Posted on Friday, 17th April 2009 by Bruce
I’ve been putting the miles on at almost record pace this week, trying to eek out a living in a tepid economy, and it’s left me with a lot of windshield time in which to gather my thoughts, but not much time with which to write them down.
I’m going to do something I’ve never done before: Shoot from the hip, with no editing. Here’s my rapid-fire assessment of a few things that got me thinking this week, and I will pound out my thoughts in ten minutes or less; not one Google link will be opened, nor spell-check engaged. Conservative readers of BadgerBlogger know the news, what you come here for is our take on it. So here’s mine:
Obama’s appearance at Georgetown: I rarely write about, or for that matter, engage people in discussion of, religion. Frequent readers of this blog know that I am a life-long Catholic; we are raising our daughter Catholic in Dane County Wisconsin, which is no small feat. I truly believe that religion is the most personal choice we have as (decreasingly) free beings, and what you choose to believe in - and how strongly you choose to believe it - is entirely between you and your deity of choice. That White House handlers would ask that a symbol of Christian faith be covered up during President Obama’s appearance in Gaston Hall, on the campus of Georgetown University earlier this week, and that Georgetown would apparently gladly acquiesce, practically brings a tear to my eye.
To those BadgerBlogger readers who are Christian, I direct this comment: When I think of what Christianity has endured; the persecution we, as a people of faith have faced through the ages, it saddens me that we will likely just roll over and accept this slap-in-the-face, dismissing it, turning a blind eye. We, as Christians, believe that Christ died to save us. That the president, or his handlers, could not accept a simple symbol of the love Christ had for us to get in the way of his photo op is shameful. And shame on us if we allow it to go unnoticed.
State workers’ overtime pay: While almost every private sector firm is cutting costs and laying off workers, today brings the revelation that, in addition to nary a state worker’s job
being eliminated, hardly a state worker being asked to share in our collective sacrifice, taxpayers actually paid state workers 2.2% more in overtime pay in 2008 than we did in 2007. Just another example of the growing divide between the charmed world of the public sector, and the chump world of the private in Jim Doyle’s Wisconsin.
More state job losses: Wisconsin Democrats are dead-set on driving every private sector job out of this state, leaving them with a population of serfs enslaved to the state and its payroll, guaranteeing perpetual re-election of the “beloved leaders” their union tells them to vote for. (And they have the stones to accuse the right of being an “echo chamber.”) The “Combined Reporting” taxation called for in Jim Doyle’s budget caused Harley-Davidson, by their own admission, to announce more forthcoming layoffs earlier today, and almost certainly cost Sheboygan the Thomas Industries/Gardner-Denver jobs earlier this week, while Jim Doyle did nothing. Zip. Zilch. Nada. Too busy studying not-all-that-high-speed trains in Spain to be bothered to “govern.” Democrat big-government engineering has put this state in the budget mess it is, yet when there’s not a job left in this state that isn’t publicly-funded or revolves around handing Illinois tourists a snack and a towel at a water park, Doyle and the Dems will stand around, wringing their hands, blaming the mess on “corporate greed,” and Bush-era economic policy.
Janeane Garafolo is a talentless wench: Until today, I didn’t realize Ms. Garafolo was still alive. But she’s alive and well, and really detests conservatives, and everything the few of us who are left stand for. To Garafolo, anyone who elects to participate in a simple show of protest to our government’s reckless spending is, in her words, a “redneck racist.” I don’t watch much prime-time television, but I understand that when she’s not spewing her incorrect characterization and vitriol on MSNBC, she might be on some TV show on another network that many in our ranks seem to enjoy. If you find Garafolo’s “true feelings” about anyone who dare stand in the way of her party’s totalitarian governance disturbing, I’d suggest you figure out which advertisers might buy airtime during that show, or any other that pays her salary, and let them know how you feel.
Farmer’s Market returns: This weekend marks the return of the outdoor version of Madison’s famed Dane County Farmer’s Market. As those who have visited the market (which frankly, along with the biking, is one of the coolest things about living in Madison) are aware, in addition to being a great place to buy spring garlic and tomatoes as big as your head, the market has been a hot-spot of political protest in recent years. Tomorrow marks the market’s first outdoor appearance since the Democrats were handed the keys to our nation and its future, and it leaves me wondering: Will there be any protest? Is the guy with the giant swastika-adorned George W. Bush marionette just going to stick the thing in the attic above the garage and walk off into the sunset? Time will tell, but something tells me that Madison’s career hard-core activist, progressive whack-jobs will find something else to bitch about. It would be too much fun to sit on the Capitol lawn and quietly enjoy the sunshine, or a good book.
On-the-air with Al Sharpton: I had some time to scan the dial in the car this afternoon, and stumbled upon Al Sharpton’s “Keeping it Real” syndicated radio program, on Milwaukee affiliate WMCS. I never thought anyone could replace Michael McGee, Sr. or Art Bell as “Biggest Kook on the Radio,” but Sharpton’s making a good run at it. I’ll spare you the horror of recounting his discussion topics, but if this is what the left is referring to when it talks about “bringing more community-oriented and culturally diverse programming to the airwaves,” may God save the United States of America.
There you have it! It’s going to be a beautiful weekend in Southern Wisconsin, part of it, at least… get out and enjoy some of it. And feel free to chime own with your own random musings, if you like.
Posted in Home | Comments (14) |
14 Responses to “Reflecting on a week’s worth of news in 10 minutes or less”
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April 17th, 2009 at 5:31 pm
Farmer’s Market returns
Nor for long, if Congress gets its way. New legislation working through will eliminate truck-farming (and “insecticide-free” farming) when passed.
April 17th, 2009 at 5:36 pm
I just want to remind you all that Mr. Obama is not a Muslim. Nope, he is not Socialist or Marxist either. He is a devout Christian, just like his 2 Fathers. He would never hide a reference to Jesus Christ from cameras. He’s too devout for that.
As for Georgetown. They suck,.
April 17th, 2009 at 6:05 pm
The smell of brats and cigarette smoke on a crisp fall Saturday are the only things that drag me to that cesspool of a town.
April 17th, 2009 at 6:44 pm
I’m not at all surprised that O demanded the symbols of Jesus be removed because his whole political career, until last year, he had the competition taken off the ballot so he could win. But I find it sad-and scary-that Georgetown thought it was a good idea to bow to the secular messiah instead of telling him, “This is what we’re about; if it does’t suit you there’s a secular U down the street.”
It’s one thing to have your rights and freedoms taken away by totalitarians, and another to pre-emptively yield them.
April 17th, 2009 at 6:53 pm
Nicely put Heather…..what would have been so wrong to say “This is what we’re about; if it does’t suit you there’s a secular U down the street.â€
April 17th, 2009 at 8:11 pm
I wonder if Notre Dame will cover all the crucifixes when Obama speaks there!?
I was raised a good Irish Catholic Democrat (the other Holy Trinity) and I’m furious that Notre Dame is giving Obama a platform for his policies. (BTW….I’m a born-again republican!)
Its a sad day for Catholics when our most highly repsected university cow-tows to this anti-life, socialist politician.
April 17th, 2009 at 8:30 pm
I agree. Nicely put Heather. Again.
April 17th, 2009 at 9:20 pm
Obama is not a Christian. He doesn’t want other cultures to “see him” as a Christian.
Would a Christian disavow Christ and bow to a Muslim King?
I’ve got a simple point that we’ve been PC’s into never asking.
What makes you believe that Obama is Christian?
Then ask yourself.
What has he shown that says otherwise???
The “Otherwise” have it.
April 17th, 2009 at 9:39 pm
You know, gus, people are all too quick to forget (in the prestige media’s case, it’s easy… as they never reported it in the first place) that our president spent some of his most formative years being educated at a Muslim school in Indonesia. This is a fact, and can not be debated. Why would people be shocked when he bows to the King of an Islamic theocratic monarchy? Or ask that symbols of Christianity be covered up crudely with painted plywood for his photo ops?
Obama is a Christian because he told us so. Who would ever question a Democrat on their integrity? Spare me. If they say it, it’s true.
April 18th, 2009 at 9:26 am
our president spent some of his most formative years being educated at a Muslim school in Indonesia
And his other ‘most formative years’ at the knee of Frank Marshall, Communist.
If Marshall’s indoctrination held sway, then Obama cannot be either a Muslim OR a Christian; Communism by definition is atheist.
April 18th, 2009 at 10:58 am
Dad and Bruce. Obama is a user. He said so himself. He talks of conning people in his own books. He talks of seeking out the most Marxist professors he could find. We are in a bizarro world where anyone else who would say such things would not be taken seriously and would be rejected out of hand. But Obama also claims to be “black” and that trumps truth.
April 18th, 2009 at 6:34 pm
I wonder if The Anointed One (in Greek, “Christos”) will order Touchdown Jesus covered up at Notre Dame.
April 18th, 2009 at 9:14 pm
Peter, Obama will do whatever he feels like doing and the Media and left will go right along with it. Imagine he insulted Muslims like this. Just imagine.
April 20th, 2009 at 7:09 pm
any of you that think the local/national head trimming is coming to a close is out of your minds. Eaton Corp is going to trim over 5000 heads, mostly within the US. 27th street eaton is done.
Talk to an engineer and see what is happening, “construction jobs” my butt. Eaton, Cooper, DRS, GE, Kohler… you name it, they’re trimming heads like dogs. But you wouldn’t know it by listening to the local radio heads who tell you we need more engineers. Neocons are truly as bad as liberals in their complete disregard for the truth.
I’m currently looking for an old coal burning stove (for free, being an unemployed engineer) that I can put in my basement for the upcoming hell that will ensue.