FAST AND FURIOUS
Check out two posts since my last email - these follow below.
"SARAH AND OPRAH" and "DISAPPOINTMENT 2"
In fact check through the archives - some good stuff!
Things are fast and furious... Some thoughts for you.
CAMPAIGN ADS
We hear lots of complaints about the election ads. I think McCain's are better, especially the web ads. Frankly, if I were him I would hit harder. Some of the talk show hosts seem to know more about McCain than he knows about himself. That DOESN'T look good. Obama's ads seem to take the high road until you examine the content, which is often misleading. I believe they are bit too teflon, but fluff ads sometimes work. His negative ads don't work at all. He looks like just another slimy politician doing that. Eventually, people decide based upon you you are, not what is in your ads. My suggestions:
For Obama: Show a young girl at a pregnancy counseling center struggling what to do with an unwanted child. She talks about being raped. Flash back to her in her church choir. Have her thoughtfully consider the options and make a prayerful decision she can't keep the baby. She says - "At least he'll be in heaven." It's the least I could do.
For Biden: Show pcitures of him meeting with foreign leaders in charge and in control. Have him laugh and be at ease in shirtsleeves.
For McCain: Have his mother say she is tired of having people bury her son. She can joke, look I'm 96. I'm too young to be losing my baby. And layoff those senior jokes or I'll put up these dukes and level the playing field.
For Palin: Show her in a Black church identifying with core family and moral values. Have her say she shares their pain because she has been disrespected, vilified and dragged into the gutter because of who she is. She notes her husband is part Eskimo and she has heard nasty comments. She says, "I identify with all people who have been discriminated against and I will fight for a more just and open society. It is not enough to be proud of our progress. We must fight until all the effects of discrimination are stamped out." She holds hands with the leadership in a circle as they bow in prayer. Banner on screen "Americans who pray together come together."
CONGRESS
Have you noticed there are hardly any ads for Congress? Actually Congress has more to do with the economy than the President or Courts. Since 1945, the average gain in the stock market was 14% when the GOP held Congress and 7% when the Dems did. This is INDEPENDENT of who is President. While the President is very unpopular, in fact because of the endless battering he has received in the press, the Congress is even LESS popular - from 9% to 25% approval rating depending on who is asking the questions. If the Congress continues its ways, we are in trouble. It has deeply flawed leadership in both houses which is bitterly partisan. When one party holds the White House AND the Congress, then things move, whether much for the better or much for the worse. Lady Forester, formerly of the Hillary campaign, is supporting McCain largely for that reason - she is terrified about the quantum changes that a Dem Congress following a free-spending Obama would make. The current crisis squarely has Dem fingerprints on it, given the quid pro quo on letting Fannie and Freddie do dumb things by looking the other way while counting their camoaign contributions. What will be the next one with NO checks and balances? Lady Forester is right and I think Hillary privately agrees with her.
Have you noticed there are hardly any ads for Congress? Actually Congress has more to do with the economy than the President or Courts. Since 1945, the average gain in the stock market was 14% when the GOP held Congress and 7% when the Dems did. This is INDEPENDENT of who is President. While the President is very unpopular, in fact because of the endless battering he has received in the press, the Congress is even LESS popular - from 9% to 25% approval rating depending on who is asking the questions. If the Congress continues its ways, we are in trouble. It has deeply flawed leadership in both houses which is bitterly partisan. When one party holds the White House AND the Congress, then things move, whether much for the better or much for the worse. Lady Forester, formerly of the Hillary campaign, is supporting McCain largely for that reason - she is terrified about the quantum changes that a Dem Congress following a free-spending Obama would make. The current crisis squarely has Dem fingerprints on it, given the quid pro quo on letting Fannie and Freddie do dumb things by looking the other way while counting their camoaign contributions. What will be the next one with NO checks and balances? Lady Forester is right and I think Hillary privately agrees with her.
FINANCIAL MELTDOWN
The financial meltdown was foreseen for some time - it just wasn't expected now.
John McCain was stunningly prophetic in speaking about his co-sponsorship of the Federal Housing Regulatory Act of 2005.
The financial meltdown was foreseen for some time - it just wasn't expected now.
John McCain was stunningly prophetic in speaking about his co-sponsorship of the Federal Housing Regulatory Act of 2005.
Note especially the end of the next to last paragraph - "If Congress does not act, American taxpayers will continue to be exposed to the enormous risk that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac pose to the housing market, the overall financial system, and the economy as a whole." The House was on board, but Senate Democrats INCLUDING Barack Obama, blocked it.
Mr. President, (referring to the Presiding Officer of the Senate) this week Fannie Mae’s regulator reported that the company’s quarterly reports of profit growth over the past few years were “illusions deliberately and systematically created” by the company’s senior management, which resulted in a $10.6 billion accounting scandal.
The Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight’s report goes on to say that Fannie Mae employees deliberately and intentionally manipulated financial reports to hit earnings targets in order to trigger bonuses for senior executives. In the case of Franklin Raines, Fannie Mae’s former chief executive officer, OFHEO’s report shows that over half of Mr. Raines’ compensation for the 6 years through 2003 was directly tied to meeting earnings targets.
The report of financial misconduct at Fannie Mae echoes the deeply troubling $5 billion profit restatement at Freddie Mac. The OFHEO report also states that Fannie Mae used its political power to lobby Congress in an effort to interfere with the regulator’s examination of the company’s accounting problems. This report comes some weeks after Freddie Mac paid a record $3.8 million fine in a settlement with the Federal Election Commission and restated lobbying disclosure reports from 2004 to 2005.
These are entities that have demonstrated over and over again that they are deeply in need of reform. For years I have been concerned about the regulatory structure that governs Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac—known as Government-sponsored entities or GSEs—and the sheer magnitude of these companies and the role they play in the housing market. OFHEO’s report this week does nothing to ease these concerns.
In fact, the report does quite the contrary. OFHEO’s report solidifies my view that the GSEs need to be reformed without delay. I join as a cosponsor of the Federal Housing Enterprise Regulatory Reform Act of 2005, S. 190, to underscore my support for quick passage of GSE regulatory reform legislation. If Congress does not act, American taxpayers will continue to be exposed to the enormous risk that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac pose to the housing market, the overall financial system, and the economy as a whole.
I urge my colleagues to support swift action on this GSE reform legislation."
There is obviously enough blame to go around in both parties, but it is stunning to hear people talk about "Wall Street" like they are all Republicans. Lehman was headed by Dems, and Ultra-liberal NJ governor Corzine was head of Goldman Sachs which is still in the Dem corner. Given that the campaign contributions from Fannie, Freddie, et al were dominantly to well-placed Dems such as Chris Dodd and Barack Obama, and they resisted proper reform, they need to take their share of the blame instead of acting in a sanctimonious manner. That said, tax reform is needed which helps small business where most jobs are created and makes sure that very high income people do not escape taxes through shelters and manipulations.
EXPERIENCE
As yes. Joe Biden has "deep foreign policy experience". Trouble is, he has been wrong more than right. Other than in teaching, where once you get tenure you can't be fired short of practically killing someone, if you don't do well, you get fired. If your team doesn't win. you get canned. Ditto if you are a fund manager and don't produce. Joe was wrong about Vietnam, facilitating a bloodbath. He was wrong on the First Gulf War. He was wrong on the surge. He even contradicted his own running mate all week about coal, guns, you name it. He said FDR presided over the Great Depression of 1929 and 1930 and went on TV - long before it was invented. The man shows how dumb some of our Senators really are. Have you ever heard West Virginia's Senator Byrd talk? It is embarrassing. Whether Teddy, Joe, Harry Reid, or a host of others, I think the big story is that we have a bunch of unknowledgable incompetents who couldn't hold a middle management position based upon their performance.
McCain is short on "economic experience" they say, yet he foresaw the problem when the rest of them didn't. Now I don't think he is any economist, but he understood enough. The "experts" had nary a clue. What concerns me more about McCain is his impetuousness. I think George Will's column was illuminating, but if I have to choose from impetuousness and wrongmindedness, there is no contest.
Barack Obama has spent most of his first term campaigning, said he had been to 57 states, was wrong on Iraq, insulted the United States before the world. called terrorist-controlled Iran a "tiny country" and in many ways showed he has a long learning curve.
Yet, the ONLY one they hammer EVERY DAY is Sarah Palin. The heads of Afghanistan and Georgia had nothing but praise for her. Governors by nature do NOT come in with foreign policy experience, but they have the executive tools to do fine. I wold much rather have a sincere person who knows they don't know everything but who has values that would lead toward wise decisions. Margaret Thatcher became the leader of the UK with no more foreign policy experience than Palin, yet guided her country well. Looking at John McCain's 96-year old fit-as-a-fiddle mother, I don't think Sarah will have to step in over a dead John McCain anytime soon. You can learn a lot in four years. Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili noted than Ronald Reagan has a similar disadvantage, but understood freedom and was responsible for the fall of the iron curtain which gave his country their independence.
Mr. President, (referring to the Presiding Officer of the Senate) this week Fannie Mae’s regulator reported that the company’s quarterly reports of profit growth over the past few years were “illusions deliberately and systematically created” by the company’s senior management, which resulted in a $10.6 billion accounting scandal.
The Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight’s report goes on to say that Fannie Mae employees deliberately and intentionally manipulated financial reports to hit earnings targets in order to trigger bonuses for senior executives. In the case of Franklin Raines, Fannie Mae’s former chief executive officer, OFHEO’s report shows that over half of Mr. Raines’ compensation for the 6 years through 2003 was directly tied to meeting earnings targets.
The report of financial misconduct at Fannie Mae echoes the deeply troubling $5 billion profit restatement at Freddie Mac. The OFHEO report also states that Fannie Mae used its political power to lobby Congress in an effort to interfere with the regulator’s examination of the company’s accounting problems. This report comes some weeks after Freddie Mac paid a record $3.8 million fine in a settlement with the Federal Election Commission and restated lobbying disclosure reports from 2004 to 2005.
These are entities that have demonstrated over and over again that they are deeply in need of reform. For years I have been concerned about the regulatory structure that governs Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac—known as Government-sponsored entities or GSEs—and the sheer magnitude of these companies and the role they play in the housing market. OFHEO’s report this week does nothing to ease these concerns.
In fact, the report does quite the contrary. OFHEO’s report solidifies my view that the GSEs need to be reformed without delay. I join as a cosponsor of the Federal Housing Enterprise Regulatory Reform Act of 2005, S. 190, to underscore my support for quick passage of GSE regulatory reform legislation. If Congress does not act, American taxpayers will continue to be exposed to the enormous risk that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac pose to the housing market, the overall financial system, and the economy as a whole.
I urge my colleagues to support swift action on this GSE reform legislation."
There is obviously enough blame to go around in both parties, but it is stunning to hear people talk about "Wall Street" like they are all Republicans. Lehman was headed by Dems, and Ultra-liberal NJ governor Corzine was head of Goldman Sachs which is still in the Dem corner. Given that the campaign contributions from Fannie, Freddie, et al were dominantly to well-placed Dems such as Chris Dodd and Barack Obama, and they resisted proper reform, they need to take their share of the blame instead of acting in a sanctimonious manner. That said, tax reform is needed which helps small business where most jobs are created and makes sure that very high income people do not escape taxes through shelters and manipulations.
EXPERIENCE
As yes. Joe Biden has "deep foreign policy experience". Trouble is, he has been wrong more than right. Other than in teaching, where once you get tenure you can't be fired short of practically killing someone, if you don't do well, you get fired. If your team doesn't win. you get canned. Ditto if you are a fund manager and don't produce. Joe was wrong about Vietnam, facilitating a bloodbath. He was wrong on the First Gulf War. He was wrong on the surge. He even contradicted his own running mate all week about coal, guns, you name it. He said FDR presided over the Great Depression of 1929 and 1930 and went on TV - long before it was invented. The man shows how dumb some of our Senators really are. Have you ever heard West Virginia's Senator Byrd talk? It is embarrassing. Whether Teddy, Joe, Harry Reid, or a host of others, I think the big story is that we have a bunch of unknowledgable incompetents who couldn't hold a middle management position based upon their performance.
McCain is short on "economic experience" they say, yet he foresaw the problem when the rest of them didn't. Now I don't think he is any economist, but he understood enough. The "experts" had nary a clue. What concerns me more about McCain is his impetuousness. I think George Will's column was illuminating, but if I have to choose from impetuousness and wrongmindedness, there is no contest.
Barack Obama has spent most of his first term campaigning, said he had been to 57 states, was wrong on Iraq, insulted the United States before the world. called terrorist-controlled Iran a "tiny country" and in many ways showed he has a long learning curve.
Yet, the ONLY one they hammer EVERY DAY is Sarah Palin. The heads of Afghanistan and Georgia had nothing but praise for her. Governors by nature do NOT come in with foreign policy experience, but they have the executive tools to do fine. I wold much rather have a sincere person who knows they don't know everything but who has values that would lead toward wise decisions. Margaret Thatcher became the leader of the UK with no more foreign policy experience than Palin, yet guided her country well. Looking at John McCain's 96-year old fit-as-a-fiddle mother, I don't think Sarah will have to step in over a dead John McCain anytime soon. You can learn a lot in four years. Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili noted than Ronald Reagan has a similar disadvantage, but understood freedom and was responsible for the fall of the iron curtain which gave his country their independence.
NEW YORK JEWISH RALLY
The stop Iran folks bowed to pressure from the left to disinvite Sarah Palin after Hillary removed herself. Sarah is a staunch supporter of Israel (her prepared speech was good and is on the Internet) Faced with extinction. one would have thought the Jewish community would have welcomed such a strong ally. The same oddity exists in Israel - some folks seem to have a death wish. WARNING - Political correctness may be dangerous to your health.
The stop Iran folks bowed to pressure from the left to disinvite Sarah Palin after Hillary removed herself. Sarah is a staunch supporter of Israel (her prepared speech was good and is on the Internet) Faced with extinction. one would have thought the Jewish community would have welcomed such a strong ally. The same oddity exists in Israel - some folks seem to have a death wish. WARNING - Political correctness may be dangerous to your health.
MEDIA PARTIALITY
Since the media is dominantly behind one party every time, it is a miracle the other party EVER wins. Every victory is celebrated, almost every gaffe and inconsistency is ignored or dismissed with a chuckle. On the other hand, the party without favor is lampooned. Jay Leno had about six jokes on Sarah Palin last night, some very mean, and only one on Biden, with only laughter and no meanness. Politics makes for good jokes, but be even and not hateful.
Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi lead the Senate and House Respectively, have very low ratings, but are almost NEVER criticized by the media. GOP leaders with such dismal accomplishments would be subject to a daily drumbeat of ridicule.
It is outright embarrassing on the Davis report in the NY Times on someone connected McCain which edited out critical information that would have changed the whole story from negative to neutral. My sister in NYC knows a journalist who left the Times after years of chafing under the constant direction to slant stories to meet their editorial positions. ABC edited the Palin interview to materially change the effect. I have written more memos to the Associated Press (AP) complaining about slanted articles than I can count. This in nothing new. I have been dealing with this since childhood. It is just that as more kids go to ultra-liberal colleges and spend time in Europe that the biases compound themselves and we end up with a more and more lopsided MSM. It takes effort to check many sources and the average American simply is too lazy to find out the truth. Watching just CNN or MSNBC will tilt you far left. Fox News is considered conservative by many but is actually at about 48 on a scale of 0 ultra right and 100 ultra left. It has the most moderate (close to the center) score of ANY network. The NY Times and CBS are most liberal. Next came CNN, MSNBC and ABC followed by USA Today. There is ample documentation from many reliable studies including a former insider at CBS, but here are just three examples:
The Baltimore Sun, CNN and The New York Times all praised Cindy Sheehan, but all three news publications failed to mention that Mrs. Sheehan is a blogger on Michael Moore's Web site and that Bush has already met with her in the past on a personal basis. They also don't mention that the Sheehan family did "not agree with the political motivations and publicity tactics of Cindy."
Amidst an Iraq War, an Iran Nuclear commencement strategy, John Bolton and John Robert's case, Natalee Holloway and London terrorist attack, a segment was dedicated to the sole purpose for bashing Bush on his vacation time on MSNBC.
The New York Times released nine negative articles about the "anti-Hillary" book recently published, compared to the 0 negative articles released about the "anti-Bush" book written by Kiddy Kelly. There's also Dan Rather's Microsoft Word-created "Bush War Records." The New York Times and The Washington Post both pleaded with lawyers to release Supreme Court Justice John Robert's children adoption files during his nomination battle.
I highly recommend Frank Peretti's novel "THE PROPHET" which was vetted by those in the industry and deemed accurate in its portrayal of how the media really work. I love Peretti, and this is one great book. It is available at most bookstores including Borders and Barnes and Noble.
Since the media is dominantly behind one party every time, it is a miracle the other party EVER wins. Every victory is celebrated, almost every gaffe and inconsistency is ignored or dismissed with a chuckle. On the other hand, the party without favor is lampooned. Jay Leno had about six jokes on Sarah Palin last night, some very mean, and only one on Biden, with only laughter and no meanness. Politics makes for good jokes, but be even and not hateful.
Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi lead the Senate and House Respectively, have very low ratings, but are almost NEVER criticized by the media. GOP leaders with such dismal accomplishments would be subject to a daily drumbeat of ridicule.
It is outright embarrassing on the Davis report in the NY Times on someone connected McCain which edited out critical information that would have changed the whole story from negative to neutral. My sister in NYC knows a journalist who left the Times after years of chafing under the constant direction to slant stories to meet their editorial positions. ABC edited the Palin interview to materially change the effect. I have written more memos to the Associated Press (AP) complaining about slanted articles than I can count. This in nothing new. I have been dealing with this since childhood. It is just that as more kids go to ultra-liberal colleges and spend time in Europe that the biases compound themselves and we end up with a more and more lopsided MSM. It takes effort to check many sources and the average American simply is too lazy to find out the truth. Watching just CNN or MSNBC will tilt you far left. Fox News is considered conservative by many but is actually at about 48 on a scale of 0 ultra right and 100 ultra left. It has the most moderate (close to the center) score of ANY network. The NY Times and CBS are most liberal. Next came CNN, MSNBC and ABC followed by USA Today. There is ample documentation from many reliable studies including a former insider at CBS, but here are just three examples:
The Baltimore Sun, CNN and The New York Times all praised Cindy Sheehan, but all three news publications failed to mention that Mrs. Sheehan is a blogger on Michael Moore's Web site and that Bush has already met with her in the past on a personal basis. They also don't mention that the Sheehan family did "not agree with the political motivations and publicity tactics of Cindy."
Amidst an Iraq War, an Iran Nuclear commencement strategy, John Bolton and John Robert's case, Natalee Holloway and London terrorist attack, a segment was dedicated to the sole purpose for bashing Bush on his vacation time on MSNBC.
The New York Times released nine negative articles about the "anti-Hillary" book recently published, compared to the 0 negative articles released about the "anti-Bush" book written by Kiddy Kelly. There's also Dan Rather's Microsoft Word-created "Bush War Records." The New York Times and The Washington Post both pleaded with lawyers to release Supreme Court Justice John Robert's children adoption files during his nomination battle.
I highly recommend Frank Peretti's novel "THE PROPHET" which was vetted by those in the industry and deemed accurate in its portrayal of how the media really work. I love Peretti, and this is one great book. It is available at most bookstores including Borders and Barnes and Noble.
posted by John @ 8:23 PM
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