Washington Post – Sold! –Libertarian Leaning Amazon’s Bezos Grabs Post for $250 Million – Which Paper of Record Is Next?

The Washington Post - New directions - image from coupmondiale.org

According to the New York Times, today’s shocking news is the sale of the Washington Post by the Graham family to the Amazon Founder: Jeffrey P. Bezos – the announcement came abruptly yesterday.(New York Times). The question of politics came quickly on the heels of the sale – as in: Where does Jeffrey P. Bezos stand? – Apparently, depending upon how liberal or how conservative one is – squarely on the opposite side, a conundrum to be sure. The Atlantic suggests that personally and through an Amazon PAC, the new owner has stood squarely on the fence – and is a shade different that most Libertarians – leaning to the left(The Atlantic)

With what has become a common occurrence amongst the largest and most prestigious newspapers in the nation – loss of revenue, and sales – which end in the sale of the publication – at a grandly reduced rate, is not affecting the lower tier publications, especially the community newspaper? There may be a reason why community newspapers are enjoying somewhat stable circulation, or a rise in circulation in some cases – the news is local and politics rarely enter into the fray. – It is, again, the editorial located in every section of the publication one might subscribe, or most likely, had subscribed to (due to being of the opposite political bent from the newspaper – 50% of the nation), which sunk the nation’s papers in the last two decades. Something that does not occur in one’s weekly reporting, a change of pace.

Yes, the electronic age, and delivery has changed, and the average student can’t read, which makes the newspaper, or any book for that matter, a thing of uncertainty – yet, The Washington Post Sale, and the last week’s sale of the Boston Globe, should be less concerned about the new owners politics, and more concerned with the intent. One might hazard to guess, these savvy businessmen purchased these businesses to make a profit, and possibly out of nostalgia, rather than any motive to push a political message, one way or the other.

Perhaps the newspaper would be a grand bully pulpit to demand reading in the classroom at all levels, especially in the urban areas where graduation rates are dismal at best. Perhaps the paper could become an advocate for the people that purchase the paper, rather than the local, state or national politician the editorial board prefers to wine and dine. There is nothing like the feel of ink and paper, best bet is nostalgia and an attempt to save a once great American treasure – the Daily News.

Who’s next on the block? That’s a good question – the point being: if the Post and the Globe were sold in a heartbeat, at what appears to be a loss in both cases, why not the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times? Time will tell.



Image: Guardian UK

What can one do with old newspapers?

Recycle (for those more “Green” individuals)

Old School

Clean Windows (Google for Recipes)

Liners (bird cages, kitty liter)

Scrapbooking

From Boston to Chicago – Battles Waged in Otherwise Democrat Strongholds Point To Overall Voter Disillusionment. The Rise of The Phone Book Candidate.

The Boston Globe’s morning article ”Up and Down the Ballot, GOP is Dreaming Big” talks about political parties possible gains and/or losses in what was once known as one of the “bluest” states. The Globe references the election of Republican Scott Brown in January and queries if that election were an anomaly or a change in the attitude of voters towards the State GOP. What the Globe, as well as conventional U.S. media are either not understanding, or ignoring, is that this election is not about one political party, rather it is about the rejection of ideology.

As President Obama made a swing through Illinois, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Illinois, in an attempt to rally the Democrat base, he warned supporters that Republicans would undo the “progress that we’ve made over the past couple of years”(Reuters).

The President appears to have hit the nail on the head. It is specifically the type of “progress” that the American people are rejecting in 2010 as it was the lack of progress that was rejected in 2008. President Obama was elected on the promise of hope and change; increased protection for the middle class specifically from tax burden, an end to war, and most importantly a new era of transparency and a return to bi-partisanship. What the electorate received was exactly the opposite.

In a nation where two parties dominate the political arena, the ups and downs of both parties have, to date, been fairly predictable, however, this election and most probably going forward, the trend has shifted to one of individuals investing more time in educating themselves about the candidates, to the point where no amount of robo-calls, negative advertising, and or please from party influential’s, will make a whit of difference.

The election of Scott Brown was not about the Republican party (although he ran as a Republican), it was the rejection of the ideology of one-party rule, either in a state or a nation, as well as the “progress” made by a Congress and President in concert, which was soundly rejected by a majority.

With a constant bad news on every front – from potential terrorists attacks, to the rise in utility bills, rise in insurance premiums, the prospect of those on Social Security not receiving an increase in benefits for the second year in a row, the fear of not having a job, finding a job, losing a job, being unable to move across state lines to find a new job (either by not having the financial ability to do so, or the lack of jobs everywhere in the states) – people are not merely angry, they are depressed. Some of those who are angry with the current situation are heading to the polls on November 2nd, and those who are depressed over the decisions they made in 2008 are planning to sit it out. Those who have never voted, for a variety of reason, are now registering, for the most part, as “independents”.

The reality is, that although no one has a crystal ball, and polls, even those scientific polls, show a margin of error that allows for a “toss-up”- there will be significant change on the 3rd of November, (given some of the Congressional districts might be decided by a handful of votes), and that change is a rejection of the status quo.

When pollsters include the question of choosing an unknown out of a phone book over an incumbent – a growing majority believe the man on the street is more capable than the current office holder. Therefore, it is a question of those desiring to effect change in the direction of politics and the two-party process in Washington that will rule out. The incumbents, one must remember, were, when they first took office, merely people out of a “phone book” as well, having the same beginning qualifications as those now running for the first time. It is what the incumbents have done with their time, and how well that resonates with the voters that will rule out (not including gerrymandering, voter fraud and the like). Many of those who will be elected on the 2nd, will not have had huge war chests, will not have reached every household in a State or Congressional district, or state district, they will merely be: that person out of a phone book, given the same opportunity to either represent the people of a State or District in a manner that is both transparent as well as bi-partisan, and perhaps most importantly to take that progress made back to the drawing board.

Incidentally, endorsements from the Press, touted by both sides, Republican and Democrat, are suggestions by editorial boards, and have, since 2008, held little influence over the electorate. It is the endorsement not of other politicians (representing Washington), that will make or break a candidate; it will be the endorsement of the people that rules the day. It is also a numbers game, as to the ideology of the individual voter and whether they hold conservative, moderate or progressive views. Those moderates and conservatives are the majority, and the probability of the phone book candidate winning in the end is likely. Experience, in this election, will not garner much sympathy from those types of voters and that is regardless of party affiliation.

John Kerry (D-MA) – Believes Voters are Clueless – MA (D) Congressional Incumbents Threaten to Quite if GOP wins House.

The Globe's Support for Coakley went to the bitter end: this election eve "test" goes to denial image: Michelle Malkin

The Senior Senator from Massachusetts who will be up for reelection in 2014, has once again, stuck a large foot in his mouth. Apparently, Senator Kerry, known to be somewhat on the clueless side himself, uttered this gem at the Boston Medical Center where he was "on tour":

“We have an electorate that doesn’t always pay that much attention to what’s going on so people are influenced by a simple slogan rather than the facts or the truth or what’s happening,”

(Boston Herald)

Kerry then went on to blame the, you guess it, Republicans.

The last single slogan the “people” fell for was the rehashed “Yes We Can”, first used by Deval Patrick, to put his special brand of incompetence to work in the Bay State: then exported nationally by Barack Obama, in order to do the same damage on a larger scale to the nation. That has to be where he got the impression that the general public was easily fooled. That said, an old adage applies: “Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me”. Barack Obama’s approval ratings indicate “we won’t’ get fooled again” (Borrowing from The Who).

The simple fact of which Mr. Kerry is apparently unaware, historically the electorate is engaged more than any time since the foundation of this nation (see Tea Party, rise of internet news sites, the Gallup Poll Trust in Institutions which places traditional news media outlets right above dead last Congress) and unfortunately for John Forbes Kerry, they are informed.

Senator Kerry has to drag himself out of the 1970’s and into the digital age, where news and quotes are accessible to the “general public” in a heartbeat, by internet, cable television, radio and email. Back when Senator Kerry was just thinking about a career as a U.S. Senator, information to the public was controlled by the Big 3 networks (CBS, ABC,NBC), and Walter Cronkite basically told the public his version of events. Now, the masses have access to multiple versions, including video, audio and 8 X 10 color glossies as events happen – what’s a Beltway Democrat to do?

101 things one can do with simple Duct Tape.

#1: Insure that the Senior Senator from Massachusetts is not capable of insulting his constituents.

At times, it is embarrassing to admit one is from Massachusetts – unfortunately, that embarrassment stems from words, and deeds (while in office) of our elected officials. John Kerry heads the list, but there are others, Congressional Representatives, that are equally out of tune.

Take, for example, a Boston Globe article dated September 26th. This article warns the electorate that if the Republican’s take control of the House, then the Massachusetts Congressional Delegation (all Democrats) may quit! Many of these Congressional Representatives are, according to the Boston Globe’s standards, extremely important:

“Representative John Olver, Democrat of Amherst, is part of an elite club of members known in the House as “cardinals,’’ because he holds a subcommittee chairmanship on the Appropriations Committee.”

“Representative Richard Neal, Democrat of Springfield, has been angling to become the next chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, one of the most powerful positions in Washington.”

And this “gem” from the 3rd Districts own Jim McGovern:

I’ll have to up my medication,’’ quipped Representative James McGovern, Democrat of Worcester, who is second in seniority on the Rules Committee. “Obviously it’s better to be in charge than not. I don’t even want to speculate what it would be like to lose the House.

(Above source Boston Globe)

Therefore, should the Republicans be victorious and take control of the House, the Democrats from Massachusetts would either loose their lofty positions and or quit outright. The thoughts of say Barney Frank and Richie Neal losing Chairs of Committees that have anything at all to do with our nations finances is not necessarily a “bad idea” to a portion of the Massachustts electorate. Although the Globe is certain that all of the House Seats will remain firmly in the hands of the Democrats currently viewed as unmovable (by the Globe – and Washington based media/pundits), reality may once again rear its ugly head.

Running without national or even state Republican support is nothing new to those Republican’s who dare to try and unseat the powerful, or, for that matter those who are trying to rest a seat that was thought to belong to a certain Democrat family. Massachusetts Republicans running against deeply entrenched Democrats have to rely on those “clueless” voters that Senator Kerry speaks highly of, and the Globe dismisses out of hand.

Two races, in particular, involving one of the aforementioned (the other menioned in the Globe articles also rediculous) considering quitting if they can’t have the top jobs, are more competitive than the Globe, national media, or local district media believe: The 4th District, where Barney Frank is being challenged by one Sean Bielat, and the Hampden 2nd, where Richard Neal is being challenged by one Tom Wesley.

What has to happen in these two races is for the “interest level” to rise to a certain point (unknown) before they are given notice and funds. Ever fiscally conservative, the GOP will not throw “good money after bad”, especially in Massachusetts. Therefore, Republican’s running in Massachusetts, like Sean Beilat and Tom Wesley, must garner support both on a retail/grassroots level, and on a national scale (donations) in order to gain any traction.

There are ten Congressional incumbents, nine of which are facing opposition in the Bay State, and one fact that is not being considered, is that Scott Brown was the beneficiary of an early surge in anti-incumbency that began in Massachusetts - Nothing more, and nothing less. Is this to say that all races are competitive, no – however, there are more than a few which are – and the Globe, (with like minded media) will do their utmost to stick their heads in the sand in order to hold up their preferred candidates until the last minute. (See Boston Globe special election Coakley wins over Brown Internet “test” image)

Although no crystal ball is employed, one can with certainly state that the 2010 mid-term and the 2012 general election will be met by a better informed constituency and many of the incumbents nationwide, (even in Massachusetts), will be writing memoirs of their “careers” in the U.S. Congress and the U.S. Senate.

So Long Sal, Another Massachusetts Speaker Bites the Political Dust

On the 27th of January, Massachusetts House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi, “retired” from the Statehouse after having been recently re-elected Speaker. DiMasi, is said to have resigned over a slight incident involving a lobbyist and some ticket-scalping legislation.

Proposed Legislation approved by both Attorney General, Martha Coakley and Governor Deval Patrick, calls for ethic reform in the Massachusetts body politic with high penalties for those caught taking bribes (see Lobbyists). This just weeks before DiMasi resigned - makes one wonder what took so long? Patrick, who is up for re-election in 2012, and DiMasi had butted heads over the Governors proposed Casinos Legislation - , DeMasi prevailed at the time – and now, with DiMasi’s “retirement”, that legislation may become a reality. Convenient ethics reform from a State well known for its lack thereof.

Former Massachusetts House Speaker Thomas Finneran, exited the office due to a conviction of obstruction of justice. Finneran is now a radio talk show host on on Boston’s WRKO, and is frequently referred to fellow WRKO host Howie Carr, as “Felon Finneran”. One thing is certain, Massachusetts, a state controlled by Democrat lawmakers, has continued to produce one scandal after another; and that pattern does not promise to change anytime soon.

The Boston Globe is noting that the new Speaker, Bob DeLeo, is “cut from the same cloth” as DiMasi. In the article, it was suggested that the House was run in a similar fashion to a “crime family”. What is of interest is that the The Globe, a longtime supporter of Boston’s top ( ,politico’s, (the Bulger’s for instance) – would write such a savvy “connect the dots - criminal family like atmosphere at the Statehouse” article regarding a man (DiMasi), who they so long supported. Of interest, how the Globe treats DeLeo, should he decide against supporting one of the Governor Patrick’s “favored legislation”. Ethics or expediency?

John Kerry Makes Appearance in
Western Massachusetts

Photo, Springfield Republican, MassLive

If one has difficulty remembering the last time John Kerry made an appearance in the other half of his home state, it is because he simply does not travel here that often. He was in the area yesterday, visiting supporters for his 2008 re-election bid. Local CBS Affiliate Channel 3 speculated about the possibility of Kerry being given a place in the Obama administration, noting of course, that Obama would first have to get the Democratic nomination, then actually get voted into the White House. Kerry replied that he’d like to keep his current job.

The Springfield Republican article here talks about Kerry’s 25 years in the senate and his visit to two cities in the Western Half of the state, Northampton and Springfield. To some in this neck of the woods, it appears that it may have been 25 years since his last visit. He has faced little or no opposition to his seat in the past, however, 2008 is different, which may be why he has a sudden interest in making an appearance in this forgotten part of the Bluest State.

Enter Jeff Beatty. Jeff Beatty (R) is the strongest opposition candidate that Kerry has faced in the past 25 years. Beatty is a conservative Republican, willing to work with those on the other side of the aisle in order to get the job done. He has the necessary credentials to enter the Senate as a viable replacement to the lackluster Kerry.

Jeff’s Republican opponent, Jim Ogonowski, failed to collect the necessary signatures in order to place his name on the ballot, and some of the signatures he did collect are being called into question. The Boston Globe reported yesterday article here that Ogonowski fell short of the necessary votes, and from the Left Leaning Carpetbagger blog , reports that Ogonowski is supported by the national party, an embarrassment since he failed to garner the signatures. Jeff Beatty on the other hand, is more of a grassroots candidate, has out raised Ogonowski by both funds and signatures, and is polling very favorably against John Kerry. This may be why John Kerry is suddendly inetrested in WEstern Massachusetts.

To learn more about Jeff Beatty, visit his website: Jeff Beatty .com Kerry may have the support of the Bay state rank and file Democrats, but it is the Independent or Unenrolled voters, who make up more than 50% of the state’s electorate, who will make the difference in this election. It may just be time for a change.

Tuesday Tidbits

Child Hero, Crazed Converts and Greetings from the Bluest State



From CNN, 11 Year Old boy takes wheel of a run-away bus. (Read Full Story) A salute to the heroic Cleveland boy who stopped a run-away bus with 27 classmates aboard. With all the hoopla over youngsters brawling and spiraling out of control, this is a refreshing change of pace.

Photoshop but to the point, Example of Sharia Law - h/t Red Squirrels NutCracking Nationalsim

From Fox, New York City Cabbie runs Islamic Website that mocks US GI Deaths and calls for Sharia Law here in the States This convert to the religion of Peace even has a website, links provided by Fox. What is needed in New York is an 11 year old boy from Cleveland.




Revelations from the Bluest State courtesy of the Boston Globe. Apparently, homicides due to domestic violence doubled in the Baystate in the past year. As a result, judges are rethinking the usual Massachusetts template of justice, otherwise known as criminals need treatment, not detention, and only placing half of those arrested into treatment programs. That should make 50% of those living with abusive spouses in the state feel 50% more secure. This mentality of cure the criminal is applied across the board, across the state, regardless of the nature of the crime. New state slogan, Massachusetts – 50% safer than last year!