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Responses for ~ Susan Haley's |
Susan,
Change - what about repent! I have to agree with your observation of 'over-analysis.'
After all, the media is now owned by motor makers, soda pop companies, and
software programmers, what do they know about journalism. The political race
to me has always been and dog and pony show. It embarrasses me to think what
other countries must think of the leaders of the free world when we parade
out our best game show hosts and tout them as potential Presidential candidates
- oh the shame.
It truly is shameful to talk elaborate economic policies and strategies,
when the leading banks and financial institutes are so lazy they don't watch
for fraud in dealing with bottom feeders in the industry. The idea of giving
loans to people you know can't pay them off, and then passing that bad deal
off to large investment firms to infect the rest of us with finance flu is
not only unethical, but should be punishable, not by a fine, but the good
ol' fashion way - riding them out of town on a rail.
Who was the wizard that decided that giving out a loan at 4% to jump to 11%
and no down payment was anything but a misleading adventure? The Americans
that took advantage of that lived on nearly free money. The smart ones didn't
have a credit rating in the first place, so rightfully walked when the mortgage
payment hit the fan (from a 4500 sq ft million dollar home!). They are the
same ones that rent and only pay the first month to get in and then sit on
their payments until the sheriff is called, and then move somewhere else
and change their name. They even do that in La Jolla. This loan thing was a
guaranteed anchor in the pants from the get-go and the big banks should have
their licenses revoked for being so stupid. Now the whole world, who bought
those premium grade securities that went flat, hates us. But, then again they
hate us many other valid reasons as well.
If I thought just picking the candidate from the lineup would solve all of
our problems, I would take it all more seriously, but "change" should be
tempered by "change for the better" and I don't see the lobbyist giving up
their power positions for another wannabe President.
Your faithful kennel cleaner,
John Wolf
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Points so well taken, Susan! One big change needed is a six-month election "cycle" - more than enough time to campaign, even then. Would certainly cut down on the media circus. Perhaps one unexpected benefit to the writers' strike is that younger people are tuning in to the political campaigns because TV shows are so much worse than usual. I'm not sure what we're teaching young 'uns about politics as a viable career, but at least they're involved for a change. No pun intended there!
Next to wade through some of the political literature, but mostly the Legislative
Analyst's reports from Sacramento, so I can take a better stab at voting on Feb
5. A needed fog of cold medications should help with this process tomorrow, as
I prop myself up. (Thanks to a Typhoid Mary somewhere in our office.) Seriously,
the Analyst's report seems one of the best ways to make sense of current confusing
issues, when neither side is telling all of the truth about Propositions. On
the Presidential candidates, each of us is on our own for decision-making!
Wishing "environmentally friendly" could be made less expensive fast.
Shirley
Email_address: shirley.parker@pacbell.net
Sender's_name: Shirley Parker
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Dear Susan,
My husband and I watched a half hour of Chris Matthews this morning as he interviewed a panel of experts on the Hillary/Obama contest - Who has the edge on the Latino vote, the female vote, the black vote, the vote of the youth of American . . . and why. Most of the whys focused on which celebrity or public figure was supporting each of these candidate as the camera targeted in on each beaming supporter. Bold red letters flashing the latest polling percentages were plastered across the screen. Has the media forgotten that we have important issues at stake here? What about our war in Iraq, the mortgage fiasco, our battered health care system, the plight of our environment? We look to the media to guide our thinking, open our eyes, hearts and minds. You are so right. We need change here in America - desperately and quickly. The media has a golden opportunity to help further the issues, rather than lead us down the garden path of fluff and sound bites. It will take individual sacrifice, but we are a resilient people. If awakened, inspired to shift our course, and given a model for change, we can succeed. Wake up, media, and help lead the parade.
Lois w. Stern
Author of SEX, LIES AND COSMETIC SYRGERY
Email_address: cosmeticsurgery@optonline.net
Sender's_name: Lois W. Stern