Spin doctors are a new breed of language techs. We seem to have an ever increasing need for this specialty by the country's public speakers and politicians. With an ever larger national scandal sheet to consume the news media it is no wonder. I don't have any statistics that directly refer to this subject. However, I have been watching the news for over half a century and can not recall ever seeing so many public figures, like celebrities and politicans, getting their noses rubbed in dirt of their own making.
I rather doubt that morals in general or personal integrity, in particular, are much different today than they were in the days of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. The fact that those gentlemen had mistresses (in fact, quite a few and many "of color") is common knowledge today. Children which resulted from those relationships were no cause for concern to the politicians, and certainly no public outcry was ever raised in the media of the time. Cocaine was legal, pot unheard of, and drinking the national pastime, so again no whisper of scandal ever appeared to blemish the saintly reputations of the leaders of our country back then.
Our European neighbors are apparently either more sophisticated, less immature, more worldly, or more personally engaged in affairs of the kind that titillate the viewers in this country. At any rate, conduct of the kind dominating the news here scarcely rates a mention in the tabloids abroad. The President of France is currently receiving congratulations by his fellow countrymen because his wife is appearing in public in the nude! Now there is an idea whose time has come. But on with our story.
I don't know if this is true, but it's funny, typical "Washington speak", and proves that a good PR machine is priceless.
Judy Wallman, a professional genealogical researcher, discovered that Hillary Clinton's great-great uncle, Remus Rodham, was hanged for horse stealing and train robbery in Montana in 1889. The only known photograph of Remus shows him standing on the gallows. On the back of the picture is this inscription: "Remus Rodham; horse thief, sent to Montana Territorial Prison 1885, escaped 1887, robbed the Montana Flyer six times. Caught by Pinkerton detectives, convicted and hanged in 1889." Judy e-mailed Hillary Clinton for comments. Hillary's staff of professional spin doctors sent back the following biographical sketch:
"Remus Rodham was a famous cowboy in the Montana Territory. His business empire grew to include acquisition of valuable equestrian assets and intimate dealings with the Montana railroad. Beginning in 1883, he devoted several years of his life to service at a government facility, finally taking leave to resume his dealings with the railroad. In 1887, he was a key player in a vital investigation run by the renowned Pinkerton Detective Agency. In 1889, Remus passed away during an important civic function held in his honor when the platform upon which he was standing collapsed."
And THAT is how it's done.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Monday, March 24, 2008
WIN? WIN WHAT?
I guess if you can call 4000 American deaths and $1 trillion invested in the worst catastrophe in American history, with the exception of the Vietnam conflict, progress, I guess we are winning.
I guess if you consider sacrificing the American economy and postponing all social programs, like education, Social Security reform, and healthcare progress, you could say we are winning.
I guess if you consider a tripling of the gas and oil prices over the past seven years by waging a war over oil in the Middle East progress, we are gaining on it.
And I guess if you consider doubling the national debt and causing the steepest decline in the dollar against other major currencies in the world a victory, we have cause for celebration.
Have we completely lost our minds?
I guess if you consider sacrificing the American economy and postponing all social programs, like education, Social Security reform, and healthcare progress, you could say we are winning.
I guess if you consider a tripling of the gas and oil prices over the past seven years by waging a war over oil in the Middle East progress, we are gaining on it.
And I guess if you consider doubling the national debt and causing the steepest decline in the dollar against other major currencies in the world a victory, we have cause for celebration.
Have we completely lost our minds?
Sunday, March 23, 2008
What Is It with red ties?
I never used to notice what color tie the people who were speaking to me wore. One thing I do remember is that speakers never wore red ties. I grew up in a generation when subdued was the order of the day and was synonymous with moderation and sanity.
One day, King George, the president, wore a red tie. Red was never to be used in the fraternity I joined. It was related to the red capes used to taunt bulls during the ritual slaughter of the bulls in Mexico. Waving a red color was used to incite the rage of the bull and to raise the temperature of the audience to a feverish degree.
Red was never worn by politicians, whose last ambition was to raise the temperature of the voting public. But all of a sudden, everyone is wearing red ties. It doesn’t seem to matter what side of the fence they are on. They are now even popular with members of the press.
I guess the only difference is what breed of sheep they are.
One day, King George, the president, wore a red tie. Red was never to be used in the fraternity I joined. It was related to the red capes used to taunt bulls during the ritual slaughter of the bulls in Mexico. Waving a red color was used to incite the rage of the bull and to raise the temperature of the audience to a feverish degree.
Red was never worn by politicians, whose last ambition was to raise the temperature of the voting public. But all of a sudden, everyone is wearing red ties. It doesn’t seem to matter what side of the fence they are on. They are now even popular with members of the press.
I guess the only difference is what breed of sheep they are.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
The Call For Change
The Call For Change
Americans are discouraged. Polls show an overwhelming disapproval rating for our elected officials and the reason is obvious. They consistently ignore the will of the people who elect them. 80% of those polled want a quick end to the wars which bleed our treasury dry and result in the slaughter and maiming of thousands of our young. After all, we aren't that gullible or stupid, are we? I mean, with all the power of the CIA, the NSA, and the Pentagon, with all the surveillance satellites and the billions in the budget, does anyone seriously believe we can’t find and eliminate a cave dwelling ferret like Osama bin Laden? It is an insult to everyone in this country to expect us to believe a small task force of the best trained military elite, with the best technology in the world, can't find and eliminate a few hundred terrorists.
So the result is to be expected. People who line up for days for the opportunity to buy the latest Harry Potter novel won't cross the street to shake the hand of a politician. Some might suggest a reason is our people no longer respond to words or ideas, but only to movies or books or music. I think the reason is because, after several decades of having our noses rubbed in one scandal after another, by the nation's leaders, we are afraid the corruption might rub off on us; or the stupidity. After all, anyone with half a brain would realize we can't insult the 1000 year old traditions of a seriously religious region and expect them to appreciate us; or that after slaughtering hundreds of thousands of their friends and family they will eventually embrace us and our ways.
And so while there is a claim for change, can we really expect any? We certainly won't if a Bush clone gets elected. A close reading of the web pages of the Democratic primary leaders doesn't really promise any sudden moves either. About the best we can hope for is only four more years of war and only another trillion dollars wasted. It is unfortunately too much to expect a politician to say what he means and to do what he says.
Someone said it earlier. Yuck, just yuck.
Americans are discouraged. Polls show an overwhelming disapproval rating for our elected officials and the reason is obvious. They consistently ignore the will of the people who elect them. 80% of those polled want a quick end to the wars which bleed our treasury dry and result in the slaughter and maiming of thousands of our young. After all, we aren't that gullible or stupid, are we? I mean, with all the power of the CIA, the NSA, and the Pentagon, with all the surveillance satellites and the billions in the budget, does anyone seriously believe we can’t find and eliminate a cave dwelling ferret like Osama bin Laden? It is an insult to everyone in this country to expect us to believe a small task force of the best trained military elite, with the best technology in the world, can't find and eliminate a few hundred terrorists.
So the result is to be expected. People who line up for days for the opportunity to buy the latest Harry Potter novel won't cross the street to shake the hand of a politician. Some might suggest a reason is our people no longer respond to words or ideas, but only to movies or books or music. I think the reason is because, after several decades of having our noses rubbed in one scandal after another, by the nation's leaders, we are afraid the corruption might rub off on us; or the stupidity. After all, anyone with half a brain would realize we can't insult the 1000 year old traditions of a seriously religious region and expect them to appreciate us; or that after slaughtering hundreds of thousands of their friends and family they will eventually embrace us and our ways.
And so while there is a claim for change, can we really expect any? We certainly won't if a Bush clone gets elected. A close reading of the web pages of the Democratic primary leaders doesn't really promise any sudden moves either. About the best we can hope for is only four more years of war and only another trillion dollars wasted. It is unfortunately too much to expect a politician to say what he means and to do what he says.
Someone said it earlier. Yuck, just yuck.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Nobody's Perfect
Not since the day of Christ, has anyone had the hubris to claim a perfect record on anything. After all, to error is to be human. Where we have a problem is where a President, who relies on advisers, claims to be making the best decisions for the nation. No one, after seven years of examples, can suggest that President Bush has had the mental dexterity to fathom the more complicated issues. He can't even manage the complexities of his own language. Where we have a problem is when unseen agendas and hidden motives of behind the scenes manipulators affect the direction of American politics. (Whew) The President's closest adviser, presumably Vice President Dick Cheney, clearly has his own agenda on foreign-policy. Dick has a huge stake in Halliburton and Halliburton has a huge stake in Iraq. So where do we find ourselves? We find ourselves lead by a completely corrupt company with no regard for the truth, or American troop welfare, or honest accounting. This company dictates American foreign-policy through the office of the Vice President of the United States of America.
I hate being a sucker. I hate falling victim to the fast card shuffle. Therefore, I try to pay close attention. I read between the lines. I read everything I can get my hands on. From Playboy to Scientific American, from National Geographic to Al Gore's Inconvenient Truth, I try to ascertain the truth. And the truth I have discovered stinks. I have no hidden agenda. I am living well (not that well is comfortable mind you) below the poverty level. The poverty level is so far above my income I could live on a year of poverty for three years. But I refuse to call a crook a hero, or a thief a public servant. I call a spade a spade.
I see no solution to our problems offered in the coming election. We need to find a solution within ourselves. This country has one of the proudest traditions of any on this planet. We have built a country free from persecution. We have built a nation of equal rights. We have built the land of opportunity like no other. But we are being lied to and misled by slick tongued orators. Our hopes are exploited; our good nature and willingness to cooperate and contribute are taken advantage of. As a result, we are falling behind. Other nations of vastly greater numbers are graduating college-level students annually in numbers greater than our entire population. Our better paying jobs are either leaving this country for cheaper labor elsewhere (which generally means everywhere), or are being supplied by foreign nationals granted work visas to fill the education gap between our graduates and the job requirements they fail to fulfill.
So, someone asks, what do you suggest? Since I am no liar, I'll tell you there is no one answer. But I have decided there is a window of opportunity. The window, for baby boomers at least, was suggested by one of my favorite bands of the 1970s. The Moody Blues. The window lies in recognizing that fear is just a lack of understanding. Fear can't kill you. Fear is irrational, overrated, and as an instrument of foreign-policy hopelessly abused. The people in these far-off lands we say are our enemies have the same hopes and aspirations for their children as we have. They have the same sense of justice and honor. Perhaps they have different customs. So what. Perhaps they even worship different gods. So what. They are people with lives and hopes and dreams like people everywhere. We are all the same under our skin. We need to get over ourselves.
Amen
I hate being a sucker. I hate falling victim to the fast card shuffle. Therefore, I try to pay close attention. I read between the lines. I read everything I can get my hands on. From Playboy to Scientific American, from National Geographic to Al Gore's Inconvenient Truth, I try to ascertain the truth. And the truth I have discovered stinks. I have no hidden agenda. I am living well (not that well is comfortable mind you) below the poverty level. The poverty level is so far above my income I could live on a year of poverty for three years. But I refuse to call a crook a hero, or a thief a public servant. I call a spade a spade.
I see no solution to our problems offered in the coming election. We need to find a solution within ourselves. This country has one of the proudest traditions of any on this planet. We have built a country free from persecution. We have built a nation of equal rights. We have built the land of opportunity like no other. But we are being lied to and misled by slick tongued orators. Our hopes are exploited; our good nature and willingness to cooperate and contribute are taken advantage of. As a result, we are falling behind. Other nations of vastly greater numbers are graduating college-level students annually in numbers greater than our entire population. Our better paying jobs are either leaving this country for cheaper labor elsewhere (which generally means everywhere), or are being supplied by foreign nationals granted work visas to fill the education gap between our graduates and the job requirements they fail to fulfill.
So, someone asks, what do you suggest? Since I am no liar, I'll tell you there is no one answer. But I have decided there is a window of opportunity. The window, for baby boomers at least, was suggested by one of my favorite bands of the 1970s. The Moody Blues. The window lies in recognizing that fear is just a lack of understanding. Fear can't kill you. Fear is irrational, overrated, and as an instrument of foreign-policy hopelessly abused. The people in these far-off lands we say are our enemies have the same hopes and aspirations for their children as we have. They have the same sense of justice and honor. Perhaps they have different customs. So what. Perhaps they even worship different gods. So what. They are people with lives and hopes and dreams like people everywhere. We are all the same under our skin. We need to get over ourselves.
Amen
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