Friday, December 17, 2004
Hysteria re “War on Christianity" I would have loved to be a fly on the wall at the Radical Right meetings where this was developed. The ‘heavy weights’- Richard Viguerie, Bill O’Reilly, Newt Gingrich, etc.- are talking about ‘Christianity under Siege.’ No specifics are offered, but, as we know, that doesn’t matter. Soon, a significant percentage of the population will be mouthing the message.
Frank Rich focuses on it in this coming Sunday’s column:
In the latest and most bizarre twist on this theme, even Christmas is now said to be a target of the anti-Christian mob. "Are we going to abolish the word Christmas?" asked Newt Gingrich, warning that "it absolutely can happen here." Among those courageously leading the fight to save the holiday from its enemies is Bill O'Reilly, who has taken to calling the Anti-Defamation League "an extremist group" and put the threat this way: "Remember, more than 90 percent of American homes celebrate Christmas. But the small minority that is trying to impose its will on the majority is so vicious, so dishonest — and has to be dealt with."
If more than 90 percent of American households celebrate Christmas, you have to wonder why the guy is whining. The only evidence of what Pat Buchanan has called Christmas-season "hate crimes against Christianity" consists of a few ridiculous and isolated incidents, like the banishment of a religious float from a parade in Denver and of religious songs from a high school band concert in New Jersey. (In scale, this is nothing compared with the refusal of the world's largest retailer, Wal- Mart, to stock George Carlin's new best seller, "When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops?," whose cover depicts its author at the Last Supper.) Yet the hysteria is being pumped up daily by Fox News, newspapers like The New York Post and The Washington Times, and Web sites like savemerrychristmas.org. Mr. O'Reilly and Jerry Falwell have gone so far as to name Michael Bloomberg an anti-Christmas conspirator because the mayor referred to the Christmas tree as a "holiday tree" in the lighting ceremony at Rockefeller Center. http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/19/arts/19rich.html?pagewanted=print&position=
So, we have another issue to counter.
This is an example of what’s actually going on:
Emboldened by their Election Day successes, some Christian conservatives around the country are trying to put more Christ into Christmas this season.
In Terrebonne Parish, La., an organization is petitioning to add "Merry Christmas" to the red-lighted "Season's Greetings" sign on the main government building and is selling yard signs that read, "We believe in God. Merry Christmas." And a Raleigh, N.C., church recently paid $7,600 for a full-page newspaper ad urging Christians to spend their money only with merchants who include the greeting "Merry Christmas" in ads and displays.
"There is a revival taking place. http://apnews.myway.com/article/20041215/D870269G0.html
Missile Defense: Once again, under ideal conditions (remember, North Korea, you must warn us and attack us only with good weather.), insane missile defense fails. Despite the expense, despite the obviousness as to this being an unworkable idea, we’ve had almost 20 years of this nuttiness.
But, remember, as the WaPost notes, it’s well-intentioned, since they are making an “effort to build a system for defending the country…”
The Bush administration's effort to build a system for defending the country against ballistic missile attack suffered an embarrassing setback yesterday when an interceptor missile failed to launch during the first flight test of the system in two years.
Wednesday's test had been put off several times because of bad weather, and a malfunction of a recovery vessel not directly related to the equipment being tested, The Associated Press reported.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A700-2004Dec15.html
Rule of Law, Here and There As conservative judges have reprimanded the Administration here, British courts have passed judgment on Britain’s role.
Detaining foreigners without trial under emergency anti-terror powers breaks European human rights legislation, law lords ruled today.
A specially-convened committee of nine law lords upheld an appeal by nine foreigners who have been detained without charge or trial, most of them in Belmarsh prison, south-east London, for around three years.
The decision by the law lords, Britain's highest court, throws the government's security policies into chaos and was a blow for Charles Clarke on his first day as home secretary following the resignation of David Blunkett last night. http://www.guardian.co.uk/print/0,3858,5087121-111274,00.html
Economic Policy Coherence
President Bush, facing complaints from a European ally about the weakening dollar, said Wednesday that he favored a strong dollar and would work with Congress to cut the massive federal budget deficit that puts downward pressure on the U.S. currency.But before Bush spoke, Vice President Dick Cheney reiterated to a White House economic conference that the administration supported more tax cuts, which some analysts said could deepen the budget deficit and threaten the dollar's value.The White House conference, which continues today, is intended to pave the way for Bush to promote changes to Social Security that the White House has said would probably require more federal borrowing.Despite Bush's statement of support for a strong dollar, the U.S. currency weakened further on international markets, losing more than 1% of its value against the Japanese yen and nearly 1% against the euro. http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-econ16dec16,0,6199843,print.story?coll=la-home-headlines
But, no one is upset with the state of things. Just sample the comments of the attendees of the Economic “Summit”
"Vice President Dick Cheney: 'If we stay on that path, the years ahead will bring even greater progress and prosperity.' "
Larry Mocha, a Tulsa, Okla., manufacturer of truck air brake systems: 'I want to thank the administration for all the positive things you've done for our economy. ... It hasn't always been this good.'
Treasury Secretary John Snow: 'We are the envy of the world.'
Harvard economics professor Martin Feldstein: 'I'm pleased to say the economy is now in very good shape.'
Social Security (cont): Krugman. So, where’s the DNC?
Yet, aside from giving the Cato Institute and other organizations promoting Social Security privatization the space to present upbeat tales from Chile, the U.S. news media have provided their readers and viewers with little information about international experience. In particular, the public hasn't been let in on two open secrets:
Privatization dissipates a large fraction of workers' contributions on fees to investment companies.
It leaves many retirees in poverty…
So the Bush administration wants to scrap a retirement system that works, and can be made financially sound for generations to come with modest reforms. Instead, it wants to buy into failure, emulating systems that, when tried elsewhere, have neither saved money nor protected the elderly from poverty. http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/17/opinion/17krugman.html?hp=&pagewanted=print&position=
What’s Happening, Iraq:
Campaigning, Allawi style. I know the Bush events were controlled, but this reaches new heights.
Dr. Allawi's campaign started on an unpropitious note, when American and Iraqi forces closed off sections of central Baghdad so he could leave the Green Zone and cross the Tigris River to declare his candidacy at a sports club. But Western reporters judged the three-mile journey to be too hazardous in the bus provided by Allawi aides, and remained behind.
Five hours later, he stood before fewer than 60 people, about half of whom were his own aides. With American bodyguards in flak jackets and cradling automatic weapons patrolling the club's auditorium, Dr. Allawi read a brief statement and returned hastily to the Green Zone.
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/16/international/middleeast/16iraq.html?oref=login&pagewanted=all&position=
National Guard’s next generation:
In the latest signs of strains on the military from the war in Iraq, the Army National Guard announced on Thursday that it had fallen 30 percent below its recruiting goals in the last two months and would offer new incentives, including enlistment bonuses of up to $15,000. http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/17/politics/17reserves.html?hp&ex=1103346000&en=ec0828fe89a6661d&ei=5094&partner=homepage
Taking Care of Adults at the Expense of Kids.
The federal government is using money that was intended for vaccinating children to pay for experimental flu vaccines for adults, federal health officials said yesterday.
But some state health officials say that protecting adults at the expense of children is wrong.
"We should not be pitting vaccines for children against vaccines for adults," said Mary Selecky, the secretary of health in Washington State. http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/16/health/16flu.html?oref=login&pagewanted=print&position=
You didn’t think the money was coming out of the Iraqi invasion budget, yes?
Career Path: First you sabotage Medicare, then you collect.
Representative Billy Tauzin, a principal author of the new Medicare drug law, will become president of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, the chief lobby for brand-name drug companies, the trade group announced Wednesday.
Mr. Tauzin (pronounced TOE-zan) and Mr. White refused to discuss Mr. Tauzin's new salary, except to say it was comparable to the pay at other large trade associations. People at other trade groups said they believed that Mr. Tauzin would receive $2 million a year or more. http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/16/politics/16drug.html
-R
Frank Rich focuses on it in this coming Sunday’s column:
In the latest and most bizarre twist on this theme, even Christmas is now said to be a target of the anti-Christian mob. "Are we going to abolish the word Christmas?" asked Newt Gingrich, warning that "it absolutely can happen here." Among those courageously leading the fight to save the holiday from its enemies is Bill O'Reilly, who has taken to calling the Anti-Defamation League "an extremist group" and put the threat this way: "Remember, more than 90 percent of American homes celebrate Christmas. But the small minority that is trying to impose its will on the majority is so vicious, so dishonest — and has to be dealt with."
If more than 90 percent of American households celebrate Christmas, you have to wonder why the guy is whining. The only evidence of what Pat Buchanan has called Christmas-season "hate crimes against Christianity" consists of a few ridiculous and isolated incidents, like the banishment of a religious float from a parade in Denver and of religious songs from a high school band concert in New Jersey. (In scale, this is nothing compared with the refusal of the world's largest retailer, Wal- Mart, to stock George Carlin's new best seller, "When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops?," whose cover depicts its author at the Last Supper.) Yet the hysteria is being pumped up daily by Fox News, newspapers like The New York Post and The Washington Times, and Web sites like savemerrychristmas.org. Mr. O'Reilly and Jerry Falwell have gone so far as to name Michael Bloomberg an anti-Christmas conspirator because the mayor referred to the Christmas tree as a "holiday tree" in the lighting ceremony at Rockefeller Center. http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/19/arts/19rich.html?pagewanted=print&position=
So, we have another issue to counter.
This is an example of what’s actually going on:
Emboldened by their Election Day successes, some Christian conservatives around the country are trying to put more Christ into Christmas this season.
In Terrebonne Parish, La., an organization is petitioning to add "Merry Christmas" to the red-lighted "Season's Greetings" sign on the main government building and is selling yard signs that read, "We believe in God. Merry Christmas." And a Raleigh, N.C., church recently paid $7,600 for a full-page newspaper ad urging Christians to spend their money only with merchants who include the greeting "Merry Christmas" in ads and displays.
"There is a revival taking place. http://apnews.myway.com/article/20041215/D870269G0.html
Missile Defense: Once again, under ideal conditions (remember, North Korea, you must warn us and attack us only with good weather.), insane missile defense fails. Despite the expense, despite the obviousness as to this being an unworkable idea, we’ve had almost 20 years of this nuttiness.
But, remember, as the WaPost notes, it’s well-intentioned, since they are making an “effort to build a system for defending the country…”
The Bush administration's effort to build a system for defending the country against ballistic missile attack suffered an embarrassing setback yesterday when an interceptor missile failed to launch during the first flight test of the system in two years.
Wednesday's test had been put off several times because of bad weather, and a malfunction of a recovery vessel not directly related to the equipment being tested, The Associated Press reported.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A700-2004Dec15.html
Rule of Law, Here and There As conservative judges have reprimanded the Administration here, British courts have passed judgment on Britain’s role.
Detaining foreigners without trial under emergency anti-terror powers breaks European human rights legislation, law lords ruled today.
A specially-convened committee of nine law lords upheld an appeal by nine foreigners who have been detained without charge or trial, most of them in Belmarsh prison, south-east London, for around three years.
The decision by the law lords, Britain's highest court, throws the government's security policies into chaos and was a blow for Charles Clarke on his first day as home secretary following the resignation of David Blunkett last night. http://www.guardian.co.uk/print/0,3858,5087121-111274,00.html
Economic Policy Coherence
President Bush, facing complaints from a European ally about the weakening dollar, said Wednesday that he favored a strong dollar and would work with Congress to cut the massive federal budget deficit that puts downward pressure on the U.S. currency.But before Bush spoke, Vice President Dick Cheney reiterated to a White House economic conference that the administration supported more tax cuts, which some analysts said could deepen the budget deficit and threaten the dollar's value.The White House conference, which continues today, is intended to pave the way for Bush to promote changes to Social Security that the White House has said would probably require more federal borrowing.Despite Bush's statement of support for a strong dollar, the U.S. currency weakened further on international markets, losing more than 1% of its value against the Japanese yen and nearly 1% against the euro. http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-econ16dec16,0,6199843,print.story?coll=la-home-headlines
But, no one is upset with the state of things. Just sample the comments of the attendees of the Economic “Summit”
"Vice President Dick Cheney: 'If we stay on that path, the years ahead will bring even greater progress and prosperity.' "
Larry Mocha, a Tulsa, Okla., manufacturer of truck air brake systems: 'I want to thank the administration for all the positive things you've done for our economy. ... It hasn't always been this good.'
Treasury Secretary John Snow: 'We are the envy of the world.'
Harvard economics professor Martin Feldstein: 'I'm pleased to say the economy is now in very good shape.'
Social Security (cont): Krugman. So, where’s the DNC?
Yet, aside from giving the Cato Institute and other organizations promoting Social Security privatization the space to present upbeat tales from Chile, the U.S. news media have provided their readers and viewers with little information about international experience. In particular, the public hasn't been let in on two open secrets:
Privatization dissipates a large fraction of workers' contributions on fees to investment companies.
It leaves many retirees in poverty…
So the Bush administration wants to scrap a retirement system that works, and can be made financially sound for generations to come with modest reforms. Instead, it wants to buy into failure, emulating systems that, when tried elsewhere, have neither saved money nor protected the elderly from poverty. http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/17/opinion/17krugman.html?hp=&pagewanted=print&position=
What’s Happening, Iraq:
Campaigning, Allawi style. I know the Bush events were controlled, but this reaches new heights.
Dr. Allawi's campaign started on an unpropitious note, when American and Iraqi forces closed off sections of central Baghdad so he could leave the Green Zone and cross the Tigris River to declare his candidacy at a sports club. But Western reporters judged the three-mile journey to be too hazardous in the bus provided by Allawi aides, and remained behind.
Five hours later, he stood before fewer than 60 people, about half of whom were his own aides. With American bodyguards in flak jackets and cradling automatic weapons patrolling the club's auditorium, Dr. Allawi read a brief statement and returned hastily to the Green Zone.
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/16/international/middleeast/16iraq.html?oref=login&pagewanted=all&position=
National Guard’s next generation:
In the latest signs of strains on the military from the war in Iraq, the Army National Guard announced on Thursday that it had fallen 30 percent below its recruiting goals in the last two months and would offer new incentives, including enlistment bonuses of up to $15,000. http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/17/politics/17reserves.html?hp&ex=1103346000&en=ec0828fe89a6661d&ei=5094&partner=homepage
Taking Care of Adults at the Expense of Kids.
The federal government is using money that was intended for vaccinating children to pay for experimental flu vaccines for adults, federal health officials said yesterday.
But some state health officials say that protecting adults at the expense of children is wrong.
"We should not be pitting vaccines for children against vaccines for adults," said Mary Selecky, the secretary of health in Washington State. http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/16/health/16flu.html?oref=login&pagewanted=print&position=
You didn’t think the money was coming out of the Iraqi invasion budget, yes?
Career Path: First you sabotage Medicare, then you collect.
Representative Billy Tauzin, a principal author of the new Medicare drug law, will become president of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, the chief lobby for brand-name drug companies, the trade group announced Wednesday.
Mr. Tauzin (pronounced TOE-zan) and Mr. White refused to discuss Mr. Tauzin's new salary, except to say it was comparable to the pay at other large trade associations. People at other trade groups said they believed that Mr. Tauzin would receive $2 million a year or more. http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/16/politics/16drug.html
-R
