I realize that this is an old complaint, but I really cannot believe the difference in the media's treatment of Barack Obama versus the way they reported on George W. Bush.
This morning's paper had some stories that really made the point. The headline in the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle states "Signs Point To Recovery". The basis for the story was improvement in consumer confidence and a 2% increase in housing prices. No mention was made of the fact that the economy is still shedding hundreds of thousands of jobs each month. Neither does the rosy headline correlate to the reports that the Federal budget deficit will reach between 7 and 9 trillion dollars over the next ten years.
My recollection was that when Bush was President, dark clouds hovered over all economic news. If we had a recovery, it was a jobless recovery. Bush's deficits, in the hundreds of billions, were criticised in apocalyptic terms. Today, though, we have the story of how the President lauded Ben Bernacke for leading us out of the economic crisis which "existed". I guess its over now.
Similarly, there was a story yesterday about the potential for 90,000 swine flu deaths. Last week, there was another regarding difficulties in pharmaceutical factories leading to possible shortages in vaccines. I distinctly recall similar shortages in flu vaccines two years ago. At that time though, the media reported the problem as the Bush Administration's failure to prepare in time. Today its those darn factories.
Finally, what happened to the anti-war movement? When Bush was President, the war in Iraq was the worst thing ever and Afghanistan was barely tolerated. President Obama has taken the exact steps in Iraq that Bush proposed and he has expanded the war against the Taliban in Afghanistan. It appears that only Cindy Sheehan cares. Do the big news outlets still put the names of our dead soldiers on the air anymore?
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Just Wondering...
Where are the late night comedians?
At his recent "Town Hall" meeting designed to bolster support for health care reform, President Obama used the Postal Service in an analogy of a government run entity that co-exists with similar private entities.
Can you imagine the fun Leno, Letterman, and O'Brien would have had if George Bush had used the Postal Service as an example in support of transferring health care to a government run enterprise? I guess I missed their jokes.
Or, maybe, they realize the prospect that health care will be run as efficiently and cost-effectively as the Postal Service really isn't funny.
At his recent "Town Hall" meeting designed to bolster support for health care reform, President Obama used the Postal Service in an analogy of a government run entity that co-exists with similar private entities.
Can you imagine the fun Leno, Letterman, and O'Brien would have had if George Bush had used the Postal Service as an example in support of transferring health care to a government run enterprise? I guess I missed their jokes.
Or, maybe, they realize the prospect that health care will be run as efficiently and cost-effectively as the Postal Service really isn't funny.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Sounds A Little Like "Read My Lips"
President Obama made a well-documented campaign promise that under his economic plan, no American family making less than $250,000/year would see any tax increases.
I'm not sure why politicians make such statements. George H.W. Bush had to eat his famous words about "No New Taxes", now, based upon the statements made by Treasury Secretary Geither today on ABC with George Stephanopoulos, reported here at PowerLine and here at Instapundit (with video), the President may need to get out some condiments to improve the taste while eating his.
I'm not sure why politicians make such statements. George H.W. Bush had to eat his famous words about "No New Taxes", now, based upon the statements made by Treasury Secretary Geither today on ABC with George Stephanopoulos, reported here at PowerLine and here at Instapundit (with video), the President may need to get out some condiments to improve the taste while eating his.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
What's The Rush?
The President spoke angrily yesterday while criticising Congress for delaying his health care reform proposals. Why, however, do we need an artificial deadline when we are dealing with a proposed reform of 1/6th of our economy?
The attached post from Hugh Hewitt clearly describes the problem. Here's a key piece of the post:
"There are certain facts that are incontrovertible in today's health care discussion. The United States Senate has not made a proposal, the President of the United States is admittedly unfamiliar with key provisions of the House of Representatives proposal and the President and his advisors have had extensive meetings with various elements of the health care community, yet no one knows with precision whether any of these discussions are reflected in anything.
The President has declared that anyone against these plans is playing politics and/or 'trying to put off decisions on legislation until special interests can kill it.' Wow."
Haven't we already had enough legislation which went unread by our legislators? As Obama's poll numbers continue to slip, it is clear that his goal is to ram through as much system-changing legislation as he can before the public turns decisively against him and his left-wing agenda.
UPDATE: Check out this PowerLine post for another take on the error of rushing health care legislation.
The attached post from Hugh Hewitt clearly describes the problem. Here's a key piece of the post:
"There are certain facts that are incontrovertible in today's health care discussion. The United States Senate has not made a proposal, the President of the United States is admittedly unfamiliar with key provisions of the House of Representatives proposal and the President and his advisors have had extensive meetings with various elements of the health care community, yet no one knows with precision whether any of these discussions are reflected in anything.
The President has declared that anyone against these plans is playing politics and/or 'trying to put off decisions on legislation until special interests can kill it.' Wow."
Haven't we already had enough legislation which went unread by our legislators? As Obama's poll numbers continue to slip, it is clear that his goal is to ram through as much system-changing legislation as he can before the public turns decisively against him and his left-wing agenda.
UPDATE: Check out this PowerLine post for another take on the error of rushing health care legislation.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
More Random Thoughts
Sotomayor Confirmation:
Judge Sotomayor is a shoo-in to be confirmed, but a lot of liberals are a little bummed by the confirmation hearings. Much of Judge Sotomayor's time was spent giving a barely credible spin on her "Wise Latina" remarks. If you believe her testimony, she will rule from the bench based only on the law, not due to empathy.
The bottom line is that liberals always have to hide the fact that they are liberal, because the majority of the American people don't agree with the precepts of the current "progressive movement".
Obama's Popularity Drop:
Recent polls have shown that the luster may be wearing off the President. His 55% approval ranking is only 10th out of the 12 post WWII presidents at the same time in their presidencies. As I noted above, the majority of Americans do not support the massive government programs that Obama and the Democrats in Congress are trying to pass. Had Obama campaigned on a platform claiming he would take over GM and Chrysler, effectively nationalize the banking industry, and give us massive programs which can only be funded by taxes on people he claimed would be exempt, John McCain would be President.
Mr. Obama's popularity will rebound as the US emerges from recession, but I think Americans realize that the change they got was not exactly the change they voted for.
Tom Watson's Open Run:
Tom Watson thrilled all of us old guys with his great run at the British Open title. For 71 1/2 holes, he was amazing. Just about everybody in the world was rooting for him to pull it off. Unfortunately, his par put on the last hole had to be one of the worst chokes ever at a big moment. The putt never had a chance. Watson never contended in the playoff.
Meanwhile, I have to give credit to the winner, Stewart Cink. The only people rooting for Cink were his wife and kids. Talk about being the skunk at the picnic! He handled it with grace, though.
So did Watson. The disappointment had to be monumental, but he acted the gentleman at all times. It just goes to show, the sports gods are cruel.
Apollo 11:
Last, but far from least, yesterday was the 40th anniversary of the moon landing.
Like so many others my age, I vividly remember being with my family around the TV watching as Armstrong said "Houston, Tranquillity Base, the Eagle has landed". Walter Cronkite and Wally Schirra wiped away tears of excitement, as did we all.
What we did not know was that America probably peaked that day. Forty years later, the US is still a powerful country, but the American Century appears to be over. We are facing the "Europeanization" of America. To me, that equals emasculation.
The America that went to the moon was the "can do" America that knew no limits. It was an America that understood that there were winners and losers. Somehow in the last forty years we have become decadent. We no longer value achievement; we strive for equality. But the equality of result that is the modern American's goal, bears no resemblance to the equality of opportunity that led to striving to better oneself.
I hope it is not too late for Americans to recapture the spirit that lead us to the moon.
Judge Sotomayor is a shoo-in to be confirmed, but a lot of liberals are a little bummed by the confirmation hearings. Much of Judge Sotomayor's time was spent giving a barely credible spin on her "Wise Latina" remarks. If you believe her testimony, she will rule from the bench based only on the law, not due to empathy.
The bottom line is that liberals always have to hide the fact that they are liberal, because the majority of the American people don't agree with the precepts of the current "progressive movement".
Obama's Popularity Drop:
Recent polls have shown that the luster may be wearing off the President. His 55% approval ranking is only 10th out of the 12 post WWII presidents at the same time in their presidencies. As I noted above, the majority of Americans do not support the massive government programs that Obama and the Democrats in Congress are trying to pass. Had Obama campaigned on a platform claiming he would take over GM and Chrysler, effectively nationalize the banking industry, and give us massive programs which can only be funded by taxes on people he claimed would be exempt, John McCain would be President.
Mr. Obama's popularity will rebound as the US emerges from recession, but I think Americans realize that the change they got was not exactly the change they voted for.
Tom Watson's Open Run:
Tom Watson thrilled all of us old guys with his great run at the British Open title. For 71 1/2 holes, he was amazing. Just about everybody in the world was rooting for him to pull it off. Unfortunately, his par put on the last hole had to be one of the worst chokes ever at a big moment. The putt never had a chance. Watson never contended in the playoff.
Meanwhile, I have to give credit to the winner, Stewart Cink. The only people rooting for Cink were his wife and kids. Talk about being the skunk at the picnic! He handled it with grace, though.
So did Watson. The disappointment had to be monumental, but he acted the gentleman at all times. It just goes to show, the sports gods are cruel.
Apollo 11:
Last, but far from least, yesterday was the 40th anniversary of the moon landing.
Like so many others my age, I vividly remember being with my family around the TV watching as Armstrong said "Houston, Tranquillity Base, the Eagle has landed". Walter Cronkite and Wally Schirra wiped away tears of excitement, as did we all.
What we did not know was that America probably peaked that day. Forty years later, the US is still a powerful country, but the American Century appears to be over. We are facing the "Europeanization" of America. To me, that equals emasculation.
The America that went to the moon was the "can do" America that knew no limits. It was an America that understood that there were winners and losers. Somehow in the last forty years we have become decadent. We no longer value achievement; we strive for equality. But the equality of result that is the modern American's goal, bears no resemblance to the equality of opportunity that led to striving to better oneself.
I hope it is not too late for Americans to recapture the spirit that lead us to the moon.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Will He Play Himself On SNL?
Al Franken was sworn in today as Minnesota's junior Senator.
I am not aware of any person during my adult life who I believe was less qualified to be a US Senator (with the possible exception of Illinois Sen. Burris) than Franken.
Minnesotans are an odd bunch. They elected a wrestler as their Governor and now a comedian as a Senator. At least when they elected Jesse Ventura as Governor, only they had to deal with him. Their election of Franken as Senator affects us all.
He wasn't that funny on Saturday Night Live. He is, however, one of the biggest jokes to hit the Senate in US history. I can only assume that Hubert Humphrey is turning over in his grave.
I am not aware of any person during my adult life who I believe was less qualified to be a US Senator (with the possible exception of Illinois Sen. Burris) than Franken.
Minnesotans are an odd bunch. They elected a wrestler as their Governor and now a comedian as a Senator. At least when they elected Jesse Ventura as Governor, only they had to deal with him. Their election of Franken as Senator affects us all.
He wasn't that funny on Saturday Night Live. He is, however, one of the biggest jokes to hit the Senate in US history. I can only assume that Hubert Humphrey is turning over in his grave.
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.
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.
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