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As you all know the arena of politics has lost one of its greatest gamesman in Ted Kennedy who is commonly referred to as “The Lion of the Senate”. Unfortunately Ted Kennedy does not appear to be the only loss suffered by his death last week. Another casualty of Kennedy’s passing is the 60 seat filibuster-proof majority in the Senate that the Democrats enjoyed, and they want it back.
What the Democratic Party in both Washington D.C. and Massachusetts want is to change the law in Massachusetts that would allow the governor Deval Patrick (D-MA) to appoint a replacement for Ted Kennedy’s seat until the special election to fill the seat is held this coming January. The law they want to overturn is the same law they passed in 2004 to keep Gov Mitt Romney (R-MA) from appointing a replacement for John Kerry if Kerry had won the Presidency.
It appears to me that the Democratic Party intends to keep Massachusetts firmly in the blue state column. They also appear to be willing to change the rules to suit themselves without any regard whatsoever. The Democrats seem so worried about a filibuster occurring during the upcoming fight for healthcare reform after the summer recess that they are salivating over the loss of their 60th Senate seat. In all likelihood the seat would be filled by a Democrat after the special election anyway.
It appears to me though that even with the 60 seat majority in the Senate, that the Democratic Party would be unable to pass a healthcare reform bill, because there is so much opposition within their own party against the bill. The opposition against the bill not only includes Democrat Senators, but a majority of tax payers are vehemently opposed to the bill as well.
I personally hope that when the Massachusetts State Legislature holds a public hearing this September 9th to discuss changing the state law to allow Governor Patrick’s to appoint a temporary successor, that there is so much opposition to the idea that it is killed outright. The Democratic Party should have to play this one by the rule they established in 2004. I personally think they will get the law changed anyway.
That is all for now here at Simple Man Politics, but we will be back again soon my friends CIAO4NOW!!!!!
Today in Simple Man Politics we are going to discuss “The Future of Journalism”, which is unsurprisingly the title of the Senator John Kerry (D) commerce subcommittee hearing held this very day. Make no mistake my friends the future of journalism is definitely an issue both politically and economically. This hearings subtopic was about the survival of the newspaper industry, which is becoming an endangered species.
For me personally I have a lot of great memories of sitting down at my dining room table to have my first cup of morning coffee, my first morning cigarette and my newspaper. It was a ritual for me as I’m sure it was for most of you a ritual to read the morning paper. I liked to read the front page, the sports page, and the most important page of all the comics.
To be honest though that tradition is the past and the industry helped to put itself there by not thinking ahead to their future and their appetite for the almighty dollar. Along the way the newspaper industry also ceased to be about keeping the public truthfully informed by keeping an eye on those in power for us.
Another unfortunate condition that may be contributing to heir demise is the political agenda and bias that most publications present nowadays. These are the things that the newspaper industry is responsible for doing to themselves.
There are other contributing factors to the failing health of the newspaper industry as well. First there is the 24 hour news cycle created by cable news outlets like Fox News, CNN, and MSNBC. Another dangerous news outlet to the health of the newspaper is the internet, where you can find out anything you want on any subject with the typing of a keyword in a Google search and a click of the mouse on the search button.
One of the things that the committee discussed was the quality of good journalism, which some contributed to the newspaper industry. It seems to me however that in light of the newspaper industry and its assured demise that a lack of quality journalism might have helped to contribute to their loss of readership and shrinking subscriptions.
The newspapers argue that it is the internet and cable TV that are doing them in and I agree, because there is quality journalism in both outlets and I am living proof of that. Most of the good unbiased journalists who have written for the newspaper industry in the past now use the internet as a forum to get the word out. Alas though just like the newspaper industry bias has found its way into the cable and internet as well.
Another subject that this committee hearing addressed was how to keep the newspaper industry afloat financially. There was discussion of giving the industry tax exempt status. Another topic was charging for online content. The only phrase that was not uttered today was bailout but I am sure that that topic won’t be too far behind in future hearings particularly since we are bailing everybody else out.
That is all for today folks so have an awesome day and I will be back tomorrow CIAO4NOW!!!!!
Well, I think it's time for the Friday post, and I have given today's subject a lot of thought, and today's subject is the VA, and voter registration. So sit tight while I sort through this mess.
On April 5th, the Department of Veterans Affairs issued Directive 2008-023 allowing voter registration drives in VA hospitals. On May 5th, they issued Directive 2008-025 reversing itself and disallowing voter registration drives, prompting an immediate response for Senators John Kerry, (D-MA), and Diane Feinstein, (D-Ca) in a letter dated May 6th to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs James B, Peake was very skeptical of the The action taken the DVA.
The position fo the DVA is that voter registration drives in VA hospitals will disrupt it's employees from its primary mission, which is the welfare, well being, and treatment of wounded, and disabled veterans of our current, and past military conflicts. And that due to the Hatch Act, voter rigistration drives are not permitted, as federal employees may not engage in political partisan activities. They also feel, that being designated a voter registration agency would divert substantial resources from their primary mission if they were given the designation under the Voter Registration Act. Under the current directive, patients would have to request help to register individually.
The above mentioned senators, in their letter to the Mr. Peake, asked him to explain what sort of disruptions he felt might occur, if voter registration drives were held in the VA hospitals, since these kind of functions were operated by organizations such as The League of Women Voters, or veterans organizations, and why any potential disruption's couldn't be handled by a less restrictive means It is also clear from many policy statements from the Office of Special Counsel, that federal employees can participate in non partisan voter registration drives on federal property. It was also noted, that the veterans the VA should support, are not subject to the Hatch Act, because they are not federal employees.
In a letter similar to the one sent by the senator's, California Secreatary of State Mary Bowen asked Mr. Peake, to register the DVA, as a Voter Registration Agency. She wrote that offering to register, or re-register is very important for veterans who change their addresses as a result of accepting federal benefits, such as entering a VA nursing home, emergency housing, or rehabilitative care center.
Now I don't know what all of you might think about all of this, but I will tell you what I think. I think, that regardless of wether or not it took two democrats to jump to the defense of our wounded vets, Mr. Peake, and company better come up with the right answer for this very serious disinfranchisement of our wounded and disabled veterans who are in their care, or there will be serious problems for both Mr. Peake, and the DVA. And mark this on your calenders as a day where I actually agree with two democrats on a subject pertaining to our military personnel. I will see all of you on Monday, have a great weekend.
