An interesting comment was made regarding this blog which indicated as follows:
“I don't like all the negative name calling on this blog. If you don't agree with someone come out and say it. It looks intellectually weak to have person after person name calling other people, I just don't see what service that provides.”
The point is well made by this blog’s reader however, comments that this reader is apparently referring to were made by other readers like him.
I have stated in the past that I do post all comments made by my readers with exception to those with vulgar language. That is the purpose for the existence of this blog which is informing what readers think.
As the blog’s editor I approve all comments made by the readers prior to posting and I cannot eliminate those comments that I disagree with because that reader must have his comments vented for other readers to provide their comments regarding his issue.
Reviewing the many comments made in the past I cannot help but reflect that many are from readers that are expressing their frustrations of the way our elected officials are managing the city therefore, could the adverse comment above have been made by one of the so called politicians that has been a target of the comments made by this blog’s readers?
With that being the assumed case and as this blog’s editor I must remark what the comment has telegraphed to me and that this blog is succeeding in its mission “commentary and opinions in New Britain, Ct.”
15 comments:
Frank, it is no different than what is going on with the so called Fairness Doctrine which is nothing more than the socialists trying to silence their critics.
They can't get away with their socialist tactics as long as the people are free to learn about their sleazy politics, so they use the so-called fairness claim as an attempt to silence their opposition. They are jealous because they can't compete in the radio market because no one wants to listen to a liberal talk show. First, it is always the same garbage, George Bush did this and George Bush did that (nothing but whining and complaining about what the world owes them next), and second, the conservative audience listens when they are driving to work and most Democrats are sitting home collecting their check from the government, so they don't have anywhere to drive to but the liquor store.
If they succeed in their efforts, that will mean that the 1st Amendment is dead in this country, so Frank, you just keep doing what you are doing despite how those mushrooms in the Dumbocrat party dislike it.
THIS IS WHAT THE DUMBOCRATS WANT US TO SHARE AN OPEN BORDER WITH? WHY DON'T WE JUST WELCOME THEM ALL???
Drug violence surges in Mexico
President Felipe Calderón's decision to confront organized crime has spurred drug cartels to fight back.
By Jonathan Adams
posted January 26, 2009 at 9:50 am EST
Relatives of missing persons in Mexico pressed officials for help in finding their loved ones' remains after a man last week admitted to helping a drug gang dispose of more than 300 bodies using corrosive chemicals.
The macabre admission is just the latest indication of the depth of Mexico's drug violence. Some US observers say the cartels now pose a direct threat to the Mexican government's survival, and, by extension, a growing security threat to the US. But Mexican officials and analysts say such views are overly alarmist.
Reuters reported that more than 5,700 people were killed in drug violence last year in Mexico, "nearly double the number of 2007."
The wire service reported that dozens of families had approached officials for help in finding their relatives after the arrest of Santiago Meza Lopez last week.
News of Meza's arrest prompted dozens of families to come forward seeking news of missing loved ones. The state prosecutors' office said it was looking into more than 450 missing persons' cases from the past eight years.
"We have hope that some of the victims are our relatives. I'll be at peace when I know where my son's body is," Fernando Oseguera, whose son disappeared in 2007, told a news conference.
The Mexican newspaper Prensa reported details of the case. Mr. Lopez, alias "El Pozolero [the stew maker]," said he was paid $600 per month to help the Arellano Pelix drug cartel dispose of bodies (link to article in Spanish).
The New York Times explained that "pozole" is a "popular Mexican stew that can feature pork, hominy and an array of vegetables and seasonings." The newspaper reported that police paraded Meza before reporters on Friday on the outskirts of Tijuana, and that Meza publicly asked for forgiveness from the families of the victims.
The Wall Street Journal wrote in an opinion piece that the "body count" in drug-related violence in Mexico so far this year is already 354. It noted that a police commander was recently beheaded in the Mexican state of Chihuahua, an "increasingly popular tactic."
The paper traced the recent surge in drug-related violence to the Mexican president's bid to confront gangsters.
President Felipe Calderón began an assault on organized crime shortly after he took office in December 2006. It soon became apparent that the cartels would stop at nothing to preserve their operations, and that a state commitment to confrontation meant that violence would escalate.
As bad as the violence is, it could get worse, and it is becoming clear that the U.S. faces contagion. In recent months, several important American voices have raised concerns about the risks north of the border.
The paper reported that the US Joint Forces Command in Norfolk, Virginia, "warned recently that an unstable Mexico 'could represent a homeland security problem of immense proportions to the United States.'"
The Los Angeles Times added that the report said Mexico should be "monitored alongside Pakistan as a 'weak and failing' state that could crumble swiftly under relentless assault by violent drug cartels."
The newspaper said that the US Joint Forces Command report was only one of several alarms being sounded on the security situation south of the border.
Retired U.S. Army Gen. Barry R. McCaffrey, the former U.S. drug agency director, said in a separate analysis on Mexico that the government "is not confronting dangerous criminality -- it is fighting for its survival against narco-terrorism" and could lose effective control of large swaths near the U.S. border.
The outgoing CIA director, Michael V. Hayden, listed Mexico with Iran as a possible top challenge for President Obama.
And former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich said this month that Mexico could turn into a surprise crisis for the new president by year's end.
But the newspaper noted that Mexican officials and some analysts dispute such alarmism. "'It's a very bad analysis,' said Raul Benitez, an expert on security and US-Mexico relations at the National Autonomous University of Mexico. 'Mexico has some failed institutions inside the government, but not the whole state.'"
In a letter to the El Paso Times published Sunday, Mexico's ambassador to the United States, Arturo Sarukhan, rejected the notion that Mexico might be on the verge of collapse, saying that was "plainly preposterous."
The violence unleashed by trafficking organizations in response to President Calderón's effort to shut them down cannot be denied.
[But if] one considers the criteria that could lead to a "sudden collapse" – loss of territorial control; inability to provide public services; refugees and internally displaced people; criminalization of the state; sharp economic decline; and incapacity to interact as a full number of the international community -- it is obvious that Mexico simply doesn't fit the pattern.
As bad as the violence is, it could get worse, and it is becoming clear that the U.S. faces contagion. In recent months, several important American voices have raised concerns about the risks north of the border.
Why don't we just make them all citizens????
Why don't we move a bunch of the MS-13 gang members to Sherwack's neighborhood. That should make him feel so tingly all over to have all those Latinos in his neighborhood, that maybe he will mandate that another council seat has to go to one of them. That should make the phony happy.
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator James Inhofe (R-Okla.) issued the following comments after the Senate announcement of a compromise on the Stimulus Bill.
Inhofe stated that the Bill as written is 93% Spending and only 7% Stimulation, and over the past few days he have fought to include more in the way of real Stimulus through higher percentage of infrastructure and defense spending; while working to cut much of the typical government waste and pork often found in a Bill of this size.
The good news Inhofe said is that the American people are catching on to the fact that this is the largest spending Stimulus Bill in history and are becoming more and more vocal in their opposition to this Bill.
Inhofe also stated his offices in Oklahoma and Washington DC have been flooded with emails, phone calls and faxes from citizens overwhelmingly opposed to this trillion dollar Stimulus Legislation.
Rather than move the NS-13 Gang to Sherwood's neighborhood, how about getting him a one way ticket to Mexico?
The problem with the stimulus bill is that it’s targeted and temporary. Give us pervasive and permanent tax cuts. Then companies will invest and people will go back to work.
Will someone explain to us how “government spending” creates wealth/jobs? If you subscribe to the “economic multiplier” canard, then why stop at $900B? Why not $9 Trillion? Then we could all be rich and retire early. It was borrowing and spending that got us into this mess.
I don’t see how borrowing and spending will get us out of a Depression. Government doesn’t give people jobs. The private sector does. I think we would all agree that we have enough local,state, and federal jobs. Has anyone been to the Department of Motor Vehicles lately?
If I remember right we had 4% unemployment right up to the day Pelosi became Speaker of the House.
The stimulus bill is a fraud. If you believe congress can implement a plan to pull us out of recession you are an idiot. Government has never solved economic problems. Their meddling only makes it worse. All of our current economic problems started because of Barney Frank, Chris Dodd and the other dunderheads who launched the Sub-prime mortgages .
Will someone explain to us how “government spending” creates wealth/jobs?
NO ONE CAN EXPLAIN THIS TO YOU BECAUSE IT HAS NEVER WORKED IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD AND NEVER WILL. THE MORE THEY SPEND OUR MONEY ON SOCIALIST PROGRAMS AND RAISE TAXES ON BUSINESSES, THE MORE BUSINESSES WILL BE REQUIRED TO ELIMINATE MILLIONS OF JOBS TO PAY THEIR TAXES. THAT IS WHAT HISTORY TELLS US REGARDING THESE STIMULUS PLANS THAT HAVE BEEN TRIED AND FAILED THROUGHOUT HISTORY. JAPAN TRIED IT 8 TIMES IN THE 1990'S BEFORE THEY REALIZED IT IS DOOMED TO FAILURE!
THE DEMOCRATS KNOW THEIR PLAN WILL NOT PROVIDE ANY JOBS, BUT WHAT IT WILL DO IS CREATE MILLIONS OF MORE PEOPLE WHO WILL BECOME DEPENDANT ON THE GOVERNMENT FOR SUPPORT AND WILL BE LOYALIST TO THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY BECAUSE THEY WILL BE VOTING TO CONTINUE THEIR GOVERNMENT ENTITLEMENTS. WHAT IS UNDERWAY RIGHT NOW LADIES AND GENTLEMEN IS A PARTY THAT IS LITERALLY DESTROYING CAPITALISM AS WE KNOW IT SIMPLY TO CREATE MILLIONS OF MORE NEEDY PEOPLE TO BE DEPENDANT ON THEM FOR SUPPORT.
THEY WILL NOT STOP UNTIL EVERY LAST ONE OF US IS DEPENDANT ON THEM FOR OUR SUPPORT. THE REASON THIS SYSTEM HAS FAILED ANYWHERE IT HAS BEEN TRIED IS THAT EVENTUALLY, THERE IS NO ONE LEFT TO BE PRODUCTIVE, SO WHO WILL PAY ALL THE TAXES REQUIRED TO SUPPORT THIS MASSIVE SOCIALIST GOVERNMENT???
WE ARE LITERALLY WATCHING OVER 200 YEARS OF FREEDOM AS WE HAVE KNOWN IT COME TO AN END BEFORE OUR EYES.
Mr. Smith:
You're right. It's a free country. But if you let anything go in for comments then you can't be an editor. On the other hand, there's nothing wrong with being a conduit for a free expression of ideas. The Courant is no better by allowing similae hate speech on the comments to its stories. I just think the Courant should be more of a filter than you.
The remarks made by Mr. Anonymous has follows:
Mr. Smith:
"You're right. It's a free country. But if you let anything go in for comments then you can't be an editor. On the other hand, there's nothing wrong with being a conduit for a free expression of ideas. The Courant is no better by allowing similae hate speech on the comments to its stories. I just think the Courant should be more of a filter than you."
my editorial did explain that I will not disallow a person's comments that he wishes to vent as long as there is no vulgar language involved. He desires the answers for my readers regarding his issue.
Your comments sir is making it very apparent that my blog is irritating you very much and by the tone of you comments you prefer the liberal stands of the Courant than those of my blog.
Glad to see that this blog is irritating you due to your liberal leanings.
frank smith and still the editor!
A stimulus bill that was meant to be timely, targeted and temporary - has instead become a Trojan horse for Democrat pet pork projects and expanded government.
Although Mr. Obama made substantial efforts to reach across party lines, not one of the House Republicans voted for the stimulus measure. They complained that House Democrats shut them out of the process.
In the Senate stimulus talks proved excruciatingly difficult. In the end, the only Republicans whose support the Democrats gain
were from Senator Specter, Senator Collins and Senator Olympia J. Snowe of Maine.
from andrew breitharts bighollywood blog
http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/alevy/2009/01/20/my-to-dont-list-for-the-right/
My “To Don’t” List for the Right
by Andy Levy
The only thing worse than bad winners are sore losers, and we’ve had enough of them for the past eight years. So with that in mind, in the wake of today’s historic inauguration, here’s my Handbook For The Loyal Opposition, 2009 edition - a “To Don’t List,” if you will. Or even if you won’t.
DON’T question the motives - question the policy. When you disagree with Obama’s policies, say so, and make it clear why. But remember that President Obama is doing what he thinks is best for the country, as President Bush did. Both men love America and want what’s best for her. End of story.
DON’T make it personal. We don’t need another Derangement Syndrome. We don’t need people doing things like emphasizing Obama’s middle name in a derogatory fashion. How anyone would think that’s beneficial to their cause, or to the country as a whole, is beyond me. Also, it’s not even clever. Neither are smushwords like BusHitler, or sillywords like Rethuglicans and Dhimmicrats.
DON’T cozy up to and champion foreign dictators and despots. Sean Penn is an ass. No reason to be like him. ‘Nuff said. (Corollary: Don’t cozy up to and champion foreign dictators and despots and then act outraged when people question your patriotism.)
DON’T pretend you’re being brave when you criticize your government. Not while people in other countries actually, y’know, DIE, when they do that.
DON’T use the word “divisive.” At this point, all that word means is “You disagree with me,” and the English language gets mangled enough these days.
DON’T use the phrase “speaking truth to power.” EVER.
DON’T move to Canada.
DON’T say you’re going to move to Canada and then stay here. (I know it’s too late for Stephen Baldwin, but not for the rest of you.)
DON’T apologize to foreigners and say things to them like, “I didn’t vote for Obama,” or “He’s not MY president.”
DON’T say or do everything in your power to drive this country apart and then claim you want unity when it’s your guy in power. This is like the convicted felon who conveniently finds God when he’s up for parole.
DON’T call people un-American one week, and then talk about how “We are not blue states or red states, we are the United States” the next. (This rule may only apply to Tom Hanks, but I put it in just to be safe.)
DON’T automatically think people who disagree with you are stupid or evil. Some of them are, of course. But most of them aren’t, and you might actually learn something if you listen to them.
And finally, DON’T use the fact that many on the left behaved abominably for the past eight years as an excuse to behave the same way. America needs adults. And if it bothered you when they did it, it’s a good sign that you shouldn’t do it.
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