Man do I miss Chet Huntley! You don't remember Chet Huntley? When I was young, he was very famous. He READ the news every evening - -man was he boring. Yes, I sure do miss old Chet. The evening news was reported to us on the Huntely-Brinkley News Hour every night -man was it boring. Oh we were well informed of course, but there was something lacking. You see those guys did not try to "explain" the news to us, they just made sure we were aware of it. I guess they thought that our opinion was every bit as important as theirs was. They actually thought that we could make up our own minds about what they reported. Can you believe it we actually had to sift through all the information and make up our own minds about things. There were lots of things to think about to, like who would make a good President, or who was right or wrong in the world. Boy am I glad we are past all of that!
Yep, now the well informed news media does that for us. They tear down the unworthy right before our eyes. I am sure they find that unpleasant, but if they don't show us just how stupid somebody is, well we might just miss it. After all we all were not selected to go to journalism school were we. You know if Charlie Gibson had not asked Sarah Palin about the Bush Doctrine, I might never have figured our just how dumb she is, and then where would I be? You see I did not even know what the Bush Doctrine was myself, so how could I make my own judgement about her. Man if somebody would just ask Obama about the Clinton Doctrine, we might get the whole picture. I guess they did that in private and he must have passed. I kind of wish I knew where he stood on that though. If we intend to invade Dar Four when he is elected, I would like to know now- I think. Yep, it is that old pesky Clinton Doctrine rearing it's ugly head, and to think Sarah might not even know what the Clinton Doctrine is.
By any measure this is an historical election. The first black running for president, and the first Republican woman on the national ticket. Obama may well be the greatest president of our time. If he is elected I sure hope he is, we could use it.
I don't have a problem with Obama, OK maybe I have a problem with that whole redistribution thing, but hey he is not the first to advocate that and we survived. No my problem is I just don't know him. I know he makes really good speeches, but for me that is just not enough. I still don't know what a community organizer is. He is 47 years old, he has been running for President for 2 years, he was a community organizer for 3 years, what about the other 42 years.
The real question is, why am I a bad guy for wanting to know? If the media has already done all that research about Obama, why can't I know about it. The same media has made sure I know all about Sarah Palin.
I don't think that is a bad thing. After all we are electing the President and Vice President of the free world. Sure seems like to me, we should know all we can about each candidate-the good, the bad, and the ugly. Where they come from, where they want to go, and what they want to do.
I really don't think I need the news medias help in my decision process, but I sure could use there help in getting the facts!
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Public Servant
If we can last 28 more days this election will be over - I think most of us would say good riddance! I will confess to being a political junky, and I really don't know why. Given my disdain for most people running for political office, it seems like the last thing that would interest me. I have other vices as well. As hard as I try not to, I am one of those guys who holds up traffic rubbernecking at a car wreck, but that is another post.
This is that season where so many are calling themselves "Public Servants". It does not seem to take them long once they are elected to forget that fact.
As already stated, I have a pretty low regard for those who seek elective office. My reasoning is fairly simple, they lie about why they want to be there. You and I work because we want to make money, and generally speaking the more the better. Now if you ask most of our "Public Servants", you will be told a lot of things, but making money or having power, now that just won't come up. They are there because; "they want to make a difference", "they felt called to serve", "they felt like they needed to give something back". sound familiar?
I was raised in a rural area of Mississippi. When I was growing up, it was the practice to park a big flat bed trailer in front of the county courthouse and all the people seeking office would come and speak to the voters sitting on the courthouse steps or in lawn chairs scattered around . This generally took place on several Saturdays before the election. Food was served, usually Brunswick stew, and there was some local entertainment. In those days it was not uncommon to have someone running for office who would stand up and say: " Now I'm not saying that old Duke has not been a good county commissioner for the district, he has, but he has been in there long enough. It is time to let somebody else have some time at the trough." We could all understand that! In those days I never heard anyone ever call themselves a "Public Servant". In those days being a politician was just another line of work line being a carpenter or a painter or an accountant. We all understood it, we all accepted it. We knew what to expect of our politicians - -and we were seldom disappointed.
You may have noticed that most "public Servants" manage to live really well. I don't begrudge them that, if only they could be honest about it. Being a "Public Servant" will more than likely get you a reserved parking space very close to the door of the building where you "serve". Of course that is not nearly so important once you reach the stage where you serve so well that that you have a car and chauffeur. I know a man who was the mayor of a medium sized city for several years. I once teased him about about having a car with a chauffeur. He first explained to me that he did not have a "chauffeur", he had a "driver". I am not sure the guy driving the car ever knew he had been demoted. Turns out "drivers" don't have an official black chauffeur's hat. At any rate, once I was straight on that , he explained to me that having a "driver" was critical, because it gave him more time to do "the people's business"!
At any rate I am rambling on so here is the point, the next time you hear someone say they are a "Public Servant", try to find out if they were ever a private servant. Did they ever mow their neighbors yard when they were sick or out of town. Did they ever cook for someone that was sick or elderly. Not their spouse mind you, but did they ever do it themselves. Did they take the time to visit a shut-in or someone they were not related to living in a nursing home - -when they were not looking for their vote.
If they were a good "Private Servant" then they might make a good "Public Servant". We all want to know at election time, what will the candidate do for me? The better question might be what would they do for you if you could not vote! That is the real measure of their character. I am not saying I am a good "private servant", I am clearly not, but then again I am not asking for your vote either. How do you think your choice would stack up?
This is that season where so many are calling themselves "Public Servants". It does not seem to take them long once they are elected to forget that fact.
As already stated, I have a pretty low regard for those who seek elective office. My reasoning is fairly simple, they lie about why they want to be there. You and I work because we want to make money, and generally speaking the more the better. Now if you ask most of our "Public Servants", you will be told a lot of things, but making money or having power, now that just won't come up. They are there because; "they want to make a difference", "they felt called to serve", "they felt like they needed to give something back". sound familiar?
I was raised in a rural area of Mississippi. When I was growing up, it was the practice to park a big flat bed trailer in front of the county courthouse and all the people seeking office would come and speak to the voters sitting on the courthouse steps or in lawn chairs scattered around . This generally took place on several Saturdays before the election. Food was served, usually Brunswick stew, and there was some local entertainment. In those days it was not uncommon to have someone running for office who would stand up and say: " Now I'm not saying that old Duke has not been a good county commissioner for the district, he has, but he has been in there long enough. It is time to let somebody else have some time at the trough." We could all understand that! In those days I never heard anyone ever call themselves a "Public Servant". In those days being a politician was just another line of work line being a carpenter or a painter or an accountant. We all understood it, we all accepted it. We knew what to expect of our politicians - -and we were seldom disappointed.
You may have noticed that most "public Servants" manage to live really well. I don't begrudge them that, if only they could be honest about it. Being a "Public Servant" will more than likely get you a reserved parking space very close to the door of the building where you "serve". Of course that is not nearly so important once you reach the stage where you serve so well that that you have a car and chauffeur. I know a man who was the mayor of a medium sized city for several years. I once teased him about about having a car with a chauffeur. He first explained to me that he did not have a "chauffeur", he had a "driver". I am not sure the guy driving the car ever knew he had been demoted. Turns out "drivers" don't have an official black chauffeur's hat. At any rate, once I was straight on that , he explained to me that having a "driver" was critical, because it gave him more time to do "the people's business"!
At any rate I am rambling on so here is the point, the next time you hear someone say they are a "Public Servant", try to find out if they were ever a private servant. Did they ever mow their neighbors yard when they were sick or out of town. Did they ever cook for someone that was sick or elderly. Not their spouse mind you, but did they ever do it themselves. Did they take the time to visit a shut-in or someone they were not related to living in a nursing home - -when they were not looking for their vote.
If they were a good "Private Servant" then they might make a good "Public Servant". We all want to know at election time, what will the candidate do for me? The better question might be what would they do for you if you could not vote! That is the real measure of their character. I am not saying I am a good "private servant", I am clearly not, but then again I am not asking for your vote either. How do you think your choice would stack up?
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Expectations
OK, so John Edwards got caught. No big deal right, after all it is his private life and he is not the first. Sorry I don't buy that, as a matter of fact, I view that as one of the ills of our country. We don't seem to expect very much out of our elected officials. If we get what we expect, then we should expect more! If your mother would be ashamed of your actions, then we have a right to be ashamed of your actions as a country. And, I don't care if Europeans think we are being naive.
We not only have a right to expect better, we have an obligation to demand it. People who run for office are asking us to place our trust in them to do our business. They ask for our money in taxes, they ask for our contributions to support their campaigns, and they ask for our most prized possession - our vote. You want all that, then I want you to be better than the average Joe.
We must hold our elected officials to a higher standard. We not only have a right to expect it, we have an obligation to demand it. Public servant indeed! I would be happy if you would just act like a good, trustworthy employee! How about a random drug test every once in a while to go with it. Most of the time it looks like our elected officials are on drugs anyway doesn't it?
We should all strive to do better in our lives in every arena. We should resist blurring the lines on right and wrong. As humans we are naturally weak, and are particularly vulnerable to the sins of the flesh. Man how I struggle with the seductive call of a cream filled donut, but then again, I am not asking for your vote!
This year we will spend over one billion dollars to select our President. For that kind of money it sure looks like we could get a really good one. For a $1,000,000,000 I expect to get somebody a little better than your average Joe - -don't you?
We not only have a right to expect better, we have an obligation to demand it. People who run for office are asking us to place our trust in them to do our business. They ask for our money in taxes, they ask for our contributions to support their campaigns, and they ask for our most prized possession - our vote. You want all that, then I want you to be better than the average Joe.
We must hold our elected officials to a higher standard. We not only have a right to expect it, we have an obligation to demand it. Public servant indeed! I would be happy if you would just act like a good, trustworthy employee! How about a random drug test every once in a while to go with it. Most of the time it looks like our elected officials are on drugs anyway doesn't it?
We should all strive to do better in our lives in every arena. We should resist blurring the lines on right and wrong. As humans we are naturally weak, and are particularly vulnerable to the sins of the flesh. Man how I struggle with the seductive call of a cream filled donut, but then again, I am not asking for your vote!
This year we will spend over one billion dollars to select our President. For that kind of money it sure looks like we could get a really good one. For a $1,000,000,000 I expect to get somebody a little better than your average Joe - -don't you?
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Curse the darkness
"It is better to light a single candle than to curse the darkness." Know one is sure who coined this catchy phrase, but it sure resonates with me today.
I just heard today that a federal judge has stopped a 1200 megawatt coal fired power plant in Georgia. 1200 megawatts is a big plant. That would place it in the top ten in the US if my research is correct. The plant was stopped because the judge said they had not done enough research into alternate methods of removing CO2 (carbon dioxide). Note, that she did not say it was not a clean burning plant or that it did not meet all federal and state guide lines. No, this was one person's decision. Not based on any fact of law or legal precedent, but merely one person's opinion. That's true power, to stop new plants by just saying, maybe there is a better way to clean the air. Maybe there is a better way, I sure hope so, but in the mean time we are about to hit the wall on energy producing capacity in this country.
We don't like nuclear, we don't like coal, and we don't like hydro. Wind turbines kill birds. Tidal current generators kill fish. We all know that oil is evil, but we do like solar as long as the huge solar collectors are in somebody else's back yard, and so far solar is not very efficient.
We do like to turn our food stocks into fuel, such as ethanol form corn. The only problem with that approach is now we can't afford to feed our cattle, and oh by the way, we can't produce enough corn to keep the lights on in Perrywinkle Tennessee, much less a major city. Oh yea, and did I mention that it takes more energy to produce ethanol than it provides. If Iowa were not an early primary state, nobody would consider ethanol from corn as a viable energy source. Politicians may not know how to get us over this energy crisis, but they sure know how to pander for a vote!
Obama says that drilling for oil in the US is not the answer - -it would take to long!
I have an idea, let's drill for oil, build power plants of all types if we have to. Lot's of them. We can do these things while we look for the magic elixir that we all seek. Or we can just stand and curse the darkness rather than have the pollution caused by lighting a single candle.
If God really does help those who helps themselves, then who is going to help us!
And that's all I've got to say about that.
I just heard today that a federal judge has stopped a 1200 megawatt coal fired power plant in Georgia. 1200 megawatts is a big plant. That would place it in the top ten in the US if my research is correct. The plant was stopped because the judge said they had not done enough research into alternate methods of removing CO2 (carbon dioxide). Note, that she did not say it was not a clean burning plant or that it did not meet all federal and state guide lines. No, this was one person's decision. Not based on any fact of law or legal precedent, but merely one person's opinion. That's true power, to stop new plants by just saying, maybe there is a better way to clean the air. Maybe there is a better way, I sure hope so, but in the mean time we are about to hit the wall on energy producing capacity in this country.
We don't like nuclear, we don't like coal, and we don't like hydro. Wind turbines kill birds. Tidal current generators kill fish. We all know that oil is evil, but we do like solar as long as the huge solar collectors are in somebody else's back yard, and so far solar is not very efficient.
We do like to turn our food stocks into fuel, such as ethanol form corn. The only problem with that approach is now we can't afford to feed our cattle, and oh by the way, we can't produce enough corn to keep the lights on in Perrywinkle Tennessee, much less a major city. Oh yea, and did I mention that it takes more energy to produce ethanol than it provides. If Iowa were not an early primary state, nobody would consider ethanol from corn as a viable energy source. Politicians may not know how to get us over this energy crisis, but they sure know how to pander for a vote!
Obama says that drilling for oil in the US is not the answer - -it would take to long!
I have an idea, let's drill for oil, build power plants of all types if we have to. Lot's of them. We can do these things while we look for the magic elixir that we all seek. Or we can just stand and curse the darkness rather than have the pollution caused by lighting a single candle.
If God really does help those who helps themselves, then who is going to help us!
And that's all I've got to say about that.
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