Nobody 758

Sunday, March 1, 2009
Nobody # 758

Nobody Asked Me But:

Help me out here. I don’t know why it is that every time we have company, whether it be for 5 minutes or 5 days, my wife demands a spotless house – even places that our guest will probably not check out – like the top of the refrigerator or under the washing machine. But at least I now know the origin of the saying:

“Mine not to reason why.
Mine but to clean or die.”<<<

ESPN has a great idea. Each geographical sports center should have a Mt. Rushmore of sports heroes. (Not literally of course.) For California they would select John Wooden, Tiger Woods, Magic Johnson and Jackie Robinson. While these choices are good, and as much as I admire Magic, I would probably substitute Lew Alcindor, aka Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who reached great heights (pun necessary) both in college (UCLA) and as an NBA giant (again, necessary) with the Lakers. I would also move Tiger to my sports national Rushmore rather than a local one and replace him here with Sandy Koufax.

Jerry Crowe, in his LA Times column correctly suggests that Northern California should have its own Rushmore honoring Willie Mays, Joe Montana, Bill Russell and Bill Walsh. Again, I would make one change. The “Say Hey kid,” Mays, belongs in New York. My first thought was to substitute San Francisco’s own Joe DiMaggio, but he should be up there with Willie in NY. So I would substitute Jim Plunkett who, like Kareem, was both a college player (Stanford) and pro (Raiders – if they are still considered pro) in the area.

Isn’t this fun? Any substitutes? I am already thinking of two more areas for next week.<<<

PRESIDENT OBAMA’S SPEECH

I thought it was excellent – a profile in daring. Most presidents lack the courage to suggest that the United States could and must take up the huge challenges of climate, energy, health care and educational reform at the same time we struggle to repair our badly broken economy.

However, I have to agree with David Brooks that the President should follow through with specific plans rather than giving Congress full reign to write in the details.

Republican reaction – (Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal) “America must return to a policy of fiscal responsibility.”

Give me a break. To make that statement without being totally hypocritical, Republicans would have to choose Bill Clinton rather than Ronald Reagan as their hero and shining light. The Clinton years of balanced budgets were sandwiched between huge Reagan and Bush deficits.

And if you are thinking that I am alone in my negative reaction to Jindal, David Brooks called the Louisiana Republican's remarks the “worst response to a speech ever.”<<<

And can’t the Reagan/Bush economic philosophy be summarized in five words: Pay low and buy high?<<<

News item: Many Republicans are criticizing the high-speed train between Anaheim and Las Vegas – calling it the “sin express.”

Reaction: All those without a Vegas trip in their past, let them cast the first stone.<<<

CHOOSING SIDES

Let’s see now:

President Obama says that we need to leave 35,000 to 50,000 residual troops in Iraq after the withdrawal.

Speaker Nancy says that’s too many.

Tough choice? Not really. I’ll take………………Obama.<<<

After the latest California budget fiasco, many people are calling for a constitutional convention. Today and next Sunday I am listing the most frequent suggestions for change in the state’s constitution with my reactions/comments on each.

End the two-thirds majority requirement to pass the state budget or approve new taxes. Agree. The current set-up allows a minority of one-third plus one to hold the state hostage. If there was only one change, this should be it.

Abolish the initiative process. Agree. Once useful to curb political corruption, the initiative has become the tool of narrow interest groups who use it to prey on naive voters.

Ask California voters every 10 years whether to authorize a constitutional convention to review the state’s governing document. Disagree. I think the idea is good, but 10 years is too often. I would say every 20 would do just fine.

End or extend term limits for legislators. Agree - to end, not extend. This is another one of the reforms to protect voters from themselves that didn’t work. Term limits result in amateur lawmakers who don’t know what they are doing and who spend too much of their time listening to staff and lobbyists and scouting for their next position.

Reduce the size of electoral districts so lawmakers represent fewer constituents. Disagree. I want the legislature to remain small enough to allow focus and responsibility.

Merge the Assembly and the Senate into one 120-member body. Agree. With the stipulation that there would be a special single-item constitutional convention in 10 years to evaluate it and either ratify its continuation or revert back to a bicameral system.

Dump the winner-take-all system in favor of a parliamentary or coalition system. Disagree. Coalition equals confusion and lack of responsibility. And a parliamentary system destroys the separation of powers concept.

Scrap the two-party system. Disagree. You cannot hide basic differences in philosophy by lumping them into one party.<<<

“I think the stimulus money is wrong and wasteful, and we here in Alaska want our fair share.” Governor Sarah Palin<<<

WHITE COLLAR CRIME

I am sure you read this week that Northern Trust of Chicago, which got $1.5 billion in bailout money and then laid off 450 workers, flew hundreds of clients and employees to Los Angeles last week and treated them to four days of luxury at the PGA golf tournament which they sponsored. Can you believe the arrogance of these guys? Maureen Dowd is right when she says:

“The bailed-out rich are different from you and me: their appetites are unquenchable and their culture is uneducable.”<<<

And did you read about the new topless coffee bar in Vassalboro, Maine? I understand that the baristas rather than saying “would you like me to top it off,” say “would you like my top off?”<<<

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELIZABETH! (Yesterday, since there is no Feb. 29 this year.)