Today’s Register guest column by syndicated columnist Thomas Sowell hits the nail on the head. The COLUMN headline reads. “When will we wake up?”
Before posting part of his observations it is important to share some of his credentials. Thomas Sowell (born June 30, 1930), is an American economist, social commentator, and author of dozens of books. He often writes from an economically laissez-faire perspective. He is currently a senior fellow of the Hoover Institution at Stanford University. In 1990, he won the Francis Boyer Award, presented by the American Enterprise Institute. In 2002 he was awarded the National Humanities Medal for prolific scholarship melding history, economics, and political science. In 2003, he was awarded the Bradley Prize for intellectual achievement.
Mr. Sowell’s report opens stating “Just one year ago, would you have believed that an unelected government official, not even a cabinet member confirmed by the Senate but simply one of the many “czars” appointed by the president, could arbitrarily cut the pay of executives in private businesses by 50 percent or 90 percent?”
“Did you think that another “czar” would be talking about restricting talk radio?”
That there would be plans afloat to subsidize newspapers–that is, to create a situation where some newspapers survival would depend on the government liking what you publish?
Did you imagine that anyone would even be talking about having a panel of so-called “experts” deciding who could and could not get life-saving medical treatments?”
His column closes raising the challenge to each of us.
“Whenever enough people will wake up in time to keep America from being dismantled, piece by piece, is another question–and the biggest question for this generation.”
I urge everyone to pick up a copy of today’s OC Register. This is but a few of the opening paragraphs of Mr. Sowell’s analysis of our nation. Simply go to page 11 of the local section. When you are finished reading the Register forward this post to everyone on your email distribution so that they to get the message.
Larry, having read everything of Sowells from Visions of the Anointed to Basic Economics, it is sad that such a vital man of intellect and scholarship has to be introduced. Thanks for bringing it to the Juice!
Did Mr. Sowell remember to call Obama a “glib and sophomoric narcissist?” I lost count of the times he’s used that phrase. (During a good portion of the summer I was stuck with a paper that had nothing but Sowell, Ann Coulter, Bill O’Reilly, and on the left side George Will, in their editorial pages.)
Seriously, I’ll read that column when I have time later today and comment on it. I don’t want to be like those people who shy away from certain sources they don’t like! *cough*Terry*cough*Larry*
Hey brother Vern.
Juice readers. While I cannot speak for other blogs I can say that Vern and I can and have gone out for a cold one, have differing points of view, but accept each others opinions without trashing each other.
The Juice blog is comprised of contributors representing the right, extreme right, left, extreme left or even centrists writers.
“even centrist writers”? Are they the last on your food chain?
Thomas Sowell’s latest column is just like all his others, full of phony outrage, innuendo, half-truths and outright lies.
*Just one year ago, would you believe that an unelected government official, not even a cabinet member confirmed by the Senate but simply one of the many “czars” appointed by the president, could arbitrarily cut the pay of executives in private businesses by 50% or 90%?”.
Where to begin, sigh, the phony outrage over czars is just that, phony, Bush had tons of czars and the right-wing media never batted an eyelash, for the facts here’s a link to Rachel Maddow; http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385×384900 and as Rachel so aptly puts it , czar is just another name for someone with a long and awkward job title. As to the pay cuts , here’s how the Christian Science Monitor summed up the Special Master for TARP Executive Compensation Advisor (or Pay Czar) Kenneth Feinberg’s testimony before the House Oversight Committee; “To Republicans concerned about government meddling in the workings of capitalism Feinberg stressed that his oversight extends only to seven firms and to those seven only because THE GOVERNMENT IS NOW IN AN OWNERSHIP POSITION.” I don’t know about Thomas Sowell, but I WANT OVERSIGHT OF THE CORPORATIONS THAT TOOK TAXPAYER MONEY.
And where is Sowell’s OUTRAGE at Hank Paulson and George W. Bush for “RAMMING” this MASSIVE BAILOUT down the throats of congress (right before an election) even going so far as to THREATEN MARTIAL LAW? From my research he wasn’t happy with the bailout but he places the majority of the blame on Obama. Now that takes HUTZPAH!
I could go on, his LIES about “death panels” and Obama “ramming” bills through congress are easy to prove, but the likes of Larry and Terry are so invested in the destruction of Obama’s presidency that they are more than willing TO BELIEVE ANY CRAP spewed out by our CORPORATE RIGHT-WING MEDIA. I guess once a chump, always a chump.
Hi anonster.
Good number. Tons! Should we use an average weight of 185 pounds per man and woman? How many tons are you specifying?
Wikipedia shows president Obama having one more czar than Bush 43. It’s early as he has been in office less than one year compared to W’s 8 years in office.
You can’t even carry Thomas Sowell’s umbrella on a sunny day!
Don’t be angry. Just go away.
#6,
So Larry, numbers aside, where was ALL the right-wing punditry when Bush was appointing czars? Did Obama’s one extra czar (and by the way, 9 of Obama’s so called “czars” were confirmed by the Senate) suddenly make them sinister and unconstitutional? Doesn’t this BLATANT HYPOCRISY MAKE YOU QUESTION THE RIGHT-WING MEDIA’S MOTIVES? Because if it doesn’t, your ability to distinguish between silly partisan politics from IMPORTANT issues has been SERIOUSLY COMPROMISED.
Why do you keep embarrassing yourself by trying to defend the indefensible?
And aren’t you right-wingers even slightly concerned that ALL this PHONY OUTRAGE over EVERY THING OBAMA will backfire? I mean c’mon, how much whiny Republican hysteria can the country take?
As to Thomas Sowell, I don’t doubt that he’s very intelligent, but I do KNOW that he is a LIAR.
Personally, I try NOT to lie, I guess it’s a moral’s thing.
Anonster. Wait a minute. I guess you have just conceded on your your comment that Bush had a lobsided majority of czars.
By the way. I am troubled by ANY administration granting that much power to an appointee, Republican or Democratic.
#8,
Gosh Larry, I never would have guessed that you were quite so childish. Whoopee! Anonster “conceded” a point, except that I didn’t, by definition those “nine czars” who went through a Senate confirmation are ONLY “czars” in Glenn Beck’s head, otherwise they are known as ADVISORS.
If as you say, you’re “troubled by ANY administration granting that much power to an appointee” and this is not just another ploy to pretend that your NOT A HYPOCRITE, PLEASE, repost ANY of YOUR comments CRITICIZING Bush Jr. for his and Cheney’s UNPRECEDENTED POWER GRAB. I won’t hold my breath.
Anonster.
Yes, I do have power. But I continue to permit your zingers to appear instead of hitting the delete key.
PS: I have no idea what you are talking about with regard to Glenn Beck. Although I do watch some FOX News, when not researching and writing blog reports, or watching professional sports, I did not catch a FOX News story on “czars.”
#10,
Really Larry, you’re such a card, expecting ME to BELIEVE that YOU were unaware that Obama’s “czars” were the TALKING POINT DU JOUR of the right-wing crazies just a few short days ago. On the other hand, I might believe that you folks ALL get your SAME spontaneous “THOUGHTS” through your fillings.
Well, at least we don’t carry our marching orders from a nobody like Rachel Maddow, who is about to lose her job and disappoint the three other people who watch her, two of whom are her cameramen.
Seriously, turn the dial once in a while. You’d be surprised that there are other things going on besides state run media!