MORT’s Meanderings

Freedom of the Press:

Freedom to do what?

Who, other than an absolute dictator could or would deny ‘Freedom of the Press’?

For the first century and a half of America’s history, the ‘Press’ meant newspapers and periodicals. Publishers and editors could pretty much print anything they wanted to print and the readers presumed that what they were reading was factual. To be sure, there were papers that reflected the political bias of their publishers; that was a given. But, there were also, highly-reputable sources of information available to the public - The New York Times –“All the news that’s fit to print”. Later, in the 1940s, we got our news, opinions and features from TIME, the weekly news magazine. And, LIFE magazine, the large format weekly publication with lots of fabulous black & white photographs.

However even before that, back in the 1920s, radio began to broadcast news and information. Radios were relatively inexpensive and most homes with electricity had a radio in the ‘Living Room’. When the Great Depression bought this nation to its knees, the radio became the best source of up-to-the-minute news. People listened with their ears snuggled right up next to the radio’s ‘speaker’ to hear President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s ‘Fireside Chats’. We learned about the WWII in Europe and in the Pacific during nightly broadcasts of ‘Philco Radio News’, Walter Winchell’s programs and short-wave broadcasts by Edward R. Murrow, ‘direct from London’, during the Blitz.

Following the end of the war in the mid-1940s and early 1950s, a truly phenomenal new kind of news machine arrived on the scene – television – the ‘TV’. First in black & white but soon to follow, news, news and more news – in living color. The awful reality of the fighting and killing in the so-called Korean ‘Police’ action and then, the terribly graphic footage (in living color) of the carnage happening in the jungles of Viet Nam, was brought right into our living rooms, onto our TV screens. News and more news, whether fit to print or not.

Newspaper chains and broadcast networks maintained Foreign Offices and News Desks in every major region around the globe; reports were sent by dispatch, by telephone and by wireless, all day, every day of the year. News media (which now meant papers, periodicals, radio & TV) clambered over themselves to ‘scoop’ each other with breaking news of people and events of interest to the public. Anything that might be of interest to their readers, listeners and viewers was what the media gave their maximum effort to set before their audiences. Only the limits of time and space required news editors to pick and choose which stories were positioned ‘above the fold’ on the front page of a newspaper or led the broadcast of ‘up-to-the-minute’ news on radio and TV. Generally speaking, the only news that was omitted by the media

was due to those limits of time or space. Of course, public officials who were caught with their hands in the till would try to have such news suppressed - to the extent they had the clout to do so. But, sooner or later, nearly every story that was legitimately newsworthy and had ‘legs’’ found its way onto the pages of the press or onto the airwaves.

Fast forward to today, here in the USA. Now, we are in the age of the “24/7 electronic news cycle”. The introduction and rapid spread of ‘bloggers’ and their ‘blogsites’ on the ‘internet’ has brought yet, another stunning phenomenon that is affecting news and information, reaching into every formerly-dark corner of the globe.

Whereas once-upon-a-time, legitimate reporters checked and double-checked their facts before committing them to the printed page or broadcast, that is no longer the case. The blogosphere has spread like wildfire and there are no controls on what anyone with access to a keyboard and computer on-line, can put out for all the world to read about – or see and hear on ‘YouTube’. Fact, opinion, assessment and conjecture are all up for grabs. What seems too stupid for words might actually be hard news. What appears to be genuine and reasonable, might actually be a total figment of some blogger’s imagination. There is absolutely no way to tell – that is, until the world rotates a few revolutions and we see whether a developing story can be verified - or, it simply disappears into the ether. If we open our eyes and ears, we are able to see plenty of evidence every day, of both kinds of occurrences.

The latest and most disturbing phenomenon, is now being visited upon us by our old friends, the so-called mainstream media in America. The long-established, once respected ‘Fourth Estate’ is today, found guilty-as-charged of blatantly managing the news by the selection or omission of stories, based strictly upon political considerations. This unethical and extremely ugly trend is being demonstrated every hour of every day in venues such as the New York Times and the Tribune Group of newspapers across the country. Broadcasts from the liberal media i.e., NBC, ABC, CNN now routinely ignore any story that reflects poorly on this President and/or his administration. They simply don’t cover opposition, unless they can target specific Republican ‘opponents’. For so-called News organizations to behave in this manner, is unconscionable. It is highly unethical and it violates every traditionally accepted standard of reportage.

But, most appalling and quite disturbing is that answers to questions from reporters in the White House Press Gallery concerning news from and about this President and his Administration, are being cavalierly spun out of all semblance of reality. This, from the very seat of this Administration - the White House itself – during Press Briefings conducted by the President’s own spokesman. Fabrications beyond belief, outright deceptive and untrue statements – obtusely wandering, convoluted explanations that make no sense and leave one stunned in wonderment – all being haltingly uttered by an incredibly inept spokesman for Barack Hussein Obama.

The only truth that can be taken from these Press Conferences that ought to shine as the Gold Standard of official communications, is that those issues that either go unaddressed or those questions that are answered with fabrications masqueraded as facts, blaspheme the concept set forth in The Constitution of the United States regarding the ‘Freedom of the Press’.

I repeat: Freedom to do what?

Conservative Commentary by MORT KUFF

Let's Bring Everyone down to Mediocrity!

Now that the presidential campaign season seems to be in full swing, you can generally see where the darts and arrows are going to be thrown by the two candidates campaigns.

President Obama and the Democrats seem to have settled on the attack to be directed at our free enterprise system and Mitt Romney, who, it has been pointed out by the Democrats, has been extremely successful in our free enterprise system. They are painting him as someone who made a lot of money, and implied that he made his millions on the backs of the poor and middle-class people which the Democrats falsely are touting as being, “our people”.

I'm sure many of us would like to be as well off financially as Mitt Romney, but as fate would have it, I didn't, and many of my friends didn't succeed to the extent that he succeeded. Should I decry his success or should I wish him well, along with all the other successful people who have made a lot of money? I had the chance, as did everyone else, but my choices in life didn't lead to wealth and riches. Looking back at my “middle-class” life, I'm pretty happy with what I did in my life. I don't begrudge others for becoming wealthier than I.

But, that's not how the liberals (a/k/a/ most Democrats) seem to look at it. They want to punish and demonize successful people by over taxing them and then giving that money to the less fortunate people who were not as financially successful. That is the gist of the time honored playbook of the father of Socialism/Communism, Karl Marx. It looks like they want everyone to be “mediocre” instead of urging them to achieve what we all have the opportunity to achieve if we apply ourselves and take a risk.

You don't have to be wealthy to be happy, happiness is a state of mind not how many dollars you have in your wallet. I grant you that there is one thing that money can't buy, and that is poverty.

Mitt Romney's political opponents are using his wealth to try to demonize him in the minds of the voters. They claim that his success wasn't made legitimately, that it was made by taking advantage of others, which then made him a rich man. His success in his business career was heading up a company called Bain Capital. This was an equity firm that took troubled companies, some on the verge of bankruptcy, and turning them around by infusing money (capital) and management expertise into these companies in hopes they could turn them around to become successful profit making companies. From what I've read, approx. 80% of the companies they invested in survived and prospered, and 20% failed. To me, that is a pretty good batting average (just ask A-Rod and Albert Pujols if they'd be satisfied with a batting average like that?). Obama and the Democrats, as part of their demagoguery strategy, are cherry-picking and exploiting the companies that failed instead of championing all the companies that Romney helped turn from failure to success. Overall, the number of people who lost their jobs in the failed companies was just a small percentage compared to the many jobs that were saved and created by the infusion of capital and the management expertise of Bain Capital.

Romney and Bain's reward was earning a substantial profit for the company and its investors. Imagine if he listened to to the “doom and gloom” Democrats who seem to honor people who are just “mediocre” - our country would not have attained the No. 1 position in the world, economically.

Let's celebrate Romney's success in life rather than trying to tear him down. We need more people of excellence like Romney, instead of “mediocre” envious people like that which is being portrayed by our present President, Barrack Hussein Obama. The contrast is quite apparent, you can choose a successful entrepreneur or a Community Organizer from the corrupt City of Chicago. To me, that's an easy choice. Romney on Nov. 6, 2012.

Conservative commentary by Chuck Lehmann

MORT’s Meanderings

Lois Frankelstein:

the ultimate OBAMA Momma

She is so far ‘left’ that she could never, ever be ‘right’ for Florida’s District 22. She never saw a tax she didn’t like nor, has she ever used the snap-closure on the purse that contains taxpayer’s dollars. When it comes to spending other people’s money, this OBAMA Momma takes a back seat to nobody. And, woe unto anyone who tries to curb her penchant for a non-stop shopping spree; this time, with District 22 taxpayer bucks. And of course, all in the name of, ‘the public good’.

Ask your friends in West Palm Beach about the Frankel years – and get ready for an earful. Check into her record as Mayor. This is one heavy-handed political hack who cares only for her career and for the control over public funds that are a big part of the responsibility of elected Representatives. While it is true that as a Congresswoman, Princess Lois wouldn’t have direct access to stashes of CA$H as she did when she was ‘doing’ the Office of Mayor of West Palm Beach – she would nevertheless, be in a position to horse-trade huge chunks of ‘pork’ with other like-minded Democrats in the House of Representatives. And, that kind of ‘pork-trading’ ain’t strictly Kosher.

Morals, ethics, principles – these are concepts that never got in the way of Princess Frankelstein doing the public’s business, her way. Despite office walls full of framed testimonials to her prowess as a civic diva of grandiose proportions, it would be difficult to point to a laudable highlight of non-partisanship that wrapped her in a mantle of high principle.

With all due respect, this is not to deny her role as a doting Mother and beloved family member. No doubt, she can point with pride to her association with some ‘good works’ in the WPBeach community. And, as a warm and loving ‘Bubby’, she has earned the affection of her family and friends and the loyalty of her Liberal following of blue-dog Democrats. Granted.

So, now that the mandatory niceties are out of the way, here comes the admonition to the voters in Florida’s District 22: Be Warned! Watch out for one of the more nasty, civility-be-damned campaigns about to be launched by this tiny Titan of trash-talk. Put on your flak vest, Adam Hasner – the drek is about to hit the fan. Better that ‘Bubby- Princess Frankelstein’ should stay at home but, the temptation to take another fling at the bling is mighty strong. And, old habits are hard to break.

OBAMA Momma is on the loose and District 22 – she’s headed your way.

Conservative commentary by MORT KUFF

The Power of Prayer

Witnessing the performance of our President the past three and a half years has deterred me from being a fan of his. I thought I'd never hear myself say this, but pray for him! For the sake of the nation.

The politically naive and unsuspecting were duped into turning the tide and voting for him, because he said he had the cure-all for an ailing country, and they believed him. It was a curable condition that in his hands, has turned into a near life support situation.

Being president is one of the hardest jobs in the world, requiring his full attention, but his campaign fund raising and social calendar is so full, it's a distraction, causing him to screw up, because he never had the expertise to handle the job, or the skill of multi-tasking.

There are six more months remaining in his term and he can cause a lot more damage in the interim. Pray to God to give him the strength to overcome his weaknesses and turn the error of his ways around and work for the American people, instead of his narcissistic vanity and socialist agenda that is detrimental to the economy, world perception and our overall well being.

Also, do pray for the First Lady that she may conquer her racism and be proud to be an American, regardless of who will be leading our country in 2013, even if it be a white Christian.

No matter what you feel about the President and his administration, please pray hard, because it is for the survival of the America we once knew.

Conservative commentary by George Giftos

Should the Dead, Illegal’s, or Felons be Able to Vote?

The federal government, under the auspices of our inscrutable Attorney General, Eric Holder, is in a hissy-fit over the fact that the State of Florida is trying to “purge” its voter rolls of dead people, convicted felons, and illegal aliens (a/k/a as illegal Democrats). Can you believe that?

Under some weird logic, that only a loony liberal can fathom, that by purging the voting rolls, the State of Florida is performing a case of deliberate voter suppression. I guess they feel that all those “illegal voters” will generally vote Democratic, therefore, the Democrats will be losing voters. Are they that hard up for voters in Nov. 2012? By making sure that only legally registered voters can vote, wouldn’t that be a good thing for both Democrats and Republicans? Don’t they consider a legal vote as being sacrosanct in making sure our elections are won or lost by the amount of legal votes cast?

The canard that not having an I.D. card will suppress the vote is ridiculous. In Florida, the cost of getting a voter I.D. card (which also can be used for other forms of I.D. identification) is $25 (the cost of processing) along with proper I.D. such as a social security card and being able to provide two items proving your Florida residential address (ex: a phone bill or electric bill). Since most “poor” people have a car or have access to a car, a driver’s license will suffice as a voter I.D., only those people who do not have a drivers license, will have to procure a voter I.D. to vote.

Is it an inconvenience? Yes, in a way, but since many “poor” people collect welfare or social security (or SSI) benefits and having to go to those offices to sign up or check-in, couldn’t they just as easily go to a driver’s license office to apply for and get an I.D. card?

The amount of illegal voting has increased over the past decade or so, as people representing ACORN and other similar devious groups (mostly aligned with the Democrats) have been prosecuted for voting fraud in many areas of the country. Some recent elections in Minnesota, Washington State, and Missouri, have been disputed because of some hanky-panky by certain groups and election officials. Of course, ground zero for voter fraud is the hometown of our President, Chicago, which has a reputation as being the “poster child” for voter fraud (ex: the JFK - Nixon election of 1960). The joke is that in Chicago they have set up polling booths in cemeteries to handle all the dead people voting.

Other states have also been sued by the Obama Justice Dep’t. In fact, So Carolina, even offered to supply a state citizen a “free” voter I.D. card and still that wasn’t enough for Eric Holder and the Obama administration. They still are being sued.

Once our citizens lose confidence in our election voting process because of voter fraud, we will become like a third-world country, reminiscent of the former Soviet Union, Cuba and Venezuela to name just a few of the oppressive countries who are known for suppressing the vote.

We cannot idly sit by and watch the stuffing of ballot boxes or the double voting by some “snowbirds” who own residences in both Florida and up north. Even one illegal vote is one too much.

I want every legal resident who wants to vote (regardless of party affiliation) to be able to vote, but I don’t want to have a ineligible person dilute my vote by voting illegally.

Who could be against that? Is that a stupid question?

Conservative commentary by Chuck Lehmann

#COTRS