M&I Bank is Wisconsin’s biggest, and it gave a ton of money to union-busting kochsucker Scott Walker. Now the unions are targeting both M&I and the Canadian banking giant in the process of acquiring it. A couple of firemen stomped in on Saturday and withdrew $192,000 on Saturday, in the branch across from the state capitol, and now the WI unions are deciding how to best leverage the $1 billion in pension funds held by the Walker-lovin’ bank.
“It’s good to remind these corporations that there are risks as well as profits involved in supporting right-wing political campaigns,” says Mark Weisbrot, co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research. “Unions must use their economic power to fight for labor rights.”
With over $6 trillion of workers’ money in retirement plans, pension funds, profit-sharing and stock plans and union reserve funds, workers have the ability to reshape the economy and political priorities of the economic elite.
Ha ha, good. [The Nation]
{ 287 comments }
Great rally this weekend! Fox News was predicting violence and once again, they were wrong.
Scott Walker spent the weekend, licking David Koch's car clean. Those spoke wheels can be tricky.
They really, really want violence to justify their "union thugs" lies; good on the protesters for resisting Walker's attempts to antagonize them into violence.
Palin referred to the union leaders as "thugs" Let's not forget that Todd made his living by working for a union outfit.
Forgive any typos. I am doing yard work and my hands are vibrating from using the electric hedge trimmers. I come in and take a break and pour Dr Pepper down my blouse. Good times!
"Dr Pepper down my blouse"
Barbara, you tease. <g>
Was that one of those fancy, fitted bras?
That would be spooky if it were from the "I hope my breast grow nice and long like yours, Ma" bra collection.
They also tend to forget that their Blessed St. Ronnie, began his political career as a union thug.
No less to one of the liberalest of unions, the freaking Screen Actors Guild. He might as well have used arugula to have a Swedish abortion while performing an interpretative dance to "Imagine."
Hmmm… I could use an uncontrollably vibrating hand about now…
Why the shit are you out doing yard work in a blouse? I was rocking the hoodie + old coat. The weight of the snow from the last storm snapped some tree limbs. They weren't entirely detached, so I got to use the vrrrrmmmvrmmmmm power saw!
Oh and I also had the pleasure of picking up nails (some the size of shit you'd see in Hellraiser) from around the house. We had new shingles installed and the workers were less than tidy about it.
I only own blouses at this time. I was married to a man who stabbed me and I left everything I owned in the house, grabbed my purse and birth certificate (in case I want to run for POTUS) and I fled. I didn't even take my car. I downloaded divorce papers online and signed them, used my sister's home address and mailed them to my ex. I told him if he would just sign them I would let him keep everything and I would waive alimony payments.
I moved to New Mexico from Delaware and changed my name. Jeff tries to get me to buy clothes and I hate shopping. I buy them as I need them. One of these days I will venture out and get some comfey work clothes.
The Mexicans the contractor hired to do my roof were really careful. Probably the Mexicans were illegal, and afraid of being deported if they littered.
So we're calling David Koch's dick a car now? Ok, I can get behind that…
If Koch's cock was a car it would be a mini Cooper.
And he'd call it Yugo.
Well played…
I call mine "Sir", because I know who's in charge in our relationship.
Say, is there any link between this topic and the anti-union troll Following me? UNION AND PROUD, MOFO!
That is the best location, as to be in front of that would be risking something wickedly unpleasant from an engorged Koch.
We need to boycott Koch Industries products like Georgia Pacific: Brawny, Dixie,and Vanity Fair Paper products.
I finally got up there this weekend, and let me tell you that even when I was in the most people-dense parts of the square (where if it had been a show at a club I'd be convinced I was going to get trampled to death), it was nothing but "Oh, excuse me please," and "go ahead" and "thank you" from everyone. Most. Polite. Protest. Ever. It was amazing, considering how pissed off everyone is.
Also there was one (1) pro-Walker guy out that I counted. He had a sign that said something like "Go ahead and strike, I'll take your job." I presume he's on unemployment then. I will try hard to think of others and feel bad, rather than him and feel good, when that inevitably gets slashed to the dickens.
there were approx. 100,000 people on saturday and zero arrests. seriously, badger home games are way more disruptive.
Hey, N_[r]_C. If nothing else, I hope you guys have plenty of pizza and Ian's has plenty of help.
The Right wing and MSM hoped this would just go away after the parlor and parliamentary tricks — and obviously it hasn't.
Likewise, when I was at "The Rally to Keep Fear Alive," I couldn't believe how cordial people were despite the crowds.
Then I saw Bleck say on his show last week (I was at the gym, and couldn't help myself) that he had 500,000 people at his rally (WTF #1) and the "other" rally was a bunch of slobs who left a mess (WTF #2). I think he was just trying to tie you guys to some inflated clean-up costs.
Keep the pizza coming?
if you are feeling give-y, you can go here: http://www.defendwisconsin.org/ thanks.
Japan has fucked it off the news by being so utterly fucked. I'm watching the Ed Show–excellent, It's coming up.
Sinply replying to [applause] the fact you're number one out of 200+ comments. I came in at the + part. Too bad for me.
"A couple of firemen stomped in on Saturday and withdrew $192,000 on Saturday"
Now the Koch Brothers are really going to be jealous, they've always wanted to be firemen but couldn't afford to.
Their not being able to be firemen hasn't stopped them from trying to hose everyone else.
Funny, that is the same amount the banks got as a tax break — for a month — from Walker. Go figure.
The Kochs probably prefer the kind of firemen that dance a lot, have killer abs and tear-away pants.
Who doesn't?
Now the Koch Brothers are really going to be jealous, they've always wanted to be firemen but
couldn't afford todon't care about anyone else and are too gutless.All fixed.
Capitalism is a fickle bitch, ain't it Walker?
Attention, all unions. It's time to use this financial leverage (while you still have it.)
Yes, let's hear from the California teacher's union. Don't they own enough stock to crash the market?
Can I just butt in here to mention that the teacher's union in NJ discovered that their pension fund is empty — including the part that was a mandatory salary deduction? If you don't hate Chris Christie, I can only guess it's because you haven't heard of him.
So yeah, unions, carpe diem before you can be the victim of any unpleasant surprises.
To Quote Nelson Muntz "HA HA". Couldn't happen to a nicer bunch of assholes, burn the fuckers that brought Scooter to the dance!
Yeah, I hear she goes both ways.
Alt-text Mojo strikes again!
Man, I love the smell of schadenfreude.
"Banker in your disfavour…"
Another example of union thugs screwing over the small banker. I think we should give them another bailout.
How can we bail them out if nobody will lock them up first?
"Money talks" and Teabaggers don't have quite all of it yet.
Most TeaTards don't have anything but government checks and stupidity to live on.
The assholes backing them have all the money.
True enough. But it seems fair to confer on the Koch Bros and other funders of the Worlds' Biggest Astroturf Campaign at least honorary teabagger status.
Tea Baggers don't have a pot to piss in or a window to throw it out of.
That's what makes them so "grassrootie".
A CEO, a teabagger, and a union member are all sitting around a table with 12 cookies between them. The CEO takes 11 cookies, then, gesturing to the union member says to the teabagger, "Look, that guy is trying to take part of your cookie."
I love this!!! I just really, really love this. Thankeez Ken.
The pen is mightier than the sword.
The withdrawal slip has got some grunt, too.
Especially if you stab someone in the neck with a pen. The precision is so much greater with a pen than an unwieldy sword.
Don't let the teacher see you doing it, though, or you WILL get detention.
Totally. I remember in second grade, we used to try and flip pencils into the drop-ceilings, and god help you if the teacher caught you trying to do it. Though, by the end of the year, there were enough pencils in the ceiling for a preschool classroom.
Walker: Fuck you Unions
Unions: No, FUCK YOU!!
Moral of the story, walk softly and carry a multibillion dollar stick.
Joe Pesci: Fuck me? Fuck me? You motherfucker!
judd nelson: no dad, FUCK. YOU.
I'm sure Faux News will find a way to make this violence against money and the poor, poor bankers who are just trying to do their jobs and how dare the unions stand up for themselves – only teabaggers are allowed that right, etc.
We'll beat ye in H-O-R-S-E, too, fancy-boys. We call… bank.
No need to worry! The Union's pension funds are probably safely invested in so called AAA debt instruments such as bundled mortgages! So hey all your money is safe anyhow because real estate never goes down. They aren't making any more real estate, you know! Heh heh.
$192,000!!! Just goes to show how overpaid those firemen really are. Plus they only have to work when there's a fire.
Yeah. What the fuck is up with that. I mean, how many fires can there be? Its not like they have to go to Haley's house and carry him out after his heart attacked him.
and if the victim didn't pay their fireman-ax- tax, well the fireman get to watch and cook marshmallows and stuff…
The $192,000 amount, along with the 6 trillion amount are intentional exagerations, meant to be humorous. In fact it was a lot more than two people who withdrew thier money frm this bank.
Check out this link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mary-bottari/wi-fir...
I really love that shit meme that "teachers only have to work nine months out of the year," as if they are lazy slobs. Most of my high school teachers had to work second night-jobs to pay the bills and part-time during the summer. One of them worked at a minimum wage job at a local convenience store, and they all drove ten-year-old cars.
Damn thousandaires have too much power in this country.
Money talks, and we've got a lot to say
…bitches.
If there's anything that you want,
If there's anything that you need,
There's no need to be evasive,
Money talks, and it's persuasive
Elvis Costello, Possession (1980)
A bit more obscure, but also appropriate for Walker and his overlords, if only for the title: Shot With His Own Gun (1981)
Last time a politician did the right thing. R Budd Dwyer, "Hey Man, Nice Shot".
Keep waiting for someone on Wall Street to do the same.
Ain't holding my breath.
But I did close out my bank account today.
How dare these criminal thugs steal their own money. Why, there aught to be a law…
Could be the bosses too.
Canadians are taking over Amurkin banks?! What, are they getting a free toaster?
They also bought the guy that used to be Jack the DA on Law and Order. Not only that, but their oil reserves are second only to Saudi Arabia. Plus, who do you think is gonna MAKE OUT LIKE GOLD, PONYBOY on this global warming thing? It's like I always said. Look north for our new masters. Also: Justin Bieber.
Between this and Watson ucking the fast lanswer, you may be on to something.
I, for one, welcome our new power trio overlords.
I think there was a hidden clue in the one Watson got wrong. "He" didn't mean that Toronto was in the US. "He" is going to have it moved.
Computers. You just can' tru……………………………………………..
It's because Canada City banks have oodles of money… money because they aren't deregulated because their lobbyists couldn't get the Canada City gubbiment to deregulate them like US America did to theirs in the 1990s/2000s.
Well that's just unAmerican of them.
Read this AM on Yahoo, that another organization is going to release the Bank Of America e-mails today, instead of Wikileaks. In the article it said that Bank Of America was selling parts of itself off to an Australian company.
EDIT: They are out. http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110314/wr_nm/us_bank...
It's nice to have some proof that the bankers are as big douchebags as we've suspected.
No worries. Commisar Walker will just take teh monies cause the stoopid union thugs will just spend it on teh ponies, womans and teh drugs.
Class warfare! Soshulism! Corrupt caviar eating union bosses! SEIU thugs! Argle bargle fleeeen!!!!
[falls to ground foaming at the mouth and convulsing]
I think that more-or-less covers how the repubs will respond.
"Argle bargle fleeeen!!!!"
LOL
"Argle bargle fleeeen!!!!"
Should be the new sozchulist rallying cry. The crowds o' Union Thugs™ at the capitol in Madison should be chanting this at high volume for hours on end, just for teh shock and awe of it.
There's been a class war going on since Reagan. We're losing but I sense they've stirred the beast within this time. I suppose we get the government we deserve. We're a nation of morons. Our lives are shit but our heads are full of fantasies that one day, we'll live like Charlie Sheen or Kim Kardashian. Rather than look around at the dwindling, fetid, table scraps the rich leave us to live on and say, "fuck you!, we're not going to take this shit laying down". Instead, we look for scapegoats and the wingnuts keep a steady supply of them front and center. It's the liberals/teachers/unions/PBS/ACLU/ACORN/San Francisco that are to blame, not the rich. Never the rich. Well, I say fuck the rich. Taxes too high? Fuck you. Leave if you don't like it. We know there's no place on earth more friendly to the wealthy than the good 'ol USA. Too much regulation? Fuck you. Leave. Move your factory or your jobs. That just creates a business opportunity for someone else. Why this argument is so radical inside the beltway is beyond me. I
I, myself, would like to live like Lindsay Lohan. Walk in a store and just walk off with whatever you want. Who needs money when you're … blonde and wear hotpants? Freedum!
I, myself would like to live in Lindsay Lohan's hotpants.
oh lord, pdiddy's had some sort of conniption.
YOU WHAT? YOU WHAT?
The clue the teabaggers are morans? That they're still biting on that old, "But we can't tax the job creators" line. It's like Bret sleeping with the croissant girl because she was leaving for Iraq the next morning. They have an ideology and they filter out anything that doesn't support what they believe.
"Go out and get me my old movie stills!
Go out and get me another roll of pills!
There I go again shaking, but I ain't got the chills!
Argle bargle fleeeeen!!!!!"
Been listening to this dude named Ike Quebec, man can that cat blow a horn.
Know who else used to roll on the floor foaming at the mouth?
Elvis?
Iggy Pop?
Used to?
I was being kind.
HeyZeus?
Jeebus?
Cujo?
Charlie Sheen?
Old Yeller?
(OHSHITSPOILER, sorry)
The Oracle at Delphi?
Great, march down to Bank of America, withdraw your money put it where, CitiBank?
I hear the International Bank of Sealy Serta & Simmons is popular these days.
I'm not pretending my withdrawal hurt but I'm past the point of caring.
It's my $129 and the mattress will be silent at the beginning of the month, and it has no power to take away $9 for the priviledge of keeping it there.
Frankly I'm hoping if I look next month, I'll see $130, because, well. It wouldn't be the first time.
Might I suggest your local Credit UNION? Banks hate the credit unions – all the more reason to use them.
That's where I have my teacher money!
If you can, switch to a credit union. You honestly will not understand why you ever dealt with banks.
If there's no credit union nearby that you can join, go with an Internet-only bank. They're mostly owned by the same foul banking industry, but they've got almost no fees for anything, and most will pay back your ATM fees.
I've been with credit unions since forever and only used banks when I absolutely had to. If you really want to hate a bank, try having a checking account with American Express Banks in Germany. When the dollar was dropping like a rock, you could buy all the Marks you wanted, but when the Dollar improved, they limited you to 100 dollars worth, so you had to line up your buddies with your paycheck in your hand to get enough Marks to pay your German landlady (who kindly overlooked the fact that we bombed her only son to death after ran out of legitimate targets in Germany). I have hated American Express ever since.
Don’t leave home without it.
Do more.
My life. My card.
AMEN to that Ken. I'm surprised CU's haven't been banned by the banksters and their hired representatives in the hallowed halls of Congress yet. I suppose that's next on the agenda.
anyone interested can go here http://www.ncua.gov/ to find a credit union in your area. sometimes they have residency requirements so call first.
It's got "Union" in the name and bankers hate it. I see another industry in the surveyor's marks of the oligarchs…
Egg management fee.
Meh, I thought I'd just find a nice S&L that a Bush was involved with and put all my munies there.
This isn't funny, but believe it or not, the best bank in the country is USAA Bank in San Antonio.
Let me explain it this way: when it was started (by the United Services Automobile Association, an insurance company started by military service members because no one else would write them auto insurance policies), it's chairman assembled the staff and said, "Don't worry about being profitable. Just provide good service and the profit will come." And it wasn't snark.
Plus they refund ATM fees from any and all banks. Anybody anywhere in the country can use it. You'd be surprised how quickly you can get used to not having a bank on every corner.
Yep, this is the way to go. I'm insured by USAA and bank with a credit union, and it's ALL GOOD.
I assume you don't mean San Antonio, NM.
…the population of San Antonio is hard to pin down because the area is somewhat ill-defined.
No, but seriously. I've been at NM Educators' Federal Credit Union for 10 years now. It's awesome. They know me; there's never a line; it's not like a bank at all.
I was at Wells Fargo for a couple years, until they started stealing my money. I postered all over town with "Wells Fargo is Stealing My Money" (in their corporate font, of course). They weren't happy about that.
This is true. Also, for forty some years now, if I find myself trapped by a car insurance agent in a social situation, I say "USAA", and he says "Nice party, isn't it?"
You can always join the Pentagon Federal Credit Union with a one time donation to the National Military Families Association.
What? . . . They have great cash back deals on their credit card.
Hey, I mean really. It's great fun. You walk into some diner with a parking lot full of pickups and hummers looking like a Dead Head and pull out a Pentagon Federal Credit Card to pay? Really messes with their heads.
I'm not even gonna read the replies, because there is a really easy answer — Credit Union.
Also this is why all of MY dough is in a credit union.
Credit union=socialist bank.
I put all my money in good ol' capitalist 9/11 commemorative gold coins.
Fuckin' A. Kick their asses.
"Yes We Can!"
The invisible hand just gave the Koch brothers the middle finger. Haha.
Excellent move, unions! Now, I seriously hope they can find a place to park their muneyzz that doesn't already somehow have Koch tentacles attached to it. Any ideas? (They're welcome to use my PayPal account for the time being.)
They can always put there money in a small, local bank; or rather they could if any of those still existed.
See above: credit unions, USAA Bank, community banks. All way better than the Wall Street monsters with their 34.99%
interest ratesusury on credit cardsDon't the rabble know that only billionaires are allowed to use their money to influence politics?
Cue conservative whining about limiting the bank's "free speech" in 5…4….3…
Bond libel.
Sucks to be you, bankers! No doubt Fox will call them the victims of those evil money-withdrawing unions, while continuing to praise any and all boycotts engaged in by teabaggers and fundamentalists.
Ayn Rand forgot to mention who it was who built Galt's Gulch, didn't she? None of the main characters ruined their manicures, that's for sure.
No, but John just got a lot of help from his deux ex machina. Well fuck, if I had a machine that offered limitless power, I'd probably build my own goddamn power tools!
Billy Corgan built Galt's Gulch?
Never read that piece of shit and I never will. There are too many good reads that I will never have time for, because I now will have to work till I fucking die. No SSI no medicare and as Johnny Rotten said No Future.
money goes in, money goes out…(and its pretty easy to explain why)
I really, really hope this actually happens.
And what's with injecting some good news into a Monday? What're ya, goin' soft?
"A couple of firemen stomped in on Saturday and withdrew $192,000 on Saturday"
But see, the problem here is you have to find another bank to put it in.
Wait a minute! Credit Union. Win!
I'm going to print this story out and put it under my pillow tonight and dream of a run on the bank.
Screw a run (although the bank did temporarily shut down to prevent one) — if the pension funds pull out we may have a full-blown bank failure (fingers crossed).
Maybe all the union folks ought to fill up on prunes tonight and really run on the bank tomorrow.
I'd prefer the bank have doubled-over, crampy, unproductive runs–like dry heaves, but from the other end.
Get ready to pull the plug on some banks in Florida. we have our own Rick "noblink" Scott. No blink because this dude has not blinked his eyes since November 2 2010.
Our little job governor here is enthusiastically cutting jobs, and feeding the Tea Party Guanos that he is doing something else.
The Lizard King and his cronies are going to make the homeowners situation where nobody can afford it, too.
also:
"As Florida Gov. Rick Scott's ownership of Solantic, the urgent care chain, increasingly poses conflict of interest questions."
In January, Scott transfered his Solantic stock – to his wife.
They may not succeed if challenged. Scott's health policy adviser Michael Cannon, an economist with the Cato Institute in Washington, favors giving consumers health vouchers that they would use either as cash for direct-pay medical care or to buy insurance. The possible effect on Solantic and similar clinics could be huge, said Rodwin, the legal ethics expert.
"You have a major owner-operator of a set of clinics on the state level, and a major policy figure on a state level, making major changes that affect whether that kind of business will thrive or not, what their competition will be, and really reforming the whole health sector," Rodwin said. "That's in my view a very dangerous role."
(From Florida Politics blog)
Beautiful the Cato Institute Libertarian Cunts.
If I managed a bank in WI that hadn't contributed a red cent to Walker, I'd be making calls to the heads of the various unions in the State to describe the wonderful opportunities with my institution.
I just got this image of Mr. Drysdale from "The Beverly Hillbillies".
Bad Ass.
Hahaha! The Nation article doesn't mention it, but M&I bank had to close for the rest of the business day after that $192K withdrawal to prevent a run on the bank.
One more thing! (I'm very comment-happy today, but Madison is my hometown) This bank closed early the day the firefighters marched in, in order to prevent a run!
http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-p...
Well that's not very Free Market of them.
No, no… No, no. The Invisible Hand swooped in & drew the shutters on the bank.
Shorter conservatism: Anyone but rich people using their money and free speech to promote their own interests is bad.
And coming soon to Wisconsin! Koch Brothers to buy all of the Fire Departments!
Fees based on how big the fire is.
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2010/10/08/13...
Time 2 privetize teh fire deptments!!!111
It's actually not that difficult to wean oneself from profiteers. Over the past two years, I've withdrawn all my money from a well-known large bank. They did not appear to care – or even, for that matter, notice.
I need to make the move. I have thought about it. Was Chase one of the banks that we (all) bailed out?
Yes. When I bailed out of Chase, the local branch manager begged me to stay, even though I had a pathetically small amount of money on deposit. He even offered to remove the fees their national mailings were threatening me with because my direct deposits weren't big enough for their taste. I have a feeling the branches are monitored and get in trouble if they lose too many accounts in a month. I actually felt sorry for the fellow, but it sucks to devote your life to evil.
So, go for it! And make sure they know why you're doing it.
Yup, 25 billion.
But, I'm sure they are worth it. *cough*
Based on one kid's experience, Chase is quite obnoxious. Of course, this was the kid I had to hit with a metaphor to use the USAA account I had already opened for him.
Yeah, but how noticeable is $1.42….?
Damn. I was hoping no one would see through to that.
why, i believe i'll take my 37 cents elsewhere! good day to you, sir! i said good day!
They probably won't, until the first year the CEO's wife doesn't find a Lexus under the Xmas tree, then all Hell will break loose.
Then there was that Xmas the CEO found me underneath Alexis…
In college, I had all my money in one of the large, well-known banks because my parents had had all THEIR money in that bank for decades.
At the end of one semester, I had my last money budgeted down to the dime for the last 5 days or so until I got the check for the next semester. I'm talking $10 for gas, $10 for grocery store, $5 at Target, maybe $5 somewhere else – several small charges at different places. This bank randomly charged an overdraft fee on the first item, even though I had money to cover it – but at $50 per overdraft, that put my account in the negative and all the subsequent charges also drew overdraft fees, $50 a piece.
I didn't have online banking (or they didn't offer it or something), so I went to the bank and asked for a printout of my charges on my bank account. They refused to give it to me or discuss the charges, and wouldn't talk to me about it at all until my mom called, reminded them how much she and my dad had in their bank (several large accounts) and threatened to pull all that. Only then did they discuss it with me and they never refunded all the overdraft fees.
So about a week later, my parents and I both pulled all our money and put it in a state credit union. They are AWESOME, super friendly, go out of their way to be helpful. A few of the really small credit unions here folded with the economic crash, but the slightly larger ones seem great.
I'll take a guess — Wells?
They'll notice. Wait 'til they add up the lost over-draft fees from your account.
I love this story. But it also makes me wish I had money, but I don't. So that makes it a bit of a downer, too.
Solidarity, brother.
Good for the unions. The hell with the Koch brothers.
Fuck yeah! America!
Wondering when Fitzgerald is going to whine about how they should change the law to stop the little people from displeasing him.
I would laugh, but Bill Haslam (Douchebag-TN) already did this, more or less, to voters in Memphis.
Well, they already are mulling over changing the recall laws.
Scotty: You thought your state was broke before. Subtract a billion.
Shhhh. There is still money to take from babies and poor people.
yeah but we can only take it from them after we convince everyone that this time we're really really super double broke!
And the babies are greedy ingrates who suck at the taxpayer's tit…
Hahaha, Yay! Go unions – move that money!
if I had any money in a bank I'd move it just for solidarity kicks.
Hey Union Moolah guy: Buy and hold Wisconsin Muni Bonds. Not bond funds, the actual bonds themselves.
1. Hi Scott, we've decided to buy out your deficit problem tenfold.
2. If WI does not go bankrupt, you wins cash.
3. You don't invest in anything looking to dick you over.
4. Woohoo tax exemptions!
5. Even if you don't make money, you've just invested $1B worth of money that will indirectly or directly go to keeping you employed.
Just make sure you don't get frontrun by the hedge funds.
I'm no finance guy, but at first blush this actually sounds like a very good idea, Mr. Eko
And for the record, neither am I though I know some odds and ends. The first concern would be a significantly smaller rate of returns than investing in stocks. The second would be bonds are since the 80s a trillion dollar industry largely manipulated by large hedge fund players that treat them as tools for arbitrage plays and even sums like a billion could easily be toyed with – though hopefully not if you're intending to just hold onto the bond for its life.
The thing is that bond buying used to be an old school patriotic duty: loan a set amount, the country gets things done, you get 5% back some years later, and your community is better for it. And that's how they still function.
I've been yearning for some plutocrat with a heart of gold to do some kind of "I will save my city" campaign by investing his/her entire fortune into a home city's construction bonds, then developing a fund where smaller investors can do the same.
Right now, the best you can do is invest in NY Muni bond funds which do sell them if market conditions are ripe.
HarHar! How you like the free hand of the market, now that it's made a fist and upturned a middle finger at you, rich assholes?
You disgusting parasite losers are destroying my home state. The wealth envy is hilarious. Just because you hate your mediocre, moocher lives, we achievers who aren't dependent on extortionist thugs to protect us will laugh as the unions go down in flames! ahahahahahahahahahahhaaaa! LOSERS!!!!
Sweet Jebus, the next thing you know they'll start boycotting scab businesses. This thing has possibilities!
This is why we have unions. There is power (lotsa money) when people unite.
Union…union…uni..te
Oh!!!
No wonder they hate them. Can't have the people doing that. Go back to your consumer segment niche! There's nothing to see here!
Unions are destroying businesses by…not giving money to them! The bastards!
So, alright already. Free toasters to the first fifty firefighters that don't close their accounts at M & I ! Today only!
Throw in an EB?
Obama needs to finally step in and stop this right now. That'll show he doesn't side with Union thugs and bosses!
Well I hope the bank got their toaster back, at least.
Don't you only get that for turning someone lesbian?
Americans fighting back…..who would have thought it possible?
O/T, but Evan Bayh just got hired by Guess-Whaux News. That didn't take long.
So, he's going to run for President, too?
Liar!
He and his wife are both money-grubbing sleaze buckets. He should be flogged for ever pretending to be a Democrat.
I upfisted you 'cuz it won't be long before your "stalker" takes the points away.
Thanks! So they follow me to take away points? That seems sort of sad and lonely. Poor guy/gal. We should stick together, like some kind of a, I don't know, union?
yeah it seems like they all go through and follow everyone, which makes perfect sense, except that it might be easier just to lurk here like a winner and hatefist people all day long, again totally crushing it.
This just proves we need to move to an all volunteer govt workforce as fast as possible. We got a All Volunteer Sacred Armed Forces which is the best in the history of the world. We can do the same with an All Volunteer Govt Workforce, and get all those freeloader govt workers off the govt teat before they destroy our banking economy any worse than it is already destroyed!!
we already have an all volunteer wonkforce. (except for the paid trolls)
Now that war is declared-and battle come down…
Hey! UnionsRStreetGangs…weer in ur bankz takin our moneez
n peein on ur carpet.
All your dollarz are belong to uss, durrty baztard.
Also I eeted ur luntch.
This touches me deeply in my happy place.
Looks like M&I bank just got accidentally Kochblocked.
Too bad the firefighters didn't demand cash.
Or gold, way more teabaggy!
A payout in pennies would have been a sight to see.
Ken – did you get permission from M&B to use that nice little picture?
I think much of the printing industry has been off-shored, the bastards.
And Old Original Bookbinders restaurant in Philly closed, too. Bankruptcy. Locked the doors without paying employees their final checks. One thing that killed them: electric bills that were twice of what other restaurants of comparable size were paying. And Peco Energy could offer no explanation why and cut them no slack, contributing to their demise. It's not enough that energy companies are killing lobster in situ. They're even killing the people who cook them.
Where the hell is Pete Seeger?
I feel like singing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYiKdJoSsb8
I was thinking that kid's song, This Little Light of Mine (I'm gonna make it shine).
Pete Seeger? Where the hell is Jimmy Stewart?
"unionsarestreetgangs" is now following me.
Hey there, corporate tool. This ain't the only place I post, go figure.
(sigh) Probably my batshit crazy step-dad again. Floyd is that you? Obviously, I'm Pink.
I haven't seen this troll's comments anywhere. How do I miss everything?
They never leave comments. They just read ours and downfist. How's that for a hobby?
I feel kind of left out. I haven't checked my profile in, like, ever, but I'm pretty sure I'm not being followed by any trolls. I'll be sure to check.
You haven't missed much, I'll tell you that. Reason we know he's following is cuz it's in the rules somewhere. They follow, intense debate informs me via email. So it's a kinda cool set up, cuz I can finally say to you w/o being OT, I like your posts man. Always.
There are more than a few names that never post, only follow. So I was only half-joking when I called out my step-dad. Though how he'd find his way here is a mystery. He'd run screaming from this. Me? I am fucking loving it. Rock on, OK.
MAE BEAVERS!!!!!!
APRIL SHOWERS!!
LEROY JENKINS!!!
M&I is already teetering, hopefully this wipes the bastards out and turns ownership over to some other conglomerate so we can ignore them too! HA!
And – there's big money (Big Money!) in that banana stand…
NO TOUCHING!!!
Somewhat OT but since he's probably reading this thread, I'd like to welcome my new follower.
I like puppy dogs and long walks on the beach and men who take regular showers and shave.
I'm pretty easy but you at least have to buy me dinner first.
I'm so excited to begin our internet stalking…err…courtship.
Hey, that's my stalker too, you know! Sooo… threesome?
Don't let that fucker try to take you to Krystal for dinner, neither. Tried that shit on me! You demand McDonald's or no fisting!!1!1
DO YOU HEAR ME TROLL FUCKER????!!!
poor scotty walker can't go anywhere in this damn state:
"The Republican Party’s annual Lincoln Reagan Dinner was open to card-carrying party members only and closed to the media.
Walker spoke for approximately 20 minutes before driving back to Madison Sunday night.
Police officials estimated the number of protesters at between 3,000 and 4,000 but about 1,000 were still standing along the Bond Street entrance to the Rock Garden parking lot when Walker arrived at 7:15 p.m."
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20110...
"I'll have the Lincoln Regan, medium rare."
And I hope the cooks AND the waiters spit on it. And the bartenders pissed in every drink.
OH man, a Lincoln/Reagan is totally a gay sex thing isn't it.
Hey! Unionsarestreetgangs! Why aren't you following me, too, you vapid, elitist troll? Maybe when you look up "vapid" you'll respond. I feel left out. Whatigottado to get some troll love?
I feel bad for all the great folks on Wonkett who have not been followed and/or troll fisted by UnionsR'US or whatever. Don't worry, owhatever, someday you'll find a stalker just for you.
I used to have a troll of my own, but it dropped me. Sniff. I feel so rejected.
Welcome to the Downfisty McTroll club. You're in good company.
Too bad the trolls aren't in good company, as in gainfully employed.
upfisties for you. Uh, that sounds gross.
Give him a break, it's the only job he's qualified for as Walmart greeter is above his skill level.
In his defense, it's a lot of work reciting, "Welcome to Costco, I love you. Welcome to Costco, I love you."
"And now to find a bank that loves unions!"
FTW
Credit UNIONS. You're an owner and can vote if you have a deposit.
yeah I think when you have a billion dollars you can be your own fucking bank.
You people are utterly awesome.
can't stop, won't stop.
wait, was that a cow joke?
No joking about cows. They give us cheese, one of mankind's finest creations.
OT, but: Isn't ANYBODY going to comment on the Palintards they firebombed along the highway over the weekend? I've spotted several burned-out shells of automobiles and Rascals in my area, along with the wheelchair I took out personally. Huzzah!
Boy, that story sure got overshadowed, didn't it?
In an unrelated story, Evan Bayh is still a dick.
He really is a dick. Faux news says he's important because of all the "important decisions he made" or was that "important decisions he sat in on?" And bailed the minute something might upset his corporate overlords. Plus, he's a boring fuck.
Last comment of the nite for me, losers. I've got to go beddy-bye. The old man got a big bottle of cough syrup from the doctor and since half of it is already missing, I'm hoping that means he won't cough all night. Yes, even in a separate room, the poor old guy's cough is so bad it keeps me awake.
And besides Bayh, Obama is a dick for not supporting Wisconsin's brave warriors for freedom. Never thought I'd call him a dick. But he's still not half as bad as Bayh.
That's it. Honestly. That's it. (I lied. Popped back in for a typo edit. Now I mean it,)
True, but a very tiny, flaccid one.
Wonkezoids! I AM somebody. The Unionsaremeanies troll just sent a message from its undisclosed lair in the slime beneath the bridge. I did not understand its muttering, but I wish it solidarity.
I wish it solidarity, too–in the arteries, I mean.
Hooray for you, I too send out a peace be upon you to our Libtarded friend.
So, what’s the big difference between a Walker lovin’ banker and a Craigs List gambling addict medical student whose hobby is killing whores ?
Just askin’…
So they are pulling all their money out……..Good
I hope the firemen threw in a "Suck on that, bitches".
The unionsaremeanies troll is just another breitbart fanboy. I actually feel a little empathy for some of those poor assholes because, when I was a young dumbass and hadn't figured out how to get laid yet, I was another wingnut dupe too. I changed, maybe it can happen for one of them too.
Yeah, I had about a six week period in my freshman year of college where I thought Ayn Rand was the cat's meow. I still feel guilty, but I can remember that flush of superiority before my brain cells rebooted and flushed out the virus.
I had an English teacher in my senior year in high school who forced the entire class to read Atlas Shrugged. Told us it was one of the most important novels in American literature. It was in Western Pennsylvania so, needless to say, his rantings went unchallenged by everyone except yours truly. In his defense, though, he didn't downgrade me, I think mainly because I was the only one in the class who stayed awake the entire period and probably the only one in the class who actually read the book. He eventually ended his career in a mental hospital after a spectacular in-class meltdown. No shit. So thank Gawd you were re-programmed.
I saw a flyer on campus one time for the Objectivists meeting and was going to go, but then I think I got drunk and ended up watching a "Who's the Boss?" marathon at a friend's house, instead. Ayn Rand, meh.
I have four troll-stalkers. I'm hoping against hope that makes me Prom Queen.
Not like Carrie, I hope.
Good on you all, but isn't "afterwards there will be beer and cheese" redundant?
it is generally assumed, yes.
Off-topic, didnt know where to post it. Is anyone paying attention to The Guardian's reporting on the nuclear problem in Japan? They just said small amounts of radiation have been detected in Tokyo. Will Jack be returning to us glowing? Stay safe, gaijin.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/mar/15/japan...
The Facebook page Boycott M&I Bank is up! Please hit the LIKE button and spread the word. http://www.facebook.com/BoycottMIBank
And here I thought I was special. I thought that he was admiring my lovely avatar. Once again I'm just another cunt.
Release the Badgers!
Seriously, you guys are an inspiration. I hope this can be sustained all over the country, a new social great awakening.
OT:
Oh, Hai Der, u…
They're coming…
I thought all the Oldz were Teabaggers.
But I'm glad they're not.
"Michigan Capitol braces for protests of Snyder's budget plan"
When I read this, I pictured Principal Snyder from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which is wrong, but somehow also right.
Teachers and Firefighters withdraw $1 Billion, sounds like they are over-paid. Over-paid useless, dumbed down teachers, yet another violation of our rights. Add it to the list of gov’t violations of our right:
They violate the 1st Amendment by placing protesters in cages, banning books like “America Deceived II” and censoring the internet.
They violate the 2nd Amendment by confiscating guns.
They violate the 4th and 5th Amendment by molesting airline passengers.
They violate the entire Constitution by starting undeclared wars for foreign countries.
Impeach Obama and sweep out the Congress.
(Last link of Banned Book): http://www.iuniverse.com/Bookstore/BookDetail.asp...
Sounds like Wisconsin is about to UNLEASH TEH FUCKING FURY … Walker fucked the poodle & now he's going to be raising the litter.
A great white shark may outweigh a school of piranha but if you put them both in a big ol' fish-tank, I know who I'd bet on eating whom.
Bon appetit, Badgers!
Ha, ha!
I may have to use that one on my daughters.! They never give me any credit for their awesome figures.
(You are SO funny Babs, you must be a lot of fun at parties!)
Thank you, very much. Let me know if you are ever having a party.
Oh shit, I'm so sorry about that. The only reason I was even outside today was because my father is in jail on a technicality. He owns the property right behind ours and runs drugs out of the barn. He threatened mom again, has beaten her before, and the only reason he was arrested yesterday was because he owes money to some check cashing agency. It isn't the same, but I understand the fear.
I pass along some lady-solidarity.
Loving the passed along lady love. I am feeling it, thanks! I hope Mom is safe. If he comes near her I will come there and help you take care of business. : )
Yeah, mucho solidarity to you both. I'm no ol' what's-his-name that used to rudely comment here about all of his guns and ammo, but I'll stone cold bust a cap in someone's ass for ya. Just give a shout.
Meh he was only in the union to rat people out to the McCarthy Trials.
With a beret.
Sweet Jesus. Between you and Karen, I'm feeling incredibly lucky that the old man has a good pension and his worst crime is snoring. (The 'fuck I care? 30+ years of marriage–I can never remember how many–and I have my own damned bedroom. Fuck listening to him snore).
Red or Green? What do you think of our new lady governor so far?
Props to you on that, my folks are 70+ and that's the main reason they are still together. Had separate bedrooms for the last 20+ ! And yeah, I'm gonna blame my divorce on that goddamn one bedroom we had, I mean seriously, the same cold feet and (no)pussy every night?? I think not!
Comments on this entry are closed.