Vice President Dick Cheney politely took issue with former Federal Reserve chief Alan Greenspan in a commentary in the Wall Street Journal. In his new book, Greenspan criticizes President Bush’s fiscal management. But Cheney argues that Bush’s tax cuts resulted in "a shallower recession, a faster recovery, and a platform for growth that remains sturdy to this day." Cheney agrees with Greenspan’s concerns about the long-term cost of entitlement programs, but he argues that Bush "has proposed reforms in Medicare and Medicaid — and has repeatedly asked Congress to reform Social Security and place it on firm financial ground." Cheney is less convincing in claiming that Bush has done a good job controlling government spending.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
It’s been a busy week for God-related lawsuits. A Fort Riley soldier is suing the Defense Department claiming that a military officer threatened to file military charges against him and block his re-enlistment if the soldier held a meeting for atheists and non-Christians.
Meanwhile, a Nebraska state senator is suing God for causing "widespread death, destruction and terrorization of millions upon millions of the Earth’s inhabitants." In this case, the lawsuit isn’t serious but is in protest of what he considers to be frivolous lawsuits.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
By all means, the United States should try to keep the Iranian regime from acquiring nukes. But if it had to, America could “live with” a nuclear Iran, John Abizaid, the recently retired commander of U.S. forces in the Middle East, said this week.
The Bush administration has called a nuclear Iran unacceptable and hinted at military action to prevent it. Abizaid’s clear-headed comments put the Iranian threat in much-needed perspective.
“Iran is not a suicide nation,” he said. “I mean, they may have some people in charge that don’t appear to be rational, but I doubt that the Iranians intend to attack us with a nuclear weapon.”
He’s surely right. Iran’s leaders know the United States arsenal could reduce their country to smoking rubble. Besides, it wouldn’t be the first time we’ve lived with a nuclear-armed enemy: the Soviet Union, China, even North Korea have nukes. Why draw a line in the sand with Iran?
If Iran eventually produces a nuclear bomb, that shouldn’t be an immediate case for war.
Then again, would Israel be willing to “live with” a nearby nuclear threat to its existence?
Posted by Randy Scholfield
Can a leader of the free world do anything about the one-third of men who don’t stop at the sink on their way out of the restroom? Doubtful. But Hillary Clinton, reacting on ABC’s “Good Morning America” to the new American Society for Microbiology study on the handwashing gender gap, wasn’t above joking, “I’m still worried about all those men who don’t wash their hands. . . . That’s going to be part of my health care plan.”
Meanwhile, two guys reacted harshly to that plan, which she announced Monday: Mitt Romney called it “European-style socialized medicine,” and a Rudy Giuliani campaign statement suggested it was straight out of Michael Moore’s “Sicko.”
Posted by Rhonda Holman
Just when we thought America had safely put O.J. Simpson behind us, here comes the Juice again, under arrest for an allegedly armed confrontation in Las Vegas with men he accuses of trying to sell his sports memorabilia. This latest made-for-cable 24/7 feeding frenzy comes complete with an audiotape of O.J. that we’re doomed to hear repeated ad nauseam for the next month.
Forget other important news about the war, health care, etc.
This is your media on crack.
Posted by Randy Scholfield
The “Coal-Lovin’ Governor” music video that we produced is making its big screen debut tonight at the Kansas International Film Festival in Overland Park. Seriously. It’s being shown before the environmental documentary “Kilowatt Ours,” the festival’s feature film tonight.
Meanwhile, our “Brownback Girl” video continues to have a life of its own. An excerpt of the song was played Sunday on National Public Radio (click on Listen button to hear it), the second time NPR has aired it. The only problem was that a Boston University professor being interviewed said that “Brownback Girl” wasn’t a parody. Um, here’s a hint: When a guy in a dress sings about how “Sam loves stem cells, wants gays in jail,” it’s a spoof.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
