Archive for October, 2009

Bob Franken

We’re hearing a lot of squealing from some of those who wallow around in the financial sector on behalf of the executives whose fat, make that bloated, compensation has been cut.

We’re talking about the leaders at companies that needed to feed at the public trough to avoid going belly up. They received billions upon billions to help make sure they didn’t finish crushing the economy. Now the government is weighing in and slashing their pay.

'Nuff said.

What is being herd on Wall Street, first of all, is the usual clamor over government interference, as if the bailouts were not. But just as widespread is the threat that the most talented will simply leave these corporations and lard over greener pastures elsewhere.

It’s a strange argument, considering many of those whose salaries, stock packages and perks are being cut are the very same ones who almost brought their companies to ruin. They got rich dragging the rest of us into a barren future. So many will ask “What’s the big deal? Let ‘em leave!” Read the rest of this entry »

Dan Calabrese

Yesterday’s attempt by the White House to freeze Fox News White House correspondent Major Garrett out of a fairly routine, pool interview is one of the dumbest things I’ve ever seen in media relations. And I’ve seen a lot.

Freeze out.

I worked in public relations for 12 years. I’ve worked in and around journalism for 25 years. During that time, I’ve dealt with plenty of people who were mad at the news media. Sometimes they were my clients. Other times I’ve been the reporter, and the people have been mad at me.

One thing has been true in every situation: You have to deal with the media, even if they’re not entirely fair, and the worst thing you can do when they’ve got their eye on you is to try to shut them out, hoping that somehow they will just move on to something else.

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Mark Watson

While much has already been said and written about the staggering $1.42 trillion budget deficit on President Obama’s watch for 2009, the underlying premise for most of the talkers and writers has been factually incorrect. The talkers and writers constantly refer to Obama’s budget deficit when it isn’t the president’s deficit at all.

The woman you need to speak with.

The truth is that the deficit is not the Obama deficit any more than deficits in the previous 16 years were George W. Bush’s or Bill Clinton’s.

Deficit spending in the Obama and previous administrations may result from suggestions and lobbying efforts by the president, but the simple, unfiltered, undeniable constitutional fact is that not one single penny can ever be spent by the U. S. government unless, and until, the U. S. House of Representatives initially authorizes it.

Read the rest of this entry »

Ashley Stinnett

The next time you are at the movies, take a look around at the people next to you in the theatre and imagine them not using their cell phone. I know you are thinking this is a stretch considering how society is.

Well, this is exactly what I tried to do this past week.

CrackBerry.

You see, I’m a huge fan of movies, so I did the usual and headed to my local stadium-style mega theatre to watch an otherwise very entertaining film.

Crazy me, but I’m still a traditional guy who enjoys the atmosphere of what being at the movies brings. Not to mention, the movie I saw is a big craze right now and I believe that films are a great parachute from the real life madness we have to listen to everyday.

Read the rest of this entry »

Dan Calabrese

Former Vice President Dick Cheney has once again joined the battle on national security policy, and if what he said last night about Afghanistan is true, the Obama Administration deserves to be ripped to shreds for lying about what happened during the presidential transition.

Truth.

President Obama and his top people have been charging in recent weeks that the Bush Administration ignored the Afghan conflict, leaving the Obama team to start from scratch and develop a strategy. This is part-and-parcel to Obama’s dithering on his military commanders’ requests for more troops there.

Cheney said last night in a speech to the Center for Security Policy that the charge is not only false, but astoundingly so.

Read the rest of this entry »

David Karki

“The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States.”

U.S. Constitution, Article 1, Section 8, Clause 1

Tyrant.

Does this sound to any reasonable person with a basic understanding of the English language like a justification for government power without end?

Sadly, it sounds like precisely that to House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer. He claimed that in “providing for the general welfare,” the above text gave Congress the Constitutional authority to force all Americans to purchase health insurance. That would mean in principle that your money, your property, was not really yours but theirs.

Read the rest of this entry »

Dan Calabrese

A quarter-century ago, the Detroit Tigers finished off the San Diego Padres in five games, becoming world champions on October 14, 1984. Today is October 21, 2009, and we don’t even know this year’s World Series combatants, as the respective League Championship Series are each about to move into their fifth games.

Merry Christmas.

The World Series is guaranteed to stretch into November, and if it goes seven games, it will stretch to November 5. At this rate, we’ll soon be able to watch it on Thanksgiving instead of the Lions. Few would complain about that.

Read the rest of this entry »

Bob Franken

You’ve heard this before. It doesn’t matter whether those of us who fancy ourselves politically informed are right or wrong when we pontificate. No one really pays close enough attention to remember, and certainly we don’t. It’s a great gig.

Well, I hope you’re sitting down, because this pundit-wannabe is about to utter something that would otherwise knock you off your feet: “I might have been wrong.”

Over-playing their hand?

There. I said it. I feel much better now. Except I may end up being wrong about being wrong.

Right now you’re probably asking yourself “What in heaven’s name is he talking about?” It’s a fair question and it deserves an answer. Finally. Read the rest of this entry »

Brett Noel

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Large version for newspaper publication.

Grayscale version for newspaper publication.