“What we’ve got here is a failure to communicate!”

A quote from Cool Hand Luke, 1967.

If ever I watched our elected officials in denial it occurred this past week. The leaders of both political parties continued to march to their own drummer without regard to the needs and wishes of the electorate. Is it any wonder that so many people do not vote and say that their voting would mean nothing?

John Boehner is focused on taxes and health care. Mitch McConnell is focused on making Barack Obama a one term president. The president and the Democrats are focused on defending their last two years of legislation. Barack Obama has said that it was not his policies that were wrong. Instead contends that he had not adequately communicated the benefits of his policies.

The number one issue is the economy and JOBS. No one in either party is discussing this issue. Perhaps the reason is they do not have one good idea to solve the problem of unemployment.

If ever there was an opportunity for a third political party it is now!

Keith Olbermann Suspended for Giving Political Donations

Posted on AOLNEWS.COM

by Andrea Stone, Senior Washington Correspondent

(Nov. 5 ) — Here’s one story you will be talking about tomorrow.

MSNBC liberal talk show host Keith Olbermann has been suspended indefinitely without pay from MSNBC after his boss learned he had violated newsroom policies by giving campaign contributions to three Democratic candidates for Congress.

That is the same Keith Olbermann who pummeled Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp. for giving $1 million to the Republican Governors Association in order to buy “campaign influence.”

Olbermann video.

Oops.

In a terse statement today, MSNBC TV President Phil Griffin said, “I became aware of Keith’s political contributions late last night. Mindful of NBC News policy and standards, I have suspended him indefinitely without pay.”

The news that the liberal flamethrower had thrown cash to three congressional candidates was first reported by Politico.

Olbermann acknowledged in a statement that he made the donations:

“One week ago, on the night of Thursday October 28 2010, after a discussion with a friend about the state of politics in Arizona, I donated $2,400 each to the re-election campaigns of Democratic Representatives Raul Grijalva and Gabrielle Giffords,” Olbermann said. “I also donated the same amount to the campaign of Democratic Senatorial candidate Jack Conway in Kentucky.”

Olbermann said he did not use his influence to solicit donations from others for the candidates.

“I did not privately or publicly encourage anyone else to donate to these campaigns, nor to any others in this election or any previous ones, nor have I previously donated to any political campaign at any level,” Olbermann said.

The shocking news, as the often holier-than-thou commentator might put it, came at an interesting time. Three days earlier, stung by ridicule at last week’s Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear, Olbermann said he would shelve his trademark daily segment, “Worst Persons in the World.”

NEW YORK (AP) — MSNBC says Keith Olbermann will be back on the air Tuesday, ending his suspension for violating NBC’s rules against making political donations after two shows.

MSNBC’s chief executive Phil Griffin said late Sunday that after several days of deliberation, he had determined that two days off the air was “an appropriate punishment for his violation of our policy.”

(Nov. 5 ) — Here’s one story you will be talking about tomorrow.

That is the same Keith Olbermann who pummeled Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp. for giving $1 million to the Republican Governors Association in order to buy “campaign influence.”

—

November 7, 2010 Update

The following news item really says that MSNBC’s most popular program cannot be kept off the air because MONEY speaks louder than behavior.

NEW YORK (AP) — MSNBC says Keith Olbermann will be back on the air Tuesday, ending his suspension for violating NBC’s rules against making political donations after two shows.

The Unpredictability of 2012

The world is changing so fast that no one can predict the election of 2012. What can be said is that the truly Democratic and more liberal parts of the nation are the Pacific Coast and the North East states.

I won’t be surprised to see another large change in Congress in November 2012.

A New Strategy Against Terrorists

The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq were mistakes. We never should have entered either of those countries with armies. Iraq had no weapons of mass destruction which was he justification for attacking that country. Afghanistan was protecting al-Queda and that terrorist group should have been the target of our government not the Taliban. The result of those two invasions has been a high cost of life and a high cost in dollars. Neither of those countries will become the democracies we would like to see in those nations.

Iraq had parliamentary elections last March and still has not be able to seat a ruling government. Afghanistan held an election that was riddled with fraud and now has a president who objects to American and Russian effort to destroy the poppy farms that supply the drug trade.

This week’s discovery of bombs being shipped in aircraft bound for the United States from Yemen, and recent plots against America that have roots in Pakistan and here in the United States, tells me that we have to develop a new strategy against al-Queda and its splinter groups. That ought to be a spy network that works to subvert terrorists. Armies are good at fighting wars with defined lines. There are no defined lines when the terrorist network is spread under cover through out the world.

Will the President have the courage to withdraw our forces from Iraq, Afghanistan, and other countries to save money and lives in favor of a new strategy? Frankly, I doubt it. Politics will probably define his decisions. That will make the United States more vulnerable to attack. After all, if you keep throwing darts at a target you will finally hit the bull’s eye.

Separation of Church and State

The divide between church and state is historic. It started with the First Amendment to the Constitution that starts by saying “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;…” That sentence has been understood by most people to mean that the government shall not be involved in religious affairs. Despite that understanding Christmas is a national holiday and the words “In God We Trust” appear on our currency.

The Associated Press reports that “Colorado Republican Senate candidate Ken Buck has questioned the separation of government and religion.” He is not the first candidate to question the separation. Christine O’Donnell, the Republican Senate candidate in Delaware made a similar statement in a debate just last week.

Both Buck and O’Donnell are referred to as Tea Party candidates. The Tea Party groups have been running on a theme of fiscal responsibility and have stayed away from social issues. This change in direction will put a new meaning to that group and may alienate many of its supporters.

Have the Know Nothings returned or is there another move afoot?

Buying Gold – Think Again

This excellent page was scanned from Businessweek October 18-October 24, 2010. The key point by Mr. Ritholtz is that “gold shouldn’t account for more than 5% of your portfolio.” The gold hawkers on talk radio will not be happy with that advise. One click to enlarge the page. It’s worth your time.