President Greeted With Happy Whoops

The County Press (Suburban Philadelphia) Second Thoughts ^ | 12-3-03 | William W. Lawrence

[Temple Owl]

Second Thoughts

By: William W. Lawrence 12/02/2003

Some folks accuse me of never saying nice things about Democrats.

Well, just to prove them wrong will we tell you of our high regard for State Senator Connie Williams (D-17) who said she will donate to her local library systems all of the 2.4-percent pay raise our legislators are automatically to get Dec. 1.

Way to go Connie, but that doesn't mean your national party is not intellectually and morally bankrupt.

Except for, maybe, U.S. Sen. Zell Miller (D-Ga.) who recently wrote the best-selling "A National Party No More: The Conscience of a Conservative Democrat."

Perhaps Connie, whose district includes Haverford Township, should read that book and plan for the future.

***

Things continue to look dark at the Inquirer.

We have obtained a copy of Tom Ferrick's doom and gloom memo to guild members. It confirms rumors that the company plans to lay off three members of the library.

This follows the news that the Inky newsroom's three remaining part-time editorial assistants will be cut from 35-plus hours a week to 15 effective Dec. 31.

"The Guild believes this is tantamount to dismissal because these employees cannot live on 15 hours' salary a week," Ferrick opined. "There is a broader trend at work here, which seems to be accelerating with each passing year: a continued diminishment of resources. This year alone, management has cut the Inquirer newsroom's non-personnel budgets anywhere from 25 percent to 60 percent . . . They closed The Inquirer Magazine. We currently are in a strict job freeze (which is another way of saying reduction in force via attrition). The overall budget for the newsroom will be lower in 2004 than it was in 2003 -- not as adjusted for inflation, but in real dollars. I understand the news hole budget for next year is also down."

Ferrick did not mention the persistent rumor about pulling the plug on the Daily News.

***

The 600 surprised GIs happily filled the mess hall at Baghdad airport with cheers, whoops and hollers when their President surprised them with a personal appearance on Thanksgiving Day.

The joy was in contrast to the scowls which appeared on the faces of CNN talking heads who reported on the visit.

***

There are still left-wing liberal Democrats who cannot understand that Saddam Hussein is an evil person who needed to be removed from power.

They moan about not finding weapons of mass destruction, yet are blind to the evidence that he was well on his way to producing them.

They never talk about Saddam Hussein's murders, support of terrorists, the use of poison gas, or even the crushing effect on Iraq and Kuwait's environment by setting intentional oil well fires. Instead, these loyal Americans do their best to demoralize our soldiers by parroting the editorial writers at the Inquirer and New York Times.

You cannot give way to wickedness without allowing wickedness to increase. When the virtuous lose, the forces of ill will intensify. Surrendering simply to avoid difficulty will cause difficulty for others.

Our President insists we will not retreat before a band of thugs and assassins. I believe him.

***

Just a reminder to all those peaceful left-wing liberals who want us out of Iraq. This is not the first time we sent American troops into harm's way. Sunday is Dec. 7 -- Pearl Harbor Day, and I remember it well. President Roosevelt called it "A day of infamy." He was right.

***

These loyal left-wingers also scream because gouged taxpayers are now questioning the performance of highly paid public school teachers and administrators. But school choice? Vouchers? Furget it!

[Temple Owl]

Left-wing liberals will never learn.

[LenS]

Great news about the Inquirer. They're doomed in the long run. They wrote off most of the suburbs with their one-sided left wing coverage (and lost much of the rest with weak suburban news coverage). That leaves them with the city proper -- a city that is rapidly shrinking (they were one of the few major cities to shrink in the 90's).

The truth is, they should shut down the Inquirer and transfer their sports guys over to the Daily News (yes, guys, that gal sportswriter is way too PC and dull to keep). The Wall Street Journal and NY Times can fill in the serious news for Center City types on both sides of the spectrum.

[AZLiberty]

Bumper sticker: Leftism is for Losers

[Temple Owl]

Ping

[Tribune7]

FR is mentioned. Check the link.

A Soldier's Judgment from his God Off The Internet: (With thanks to the FreeRepublic)

[Tribune7]

ping

[baseballmom]

I'm going to do as much Christmas shopping as possible at Sears this year. Sears is supporting our troops by making up the difference between reservists' pay and their regular salary at Sears for up to two years. A company spokesperson said it was an easy decision because it was the right thing to do. Sears is going well above the call of duty. The law requires that a company hold a reservist's job while he is serving, but little else. Sears employs about 500 reservists. The Sears National Customer Relations number is 1-800-549-4505. Why don't you give Sears a call and give whomever answers a pat on the back.

Thanks for that head's up.