One cancelled subscription, a few disparaging comments online, one rebuttal from a county commissioner (the wizard!) and zero phone calls or emails.
That’s the sum of negative responses to the editorial last week that started off with an absurdly distasteful comparison of convicted pedophile Jerry Sandusky to GOP presidential candidate Willard “Mitt” Romney and his 47 percent comment.
I suspect, but can’t prove, that most readers, even the ones who would have agreed with my overall message, couldn’t get too far past the first few sentences of last week’s submission.
For that, I apologize. Because the point was to get you to keep reading, even if you didn’t like the opening.
But, there was also another point that seemed to go over everybody’s head like a Goodyear blimp — the point was that the obscene and the absurd seem to abound in this election, and my Romney-Sandusky comment was merely my little contribution. (If the likes of Limbaugh and Beck and Hannity can spew their crazy nonsense, I have just as much right to spew mine!)
Nevertheless, tis the season of robo-calls and endless political commercials — deep voices telling us some inane thing or another followed by a quick “I am so and so and I approve this message.”
Then of course there are the polls. Polls, polls, and more polls. In some polls Romney is winning, in others he’s losing. Last week Obama was just squeaking by in some swing states, today he’s winning them by double digits.
Of course most polling results depend heavily on who’s doing the asking and who’s doing the answering and how is the question being written and how is it being asked. Confused? Well, if you go poll a bunch of people standing in line at the welfare office, you might get a lot of Obama supporters, at least that’s what Fox News says. Go do your polling at the coffee shop of a big Wall Street investment firm, and you might get an overabundance of Romney supporters.
Do a telephone poll and traditionally you miss the portion of the population who only have cell phones. Poll during the day and you miss people at work; poll at night and you miss people who work at night, etc.
Ugh. The reality is the only poll that matters is the nationwide one on Nov. 6. The rest of the polls are either the media making hay for the horses in its 24/7 horse race or some political constituency that wants you to believe something that probably is not true.
Most polling is absurd.
The really obscene polling is called push polling. That’s where they call you up and ask you loaded questions, such as “How likely would you be to vote for President Obama if you found out that he preferred White Russians after dinner to Apple Pie?”
Or, from the other side, “How likely would you be to vote for Gov. Romney if you were told the reason he doesn’t want to release the last decade of tax returns is because in 2009 he took advantage of the IRS amnesty deal for those hiding millions in Swiss bank accounts?”
The questions are meaningless drivel used to get you worked up for or against a candidate — they are used very effectively in the South for some reason.
Obscene? Maybe not Romney-Sandusky obscene, but a vulgar element of American politics nonetheless. Push polling is meant to do nothing more than to dupe the sheeple.
Then there’s the money. It always ends and begins with the money.
It’s absurd the level of fundraising that goes on in these elections. It grows every year, too. You have $50,000-a-plate dinners, $2,500 photos with the candidate and emails pouring in asking for just one more dollar to wage this “fight” or that “war.” Both parties do it and it does little to improve the health of our political system. In fact, in my opinion, it’s harmful.
What’s obscene is the level of influence being purchased by our beloved future oligarchs, the Sheldon Adelsons and the George Soroses. Adelson, our neighbor down the way, has already invested $70 million in an effort to defeat Obama in November. $70 MILLION!!! He says he may kick in another $30 million for good luck — he’s betting it all on red, hardy har. Soros is laying a million into Obama’s PAC, according to a story yesterday.
Millions or a million, both are obscene figures coming from individual donors. Those kinds of contributions make your $1,000 check that you were so proud to hand the Romney campaign seem like nothing. Actually, contributions like those water down the average fund raising participant’s efforts so much as to make them virtually meaningless. Who can compete? And who will have the most access should ole Willard get into office? Don’t bet on black.
That’s obscene, and does nothing to further the health of this political system.
This election is important. It’s important that you make an informed decision. There’s a lot of information to weigh. It’s too bad that there’s probably 100 times more messaging that’s absurd and/or obscene.
Good luck navigating it all.
Sheriff faces music?
Now, back to local topics, we hear the county sent Sheriff Tony DeMeo a summons to appear before them on Oct. 16 to answer some tough questions about why he’s consistently over his budget.
He has told some people he plans to fight any effort to punish his office, even hiring an attorney to defend him should it be necessary.
Enquiring minds discovered that the county could refer the whole thing to the Attorney General’s Office, which would be pretty unprecedented. We asked for a copy of the letter, no one would provide one.
So stay tuned, storm clouds are gathering on the horizon — another week, another thunderhead. Pahrumptastic!
A challenge to local candidates
Read our page one story today and know that your community desperately needs your help. Whatever office you are running for, make it your mission to provide top quality services in this community to people suffering from dementia and Alzheimer’s and the people who love and care for them. There is not more important issue and there is no better time to get out in front and act.
We beseech you. (And we rarely beseech anyone!)
Yes you have your right to spew your crazy nonsense but for most of us here in the Kingdom of Nye it won’t past muster.
We won’t buy it even for $.50 twice a week.
You are supporting a president that promised the most transparent administration ever. Defend that if you can.
His administration has done nothing to help the economy except prop up the banks and wall street, nothing for the middle class.
47% of the population does not pay income taxes, some even get a check to support all those kids they have that they can’t afford.
Then there are all the welfare people that can’t afford a cell phone so the government gives them one for free!
I don’t know about you and your editorial board but I smell socialism in obama’s words.
In fact he has said it, that he wants to redistribute the wealth. He said that back in 1998, to level the playing field so everyone has a chance.
Everyone is not a Steve Jobs or a Bill Gates, some of them are just going to labor and sweat thru our lives no matter how many breaks they get.
Some will excel and that is what capitalism is all about, an idea, a product and then a plan.
If obama is reelected we are done as a country. He has already bypassed the constitution numbers of times and congress just sits on their hands and does nothing.
I dare you to write an editorial that contains some truth.
I wanted to add this from your editorial.
‘The reality is the only poll that matters is the nationwide one on Nov. 6.’
True but consider the new black panthers wielding big sticks of hickory in front of polling places to intimidate white voters.
Yes this actually happened and the attorney general of our united states did NOTHING.
If these black thugs invade a polling place and scare off people from voting, is this something you support?
It happens, and the Liar in Chief continues to campaign since the day he was elected and it’s only gone from bad to worse.
Really? Seriously? “black panthers wielding big sticks of hickory in front of polling places to intimidate white voters.” You don’t believe folks in this town are stupid enough to believe this statement do you? They can’t follow you in to the polling place and know what button you press. They aren’t allowed by law within a certain # of feet surrounding the area. I can’t believe you would propagate such lies, or even believe that has an influence on how people secretly vote.
Kam, you must live under a rock or you were born yesterday.
I don’t live under a rock nor was I born yesterday. Neither do I get all my propaganda, eh, NEWS, from Fox or Limbaugh or the other nattering nabobs of negativity who spew their hate and openly despise the bad, black man in the White House. There are far too many who fail to recognize sarcasm when they see it nor can do they have the intellectual curiosity to investigate their “facts” for themselves, and that is too bad.
So George Soros pledged 1 million dollars. Wow. Well then, that completely negates the 400 MILLION the Koch brothers have pledged.
Also, I am sick and tired of hearing this lie that 47% doesn’t pay any taxes. Sure they don’t pay income taxes for the simple fact that they DON’T MAKE ENOUGH MONEY! Among that 47% are senior citizens, students and OUR MILITARY!
Approximately 48 billion is spent each year on social programs that people refer to as welfare. Almost double that (92 billion) is what we give away on CORPORATE welfare. Spare me the faux outrage.
@Robert, so this president and this congress is spending 48 BN for social programs and 98 BN for corporate welfare?
Who is the executive Now?
obama can’t blame Bush any more.
Come on Robert, obama is an amateur and he is in over his head.
Laslo, one does not have to ‘blame’ Bush/Chaney for what happened on their 8 year watch. Read a history book or two or three and find out the facts for yourself.
“FACTS” always seem to get the Liberal-Democrats (AKA: Obamacrats) all Wild-eyed and foaming at the mouth with insults, Name-calling and obscenities.
Lets start at the top.
Why is it OK to spend six months perusing every nickel Romney ever paid in taxes for his entire life; yet when the people demand to see a simple birth certificate or actual college transcripts for Ole Barak Hussein…..Out come the Wild accusations and absurdities.
When you see Romney “GAVE AWAY” $5Million in charity, but Borak and Biden combined barely gave enough in charity to buy a cup of coffee….Out come the mouth-foaming insults and name-calling.
It kinda gets back to the ole “47%” thing.
Who hasnt been told that half of all people are idiots before?
You really think the taxPAYING, society contributing, hard working and traditional Americans are the idiots? You’d be officially an idiot to believe that.
Our government spends our tax moneys and allocates funding according to their policies. Would you give a stranger YOUR money to spend as he/she sees fit, if he/she is not willing to put their own money into the kitty? You need some skin in the game for it to be real to you. Romney has no skin in the game, dodges the draft instead of going to fight for the rights of this country, etc. It’s just hard to vote for this guy. Wish the GOP had better talent (or ANY). If Ron Paul had won the rigged GOP debate and nomination, this would be a far, far different election.
Kam, obama smoked dope when he went to college.
I’ll let you tell me where he went to college and who paid the bill.
Genx
The average man or woman has to show 3 years of taxes just to buy a house. Yet Romney supporters have no problem with a man with tax shelters in the Caymans and in Switzerland not releasing his tax returns. Even though the man is running for the most important job in the world.
As far as the wild accusations go, it is the right wing who did that when they asked for his birth certificate in the first place. All in an effort to undermine and delegitimize his presidency. The fact is that birthers are racist morons.
Btw, you make a big thing out of Romney giving money to charity. First of all, the ONLY reason he does is so he can lower his taxes. Second, he gives the money to the Mormon cult, so it doesn’t really count anyhow.
Also, the right wings boogeyman George Soros gave over 300 million to charity.
The right wings hatred for Obama and the Democratic party has completely obliterated their ability to think.
These are the facts Genx. Deal with it.
@Robert,
I can set up an offshore family trust for you and you can put all your money, your house, cars, jewels, gold and silver there and it’s legal.
That what Romney did because it’s LEGAL.
Now I am not a Morman but I know many of them.
They help people who need help and the odd thing is they will help a person to get back on his/or her feet as long as they try.
Now the federal government will put people in the check of the month club and not care if they are in the sex, drugs and crime stuff. They will give them a Visa looking debit card so they won’t be shamed at the checkout counter.
On the other knee or hip I spent 7 1/2 years in the the NAVY and I have twice signed up for the VA for help about my 2 bone to bone knees and my bad hip.
I’ve been denied twice but these damn mexican illegals seem to get full coverage for anything they need.
I am angry and I would never vote for this musloid socialist president.
Your thoughts, if you have any.
CAN WE REALLY BLAME ONE MAN FOR OUR DYSFUNCTION AS A COUNTRY? NOT HARDLY. INSTEAD OF ARGUING WITH EACH OTHER WE OUGHT TO BE UNITING AND HOLDING OUR OFFICIALS ACCOUNTABLE AND LIKE RUNNING A BUSINESS WE FIRE THOSE DOING A BAD JOB BY NOT RE-ELECTING THEM. IF WE STARTED TODAY HOW LONG DO YOU THINK IT WOULD BE BEFORE POLITICIANS DID WHAT THE PEOPLE DEMANDED? DON’T FIGHT, UNITE. ACTION DETERMINES VALUE. WE OUGHT TO JUST CLEAN HOUSE, THAT WILL CHANGE THE BALANCE OF POWER AND GET THE ATTENTION OF WASHINGTON.
@Robert
Look at GM and the Volt.
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/seton-motley/2012/07/17/media-fail-chevy-volt-makes-gm-no-money-costs-taxpayers-hundreds-thous
Yea, obama saved GM but why?
He saved the union jobs and that is what his plan is, save the union jobs and screw the rest of us.
To the Editor: It is not your opinions that bother me; it is the language you use to express them. I’m so very tired of your endless flip clichés. You seem to believe that you are so very “hip” in your language, but truthfully your use of language demonstrates that you cannot write out a thought without using jargon, idiomatic expressions & other vulgar, cheap tricks to describe such common knowledge that it does not need to be reiterated, especially from the Editor! You see, the most important thing a newspaper has is CREDIBILITY. And that comes from good use of language, good logic, good sentence formation & most importantly honesty. Of course you can have an opinion, many people used to read the Editor’s opinion in order to use it as a type of barometer to measure with their own. But, your writing is so course, vile & vulgar, the readers take offence. Now for a little sugar: I’m pleased you apologized; I’m sure it was a hard pill to swallow, but you were enough of a noble individual to recognize some of your errors & try to make amends. Thank you … now re-write this edition “From the Editor” with good language & sentence structure.
The editor of this newspaper has strong opinions. If you read Wednesday’s edition, you will also see his writing wins awards, both for him and for the paper. He apologizes for offending you…not for being offensive.Sometimes that’s what it takes to get others to pay attention. Thank you very much for the barometer comment. He is very in touch with what is happening around him.
PVT
@Robert
It is perfectly legal for Romney to have his money in an off shore corporation.
Congress approved that law, just like a small businesses being an S-Corp.
Look it up fool.
If you vote for obama our country is done for.
When Obama wins, I hope you go back to your native country. We need positive, hard-working people who believe in the USA and are willing to fight during our hard times. Don’t like it–GO HOME (or find a different one).
and Kam, one needs to understand the root problem before one can fix America.
1…Free Cell-Phone service to the poor seems to be at it’s root not only another ridiculously absurd socialist entitlement program, but also another glaring example of crony-capitalism through which billions of dollars are being transferred from the wallets and purses of the American taxpayer and worker into the coffers of corporations who have successfully lobbied our corrupt politicians for this bottom to top wealth-redistribution scam.
Over the last four years it has become easier, and easier to tell the difference between a liberal and a conservative. Conservatives sign their checks on the front, liberals sign them on the back.
I worked hard for my social security retirement check… just an FYI. (Generalizing always gets ya in trouble with some group, huh?)
So liberals sign their paycheck and conservatives write the paycheck?
Is that what you are trying to say
That looks like more conservative businesses are making some money.
Why is that are the liberals waiting for a handout from obama or are these conservative businesses developing a business plan?
I laugh at the post office’s business plan. If I have to mail something and there are 3 people in front of me I know it’s going to be 15 minutes. So slow, the postal worker asks the question and then the stamp, stamp, stamp. If I want to send a package, I go to Wallys Mail store, I don’t have time to spend at the post office as it’s an inefficient
business plan. It probably worked well when Ben Franklin proposed it, but not now.
The defense rests and I digress.
On the other PAW Bin Laden sleeps with the fishes on obamas watch.
It must have been tough for him (obama) to watch SEAL TEAM 6 take out a musloid as he is one of them.
@pvt what’s this awaiting moderation stuff.
I guess there is no free speech allowed here.
Thank you for the much needed articles on age-old senility. These diseases have already started emptying our federal and state coffers and will eventually result again in massive ‘farms for the aged’* – for those not fortunate enough to have loved ones caring for them…..
* “Poor farms were county or town-run residences where paupers (mainly elderly and disabled people) were supported at public expense. They were common in the United States beginning in the middle of the 19th century and declined in use after the Social Security Act took effect in 1935 with most disappearing completely by about 1950.” (wiki @ “poorhouse”)
you do not have the right to ” spew ” your nonsense when you are comparing a person to a child molester, a sexual predetor!!!!
what you did was beyond bad taste and you should be ashamed of yourself!!!
you choose to “spew” your views and opinions in this paper constantly and that is your right but when you choose to compare a man to the lowest scum of humanity you have gone to far!!!
but then again what would you know about good taste or restraint?
and for the record i am not a romney fan nor am i an obama supporter…..
Obama demonizes Romney for 14% rate that he pays and not releasing 6 year of tax returns, but has no problem with allowing 12 million illegals pay 0% tas rate. He would also use tax money to give billions in aid to our enemies, apologize for America’s gratness, bow to foreign muslim kings, throw Israel under the bus, write chain letters to fallen servicemens parents, demonize religion and gun owners, take contol of healthcare, save union autoworkes while throwing non umion workers under the bus, use his EPA to set daconian regultions on the coal industy, lie to us about terrorist attacks, take credit for bin Laden raid, etc etc etc, I could go on and on but fingers get tired
ANother day another rant…lts see Solyndra, Cash for clunkers, placed an educaion Czar in charge of schools who was a sex fiend, fast and furious, black panther voting intimidation, 14 trillion in debt, friend of Bill Ayers, millions of dollars to Kenya to prop up their constitution as long as abortion became legal,