The rising share of workers not making the average wage

Note that under Bill Clinton, many important things happened which were detrimental to the middle class:

Bill Clinton raised taxes shortly after taking office in 1993 even though he had run promising not to.

Part-time employment soared as a result. 

Borrowing from home equity lines also soared as the middle class struggled to maintain its lifestyle in the wake of the recent recession, reducing "owners' equity in real estate" dramatically.

And, of course, the percentage of Americans not making the raw average wage ballooned by 2.6 points under Clinton, and by 4.1 points total by 2018.  

The difference between a payroll population not making the raw average wage in 2018 at 63.3% vs. 67.4% is 6.87 million.

That's roughly equivalent to the number of homes lost to foreclosure in the housing debacle, which bottomed in the spring of 2012. The share not making the average wage first hit 67% that same year.

This history since 1990 is a picture of the middle class under pressure and actually shrinking.

The only good thing that can be said about it is that the trend is flat since 2015, not worsening.

Atlantic article totally soft-peddles how Obamacare's architects made millions vulnerable to estate recovery under Medicaid

The only reason Obamacare can be called successful reasonably is that it threw millions onto Medicaid, except that what is spent on you in life for your healthcare under Medicaid ends up coming out of what's left of what you owned after you die, if anything, including from the sale of your house, and even from the sale of granny's hand-me-down quilts.

America's first black president, Bill Clinton, signed estate recovery into law, and the second one then sold that bill of goods to millions of America's uninsured poor. He just bought himself a $15 million mansion to celebrate. 

Medicaid’s Dark Secret:

For many participants, the program that provides health care to millions of low-income Americans isn’t free. It’s a loan. And the government expects to be repaid. ...

One lawyer in Tennessee recalled a case in which a woman went to her late mother’s Medicaid auction to buy back quilts that had been passed down for generations. ...

One of the few times estate recovery has made headlines was earlier this decade, during the rollout of the Obama administration’s Medicaid expansion. As more Americans considered Medicaid as a health-insurance option, more came across the fine print. At least three states passed legislation to scale back their recovery policies after public outcry.

The overall economic growth rate since the year 2000 has contracted by over 47% from the previous eighteen year period under Reagan, Bush 41 and Clinton

The US representatives for sex fiend Bill Clinton and the garish hat industry, both from Florida, want us thrown in jail for mocking them

Come and get me you dried up ugly frauds.

Know-nothing Rush Limbaugh just said the Flores Settlement goes all the way back to Obama, when it goes all the way back to Bill Clinton, with Bush in between doing zero, zip, nada about it

The History of the Flores Settlement

Once upon a time in America conservatives opposed women's suffrage, social security, medicare and the 1994 crime bill, now they are for all those things (and Obamacare)

Rush Limbaugh can't remember shit about shit, says impeaching Clinton reelected him when Clinton was impeached on 12/19/98, two years after his 1996 reelection

Impeachment Will Be Different for Trump Than It Was for Clinton:

A lot of people on our side — I just quoted Lindsey Grahamnesty 2.0 — are saying, “Go ahead. Go ahead, House Democrats, impeach Trump. You’ll just end up reelecting him, just like impeaching Bill Clinton reelected him.”

Democrat Governor of MI Gretchen Whitmer lied to the voters in October 2016 when she denied she'd raise gasoline taxes by 20 cents a gallon

Yeah, she REALLY meant 45 cents, but couldn't win on that!

This weasel, similar to Democrat Bill Clinton in 1992, now says Gas tax hike 'not always my plan':

Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer called Tuesday for nearly tripling Michigan's per-gallon gas tax — and making the state home to the country's highest fuel taxes — in order to improve aging roads that she warned would only get worse without a major influx of new spending.

Whitmer's plan would increase the current 26-cents-per-gallon tax by 45 cents — going against what she said in a WOOD TV8 gubernatorial debate in October. When then-Republican nominee Bill Schuette said Whtimer wanted to increase the gas tax by 20 cents, she said that was "ridiculous" and "nonsense."

Bill Clinton kept having bimbo eruptions, Elizabeth Warren keeps having these

Rush Limbaugh's Whopper of the Day: Trump more popular than Bill Clinton was at same time in presidency

There isn't a single poll at Real Clear Politics at this hour showing Trump at 48% as Limbaugh claims

Disgraceful Judge Emmet Sullivan, elevated to the federal bench by Bill Clinton, trumpeted by disgraceful media

All the news plays at the top of the hour is Judge Sullivan saying that General Michael Flynn sold out his country, not mentioning Sullivan immediately backtracked on his insinuations that Flynn committed treason.

Damage done.

Sullivan got his first affirmative action appointment from Ronald Reagan.

This reaction to the sentencing hearing yesterday suggests Flynn is going to jail, eventually.

This isn't about a crime; it's about criminalizing a foreign policy opinion different from the establishment's opinion, elections be damned.

W's eulogy for his father is so good . . .

. . . it makes you wish his father had died more often.

You can watch him, here.

And here's the transcript (I've edited out the "laughters", you can supply your own):

GEORGE W. BUSH: Distinguished guests, including our presidents and first ladies, government officials, foreign dignitaries and friends, Jeb, Neil, Marvin, Doro and I and our families thank you all for being here.

I once heard it said of man that the idea is to die young, as late as possible.

At age 85, a favorite pastime of George H.W. Bush was firing up his boat, the Fidelity, and opening up the three 300-horsepower engines to fly -- joyfully fly -- across the Atlantic with the Secret Service boats straining to keep up.

At age 90, George H.W. Bush parachuted out of an aircraft and landed on the grounds of St. Ann's by the Sea in Kennebunkport, Maine, the church where his mom was married and where he worshiped often. Mother liked to say he chose the location just in case the chute didn't open.

In his 90s, he took great delight when his closest pal, James A. Baker, smuggled a bottle of Grey Goose vodka into his hospital room. Apparently, it paired well with the steak Baker had delivered from Morton's.

To his very last days, Dad's life was instructive.

As he aged, he taught us how to grow with dignity, humor and kindness, and when the good Lord finally called, how to meet him with courage and with the joy of the promise of what lies ahead.

One reason Dad knew how to die young is that he almost did it, twice. When he was a teenager, a staph infection nearly took his life. A few years later, he was alone in the Pacific on a life raft, praying that his rescuers would find him before the enemy did.

God answered those prayers. It turned out he had other plans for George H.W. Bush.

For Dad's part, I think those brushes with death made him cherish the gift of life, and he vowed to live every day to the fullest.

Dad was always busy, a man in constant motion, but never too busy to share his love of life with those around him.

He taught us to love the outdoors. He loved watching dogs flush a covey. He loved landing the illusive striper. And once confined to a wheelchair, he seemed happiest sitting in his favorite perch on the back porch at Walker's Point, contemplating the majesty of the Atlantic.

The horizons he saw were bright and hopeful. He was a genuinely optimistic man, and that optimism guided his children and made each of us believe that anything was possible.

He continually broadened his horizons with daring decisions.

He was a patriot. After high school, he put college on hold and became a Navy fighter pilot as World War II broke out.

Like many of his generation, he never talked about his service until his time as a public figure forced his hand. We learned of the attack on Chichi Jima, the mission completed, the shoot-down. We learned of the death of his crew mates, whom he thought about throughout his entire life. And we learned of the rescue.

And then another audacious decision: He moved his young family from the comforts of the East Coast to Odessa, Texas.

He and Mom adjusted to their arid surroundings quickly. He was a tolerant man. After all, he was kind and neighborly to the women with whom he, Mom and I shared a bathroom in our small duplex, even after he learned their profession: ladies of the night.

Dad could relate to people from all walks of life. He was an empathetic man. He valued character over pedigree. And he was no cynic. He looked for the good in each person and he usually found it.

Dad taught us that public service is noble and necessary, that one can serve with integrity and hold true to the important values like faith and family. He strongly believed that it was important to give back to the community and country in which one lived. He recognized that serving others enriched the giver's soul. To us, his was the brightest of the thousand points of light.

In victory, he shared credit. When he lost, he shouldered the blame. He accepted that failure is a part of living a full life, but taught us never to be defined by failure. He showed us how setbacks can strengthen.

None of his disappointments could compare with one of life's greatest tragedies, the loss of a young child. Jeb and I were too young to remember the pain and agony he and Mom felt when our 3-year-old sister died. We only learned later that Dad, a man of quiet faith, prayed for her daily. He was sustained by the love of the Almighty, and the real and enduring love of our mom. Dad always believed that one day he would hug his precious Robin again.

He loved to laugh, especially at himself. He could tease and needle, but never out of malice.

He placed great value on a good joke. That's why he chose Simpson to speak.

On e-mail, he had a circle of friends with whom he shared or received the latest jokes. His grading system for the quality of the joke was classic George Bush: The rare sevens and eights were considered huge winners, most of them off-color.

George Bush knew how to be a true and loyal friend. He nurtured and honored many -- his many friendships with a generous and giving soul. 

There exists thousands of handwritten notes encouraging or sympathizing or thanking his friends and acquaintances. He had an enormous capacity to give of himself.

Many a person would tell you that Dad became a mentor and a father figure in their life. He listened and he consoled. He was their friend.

I think of Don Rhodes, Taylor Blanton, Jim Nance, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and perhaps the unlikeliest of all, the man who defeated him, Bill Clinton. My siblings and I refer to the guys in this group as brothers from other mothers.

He taught us that a day was not meant to be wasted. He played golf at a legendary pace. I always wondered why he insisted on speed golf. He was a good golfer. Well, here's my conclusion: He played fast, so that he could move on to the next event, to enjoy the rest of the day, to expend his enormous energy, to live it all.

He was born with just two settings: full throttle, then sleep.

He taught us what it means to be a wonderful father, grandfather and great grandfather. He was firm in his principles, and supportive as we began to seek our own ways. He encouraged and comforted, but never steered.

We tested his patience. I know I did.

But he always responded with the great gift of unconditional love. Last Friday, when I was told he had minutes to live, I called him. The guy who answered the phone said, "He -- I think he can hear you, but he hasn't said anything for most of the day." I said, "Dad, I love you, and you've been a wonderful father." And the last words he would ever say on earth were, "I love you, too."

To us, he was close to perfect. But not totally perfect. His short game was lousy. 

He wasn't exactly Fred Astaire on the dance floor.

The man couldn't stomach vegetables, especially broccoli. 

And by the way, he passed these genetic defects along to us. 

Finally, every day of his 73 years of marriage, Dad taught us all what it means to be a great husband. He married his sweetheart. He adored her. He laughed and cried with her. He was dedicated to her, totally. 

In his old age, Dad enjoyed watching police show reruns, the volume on high.

All the while, holding Mom's hand. After Mom died, Dad was strong, but all he really wanted to do was hold Mom's hand again. 

Of course, Dad taught me another special lesson. He showed me what it means to be a president who serves with integrity, leads with courage and acts with love in his heart for the citizens of our country. 

When the history books are written, they will say that George H.W. Bush was a great president of the United States, a diplomat of unmatched skill, a commander-in-chief of formidable accomplishment, and a gentleman who executed the duties of his office with dignity and honor. 

In his inaugural address, the 41st president of the United States said this, "We cannot hope only to leave our children a bigger car, a bigger bank account. We must hope to give them a sense of what it means to be a loyal friend, a loving parent, a citizen who leaves his home, his neighborhood and town better than he found it. 

"What do we want the men and women who work with us to say when we are no longer there? That we were more driven to succeed than anyone around us, or that we stopped to ask if a sick child had gotten better, and stayed a moment, there, to trade a word of friendship."

Well, Dad, we're going to remember you for exactly that and much more. And we're going to miss you. Your decency, sincerity and kind soul will stay with us forever. 

So through our tears, let us know the blessings of knowing and loving you, a great and noble man, the best father a son or daughter could ask. And in our grief, let us smile, knowing that Dad is hugging Robin and holding Mom's hand again.

Liberal math: In ME-2 the Democrat came in second but wins the seat anyway

This is how the National Popular Vote will work in the case of president if states adopt the kind of legerdemain citizens of Maine adopted in 2016.

I say legerdemain advisedly, because it is not reasoning but simple trickery. In the case of the National Popular Vote, you will think X won your state but because Y got more votes nationally your state agrees to switch its electoral college votes to Y. In Maine because of an equally arbitrary decision to deprive the top vote getter from winning (the winner must get 50% even though Bill Clinton never did), the winner ends up losing because of "ranking". The last place finisher's votes, person D's, get reallocated to A, B, and C using math reflecting the voters' rankings of all the candidates until someone reaches 50%.

The voters collectively decide how your vote will go, not you, based on their ranking of the candidates, not yours.

In other words, if you happened to vote for D, and probably also for C in this case, your vote was changed to B, not the original winner A.

They say every vote must count, and call it democracy.

I seem to recall the Germans voted for Hitler, too. They gave up their freedom willingly, you see, so it must have been OK.

GOP Rep. Bruce Poliquin loses in first race decided by Maine's 'ranked-choice' system:

Poliquin narrowly got the most votes on Election Day – with 46.1 percent to Golden's 45.9 – but because he didn't get more than 50 percent of the vote, Maine's new law kicked in. Independent candidates Tiffany Bond and William Hoar combined received about another 8 percent of the vote. 

In the new system, approved by Maine voters in 2016, a person votes for their favorite candidate and ranks the other candidates by their order of preference. If no candidate gets more than 50 percent of the vote, the last-place candidate gets knocked out and the ballots cast for them are reallocated based on an algorithm that factors the voters' preferences. That process continues until one candidate has a majority. 

Investors Business Daily thinks no one noticed Obama's recent public embrace of Bernie's radical socialism

Here.

We noticed. We just didn't mention it because we've been pointing out Obama's socialism for nine years already. Yawn.

But Obama was only a fair weather friend of socialism for most of that time because most of the Democrat Party remained neoliberal. Nothing points up his lackluster leadership and servile character throughout that time better than his constant fear of a backlash from the neoliberal wing of a party he supposedly led. Actually it led him. Obama was relieved to wash his hands of the economic crisis and delegated fixing it to Bill Clinton's neoliberal retreads. The guy couldn't even take the socialist baton of Pelosi's single payer plan for crying out loud, or embrace a Paul Krugman approved properly sized stimulus spending bill. And making the Bush tax cuts permanent? That was hardly the work of the leader (in his head) of world socialism.

Freed from the strictures of politics, Obama is now free to advance his fanciful sympathies without consequences, as long as the wind is blowing in that direction. My guess is the left wing of his party sees this as nothing more than his feeble attempt to be relevant again when to them he had already become an object of contempt by the end of 2009.

The author of Dreams from My Father is just dreamin', that's all. All he ever did.

Bill Clinton legitimizes Disco Louie at Aretha Franklin funeral

The pastor who stood by Bill Clinton during his impeachment, Bill Hybels, crashes and burns in his own sex scandal

He’s a Superstar Pastor. She Worked for Him and Says He Groped Her Repeatedly

How the Willow Creek Church Scandal Has Stunned the Evangelical World

Frank Rich: The sole upside of the 2008 crash is that it exposed the kleptocratic Establishment of both parties

The chief kleptocrat, of course, was Bill Clinton, but Franky doesn't mention that, nor that his hero Barack Obama, who in the worst of economic times managed to come in third for increasing income inequality, is hard at work in retirement trying to catch up with him. Former President Carter, meanwhile, is building and restoring over 30 homes in Indiana for his 2018 work project. 

Still, it's a worthwhile read, if your indignation has been flagging of late.

In 2008, America Stopped Believing in the American Dream

Bill Clinton adviser Mark Penn: Mueller investigation is the progeny of Obama administration abuses

"We thought, after the actions of J. Edgar Hoover and Richard Nixon, that we had put in place safeguards to prevent such abuse. ... [T]he Page warrant is a significant indication that government officials are quick to assume the worst about disliked rivals and to use those beliefs to overcome the guardrails on their authority through this backdoor secret FISA process."

Read the whole scathing thing here.

Child separations are the fault of Bill Clinton and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals

As explained here:

In 1997, the Clinton administration entered into a settlement agreement in Flores v. Reno, a lawsuit filed in federal court in California by pro-illegal immigration advocacy groups challenging the detention of juvenile aliens taken into custody by the Immigration and Naturalization Service.

The Clinton administration agreed to settle this litigation despite the fact the Supreme Court had upheld the Immigration and Naturalization Service regulation that provided for the release of minors only to their parents, close relatives, or legal guardians.

According to the Department of Homeland Security, the Flores agreement allows the agency to detain unaccompanied minors for only “20 days before releasing them to the Department of Health and Human Services which places the minors in foster or shelter situations until they locate a sponsor.”

But in a controversial decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, the most liberal in the country, has interpreted the settlement agreement to apply to “both minors who are accompanied and unaccompanied by their parents.”

In other words,it is the 9th Circuit’s misinterpretation of the Clinton administration’s settlement agreement that doesn’t allow juvenile aliens to stay with their parents who have been detained for unlawful entry into the country.

Of course, if those parents would simply agree to return to their home countries, they would be immediately reunited with their children. So those who come here illegally are themselves to blame for their children being assigned to foster care or to another family member or sponsor who may be in the country.

The executive order signed by President Donald Trump directs the attorney general to file a request with the federal court in the Flores case to modify the settlement agreement to allow the government “to detain alien families together throughout the pendency of criminal proceedings for improper entry or any removal or other immigration proceedings.”

Of course, the administration’s critics know about this settlement and know it limits the ability of the administration to keep alien families together. 

Obama's fascist Larry Summers credits Chinese state capitalism for its advances instead of its thefts

Here:

“You ask me where China's technological progress is coming from. It's coming from terrific entrepreneurs who are getting the benefit of huge government investments in basic science. It's coming from an educational system that's privileging excellence, concentrating on science and technology,” said Summers, former Treasury secretary under Bill Clinton and an ex-economic advisor to Barack Obama. “That's where their leadership is coming from, not from taking a stake in some U.S. company.”