Bob Herbert ... in his column yesterday, Mr. Herbert did a nice job of making my point about the lack of difference between Presidents Bush & Obama as regards the little folk versus the Fat Cats on Wall Street. I love this guy for his frankness, even if he does adhere to the lesser of two evils and probably votes exclusively Democrat. Herbert is at least aware that pointing fingers at irrelevant wingnuts like Palin, Limbaugh, et al, does nothing for all those who voted for the guy they placed so much faith in. Herbert expected (like at least a few on the left) Change We Can Believe In to be something akin to change of some kind for those other than Wall Street … and he’s not happy with the results to date (another George Bush and government for the money by the money).
My comment to his Times editorial: Bob, you remain my hero. As another posted directly above where I'm typing now, Bush & Obama belong in the same sad sentence ... and only one does talk nice. The bottom line is workers were given the ultimate shaft when those Wall Street bailouts ignored stipulations protecting us from layoffs, outsourcing, and maybe using our own 401K money WITHOUT PENALTY since the Obama administration saw fit to ignore $38 BILLION in tax revenues from those bailed out. Until we ignore both parties and vote ANYTHING BUT REPUBLICAN AND/OR DEMOCRAT, we'll continue to get screwed. Thanks for pointing it out.
The Boss ... there are two ways to look at George Steinbrenner. From a business standpoint, he was the epitome of the great capitalist. Paying $8,000,000 for the Yankees in 1973, he added another set of zeros and raised his Yankees net worth to plus $1,000,000,000. He changed the face of the game with his buying of free agents, often those who beat his Yankees in world series games. He was ahead of the game and his competitors in that regard and his successes (7 world championships) is undeniable. He was a tough and great owner, much the same way George Patton was a tough and a great general.
The other Steinbrenner, as viewed by some (including myself) goes like this: He was a pompous and abusive owner (who once fired a secretary for getting him the wrong sandwich) with an ego to match his bankroll. His handling and mishandling of the Yankee clubhouse and dugout, it is often argued, may well have cost his team another 7 championships (although we’ll never know one way or the other). His ability to buy championships earns him a lot less respect from this view than he’s getting the day after he died from those with the view in the preceding paragraph.
To be fair, it is claimed he was very charitable and decent to everyone who didn’t work for him (including providing the children of 9-11 firemen and policeman killed in the line of duty with college scholarships) and that’s no small thing.
Lebron ... checkmate. Duane Wade has already won a championship with the Miami Heat. Lebron couldn’t win one with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He can win 10 with the Heat (although we’ll be rooting against him all the way) and he’ll never get the credit for being another Michael Jordan or Larry Bird … or Duane Wade. His move to Miami to round out a superstar lineup completes Kobe’s legacy (not Lebron’s). In the end, the King still has no rings. Should he now “acquire” one, it's no big deal.
European Soccer Racism ... Real Sports Bryant Gumbel did a report and than a follow-up on racism in the European Soccer leagues. Too many of us (myself often included) think Europe is so much more sophisticated than the United States. The Real Sports report puts that theory soundly to rest. Monkey chants, tossing bananas on the field and racist epithets are common. In Italy, a team from Rome was forced to play two of their games without their fans. The HBO report was ugly. It is difficult to accept that such a level of ugliness goes on anywhere, but it does and apparently is rampant. We’re not talking about a group of bad apples. It was the bulk of the stadium’s capacity engaged in absolutely reprehensible behavior.
Here is an ESPN report on the same issue:
And then there's this form of racism ...
Jesse Jackson ... the NBA’s David Stern had Jesse’s ear, but I doubt anybody else does anymore. If the owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers (Dan Gilbert) was acting as if he “owned” Lebron James, he sure fooled me. I like his repudiation of Lebron’s decision to flee for greener pastures, not because Gilbert is the owner and gets to say whatever he wants, but because I think he was showing support for his city and the people Lebron abandoned.
That said, I wasn’t nearly as offended by Jackson as I was by Kanye West back when he declared that “George Bush doesn't care about black people” during a CNN fund raiser for victims of Katrina, but that’s because I haven’t taken Jesse Jackson serious since his infamous “Hymie Town” comment. I was watching CNN the night of West’s short rant and immediately changed the channel. My issue with him was my having voted for George Bush; I didn’t like the implied association of being racist for it. West subsequently proved himself to be a jerk in other public verbal regurgitations and I shouldn’t have been as upset by him as I was. My bad, but it is the implied association of all things “racist” that may well cost Obama (through no fault of his own) more votes than he’ll be able to afford come 2012.
I don’t know George Bush personally, but I sincerely doubt that he doesn't care about black people. His government was a mess, as is Mr. Obama’s government (as Mr. Herbert up top often points out). For the record, I doubt Mr. Obama cares any less about white people than he cares about anybody else. Neither president’s policies seems to have benefited the poor and downtrodden while both seem to have enhanced the pockets of the already wealthy. Bush was the first Republican I had ever voted for. I was embarrassed by it (including my defense of him until 2006 when I’d had enough) ... then came Obama and now that it's 2010 I no longer feel AS embarrassed. Apparently we’re all (elites and bumpkins alike) equally as dumb as each other ...
West had my back up with his comment about Bush and I took it out on the telethon (and the victims of Katrina) by not donating. Again, my bad, but that’s what often happens when people feel as though they are being accused of anything, never mind racism. They resist. Not every white person who was (or remains) pissed at Lebron James (or who supported Dan Gilbert’s rant) is a racist. Nor is every Republican (or those who might vote Republican) racists. That type of word association (or bullshit, for lack of a better term), gets old fast.
Those from the Tea Party who engaged in overt racist behavior embarrass themselves and by extension their movement embarrasses itself when they don’t denounce it. That said, I’m not sure they didn’t denounce it. I simply don’t know. Either way, it is inexcusable behavior from anybody (including Mel Gibson), but if race issues take to the forefront of the 2012 election, I doubt it will be to the benefit of this President.
Obama did a smart thing in his presidential campaign when he distanced himself as much as possible from the race card (leaving it to fellow Democrats Bill & Hillary to play instead). Somehow it bothers me more that the Republican Party didn’t require Joe Barton to resign after offering a public apology to BP, but then again, as DOC will often point out, I’m one of those "commies/new voice of right wing america" types (I'm often accused of being both) who thinks it all has to do with the structure of our society; the haves vs. the have nots, etc.; that those at the bottom of any social structure tend to eat each other (to include using racism from both sides) rather than those who do them the most harm.
—Knucks
And the DOC says ...
“Those from the Tea Party who engaged in overt racist behavior embarrass themselves and by extension their movement embarrasses itself when they don’t denounce it.”
I’m impressed Chaz.
That is some elegant prose. Being an avid YouTube enthusiast I’m surprised you didn’t include some clips of overt racist behavior at Tea Party functions. The NAACP didn’t show any specific examples either, but both of you just painted a big red “X” on the Tea Party movement. Andrew Breitbart offered $100,000 to any one with video of Tea Party members abusing the black congressmen. To date, no one has claimed the money.
So, Chaz, have you stopped beating your wife?
For the icing on the cake, The Bamster has just stated that al Qaeda is a racist endeavor too. He feels they do not allow blacks to rise in the organization. He says blacks are relegated to only the lowest ranks of membership. That would be the transportation and short-term modeling of explosive fashion accessories.
Put it all together:
Tea Party = RACIST
Terrorists = RACIST
Tea Party = Terrorists
The Libs have to marginalize this common sense movement. And as a side note, as far as I know the Tea Party doesn’t have any leaders. That’s the beauty of it.
THE BOSS:
A shrewd businessman to the very end… by dying in 2010 he saved his family $500,000,000. In 2011 the Death Tax goes back into effect. Slick move, George. You certainly had the last laugh (sort of).
JESSE JACKSON & LEBRON JAMES:
Jesse claims the owner treated James like a slave? Trust me, Jesse, $12 million per year puts anyone in the upper-strata, Preferred, Gold Card level of slavery. Bottom line, Jesse… how much do you want the Cav’s owner to donate to your Rainbow Coalition to make you STFU?
IMAMS IN SPACE:
After last week’s heated editorial in Knucksline, the White House now states that they did not tell the head of NASA that Muslim outreach was one of his top 3 priorities. He misunderstood. The man is obviously not a rocket scientist. Oh wait, yes he is.
SPY SWAP:
Forget about trading 10 spies for 4. How the hell did this whole deal transpire in 10 days? It took Fredo 2 months to call up BP and 4 months to pick out a dog, but in a week and a half the spies are out of the country and unavailable for questioning.
Being a spy in the U.S. has got to be the easiest gig ever. All you need is a library card and a subscription to the New York Times.
Have a good week, brother
and a Happy Bastille Day
to all of my French friends.
Doc
