the msnbc.com feed is much smoother and less wonky.

Which companies did I bail-out today? (Can't listen to the feed, I'm in a meeting).

He was talking about needing expanded authority to jump in and boss around financial services companies that would ruin the economy if they failed.

After 8 years of naked power grabbing, I hoped we'd be past this but it seems we're not. *sigh*

@VA_White: Being a politician is all about grabbing - grabbing fistfuls of dough, grabbing ass, grabbing power. You name it, they'll grab it.

@cmdrsass: yup, it's called the law of grabbity.

An incompetent Treasury Secretary testifying before incompetent Congressmen. I like it!

@VA_White: It's incredible how Congress would give somebody really dangerous like John Ashcroft all kinds of scary police state powers without raising much more than a token amount of fuss, but when Tim Geithner comes to the Hill and asks permission to lean on insurance and financial service companies (just like he is currently allowed to do to banks) that are doing real (as opposed to the Ashcroftian tinfoil hat kind of) harm to the nation, it's suddenly a much bigger deal.

@HurtsSoGood: A token fuss? were you asleep during the Bush years?

@HurtsSoGood: Yup, do tell. Illegal spying on all Americans' phone calls? No problem. Torture? For Freedom! Turn Attorneys General into partisan attack dogs? Permanent Republican Majority!

Adapt reasonable oversight on finance companies in the wake of tens of trillions of dollars' losses? Socialist-piloted Black Helicopters! Must. Be. STOPPED!!

Sigh.