Governor Jan Brewer said the Arizona police would not use racial profiling, even though the whole point of the immigration bill she signed into law yesterday is to racially profile and harass Hispanics. Brewer was expected to receive the endorsement of racist groups in Arizona and across the country, and the overwhelming support of those who post misspelled, incoherent gibberish on online message boards.
The bill appears to weaken the chance of Republicans ever attracting one Hispanic vote in this country, although they apparently hope it will appeal to Hispanics with low self-esteem who support being stopped by police for no apparent reason.
State Senator Russell Pearce is uniquely qualified to be the sponsor of the new law. When Pearce posed for a photo with a man who was a featured speaker at a neo-Nazi conference, he said he didn't know that the man was a neo-Nazi, although you would think the swastika might have been a tip-off. Arizona police did not say if they will use a German accent when they racially profile Hispanics and demand they "show us your papers!".
Pearce helped burnish his credentials in 2006, when he praised a 1950's federal deportation program called Operation Wetback that could open up the possibility of police deporting anyone who might be sweating on a lovely 110 degree day in Phoenix.
And Pearce once "inadvertently" sent an email to supporters with an attachment by a white supremacist group. The only person who could "inadvertently" attach a white supremacist document is someone who could pose with a neo-Nazi and not know he's a neo-Nazi.
In a related move, Senator John McCain sold his soul to the devil. After a lifetime of fighting immigration measures like this, McCain supported the bill and answered the question of which John McCain he is now. Apparently, he's the John McCain who voted against making Martin Luther King's birthday a federal holiday in 1983.
The Arizona immigration bill signed into law yesterday almost makes the stupidity and vileness of the "Obama is a Socialist, Communist, Nazi Fascist" signs at Tea Party rallies, and the mind-blowingly vapid and mean ramblings of Michele Bachmann ("We have a gangster government in Washington") pale in comparison. Those are just disgusting words. What Arizona has done is a disgusting deed.
So until Arizona repeals this un-American bill, the closest I'm going to get to the Grand Canyon is looking at a photo of it in an old National Geographic.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Were Laws of Gravity Passed Through Reconciliation?
The Kentucky Legislature recently introduced a bill that would encourage teachers to discuss “the advantages and disadvantages of scientific theories,” including “evolution, the origins of life, global warming and human cloning.”
But why stop there?
Maybe it's time to revisit the whole question of whether the earth is actually flat after all. Skeptics point to those images from space that clearly show a round globe. But how hard would it be to do some editing tricks with Photoshop to give the illusion of roundness? Skeptics also say that if the earth was flat we would hear stories of people falling off constantly. But it's pretty hard for people who just fell off the earth to tell their story to the media
The round earth camp clings to a belief in mysterious gravitational forces that keep Brazil from falling backwards into space. Maybe revelers in Rio have been flying into space, but people are too drunk to notice.
When was the last time anyone took an unbiased look at the laws of gravity? Who wrote these laws and were they passed through reconciliation?
If reconciliation is "the nuclear option" Republicans and conservative media say it is, does that mean Iran is secretly building a 51 vote majority to drop on Israel?
Isn't it time to insist that we stop the threat of 51 vote majorities around the world, especially in the volatile Middle East region? A good first step might be to use unmanned drones to target parliamentarians around the world. They seek to impose a new Robert's Rules Of Order in the world, that forces countries to adopt the undemocratic nuclear option of majority rule.
To those who support this nuclear option of a 51 vote majority, where is the money going to come from to pay for it? That's what Senator Jim Bunning of Kentucky probably had in mind when he singlehandedly held up unemployment insurance for hundreds of thousands of Americans by refusing to allow a vote on it. Democracy may look good on paper, especially parchment, but in a recession, the American taxpaper just can't afford these reckless majority rule votes.
To those who are so quick to criticize Jim Bunning, did you ever consider that maybe he was holding up the unemployment insurance vote to maintain his Time Magazine ranking as one of the Five Worst Senators? Although political correctness tells us not to value victory, a former star pitcher like Jim Bunning knows the value of winning any kind of prize, even one that the liberal media gives a negative connotation.
In addition to evolution and global warming, maybe Bunning's home state of Kentucky will challenge another long established theory that Republicans and conservatives have questioned recently.
The truth.
But why stop there?
Maybe it's time to revisit the whole question of whether the earth is actually flat after all. Skeptics point to those images from space that clearly show a round globe. But how hard would it be to do some editing tricks with Photoshop to give the illusion of roundness? Skeptics also say that if the earth was flat we would hear stories of people falling off constantly. But it's pretty hard for people who just fell off the earth to tell their story to the media
The round earth camp clings to a belief in mysterious gravitational forces that keep Brazil from falling backwards into space. Maybe revelers in Rio have been flying into space, but people are too drunk to notice.
When was the last time anyone took an unbiased look at the laws of gravity? Who wrote these laws and were they passed through reconciliation?
If reconciliation is "the nuclear option" Republicans and conservative media say it is, does that mean Iran is secretly building a 51 vote majority to drop on Israel?
Isn't it time to insist that we stop the threat of 51 vote majorities around the world, especially in the volatile Middle East region? A good first step might be to use unmanned drones to target parliamentarians around the world. They seek to impose a new Robert's Rules Of Order in the world, that forces countries to adopt the undemocratic nuclear option of majority rule.
To those who support this nuclear option of a 51 vote majority, where is the money going to come from to pay for it? That's what Senator Jim Bunning of Kentucky probably had in mind when he singlehandedly held up unemployment insurance for hundreds of thousands of Americans by refusing to allow a vote on it. Democracy may look good on paper, especially parchment, but in a recession, the American taxpaper just can't afford these reckless majority rule votes.
To those who are so quick to criticize Jim Bunning, did you ever consider that maybe he was holding up the unemployment insurance vote to maintain his Time Magazine ranking as one of the Five Worst Senators? Although political correctness tells us not to value victory, a former star pitcher like Jim Bunning knows the value of winning any kind of prize, even one that the liberal media gives a negative connotation.
In addition to evolution and global warming, maybe Bunning's home state of Kentucky will challenge another long established theory that Republicans and conservatives have questioned recently.
The truth.
Monday, December 28, 2009
The End Of The Year As We Know It
In 525,600 minutes-how do you measure a year in the life?
Seasons of Love, Jonathan Larson, RENT
2009 was the year a lot happened and not a lot changed.
But the one big change, the inauguration of our new President Barack Obama, lifted up this standup comedian even though it meant getting rid of most of my Bush material.
I went to the Inauguration. I was a little far back in the crowd. I was in Virginia.
Change was certainly in the air at the Inaugural concert two days earlier when a bald eagle was gently brought on stage to flutter about for a few moments. If this was Bush's inaugural, Dick Cheney would have shot the bald eagle. And simultaneously taken it off the endangered species list. While I was in DC, I saw Cheney's limo whisk by one day. I knew it was Cheney because instead of a siren, a voice from the limo barked, "Get out of my way. I'm right and you're wrong."
I visited the new Capitol Visitors Center gift shop, where for the first time in eight years, you could find the Constitution. I also saw Rod Blagojevich(remember him?) scalping tickets on the corner.
When I listened to Obama's inspiring words, and heard him talk soberly about the economy, I realized something. I needed to learn what a mutual fund was. And default swaps. Although, almost a year later, even the guys who caused this mess still haven't figured out what default swaps are.
We do know that what the bankers and traders were doing wasn't "God's work" as the CEO of Goldman Sachs actually said with a straight face. If we asked God, I don't think he would want to take credit for the reckless and arrogant bets the financial "experts" made to satisfy their greed.
But bailing out the banks turned out to be the right thing to do. And the economic stimulus has created and helped save jobs. There's still a lot of work to do, and far too many Americans are out of work, but it could have been a lot worse.
The year comes to a close with the strong prospect of healthcare reform becoming a reality after months of debate. And to those who say the Democrats have tried to rush the process, just think about how long and how much all of us talked about health care this year.
I feel a little responsible for the long and drawn out process of debating healthcare reform. Early in the year, someone with a clipboard came up to me on the street and asked if "I had a minute for healthcare reform?" I said I was busy and kept walking. Maybe if I had taken a minute, we would have had a healthcare bill back in March. With all the yelling and screaming that went on after that, that might have been better for everyone's health.
The "death panels" aren't in either bill. In fact it was never in any bill. Those end of life provisions were the same ones that Sarah Palin and other Republicans had been in favor of before they were against them. By standing together in opposition to a bill without death panels and a public option, Senate Republicans showed that they were only thinking about the health of the Republican party, not the American people. And Democrat Ben Nelson also showed that he doesn't care about babies or women or anyone but Ben Nelson. Not only did he give women less choices in a healthcare bill designed to increase choice, but the unethical and perhaps unlawful special treatment he received for Nebraska in the bill, should make him change his title from Senator to King of Mutual of Omaha.
We all received some misleading health care emails this year. Some were pretty bogus. I got one that was written by the same Nigerian prince who claims you have 800 million dollars waiting for you in the bank.
There were unimportant things that happened in 2009 that got way too much attention. Many on the right were appalled when President Obama bowed to the Saudi King and the Emperor of Japan. What's wrong with showing some respect and courtesy? If Obama had curtsied, I would have been concerned.
But the year's most publicized story, Tiger Woods, had nothing to do with healthcare, Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, terrorism, the economy, or anything else remotely important to any of us, except for a few people in Tiger's inner circle and family.
Not talking about Tiger Woods is one of the things I'm looking forward to in 2010.
I wish all of you a Happy, Healthy New Year. And most of all, let's remember this.
It’s time now to sing out, though the story never ends, let's celebrate, remember a year in the life of friends. Remember the love! Remember the love! Remember the love! Measure in love. Seasons of love! Seasons of love.
Seasons of Love, Jonathan Larson, RENT
Seasons of Love, Jonathan Larson, RENT
2009 was the year a lot happened and not a lot changed.
But the one big change, the inauguration of our new President Barack Obama, lifted up this standup comedian even though it meant getting rid of most of my Bush material.
I went to the Inauguration. I was a little far back in the crowd. I was in Virginia.
Change was certainly in the air at the Inaugural concert two days earlier when a bald eagle was gently brought on stage to flutter about for a few moments. If this was Bush's inaugural, Dick Cheney would have shot the bald eagle. And simultaneously taken it off the endangered species list. While I was in DC, I saw Cheney's limo whisk by one day. I knew it was Cheney because instead of a siren, a voice from the limo barked, "Get out of my way. I'm right and you're wrong."
I visited the new Capitol Visitors Center gift shop, where for the first time in eight years, you could find the Constitution. I also saw Rod Blagojevich(remember him?) scalping tickets on the corner.
When I listened to Obama's inspiring words, and heard him talk soberly about the economy, I realized something. I needed to learn what a mutual fund was. And default swaps. Although, almost a year later, even the guys who caused this mess still haven't figured out what default swaps are.
We do know that what the bankers and traders were doing wasn't "God's work" as the CEO of Goldman Sachs actually said with a straight face. If we asked God, I don't think he would want to take credit for the reckless and arrogant bets the financial "experts" made to satisfy their greed.
But bailing out the banks turned out to be the right thing to do. And the economic stimulus has created and helped save jobs. There's still a lot of work to do, and far too many Americans are out of work, but it could have been a lot worse.
The year comes to a close with the strong prospect of healthcare reform becoming a reality after months of debate. And to those who say the Democrats have tried to rush the process, just think about how long and how much all of us talked about health care this year.
I feel a little responsible for the long and drawn out process of debating healthcare reform. Early in the year, someone with a clipboard came up to me on the street and asked if "I had a minute for healthcare reform?" I said I was busy and kept walking. Maybe if I had taken a minute, we would have had a healthcare bill back in March. With all the yelling and screaming that went on after that, that might have been better for everyone's health.
The "death panels" aren't in either bill. In fact it was never in any bill. Those end of life provisions were the same ones that Sarah Palin and other Republicans had been in favor of before they were against them. By standing together in opposition to a bill without death panels and a public option, Senate Republicans showed that they were only thinking about the health of the Republican party, not the American people. And Democrat Ben Nelson also showed that he doesn't care about babies or women or anyone but Ben Nelson. Not only did he give women less choices in a healthcare bill designed to increase choice, but the unethical and perhaps unlawful special treatment he received for Nebraska in the bill, should make him change his title from Senator to King of Mutual of Omaha.
We all received some misleading health care emails this year. Some were pretty bogus. I got one that was written by the same Nigerian prince who claims you have 800 million dollars waiting for you in the bank.
There were unimportant things that happened in 2009 that got way too much attention. Many on the right were appalled when President Obama bowed to the Saudi King and the Emperor of Japan. What's wrong with showing some respect and courtesy? If Obama had curtsied, I would have been concerned.
But the year's most publicized story, Tiger Woods, had nothing to do with healthcare, Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, terrorism, the economy, or anything else remotely important to any of us, except for a few people in Tiger's inner circle and family.
Not talking about Tiger Woods is one of the things I'm looking forward to in 2010.
I wish all of you a Happy, Healthy New Year. And most of all, let's remember this.
It’s time now to sing out, though the story never ends, let's celebrate, remember a year in the life of friends. Remember the love! Remember the love! Remember the love! Measure in love. Seasons of love! Seasons of love.
Seasons of Love, Jonathan Larson, RENT
Monday, December 14, 2009
Tiger Woods Story Found To Have Nothing To Do with Healthcare Reform Or Anything Else Important To Us
Although you wouldn't know it by the front page tabloid news stories or the endless panel discussions on television, the Tiger Woods story has nothing to do with our lives, and should only be important to the people in Tiger's life. And not surprisingly, the rest of the world feels the same way.
Afghan civilians are not saying, "I know we live in a country with a corrupt government and rampant poverty and illiteracy, but what we really want to know is how many women did Tiger sleep with?"
Participants at the Global Warming conference in Copenhagen have not been heard complaining, "Why is The New York Times publishing front page stories about how man-made greenhouse gases are imperiling the planet, instead of pictures of the cocktail waitresses Tiger was with?
And the tens of thousands of people in Copenhagen demonstrating for more drastic action to reverse global warming, haven't carried posters saying "Please don't have any news coverage of this protest because it takes up valuable time that could be used to cover the Tiger Woods story".
The 30 million Americans without health insurance aren't saying, "I know that because we can't afford quality health care, 45,000 of us will die this year, but what I'm really worried about is the effect of Tiger's absence on the PGA Tour."
Palestinians facing a humanitarian crisis in Gaza have not been heard to say, "Sure we have no electricity or running water and hardly any food, but we'd rather see nonstop Tiger coverage in the media than any coverage of what we're going through."
So, as my family would say, "Enough already". I hope Tiger can somehow find a way to repair the damage he has caused to his family. But I'm not going to give it any thought. And I know there are plenty of people around the world who feel the same way I do.
Afghan civilians are not saying, "I know we live in a country with a corrupt government and rampant poverty and illiteracy, but what we really want to know is how many women did Tiger sleep with?"
Participants at the Global Warming conference in Copenhagen have not been heard complaining, "Why is The New York Times publishing front page stories about how man-made greenhouse gases are imperiling the planet, instead of pictures of the cocktail waitresses Tiger was with?
And the tens of thousands of people in Copenhagen demonstrating for more drastic action to reverse global warming, haven't carried posters saying "Please don't have any news coverage of this protest because it takes up valuable time that could be used to cover the Tiger Woods story".
The 30 million Americans without health insurance aren't saying, "I know that because we can't afford quality health care, 45,000 of us will die this year, but what I'm really worried about is the effect of Tiger's absence on the PGA Tour."
Palestinians facing a humanitarian crisis in Gaza have not been heard to say, "Sure we have no electricity or running water and hardly any food, but we'd rather see nonstop Tiger coverage in the media than any coverage of what we're going through."
So, as my family would say, "Enough already". I hope Tiger can somehow find a way to repair the damage he has caused to his family. But I'm not going to give it any thought. And I know there are plenty of people around the world who feel the same way I do.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Old Bush Speech Inadvertently Put On Obama's Teleprompter at West Point
When I woke up this morning, I was hoping to hear that President Obama really didn't say he was going to send 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan. That it had just been a bad dream. Or that an old war speech of George W. Bush was somehow put on Obama's teleprompter by mistake. The Nobel Peace Prize committee was probably hoping the same thing.
Obama's address at West Point was the most compelling speech that I have ever disagreed with. It was like a brilliant summation by a trial lawyer defending a hopelessly guilty client. For a minute, I wanted to believe he was right, but then I came to my senses.
Even though it was well delivered, the speech didn't really sound like the Obama I voted for. It almost sounded like one of those forced propaganda videos that hostages have to deliver.
I agree with those who say the speech should have been given from the Oval Office. The only crowd noise you can expect there is if the cameraman sneezes. It's hard to sound upbeat as you're facing into a sea of grey uniforms. Military audiences are usually great(as comedians who have performed for them can attest to),but the cadets had been in their seats for four hours before the speech began. And they had probably been up since 5 am. And they were being told they were going to Afghanistan. Not a happy combination. No wonder there were only four applause breaks. I wonder whether the standing ovation at the end was because of what Obama said, or because they were just happy to get the chance to stand up.
President Obama deserves much credit for finally putting the focus on Afghanistan, after seven years of being virtually ignored by the Bush Administration. Had Bush and Cheney not diverted all their attention and most of our resources to the disastrously unnecessary war in Iraq, the situation in Afghanistan would probably be under control today. A fact that the eternally delusional Dick Cheney refuses to accept. Instead of ever admitting to any mistakes, he prefers to verbally attack Obama for being weak because he bowed to the Japanese leader. He bowed because that's the polite, culturally acceptable thing to do. Of course, a man like Cheney isn't interested in respecting other cultures, he just likes invading them.
Although I'm against this troop surge, I'm proud that President Obama has made great strides in trying to engage the countries of the world through diplomacy. And I hope that there is a diplomatic surge in Afghanistan that goes hand in hand with the military one.
And so to all of my conservative friends who thought that I would support the troop surge from Obama that I didn't support from Bush, there you have it. I think the President is wrong on this one. But I am still thrilled that he is our President.
It's like the way you feel when a good friend lets you down. It hurts, you're disappointed, but you still stay friends. Because in friendship and in politics, we need to hold on to the things that bring us together, not pull us apart.
Obama's address at West Point was the most compelling speech that I have ever disagreed with. It was like a brilliant summation by a trial lawyer defending a hopelessly guilty client. For a minute, I wanted to believe he was right, but then I came to my senses.
Even though it was well delivered, the speech didn't really sound like the Obama I voted for. It almost sounded like one of those forced propaganda videos that hostages have to deliver.
I agree with those who say the speech should have been given from the Oval Office. The only crowd noise you can expect there is if the cameraman sneezes. It's hard to sound upbeat as you're facing into a sea of grey uniforms. Military audiences are usually great(as comedians who have performed for them can attest to),but the cadets had been in their seats for four hours before the speech began. And they had probably been up since 5 am. And they were being told they were going to Afghanistan. Not a happy combination. No wonder there were only four applause breaks. I wonder whether the standing ovation at the end was because of what Obama said, or because they were just happy to get the chance to stand up.
President Obama deserves much credit for finally putting the focus on Afghanistan, after seven years of being virtually ignored by the Bush Administration. Had Bush and Cheney not diverted all their attention and most of our resources to the disastrously unnecessary war in Iraq, the situation in Afghanistan would probably be under control today. A fact that the eternally delusional Dick Cheney refuses to accept. Instead of ever admitting to any mistakes, he prefers to verbally attack Obama for being weak because he bowed to the Japanese leader. He bowed because that's the polite, culturally acceptable thing to do. Of course, a man like Cheney isn't interested in respecting other cultures, he just likes invading them.
Although I'm against this troop surge, I'm proud that President Obama has made great strides in trying to engage the countries of the world through diplomacy. And I hope that there is a diplomatic surge in Afghanistan that goes hand in hand with the military one.
And so to all of my conservative friends who thought that I would support the troop surge from Obama that I didn't support from Bush, there you have it. I think the President is wrong on this one. But I am still thrilled that he is our President.
It's like the way you feel when a good friend lets you down. It hurts, you're disappointed, but you still stay friends. Because in friendship and in politics, we need to hold on to the things that bring us together, not pull us apart.
Friday, November 20, 2009
In Defense of Turkeys
What did turkeys ever do to be compared with human beings who behave badly?
Being a city boy, I haven't met many turkeys over the years, but the ones I've encountered are pleasant birds who have a remarkably sunny disposition considering the fact that many of them won't live past Thanksgiving. It's funny to hear the sounds they make and to watch them spread their wings. I can't say the same about those people who are called turkeys. They're not fun to watch or listen to, and generally don't have pleasant dispositions even though they're very likely to be alive after November 26.
So I'm not going to call the politicians who I think behaved badly this year turkeys, because they don't deserve to be in the same company as our fine feathered friends.
Because turkeys would never put politics and their personal self-interest above the greater good, the way almost all Republicans did this year in the healthcare debate.
I know it's hard to tell, but I even think turkeys have the sense of humor sorely lacking in many of our leaders. While President Obama has a wonderful sense of humor and is spontaneously funny, I can't say the same for our Congressional leaders.
John Boehner is humorless, Mitch McConnell has never come close to cracking a smile, and Harry Reid acts like a well meaning undertaker. Nancy Pelosi, on the other hand, is always smiling. Even if she may not always get the joke.
Turkeys aren't hypocrites either. Like those sanctimonious politicians who preach family values and then get arrested in public restrooms, or abandon their state and their responsibilities to run off with a mistress in Argentina. These politicians are given a sacred trust by the people and promptly abuse that trust.
Turkeys seem to have a sense of the limited time they have on earth, and seem content to make the most of their wing flapping, cute noisemaking days.
So this Thanksgiving, let's show a little respect for turkeys, whether they bought the farm or are still on the farm. And the next time you see a human being behaving badly, don't call them a turkey. Turkeys deserve better than that.
Being a city boy, I haven't met many turkeys over the years, but the ones I've encountered are pleasant birds who have a remarkably sunny disposition considering the fact that many of them won't live past Thanksgiving. It's funny to hear the sounds they make and to watch them spread their wings. I can't say the same about those people who are called turkeys. They're not fun to watch or listen to, and generally don't have pleasant dispositions even though they're very likely to be alive after November 26.
So I'm not going to call the politicians who I think behaved badly this year turkeys, because they don't deserve to be in the same company as our fine feathered friends.
Because turkeys would never put politics and their personal self-interest above the greater good, the way almost all Republicans did this year in the healthcare debate.
I know it's hard to tell, but I even think turkeys have the sense of humor sorely lacking in many of our leaders. While President Obama has a wonderful sense of humor and is spontaneously funny, I can't say the same for our Congressional leaders.
John Boehner is humorless, Mitch McConnell has never come close to cracking a smile, and Harry Reid acts like a well meaning undertaker. Nancy Pelosi, on the other hand, is always smiling. Even if she may not always get the joke.
Turkeys aren't hypocrites either. Like those sanctimonious politicians who preach family values and then get arrested in public restrooms, or abandon their state and their responsibilities to run off with a mistress in Argentina. These politicians are given a sacred trust by the people and promptly abuse that trust.
Turkeys seem to have a sense of the limited time they have on earth, and seem content to make the most of their wing flapping, cute noisemaking days.
So this Thanksgiving, let's show a little respect for turkeys, whether they bought the farm or are still on the farm. And the next time you see a human being behaving badly, don't call them a turkey. Turkeys deserve better than that.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
New Poll Finds Little Faith in Polls
There aren't many things we can be certain of these days, but here are a few.
There is a poll out there that will support every conceivable opinion on any issue. Just pick the one you like, and pretend that it actually holds any significance whatsoever. For example, I love the poll that says 100% of the people writing this column agree with everything in it. And why are polls treated as a news story, when in all probability, they aren't even accurate? And even if by some fluke, the poll is on the money, why should anyone care? If people and politicians base their opinions on polls that are wrong most of the time, that could lead to having positions that are wrong for the country. That's not my opinion, I got it from some poll.
Republicans Will Be Against Everything Democrats Want.
I'm not a betting man, but I wish there was money to be made in guessing how Republicans will vote in Congress. In fact, you just have to bet that they'll say "No" to everything Democrats propose and leave it at that. They're even against things they're for, if a Democrat wants it too. If the Democrats proposed a bill called "The Republicans Are Great Act of 2009", Republicans would still oppose it. I heard that to make it easier on themselves, Republicans had the "Yes" button removed from their voting consoles.
Foreign News Is Foreign to American TV News
When the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall was celebrated this week, you would think that would be a huge story here. World News with Charles Gibson ran the story last on its newscast the day of the anniversary. I guess the fall of Communism pales in comparison to a story about a dog who plays baseball. If it was a dog playing soccer they wouldn't cover it. Soccer is too foreign. Coverage like that is why Americans are so ignorant about other countries. The first time we've ever heard of some countries is when the U.S. goes to war with them. Maybe if the media and all of us followed world news a little more, the U.S. would do a better job of foreign policy. Instead of just being the most informed country about dogs playing baseball.
Not all dogs of course. Just 18%. Or 35%. Or none. Depending on which poll you read.
There is a poll out there that will support every conceivable opinion on any issue. Just pick the one you like, and pretend that it actually holds any significance whatsoever. For example, I love the poll that says 100% of the people writing this column agree with everything in it. And why are polls treated as a news story, when in all probability, they aren't even accurate? And even if by some fluke, the poll is on the money, why should anyone care? If people and politicians base their opinions on polls that are wrong most of the time, that could lead to having positions that are wrong for the country. That's not my opinion, I got it from some poll.
Republicans Will Be Against Everything Democrats Want.
I'm not a betting man, but I wish there was money to be made in guessing how Republicans will vote in Congress. In fact, you just have to bet that they'll say "No" to everything Democrats propose and leave it at that. They're even against things they're for, if a Democrat wants it too. If the Democrats proposed a bill called "The Republicans Are Great Act of 2009", Republicans would still oppose it. I heard that to make it easier on themselves, Republicans had the "Yes" button removed from their voting consoles.
Foreign News Is Foreign to American TV News
When the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall was celebrated this week, you would think that would be a huge story here. World News with Charles Gibson ran the story last on its newscast the day of the anniversary. I guess the fall of Communism pales in comparison to a story about a dog who plays baseball. If it was a dog playing soccer they wouldn't cover it. Soccer is too foreign. Coverage like that is why Americans are so ignorant about other countries. The first time we've ever heard of some countries is when the U.S. goes to war with them. Maybe if the media and all of us followed world news a little more, the U.S. would do a better job of foreign policy. Instead of just being the most informed country about dogs playing baseball.
Not all dogs of course. Just 18%. Or 35%. Or none. Depending on which poll you read.
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