And Speaking Of Stupid! Let’s Talk About The Democrats!

OK, so clearly I’m a bit cranky today. 

Stupid seems to be on my mind, having just pointed out Ohio Republican John Boehner’s ignorance, I feel compelled to highlight the shortcomings of his opponents in Congress.

Maybe the reason I’m cranky is that I spent some time earlier today reading reaction to this week’s election results.  Some pundits and a number of (stupid) Democrats have made the case that Democrats should run for the hills.

The theory goes that two Republican wins in Governor’s races in Virginia and New Jersey show that the public is unsure about President Obama’s agenda.  Of course, it shows nothing of the kind.

First off, why the focus on these two races.? Didn’t any of them read about the race for the Rep seat for New York’s 23rd District?  In can you didn’t, in that one, a super conservative forced out the Republican’s nominee only to be trounced by off all things the Democrat in the race.  And this was in a very conservative district!  So essentially in a lay up situation, the GOP clanged it off the rim.  So, why no stories about the end of conservatives?

Getting back to the governor’s races, it’s fair to ask if Obama can take any hint from the results.  There’s a saying that all politics are local and some pundits and Democrats are saying that people were voting on local issues  in VA and NJ and not on the President’s agenda. 

I know people in NJ.  Many.  And I can tell you that Corzine could have been a Republican or Independent and still lost.  NJ simply didn’t like John Corzine.  Whether bad timing or simply bad performance, Garden Staters simply didn’t see many accomplishments.  People in NJ voted against a sitting governor who could not lower the nation’s HIGHEST property taxes and who’s party has a fantastic track record of corruption.  Many of the people I know in NJ voted against Corzine and still support the President. 

As for Virginia, from everything I’ve read the Democrat there simply ran an awful race while his Republican opponent ran a smart race focused on the issues people care most about.  But, bottom line is that despite Democrat’s significant gains there, is it really a surprise when Virginia goes to the GOP??

So back to stupid Democrats…  I read earlier today that this week’s election losses suggested a change in tactics.  They felt they should perhaps not be so on board the Obama bandwagon. 

Nothing could be stupider.

Hear me now, Democrats.  The people voted you in for change.  And that’s what you need to deliver.  The answer is not backing down, but standing up for what you believe in and delivering on the promises you made to your constituents.

I belive John Warner made a very fair point that the climate change bill (as well-intentioned as it may be) might not be the very best use of Congresses’ time when people are struggling to keep their houses, jobs and lives.

So, if Democrats must change tactics, then follow that line of thinking.  Make changes, but make them about what matters most to Americans right now, pocketbook issues.  Work to create jobs and opportunities.

I believe healthcare reform is a big part of that.  It’s time  for Democrats to be bold, get it passed on move on to tackling other big issues that will affect the quality of all our lives.

Better to have an imperfect victory or two to bring to voters in 2010’s midterm elections than the same old same old.

Congressman Thinks Healthcare Is More Dangerous To US Than Communism Or Hitler!!

Question:  Are healthcare protesters just stupid?

Answer:  Maybe. 

 But,one of their leaders is clearly ignorant of history.

Seriously, on the day that the President announces that both AARP which looks after the interests of our seniors and the AMA, which looks out for doctors, are both supporting the healthcare reform bill currently set for a vote in the House of Reps, they decide to protest.  But not only protest, which is their right, but to protest stupidly.  That, is their right too, but it’s also an incredible waste of our time.

House Republican leader John Boehner was quoted as saying “this bill is the greatest threat to freedom that I have seen”.

Hmmmmm….  So giving greater access to healthcare to millions of people is a threat to freedom?  Not letting insurance companies drop you just cause you got sick and inconvenience their bottom line is a threat to freedom? 

That’s news to me.

Let’s say that Boehner is part right and that the bill is a threat to freedom.  How can he say with a straight face that it’s the greatest threat ever to our freedom? 

Has the man heard of World War II?  What about the Cold War?  Even 9-11 has to rank above this in terms of a potential of changing the freedom we enjoy.  Not to mention disco music….

Clearly, Boehner and his ilk are off base.  The healthcare reforms under consideration right now must be passed.  More people will be covered.  The neutral Congressional Budget Office confirms the plan will reduce deficits and in case you’re scared of a public option, according to the CBO few people will take advantage of that offering.  So that threat of a government takeover.  Not happening.  At least not for a long while.

The funny thing about this all is that once the reform bill is passed, it will be just like Social Security or Medicare.  The very people who are protesting against it will refuse to ever consider having it taken away.

Mark my words.

That Ain’t Right! Rock Stars Who Shouldn’t Play Guitar!

It’s part of our human make up to be curious about the grass on the other side of the fence.  Rock stars are no exception.

Guitar gods frequently yearn to be lead singers.  And lead singers often can’t resist the temptation to strap on an axe.  The catch is it seldom works. 

Sure, there are double threats who can sing and play really well, but this post isn’t focused on them. 

Instead, here’s some examples of lead singers who just don’t look right with a guitar.  Not saying they can’t play.  Just saying that they shouldn’t try.  It simply doesn’t work.

Witness Madge looking pained as she struggles to strum.

Love Daltrey, but isn’t being Tommy enough for him?

Anyone believing Mick’s amp is plugged in?  Shhhhhh.  Don’t tell him anything!

I’m on the fence on The King.  It’s clear he actually played a little when he started out in the Sun Records days.  By the Vegas years though, the guitar had transitioned to mainly prop status.  I wouldn’t bet against this one being made out of paper mache.

Happy November!

Politicians Singing Like Britney!!

Finally!  A good use for auto-tune!

When It Comes To The Playoffs, Manny Is All Wet!

I just heard on ESPN Radio’s Mike & Mike In The Morning that while the Dodgers were blowing game four against Philly, Manny Ramirez was busy contributing to the effort by taking a warm shower.  Manny had been removed early in the game and as is his custom when he’s pulled from games early, he headed straight for a nice wash.  Ramirez, the Dodgers’ most important player, missed all the lowlights as the Phillies came back to beat LA. 

Now, that’s a team player for you.

Here’s a guy getting paid on a game by game basis more in nine innings than many of us will make in a year and he can’t even be bothered to stick around to the bitter end.  And this is in the playoffs. 

I can see how during baseball’s endless regular season death march one missed end of game adds up to not too much, but with the season on the line you’d like to believe Manny would care a bit more…

Only Manny could make Rickey Henderson playing cards as the Mets bit the dust years ago in the playoffs look good.

Now, that’s a talent!

Fat or Not! Why I Just Became A Huge Nicole Eggert Fan!

Click here to see….

http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/4dd3ce1cb8/nicole-eggert-is-back-in-baywatch

Two thoughts after you watch…

1 – the ability to make fun of one’s self is very admirable

2 – she’s not fat.  She’s Hollywood fat.  Big difference!

Let me know what you think.

Is This The Last Great Season For Derek Jeter?

Enjoy it now, Yankee fans.  This will be Derek Jeter’s last great season.

Growing up a non-Yankee fan in the New York area, nothing has grated at me more over the years than the intensity of the man crush that typical Yankee fans have on Derek Jeter.  It reminds me of those old SNL skits about the Chicago Bears fans who think that  “Da Bears” and Mike Dikta can do anything.  

Jeter can do no wrong in the eyes of love struck Yankee fans.  And the annoying thing to a Yankee hater like me is that on or off the field, it often seems true although to be fair he has at times failed in the clutch.

I’m a bit of a contrarian and nothing scares me more than group think, so I’ve had a hard time accepting the fact that Jeter is a such a special player to begin with.  For years I thought that he was an OK fielding, good hitting shortstop who won the career lottery by being able to play in New York.  And for years, I’ve patiently waited for Jeter’s inevitable decline.

Yes, Yankee fans, even Derek Jeter will tail off due to the passage of time.  He can’t play (at least at a high level) forever.

This season, Jeter is 35 and having a terrific year.  Annoyed by this, the only course of action available  to me was to tell myself that this HAD to be his last great year.

So, I started by taking a look at Hall of Fame shortstops.  It was then that I realized that there simply weren’t many who were comparable to Jeter, at least as a hitter.  For many years, baseball simply didn’t demand offense from the position.  Sure, you have Honus Wagner and some other all time greats from the very early days of the game who have huge offensive stats, but I didn’t feel like that was a fair comparison.

The three relatively modern players who seemed closest to Jeter as hitters were Ernie Banks, Robin Yount, and Cal Ripken.  Banks hit over 500 homers and clearly had way more power than Jeter or the rest.  Yount won two MVPs compared to none so far for Jeter.  And Ripken, we’ll it’s the streak that printed his ticket to Cooperstown, of course.

Feeling that Banks might not be the fairest of comparisons, I also decided to take a look at Barry Larkin.   Larkin played short as a fixture for the Reds for many years and has career numbers within shouting distance of Jeter.  Larkin may even end up in the Hall some day keeping Ripken and co company.

So let’s take a look at Jeter’s possible future by seeing what Banks, Yount, Ripken and Larkin managed to do at bat after hitting the age of 35.

As I noted earlier, Banks isn’t the best comparison.  For one, he had way more power than Jeter, but more significantly he stopped playing shortstop at 30.  From ages 33-36, Ernie Banks was still pretty much Ernie Banks as a hitter.  But at 37, he hit a wall.  He still had his power.  Hitting 32 homers as a 37 year old and 23 the next year, but his batting average took a dive.  His highest average from age 37 on was .253, which is about 20 points lower than his career average.  Banks finished out his career in 1971 getting in only 39 games as a 40 year old.  The year before, he’d played in 72 games.

Moving on to Yount, who I initially thought might be a better comparison to Jeter than Banks.  Only, it turns out Robin Yount was done at shortstop at age 28 despite winning an MVP at the position in 1982.  What jumped out at me about Yount, is that the two time MVP was out of the game at 37.  Jeter’s just two years from being 37.  For Yount, 1989 was his last great year.  He was 33 and it was the last of four straight .300 seasons.  At 34, Robin Yount dipped to .247 and never hit higher than .264 afterwards.

So what about Ripken?  The iron man’s last great season came in 1996 at the age of 35, which was also his last year at short.  Ripken hit 26 home runs while driving in 102 and batting .278.  Those may not seem like amazing numbers now, but from a historical prospective that’s a lot of offense from a presumably steroid-free shortstop.  In the next two years that followed, the games played streak went on, but in Ripken’s last three years he couldn’t stay on the field.  From age 38 to 40, he played 86, 53 and 128 games in each season.  Clearly, Ripken’s age had broken down the iron man.

Finally, we go to Barry Larkin.  Larkin may be the fairest comparison of all.  Larkin played only shortstop, like Jeter.  And like Derek Jeter presumable, Larkin only played for one club his entire career, the Cincinnati Reds.  Larkin’s last truly great year was in 2000 at the age of 36.  He batted .313 in the 102 games he played in.  The next year he played in 45 games.  At the age of 38 he played in 145.  In the final two years of his career while his batting average was within shouting distance of his career average, he played in only 70 and 111 games.  He was done at 40.

So, what conclusions can we draw?  A few, I think. 

First, Derek Jeter is a pretty unique guy.  Not even some of the contemporary greats like Banks, Yount and Ripken managed to last at shortstop as long as he has.  Derek Jeter belongs in the Hall of Fame. 

Second, Barry Larkin is way more like Derek Jeter than I realized.  Imagine if he’d played in New York…

Third, as you get older it gets tougher to stay on the field.  Yount was done at 37.  The others all went on way beyond that.  Banks, Ripken and Larkin were able to post respectable numbers into their late thirties.  But, all three of them missed significant time.

So, here’s the conclusion.  Each year that goes by, it gets tougher for Derek Jeter to produce another great year.  His numbers  might not decline, but he may find that he’s not able to stay on the field.

I’m not wishing ill on Derek Jeter.  I’ve come to respect him for his accomplishments on the field and (now that I’m a dad) for being a role model off the field.  But, the simple truth is this is very likely Derek Jeter’s last great season.  So, whether you’re a Yankee fan or not, take time to enjoy Jeter now.

Once In A While, Even A Jack Ass Can Be Useful! Thank You, Joe Wilson!

Despite his best intentions, South Carolina’s Rep. Joe Wilson is going to go down as a health care reform hero.  The American public is a lot of things.  We’re easily manipulated on health care reform or for that matter practically any new social programs. 

Ironically, once we have a social program in place like say social security, the American public will fight like hell to make sure it doesn’t get taken away.  So, yes, we do flip flop, especially when we  see the benefit that our admittedly imperfect government can make in our lives.

What the American public does not flip flop on is rudeness toward the president of the United States.  Sure, there are some who will see Joe Wilson as a hero for echoing what they feel, whether what he said was true or not.  And for the record it was NOT.

But, for the overwhelming amount of Americans, there’s a time and a place to heckle an American president.  During an address to Congress while you’re actually a member of Congress, is NOT one of those times.

Joe Wilson is learning that the hard way.  He also fumbled away the political football and with it very precious momentum. 

Coming into his speech last night, President Obama was the man under pressure.  There’s no putting a good face on the ugliness of August.  Clearly, the drive for health care, upon which Obama has placed so much of the future of his administration lost steam.

But, last night the game changed.  The president gave a convincing performance and got a big assistant from Joe Wilson on two fronts.  First, Wilson’s boorish behavior swung public sympathy toward the president.  We simply don’t want our leader treated that way.

Second, Wilson’s fellow conservatives (who should give him a severe beat down politically) were forced all day to answer questions about Joe Wilson.  That, of course, saps their momentum.  Every second conservatives in congress have to answer Joe Wilson questions is a second they can’t be spreading the fear and falsehoods upon which reform opposition is based.

Further, in the president’s speech and the administration’s comments since it was clearly signaled that the public option many people have been worried about is not a “must have”.

So let’s review…

Obama was calm.  Rational.  He adopted a John McCain idea.  He is also willing to go without a public option.  All while his party has majorities in both houses.  He even accepted Wilson’s apology gracefully saying we all make mistakes.  Finally, as if on cue, stats came out today that reported the number of people with out health insurance increased AGAIN this past year.  President Obama has clearly regained some momentum and is looking like the bigger (perhaps slightly) bi-partisan man. 

Joe Wilson lost his cool.  Joe Wilson spent the day apologizing as did his cronies. 

Joe Wilson made a big mistake.  And now it’s going to cost him politically. Health care reform is that much closer to a reality.

And it’s thanks to Joe Wilson’s inability to stop behaving like a jackass.  I knew that’d come in useful some day!

Suck It, Health Reform Opponents! Concrete Proof Big Government Can Work! And It Comes From One Of Your Own!

There are few thinking people that won’t cop to the fact that the health care system in this country has some big problems.  Costs keep going up.  Many are uninsured and our outcomes keep getting worse.

I know we Americans love to think of ourselves as number one.  And in many areas, we are.  The cold hard truth is that in health care we can’t make that claim.  Yes, we’ve got some of the best doctors in the world, but despite that we still come up short in many categories.

By now, we’ve all heard the panic about the government taking over health care.  On top of that, we’ve been told/brainwashed for the last three decades by conservatives that government can never EVER work.  This, despite the fact that conservatives have often been in power at the head of our government during the last three decades.  Talk about a hypocritcal message!

When Barack Obama started pressing for health care reform, it looked like it might come about easier than expected.  That, of course, was never to be the case.  Conservatives are back to their usual scare tactics and Americans seemingly spent the summer falling for them.

Only, it turns out that, they’re wrong.  Not only are they off the mark, but it’s a conservative president’s actions that prove conservative dogma wrong-headed.  Government intervention can work and is sometimes in fact needed.

When George W. Bush started bailing out banks left and right this past fall, he had many critics.  Bush was going against the conservative ideals he’s preached and actually used the government in a very activist way to try and save our financial system.  (Snarky aside – after all, for conservatives the health of our banks is way more important than our population’s health)

Many questioned whether the US tax payer would ever see the money handed over to banks again.

Yesterday, came news that to date the bank bailouts have netted about 4 BILLION DOLLARS profit so far.  Something like eight truly big banks have totally repaid their bailouts and another 14 or so smaller banks have too, which adds another 35 MILLION DOLLARS in profits for you and me to the previously mentioned 4 BILLION DOLLARS.  Not a bad return for Joe & Jane Taxpayer and all while suring up our financial system.

Don’t believe me?  Here’s a link to a newspaper article with all the details:
http://www.tampabay.com/news/in-surprise-bank-bailout-makes-4-billion-profit/1032393

Here’s the point.,. Don’t believe that government intervention is never warranted or can never work.  After all, the government won World War II, put a man on the Moon, has kept social security a float for years, and on and on. 

Yes, the government also has the ability to squander ga-gillions.  87 Dollar hammer anyone??  And please!  Keep Senator Byrd away from any chance to name yet another building in West Virginia after himself…

But, Summer is ending.  It’s take to wake up and really think through the issues related to health care.  I’m not sure what all the solutions are.  I do think there may be places where the private sector can do it better than the government.

But, there’s no debating that MILLIONS of people are uninsured.  And those of us who are lucky enough to have insurance are more worried about losing that than even losing our jobs.

We can no longer fall easy prey to scare tactics.  Americans can do anything, including reform health care.

This is the moment.  For all our common good, don’t be fooled by the very same people who opposed social security.  Can you imagine America without social security today?

If we think this through together, if we don’t fall victim to scare tactics, someday our children will feel the same way about universal health care.

Enjoy The Summer! It’s The Only One We’ve Got!

Work calls and so I wanted to let you all know that I won’t be able to post until September.

Hope you enjoy the rest of the summer & remember to come back in September!

Thanks very much,

Tidewater “Summer” Jackson