Cal Thomas has a column in today’s Eagle applauding President Bush for his immigration speech last week in Arizona but arguing that Bush didn’t go far enough. Thomas doesn’t like Bush’s guest worker proposal and wants the administration to crack down on businesses that hire illegals.
Immigration is a tough political nut, as the whole system pretty much is a mess and there are competing economic and security demands. But I fear that Bush no longer has enough political capital to guide a bipartisan solution, and that last week’s speech was more aimed at shoring up his conservative base than leading a serious reform effort.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
Congress is looking at whether consumers should be able to order individual programs a la carte from cable TV companies, rather than being forced to get the usual large block of channels.
One study has found that consumers typically watch only 17 or so of the 100-plus channels they receive in some cable packages.
While consumers clearly want more choice in their cable subscriptions, cable companies have been strongly resisting the idea. One notable exception is Charles Dolan, chairman of Cablevision Systems, who said last week, “Consumers should not be obliged directly or indirectly to buy services they do not want.”
Exactly. An a la carte system would also defuse widespread parental complaints about the increasingly sex- and violence-saturated fare on cable — consumers who didn’t want racy stuff could simply not subscribe to those channels.
Besides, think of all the boring channel surfing in this country that could be avoided. Congress needs to approve this long-overdue change.
Posted by Randy Scholfield
The World Health Organization announced that it will no longer hire smokers. A spokesman said that the agency needs to be true to its principles in its hiring practices. But there are plenty of other unhealthy behaviors that the agency won’t be screening for. What about obese people or those who drink alcohol or engage in unsafe sex?
Posted by Melissa Cooley
Kansas conservatives complained about the University of Kansas being liberal long before the current controversy regarding religion professor Paul Mirecki. But believe it or not, two national groups have recognized KU for being conservative and Republican.
The college edition of “Choosing the Right College,” a guidebook for conservatives, names KU “one of the best state-school educations.” And David Horowitz, president of the conservative Center for the Study of Popular Culture, recognized KU for having the only “elite” school of journalism in the nation that has more Republicans than Democrats on its faculty.
So is KU conservative only when compared with other universities? Or is it liberal only when compared with some Kansas conservatives?
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
CENTURY II TO BE TORN DOWN FOR VALUE PLACE HOTEL CORPORATE OFFICE; ‘It’s the Only Site That Works for Us,’ Says WaterWalk Spokesman
WIND GENERATOR BLADES DECORATED WITH TWINKLING CHRISTMAS LIGHTS; Critics of the Flint Hills Eyesores Admit the Towers Now ‘Very Pretty’
JAIL INMATES MOVED TO CIA SECRET PRISONS; County Hails Solution to Jail Overcrowding Problem
ARENA TO OFFER COUCHES INSTEAD OF STADIUM SEATING; Costly Move Only Option for Supersized Population
Posted by Randy Scholfield
The “Rodney Dangerfield economy” is what Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., aptly called the U.S. economy the other day, because it deserves more respect than it’s been getting lately. It added 215,000 jobs last month, the most since July, and the rate of economic growth from July to September was at a 4.3 percent annual rate; that’s the best since early 2004. So some optimism is in order, especially among wannabe holiday shoppers. That said, as Roberts noted, the national debt and federal budget deficits are points of concern. So is the growing disparity between the rich and everybody else.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
