08-20-2010, 04:00 AM
It's that time of year again when both camps come out and contribute to global warming by emitting large quanitities of hot air. And politcal ads clog the aireways with negative and mind-bogglingly inaccurate campaigning.
Out here in Western ND we had a long running ad against reducing air pollutant emissions... if one read the fine print at the end, one would discover that the ad was paid for by the coal producers of America. Ironic, considering how much complaining there is when the coal-fired power plants in Estavan, Canada start firing up.
Another ad talks about porkbarrel spending. Well, ladies and gentlemen, love it or shove it, that's how stuff gets done. The ad features repaving a roadway in Hollywood, with a highly polished shoe stepping onto the red carpet. It then goes on to show a map with other cities, including Minot, ND on it. The next bit of blathering is that this cost the "average American family" $10,000 or so. Interesting factoid... I am single, and, make a sizable amount over the average American family income (per census figures). Upon review of my latest tax return, I find that claim to be very inaccurate. If it didn't cost me $10,000... and I've got higher income than the average American family, and fewer deductions/exemptions, I don't see how it could possibly cost the "average American family" $10,000.
The funny thing about "pork" is that it's pork only so long as somebody else is getting it. It's not "pork" if your representative brings it home to you
Interestingly, there are even folks claiming that Minot, AFB is pork. To them I pose a question: Where else would you want to put the only air force base with both strategic bomber and nuclear missle squadrons other than what is effectively the middle of this continent... far away from any viable invasion points?
And then there's Palin and the "right to free speech" mess. What she, and several other ultra-conservative figureheads seem to forget is that exercising a right can bring consequences. With rights come responsibilities, and their ravings seem to create a disconnect. I wonder how S. palin would feel about somebody exercising their First Amendment rights and calling her something akin to a Nazi b!tch. Would be willing to bet that the extreme interest in protecting free speech would vanish very, very quickly.
Several talking heads have forgotten that power and privilege brings responsibilities. I have the right to walk into a store and tell the cashier/manager/owner to go screw him/herself in the corner. However, there will be a consequence, and likely I won't get what I want.
Out here in Western ND we had a long running ad against reducing air pollutant emissions... if one read the fine print at the end, one would discover that the ad was paid for by the coal producers of America. Ironic, considering how much complaining there is when the coal-fired power plants in Estavan, Canada start firing up.
Another ad talks about porkbarrel spending. Well, ladies and gentlemen, love it or shove it, that's how stuff gets done. The ad features repaving a roadway in Hollywood, with a highly polished shoe stepping onto the red carpet. It then goes on to show a map with other cities, including Minot, ND on it. The next bit of blathering is that this cost the "average American family" $10,000 or so. Interesting factoid... I am single, and, make a sizable amount over the average American family income (per census figures). Upon review of my latest tax return, I find that claim to be very inaccurate. If it didn't cost me $10,000... and I've got higher income than the average American family, and fewer deductions/exemptions, I don't see how it could possibly cost the "average American family" $10,000.
The funny thing about "pork" is that it's pork only so long as somebody else is getting it. It's not "pork" if your representative brings it home to you
Interestingly, there are even folks claiming that Minot, AFB is pork. To them I pose a question: Where else would you want to put the only air force base with both strategic bomber and nuclear missle squadrons other than what is effectively the middle of this continent... far away from any viable invasion points?
And then there's Palin and the "right to free speech" mess. What she, and several other ultra-conservative figureheads seem to forget is that exercising a right can bring consequences. With rights come responsibilities, and their ravings seem to create a disconnect. I wonder how S. palin would feel about somebody exercising their First Amendment rights and calling her something akin to a Nazi b!tch. Would be willing to bet that the extreme interest in protecting free speech would vanish very, very quickly.
Several talking heads have forgotten that power and privilege brings responsibilities. I have the right to walk into a store and tell the cashier/manager/owner to go screw him/herself in the corner. However, there will be a consequence, and likely I won't get what I want.
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