This writer has pointed out many times how understanding the past is the key to our country's future and how the fairy tale of trickle down economics has failed as an economic or fiscal policy. George W. Bush failed to understand that when he became President and adopted Reagan's tax cut policies that favored the wealthy at the expense of the middle class and increased federal spending. The sad result for both of those administrations was 16 years of record deficit spending and a increase of 186% in the national debt under Reagan and 105% under George W. Bush.
Now comes republican Presidential candidates Gingrich, Romney and Santorum who are proposing once again, if elected President massive tax cuts that benefit the wealthy. U.S. Budget Watch, a project of the Bipartisan Commission for a responsible federal budget said their tax and spending plan would add dramatically to the federal debt. Thru 2012 Romney's plan would add $2.6 trillion to the debt, Santorum's plan would add $4.5 trillion and Gingrich's plan would add $7 trillion. That according to David Lightman publication in the Times Picayune of 2/25.
In an editorial by E.J. Dionne a Tax Policy Center study last November concerning the impact of a 20% across the board rate cut proposed by Romney showed that the wealthiest 0.1% would receive an average tax reduction of $264,000.00. The poorest 20% would receive $78.00 and those smack in the middle $791.00 and would add more than $3.7 trillion to the national debt.
Gingrich, Romney and Santorum has learned nothing from the past and actually confirms what this writer said many times over, that Reagan, Bush 43 and now those three Presidential candidates actual intent is to rob the federal government of needed revenue so social security, medicare and other vital programs for the people are starved to death.
No Presidential candidate in his right mind who claims to want to balance the federal budget and move America forward can over look the past mistakes of Reagan and Bush 43. To really understand how comitted the conservatives are in their quest to bankrupt the federal government try this on for size. The conservatives oppose the recently enacted health care law even though the C.B.O. said over the next decade it would reduce the national debt and the budget deficits in the future. The conservative candidates for President's proposals for tax relief would reduce federal revenue and add trillions of dollars to the deficit and national debt. The hypocrite's position meshes with their anti-American ideology called conservatism.
Understanding the past is still the key to the future for the country and its people. See my previous commentaries noted below.
Note 1: The National Debt: Betrayal and Devastation dated 12/6/09
Federal Spending: Facts vs. Myth dated 10/31/09
The Fiscal Legacy of President George W. Bush dated 10/30/09
The United States: Past, Present and Future dated 12/31/08
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Conservatives, Religion And The Bible Lands
The republican Presidential candidates have taken it upon themselves to declare and judge just who is a religious person or a christian. They and the right wing T.V. evangelists who do the same thing like to play God which show's they themselves are not very good at being religious or christian like. If they had their way they would have the United States in perpetual conflict over religion and desercrate our constitution.
The lands of the Bible we are told was where God spoke to Abraham, Moses and Noah and where Jesus walked. It is also where God handed down the ten commandments to his people. Yet four thousand years later the lands of the Bible are still one of the most unstable parts of the world and religion is one of the major causes of the strife. It is where people kill other people in the name of God and their religion.
Our forebearers who founded our country was right when they separated religion and church from state. Their wisdom in doing so has made our country the greatest place on earth for a people to practice and live freedom of religion. But now comes the right wing concervative republicans who use religion to promote their ideology of religious wars and turn America against itself. The republican base who vote republican no matter what are just as bad. People in the news media who go along with the conservative anti American and anti religious behavior are a disgrace to their profession.
The people of America have the voting power to stop the election of those republican leaders who would like to destroy the separation of church and state for their own anti American and anti religious ideology. Their ideology questioned President Kennedy's catholic faith over 40 years ago but Kennedy was a man who knew how to handle the liars. America needs a leader who can stand up to the conservatives assualt on our country, its religion and its people. President Obama needs to continue to speak out against this outrage.
The lands of the Bible we are told was where God spoke to Abraham, Moses and Noah and where Jesus walked. It is also where God handed down the ten commandments to his people. Yet four thousand years later the lands of the Bible are still one of the most unstable parts of the world and religion is one of the major causes of the strife. It is where people kill other people in the name of God and their religion.
Our forebearers who founded our country was right when they separated religion and church from state. Their wisdom in doing so has made our country the greatest place on earth for a people to practice and live freedom of religion. But now comes the right wing concervative republicans who use religion to promote their ideology of religious wars and turn America against itself. The republican base who vote republican no matter what are just as bad. People in the news media who go along with the conservative anti American and anti religious behavior are a disgrace to their profession.
The people of America have the voting power to stop the election of those republican leaders who would like to destroy the separation of church and state for their own anti American and anti religious ideology. Their ideology questioned President Kennedy's catholic faith over 40 years ago but Kennedy was a man who knew how to handle the liars. America needs a leader who can stand up to the conservatives assualt on our country, its religion and its people. President Obama needs to continue to speak out against this outrage.
Is War With Iran Inevitable For The United States?
Only if President Obama heeds the advise of those who promoted and took the country to war in Iraq over WMD that did not exist and are now doing the same thing concerning Iran. The drum beat to go to war in Iran is sounded every day and leading the way is Israel's leader who care nothing about the United States and its constitution. Israel believes in preemption and is the greatest threat to peace in the middle east and the secutiry of the United States. U.S. senators Lindsay Graham and John McCain are two of the leading proponets of war with Iran and seem to toss aside their responsibility for the security of America by supporting Israel's position of preemption.
The President needs to stand tall, not let Israel draw the United States into an unnecessary war and let Israel know he will not approve of any Israel preemptive strike on Iran. The President needs to protect the interest of the United States. Our treaty with Israel does not require us to join Israel in any strike on Iran when Israel is not threatened. Iran is no threat to Israel and its leaders know that. The greatest nuclear threat in that part of the world comes from Israel, India and Pakistan who have nuclear weapons and who's programs have been kept secret from the United States and the international community.
President Kennedy would know how to handle this problem. He faced the same situation during the 1962 Cuban missile crisis when the same voices of war wanted nothing less than an invasion of Cuba and a preemptive strike. President Kennedy, the commander in chief, was not about to duck his responsibility to the country and let those unelected war voices prevail. Instead he had the wisdom to end the threat and protect the security of the United States. He mobilized our armed forces in case he had to use the war option but Kennedy was a President who knew war was not inevitable. Kennedy knew the faces of war because he served his country in war time. Too many of those war voices then and today have never served their country in uniform. They just like to talk and act tough and let other people's children fight their wars.
President Obama, as the commander in chief, needs the widsom of President Kennedy in exercising control over war making decisions and not let this thing get out of control.
The President needs to stand tall, not let Israel draw the United States into an unnecessary war and let Israel know he will not approve of any Israel preemptive strike on Iran. The President needs to protect the interest of the United States. Our treaty with Israel does not require us to join Israel in any strike on Iran when Israel is not threatened. Iran is no threat to Israel and its leaders know that. The greatest nuclear threat in that part of the world comes from Israel, India and Pakistan who have nuclear weapons and who's programs have been kept secret from the United States and the international community.
President Kennedy would know how to handle this problem. He faced the same situation during the 1962 Cuban missile crisis when the same voices of war wanted nothing less than an invasion of Cuba and a preemptive strike. President Kennedy, the commander in chief, was not about to duck his responsibility to the country and let those unelected war voices prevail. Instead he had the wisdom to end the threat and protect the security of the United States. He mobilized our armed forces in case he had to use the war option but Kennedy was a President who knew war was not inevitable. Kennedy knew the faces of war because he served his country in war time. Too many of those war voices then and today have never served their country in uniform. They just like to talk and act tough and let other people's children fight their wars.
President Obama, as the commander in chief, needs the widsom of President Kennedy in exercising control over war making decisions and not let this thing get out of control.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
The Dysfunctional Republican Candidates, Gingrich, Romney and Santorum.
All three cndidates are showing how dysfunctional they really are during this campaign season. They are a disgrace to religion in general and society in particular. Their victims are what the country really stands for and the republican voters who support their rhetoric. They won't mention the George W. Bush administration this election year because it would remind the people of the second great depression his administration left the people.
So their campaign is one of attack against President Obama and the wedge issues such as religion, gay marriage and etc. They dare not talk about policy issues because they and their party have no record of accomplishments that compare to democratic administrations in any catagory, especially the economy, job creation balancing the federal budget and paying down debt.
Those three stooges represent the worst of what is wrong with America's political system. The candidates ideology as practiced today by the republican party is a polluting anti-American ideology in every respect. A number of years ago in Louisiana politics their was a candidate in a local election whose theme song was "Up With People". A very inspiring theme and song featuring a number of people who really put it across. It was very American even though it was a local election.
Now in this Presidential election season the three stooges theme is "Down With People" and facts and full steam ahead to divide the country. They are even willing to sell their soul to be their party's nominee and are not man enough to stand tall and talk about how to move America forward.
So their campaign is one of attack against President Obama and the wedge issues such as religion, gay marriage and etc. They dare not talk about policy issues because they and their party have no record of accomplishments that compare to democratic administrations in any catagory, especially the economy, job creation balancing the federal budget and paying down debt.
Those three stooges represent the worst of what is wrong with America's political system. The candidates ideology as practiced today by the republican party is a polluting anti-American ideology in every respect. A number of years ago in Louisiana politics their was a candidate in a local election whose theme song was "Up With People". A very inspiring theme and song featuring a number of people who really put it across. It was very American even though it was a local election.
Now in this Presidential election season the three stooges theme is "Down With People" and facts and full steam ahead to divide the country. They are even willing to sell their soul to be their party's nominee and are not man enough to stand tall and talk about how to move America forward.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Can Any One In The News Media Get It Right?
The wealthy or 1% has been in the news media for some time and which is now part of the Presidential campaign as an issue and lacks the most important aspect of the subject matter.
Presidential candidate Romney, the 1% and the wealthy try to justify the fact that they pay less tax percentage wise than the middle class by stating they pay what ever the tax code requires them to pay and use exemptions that the tax code allows. What they have failed to say and what the news media has failed to point out is the fact that those wealthy people lobby congress with millions of dollars to dole out tax favors for them and create special tax exemptions for them in the tax code. The middle class does not have the wealth to do the same thing.
The wealthy, which includes corporate America are really worse than the elected oficials who receive those millions to do their bidding. The wealthy who dole out the millions of dollars could care less if they corrupt the system. Their interest is wealth and power because the more corrupt the system becomes, the more powerful and wealthy they become. One does not have to look any farther than this years Presidential race. The PAC's and Super PAC's are already spending millions at a record pace to elect the man they will expect favors from after the election.
The news media has done its part in helping to corrupt the system by not challenging the wealthy on their self serving statements. The wealthy are not getting special tax treatment because it is fair, on the contrary, that special tax treatment is bought by their political wealth using campaign contributions.
Presidential candidate Romney, the 1% and the wealthy try to justify the fact that they pay less tax percentage wise than the middle class by stating they pay what ever the tax code requires them to pay and use exemptions that the tax code allows. What they have failed to say and what the news media has failed to point out is the fact that those wealthy people lobby congress with millions of dollars to dole out tax favors for them and create special tax exemptions for them in the tax code. The middle class does not have the wealth to do the same thing.
The wealthy, which includes corporate America are really worse than the elected oficials who receive those millions to do their bidding. The wealthy who dole out the millions of dollars could care less if they corrupt the system. Their interest is wealth and power because the more corrupt the system becomes, the more powerful and wealthy they become. One does not have to look any farther than this years Presidential race. The PAC's and Super PAC's are already spending millions at a record pace to elect the man they will expect favors from after the election.
The news media has done its part in helping to corrupt the system by not challenging the wealthy on their self serving statements. The wealthy are not getting special tax treatment because it is fair, on the contrary, that special tax treatment is bought by their political wealth using campaign contributions.
Sunday, February 5, 2012
President Obama's First Three Years In Office
President Obama has completed three full years in office and has accomplished much for the country and its people, especially when one considers the magnitude of the problems the previous administration left him and the people to deal with.
Our national security has been protected from foreign terror attacks, Bin Laden has been brought to justice, Al Queda is only a skeleton now compared to what it was and the war in Iraq has come to an end. A war that never should have been that cost our country 4400 plus lives and thousands wounded all over WMD that did not exist. Contrary to the previous eight years, the country now has a foreign policy based on real world threats to our security and it is working.
The nation's economy and job creation has been in positive territory now for over two years after the worst meltdown since the great depression. The economic mess and massive loss of jobs during the previous administration continued the legacy of past republican administrations. The turn around under President Obama has been nothing short of a miracle since the republicans in congress openly declared they would not lift a finger to help him or support his policies.
The President also inherited from the previous administration the worst deficit spending spree in the history of the country, a 105% increase in the national debt and the first ever yearly deficit that exceeded one trillion dollars. Federal spending was down 1.6% at the end of Obama's first fiscal year budget and the deficit was less than Bush's last fiscal year budget. As of this writing the CBO has not published the results of Obama's second fiscal year budget which ended September 30, 2011.
The federal deficit and national debt is still a major concern which never would have been if Reagan, Bush 41 and Bush 43 had balanced the federal budget during their 20 years in office as President Clinton did. The American people should never forget what those 3 republican Presidents did to the country's fiscal health. They should also not forget that most of the tax breaks and reduction during that 20 year period went to help the wealthy and corporate America more than the average wage earner.
President Obama's policies will bring the deficit spending under control but it will take more time because of the severity of the situation and because of an economy that has not fully recovered yet, and yes because taxes (revenue for the government) is at its lowest level in over 40 years. But America and its people can be sure of one thing as previously reported here many times, it will be a democratic administration once again who moves the country forward.
The latest economic report for January continues the progress of economic recovery. Over 240,000 jobs were created in January and the unemployment rate fell to 8.3%. This good news for America and its people was met by negative comments by the republicans in congress and several republican Presidential candidates. Those right wing conservatives hate to see America making progress on a democrat's watch. It goes hand in hand with their anti-American conservative ideology.
It is worthwhile repeating again. No republican administration that followed a democratic administration, created more jobs than the democratic administration it followed in the last 50 years. But every democratic administration that followed a republican administration did create more jobs than the republican administration it followed. That really tells the story of why republicans continue their personal attacks against democrats. They can not compete on the real issues. That is the real story that the news media has never told.
Our national security has been protected from foreign terror attacks, Bin Laden has been brought to justice, Al Queda is only a skeleton now compared to what it was and the war in Iraq has come to an end. A war that never should have been that cost our country 4400 plus lives and thousands wounded all over WMD that did not exist. Contrary to the previous eight years, the country now has a foreign policy based on real world threats to our security and it is working.
The nation's economy and job creation has been in positive territory now for over two years after the worst meltdown since the great depression. The economic mess and massive loss of jobs during the previous administration continued the legacy of past republican administrations. The turn around under President Obama has been nothing short of a miracle since the republicans in congress openly declared they would not lift a finger to help him or support his policies.
The President also inherited from the previous administration the worst deficit spending spree in the history of the country, a 105% increase in the national debt and the first ever yearly deficit that exceeded one trillion dollars. Federal spending was down 1.6% at the end of Obama's first fiscal year budget and the deficit was less than Bush's last fiscal year budget. As of this writing the CBO has not published the results of Obama's second fiscal year budget which ended September 30, 2011.
The federal deficit and national debt is still a major concern which never would have been if Reagan, Bush 41 and Bush 43 had balanced the federal budget during their 20 years in office as President Clinton did. The American people should never forget what those 3 republican Presidents did to the country's fiscal health. They should also not forget that most of the tax breaks and reduction during that 20 year period went to help the wealthy and corporate America more than the average wage earner.
President Obama's policies will bring the deficit spending under control but it will take more time because of the severity of the situation and because of an economy that has not fully recovered yet, and yes because taxes (revenue for the government) is at its lowest level in over 40 years. But America and its people can be sure of one thing as previously reported here many times, it will be a democratic administration once again who moves the country forward.
The latest economic report for January continues the progress of economic recovery. Over 240,000 jobs were created in January and the unemployment rate fell to 8.3%. This good news for America and its people was met by negative comments by the republicans in congress and several republican Presidential candidates. Those right wing conservatives hate to see America making progress on a democrat's watch. It goes hand in hand with their anti-American conservative ideology.
It is worthwhile repeating again. No republican administration that followed a democratic administration, created more jobs than the democratic administration it followed in the last 50 years. But every democratic administration that followed a republican administration did create more jobs than the republican administration it followed. That really tells the story of why republicans continue their personal attacks against democrats. They can not compete on the real issues. That is the real story that the news media has never told.
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Northrop Grumman, Avondale Shipyard and Huntington Ingalls.
No one can tell the people of Louisiana how this story will end, but one thing is certain, it never achieved the goals that millions of dollars of tax payers money was supposed to bring about. Avondale Shipyard was a mainstay for thousands of workers in Louisiana for many, many years prior to being bought out. They were taken over by Northrop, a large corporation who had long ties working with the military.
Northrop has since spun off its shipyard operations to Huntington Ingalls and announced they would close Avondale when their present military contract is fulfilled in early 2013. According to news reports up to 5200 jobs could be affected by the closure. Northrop made notice that the final two Navy LPD-17 class vessels would be built at its Pascagoula facility in Mississippi instead of at Avondale in Louisiana.
Former La. Governor Foster made a deal with Northrop in 2003 and pledged $56 million to upgrades at the facility at Avondale and create a ship building program to train new skilled workers to work at the plant. Also to keep employment at the plant at 5200. Northrop never reached that employment benchmark they agreed too for every quarter and there fore returned approximately $35 million to the state in March 2011. (Source: Times Picayune 6/4/11)
A report to keep Avondale open was reported in the Times Picayune of 10/19/11 where by Louisiana Governor Jindal offered Huntington a $214 million package that would save 3850 jobs at Avondale if Huntington can find another company to partner with. The incentives would pay for work force retraining and updates to the facility. That is exactly what Gov. Foster offered Northrop. Does that mean the facility was not updated and workers were not trained under the Foster package? Is this just another duplication and a waste of tax payers money? What happened to those workers that were retrained under the Foster package? Are they now working at the Pascagoula shipyard? That certainly would be a plus for Mississippi having trained skilled workers paid for by Louisiana tax payers.
The Times Picayune carried eight stories concerning the Avondale situation between June 4 and November 30, 2011 and not one story asked the question about retraining workers or upgrading the facility as mentioned in the paragraph above. Some thing is very wrong with the Times Picayune reporting. Was any inquiries made to the state to see how much updating to Avondale was actually made and if those updates are still operational for who ever takes over Avondale. How many retrained skilled workers are still employed at Avondale and exactly how many were retrained. The taxpayers who are footing the bill should be given this information.
What really has happened is that Northrop, a very large corporation who had long ties working with the federal government on military contracts wanted to get into the shipyard business for Navy contracts and bought out Avondale to eliminate competition. That is what large American compaines have been doing for many years and then when things get tough they end up spinning off the company they bought to cut their losses and of course they lay off workers.
The Northrop-Avondale project was a failed government-private enterprise using tax payers money to create jobs and now the Jindal administration is offering almost 4 times more thanwhat Foster agreed to do the exact same thing but this time it concerns 3850 jobs. Any time state governments give corporate welfare to business ventures they should have the common sense to give a detail account to the people of exactly what their tax dollars paid for and exactly what took place. So far that has not happened.
By the way, to those who have independent thought, remember it was the federal government that created those jobs for Northrop and Avondale with their military contracts and not Louisiana's governors despite the state's corporate welfare with tax payers money.
Northrop has since spun off its shipyard operations to Huntington Ingalls and announced they would close Avondale when their present military contract is fulfilled in early 2013. According to news reports up to 5200 jobs could be affected by the closure. Northrop made notice that the final two Navy LPD-17 class vessels would be built at its Pascagoula facility in Mississippi instead of at Avondale in Louisiana.
Former La. Governor Foster made a deal with Northrop in 2003 and pledged $56 million to upgrades at the facility at Avondale and create a ship building program to train new skilled workers to work at the plant. Also to keep employment at the plant at 5200. Northrop never reached that employment benchmark they agreed too for every quarter and there fore returned approximately $35 million to the state in March 2011. (Source: Times Picayune 6/4/11)
A report to keep Avondale open was reported in the Times Picayune of 10/19/11 where by Louisiana Governor Jindal offered Huntington a $214 million package that would save 3850 jobs at Avondale if Huntington can find another company to partner with. The incentives would pay for work force retraining and updates to the facility. That is exactly what Gov. Foster offered Northrop. Does that mean the facility was not updated and workers were not trained under the Foster package? Is this just another duplication and a waste of tax payers money? What happened to those workers that were retrained under the Foster package? Are they now working at the Pascagoula shipyard? That certainly would be a plus for Mississippi having trained skilled workers paid for by Louisiana tax payers.
The Times Picayune carried eight stories concerning the Avondale situation between June 4 and November 30, 2011 and not one story asked the question about retraining workers or upgrading the facility as mentioned in the paragraph above. Some thing is very wrong with the Times Picayune reporting. Was any inquiries made to the state to see how much updating to Avondale was actually made and if those updates are still operational for who ever takes over Avondale. How many retrained skilled workers are still employed at Avondale and exactly how many were retrained. The taxpayers who are footing the bill should be given this information.
What really has happened is that Northrop, a very large corporation who had long ties working with the federal government on military contracts wanted to get into the shipyard business for Navy contracts and bought out Avondale to eliminate competition. That is what large American compaines have been doing for many years and then when things get tough they end up spinning off the company they bought to cut their losses and of course they lay off workers.
The Northrop-Avondale project was a failed government-private enterprise using tax payers money to create jobs and now the Jindal administration is offering almost 4 times more thanwhat Foster agreed to do the exact same thing but this time it concerns 3850 jobs. Any time state governments give corporate welfare to business ventures they should have the common sense to give a detail account to the people of exactly what their tax dollars paid for and exactly what took place. So far that has not happened.
By the way, to those who have independent thought, remember it was the federal government that created those jobs for Northrop and Avondale with their military contracts and not Louisiana's governors despite the state's corporate welfare with tax payers money.
Saturday, January 21, 2012
The New Orleans Saints and The National Football League: Part II
Jeff Duncan, sports writer for the Times Picayune wrote an article published in that news paper January 14, the morning of the Saints-Frisco game that all but guaranteed the Saints would win because as he said, this is a different Saints team, a different time and they can win a road playoff game. However he gave himself some breathing room and said at the very end the Saints could lose because of their disposition.
Sport journalists in New Orleans, radio, TV and printed just don't get it and are incapable of judging the Saints on a rational basis. Their total reporting is simply the "offense genius of Payton and the prolific passing of Brees" which actually represents individual performance instead of the team performance. The Saints played a patsy schedule this year but met a real challenge with Frisco who's team knows how to play defense.
It is a matter of record that competition in the NFL has gone down hill as a result of expansion and a playoff system devised for the purpose of putting more money in the owners pockets. Competition was at a higher level before the playoffs were begun when the winner of the NFC and the AFC met in the Super Bowl. Now a team with a loosing record has a chance to be in the Super Bowl. There is nothing competitive about that and makes a mockery of the regular season which should account for everything.
The final NFL standings at the end of the season as published in the Times Picayune of January 2 showed that of the 32 teams that make up the NFL only 12 teams had a winning record, 37%. Is it any wonder why Drew Brees and Tom Brady both broke Dan Marino's passing record that has stood since 1984. And to top it off second year quarterback Matt Stafford of Detroit was only shy 47 yards of also breaking Marino's record. Is it any wonder so many records fell this year for the Saints and the NFL.
All six of the Times Picayune sports journalists listed in the January 14 edition predicted a Saints victory at Frisco. One would think that out of six at least one would have projected Frisco the winner because of their record and great defense. Duncan in his article on Sunday after the game gave the excuse that the Saints loss because the defense blitzed at the wrong time.
Ironically it was Damin Esper, a contributing writer in the Times Picayune of Sunday January 15 who gave the most intelligent answer as to why the Saints lost to Frisco. He said, the 49ers physical defense kept the Saints offense out of sync. That New Orleans gained plenty of yards but never was in control of the game. This writer will drink to that but who is Damin Esper? I have never heard of him but he made the right call.
Sports journalist in New Orleans will continue to talk about Payton and Brees ability and will also continue to brush aside the failures of the NFL and the lack of competition. All of the Saints prolific passing records and individual performances and the Saints are back home again early from the playoffs. The quarterbacks for the Giants and Frisco have taken their team to the championship game without all those individual records. Some sports journalists never learn.
Sport journalists in New Orleans, radio, TV and printed just don't get it and are incapable of judging the Saints on a rational basis. Their total reporting is simply the "offense genius of Payton and the prolific passing of Brees" which actually represents individual performance instead of the team performance. The Saints played a patsy schedule this year but met a real challenge with Frisco who's team knows how to play defense.
It is a matter of record that competition in the NFL has gone down hill as a result of expansion and a playoff system devised for the purpose of putting more money in the owners pockets. Competition was at a higher level before the playoffs were begun when the winner of the NFC and the AFC met in the Super Bowl. Now a team with a loosing record has a chance to be in the Super Bowl. There is nothing competitive about that and makes a mockery of the regular season which should account for everything.
The final NFL standings at the end of the season as published in the Times Picayune of January 2 showed that of the 32 teams that make up the NFL only 12 teams had a winning record, 37%. Is it any wonder why Drew Brees and Tom Brady both broke Dan Marino's passing record that has stood since 1984. And to top it off second year quarterback Matt Stafford of Detroit was only shy 47 yards of also breaking Marino's record. Is it any wonder so many records fell this year for the Saints and the NFL.
All six of the Times Picayune sports journalists listed in the January 14 edition predicted a Saints victory at Frisco. One would think that out of six at least one would have projected Frisco the winner because of their record and great defense. Duncan in his article on Sunday after the game gave the excuse that the Saints loss because the defense blitzed at the wrong time.
Ironically it was Damin Esper, a contributing writer in the Times Picayune of Sunday January 15 who gave the most intelligent answer as to why the Saints lost to Frisco. He said, the 49ers physical defense kept the Saints offense out of sync. That New Orleans gained plenty of yards but never was in control of the game. This writer will drink to that but who is Damin Esper? I have never heard of him but he made the right call.
Sports journalist in New Orleans will continue to talk about Payton and Brees ability and will also continue to brush aside the failures of the NFL and the lack of competition. All of the Saints prolific passing records and individual performances and the Saints are back home again early from the playoffs. The quarterbacks for the Giants and Frisco have taken their team to the championship game without all those individual records. Some sports journalists never learn.
Friday, January 20, 2012
The LSU-Alabama Rematch: Part I
The BCS rematch of LSU-Alabama was a media made game by ESPN, the networks and the money clout they have over college football. Competition and rankings had nothing to do with the rematch. Fifteen minutes after LSU defeated Alabama during the regular season a CBS reporter asked LSU coach Les Miles about a rematch before he left the field. That was a telling question because as of that moment both teams had three games left to play on their regular schedule. The rematch question was deliberate and was a prelude to what would follow.
LSU made two early mistakes. Miles should have brushed off the rematch question on the field and he and LSU's President should have said early on there would be no rematch in no uncertain terms and let the chips fall where they may. Plus LSU should have known better because of their rematch with Ole Miss in 1959.
Rematches are not good for competition and it allowed an unfair advantage to Alabama in this case because they only had to beat LSU once to win the national championship and LSU had to defeat Alabama twice to win the national championship. Any one who does not see the problem with that must be part of the news media.
At the end of the regular season LSU had won a division title and conference title. Oklahoma State won a conference title and Alabama won nothing. Yet Alabama was ranked second and OKS third. So much for competition. To some, what a team accomplishes during the regular season means nothing, but it should mean everything. There are no rematches in the SEC if a division ends up in a tie. The winner is chosen by other means, namely their record of how they competed during the regular season.
The media in New Orleans where the game was played billed the rematch as the game of the century even though the century is only 12 years old, which shows how silly the media was on the subject matter. Any sports minded person who follows football actually knew it would not be the game of the century. It is ironic that there was a time in the not to distant past when the national champion was crowned at the end of the regular season and before the bowl games. The bowl games were only to give the players and their teams a little fun, reward for the season and revenue for all teams in general. It is also ironic that there was more competition under that system then under the present system. And that really says it all.
Stay tuned for Part II: The New Orleans Saints and The NFL.
LSU made two early mistakes. Miles should have brushed off the rematch question on the field and he and LSU's President should have said early on there would be no rematch in no uncertain terms and let the chips fall where they may. Plus LSU should have known better because of their rematch with Ole Miss in 1959.
Rematches are not good for competition and it allowed an unfair advantage to Alabama in this case because they only had to beat LSU once to win the national championship and LSU had to defeat Alabama twice to win the national championship. Any one who does not see the problem with that must be part of the news media.
At the end of the regular season LSU had won a division title and conference title. Oklahoma State won a conference title and Alabama won nothing. Yet Alabama was ranked second and OKS third. So much for competition. To some, what a team accomplishes during the regular season means nothing, but it should mean everything. There are no rematches in the SEC if a division ends up in a tie. The winner is chosen by other means, namely their record of how they competed during the regular season.
The media in New Orleans where the game was played billed the rematch as the game of the century even though the century is only 12 years old, which shows how silly the media was on the subject matter. Any sports minded person who follows football actually knew it would not be the game of the century. It is ironic that there was a time in the not to distant past when the national champion was crowned at the end of the regular season and before the bowl games. The bowl games were only to give the players and their teams a little fun, reward for the season and revenue for all teams in general. It is also ironic that there was more competition under that system then under the present system. And that really says it all.
Stay tuned for Part II: The New Orleans Saints and The NFL.
Friday, January 13, 2012
Mitt Romney's New Hampshire Primary Speech
Romney's victory speech after the networks declared him a winner contained a statement that the cable news channels never did pick up on and several days has passed since then. The normal evening news never picked up on it either.
As reported in the Times Picayune of January 11, Romney was quoted as saying the following concerning President Obama: The middle class has been crushed: Our debt is too high: Our opportunities too few: That statement actually discribes what happened under the administration of George W. Bush, not Obama. In fact the Obama administration has actually been reversing those three issues raised by Romney. The national news media failed to respond big time. If people in the news media took time to check the facts they could perform a needed service to the people concerning the truth.
As far as the nation's debt as pointed out here before in "Politidose" if Reagan, Bush 41 and Bush 43 would have balanced the federal budget as Clinton did the national debt would not be a problem. Those three President's record 20 year federal deficit spree is the major cause of the national debt being out of control.
The people should also know from Romney's campaign rhetoric that he would follow the same failed policies of the administration of George W. Bush if he is elected President. Once again for people who want the facts, tune in to "Politidose" not the cable net works or the evening news.
As reported in the Times Picayune of January 11, Romney was quoted as saying the following concerning President Obama: The middle class has been crushed: Our debt is too high: Our opportunities too few: That statement actually discribes what happened under the administration of George W. Bush, not Obama. In fact the Obama administration has actually been reversing those three issues raised by Romney. The national news media failed to respond big time. If people in the news media took time to check the facts they could perform a needed service to the people concerning the truth.
As far as the nation's debt as pointed out here before in "Politidose" if Reagan, Bush 41 and Bush 43 would have balanced the federal budget as Clinton did the national debt would not be a problem. Those three President's record 20 year federal deficit spree is the major cause of the national debt being out of control.
The people should also know from Romney's campaign rhetoric that he would follow the same failed policies of the administration of George W. Bush if he is elected President. Once again for people who want the facts, tune in to "Politidose" not the cable net works or the evening news.
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