Jack Benny, Mitch McConnell and Benedict XVI

What do the late Jack Benny, the famous comedian of many years ago, and Mitch McConnell, the current Senate Minority Leader, have in common? Several things. First, I can't remember seeing either one smile. For Benny, being deadpan was part of his act. With McConnell, only a serious mein is appropriate for high minded considerations of the fate of the nation, indeed, the survival of western civilization. Second, both these gentlemen are hilarious: Benny squeezing a nickel, or misplaying the violin and McConnell excoriating Democrats while indulging in legislative ledgerdemain worthy of Niccolo Machiavelli and all the time expressing shock, shock at budget red ink. (Didn't he lend a strong hand to George W. Bush as he turned a federal budget surplus into a national debacle in only 8 years and 2 unfunded wars?)
Which brings me to the Pope. If you have been repulsed by the bickering and horse trading in Washington of late, how about Pope Benedict's amazing gesture recently to the disgruntled priests of the Church of England? When it comes to real politique on a grand scale, leave it to the Holy Catholic Church, for which, please believe me, I have only the greatest respect. Without benefit of caucases or cloture, the Pope discerned an opportunity to reverse Henry VIII's rebellion of almost 500 years ago that established the Church of England by inviting disgruntled Anglican priests, even married ones, back into the Roman Catholic fold!! He did it with a mere wave of his hand. That's epic daring and a switch that would make even Joe Lieberman blush. It does make one think also about efficiency in government.

The News Isn't What It Used To Be

Once upon a time, not too many years ago, the evening news was delivered to eager Americans by distinguished journalists who were American icons. They were pros like Ed Murrow, Walter Cronkite, Chet Huntley, David Brinkley, Tom Brokaw and several more, who took their responsibilites seriously and were widely respected, even loved, for it. Many families gathered around radios and TVs to hear them every night because they could be trusted.

Today, the news is very different. I follow it because I want to be informed, but it is simply endless, for one thing, and it is often just filler material, written to keep people busy until something big comes along like "How many girl friends does Tiger Woods really have?" So we're flooded with non-issues about Mrs Obama's garden or Levi 's standing with the Palins. Our news "greats" of the past didn't bother with the trashy stuff and they didn't think setting up straw men issues was journalism. Nor did they dump 17 polls on us every day with all their variations and slants rendering them immaterial. When I hear talking heads ruminating about whether or not there will be a health care reform bill, I know they are just trying to fan public interest because they know for certain, as do I, that there will indeed be a bill. Keeping you on the edge of your seat might keep you tuned in and that's good for business.

The "greats" have been replaced by scores of anchor men and women, news analysts, retired military officers, former politicians and almost anyone who can make the show attractive and breezy. The stuff they spout is mostly banter and blather. And then there are the armies of bloggers (like me), choking the internet with stuff that varies greatly in quality from occasional inspired revelation to absolute baloney, often laced with acid. These people don't warrant being called reporters, of course, because many are just disgruntled people, male and female, young and old, with a drum to beat (like me again) or entertainers and shock jocks, out to scratch your favorite gripes and making huge money in the process. Just ask Rush Limbaugh, the de facto head of the Republican party, or Glen Beck saying whatever it takes to sell gold and his books. The latter would be beneath comment if they weren't so dangerous.and divisive. Regrettably, for every Brian Williams or Jim Lehrer today there are one or two of these in almost every city with a radio or TV station in America! That's bad news.

There's a bigger story here, but I'm not sure yet what it is or where it's going. Many of the people we used to rely on to report the news of the day with dignity and respect for their profession are now trying to make news themselves! Are they trying to influence policy or just lay the ground work for a book or a run for office? Either way, out of greed they are diluting the real news and creating an unhealthy credibility situation that I don't think can last long. If it does jornalism will suffer and so will life in America. Even so, this country is so vibrant and great I am totally confident new factors will rise up to inform and enrich our lives, offsetting every loss.

What's Going On in America?


Jimmy Carter is right about opposition to Pres. Obama being racially motivated, but wrong about the "overwhelming" size of that motivation. Anyone who witnessed the total humiliation of African Americans in our country before World War II, and for many years after, knows that there may still be millions of people who don't think a Black should be in the White House. Some of them, led by Sen. DeMint, no doubt, would like to see the president fail, even if such failure were detrimental or even calamitious to the nation. The KKK is still alive.

But there is more to Obama Resentment than racism. It is a kind of reverse Entitlement, which is in turn a form of bad sportsmanship to the nth degree. This is the entitlement of Republican elites, people I have known forever. I wasn't 20 when I learned first hand that captains of industry don't like to lose: one walked off a country club tennis court too angry to shake hands or say a word after I had beaten him in a hard match, even though I was a member of the same club. People that arrive by helicopter for their matches don't care what other people think. Indeed, some of those others may have come now to secretly admire such intense competitiveness. If an RE does it , it can't be wrong. These REs were born to great privilege. Educated at the best prep schools and Ivy League colleges (I went to one), they were told they were special from day one and that they were born to lead. They believe themselves to be the finest patriots, the best money managers, the toughest diplomats and the undeniable, natural heirs to power. So why wouldn't they be furious at this upstart Black who doesn't know his place and worse wants to be a transformational figure? Imagine it! He even wants to rein in Wall St and there is nothing more sacred to REs than that system of "wealth without work" that nearly destroyed the world's financial system and cost the people of this country trillions of dollars. (As a former Wall Streeter I know at least a little of what I speak.) Only a few years ago, led by that Supreme Elitist, George W. Bush, these elites were looking forward confidently to a PERMANENT MAJORITY IN CONGRESS! They had come to believe their own blarney. One might expect such people to be slightly above the fray, but I can see little noblesse oblige in their ranks today as they cunningly spread the canard that Mr. Obama is really ineligible by birth to be president. I will concede that men like Mitch McConnell and John Boehner are terrific politicians, made in the image of their heroes, Lee Atwater and Karl Rove, but they simply aren't statesmen. And right now the roles they are playing are nauseating. Do anything to win: deceive, distort, destroy and above all scare, Would that Jimmy Carter were right, but this is no vestige of racism. It's much sicker.