Sunday, October 30, 2011

Fair is a place where you get cotton candy

I am tired of all the talk about fairness. I’m afraid we’re going to hear it for another 13 months. It appears to be Obama’s re-election campaign slogan. It is a great tagline but what does it really mean?

The problem is that “Fair” is not an absolute. It is riddled with personal and circumstantial bias. Is it fair that a bank shouldn’t be allowed to make a profit but Apple can? Everyone applauds Steve Jobs for everything he did to change the world (and we should) but guess what – he made billions doing it. Is that fair? Maybe Apple should sell their products for less so more people can afford them. That seems fair to me.

While we’re at it, Hollywood should base movie ticket prices on our income level. If a progressive tax system is fair then why not a progressive movie ticket price? Paying $8 to $10 to see a movie is a bigger sacrifice to someone living at the poverty level. Are you listening Michael Moore, Susan Sarandon, and Sean Penn?

We need to get back to the truest of all of life’s axioms – Life is not fair.

There’s a great quote that has been attributed to many people over the years - “I’ve been rich and I’ve been poor – rich is better”. The bottom line is that it sucks to be poor”. If it didn’t we’d all be poor. There’d be no incentive to be rich. I don’t know if that’s fair or not but that’s the way it is and must be in a free society.

We must do what we can to help the poor rise up but government directed redistribution of wealth is not the answer. Either is creating a rift in this country between the haves and have nots. That’s not leadership it’s just campaigning.

So if you want the cotton candy, go to the fair; but bring your wallet because it’s not free.

Monday, October 3, 2011

So now he's a racist!

I watched in amazement the last couple of years as the Republicans put forth female candidates.  I thought that the enlightened, forward thinking (dare I say progressive) liberal media would have given them a fair shake.  And the equal rights touting, bra burning NOWers would have as well.  I was quite surprised at the backlash they all received.  The incredible furor of Sarah Palin could not be matched but they sure tried with Michelle Bachmann.  I am in no way endorsing either woman but the vitriol and biased reporting stunned me.

So you would think I would not be surprised when this same "enlightened" group went after Herman Cain so quickly.  But alas I was.  The moment Cain showed significant positive movement in the polls, the hate and fear mongers came out, and came out loud.  Janeane Garofalo was quick to talk nonsense about Cain being paid to run to hide the Republican racist agenda.  She couldn't give a black man credit for being his own man with his own ideas?  And who's the racist?

Then Democratic strategist Cornell Belcher (whoever he is) called Herman Cain a racist because he suggested that the African American community was brainwashed into voting for Obama.  Ok maybe Herman should have said fooled into voting for Obama (like half of America was) but still - a racist?  I tried to give liberals (and the press that covers them) the benefit of the doubt once - but not anymore.  They will use any tactic they can, no matter how low, to discredit a challenger to the Messiah.  All this even after Obama has repeatedly shown he does not, nor never did, walk on water.

Just remember - when you are discussing politics with someone, and they throw the racist term in your face - you've won.