Category Archives: Politics: National

Media Bias

Posted on March 12, 2011 | 3 comments

Each side accuses the other of media bias.  Fox gets hammered by the Left and everyone else gets hammered by the Right.

But what is it exactly, that the media does that creates this impression of bias?  What is it that strikes someone as “unfair” and “unbalanced”?

For me, it’s not the truth of the story, it’s the profile of the stories themselves.  Rachel Maddow, for example, doesn’t lie, she just doesn’t run disparaging stories against Democrats.  Hannity same but reversed.

So, here is my example of bias in the media.  A bias in an organization that I think TRIES not to be bias.

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Posted in Government, Politics: National

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A Voice of Reason Comes From the Left

Posted on March 12, 2011 | Leave a comment

The money isn’t big; on either side.  The amount of money the Federal Government gives to NPR isn’t a significant portion of what the Federal Government spends.

AND, the amount of money that the Federal Government gives to NPR isn’t a significant portion of the money that NPR spends.

But it matters.  It matters because the act of giving that money is an act of explicit approval.  Approval for the way that NPR runs it’s business.

And many don’t agree.

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Posted in Government, Lobby/PAC, Politics: National

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18 – 1

Posted on March 9, 2011 | 16 comments

And so it appears that Wisconsin Democrats find themselves in Atari.  This should not be surprising.  Either to they themselves, state democrats as a group or the nation as a whole.

By fleeing the state and preventing a quorum, the Wisconsin 14 knew, they had to KNOW, that they were setting themselves up for failure.  True, they WERE able to block the vote.  But only because it contained fiscal portions.  It isn’t rocket surgery to know all you have to do it strip out that aspect of the bill and pass it without the required 20.

There will be yelling and much nashing of teeth.  But make no mistake about it, the Wisconsin 14 brought this on themselves.

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Posted in Government, Idiots on Parade, Politics: National, Rocket Surgery, States Behaving Badly

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Another Example Of Good Ideas Gone Wrong

Posted on March 9, 2011 | 2 comments

I have come to understand that many of the friends and colleagues I disagree with are not disagreeing with me because they want bad things to happen.  On the contrary, I feel that those folks are just as interested in the welfare of our country and the people in it as I am.

Rather than mean spirited, they are well intentioned.  It’s just that each have our own version of the path to those intentions.

But, when well intentioned people craft laws in the dead of night and don’t read those laws, bad things happen.

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Posted in Economics, Government, Health Care, Idiots on Parade, Politics: National

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How Much Do Teachers Make?

Posted on March 6, 2011 | 25 comments

As Wisconsin rolls on and other states join the fray, a common diversion from the battles over collective bargaining is that of teacher salaries.

Often the debate touches on the salaries of teachers.  Do public school teachers make the same or not as their private school peers?  It can be hard to tell.  But then I stumbled on this post from Mark Perry over at Carpie Diem.

Here is the money shot:

Amazing isn’t it?

First, let’s take a look at some numbers.

  1. First year teachers are bringing home 42k a year.  Yowza!
  2. Public school teachers NEVER make less than 27% more than private teachers.
  3. A first year public teacher makes the same amount as a 25 year private school teacher.

Look, $42,000 isn’t a lot of money.  And neither is $65,000 after 30 years in.  But it ain’t bad either.  And don’t forget, the public school teachers are gettin’ health insurance, pensions and tenure.

A pretty good gig.

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Posted in Education, Politics: National

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More Proof Unions Suck Money

Posted on March 4, 2011 | 8 comments

If there is a better way to sum up the impact and effect of Unions on their host?  If so, I don’t see it.

But this just about is as close as it gets:

The Wisconsin Department of Administration estimates it could cost the state $8 million to restore the Capitol to its pre-protest condition, Wisconsin media are reporting. The estimate includes $500,000 to remove adhesive from taped posters, $1 million to repair the structure’s exterior and $6.5 million for rebuffing the interior marble.

The Unionista, while not working to protest the state has managed to cost that state $8 million American.  Just for being there.  Forget the cost they have incurred by missing work.

* Spit *

8 Comments

Posted in Economy, Education, Lobby/PAC, Politics: National, States Behaving Badly

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Unions and Collective Bargaining

Posted on March 3, 2011 | 4 comments

Let’s be clear.  Let’s be VERY clear.

Removing Collective Bargaining does not diminish the dignity of an individual.  It didn’t increase said dignity when Collective Bargaining was permitted, nor can the removal of it be seen to diminish it.

Even without Collective Bargaining, an individual, or group of individuals, has the ability to bargain for benefits.  This includes wages as well as side benefits.

Collective Bargaining is a legal right.  It is not a Natural Right.  As such, removing it does not “enslave” the Unionista.

Collective Bargaining in the private sector is just as invalid, though less damaging, as it is in the public sector.

Unions are NOT pro-industry.  They are pro-UNIONS.

Just sayin’.

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Posted in Lobby/PAC, Politics: National

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Words Have Meanings

Posted on March 1, 2011 | Leave a comment

Words.

Words conjure imagery.  And those images are powerful powerful things.  And people should know that, especially powerful people that write things like laws.

But somehow it doesn’t surprise me when that powerful lawmaker who doesn’t know these things is one Charles Rangel.

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Posted in Government, Liberty, Lobby/PAC, Politics: National

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Mirror Mirror…..

Posted on February 28, 2011 | Leave a comment

I’m posting live from Disney.  Just realized the bastards don’t have FoxNews on their channel list.

However, in other interesting news….

Twenty-nine percent of likely voters would blame Democrats for a government shutdown, compared to 23 percent who would hold Republicans responsible, according to a new poll conducted for The Hill.

Whoops!  THAT wasn’t expected.

The results are surprising because most people blamed the GOP for the last government shutdown, which occurred during President Clinton’s first term. A week before the 1995 shuttering, polls showed the public blamed Republicans by a two-to-one-margin.

Hope and change folks….Hope and change!

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Posted in Government, Politics: National

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Sarah Palin and Unions

Posted on February 28, 2011 | 1 comment

Okay, okay, ya know the joke about Democrats wantin’ Sarah Palin to run for President…..?

That’s how I feel about Barack Hussein Obama siding with the Democrats in Wisconsin:

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that only 25% of Likely U.S. Voters approve of this tactic [fleeing the state to avoid a vote], while 67% disapprove.

Oh, gawd, oh Pah-leeze, Obama come out and side with the Democrats in Wisconsin!  PLEASE!

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Posted in Elections 2012, Idiots on Parade, Politics: National, States Behaving Badly

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