Friday, April 21, 2006

Keeping Score: Where Readers Have Their Say.

[Full text of what readers say is on Readers Comments. These are my responses]

Batavia Bulldog liked the George Ryan analysis and says if I want to write Catholic stuff I should go ahead because it’s my Blog. So it is. Thanks, Batavia…Cal Skinner who has his own Blog and is a distinguished former state lawmaker in McHenry—one of the most perceptive conservatives in the state—wonders how many children Carla (the fervent pro-abort who wrote in the other day) has adopted…Jason A. who is a very good correspondent with a lot of fresh information makes the cogent point that I didn’t tell the half of it with the column on WBEZ, the city’s public radio station going all Talk, which, since it’s public radio we’re mentioning, means liberal talk. WBEZ petitioned to raise the frequency on its Chesterton, Indiana outlet using the plea that it supplies diverse programming. It sponsored two fund-raising subscription drives, in Fall 2005 and Spring 2006 based partially on the need to continue diverse programming, pointing specifically to jazz and blues. He agrees it’s a terrible decision…

Jason posted another one pointing out, correctly, that people who criticize Israel’s foreign policy shouldn’t be accused of being bigots (100 percent correct) and outlines a detailed criticism of our own foreign policy…goobs agrees on WBEZ and may write a letter to them. He wants some info on the nature of public funding. Right now I don’t have any numbers and can’t say anything beyond the fact that public funding started in the Great Society era of LBJ. Ronald Reagan wanted to get rid of it—and should have—but didn’t. The idea that programming like it can’t exist without public funding is specious. Listen to 90.1 FM, the Moody station and you find 24-hour radio which is funded by private sources: the Moody Bible church. There’s no reason why liberals who come in several sizes, including some fabulously wealthy, can’t fund the network without relying on the government. I don’t know this for sure, but I think there is no direct federal money for the College of DuPage station, is there?. The key word is “direct.”

Jason A. again with a nifty compliment: all he reads is John Kass and me. Delighted. Despite the fact, he adds, that he has adjudged me to be a Neo-Con, especially on immigration…John F. Patton seconds my nomination of Naomi Watts (female lead in “King Kong”) as CBS anchor rather than Katie Couric. He gives a great deal of information: she wants to get pregnant but believes getting married in a rush leads to complications. [My comment: what’s wrong the old fashioned way?] She thinks she has gone as far as she can in her career right now, likes film work but hates post-production promotion. She accepted everything before “Mulholland Drive” but is more choosy now. She thinks she can come back after age 40 (but Pattton disagrees saying Hollywood has all kinds of roles for 30-somethings but not 40-somethings (the nun role for Sarandon et al). Then he asks how do we think he has found out that much? He does research for five newspapers and had conversations with Watts’ mother in England. That’s the kind of high-class readership we have here, folks!

4 comments:

  1. Jason A. is right on immigration. I was surprised to read you so pro-illegal and pro-Brownback.

    On a positive note, you are to be commended for being about the only one who reminds us that without Sen. Peter Fitzgerald there would be no Patrick Fitzgerald. Illinois really misses a statesman like Peter Fitzgerald. The Greatest Person To Ever Live Obama can't come close to Fitzgerald. JBT deserves to have zero conservative votes cast for her if for no other reason than her treatment of Sen. Peter Fitzgerald.

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  2. We waited AND waited AND waited and then FINALLY WE REPUBLICANS had the Presidency, The House, and the Senate! But then something went wrong. Instead of a conservative Republican agenda President Bush swung the party to big government dreams---Expansion of Medicare, Expansion of Education, Spending on Pork Pork Pork, an Iraq War built on false pretext creating a quagmire. And we saw the great Republican dream fade fade fade fade and sink. We were told that all of this was for the good and that the economy was GOOD all the while FREE TRADE intellectuals fast tracked our industry and good manufacturing jobs to China, India, Mexico, etc. The trade deficit balooned to obscene levels. We were told that a victorious Iraq war would bring us cheap oil and that the Iraq oil would pay for the war. And we found the price of gasoline skyrocked along with the budget deficit.

    The poll numbers went lower and lower and lower.

    How come all of this is deja vu of what Ryan did to Illinois. Here in Illinois, the Republicans had the House, the Senate, and the Governor's office under RYAN. Then the corruption exploded and destroyed the WHOLE THING! Resulting in the Republicans being kick out of power in Illinois will other states went Republican.

    Bush is starting to act more and more like Ryan. He becomes a big spender to keep his ill fated Iraq war going, and his oil buddies happy all the while the middle class shrivels.

    DAMN IT... HE IS SETTING THE STAGE for a MAMMOTH DEMOCRATIC WIN.

    It just makes me SICK! What an opportunity lost!!!! But then George Bush said he liked the idea of "Bush-Clinton-Bush-Clinton"! Shall we all vomit in unison!

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  3. I enjoy your blog and thanks for your kind responses. To clarify your blog and Kass are the only local commentary I read (I used to read you in the Sun Times on Saturday and have listened to your show for years. I disagree on a few things which you pointed out but nobody is going to agree on all of the issues (Ron Paul comes closest and he is an outsider in Congress).

    http://www.house.gov/paul/

    I also agree regarding Naomi Watts - her views would fit in at CBS and is the most attractive candidate they could find.

    Keep your reminisces coming - I'm sure your kids / grandkids will enjoy them.

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  4. My response was submitted before my correction noting I read the Wall Street Journal and several national columnists but I think Kass and your reporting on local issues are the most accurate regarding this corrupt state / city.

    I also agree that Fran Spielman is a great investigative reporter and one of the few people working to uncover the decades old corruption at City Hall. If we had more journalists asking the hard questions day in and day out on the newscasts / papers we may finally get change but most reporters practice a live and let live attitude in regards to the political corruption in this town / state (until it is too late).

    I was disgusted at reading and hearing the pro Ryan commentary this week with articles defending or being sympathetic to Ryan which is repulsive. The public has it right (and several journalists) though many on the left supported him over Poshard, agreed with his massive spending as well as his flip flopping on the death penalty and his lack of principal on pro life and pro gun issues. The blanket pardon of every convicted murderer on death row sealed widespread acclaim on the left which many hold til this day.

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