Speak Out 12/2/08

Logical, intelligent

I WISH there were more plain-speaking people like Michael Jensen. He says it like it is in plain language. Anyone could understand him. He's logical and intelligent.

Level playing field

ONCE AGAIN the liberals are calling for the Fairness Doctrine to be put into place. This shows they can't compete on a level playing field. Conservative talk shows exist because the public supports them. Radio stations do not play programs that aren't moneymakers. I guess if you don't have anyone who is a liberal that can compete with the conservative talk show hosts, your only option is to get the government to pass laws that trample on people's civil rights. It is the same old story: punish the successful people because you are unsuccessful. It is amazing what you can do when you work hard and depend on yourself to be successful and not the government.

Thankful season

THANKSGIVING: We set the day aside to give thanks for all of our many blessings. Have we forgotten that this great nation was founded on the word of God? I'm beginning to feel that our motto should be changed to "In Greed we Trust." I'm ashamed of our once-great land. I'm ashamed that our government gives billions of dollars to giant corporations while innocent children go hungry. I'm ashamed that the people who have more than anyone else on earth can't find it in their hearts to share even a little of what we have with those right here at home who have almost nothing. This holiday season I urge everyone to open your hearts and find a way to help those in need. And give thanks that we are able to.

GOP strategy

POLITICS IS ultimately about numbers. What can the GOP do to win back North Carolina, Virginia, Indiana, Florida, Ohio, Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada? The next GOP candidate needs to win each one of those states, plus hold onto Missouri, to get to 270 electoral votes. These states represent three regions with three different sets of concerns. The Southern strategy that has been employed since Nixon seems to be dead once and for all. So what's next?

Liberal mole?

IF COMMONSENSE conservatives follow the suggestions of David Limbaugh, it will mean that the Republican Party is characterized by a collective death wish. Limbaugh wants the party to listen to the recommendations of the disgraced Donald Rumsfeld. He opposes any meaningful health care reform. He blames teachers for "indoctrinating" students. He dismisses global warming. He opposes withdrawal from Iraq even though it was the wrong war and made the world more vulnerable to terrorism. He opposes government assistance to Main Street to jump start the economy on the grounds of interference with the free market. This, even though deregulation and resultant free-market excesses (Alan Greenspan publicly apologized for not recognizing that free markets weren't self-regulating) got us in this mess. His recommendations are so counterproductive to the best interests of conservatives, it has crossed my mind on more than one occasion that Limbaugh may be a deep-cover operative for the liberals.

Overpriced products

PEOPLE DON'T buy American-made products because they're overpriced. We've priced ourselves out of a lot of the jobs here. I'm not going to overpay for a product because someone needs to make $50,000 a year to work at an automobile plant.

Blame the medium

K.P.S. Kamath's 10 prescriptions for the renaissance of the Republican Party were right on target. It wasn't the message. It was the medium, meaning John McCain.

Mutual respect

THIS COUNTRY has in the past had religious freedom or freedom from religion, whichever you chose. What I find amazing is the effort by some to stifle those who choose Christianity from an evangelical prospective. Or there are those who claim to be a Christian yet want other Christians to shut up. I don't always agree with what is said in the name of God, but then again I'm not the one that will have to give an account for what has been said by others in his name. Please understand that I will respect your right to your view or choices whether you respect mine or not.

Brighter lights

I THINK the decorations on Broadway are great, but they need brighter lights. You can hardly see them

Movie popularity

PEOPLE GO to movies as an escape from day-to-day life. That is why movies increased in popularity during the Great Depression.

Cabinet service

THE SECOND clause of Article 1, Section 6, of the U.S. Constitution reads, "No Senator or Representative shall, during the Time for which he was elected, be appointed to any civil Office under the Authority of the United States which shall have been created, or the Emoluments whereof shall have been increased during such time; and no Person holding any Office under the United States, shall be a Member of either House during his Continuance in Office." During Hillary Clinton's current term in the Senate, the salary for Cabinet officers was increased from $186,600 to $191,300. Since the salary is scheduled to again be raised in January 2009, not only Hillary Clinton, but all sitting Senate members could be considered constitutionally ineligible to serve in Obama's Cabinet.

Assessed values

SINCE ALL the talking heads tell me my home is now worth 20 percent to 30 percent less than the beginning of the year, is the Cape County Assessor going to decrease my 2009 assessment accordingly? The assessor was quick to increase the assessed value when home prices were going up.

Foreign terrorists

IN LIGHT of the recent terrorist attacks in India, I wonder if Democrats will continue to champion the rights of foreign terrorists while putting at risk the security of Americans. I know how important these issues are to them since the New York Times did everything it could to help terrorists during the Bush administration. Will they continue to undermine American interests, or will they change their allegiances now that a Democrat has been elected president?