Morning Fog

The Sherrod Firing/Rehiring

The whole story of Shirley Sherrod has to be well-known by now to anyone within reach of a smart phone, the web, a newspaper, a radio or a television.

As has been pointed out, there were quite a few quirky actions and responses by any number of people but the lessons I see are:

• That the Obama White House staffers, not just in this case but in a number of instances, have been too quick to react to news events or developments. It's nice, perhaps essential, in this day of instant viral communication, to respond quickly, but from the White House in particular, one expects measured -- and hopefully correct -- response.

• That the gap between "traditional" media like print news and TV, and more instantaneous electronic means is significant, and measurable. But quicker isn't always better, if the game is only to rush to the scoop without checking facts.

• That too many bloggers (those involved in the breathless race to be the first with some tidbit of information or misinformation) are too inclined to accept whatever somebody posts as gospel, without questioning its source. While these same people might say they mistrust the "traditional media," or think they can do better getting the news "direct," this incident points up the folly of relying on the blogosphere for your news.

• That a nonentity named Breitbart has had his moment of fame but it may be -- should be -- over because it's so clearly evident that he chose selectively what he posted on the internet. Will his making up the truth matter to his fans? Maybe not, if they're the kind described in the previous paragraph. Breitbart's complaint that he's the victim here? Well...let's just say...No way!

On The Edge Of The Oil Spill

Again today, news from the Gulf of Mexico is disappointing:  neither the "top kill" nor the "junk shot" has worked to stop the flow.  Once again I urge, let's face the truth and deal with it:  This is a catastrophic accident, made more apocalyptic by the fact that the end is not in sight, but it is an accident.   Call it an act of god, or if you prefer, an act of man, but cope. People of the Gulf Coast in particular can be forgiven for being emotional (James Carville, hysteria does not become you, take it down a notch!) -- but all the talk of blame, or of action not being taken fast enough, is empty and useless.

Meanwhile, some more random observations related to this calamity.

It's been said already, but if ever there were a compelling argument for effective government regulation of industry, this is surely it.  I stress "effective" since people who say there's no need for government or for taxes to pay for it are suddenly looking to government to handle this problem, or to blame government because of failings in oversight.  But oversight must be ongoing; and the setting of standards, the conduct of inspections, and similar functions cost money.  We can't starve regulatory agencies and rely on private enterprise to police itself in good times, then expect government after the fact to have done a job it wasn't given resources to do.  For conservatives: Ronald Reagan said, "Trust but verify."  Why shouldn't that apply to business?  Could effective oversight have prevented the blowout?  I doubt it, but I do believe operations managers are more cautious when they know someone's looking over their shoulder.

State and local officials have been ducking for cover too, hoping to blame somebody else.  But while there is a lot of talk also about the deleterious effects of the spill on the local economy, Louisianans and their politicians, from Governor Jindal on down, need to think about their own decisions, years ago, regarding the economic mix.  I have no doubt that when these rigs were built, local officials pushed strongly for approval of offshore drilling, just as Virginia's new governor, Robert McDonnell, who has no drilling but covets the prospective revenues, continues to do today.  Risks were downplayed, on the assumption the huge gains were worth the chance.  That may still turn out to have been true, in the long run, but in the short run, some parts of the region's economy will be hard-hit.  Lives were lost, too, but we aren't hearing a lot these days about those fellows who died when the platform exploded and collapsed. 

Finally, I'm surprised that so far, no one has raised the specter of terrorism related to this incident.  Is that a possible explanation for this?  Probably not -- no one has claimed responsibility. It does however, raise the question of the security of these oil platforms, largely unprotected, in mid-ocean.  Look for the movie soon, if not the reality.   

Keeping Up With Morning Fog

E-mail updates: It has come to my attention that many readers of Morning Fog would prefer to be notified by e-mail when something new is posted here, rather than receive it through a feed.  So that possibility is now available again -- just click the orange "chiclet" at the top right margin labeled "subscribe in a reader" and use the "Get Morning Fog delivered by e-mail" link at the bottom.  After providing your e-mail address you'll get a message with a clickable link to confirm, and it will be set up for you.  Easy! 

A Good Spanking

 

Sometimes people do such strange things -- so weird, or inexplicable, or stupid, or unprofessional, or petty, that it just seems as if the best thing to do is to give them a good old-fashioned (all you under-fifty moms who don't believe in corporal punishment cover your eyes and ears now) spanking.  And it must be a full moon, or the madness-inducing weather patterns of El Nino, that brings such a bumper crop of so-o-o-o many cases this week:

• It almost goes without saying that the entire Republican Party needs a swat on the behind because of their collective refusal to participate in government; I won't belabor that further, but Tom Toles's political cartoon today encapsulates the problem.
• One Republican in particular deserves a dozen or so extra whacks: Senator Bunning of Kentucky, who's rather irrationally holding up a jobs bill that could help lots of people. But then, Kentucky has shown they can really pick some gems in the Senatorial category. (This just in: a deal in this odd case has reportedly been reached).
• Get out the hairbrush also for Rep. Charles Rangel, the Democrat who has had, to put it mildly, some ethics problems. Not just Republicans should be calling for his resignation or prosecution.
• Ditto for DC's former Mayor and current Councilman Marion Barry, a serial scalawag whose actions over decades have ranged from infractions to conflict of interest to just plain illegal. The latest: he is said to have obtained a city job for a girlfriend and taken payments from her for doing so. The breaking news is that the DC Council censured him and removed him from office.
• Then we have Jeffrey Skilling, former Enron exec who is now challenging the "constitutionality" of his conviction on a hair-splitting issue (since the basis for the challenge seems so razor-thin, let's use a razor strop on him. Bring along at least five more strops for the majority of "supreme" court justices who in taking on this case would seem bent on ensuring the Court won't have a shred of repute left.

• Last but not least, there are the Hawaiian tour guides who are complaining that the Obama family's vacationing in the state (and the concomitant security measures banning aircraft overflights in some areas) hurt them financially.  They want remuneration ...from someone!  Shouldn't they be proud there's a President who calls Hawaii home?  Haven't other locales put up with such inconvenience? 

  

Sometimes people do such strange things -- so weird, or inexplicable, or stupid, or unprofessional, or petty, that it just seems as if the best thing to do is to give them a good old-fashioned (all you under-fifty moms who don't believe in corporal punishment cover your eyes and ears now) spanking.  And it must be a full moon, or the madness-inducing weather patterns of El Nino, that brings such a bumper crop of so-o-o-o many cases this week:

• It almost goes without saying that the entire Republican Party needs a swat on the behind because of their collective refusal to participate in government; I won't belabor that further, but Tom Toles's political cartoon today encapsulates the problem.
• One Republican in particular deserves a dozen or so extra whacks: Senator Bunning of Kentucky, who's rather irrationally holding up a jobs bill that could help lots of people. But then, Kentucky has shown they can really pick some gems in the Senatorial category. (This just in: a deal in this odd case has reportedly been reached).
• Get out the hairbrush also for Rep. Charles Rangel, the Democrat who has had, to put it mildly, some ethics problems. Not just Republicans should be calling for his resignation or prosecution.
• Ditto for DC's former Mayor and current Councilman Marion Barry, a serial scalawag whose actions over decades have ranged from infractions to conflict of interest to just plain illegal. The latest: he is said to have obtained a city job for a girlfriend and taken payments from her for doing so. The breaking news is that the DC Council censured him and removed him from office.
• Then we have Jeffrey Skilling, former Enron exec who is now challenging the "constitutionality" of his conviction on a hair-splitting issue (since the basis for the challenge seems so razor-thin, let's use a razor strop on him. Bring along at least five more strops for the majority of "supreme" court justices who in taking on this case would seem bent on ensuring the Court won't have a shred of repute left.

• Last but not least, there are the Hawaiian tour guides who are complaining that the Obama family's vacationing in the state (and the concomitant security measures banning aircraft overflights in some areas) hurt them financially.  They want remuneration ...from someone!  Shouldn't they be proud there's a President who calls Hawaii home?  Haven't other locales put up with such inconvenience? 

  

Things Falling Off Cliffs

There's a lot of ferment right now about what the President will say in his State of the Union address tonight, and at least some indications are available, but I would rather comment after it's given.

Meantime, it seems the country has come to a near-halt, though not near enough to force us to deal seriously with some of the problems we face.  Steven Pearlstein today has taken a look ahead to describe what the President should (but will not) say.  He captures the feeling I've had also, that our government is deadlocked in extreme partisanship that prevents it from accomplishing even its most basic tasks.  He also offers an idea for fixing that -- he professes to think that real change could be achieved by Obama's being rigid about requirements (i.e., any initiatives have to be paid for, no legislative special deals and earmarks, etc.).   Pearlstein, I think, has analyzed the problem correctly but his solution could not be effective even if Obama were to adopt it.

One reason nothing is working right now to restore momentum is the nihilism discovered in a recent survey.  People are confused, disillusioned, and most important, feeling the pinch - so they're basically critical of everything.  As writer Achenbach says, they don't like the status quo, and they don't like efforts to change it.  Go figure.  As I've noticed myself, people have resisted beneficial changes in their health care because they prefer to believe untruths than truths; they complain that the government is more interested in rescuing banks than rescuing them without realizing that they were rescued -- from a far worse fate -- by the taxpayers' support of key financial institutions.

Effective government isn't the only thing falling off a cliff.  We now have houses and other buildings on both coasts falling off cliffs too.  In California, recent storms threaten apartment buildings; in Maryland, cliffside homes are under threat for several reasons: damage done by storms earlier this year, plus the cumulative effects of natural coastal erosion; oh, and some insects, too -- the cliffs are home to the endangered Puritan tiger beetle, and local politicians are blaming the Endangered Species Act for preventing action to shore up the cliffs.  In both cases, there seems to be an expectation on the part of residents and local governments that it is (federal) government's job to try to rebuild the cliffs. 

Wrong on both counts, I think. People who build or buy homes need to realize that no cliff is forever; a cliff by definition implies ground falling away, collapsing, eroding.  If you buy such a place, you should buy a damned good - and expensive - insurance policy right along with it.  Governments might provide some disaster assistance but if they do, the principle should be that aid is conditioned on relocating, and abandoning the endangered property.  (This works for flood areas too.) 

So we have a pretty typical picture, I think, of what people expect from government:  Do nothing for the common good like rescuing banks or extending health care (that might cost me money) but help me out of a jam of my own making by saving my house (when somebody else pays me).   

A New Blog In The Family

I'm pleased to announce that there's a new blog in the Morning Fog family as of last week --  The Tin Lizard.  

While Morning Fog will continue (perhaps with less frequent postings) with commentary on politics, the economy, social issues, and other weighty subjects, The Tin Lizard will have lighter fare on a variety of topics, from cooking to books, from product reviews to the English language.  That may be narrowed down in future but right now I conceive it in Marxian terms (that's Groucho Marx, for those who remember him or his 1950's television quiz show, "You Bet Your Life"), i.e., dealing with whatever you might "find around the house every day."  It may not be your cup of tea, but I invite you to find out for yourself:  (www.thetinlizard.com).

 

2009, The Fun Year

I'm sure readers in the U.S. are familiar with the work of humorist Dave Barry, and particularly his annual summation of the "lighter side" of the year's events.  For the past two or three years, I hadn't even bothered to read Barry's review -- it had got to the point where it seemed stale and un-funny. 

But I've just read the 2009 version, and recommend it highly.  Maybe it's just because Barry has some new targets this year, after eight years of the same old Bush jokes, but "Lowlights of a Downer Year" provides some good chuckles and is especially to be recommended to Democrats and Obamaniacs, who tend to take themselves far too seriously anyway.

That said, I did note one odd omission from Barry's summation of the past 360+ days.  With the exception of one sentence on Sarah Palin's resignation as governor of Alaska, and a mention of Joe LastnameAlreadyForgotten's shout of "You Lie," our comedic columnist offers nothing regarding any other Republican politicians.   Is it possible that Barry is a dyed-in-the-wool Republican?  I suppose so.  Or, could it be that except for some deMinted and repetitious raving, Republicans just haven't done anything this year that anybody would notice?  I leave to readers to make their own determination. 

Time For Bernanke

Time magazine has named Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke as its Person of the Year for 2009.  Probably a good choice -- despite complaints, the man seems to have turned around a crisis that threatened to make our current recession, bad as it is, look like a picnic.  

For a review of Time's past choices and a link to the full list, try: http://www.morning-fog.com/2009/12/the-time-magazine-person-of-the-year.html .  It's interesting to look at.  Fed Chairmen's names don't seem to stick in our memories through history as well as Presidents' do, so very likely your children won't know who Bernanke was, any more than they know Hugh Johnson, National Recovery Administrator, who won the title in 1933.

A Positive News Day

A theme stood out as I read today's news.  Unexpectedly, on this cold, blustery day for much of the nation, today's reporting was united by an underlying note of optimism, a flurry of encouraging signs that things are developing in a positive direction.  Consider, for example:

Obama struck just the right note in accepting the Nobel Peace Prize - humility, but also the obvious point that in the real world, peace can't be had without war, or the threat of war.  No reasonable person, whether detractor or defender, should have cause to be dissatisfied with his speech .

The media are making big news of a study that suggests Americans often accept the precepts of more than one religion.  Too often, a formal religion is a straightjacket that encourages bigotry, hatred, and intolerance of other beliefs (even when tolerance is supposedly a fundamental precept).  To me, this Pew survey showing Americans embracing multiple religions suggests a breakdown of that sort of barrier.  Religious dogma means less, not more, to Americans, and that's positive.  As several of those interviewed said, people don't necessarily accept that there's only one way - and that indicates respect for other ways.

Republicans are continuing to resist dealing with the country's problems by sticking their heads in the sand.  Today's news brings evidence that the GOP is earning the nickname I've assigned them in this blog (Geezers Obstructing Progress) -- they're against improved health care, if it means insurance or drug companies may lose a dime; they're against sound financial management and consumer protections unless that can be done without regulations that banks and investment companies don't like; they bitterly oppose efforts to deal with climate and environmental issues if oil companies, factories, and utilities might have to modify their current operating procedures a whit.  Is there any doubt about whose interests the GOP really works for?  But this, too, is encouraging to me because I believe this approach is political suicide and will lead to a change of direction sooner rather than later. 

In addition, extreme conservatives are talking about using "tea-party" politics to challenge both the established parties and bring their own candidates to elected office.  I say, power to them, because I don't think they'll succeed; instead, they'll push many Republican politicians back toward the center -- which could get us back to a better-functioning, more bipartisan legislative effort than we now have.  Or, if Republicans and conservatives choose to play the more-conservative-than-thou game, they'll enlarge the Democratic majority -- that won't be a bipartisan outcome, but at least it will be one in which some of the people's business can get done.

Even on the Second Amendment we had positive news today.  This survey suggests that the NRA leadership, like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce leadership, is out of touch with its members.  It's always puzzled me that the NRA opposes even the most transparently reasonable efforts to reduce the mayhem produced by our gun culture.  If in fact many NRA members themselves believe it's rational to keep guns away from terrorists and criminals, for example, then there is hope for progress.  Maybe they'll toss out the rock-ribbed reactionaries at the top.

The Time Magazine Person Of The Year

December already!  Christmas is right around the corner, and then, for current events junkies, will come the speculation about whom Time Magazine will name as its "Person of the Year."  This honor/distinction has been bestowed on the world's biggest newsmaker annually since 1927.  Recently, I happened to review the entire list, which you can see here though for some reason it's a couple of years out of date and doesn't include Putin (2007) or Obama (2008).

Looking at the list in retrospect, I found that it's held up pretty well over time, though often only by virtue of making the most obvious choices. Many of the more "original" selections now seem passé, anachronistic, or just plain confusing.  A few interesting points:

The Time Person of the Year has, far more often than not, been a politician (or national leader) - 57 over 82 years, or about two-thirds.

The Person-of-the-Year Alumni Club is Americocentric by about the same margin; that's  less so than I had expected.  Time is a U.S. magazine, with the typical U.S. media bias against covering international events (justifiably so, since so few people read foreign news), yet in twenty-eight of 82 years (about 1/3), the nod has gone to a non-American.

Time's editors have been very generous to U.S. Presidents; 20 in 82 years, or once per term. Beginning with FDR, every President except Ford has been featured on the cover at least once, but many hit the jackpot more often -- FDR (3), Truman (2), Eisenhower (2 as President, but also once in uniform), Johnson (2), Nixon (2 - one shared with Kissinger), Reagan (2 - one shared with Andropov), Clinton (2 - one shared with Kenneth Starr!), George W. Bush (2).

Some of the choices seem a bit embarrassing in hindsight.  Were you aware that Hitler was Person of the Year for 1938?  That was right before the invasion of Poland, of course.  To make up for it, for 1939 Time picked Stalin, but focused on his villainy in making Hitler's war in Europe possible by signing a pact with Nazi Germany.  But by 1942 they had to eat humble pie, choosing Stalin again, who had become our ally by that time. 

Seemingly to add a bit of surprise from time to time, the title has been bestowed on whole groups at once:  The American Soldier (2003) and his grandfather "G.I. Joe" (1950) (but by no means his son who fought in Vietnam); U.S. Scientists (1960 - 4 years after Sputnik); American women (rather belatedly, 1975), or "Young People" (1966).  Most of these seem like simple copouts to me, especially the 2006 award to "You" (are you kidding me?). 

Finally, I have to wonder about the choice of "things" as Person of the Year.  Those were "The Computer" for 1982, and "The Endangered Earth" for 1988. 

Ultimately, my favorites among the 82 years so far are the ones that are a bit quirky (Wallis Simpson, Haile Selassie); the people below the head-of-state level who effected major change (Newt Gingrich, Lech Walesa); and those who names evidently were common currency in decades past but don't ring any bells in my head today without going to wikipedia (Pierre Laval, Owen Young, or Harlow Curtice - by the way, Curtice and former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney share the experience of a hunt with a buddy that went wrong; Curtice killed his).