The book is Quiet Strength by Tony Dungy.
In our age of cynicism, role models and heroes are hard to find. How refreshing to find a book about a genuine American hero. No, he's not a war hero. He's not even a football hero really; his Super Bowl victory was merely the vehicle that allowed us all to learn about this outstanding man. If he wasn't a football coach, I'm convinced he would be just as successful at something else.
This isn't really a book about football. Sure, football is an integral part of his story and is Tony's chosen profession. But the real story of the book is about life, family, faith, success, and leadership.
Something that naturally draws me to view Tony as a role model is that he's a rare public example of my own core values. He's a strong Christian but is not preachy or pushy about it; he inspires by his personal example. He firmly believes that yelling or berating others is counterproductive. He always treats others with respect, holding firm to the Golden Rule. He understands life's priorities and lives accordingly.
His core principles related to football are applicable to any endeavor. He repeats the manta often to his players, "do what we do". To become a successful football team, you don't need lots of tricks or creativity; you simply need to focus on the small things, doing them over and over until they become second nature. The rest takes care of itself.
Whatever one does in life, that's good advice. Do the small things to the best of your ability, and the big things will take care of themselves.
As a football and Colts fan, I can see the effect of Tony's leadership. The team reflects their leader. They're not chippy or dirty. They don't "trash talk" - in fact, the book mentions that others have remarked about the general lack of profanity through the team. That's not because Tony won't allow profanity - it's because of the fact that Tony won't allow himself to use it, and the team respects him enough to emulate him. They don't get overly excited, and they don't let adversity get them down. They are steady and businesslike and competent. Just like their coach.
The tragic loss of Tony's son to suicide would have ripped most families apart. Tony and his family found a way to deal with their grief that bound them all closer together instead. I can't imagine what incredible faith and strength were required to allow him to survive that tragedy.
I hope every man in the country reads this book. Imagine what could happen if many more men embraced and attempted to live Tony's simple life principles.
Friday, September 28, 2007
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Why I Will Never Vote for Hillary
Sure, the fact that my views on almost every issue are diametrically opposed to those Hillary espouses could be enough to justify my principled avoidance of any support for her as a candidate. After all, there's more than enough evidence to prove that Hillary is, at her very core, a Communist. No, I'm not name-calling like the left likes to do when they call Bush a fascist (I'm not sure they even know what fascism is, but that's another topic). I'm stating a simple fact. Just listen to her talk or read something she's written; she can't stop herself from revealing her Marxian belief system by often paraphrasing or even quoting Comrade Karl at every opportunity.
Sealing the deal for me is her own history. I still can't understand why those who support her, even if they agree with her on political policy, can stomach the litany of unethical, immoral, and even illegal behavior behind her dogged pursuit of the most powerful office in the world.
How about a reminder:
Her activism and radicalism as a college student
The Travel Office firings
Vince Foster
Susan McDougal
FBI Files
Whitewater Billing Records
Cattle Futures
Johnny Chung to Norman Hsu and Other Fundraising Scandals
And the above are only the more egregious. I could drill down further into her habitual lying, telling small lies to whoppers simply to endear herself to whatever audience she finds.
No other candidate for President, Democrat or Republican, has such a colorful history of scandal and hint of scandal. Not to mention no other candidate gets the free pass from the media on all this baggage like Hillary continues to enjoy.
I am disappointed that so many people have been fooled or simply don't care, because Hillary's nomination is a fait accompli.
Sealing the deal for me is her own history. I still can't understand why those who support her, even if they agree with her on political policy, can stomach the litany of unethical, immoral, and even illegal behavior behind her dogged pursuit of the most powerful office in the world.
How about a reminder:
Her activism and radicalism as a college student
The Travel Office firings
Vince Foster
Susan McDougal
FBI Files
Whitewater Billing Records
Cattle Futures
Johnny Chung to Norman Hsu and Other Fundraising Scandals
And the above are only the more egregious. I could drill down further into her habitual lying, telling small lies to whoppers simply to endear herself to whatever audience she finds.
No other candidate for President, Democrat or Republican, has such a colorful history of scandal and hint of scandal. Not to mention no other candidate gets the free pass from the media on all this baggage like Hillary continues to enjoy.
I am disappointed that so many people have been fooled or simply don't care, because Hillary's nomination is a fait accompli.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Labor Unions
The UAW strike against GM has raised some interesting issues about the general question of big business and big organized labor. Each side characterizes the other in ways that are both partly right and partly wrong.
The corporate side says that the labor unions will kill their business with their demands for expensive healthcare and pension benefits, plus overly restrictive work rules. They also suggest that the unions exist more for the benefit of corrupt mobster leaders than for the rank and file.
The unions say that if they didn't exist, employers would exploit workers with unsafe working conditions, unfairly low wages, little or no assistance with high healthcare costs and no retirement benefits. They suggest that corporations exist for the sole purpose of maximizing profits, even if their workers are abused to meet that end.
There is truth to be found in the arguments on both sides. Having worked in a union manufacturing company in the 80's, I saw firsthand how damaging it is to productivity for the company to have to deal with the work rules and liberal benefits demanded and given to the unionized employees.
On the other hand, the employers now have a global labor market they are gladly exploiting, with most manufactured goods now coming from China.
I'm neither anti-union nor anti-corporation. I believe that the best governance of these entities is to promote policies that allow neither side to become more powerful than the other.
On the corporate side, I believe that it can be reasonable to enforce rights of labor to organize for the purpose of bargaining with the company for fair pay, benefits and working conditions. I also believe that it would be reasonable to create certain incentives for business to keep their operations in the United States, and protect workers who are laid off so their jobs can be transferred to a cheaper worker.
On the labor side, I believe unions should be required to have wide open books that can be analyzed by their union membership and anyone else to keep corruption down. I believe no worker should be compelled to allow their dues to be spent in sweetheart deals with the Democrat party. I believe union members should be empowered to elect their own leadership.
On the corporate side, I believe the laws regarding freedom of their employees to organize should be upheld and the often extreme and illegal methods often employed to intimidate workers from joining union efforts prosecuted. I think that employers should accept mediation and arbitration where indicated if they need assistance in resolving contract negotiations. I also believe corporations should not be allowed to underfund pensions they committed to in previous union contracts - if they want out of the pension business, they should negotiate the terms with their union employees and convert the pensions into fully funded 401K's.
The impossible dream, of course, is that employers and their unions find a way to work together to share success or failure for the common good of the company and its employees. Wouldn't it be nice if negotiations for pay and benefits focused on a baseline, plus certain bonuses and incentives that reward the workers for helping the company achieve their profitability goals?
Too bad neither side would ever consider such a radical idea.
The corporate side says that the labor unions will kill their business with their demands for expensive healthcare and pension benefits, plus overly restrictive work rules. They also suggest that the unions exist more for the benefit of corrupt mobster leaders than for the rank and file.
The unions say that if they didn't exist, employers would exploit workers with unsafe working conditions, unfairly low wages, little or no assistance with high healthcare costs and no retirement benefits. They suggest that corporations exist for the sole purpose of maximizing profits, even if their workers are abused to meet that end.
There is truth to be found in the arguments on both sides. Having worked in a union manufacturing company in the 80's, I saw firsthand how damaging it is to productivity for the company to have to deal with the work rules and liberal benefits demanded and given to the unionized employees.
On the other hand, the employers now have a global labor market they are gladly exploiting, with most manufactured goods now coming from China.
I'm neither anti-union nor anti-corporation. I believe that the best governance of these entities is to promote policies that allow neither side to become more powerful than the other.
On the corporate side, I believe that it can be reasonable to enforce rights of labor to organize for the purpose of bargaining with the company for fair pay, benefits and working conditions. I also believe that it would be reasonable to create certain incentives for business to keep their operations in the United States, and protect workers who are laid off so their jobs can be transferred to a cheaper worker.
On the labor side, I believe unions should be required to have wide open books that can be analyzed by their union membership and anyone else to keep corruption down. I believe no worker should be compelled to allow their dues to be spent in sweetheart deals with the Democrat party. I believe union members should be empowered to elect their own leadership.
On the corporate side, I believe the laws regarding freedom of their employees to organize should be upheld and the often extreme and illegal methods often employed to intimidate workers from joining union efforts prosecuted. I think that employers should accept mediation and arbitration where indicated if they need assistance in resolving contract negotiations. I also believe corporations should not be allowed to underfund pensions they committed to in previous union contracts - if they want out of the pension business, they should negotiate the terms with their union employees and convert the pensions into fully funded 401K's.
The impossible dream, of course, is that employers and their unions find a way to work together to share success or failure for the common good of the company and its employees. Wouldn't it be nice if negotiations for pay and benefits focused on a baseline, plus certain bonuses and incentives that reward the workers for helping the company achieve their profitability goals?
Too bad neither side would ever consider such a radical idea.
Monday, September 24, 2007
One Question
Suppose you could ask one question of a well-known or powerful person. And the person receiving the question is obligated to give a truthful and complete answer. Who would you want to ask your question of, and what would it be?
I've thought of a few:
George W Bush: Clearly you have resisted all pressure to close the borders to illegal immigrants. What is the real reason you've so obviously shirked your duties in border enforcement, especially given the current terror threats we face as a country?
Hillary Clinton: Why do you want to be President?
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: Where and when do you plan to detonate your nuclear weapons?
Vladimir Putin: Is your ultimate goal the re-establishment of the old communist Soviet Union?
Michael Moore: You are known for praising totalitarian communist regimes such as Cuba and Venezuela. Given that fact, are you suggesting you would have no problem if the government confiscated all of the proceeds from your latest film, "Sicko", redistributing the money to government bureaucrats who skim as much as they can off the top before giving the rest to poor people for welfare and healthcare?
Al Gore: Do you actually believe everything you're presenting in your movie and your speeches around the country about global warming, or is it just a highly lucrative gig for you and you know most of it is BS?
Any member of the United States Congress: For your next vote on whatever bill is brought to the floor, what is the primary influencer on your vote - what your party tells you to do, what your biggest campaign donors tell you to do, or what's best for the country and/or your district as a whole?
Any Prime Minister or President of a European Country (or Canada): Suppose the United States as a country decided we would no longer be the world police force. Suppose we brought our military home from around the world and changed their mission to simply protect our own borders against foreign attack. Suppose we told the rest of the world, "You're on your own. From now on, no military aid, no disaster relief, no food aid, etc. will be provided from the USA." Would you be comfortable with that decision?
Dan Rather: Are you really that delusional, or are you playing your current games for the benefit of the loonies who think you're out to prove their wild conspiracy theories might be true?
I've thought of a few:
George W Bush: Clearly you have resisted all pressure to close the borders to illegal immigrants. What is the real reason you've so obviously shirked your duties in border enforcement, especially given the current terror threats we face as a country?
Hillary Clinton: Why do you want to be President?
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: Where and when do you plan to detonate your nuclear weapons?
Vladimir Putin: Is your ultimate goal the re-establishment of the old communist Soviet Union?
Michael Moore: You are known for praising totalitarian communist regimes such as Cuba and Venezuela. Given that fact, are you suggesting you would have no problem if the government confiscated all of the proceeds from your latest film, "Sicko", redistributing the money to government bureaucrats who skim as much as they can off the top before giving the rest to poor people for welfare and healthcare?
Al Gore: Do you actually believe everything you're presenting in your movie and your speeches around the country about global warming, or is it just a highly lucrative gig for you and you know most of it is BS?
Any member of the United States Congress: For your next vote on whatever bill is brought to the floor, what is the primary influencer on your vote - what your party tells you to do, what your biggest campaign donors tell you to do, or what's best for the country and/or your district as a whole?
Any Prime Minister or President of a European Country (or Canada): Suppose the United States as a country decided we would no longer be the world police force. Suppose we brought our military home from around the world and changed their mission to simply protect our own borders against foreign attack. Suppose we told the rest of the world, "You're on your own. From now on, no military aid, no disaster relief, no food aid, etc. will be provided from the USA." Would you be comfortable with that decision?
Dan Rather: Are you really that delusional, or are you playing your current games for the benefit of the loonies who think you're out to prove their wild conspiracy theories might be true?
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
It's About Fairness
In my profession I see the strange traditions and strategies used by companies that are real head-scratchers when I take just a few moments to think about them.
Tips, for example. Companies are allowed to employ food and beverage servers, porters and bellmen, valets, and such with very little requirement they pay them. These employees are expected to make their money from customer tips - otherwise, the employer is just required to at least guarantee them minimum wage.
What about tips is so sacred? Why can't employers simply pay their service workers a decent wage and leave tips the way they should be - a way for a customer to voluntarily reward their server for exceptional service! Instead, we customers are expected to cough up the price of the restaurant meal, plus hand over money to the kid who parks our car and the girl who brings us our food. Because if we don't, nobody else will.
I think it's ridiculous.
Then there's the one that really bugs me. Some may remember that the corporate revolution in the 80's was to "flatten" the organization, cutting out all of the so-called "middle management" positions. Some of that was because some of those middle managers became unnecessary with the advent of powerful and efficient data processing systems.
The other thing that happened was that jobs formerly held by professional people are now held by clerks.
Consider this common scenario:
Company ABC has lost their long-time Manager of Accounts Payable, let's say to early retirement (euphemism for a white-collar layoff aimed at cutting out the high salary of the 30-year professional manager). The company changes the position title from Manager of Accounts Payable to A/P Supervisor. The newly designed position pays maybe 50-60% of the old position, and the company promotes the most reliable Accounts Payable clerk to the new position.
The A/P Supervisor position is still a Salaried Exempt job, which means the clerk now responsible for the department is required to work around 50 hours per week. Of course, the 50 hours can go up to 60 or more during certain times of the year, when the activity gets high or new systems and processes are implemented. The catch is that if you break down the new supervisor's effective hourly pay, it is actually lower than their more experienced direct-reports.
So this clerk, who used to like her job as the lead A/P clerk, now can never seem to get away from the office. Her boss won't let her take all her earned vacation; not by directly denying her requests for vacation time, but by making it crystal clear to her that if she takes all of her vacation, it will be impossible for her to meet her job objectives and will either have no salary increase or possibly be fired. So she gives up 2 weeks of vacation every year, which the employer takes back in their "use it or lose it" vacation policy.
To me, it's morally repugnant. But nobody even knows the definition of morality these days. The government can't fix it with legislation, because such legislation would be micro-management. I only hope that companies rediscover that simply being fair and caring about the welfare and personal needs of their employees can pay off with better and more loyal employees.
Tips, for example. Companies are allowed to employ food and beverage servers, porters and bellmen, valets, and such with very little requirement they pay them. These employees are expected to make their money from customer tips - otherwise, the employer is just required to at least guarantee them minimum wage.
What about tips is so sacred? Why can't employers simply pay their service workers a decent wage and leave tips the way they should be - a way for a customer to voluntarily reward their server for exceptional service! Instead, we customers are expected to cough up the price of the restaurant meal, plus hand over money to the kid who parks our car and the girl who brings us our food. Because if we don't, nobody else will.
I think it's ridiculous.
Then there's the one that really bugs me. Some may remember that the corporate revolution in the 80's was to "flatten" the organization, cutting out all of the so-called "middle management" positions. Some of that was because some of those middle managers became unnecessary with the advent of powerful and efficient data processing systems.
The other thing that happened was that jobs formerly held by professional people are now held by clerks.
Consider this common scenario:
Company ABC has lost their long-time Manager of Accounts Payable, let's say to early retirement (euphemism for a white-collar layoff aimed at cutting out the high salary of the 30-year professional manager). The company changes the position title from Manager of Accounts Payable to A/P Supervisor. The newly designed position pays maybe 50-60% of the old position, and the company promotes the most reliable Accounts Payable clerk to the new position.
The A/P Supervisor position is still a Salaried Exempt job, which means the clerk now responsible for the department is required to work around 50 hours per week. Of course, the 50 hours can go up to 60 or more during certain times of the year, when the activity gets high or new systems and processes are implemented. The catch is that if you break down the new supervisor's effective hourly pay, it is actually lower than their more experienced direct-reports.
So this clerk, who used to like her job as the lead A/P clerk, now can never seem to get away from the office. Her boss won't let her take all her earned vacation; not by directly denying her requests for vacation time, but by making it crystal clear to her that if she takes all of her vacation, it will be impossible for her to meet her job objectives and will either have no salary increase or possibly be fired. So she gives up 2 weeks of vacation every year, which the employer takes back in their "use it or lose it" vacation policy.
To me, it's morally repugnant. But nobody even knows the definition of morality these days. The government can't fix it with legislation, because such legislation would be micro-management. I only hope that companies rediscover that simply being fair and caring about the welfare and personal needs of their employees can pay off with better and more loyal employees.
Monday, September 10, 2007
Absolute Disgust
My disgust is aimed squarely at the Democrats who choose politics over common sense and civility in the Petraeus hearings today. The behavior of some of them in their posturing and disrespect in calling the General everything from a liar to a Bush hack was outrageous.
They've been clear from the beginning that no matter what General Petraeus has to say this week, they will accept nothing but immediate abandonment of Iraq. The consequences of their loudly trumpeted demands for surrender matter not at all to them.
As one who pays attention, I've no doubt that whether we like it or not, we've got to finish the job. Whether we should have invaded and ousted Saddam is not today's argument. Today's argument instead is about Iraq's future, the future of the Middle East, and the future of Islamic terror.
Surrender creates a certain vacuum in Iraq that Iran and Syria will move quickly to fill. Any Iraqis not in league with the Iranians will be dead. Israel will become the next target of the new powerful Iranian regime, and the same characters believe firmly that continued terrorism against American citizens has been proven to cow America into staying out of their way.
It is saddened that elected representatives in congress are really and truly American traitors. Did anybody notice that Bin Laden's latest video sounds just exactly like the rhetoric of our political left? Haven't the Democrats who continue to undermine the effort in Iraq noticed that that they are being cheered on by our country's enemies?
People need to figure out which politicians have our country's best interests at heart and which only care about their own.
Disgusting.
They've been clear from the beginning that no matter what General Petraeus has to say this week, they will accept nothing but immediate abandonment of Iraq. The consequences of their loudly trumpeted demands for surrender matter not at all to them.
As one who pays attention, I've no doubt that whether we like it or not, we've got to finish the job. Whether we should have invaded and ousted Saddam is not today's argument. Today's argument instead is about Iraq's future, the future of the Middle East, and the future of Islamic terror.
Surrender creates a certain vacuum in Iraq that Iran and Syria will move quickly to fill. Any Iraqis not in league with the Iranians will be dead. Israel will become the next target of the new powerful Iranian regime, and the same characters believe firmly that continued terrorism against American citizens has been proven to cow America into staying out of their way.
It is saddened that elected representatives in congress are really and truly American traitors. Did anybody notice that Bin Laden's latest video sounds just exactly like the rhetoric of our political left? Haven't the Democrats who continue to undermine the effort in Iraq noticed that that they are being cheered on by our country's enemies?
People need to figure out which politicians have our country's best interests at heart and which only care about their own.
Disgusting.
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Observations
Feeling ill. Allergy season always seems to bring on something nasty. It makes work much more difficult when I'm feeling miserable.
Watched the GOP President wannabe debate last night. Disappointing says it best. I actually wasn't impressed with the way Fox handled it, although they were certainly more serious and capable than those who have run the Democrat debates.
There are too many guys on the stage. Instead of learning something about the candidates, I just heard boring sound bites. Rudy was the worst, answering every question directed his way with "I sure was a great Mayor of New York!". !Yawn!
They didn't even bring up the topics that interest me. And other than the insane Ron Paul, nobody has much of anything different to say than anybody else on most topics. Nothing new, no creative ideas, not even much wit.
Before I get too down about the dearth of good candidates, I have to remind myself that an actual leader would never get elected. Nobody can lay out a strong and certain vision without being crucified, so we're stuck with a bunch of limp girly-men. Sometimes I think Hillary is more manly than most of the men running for President this year.
The hotel puts the NY Times outside my door every morning. I haven't read that rag much, but it's striking how far left the entire paper slants. Forget the editorials, all their news reports serve as left-wing editorials themselves. I've decided that in New York, if they even become aware of a different point of view on any topic, they apparently discard it out of hand. They can't imagine any sane person would view the world through any lens other than their own.
Their lens must have psychedelic colors and fun-house mirrors, they're so out of touch in most areas.
Must rest and watch Colts-Saints.
Watched the GOP President wannabe debate last night. Disappointing says it best. I actually wasn't impressed with the way Fox handled it, although they were certainly more serious and capable than those who have run the Democrat debates.
There are too many guys on the stage. Instead of learning something about the candidates, I just heard boring sound bites. Rudy was the worst, answering every question directed his way with "I sure was a great Mayor of New York!". !Yawn!
They didn't even bring up the topics that interest me. And other than the insane Ron Paul, nobody has much of anything different to say than anybody else on most topics. Nothing new, no creative ideas, not even much wit.
Before I get too down about the dearth of good candidates, I have to remind myself that an actual leader would never get elected. Nobody can lay out a strong and certain vision without being crucified, so we're stuck with a bunch of limp girly-men. Sometimes I think Hillary is more manly than most of the men running for President this year.
The hotel puts the NY Times outside my door every morning. I haven't read that rag much, but it's striking how far left the entire paper slants. Forget the editorials, all their news reports serve as left-wing editorials themselves. I've decided that in New York, if they even become aware of a different point of view on any topic, they apparently discard it out of hand. They can't imagine any sane person would view the world through any lens other than their own.
Their lens must have psychedelic colors and fun-house mirrors, they're so out of touch in most areas.
Must rest and watch Colts-Saints.
Monday, September 03, 2007
Rambling on Labor Day
Traveling on Labor Day. Oh well, you do what you have to.
Notre Dame looked worse than I expected on Saturday. Either Georgia Tech is on their way to a National Championship or the Irish have fallen very hard. The Irish defense clearly hasn't improved from last year, when I'd suggest that porous defense was the reason ND couldn't make the mix for the top tier.
Now they need to break in a new offense. It was completely rattled by Tech. I'm thinking the best ND fans can hope for this year is one game over .500 and a minor bowl. The question is whether Charlie can build on his young guys for next season. We'll see.
An emotional Indiana football team had their memorial for Coach Hep, then proceeded to steamroll poor Indiana State. It's nice that they got the first win of the season, and the memorial was moving. But we won't know whether they're any better this year until they get into the Big Ten season. It might be nice to see them spring a suprise on one or two Big Ten teams this year. We'll see.
It was a bit surprising to find Air America on the radio when I got to my destination today. I thought they'd gone bankrupt. Anyway, I was curious enough to listen for a few minutes. It really struck me that they live in some sort of alternate universe. I figured they'd be over the constant Bush hatred thing, but no - impeaching Bush and Cheney remains their obsession.
It was interesting to hear the guys on the program (I didn't catch either person's name - neither was anybody I'd ever heard of before) go on and on about their impeachment dream, but then actually they briefly admitted that there was no specific charge that could be used. They even mentioned, in perhaps the most honest moment I heard, that Clinton was impeached for specific crimes of perjury and suborning perjury and obstructing justice. I about keeled over to hear somebody from their side actually admit as much.
But they really went off the tracks talking about how Bush has rolled back civil rights and is just a dictator. Wierd from people who love Cesar Chavez and Fidel Castro. I had a desire to ask them for an example of such civil rights violations by Bush and Cheney - can they produce a single American citizen who has been denied rights by the government in the name of fighting terrorism? Hmm, if it's true that Bush is guilty of illegal surveillance of guys like them who talk to each other every day about how much they hate him, why haven't they been arrested by this dictatorial regime? Or harrassed? Or even questioned?
Wow. These guys should go ahead and move to Venezuela or Cuba. I'd like them to experience first-hand what it's like to live under such benevolent regimes without Bush or Cheney around.
So bizarre.
Notre Dame looked worse than I expected on Saturday. Either Georgia Tech is on their way to a National Championship or the Irish have fallen very hard. The Irish defense clearly hasn't improved from last year, when I'd suggest that porous defense was the reason ND couldn't make the mix for the top tier.
Now they need to break in a new offense. It was completely rattled by Tech. I'm thinking the best ND fans can hope for this year is one game over .500 and a minor bowl. The question is whether Charlie can build on his young guys for next season. We'll see.
An emotional Indiana football team had their memorial for Coach Hep, then proceeded to steamroll poor Indiana State. It's nice that they got the first win of the season, and the memorial was moving. But we won't know whether they're any better this year until they get into the Big Ten season. It might be nice to see them spring a suprise on one or two Big Ten teams this year. We'll see.
It was a bit surprising to find Air America on the radio when I got to my destination today. I thought they'd gone bankrupt. Anyway, I was curious enough to listen for a few minutes. It really struck me that they live in some sort of alternate universe. I figured they'd be over the constant Bush hatred thing, but no - impeaching Bush and Cheney remains their obsession.
It was interesting to hear the guys on the program (I didn't catch either person's name - neither was anybody I'd ever heard of before) go on and on about their impeachment dream, but then actually they briefly admitted that there was no specific charge that could be used. They even mentioned, in perhaps the most honest moment I heard, that Clinton was impeached for specific crimes of perjury and suborning perjury and obstructing justice. I about keeled over to hear somebody from their side actually admit as much.
But they really went off the tracks talking about how Bush has rolled back civil rights and is just a dictator. Wierd from people who love Cesar Chavez and Fidel Castro. I had a desire to ask them for an example of such civil rights violations by Bush and Cheney - can they produce a single American citizen who has been denied rights by the government in the name of fighting terrorism? Hmm, if it's true that Bush is guilty of illegal surveillance of guys like them who talk to each other every day about how much they hate him, why haven't they been arrested by this dictatorial regime? Or harrassed? Or even questioned?
Wow. These guys should go ahead and move to Venezuela or Cuba. I'd like them to experience first-hand what it's like to live under such benevolent regimes without Bush or Cheney around.
So bizarre.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)