. Whether the stock markets are up or down, the thing that should provide for a healthy, growing economy is an adequate money supply…one which can exchange all the goods and services the highly productive American workers produce.

The stock markets are truly legalized gambling for anyone who buys stock hoping that the price will increase so they can cash in their winnings. This legalized gambling is a good thing in a capitalistic system, making it possible for stockholders to become millionaires if they play it right; but the true value of any stock is found in the dividend that it pays per share in company earnings.

I just read your comment, Rick, on Twitter. I took a vacation from my television today so I had to Google hoping to understand a little better regarding your comment about judges taking money to keep youth in retention (prison) centers. It, too, made me angry. I have supplied a link. Maybe you might consider adding this link to your Twitter posting for the uninformed such as I. Just a thought. Keep up the good work. Please consider adding a "direct message" option to your Twitter profile.

last week a story was aired about a woman who worked for Honeywell, in Sarasota Florida. She was laid off/ plant closed, in March 2008. Would like to contact her regarding situation. We here in Spfld.,IL are experiencing some troubling times with Honeywell, and was wondering if she experienced the same things.
We feel the writing is on the wall but just very curious, if her questions were ever answered, or were they just left in the dark like we are? You know lay-offs in increments????? Thank you

Why is the release of the internal Bush Justice Department memos, NOT receiving more news time? It is unbelievable that in our life time we allowed some one to attack our constitution in this manner, and at that the same time the big bully on the playground, the one that yells louder and allows no one else to be heard and is therefoe the one everyone hears, Rush-boy, is yelling that OBama is trying to rewrite the constitution and change America. I think Bush beat him to it.

Rick, you do all kinds of news about whats going on, how about doing something about the Outer banks of NC and how special intrest groups are trying to shut the beaches down, they use info or what they say is info for their advantage in the courts and dont have to prove anything, even use tax payers money to help themselves to go after people who live here, we cant survive here without the beach and tourists each year, Please look into the ramble im saying here, Im upset as i have seen what they do where they have done the same, The park service has been lazy in a off road plan and think its all along been planned into the special intrest groups favor, Even the defenders of wildlife removed anmials [killed] from the beaches just to save a few birds, and i say only a few, maybe 6, Do they defend or what. Im not in business or anything here, im retired, gettin old, just cant stand whats going on where i chose to live the past 30yr. Sorry for this but whats our country comming to. Please help. Do something good in your life

The ONLY REAL LEGITIMATE anchors on cnn are Lou Dobbs, and Kitty Pilgrim!!! The rest of you are PATHETIC! Get a Life!!

We Must get rid of the Fraud in the white house that is Destroying our country, while you minions let him do it!!! Hopefully, nobama-bin-laden will get you losers some ecucation!!

Connie
Great comment.!!!!
Oh as for Rush we won't have to be concerned
about him smellin' up the place for long.For those
who may not know he is very wealthy.Think of all
the food and drugs he can buy !!! He'll be a bad
memory before long.

Rick, I belive in free speech for everyone but I am a little tired of hearing what Rush Limbaugh has to say. Who would ever want him as the head of the Republican Party. Dems love it.

I think it's very important to remember what words can do and the choices of the words we use and the power behind them. Remember what has taken place in the world history with leaders who took countries in the wrong direction by what was said to them. We from the way I look at it are talking ourselves into a depression. The media has a responsiblity to report the news but not use it to put harm to all humans by the power of their words and the choices they make to bring daily news. I understand needing to keep your jobs in the media but if you don't stop using the media in a way that keeps power to the wrong thoughts and words we will never get out of this depression. A thought or a point of view being said over and over puts alot of energy to it and their is power in that energy to make things happen. if your smart you would look at smart news with thoughts that will bring us out of this.

Rick, If the Republicans are so sure of what to do about the economy, why didn't they do them before? And didn't they do just what they advocate now that when President Bush was President? If so, why is the economy in such a terrible state. And why don't they suck it up and admit they are responsible for it.

I think Mr Steele shows his weakness by apologzing to rush Limbaugh. Why do u give rush so much credit. bottom line i believe
Rush is a racist. He just knows how to be an undercover racist.

I can't believe this guy. Hit Rush Limbaugh where it hurt the most …HIS RATINGS
If you don’t agreed with him TURN HIM OFF

I wonder if he would pass the vetting process in the tax evasion department?

Rush has followers like me. He reminds us of our great platform - lower taxes less government– these are the two things that got us out of a bad economy in the 80's. Why are you guys at CNN focusing so much on Rush?? You need to focus on Obama and his horrible socialist agenda that is going to ruin this great country into the ground.. I bet you won't use this comment. Mike Pence is just one of our new leaders. I'm glad you had a republican on CNN. Thanks Rick

Ruch Limbaugh is allowed to voice his opinion according to the 1st ammendment, so why is he abusing it? He should try to help the country, not try to get ratings.

Rick Iike yoour show I try and watch you every day, baut my question is why does the media spend so much time talking about Limbauagh, he is the modern day David Duke, a racist idiot and I wish the Fcc would take him off the air, as long as he keep gettting free air time he will continue to sprew his garbage over the airways. Why when the Republicans was in power aka George Bush and klan was in power and ruining this country bringing us to the point where we are now did'nt the he and re Republicans do something then. President Obama is trying to do something be it right or wrong, this is suppose to be the United States of America but it is not united, the Republicans are doing everything to sabotage this country if it does not suit their agenda for upcoming elections, take out the "United" and just say the Fifty States of America.

Rush and the repulicans don't seem to remeber that they lost and we voted for the other partey SO GET OVER IT.

It's a shame that the media is listing to Limbaugh and giving him face time.. The American people need to hear the truth not someone's opinion, espiecially a talk show host. This really bothers me, we need to work on other problems, not listen to him.

Rick, I can't believe Mr. Steele apologized to Rush Limbaugh. Are the top people in the Republican Party so afraid of Rush, does he carry so many votes that he can cause everyone to apologize to him for speaking the truth and not agreeing to his stupid, racist, outlandish rhetoric he spews. If he has that much power why hasn't he run for President, especially since he knows how to run the office of the presidency so well. He talks about President Obama as if he made these problems for our country. But our Republican President, who held the office for eight years, left these problems; and, if Rush knows how everything should be done, he should have run for President. Why didn't he ask to be President Bush's advisor, he could have helped him so we wouldn't have these problems we have today, since he's so smart. Will somebody in the Republican Party stand up for what is right and say you don't agree with Rush, that he doesn't speak for the Party and don't apologize to Rush for taking a stand!!! Are there any Republicans out there not afraid to take a stand against the rhetoric of Rush Limbaugh?

That ladys had finihed her time, she paid her dues, I see no problem in what she did, I know a couple that both are in the service & they sent both at the same time & to the same place, they have a son that has medical problems & no one to take care of a 5 month old baby,

I thought that there was some kind of of law that they couldn't sent both parents at the same time.

Rick, if the health care is changed to unversal health care will we still have the need for medicare and medicad?

an earmark is simply a spending bill that cannot stand on its own merits example we spent tons of money to eratic rats now pelosi thinks we should keep them so our grand kids willknow them

Hi Rick:
I can attest to the stimulus package trickling on down to grass roots level! My unemployment check had an additional $23 dollars in it...maybe this is the beginning of something good...I sure hope so for me and for the rest of my fellow Americans...
peace
Johnny O

Rick' Please Check what I said ,Missouri Largest employer is Mo.Dept of Correction's employee's is the largest employer in the state ,without any free enterprize prison's envolved..In Mo.it's like the Mo. Dept. of Correction's,Probation and Parole and other Prison employee's "its the economy stupid"

Hello Rick,

Is it ethical for a standing vice president to have a financial investment in prisons? A recent story indicated a law suit against the former vice president would be filed in Texas.

LAMC

Free speech is a wonderful thing, but , when you use it to spead propaganda or to divide the country or cause caos in the election proccess , as Limbaugh did, then i think he's boardering on treason. He is the most unpatriotic mad man that i have ever seen . When does free speech colide with conspiracy to over through the government. If the leaders of the republican party want to gain the countries trust again, then surely the can't be serious about alighning themselves with this traitor.No matter what our leaders do to fix this economic mess , no one wants to see failure, unless you are Limbaugh,and that goes for his fellow conspiraters as well, Hannity , and Colter.!!!!

rick l love your show,but pls stop acting like Lou and bill with their parochial minds.Brown is presumed inocent till proofing guilty but with the two ladies on your show you have already convicted him, you shd have brought a defence lawyer as well to the show. You need to do better next time.

Rick,
I think it's time for those Republican talking heads to
SHUT the HELL UP.
They had 8 long years to do right by the American People,
who voted them into office. And for 6 of those 8 years, they controlled all branches of Government, ...and This Mess is what they left behind.
Now everything Mr Obama tries to do, to fix THEIR MESS,
They try to obstruct, by adding their 2cents worth of negativity.
Limbaugh, Hannity, and that Old, drag Queen, Ann Colter,
Are as Obsalete, as HORSE and BUGGY on a FREEWAY.
I say to them..... SHUT (the #@^!) UP, and get out the way.

IF YOU CAN ANSWER YES TO THESE THREE QUESTIONS, YOU SHOULD READ THE REST OF WHAT IS WRITTEN ON THE WEB SITE INTERNETFREEPRESS.COM.
(1) Do I want to know the truth about politics, business, science, religion, morals and life; or do I merely want to prove that the notions I already have about these things are correct?
(2) Am I willing to lay aside the convictions of a life-time and all the traditions and beliefs of history and all the customs of my social class when I come into the presence of a new fact long enough to find out whether or not this new fact ought to change my point of view?
(3) Have I ever, without mental reservation, prejudice, bias, set notions and dogmas, surrender my mind completely to the examination of the reasons for my most cherished opinions; that is, have I surrendered my mind completely to an acceptance of the truth, whether it lead me to heaven or hell?

Does the pope really think God would want this nine year old child to be punished by having to go through nine months of pregnancy and probably die?
Would God want her mother to allow that to happen?
Did the pope excommunicate the stepfather–preferably after he was castrated and put in jail for life? Did the pope grant the stepfather absolution if he confessed?

I think it's going to take a while before this recession goes away. It's going to take alot of work from all of us mainly the banks and government to make this happen.

The Japanese have a low respect level for their women. I am not surprised. The sorry part is that some children may get this game and take it to real life.

Rick: If you really want to help us to stop the Rape Game, tells us who the game publisher is. Then we as viewers can express our outrage at the publisher and put pressure on them. Trust the power of the people in achieving change.

Help us to effect change.

Rick,
People need to know the name of the company that is producing this video game. We need to find a way to boycott this company and put them out of business.

In light of the present financial crisis, it's interesting to read what Thomas Jefferson said in 1802:

'I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around the banks will deprive the people of all property until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered.

Rick, I completely agree with you concerning the "rape video game," it's pure trash.

The Rape Game – Rick, I have an eight year old boy and I am equally worried about what these kinds of games say to boys. It is imperative that both boys and girls grow up to have respect for themselves AND for the opposite sex!

Dear Rick,
I sincerely agree with you about the new japanese game 'Rape'.It's really very sick and couldn't believe who can think of an idea like that.
Its really sad.
Mohan

the story about american guns to mexico makes no sense at all

drug gangs are the problem and threaten the US. guns can be

purchased anywhere! let's get real.

As far as mexico and guns are concerned, if they didn't get them from the US they would just get them from somewhere else. how about putting chips in the guns and have sensors at the border to detect them? As for the rape games I think the creators should be fired! and anyone who purchases them should be investigated to see if they are sex offenders. I think those kinds of materials desensitize the players morals and are more than likely act out in real life! just like child porn!

What is wrong with this country. We have such a need for instant gratification. Have we forgotten Pres. Obama statement that this recession might last 2,3 ,4 years or longer. He never said it would be over in 100 days.
The Republicans again are trying to use scare tactics to infuriate there constituents. Most of these Republican die-hards believe everything they hear from the Republican party, its sad. I wish more Republicans could move into the 21st century and not be so closed minded. Like a previous story you had on your show, there are 500 million dollars less ear-marks in the stimulus than when Bush was President.

I can understand every ones disgusted regarding the rape game, I share it, I have young female relatives.

However people should realize that this game was probably made by a bunch of young STUPID guys at some cheap studio thinking it was fun or funny.

I hope people don't try to tar the entire games industry with the same brush when reacting to this. You won't be seeing this sitting on your local video game store shelf.

Oh and the rape game........... Not a big surprise. Rick, anybody with a degree from Devry can make a video game about anything. Just because this game exists doesn't mean it will be massed produced. Let's not bash the Japanese here, I highly doubt the Japanese are happy about these games either. Grand theft auto cites as much terrible acts of violence and pure disgust than this rape game. Yes it's a retarded idea, but we should worry our own mandates on games in THIS country.

I didn't hear the entire clip on the Rape Game. It is so blatantly hideous that it makes me want to do more than just gripe. I am in Oklahoma, but I would organize a boycott of stores that would put this game on their shelves. Is the game going to mainstream stores? If you have this information, I would like to know. Thank you. Susan Clifton

In today's broadcast I noticed one of the enticing tidbits to keep us all glued to the set was about Rush's latest remarks. Well, they were unneccessary, and inappropriate, but why the disbelief. For years we have listened to Leno-Letterman-Maher-Colbert-Stewart, and most talking heads from from the news media call President Bush, and his staff foul, disrespectful names on a daily basis. He was mocked night after night. Nobody said a word.
But say something less than glowing about the new administration, and the world falls apart.
I would like to see civility, and decency return to the airwaves, but apparently that isn't about to happen. And reporters pretending they are outraged while wiping the drool from their chins only makes a bad situation worse.

I should email you about this.