Archive for March, 2011

My conference call with Tennessee Senator Bob Corker

Monday, March 21st, 2011

Today I am in Bristol, Tennessee, still enjoying the crowd of over 100,000 people who descended here for a great NASCAR race. Later today in the tradition of fast cars I will be Knoxville bound. Yet sports was yesterday. Today it is back to politics. Tennessee is ground zero for a serious policy proposal by hometown United States Senator Bob Corker.

(I am not covering Libya today because the significance of what “happened” was grossly overstated. An unidentified nation hit a building. Khadafi remains in power. This is not news.)

I was on a conference call a few days ago with Senator Corker. The call was put together by the Blue Collar Muse, who also writes at the ConserVOLliance.

The entire conference call was dedicated to the “Commitment to American Prosperity (CAP) Act of 2011.”

For those worried about a Tennessee Senator talking about something with the word Cap in it, do not fear. This Cap is positive, and this Senator is a real Tennesseean.

Senator Corker described the CAP Act as a “fiscal straitjacket” that “caps federal spending.”

“Over 10 years we would reduce, spend 7.6 trillion less. The debt to GDP ratio is kept at 64%.”  With current policies it will be 146% over 20 years.”

“This is a 10 page bill, not a bunch of whereases in it.”

“We are spending 24.5% (will be 26.8%) of economic output on federal spending. The 40 year norm is 20.6%. This takes us back down to the 20.6% level.”

A major key provision in the legislation is that it calls for “sequestration.”

“The OMB each year, if Congress has not taken action to cut spending, they come in on a pro rata basis and take money out of those accounts.”

“This is the first time everything is included in the budget…Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.”

“This year we spend 3.7 trillion, take in 2.2 trillion. If you eliminated all discretionary spending including defense you would not close the budget. You have to take on entitlements. They are not sustainable.”

“Sequestration is avoided with a 2/3 vote in the house and senate. This is a statutory bill, not a constitutional amendment.”

“First we need to get all 61 billion of the house Republican cuts. The debt ceiling vote is later this year. I have no intention whatsoever of voting for a debt ceiling increase unless steps are taken to curb spending. It is irresponsible not to be responsible prior to debt ceiling increase.”

“When we are not paying attention, Washington will fall off the wagon. The American people will start focusing on something else.”

“The third anchor is passing a constitutional amendment. This is a three pronged plan. Lower discretionary spending, pass cap act, and pass a constitutional amendment.”

“I am a cheerleader for the Paul Ryan roadmap, but even after 10 years we are still at 22.6% spending. Even the president’s commission would take spending down to 21.8%.”

“I am not interested in messaging. I am interested in doing something about our debt. If we don’t deal with this issue in the next couple years we could have a crisis like we have not seen before. I need all 47 Republicans and 12 more Democrats (Claire McCaskill signed on).”

“After we agree to the straitjacket, then we can quibble over the cuts.”

“We go to 18% in 5 years, then 18% in 10 years. Paul Ryan gets to 18% in 2055. The Democrats want to increase revenues. We have a spending problem, not a revenue problem. I don’t want to talk about revenues, I know where that goes. I want to talk about spending. I started with a 20 year bill that got down to 18%. The problem with a 20 year bill is that keeping people focused for 3 years is tough around here.”

When asked about a presidential veto, Senator Corker was very blunt.

“I don’t think he would veto something attached to a debt ceiling vote. The debt ceiling vote creates leverage. To even consider voting for it without getting dramatic change would be irresponsible. We have a tremendous opportunity.”

“All of us, there are a lot of things we care about, that will have to be reduced to get our country back to where we need to go.”

“One of the best contributions we have in the Senate is Ron Johnson (from Wisconsin). He is a businessman. What he likes about the CAP Act is it does give you that flexibility. He is astonished that we never know where we are going. We have flexibility on how to meet the targets left on an annual basis.”

“This generation of folks has been living and making easy decisions and passing things for your (younger) generation. This would cause us to be mature, use common sense, be like the adults we should be.”

“I hope the American people don’t lose sight of this problem. The folks who buy our debt are not going to lose sight. We have gotten in such a bad position that if we don’t do something the bond market is going to react. PIMCO is not buying any more Treasury debt if we don’t act.”

I asked Senator Corker a public relations question.

“Senator, every time we try to cut something small like PBS, the left claims that we are trying to shoot Elmo and feed him to kids as school lunch. Republicans talk tough but then get scared over being fired. What can you do to give them a steel spine?”

He was complimentary of my phraseology, but more importantly clearly ready to make the hard choices.

“Many Republicans understand the problems deeply that we have as a country. They are talking about how bad this problem is. It is really sobering. There is a recognition that we have a huge problem. In 4 years I haven’t done a poll. That could be a bad decision. Polls say Americans care more about jobs than government spending. Those on this call care about government spending. Constituent groups come in and raise cain and people get nervous. If they care about the economy and jobs and we don’t deal with this, it is a huge distortion of our economy. Making those tough cuts and sacrifices are important to people’s livelihood. We haven’t made a good enough case.”

“John Taylor of Stanford totally refuted the Goldman Sachs study. We have to arm senators with the information that this is going to be good for the economy and job creation. Going back to Elmo and NPR… Senator (from Indiana) Dan Coats is saying this…’constituents come in, we have to be saying to them…you have to talk to the other side and deal with entitlements. If we don’t, every discretionary item is going to be cut.’ If you talk to me about a specific program, go down the hall and make sure Senator X deals with entitlements. Every discretionary item will be cut.”

“I don’t have that flair, other people are quicker…get on our team, help us reform entitlements. Go down the hall, talk to senate Democrats, tell them all programs are going to go away if we don’t deal with this.”

“I began at age 25 with a pickup truck and $8,000 and built a company. I don’t take my senate salary now, it goes to charity.”

“We have a lot of problems in this world…Japan is a terrible tragedy, there are problems in the Middle East, problems all around. Congress can’t deal with the economy. We have to encourage the private sector. We can’t micromanage. The one thing we can deal with is spending. This is the most solvable problem congress can deal with. It’s just us 535 people. It is eminently solvable, with no excuses. The American people should hold our feet to the fire. It’s about us having the courage, being farsighted, and realizing this is one issue that can take our country down that we have total control over.”

If Senator Corker can get others on board, America will be better off. The people of Tennessee and America are lucky to have his service.

I thank Senator Corker for his graciousness, his candor, his seriousness of purpose, and his decency and civility.

As for the Senators who insist on reflexively opposing him and any other sound policy proposals, we know that they favor increased spending regardless of the consequences. Although the bill does not call for it, the straitjacket he proposes should be more than fiscal. It should be used for those politicians taking us over the cliff due to the combination of their own gutlessness and selfishness.

Good luck Mr. Corker. We are rooting for you.

eric

The NFL Competition Committee should lock itself out

Sunday, March 20th, 2011

Despite the NFL lockout, the Competition Committee still found time to do some harm.

They can’t get the work of a deal done, but they can tinker with a game and make boneheaded rule changes. They should lock themselves out of their own meetings.

Several years ago the NFL moved the kickoff from the 35 yard line back to the 30. The reason was because touchbacks are boring. NFL kickoff returns are exciting. Players like Dante Hall, Devon Hester, and Jacoby Ford electrified crowds and gave opposing special teams coaches ulcers.

Yet too many players were getting injured on kickoff returns. Jason Sehorn lost a whole season returning a kickoff in a preseason game.

Yet most of the injuries were not due to the return men. They were due to the wedge.

For the uninitiated. the wedge is where four teammates would hold hands and run up the field together, providing a “wedge” for the return man. Only the most crazy, psychotic guys would want to try and bust up a wedge. Think Bill Bates.

These were violent collisions, and although they were not helmet to helmet, they still involved brutal hits at to speed. So the full wedge was outlawed last year. Players could only use a two man wedge. This year going into 2011 the NFL has outlawed that as well. This is fine.

What is not fine is that the NFL moved the kickoff back up to the 35 yard line.

As a Raiders fan I am fine either way. Jacoby Ford is a brilliant return man, and Sebastian Janikowski is fantastic with regards to touchbacks.

Yet as a purist of the game, more touchbacks is awful. The league moved the kickoff in the first place to increase scoring. More touchbacks reduces the excitement.

http://www.bigcatcountry.com/2011/3/16/2054136/nfl-proposes-potential-rule-changes-kick-offs

The league decided to move the starting line after a touchback from the 20 to the 25. This is even dumber. It just rewards the player for not trying to run the ball out.

For those who love 10 minute, 16 play drives (I don’t), it also reduces the field for those wanting to play ball control offense.

The NFL should have just eliminated the wedge and been done with it. Changing the kickoff is practically begging the league to become the Canadian Football League where teams can forego receiving a kickoff at all and just take the ball at their own 35 (at least the penalty of giving the other team one point is a very mild disincentive for taking a knee on the kickoff).

Either abolish kickoff returns or let the d@mn players play. There are plenty of ways to increase safety without screwing up one of the exciting aspects of the game. Even Deion Sanders could not make a touchback interesting. Taking a knee does not bode well for dancing afterward.

Leave the kickoff line at the 30 and send the Competition Committee to bed without supper. They should be banned from changing any rules until there is a guarantee that the game itself in 2011 will even be played.

This is what happens when guys and suits and ties micromanage a game on the field. Any day now the lawyers who gave us the “Tuck Rule,” the “ground can’t cause a fumble,” and the “when is a catch not really a catch” will chime in one what a kickoff actually is.

The committee at least left the “Calvin Johnson Rule” alone, which shows the brilliance of leaving well enough alone.

George Will once wrote that the wrost aspects of football were “violence and committee meetings.”

He was half right. The violence, when controlled and contained, can be glorious.

The only committee meeting that matters once the game is started takes place in the huddle, and it is the best kind of meeting when run by Peyton Manning. It is hurry up and get things done.

Let the players play. Don’t punish the return men. Let them do their jobs.

eric

A narcissistic look at media coverage of me

Saturday, March 19th, 2011

If I believed my own press clippings, then maybe I would burn in hell after all.

Anyway, today is just a day to see what others are saying about me. I can’t stand googling myself. It sounds pornographic, even if it isn’t.

Also, for those who think that having a bigger platform will force me to “tone it down” and “act responsibly,” in the name of “civility” I politely request that you go shove it. I will tell you what “it” is if you ask me.

For some reason people have taken a chance on me, and that is appreciated.

Jacquie Kubin at the Washington Times Online has been great. Apparently the Ron Paul cultists did not like my criticism of him. Their comments are delightfully insane. Memo to Paulbots: You don’t matter.

http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/tygrrrr-express/2011/feb/15/cpac-and-invasion-paulbots/

Tucker Carlson at the Daily Caller also had me do the old writing thingie. His readers tend to be more sophisticated and less crazy. The comments were pleasant, as has his team been.

http://dailycaller.com/2011/02/18/left-wing-bullies-finally-on-the-run/comment-page-2/#comment-413577

Four hours after my first column at the Daily Caller, I was attacked in Time Ragazine by a nobody (judging by zero comments) named James Poniewozik. Mr. Pantywaist had his all in a bunch by taking one line of my column out of context and extrapolating it into a column that had nothing to do with my topic. Liberals consider that hip and edgy. People with integrity call it something just short of fraud. This is why Time Magazine became Time Ragazine. I probably have a larger readership then they do at this point.

http://tunedin.blogs.time.com/2011/02/16/arthur-goes-to-washington-the-war-over-npr-funding-begins-aagain/

Time Ragazine’s blog partnership with CNN is appropriately named “Swampland.” Katy Steinmetz interviewed me at CPAC among others. While she left a couple things out, I pointed that in my comments to her. Yet overall she was fair.

http://swampland.blogs.time.com/2011/02/11/conservative-comedians-the-sideshow-at-cpac/

Mark Preston is the Senior Political Editor at CNN. He interviewed me and others, and his coverage was totally fair and professional. I have not always been kind toward CNN, but he did his job and I am appreciative of his integrity with regards to his coverage.

http://articles.cnn.com/2011-02-23/politics/hollywood.conservatives_1_cpac-conservative-political-action-conference-conservative-credentials/5?_s=PM:POLITICS

This is a bizarre world we live in and an even more bizarre world I live in. Without sounding like some wacked out Hollywood celeb, it is a fun adventure. Last night this Republican Jewish blogger living in Los Angeles by way of Brooklyn, New York, spoke at the Birmingham Alabama Irish Cultural Society St. Patrick’s Dinner. It was like the sequel to “My Cousin Vinny,” with me playing the vertically challenged Joe Pesci character.

March 17th was St. Patricks Day where the Irish Catholics get drunk out of their minds. March 19th brings Purim, where it is the Jews taking their turn getting blasted out of their Kosher gourds.

I just watch and enjoy. Like the drive from Atlanta to Birmingham on I-20 I did on St. Patty’s Day, the adventure continues. Last night it was on to Nashville and then Knoxville today.

Sunday brings another religious holiday in Tennessee, the NASCAR race at Bristol Speedway.

Flying down the highway headed West. In a streak of black lightning called the (Bandit) Tygrrrr Express.

Westbound and Down, Tygrrrr Express over and out.

eric

Jewish family murdered as Palesimians celebrate

Friday, March 18th, 2011

Another genocidal Palesimian murdered a family of five Jews for the crimes of existing and breathing air. The youngest of the victims was a three month old baby who had every right to make it a fourth month of living unimpeded.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704296604576196323547699628.html

This incident in Itamar was horrific, but not isolated.

Shock value would be insincere.

These are Palesimians. This is what they do. Water is wet, and Palesimians murder Jews.

The entire lot of them needs to be dealt with. It is time for a permanent solution still less severe than the one they would impose on Israelis if they could.

It is time for the forcible removal of all Palesimians from the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Drop them off in Jordan.

Drop them off in Guantanamo Bay.

Drop them off in the Pacific Ocean.

I don’t care. Just get them out of Israel.

There are 22 states housing one billion Arabs/Muslims. A 23rd is not necessary.

The Jordanians massacred one million Palesimians, or as the rest of the Arab world knows them as, defective Arabs.

There are a precious few Palestinians not engaging, supporting, or financing genocide against Jews. Those people are statistical aberrations. Many of them are under age three. Give them time, assuming they are not blown to bits by their parents too early before they are old enough to wear the suicide belts.

Given that they are a fictional invented people with a deep history going back to 1948 (3000 years after the Israelites), it is time for them to go back to the nowhere from where they emanated. The Palesimians in Gaza are Egyptians. The ones in the West Bank are Jordanians. Those are their homelands. The fact that they invaded Israeli land and multiplied bunnies ) if bunnies were homicidal is irrelevant. They should not be rewarded for failing to use contraception. Israelis should not be punished for being too decent to sterilize them.

On more than one occasion I was willing to consider a peace agreement provided they would actually ever keep their word about anything. A full cessation of violence was necessary.

No more. The only solution is to batter the daylights out of them. Like the overweight bullied schoolchild who became an internet sensation for defending himself after every ounce of restraint had been used up, it is time for Israel to throw restraint  into the garbage, caution to the wind, and Palesimians to the ground.

Enough is enough.

Some will say that it is unfair to blame all or even many Palesimians for the actions of one evil man.

It is totally fair to blame the many people who celebrated the murders by handing out candy, firing guns into the air, and singing songs of celebration and martyrdom.

Remember, these are the same animals who celebrated and shared candy from Yassir Arafat after 9/11.

There is not good in everybody. Some people are just born bad. The Palesimians are a culture that should not exist anywhere near any cradle of civilization.

The Jews tried things the nice way since 1948. It failed. The last try was in 2005. Ariel Sharon had Jews forcibly removed from their homes in the Gaza Strip.The fact that it was Jews taking on fellow Jews does not in any way diminish the fact that it was a forced removal. It was peaceful, but not voluntary.

The Palesimians responded with more terror and violence. Well now it is time for them to be forcibly removed. Nothing will get through their thick skulls that Israelis have had it. They only respond to force.

Let’s create some green collar jobs that environmentalists could love. Let’s build high speed rail from Gaza to Jordan. Then when most of the Palesimians are transferred, one murderous zealot can be left behind as a closely guarded suicide bomber. He can be forced to self-detonate and blow up the rail. Then more green collar jobs can be created to rebuild it. This is a “cycle of violence” I can happily live with.

Enough Jews have been murdered over the decades while the world stood by and did nothing.

We know who the murderers are. We know where they live. It is time to get them out of the lives of decent people everywhere.

This is not about hopelessness. Plenty of poor people do not commit terrorism, while many rich people break the laws of humanity.

This is about worthlessness. The Palesimians are a bloodthirsty culture that needs to be sent to a place that makes Gaza look like paradise.

The United States should give Jordan relocation money to accept them into society. If the Jordanian government starts getting tough with them again (most likely for something bad they did), we should turn a blind eye. We do this all the time. It is called rendition.

The alternative is to kill them all. The day I find that approach reasonable is the day I have lost my soul. Besides, Israel has enough bad public relations. The leftist media loves dead Palesimians. It is the only thing the BBC seems to cover with enthusiasm.

Relocation is sufficient. To quote Morris Day from the song “Jerk Out,” here is my message to these jerks.

“You don’t have to go home, but you have to get the hell out of here.”

Not one more drop of Jewish blood should be spilled because Palesimians are a cancer to the Earth.

Get rid of them all. Relocate them to Jordan. Use deadly force if necessary.

It is time for them to go.

Never again.

eric

The First Computer in Chief

Thursday, March 17th, 2011

He has been the First Crybaby in Chief, the First Gasbag in Chief, and the leader of Gasbagistan.

He is now the First Computer in Chief.

No longer is he BHO or even BHMO, the adorable cherub Barack Hannah Montana Obama.

He is now BWO.

His name is Barack Watson Obama.

The President of the United States is a computer. Computers have defeated human at chess and game shows. Now one truly is running the world, albeit badly.

Picture what would happen if Dr. Spock mated with original IBM hardware.

It was funny when Alfred E. Neuman asked, “What, me worry?”

The 2011 version with the funny ears and the condescending tone is no laughing matter.

Supporters made excuses for him. They denied that he was cold and clinical. He was cool, calm and collected. Everything about him was cool. He was a cool cat, too cool for school, but always prepared.

Except he was not.

Computers can spit out data but they cannot show empathy. They simply do not feel stuff.

Enough politeness. President Barack Obama simply cares about almost nothing and nobody.

He doesn’t give a d@mn.

He enjoys his life on the golf course and filling out his college basketball bracket without a care in the world. That is because he does not care. Caring is an emotion.

This is not about a man and his hobbies. If Mr. Obama wants to publicly go out of his way to try and convince people that he is a guy’s guy, the worst he can be accused of is protesting too much. Being effeminate is not a crime.

This is about the fact that symbols matter.

Ronald Reagan understood how to reach people’s hearts. Bill Clinton was obsessed with showing people he felt their pain. His insincerity was irrelevant. He understood that showing compassion mattered.

Barack Obama may be a sincere man, but he is sincerely ice cold.

The world is burning. He needs to show the world he cares. He gave a good two minute statement on Japan before switching to green energy.

He has been dreadful on Libya. People are getting shot to death while he relaxes.

Remember 9/11? Remember when George W. Bush hugged those firefighters?

Remember Bill Clinton hugging people after Oklahoma City?

I remember one Republican woman telling Mr. Clinton how glad she was that he was there.

Barack Obama does not have to start hugging people for the cameras, but at some point he may want to consider proving to America that he cares about anything outside of his three priorities of education, the environment/energy, and healthcare.

He went on television and said he needed to know “whose @ss to kick.” Yet he said it in such an icy manner that made the average guy in the bar wonder if President Obama has ever kicked anything other than the can down the road on serious policy issues.

I am sure that Mr. Obama loves his wife and children. His success as a husband and father is well respected.

Yet many other families are hurting, and he keeps trying to change the subject.

High speed rail is irrelevant if people do not have a job or a reason to take a trip.

Green collar jobs do not matter when white and blue collar jobs are in short supply.

America is living on borrowed financial time and he insists on implementing a bankrupting version of utopia.

He weighs in on the rights of union workers without condemning the ones engaging in violence or issuing death threats.

He waxes poetic on Israelis and Palesimians living in peace while having nothing of value to say on the murder of an entire Israeli family by a Palesimian. A three month old baby was murdered, and Mr. Obama could not find words of consolation.

Thousands of Japanese are suffering, and Americans are supposed to accept that President Obama is doing something just because he says he is and his water carriers in the liberal media back him up.

The guy is not evil. Evil requires emotion. He is just unfeeling, uncaring, and uninterested in virtually everything. The suffering all around him is an inconvenience for him.

Like the Tin Man in the Wizard of Oz, perhaps he just needs a heart. Even a 1984 Jarvik 7 original artificial heart would be an improvement.

Yet the problem is not that a cold, heartless man is running this country. The real issue is that his deepest supporters are even colder and less caring.

As the domestic economy fails to provide jobs and American foreign policy emboldens our enemies and castigates our friends, the elites in this country share Marie Antoinette’s sentiments about letting the peasants eat cake.

The elites are a lost cause, but maybe one day Mr. Obama will develop humility and empathy. First he needs to develop humanity.

The world is an inferno.

For once, President Obama may wish to say…and do…something that matters.

The man vacillates between empty words and no words at all.

It is long past time for him to offer the right words in the right tone at the right time with the right temperament and mean it.

After 9/11 George W. Bush did not need a teleprompter when he called out to that crowd and picked up that bullhorn. He said what was in his heart. Americans rallied around him.

The presidency can be isolating, and it seems like President Obama is slipping deeper and deeper into isolation.

Unfortunately, this may be exactly how he wants it.

If this view was wrong, at some point he would make an effort to dispel it.

Then again, computers can only regurgitate stuff inputted by others. They cannot make an effort.

The First Computer in Chief would be a joy to watch on Jeopardy.

Yet with the world in jeopardy, there is no joy in watching our First Computer in Chief in permanent shut down mode.

eric

Yet another liberal Jew needing cranial-glutial extraction surgery

Wednesday, March 16th, 2011

Later in the week I will have more to say about the Palesimian who murdered five innocent Jews including a three month old baby. Today is dedicated to another leftist Jew making excuses for the defective Arabs who contribute nothing positive to anyone in the world anywhere.

My column on the latest liberal Jew needing cranial-glutial extraction surgery can be found at Front Page Mag and Campus Watch.

http://frontpagemag.com/2011/03/14/using-the-holocaust-to-bash-israel/

http://www.campus-watch.org/blog/2011/03/using-the-holocaust-to-bash-israel-at-ucla

Like masochists who marry sadists, this professor should just get adopted by a Palesimian family and be done with it.

eric

My NCAA March Madness College Basketball Predictions

Tuesday, March 15th, 2011

With regards to the NCAA basketball tournament known as March Madness, there should be a media boycott until Dick Vitale retires. I never want to hear him say the word “baby” ever again.

This concludes the NCAA report. If it does not involve the NFL lockout, it is irrelevant and barely sports.

What does the winner of the NIT tournament chant? We’re # 65? Or 66 now that we have a play-in game?

In the play-in game, I predict an all Jewish affair as American Jewish University loses to Brandeis. The Palesimian team will blow up in the first round, and most likely not leave any Jewish teams surviving.

When Louisville plays Kentucky, the players will be criticized for having their pants around their ankles. Oh no wait, that would be the coach.

Winning teams will cut down the nets. In college basketball it will be declared tradition. In the real world it is vandalism.

Wisconsin teams will not play because they are busy protesting. The same is true with the Libyan team.

The tournament should consider banning any school where the name of the school does not tell us where the school is located. I understand Virginia Tech and North Carolina State. Nobody cares what a Valparaiso, Marquette, Duschesne, or Monmouth is.

Duke can apply for an exemption. Notre Dame could if it was football and if they would stop acting like the Pope cares if they win. Wake Forest is a coin flip.

The North Carolina Tar Heels may win because people have heard of them. Michael Jordan played for them, and people have heard of him.

The women’s game will feature Tennessee and Connecticut in the finals because they win every year. Plus, Pat Summitt is more intimidating than most men. I may be attracted to her in a “scary hot” kind of way.

If North Carolina falters, look for the Florida Atlantic University Owls to win it all. Their Hillel House is near my parents’ home, and I like them. Plus, the games will be played at night, and Owls are nocturnal creatures.

For those refusing to take my advice, just know that within a couple of days your brackets will be as screwed up as the Middle East.

At least I saved money this year by continuing my annual tradition of not caring.

Call me back in April when Dick Vitale goes back into his cave. He switches places with Mel Kiper Jr. I would sooner watch hours of people deciding who gets to be on what team than Vitale drooling over teeange boys in a way that would make the Law and Order Special Victims Unit crew concerned.

This concludes the college basketball report.

Six months until NFL 2011 kickoff, which will happen.

eric

Leftist protesters rage on as the world burns

Tuesday, March 15th, 2011

The world is still on fire.

As I point out today in the Daily Caller, while the world is burning, leftist protesters are raging on about nonsense.

http://dailycaller.com/2011/03/14/leftist-protesters-rage-on-as-the-world-burns/

eric

My Conference Call With Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson

Monday, March 14th, 2011

Several days ago I participated in a conference call with United States Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin.

Senator Johnson just defeated liberal icon Russ Feingold in the 2010 election that the left still refuses to acknowledged actually happened.

Given the ultra-serious nature of the situation in Wisconsin, levity would have been totally inappropriate.

(The conference call took place about 10 hours before the Earthquake in Japan.)

Therefore I did not ask Senator Johnson if Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch had a single twin sister, nor did I recommend Green Bay Packers Cornerback Charles Woodson be nominated for the next Secretary of Defense.

Like many Wisconsin Republicans, Senator Johnson is a serious, substantive individual that is all business without the flash. He is a workhorse, not a show horse.

In an unusual move, he did not make a speech on the conference call. He simply immediately opened up the floor for questioners.

He made it clear that he was totally against bailing out irresponsible states. There should be no federal bailout.

While Governor Walker’s action stripping out the fiscal provisions from the collective bargaining bill to get around the quorom requirement was successful, Senator Johnson was asked why this was not done sooner.

Senator Johnson pointed out that as Governor Walker has repeatedly stated, this is not an attack on unions or workers. The whole point of the bill was to solve a fiscal issue.

While the left was shouting slogans like “this is what democracy looks like,” Senator Johnson pointed out that “What doesn’t look Democratic to me is the mob rule.”

He then asked an important question of the democrats.

“What would they do to close a 1.8 billion dollar budget deficit?”

Senator Johnson pointed out that the new law gives local governments flexibility. Governor Walker sees that the federal government is bloated and that corresponds directly with the financial problems. Senator Walker is trying to rebalance the equation.

Senator Johnson was obviously concerned with the left with regards to “the amount of thuggery, the death threats, and the threats of execution.” Senator Johnson pointed out emails sent out threatening every single GOP legislator with death.

Mr. Johnson also pointed out the hollow argument about democracy by the leftist protesters.

“Our democracy is working here. We had an election.”

One thing Senator Johnson kept emphasizing is the gravity of the situation, and that if the Wisconsin legislator were serious, they would show up to work. “We have serious-minded individuals.”

Another word would be adults. The left are acting like children. Mr. Johnson, like his Wisconsin cohorts, speak in a calm, quiet, lucid manner.

I asked Senator Johnson about the potential for leftist violence leading to a police crackdown.

(I personally feel the police should make sure that no minorities are in the room when the backlash comes. Injured minorities make great props for the cameras. Then Republicans are called racists. Once the room contains only white people, the police should turn on the firehoses against any protester crossing the line from verbiage to physically inappropriate conduct. This is not Selma Alabama. It is middle class white people fighting for the right to be useless. I did not share this with Senator Johnson.)

Senator Johnson was calm and steady and with regards to an escalation and a crackdown, said “Let’s hope that doesn’t happen.” He pointed out that the protesters were showing a “total lack of civility.” As for the public relations aspect of it, Senator Johnson simply said, “Let’s see how this all plays out.”

(I am totally fine with a Kent State style crackdown, but that is why I am not a senator. I admit to being a hothead, and Senator Johnson is the epitome of cooler heads prevailing.)

Senator Johnson was asked about a potential government shutdown. He replied that it is “extremely disappointing that the United States President is not showing leadership.”

He pointed out that the Democratic proposal would deal with “one day of borrowing.”

“Government cannot be duplicative and inefficient.”

“Voters expect government officials to be held accountable. I expect to be held accountable.”

One more questioner went back to the violent leftist protesters in Wisconsin. Unlike the peaceful Tea Party attendees, these liberal protesters really are smashing windows. With all of the signs being put up and other damage, Senator Johnson pointed out that it may be necessary to “replace the marble in the state capitol.” He pointed out what a beautiful building the Wisconsin state capitol is, and that is has sustained some damage from the protesters.

I would like to thank Senator Johnson not only for his graciousness but for his seriousness of purpose.

For a brilliant chronological summation of the Wisconsin situation, Steve Hayes in the Weekly Standard covered every precise detail.

http://www.weeklystandard.com/articles/wisconsin_554095.html

The fiscal crises in Wisconsin and Washington, DC, require serious adult leadership. Thankfully Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson is an even-keeled sober adult providing some of that leadership.

eric

NFL 2011–The Lockout is official

Sunday, March 13th, 2011

Football is not life and death, and yes the world is on fire.

Football is escapism, a respite from everything else.

So in that sense keeping everything in perspective, NFL events this weekend are a disaster for football fans.

Talks between owners and players broke down, and now there is officially a lockout. The union has voted to decertify, meaning that individual players can pursue individual antitrust claims in court.

This is very bad.

This might also be one of the only labor disputes in the last thirty years where the worker bees are not the bad guys.

This is not a greedy union situation. The players did not go on strike.

So to prevent a single NFL game from being canceled, let’s get a deal done right now before the 2011 Draft is affected.

I already proposed a deal, and I will propose it again.

Up the money off of the top that the NFL owners get to keep for itself from one billion dollars to 1.5 billion. The owners want 2 billion.

Of that extra 500 million, 10% must be spent on medical care for retired players. 10% must be sent on medical research including the effect of concussions and other brain injuries.

If the owners get 2 billion of of the top, that extra 1 billion should require that 20% of it go to medical research and 20% to retired players for medical care.

The rookie wage scale has to be reformed. It is out of whack. A 50 million dollar signing bonus before playing a single game cannot happen any time soon. Rookie salaries cannot exceed 5 times the league minimum salary. That should be the cap.

Speaking of caps, the salary cap must stay in place. It works by creating the competitive balance that makes any given Sunday a reality. The players have to accept the overall cap and the rookie cap.

Where the owners have to give in is with regards to the 16 game schedule. They want 18 games. Forget it. The game is too brutal and violent for any more wear and tear on the bodies of the players.

The players currently get 60% of the remaining revenues. Leave it alone. The owners will get an increased cut off of the top.

The National Football League is bigger and better than ever. Roger Goodell is presiding over the most successful sports empire in sports history. He inherited a gift from Pete Rozelle and Paul Tagliabue. He must maintain it if he wants his legacy to be on their level one day.

Get a deal done. In 6 months, the NFL 2011 season is expected to kick off.

This must happen.

eric