Random Thoughts

I've been out of the loop for a while. In the meantime, a lot has been happening in the world. As always, I have a few thoughts.

Michael Jackson:

Five or more major networks covering the Jackson funeral; CNN is going with 12 straight hours of Jacko. I'm sorry, but I just don't get it.

I'm afraid I agree with Congressman Peter King. Jackson was a deeply troubled person. The physical changes he had wrought on himself are barely short of mutilation. His "relationships" with children may not have been found criminal but they were highly suspect. The revelations regarding his children's "lineage" were also weird.

The fact that the country is going crazy over his death is itself crazy. We are facing incredibly daunting national issues and millions of people were engaged in trying to win the lottery to be at his funeral. Yikes!

Sarah Palin:

I have seen scores of blog posts and op/eds. regarding Palin's resignation. I don't know if Palin will remain as a force in national politics, but I do know that she has been the number one victim of the "politics of personal destruction".

I always believed that Palin's biggest flaw was inexperience. I never cared that she was less polished and articulate than the usual "inside the beltway" types. But I do agree with the pundits who think that if she wants to have a real shot at the big prize (obviously, I mean the White House) she will have to bring herself up to speed on a broad range of issues.

When she dealt with topics she was experienced in and comfortable with, Gov. Palin was able to speak persuasively. But when she was asked about unfamiliar foreign policy issues or domestic programs, it was clear that she was winging it.

I hope that she does spend some time educating herself on the major issues of the day and travelling the country and meeting and speaking with as many people as she can. She has the everyman credentials to keep her base of support. She needs to develop thoughtful positions on major issues that will not be easily ripped in a Tina Fey caricature.

Robutrad:

Yes, one more bite at the Robutrad apple.

It is a difficult issue to discuss because I am so close to it. I simply want to say that I hope people will see the partisan political basis for much of the investigation.

Bob Morone and his crew appear to have committed crimes. They will have to deal with the consequences of their actions. I truly resent, however, the efforts of so many Democrats to use Morone's misdeeds as a basis for bringing down a number of good people.

Ralph Esposito, Frank Allkoffer, and Elaine Tette are guilty only of knowing Bob Morone. They did what virtually every person would do in similar circumstances. They called a friend in the trades for a reference to get painting and remodelling done. They paid for the work (some believe too much for what they had done). There has been no accusation made against them that they were aware that the workers doing the work were being paid by the County.

Despite that, the Democrats continue to seek to impose "guilt by association". Bob Morone was a Gates Republican, so the GOP in Gates is corrupt. I'm counting on Gates voters seeing those claims for what they are; an insult to their intelligence.