Quote of the day

The Capitol is abuzz today with our elected betters taking easy swings at our financial betters. Yes, daddy and mommy are fighting. But it's easy to swing verbal haymakers at Goldman-Sachs. Fun too. But more difficult is doing something to actually make sure Goldman-Sachs and their ilk aren't able to set everyone's money on fire. As the deficiencies in the Dodd financial reform bill and the difficulties in even getting that mediocre reform through have shown.

But we knew the bill would be weak and the GOP would filibuster and be aided by the same asshole Democrats who are always willing to lend a helpful hand. So this Goldman-Sachs hearing and SEC lawsuit are just an unexpected bonus that lets us feel as if something is happening that will have actual long lasting or important consequences. It won't, but at least there was a bunch of swearing going on during it. A fuck-ton of swearing! By elected officials!

"Boy," Levin said, reading from an internal June 22, 2007 Goldman email, "that Timberwolf is one shitty deal."

"How much of that shitty deal did you sell to your clients after June 22, 2007?" Levin asked Sparks.

"Mr. Chairman, I don't know the answer to that, but the price would have reflected levels that they wanted to invest in at the time."

Levin: But you didn't tell them you thought it was a shitty deal.

Sparks: I didn't say that.

Levin: No. Who did? Your people. Internally. You knew it was a shitty deal and that's what your email shows.

"Should Goldman Sachs be trying to sell a shitty deal?" Levin demanded. "Can you answer that one yes or no?"

Sparks didn't.

Then Levin banged his fist off the desk and asked Sparks "You fuck my wife? You fuck my wife? I'm gonna ask you again, did you or didn't you? Just answer the question."

So a word of thanks to Senator Levin. Sure, nothing is really going to happen to Goldman or any of the other companies that jugfucked the American people, but at least we got to hear some swearing. If one of the other Senators could fire a gun into the air, flash a little skin, or dramatically rip off their sunglasses while quipping about a corpse, this hearing would encompass everything Americans love. We don't need you to govern competently, just spice it up some when you're sifting through the wreckage of things you failed to foresee.