Fear and anger grip economy

Bencheley Gun Powder Tea -- from the First Colony Coffee & Tea Company of Norfolk, VA.

[From a major newspaper today:]

Lunching with a longtime Atlanta banker turned consultant and the conversation turns toward guns.

His family gave each other guns for Christmas.

Just in case.

If things turn a lot worse, and they have to flee, they know where to rendezvous out of state.

[Wow.]

Last week, after creating fear and loathing with a stimulus bill that would choke a planet, the government came forth with its mortgage modification plan.

Aimed at helping those in foreclosure, facing foreclosure or underwater with a mortgage, the plan was quickly attacked.

CNBC, the business news cable network, became the focus of the resistance Thursday when its reporter Rick Santelli spontaneously lashed out at the mortgage plan. Reporting from the Chicago Board of Trade, Santelli’s outburst was greeted by applause from the trading floor. Caught up in the moment, he proposed a Chicago Tea Party this summer. His rant led the Drudge Report and was the No. 1 video on YouTube.

It was right out of the movie “Network” and its now classic, “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore.”

The Chicago Tea Party has the makings of a mega event, as millions of fearful and angry people converge on the shores of Lake Michigan.

By Thomas Oliver, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

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Rick Santelli and the "Rant of the Year"

"'The government is promoting bad behavior," Santelli said of President Obama's $75 billion initiative to refinance mortgages.

"I have an idea," he said on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange floor. "How about this, new President and new administration, why don't you put up a Web site to have people vote on the Internet ... to see if we really want to subsidize the losers' mortgages? Or would we like to at least buy cars and buy houses in foreclosure and give them to people who might have a chance to actually prosper down the road... reward people who could carry the water instead of drink the water.'"

Rick's Revolution Continues

Rick Santelli responds to White House criticism about his Chicago rant.

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In the above followup rant to his now famous "Chicago Tea Party", Rick Santelli mentioned "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" as his favorite movie. It also happens to be the favorite of another modern revolutionary -- Sarah Palin. Hope you enjoy.

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington - full movie

A naive man is appointed to fill a vacancy in the US Senate. His plans promptly collide with political corruption, but he doesn't back down.