White house war on Fox!!!

[bajakian]

Originally Posted by Broadbill-Pro

Richard,

Did you miss this part:

"the seven companies that received the most assistance will have to cut the annual salaries of their 25 best-paid executives by an average of about 90 percent from last year"

I would assume that an "annual salary" is a predetermined figure for the job discription. Cut it by 90% and see how many of those guy's stick around. One only has to look at Politics to see that we get what we pay for, a $100k salary will hardly bring the brightest and best corperate managers to the table. Think those companies have problems now, just wait and watch. This will only breed more coruption.

Vinny-It all depends on how you calculate "annaul salary". If you include last years bonus, then it should really say "annual compensation" but you know that people spin things to their agenda. I dont know but I would bet you that is the case here.

[mneptune]

I could be wrong but I don't expect that any of these executives will be going to the food bank to eat any time soon. If they want their very large "compenstion packages" then they should pay back the bailout money ASAP.

What concerns me is that if and when the bailout money is repaid, it won't go back to the tax payers as the whacko liberals will instead spend that money on their little "pet projects" instead. After all, their philosophy is that it is easier to spend other peoples money than their own.

[quack quack]

From the WSJ.

When Barack Obama promised to deliver "a new kind of politics" to Washington, most folk didn't picture Rahm Emanuel with a baseball bat. These days, the capital would make David Mamet, who wrote Malone's memorable movie dialogue, proud.

A White House set on kneecapping its opponents isn't, of course, entirely new. (See: Nixon) What is a little novel is the public and bare-knuckle way in which the Obama team is waging these campaigns against the other side.

In recent weeks the Windy City gang added a new name to their list of societal offenders: the Chamber of Commerce. For the cheek of disagreeing with Democrats on climate and financial regulation, it was reported the Oval Office will neuter the business lobby. Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett slammed the outfit as "old school," and warned CEOs they'd be wise to seek better protection.

That was after the president accused the business lobby of false advertising. And that recent black eye for the Chamber (when several companies, all with Democratic ties, quit in a huff)—think that happened on its own? ("Somebody messes with me, I'm gonna mess with him! Somebody steals from me, I'm gonna say you stole. Not talk to him for spitting on the sidewalk. Understand!?")

The Chamber can at least take comfort in crowds. Who isn't on the business end of the White House's sawed-off shotgun? First up were Chrysler bondholders who—upon balking at a White House deal that rewarded only unions—were privately threatened and then publicly excoriated by the president.

Next, every pharmaceutical, hospital and insurance executive in the nation was held out as a prime obstacle to health-care nirvana. And that was their reward for cooperating. When Humana warned customers about cuts to Medicare under "reform," the White House didn't bother to complain. They went straight for the gag order. When the insurance industry criticized the Baucus health bill, the response was this week's bill to strip them of their federal antitrust immunity. ("I want you to find this nancy-boy . . . I want him dead! I want his family dead! I want his house burned to the ground!")

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Associated Press

Rahm Emanuel and Barack Obama
.This summer Arizona Sen. Jon Kyl criticized stimulus dollars. Obama cabinet secretaries sent letters to Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer. One read: "if you prefer to forfeit the money we are making available to the state, as Senator Kyl suggests," let us know. The Arizona Republic wrote: "Let's not mince words here: The White House is intent on shutting Kyl up . . . using whatever means necessary." When Sens. Robert Bennett and Lamar Alexander took issue with the administration's czars, the White House singled them out, by name, on its blog. Sen. Alexander was annoyed enough to take to the floor this week to warn the White House off an "enemies list."

House Minority Whip Eric Cantor? Targeted for the sin of being a up-and-coming conservative voice. Though even Mr. Cantor was shoved aside in August so the Chicago gang could target at least seven Democratic senators, via the president's campaign arm, Organizing for America, for not doing more on health care. ("What I'm saying is: What are you prepared to do??!!")

And don't forget Fox News Channel ("nothing but a lot of talk and a badge!"). Fox, like MSNBC, has its share of commentators. But according to Obama Communications Director Anita Dunn, the entire network is "opinion journalism masquerading as news." Many previous White House press officers, when faced with criticism, try this thing called outreach. The Chicago crowd has boycotted Fox altogether.

What makes these efforts notable is that they are not the lashing out of a frustrated political operation. They are calculated campaigns, designed to create bogeymen, to divide the opposition, to frighten players into compliance. The White House sees a once-in-a-generation opportunity on health care and climate. It is obsessed with winning these near-term battles, and will take no prisoners. It knows that CEOs are easily intimidated and (Fox News ratings aside) it is getting some of its way. Besides, roughing up conservatives gives the liberal blogosphere something to write about besides Guantanamo.

The Oval Office might be more concerned with the long term. It is 10 months in; more than three long years to go. The strategy to play dirty now and triangulate later is risky. One day, say when immigration reform comes due, the Chamber might come in handy. That is if the Chamber isn't too far gone.

White House targets also aren't dopes. The corporate community is realizing that playing nice doesn't guarantee safety. The health executives signed up for reform, only to remain the president's political piñatas. It surely grates that the unions—now running their own ads against ObamaCare—haven't been targeted. If the choice is cooperate and get nailed, or oppose and possibly win, some might take that bet.

There's also the little fact that many Americans voted for this president in thrall to his vow to bring the country together. It's hard to do that amid gunfire, and voters might just notice

[mneptune]

Originally Posted by mneptune

If this is not stopped then rest assured that by 2012 anyone (and I do mean anyone) that speaks against the administration will find themselves subjected to IRS audits, loss of gov't contracts / subsidies in business, police investigations or other forms of harrassment.

Originally Posted by bigsplash

the white hous house is wrong and should acknowledge the difference between opinion shows and news. in the past newspapers (newyork times)
has been accused by the right of the same things and they have been wrong also. when the right accuse cnbc and cnn of the the same thing they also should acknowledge the difference. but the white house should know and do better. however this last quote above is proof of a place called fantasy island.
keep that up and get ready for another four years.

Well, Bigsplash? After reading Eric's post how does Fantasy Island look now? C'mon Tattoo, you still think this administration isn't coming after people and their businesses for disagreeeing with them? (Da plane, da plane boss...)

[Catch-All]

Sorry, I've been busier than a beaver on crack and meth all week at work so I didn't see this thread until now nor did I have time to read all three pages of thoughtful, well-meant posts.

But I've been following this controversy over on HotAir.com and all I can say is the current White House Administration has gone Nixonian in their paranoid outlook towards the media.

I think it was Mark Twain who said "never get in an argument with a company that buys its ink by the barrel" - basically saying don't get in a pissing contest with a newspaper cuz you'll always lose.

This White House will be doomed to complete & utter failure and go down in history as worse than Carter's mis-Administration if they keep up this shit. Obama needs to pull his head out of his ass, stop thinking he's in campaign mode and go into Administration mode - that's what we're paying this chucklehead for.

Catch

[bajakian]

JT-Whats your take on the Wall Street journal article?

[JT]

Originally Posted by bajakian

JT-Whats your take on the Wall Street journal article?

Which article ?

[bajakian]

posted by Quack immediately above.