Protesters Jump On Stage During Larry Summers Speech

[Ian David]

Source: The Huffington Post

Larry Summers' address before the Economic Club in Washington D.C. on Thursday was interrupted for several minutes as a group of Code Pink protesters jumped on the stage and held up a large sign behind Summers' head that said, "We Want Our $$$ Back!"

The protest came as Summers was addressing a question on whether a second stimulus would be needed, and it stopped the conversation in its tracks.

"Larry Summers is part of the problem," screamed one of the activists. "He is a mess."

In the audience, another demonstrator began to shout out the money and positions that Summers had earned during his time outside of government. "$5.2 million, this man made working one day a week," screamed one.

The crowd, mostly business officials from D.C., offered applause at Summers' hefty earnings.



Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/09/protesters-jump-on-stage_n_185224.html

---

[BeyondGeography]

1. That's good and fair...make him squirm over the $5.2 million hedge haul

[saigon68]

82. Another DLC slimeball

[pfitz59]

2. Summers and his ilk are the problem...

the call it work.. i call it racketeering! slimeball...

[pattmarty]

9. No, work is when you drive an hour each way to a job that.....................

................that you hate and work 40+ hours a week for maybe 10-12 dollars an hour, if you are fucking lucky. This prick and ALL the others like him haven't "worked" a day in their lives.

[pfitz59]

36. you are right

only time they sweat is when doing their mistress(es)

[pattmarty]

51. I surely wish they would "sweat" about getting indicted, but fat chance.

[Ken Burch]

126. he said they CALL it work, he didn't say it WAS work.

:eyes:

Still, point taken.

[xchrom]

3. recommend

[lamp_shade]

4. And once again the Code Pinkers made asses of themselves.

[acmavm]

5. Nah, that seems to be your job.

[femrap]

18. Good one! Made me laugh. nt

[Pastiche423]

22. And she's doing such a fine job!

[Dinger]

28. ***Ding Ding Ding***

From me:)

[Jim Sagle]

30. Sing it now: DLC Dandy to the RESCUE!

[lamp_shade]

34. ..

[spiritual_gunfighter]

83. What no response? n/t

[lamp_shade]

86. I moved it. See my post #43.

[girl gone mad]

41. Touché. n/t

[SammyWinstonJack]

72. .

:thumbsup:

[proud2BlibKansan]

104. Seconded!

:rofl:

[truth2power]

6. Oy! They made asses of themselves, how?

Thank goodness for Code Pink!

Slimeballs like Larry Summers deserve anything heaped on them. Personally, I'm not into showing respect for a bunch of thieves.

[Webster Green]

8. Code Pink fucking rocks!

You, no doubt would pee in your pants if you tried to spend a day with them. :rofl:

You are out to lunch. :thumbsdown:

[pattmarty]

10. You are either severely misinformed or joking.

[rhett o rick]

93. Or a corporatist sympathizer. nm

[saigon68]

12. Nice Non-sequiter

[lamp_shade]

13. I repeat... and listen carefully... once again the code pinkers made asses of themselves.

[Javaman]

15. please explain how, I would love to hear your perspective. nt

[crankmob]

33. courage frightens followers..

[Javaman]

46. This is very true. it appears as if the OP is a chicken. nt

[crankmob]

120. OP?

[Javaman]

143. Original poster of this part of the thread. nt

[WhiteTara]

25. nice women never made history

was that Susan B Anthony? I'm sure someone will know the true courageous woman who said that. And by the way, what are you doing to stop the madness or even let people know it is madness?

[acmavm]

76. Post something stupid once and people think that maybe you're not too

bright.

Post it twice - CONFIRMED@!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11

[backscatter712]

67. The whole civility thing doesn't seem to be working these days.

When we're polite and ask nicely for our grievances to be addressed, all we get is a condescending pat on the head, an insincere smile, and zero action.

It takes protests and obnoxiousness to compel people like Summers to behave and start doing something that benefits We, the People.

So, yeah, kudos and thumbs up for some well-delivered obnoxiousness!

[Hippo_Tron]

118. And what do you think this will accomplish for We The People?

[NBachers]

149. Yes, you're right. Code Pink should Keep their Powder Dry

[Better Believe It]

88. Of course. Most people just love those Wall Street crooks who caused this economic crisis

[rhett o rick]

96. In the war between the ruling class and the rest of us Code Pink is on our side. Who's side are you

on? Larry Summers?

[Moochy]

141. The side of it's own fucking ego

[lonestarnot]

162. What?

Is making an ass of yourself at DU something in which you take pride?

[ozone_man]

7. He's change we can believe in (not).

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss. At least when it comes to bailing out Wall Street. It's the biggest crime in the last century. The creation of the Federal Reserve was the other great crime.

[pattmarty]

11. Yeah, an FDR he ain't!!!

[defendandprotect]

14. Nice job, Code Pink--!!! Summers is part of capitalistic corruption and crime . . .

[SLSmith]

16. Vid Clip with Followup Question to Larry

I watched this live & it went on for a minute.

Here's the complete clip with Larry's followup question:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzTrPVSni14

There is a great Bloomberg clip where the hosts are asking "How Did the PINK LADIES get in AGAIN? Blankfein (Goldman) & Today Lawrence Summers....WHERE WAS SECURITY (probably applying for UI) posted that as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdT23lWQHD0

[femrap]

17. k and r

Code Pink...they are the only Activist Group to kick some rich boyz ass! Gotta love them!

[lucretia54]

19. CODEPINK shows us who the real asses are....

they are unconventional and awesome!

We're reading about the jerk aren't we?

Case closed.

[mbperrin]

20. Dangerous women! Love them! Love what they do!

Thank you!

[Overseas]

21. K&R !! Thank you Code Pink !! //nt

[Gin]

27. they are brave women...& man...on stage.....Larry was not amused

it was funny when the one woman yelled "resign Larry" as she was being led out....the look his face was priceless.

[Dawgs]

23. Fuck Code Pink!!

Bush and the Republicans caused this disaster, adnd lost the money you "want back". Where were you 3-4 months ago?

[WhiteTara]

24. right where there are today

fighting tooth and nail to stop these bastards from killing and stealing. Where were you?

[Dawgs]

26. So now the Democratic administration are "killing and stealing bastards"?

Maybe you're in the wrong place.

[Webster Green]

37. You asked about 3-4 months ago. WTF!

You asked where they were during the chimp admin.

Are you out of your fucking mind? :wtf:

[Dawgs]

40. Bullshit. You said "right where they are today".

My mind is just fine.

Is Larry Summers not part of the current administration? :shrug:

:wtf: right back at ya!!

[Webster Green]

59. Yeah, he is. Are you suggesting no criticism is allowed?

If the shoe fits, well...

Easy for a keyboard warrior to attack those who put their asses on the line to challenge these clueless mofos (dem or repuke)

[Dawgs]

60. Uh, maybe some of us don't think they are clueless.

Jesus. How do you people make it through the day?

[Webster Green]

63. How do you make it through the day?

Shaking in your booties.

Cowards! :rofl:

[Dawgs]

78. "Shaking in your booties"?

I'm perfectly calm. I have complete confidence in the Democrats I helped get elected.

OTH, Code pink and their supporters are the ones that seem to be freaking out.

But, keep projecting if it makes you feel better.

[creeksneakers2]

135. They might be called brave

if they weren't always released almost instantly. They need to serve a couple of days.

[grahamhgreen]

186. Thank you for finally saying it!

Killing - more money for the endless, made-up, BS war on the people who had nothing to do with 9-11.

Stealing - money for the corrupt banksters who collapsed the worlds economy.

[truedelphi]

45. Thanks Tara. They were indeed exactly where they are today.

Why people accept an economic policy that will be fatal to this nation, simply because it has a "D" after it, makes no sense to me.

It is a giveaway to the Wall Street Wolves, every bit the same as if someone of Bush's buddies designed it. And will not help the middle incomed one bit.

[Dawgs]

79. I think you are wrong.

Guess we'll both have to live with that.

[bjobotts]

127. Both Ds & Rs leadership beong to the Money Party, the oligarchs.

They (like Summers etc.)do the bidding of the oligarchs when not in power and get paid well then when in power make sure these same oligarchs are protected. They worked in Clinton administration to deregulate wall street and the banking system...then went to work for these oligarchs making tons of profit....then back into go9vetrnment when Obama gets elected to make re their buddies are protected with tax payer money.

I want to trust Obama's judgment too but here he is being held hostage and blackmailed by the finance industry who threaten to collapse our economy if Obama doesn't do what they ask. Even if he nationalizes the banks they have tied up enough funds and have enough influence to make sure we don't get loans easily since these same oligarchs have nationalized.

We need a Huey Long approach. Take the banks and fire wall street, roll back the Reagan tax cuts on capital gains (which is where starving the government of operating funds began) and make sweeping regulation laws. We'd solve our economic crisis and have enough funds for ed, health care,infrastructure repair, and converting over to alternative energy.

But we'd have to battle Chuck Norris (and standing behind him, Hannity, Rush, Bachmann, O'Reilly, Beck etc) and the other greedy "millionaires" who want a Monarchy.

[truedelphi]

148. Huey Long sure did have his good points. n/t

[creeksneakers2]

134. Code PInk was busy trampling Nancy Pelosi's flower bed

I almost never see Code Pink go after Republicans.

[proud2BlibKansan]

151. What utter bulllshit

I have not only seen them go after republicans, I have been with them when they went after republicans. We helped them ruin a fundraiser featuring Karl Rove in Austin. I took pictures and posted them here.

And that's just one example. There are literally hundreds of others.

[Dinger]

155. Indeed (nt)

[proud2BlibKansan]

160. That Karl Rove dinner was a blast.

One of the highlights of my life.

[Dinger]

164. Wow, I Didn't Know!

You were there? My hat's off to you!

[proud2BlibKansan]

167. August of 06

We drove down from Crawford. Karl was appearing at a fundraiser in a fancy hotel. It was one of those where the lobby was an atrium with 12 floors of rooms and balconies overlooking the lobby. As the rich Republicans arrived for their cocktail hour in the lobby we were there with signs reminding them that war crimes were being committed. We outnumbered them two to one at least. They finally got smart and started sneaking into the banquet hall without going through the lobby. The manager told us we would have to leave since we weren't guests so a bunch of Code Pinkers checked in - which gave us access to the balcony. :)

So someone had a big banner PINK SLIP KARL and it was unfurled from a balcony on about the 8th floor. Then just when we thought the excitement was over, and we were walking out of the lobby, in came the Code Pink police and they were led by Cindy Sheehan. They went to the door of the banquet room and Cindy banged on it, demanding that Karl come out because she had a warrant for his arrest.

Then as soon as the cops came in and made us all leave, there were several Code Pinkers who had gotten into the banquet and they started jumping up one at a time, demanding Karl be arrested.

It was freakin awesome. I think the pictures are on my other computer. I will dig them out and post them one of these days.

Willie Nelson's wife Annie was there too.

Truly one of the best days of my life :)

[Dinger]

169. Willie Nelson's Wife?

I LOVE Willie! Goddamn, that is awesome!

[proud2BlibKansan]

173. Annie and Willie were among Cindy's earliest supporters

Annie was a regular at Camp Casey events.

[Name removed]

29. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Dinger]

31. You ARE Kidding, I Am Sure Of It

Fuck Code Pink? Where were they 3-4 months ago? Code Pink has been the voice for people who want the horror to stop (no matter what their party), but don't quite have the courage that Code Pink does. They've been doing this for YEARS in fact. I couldn't be prouder of them!

[Dawgs]

43. Nope. I couldn't be more serious.

I don't know anything about code pink, except that they don't offer anything but disturbance.

Acting like children isn't going to fix a damn thing. And, that's all they're doing.

I'll keep trusting the adults.

[PassingFair]

53. Here's where they were:

While your guys were rolling over and
showing their junk to the BUSHIES in
submission.

[arcadian]

133. And here:

Confronting Bush at on July 4th at Monticello.

[Webster Green]

58. Oh, bullshit!

Non violent protest has accomplished nothing?

We ended the fucking Viet Nam war with our protests.

Fucking cowards! :rofl:

[Runcible Spoon]

87. "I don't know anything about code pink"

You could have just stopped there and we would have forgiven you.

[Dinger]

101. Touché

Tou fucking ché!:patriot:

[sabrina 1]

89. How did acting like 'grownups'

help over the past eight disastrous years? Oh yes, no one listened to us, did they?

If everyone had acted like Code Pink, maybe someone would have listened, instead we were constantly told, no matter how egregious the behavior of our elected officials, and that includes the Dems (remember the 12 Dem Senators who voted for the Military Commissions Act eg?) who enabled Bush and his criminal administration, to 'be patient' , to 'behave nicely' etc. And not a single life was saved, or a single act of torture stopped.

The government does not want to hear from the people, Code Pink and others have the right idea. We should be ashamed at how 'patient' and 'pragmatic' we were for so long as people died and lost their rights, and this country became a pariah in the eyes of the world.

[girl gone mad]

90. You're in a very small minority on this one.

Look around. Everywhere this incident is being talked about, not just here, Code Pink is receiving overwhelming support. People are fed up with crony capitalism and with Larry Summers brand of corruption, in particular.

[proud2BlibKansan]

107. Yes you don't know anything about them

That is painfully obvious.

[Moochy]

158. "I'll keep trusting the adults" Spoken like a mental 4-year old

[creeksneakers2]

136. I dare them to prove it.

[Webster Green]

35. Code Pink was right there in their faces!.....WTF were you?

I mean WTF?! Just because you missed it, you are attacking Code Pink? :wtf:

[proud2BlibKansan]

168. But Keyboard Commandoing is so time consuming

:rofl:

[rhett o rick]

97. Who's side are you on? The ruling class or the rest of us, including Code Pink.

They have a lot more on the ball than you, I dare say.

[proud2BlibKansan]

105. They were right where they are now

[kas125]

146. I still LOVE that picture. And today was Des' birthday.

Happy Birthday, Desiree!!

[FLAprogressive]

112. Bush, the Republicans, AND complacent Dems like Clinton and Summers caused this

party loyalist morons who want to say otherwise are just kidding themselves.

[DutchLiberal]

117. Where were you almost 30 years ago, when Reagan started to lay the groundworks?

Where were you, when Bill Clinton finished Reagan's job? Bush may have been the one that put the final nail in the coffin, but that's just it... the final nail.

[eridani]

138. And Summers is a big champion of the Bush deregulatory policies

He is as much a part of the problem as the Bushies.

[TheWatcher]

187. No, Fuck You.

Another blithering, ignorant statement.

Code Pink was after Bush and his Cabal constantly during their reign or terror.

As for the disaster you speak of, it's something that's been brewing for decades, and it is not exclusive to the Bush Cabal. Try going back through history a bit

But I wouldn't expect you to know that.

I think you really WERE born yesterday.

[Pastiche423]

32. Good gawd, summers is such arrogant prick!

I'd love to see Code Pinkers leading a crowd carrying torches and pitchforks. It is long past the time that we, Americans begin to act more like the French.

I want those banksters to be afraid, be very afraid of the millions of people that they have robbed and lives that they have ruined. I want their guffaws to be silenced forever.

But it ain't gonna happen w/Obama's choice of scoundrels he has surrounded himself with.

All of that hope he promised has already been stomped on and ground into the dirt.

[liberalmuse]

38. Haha! Love those ladies!

They've been there fighting for the little people for 8 years.

[northzax]

39. I'm assuming they have a better solution?

if so, I'd like to hear it.

[truedelphi]

47. Yep, put the insolvent banks into receivership

Thus making all the nasty contracts the financial institutions hold void.

Set up a Central bank with the monies that need to go to the Public going to the Public. Rather than a 2.9 to 20.? Trillion dollar giveaway to Wall Street, the Central Bank should be handed the money and then lends the money directly to those Americans who need it.

Or alternately, send the money to the regional banks that took over when the S & L debacle occurred. Have those banks stand as banks for the People. This is what brought about recovery after that S & L failure.

In fact, the people that were in charge of that process are still around and could be the overseers of this this second time around.

[lamp_shade]

42. Once upon a time they stood for something (opposition to the Iraq War).

They've morphed into a bunch of pitchfork wielding crazies not unlike those "full-time professional protestors" who show up at every gathering without even understanding why they're there. I used to be proud of them too. Now I'm embarassed to admit I ever supported them.

[snappyturtle]

48. Well, maybe your pride in Code Pink can be re-established on May 9th

when they present their anti-war message to mothers around the world. Keep an eye on the White House May 9th.

I think if you asked them why they are protesting at gatherings they would be fully capable of giving good reason. You're wrong in thinking THEY don't know why they're there; YOU are the one that doesn't know. Just listen. You can usually hear why they're protesting if they aren't carted off first and anyway, it's usually blatantly obvious.

[lamp_shade]

49. If they can present their message in a peaceful, adult manner then... yes... I'll be proud.

[snappyturtle]

52. Yes, very peaceable and very adult-like and what do you want to bet

it gets little or no attention?

[rhett o rick]

92. So you don't believe in protests? And do you support Larry Summers? nm

[kas125]

50. If you had ever truly been a supporter of CodePink, then

you'd know that it has NEVER been about one issue. CodePink is about social justice and protecting the environment. The war has always been only part of CodePink's agenda.

[lamp_shade]

54. Wrong. On initial start-up it was ONLY about the Iraq war.

[Webster Green]

62. Utterly clueless..

As well as cowardly. Very sad. ;(

[kas125]

68. YOU are gonna tell ME what the purpose of CP is??

Those people on that stage today (Liz and Tighe) are friends of mine. I am a co-founder of a CP chapter. I don't know where you get your information from, but "on initial start-up" it was always about more than the war.

[arcadian]

137. I saw Tighe at the March on the Pentagon a couple of weeks ago.

He had just gotten back from Gaza.

[kas125]

145. He saved a friend and me from three disgusting drunk guys

who just would not leave us alone at the RNC. He's a really good guy who works tirelessly with CP, at the cost of his own career.

[proud2BlibKansan]

108. Bullshit

You need to stop. You are digging a hole you can't get out of.

[tbyg52]

119. Well, even if that were the case,

you don't think people are going to *die* because of the looting by the corpos? They are.

[WhiteTara]

55. why? Cause Bush slithered away

into the night? And now all is well in tv land?

[Webster Green]

61. "full-time professional protesters"

Please! There is no such thing...except in the minds of right wing nut-jobs.

Are you series? :rofl:

[lamp_shade]

65. Where have you been... or... are you... like.... 9?

[Webster Green]

70. Protesting since 1967 when I got arrested on the steps of the Pentagon..

You?

No professional protesters! You've been duped! :rofl:

[lamp_shade]

71. Since 1964 and I never got arrested.

[Webster Green]

73. Well, you just didn't try hard enough..

I was in Viet Nam in 1964, so you have me beat on that count.

Do you honestly think someone is paying people to go out and protest the war? Where do I sign up? :shrug:

[spiritual_gunfighter]

91. Once upon a time you supported them when they were going after Bush's war

But now that they are going after a member of the the Obama admin. you have a problem with them. Interesting but not really surprising.

[rhett o rick]

95. Give me pitchfork wielding crazies any day over ass kissing corporatists. nm

[TankLV]

123. Which proves you know NOTHING about Code Pink...

your commets only show what an ass you are...

THANK GOD FOR CODE PINK'S COURAGEOUS LADIES!!!

[EFerrari]

128. The feeling is entirely mutual!

:hi:

[kleec]

44. Thanks

Code Pink we appreciate all of your efforts.

[ardvark]

56. I like code pink

the arrogant little snots on the capitolist (congressional staffers anonymous blog) cant stand them, so they must be doing something right

[PBS Poll-435]

57. Wow. D bags on display. Nice.

:eyes:

[high density]

64. $5.2 million for working 52 days a year?

Where do I sign?

[Lena inRI]

66. Kudos to Medea Benjamin whose voice that was. . .

. . .telling this self-satisfied, overpaid fat cat he should resign. . .

while his greedy lemming supporters have the luxury of attending a mid-day work-day lecture to hear his vacuous statements about being so honored to now work for the President. . .while most Americans are schlepping to or from a 9 to 5 job, sweating to keep afloat.

May he be tormented by the most gnawing BAD conscience conceivable. .

thanks to Medea and Code Pink's voices.

:yourock: :grouphug: :yourock: :grouphug: :yourock:

[kas125]

69. Just FYI, that was Liz Hourican's voice.

[Lena inRI]

74. My humble apology to Liz. . .

. . .thanks a million Liz Hourican!

Great voice of conscience you are!

:blush: :blush: :blush: :blush: :blush:

[kas125]

124. No need to apologize, I'm sure Lizzie would be honored

to be mistaken for Medea. They are both wonderful people.

[Liberal_Christian]

75. HEY CODE PINK! You are fiscally just as bad as conservative right wing activists; congratulations.

These people fail to realize that without progress, there is no perfection.

An UNCONTESTED wikipedia page says Code Pink describes themselves as a "grassroots peace and social justice movement working to end the war in Iraq, stop new wars, and redirect our resources into healthcare, education and other life-affirming activities."

With Obama we may not have peace, but we have a time limit, a drastic cut in a bloated military budget, anti-torture legislation, and a long-lost international diplomacy.

and it's FUCKING MIND-BLOWING to me that they claim support to "redirect our resources into healthcare, education and other life-affirming activities" while they bash the stimulus bill. Obama has billions going to education, infrastructure, environmental standards, green industries, other "life-affirming activities", and is the first president in our history to legitimately attempt a Universal Healthcare system. OBAMA'S TAKEN MASSIVE STRIDES IN PROGRESS COMPARED TO ANY PRESIDENT (DEMOCRAT OR REPUBLICAN) AND "CODE PINK" IS BITCHING ABOUT AN ADMINISTRATION THATS ACTUALLY ADDING TO THE BUILDING BLOCKS THAT WILL LEAD TO THEIR VISION; FUCK-THEM.

I could see "Code Pink" in the 1930's, "FDR give us our money back!", "The New Deal is a RAW Deal", "3.3 million jobs created, SO WHAT?!", "Unemployment down every year, SO WHAT?!" News flash; FDR was involved in banking and big business too.

[lamp_shade]

77. Amen.

[Dawgs]

80. Thank you.

In less than eighty days, some here expect perfection from Obama, and are now happy that a group is trying to bring him down.

The only thing that could come of something like this is less support of the president's agenda; like universal healthcare, fixing the climate, and getting re-elected.

[humbled_opinion]

100. I tend to agree with you.

I understand the need for protest but I also understand how the Right Wingers will twist these protests and try to paint Obama as a failure in his own party and attempt to undermine his entire agenda so they can call him failure.

I am of the mind to not give the Idiots on the right any ammunition to fire back at us. I have been called blindly led and conformist, so what. If Summers is Obama's guy then he got my back regardless.

[Moochy]

159. Always second guess one's actions through the lens of the right wing

Sounds Like a Plan! The same worthless, losing plan that included Al Gore and Kerry conceding to election fraud, and ended in 2006, when impeachment was put off the table.

[girl gone mad]

94. They aren't bashing the stimulus bill, they're bashing the bailouts.

Big difference.

[Zodiak]

98. It is not the stimulus bill..none of that $$ went to the banks

I believe it is TARP they are protesting...the funds Summers is in charge of.

Do not conflate the two bills.

[FedUp_Queer]

114. WRONG!!!!!

Obama is DEAD WRONG on so many things. First, the bailout of the banks...dead wrong. He has done exactly what Bush did by putting foxes in charge of the hen house. Larry Summers, Tim Geithner...all VERY bad choices. They are not just part of the problem, they ARE the problem. His justice department asserts the state secrets privilege, then goes further than Bush and asserts complete sovereign immunity. Contrary to your assertion, Obama continues the huge increases in military spending (we are still NUMBER ONE in military spending in the world). There are some things I like about Obama, but letting the banks STEAL $1,000,000,000,000 for their welfare is not change we can believe in. Real change would be toppling the entire financial system; working HARD to bring back Glass-Steagall by working hard to repeal Gramm-Leech-Bliley (which Clinton signed). Painful as it would be, this system is not fixable. It must be torn down and rebuilt. The notion that 12 private banks own and control our money supply is appalling.

Let me point out some of your other falsehoods: there is NO anti-torture legislation. In fact, we are continuing extraordinary renditions (though they said they closed the black sites). See what I said above about state secrets and sovereign immunity (http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/04/06/obama/). As far as Iraq, while he's an improvement, he's still going to keep 50,000 troops there. He has proposed no cuts in defense spending (again see above). So...while I may or may not agree with Code Pink. Get your facts right.

[abelenkpe]

116. Stimulus is money spent well

most can see that. If we had spent the TARP money and AIG money on additional stimulus or on universal health care, wouldn't that have been something?

The bailouts to banks and financial institutions using taxpayer money? Most don't think that's a good idea. It's a shame really that we spend more time fighting amongst ourselves over that. Because I've never seen an issue that so many of every party agree in opposing.

[EFerrari]

129. Wrong. They aren't bashing the stimulus bill but the bailout of Wall Street criminals.

But, thanks for playing!

[Moochy]

144. le Plonk?

[vssmith]

153. I think they are bashing the bailout--not so much the stimulus

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

81. Oh...

[fascisthunter]

84. OMG... people are Not Behaving... how uncomformist of you!!!!

Thank you Code Pink once AGAIN!

[Vidar]

85. Hanging him would be more effective, but not bad.

[New Dawn]

99. K&R

[santamargarita]

102. Why is this asshole giving a speech - he should giving the money back and...

and apologizing for this statement: 'differences between the sexes might help explain why relatively few women become professional scientists or engineers'

[proud2BlibKansan]

103. Awesome job, Code Pink

You folks ROCK!! :applause:

[quickesst]

106. Dumb...

...but that never stopped a determined liberal. The right wing loves shit like this. They can go on msm, who's audience we, DUers that is, make up a very, very small percentage and say "Look, even liberal democrats think democrats stink, and we tried to warn you this would happen!" The general public absorbs this shit like a sponge, and the msm being republican compliant do their part to make it believable. Until the left finally understands that there are times when ideology should give way to the greater good, that retaining power, even if imperfect, is the only way this country will survive. Give those goddamn republican bastards one more shot, and we'll be done for good. I just don't understand why some on the left cannot grasp the reality of the world we live in. Think we can bring about Shangri-la with one fucking election? Wake up, reality is knocking, make that banging on the front door. If we ever learn how not to shoot ourselves in the foot, perhaps one day, a President Kucinich will be a reality, and not a side-show. Thanks.
quickesst

[FLAprogressive]

111. yup, us liberals just need to stick with the national party. Look at all they've done for us.

Lip service really makes one feel good. :sarcasm:

[antimatter98]

109. This is just the beginning. Obama is being called out for his lies. n/t

[FLAprogressive]

110. K&R

[MasonJar]

113. Thank God for groups like Code Pink. I guess it is too much to hope

Obama will take notice. He has turned out to be the biggest DLCer of the whole DC bunch. If he had only been honest during the campaign, I wouldn't feel so cheated. When he voted with the telecons, he had already sealed the Democratic nomination. That action clearly demonstrated the handwriting on the wall, but it was too late.

[mike_c]

115. K&R-- code pink speaks for me....

:yourock:

[RollWithIt]

121. I'm not making very much money right now, but did Summers do anything illegal?

I guess the problem I have is just criticizing someone because they worked on Wall Street and made a lot of money. Isn't that what people on Wall Street do? Just curious.

[eridani]

139. Make money with fraud, and you ought to be stripped of every penny n/t

[C_eh_N_eh_D_eh]

122. If right-wing activists had done that...

... you'd all be calling them a bunch of disruptive assholes.

Let's leave the double standards to the other side, please.

[twitomy]

130. Probably...However

Truth be known that the right wing "grass roots" is PO'd over these bailouts as well....
whaddya know, the far left and far right agreeing on something. Must be a cold day in hell...

[druidity33]

131. Not if they were doing it to Summers!

If there were Right wing protesters there today instead of Code Pink i'd be cheering them on! I might be laughing a little too, but i certainly would not be crying foul. No double standard here.

:shrug:

[Mari333]

125. good for them!! nt

[burning rain]

132. Good for the protestors.

I'm more than leery of anti-Obama types who style themselves liberals or lefties, but there has to be a push-back against this pandering to Wall Street and these retreads of Clinton's "Eisenhower Republicans."

[creeksneakers2]

140. If they had anything new and important to say

they wouldn't need to create disturbances to get attention.

Lots of people are angry about Summers. Code Pink just made all that look like a kook fringe cause. Code Pink would rather the attention go to themselves than have it focused on the problems.

[kas125]

147. Please explain how telling him that we want our money

back from the criminals who got us into this mess in the first place and who were bailed out by the criminals in charge until January 20th, is getting attention for ourselves instead of having it focused on the problems. Please.

[creeksneakers2]

152. Not the telling them part

Its the creating a disturbance part. Creating a disturbance only calls attention to the disturbance and the disturbers.

[mbperrin]

161. Perhaps you'd support a strongly worded letter? Not too strongly worded, mind you,

but perhaps semi-sternly worded, or come to think of it, just worded, or maybe this would be the time to keep our powder dry and our table clear so as to conserve our energies for future actions that may require as energetic a solution as a strongly (or semi-strongly) worded letter, so long as it ends with the boilerplate, "Hope we're not hurting anybody's feelings."

So perhaps no letter at all right now, but the thought of a letter, so long as we don't mention it to anyone, would suit you?

[creeksneakers2]

171. How about letters to editors?

How about looking for like minded people and lobbying for changes? How about holding demonstrations that don't create disturbances.

Those things are good enough for everybody else. Why should Code Pink get special mike privileges?

The Code Pink followers ridicule people who post on the net. But the people who post on the net played a big role in electing Obama and putting the GOP out of power. Meanwhile, Code Pink accomplished the big goose egg.

Your tone does not describe anything about me. You created a false dichotomy.

[EFerrari]

176. False dichotomies like saying I can't be in Code Pink because I post to the net?

Or, that Code Pink can't have a DC headquarters where people stay so they can lobby Congress AND also go to demonstrations?

You apparently don't know squat about Code Pink.

[creeksneakers2]

177. Strawman

I never said that. The false dichotomy is saying that one must either be for disturbances or be timid and naive.

[EFerrari]

180. Yes, you did:

"How about looking for like minded people and lobbying for changes? How about holding demonstrations that don't create disturbances.

Those things are good enough for everybody else. Why should Code Pink get special mike privileges?

The Code Pink followers ridicule people who post on the net. But the people who post on the net played a big role in electing Obama and putting the GOP out of power. Meanwhile, Code Pink accomplished the big goose egg."

You sure do have a lot of opinions about a group you know zip about.

[mbperrin]

179. Nope, not at all. You disdain any sort of disturbance. Words have been

known to cause great disturbance.

"government of the people, by the people, for the people"

"I regret that I have but one life to give for my country"

"Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty."

"To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that we are to stand by the president, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public."

Your claim is that a disturbance serves no purpose but self-aggrandizement to the disturber. Therefore, any action which causes disturbance must be avoided. Words have often disturbed others, so words must be chosen that cause no disturbance. To be on the safe side, words could be eschewed and thoughts substituted with no danger of creating a disturbance. There is no false dichotomy. Change cannot occur without disturbance. You are anti-disturbance, therefore anti-change. That is your right.

But those who desire change must make a disturbance.

The Declaration of Independence does not say "look, if you don't mind terribly, we'd like to form our own country. Now, we're not going to create any sort of disturbance to get it, but if you'd grant that, thank you."

[kas125]

165. Okay, so what's a better alternative? How do YOU get the

point across to the people in charge without causing a disturbance? And how do they respond to whatever it is that you do?

[creeksneakers2]

170. You are doing it. We are doing it.

If its right, it spreads.

[kas125]

175. What I'm doing is what CodePink does. I am a member,

I helped start a local chapter, I went to the RNC with them, I meet with my reps regularly to tell them what I expect them to do (not that they always do, but I tell them.), I attend weekly vigils at two different places, I work with IVAW, I do counter recruiting and "help" local high schools learn what the law says about recruiters in schools and opt-out forms for the students, I went into the belly of the beast and protested at a Palin rally, I worked my ass off for Obama and so did all the rest of CP, simply because we hoped that he'd listen to the PEOPLE more than the other choices would have. I attended a two day DNC women's conference and got to see the Obamas, the Bidens, and almost everyone who is now part of the White House. I may go on CodePink's next Gaza trip. I do a lot of different things, as do all CP'ers.

My question was what it is that YOU do that is more effective than we do. If you think that posting here, complaining about what we do on an internet message board has any effect whatsoever, then I simply don't agree.

[creeksneakers2]

178. Those are great things

Thank you for doing them. You accomplish far more than I do. You can do all those things without creating disturbances though.

I'm not saying posting on the net is better than all forms of political activity. I'm defending the people who work on the net from those here who dismiss net activity as doing nothing. The net accomplished a great deal. Code Pink's disturbances have not.

[kas125]

182. But what people don't seem to understand is that the

"disturbance" thing is probably about two percent of what CodePink actually does.

And I sure don't see anybody else out there, in public, talking about or protesting giving the banks OUR money to buy their own toxic assets.

I'm not sure what works, all I know is that I do every single thing I can think of from posting on the inernet to going to DC to meet with my reps and everything in between, and nothing has changed the war, the deaths, the wasting of our money... but I am compelled to keep trying, every way I can think of, because I refuse to let the blood of the people in Afghanistan and Iraq be on my hands.

[EFerrari]

183. That poster has no desire whatsoever to know what we do

but only to keep posting ridiculous claims.

[SanchoPanza]

142. Saw it Live on C-SPAN

A largely meaningless stunt.

Summers is the Director of the National Economic Council, an advisory role, and isn't in any position to direct funds towards institutions he may have received money from in the past. That's mostly been accomplished through the Federal Reserve, with $250 billion having been doled out by the Treasury under Paulson. He certainly has the ability to influence the decisions of people actually in charge of government agencies, but the proverbial buck doesn't stop with him.

The questions were rather bland, to be honest, and reflected an observational bias on the part of David Rubenstein (the interviewer) that Summers often had to caution against. "Well we all know deflation isn't the problem anymore, but is inflation as big a concern as some have argued?" Good Lord. I'm not expecting anyone from the Economic Club to ask Summers to elaborate on the observable differences between a liquidity crisis and an insolvency crisis, or anything like that, but that's the sort of bullshit question I'd expect from cable news polemicist.

[natrat]

150. obama summers geitner-birds of a feather

[Telly Savalas]

154. So are they going to cancel TARP in response?

[pjt7]

156. How come code pink is the only

one's that openly protest?

People should be all over Summers & Geithner, until they resign.

You can't have already corrupted wall-street insiders, running our treasury. enough is enough.

[Moochy]

157. Sean Hannity would be proud of your rhetorical question

Everyone expected that outcome as a result of this protest, and all assembled were puzzled when it did not happen!

[lonestarnot]

163. Keep after them pinkers!

:woohoo:

[EFerrari]

166. Amy played the clip this morning! n/t

[lonestarnot]

172. Is there a link yet?

[EFerrari]

174. It was in her headlines so you may have to watch the group -- not long though:

http://www.democracynow.org/2009/4/10/headlines#9

[riverdeep]

181. Summers was part of the gang that brought us this mess.

But I had a bad feeling when Obama was pushing aggressively for Bailout 1 back in September. Many people think that Summers is tainting the Obama vision. A more sinister scenario is that Summers IS the Obama vision.

[sarcasmo]

184. Kick back to the top, a room full of GREEDY fuckers applauding this guy.

[grahamhgreen]

185. These people are so rich and lazy, they literally have someone else put their clothes on for them!