Fitzsimon File

Dumb headline of the week

Here’s the ridiculous headline of the week from the website of WBT radio in Charlotte on a story about Senate Democrats electing Martin Nesbitt as Senate Majority Leaders to replace Senator Tony Rand.

The headline was “N.C. Democrats Name New Senate Leader, Extend 110 Year Domination.”

It is true that Democrats have controlled the Senate for 110 years, which is one part of the Republican campaign message this year in their effort to win a majority of seats, but control of the Senate has nothing to do with the election of a majority leader.

Maybe the headline writer expected Democrats to elect a Republican. More likely is that somebody wanted to reinforce the GOP talking point and clumsily used the headline to do it.

Shuler’s money-saving tip

Here’s an idea to speed up debate and save some money in Washington courtesy of North Carolina Congressman Heath Shuler. The New York Times reported recently that Shuler was one of the 35 House members who inserted statements into the Congressional Record during the health care debate that were furnished by health industry lobbyists.

Shuler’s spokesman confirmed that the language in his boss’ statement came from lobbyists from a biotech company and defended the action, saying Shuler has been a strong supporter of the biotech industry.  How efficient of Rep. Shuler.

The remarks submitted were written only. They were not delivered by Shuler on the House floor, but maybe that is next.  

And think of all the time it would save if all members of Congress followed suit. We could print the Congressional Record in advance.   

Shuler’s years as an NFL quarterback are coming in handy. The coaches used to call the plays. Now the health industry lobbyists are.

Unacceptable and accusatory?

Put this one in the “If you can’t stand the heat….”category. Newly elected Wake County School Board member Deborah Goldman is upset that she and her resegregationist allies on the board are being criticized before they have even been sworn in.

Progressive education groups, parents of children in magnet schools and other advocates are warning that the new board majority’s plan to abolish the policy of using economic diversity as a factor in student assignment will damage the school system, threaten the magnet program and create failing schools.

Goldman campaigned as part of a block of candidates who made abolishing the diversity policy a central part of their campaigns. Now that people are realizing what that would mean for the schools, they are expressing their concern.

Goldman says in response “We have not begun to govern, we have not taken our seats yet. We have not done any of these things. And so being accusatory to any of us is completely unacceptable.”

They may not have taken their seats, but they have pledged to end the current student assignment policy. It is not being accusatory to cite Goldman’s campaign promises and let people know what those promises will mean when they are translated into policy.

And Goldman is a public official now, holding the same position as the people she and her colleagues spent the last few months vilifying. And pointed criticism is now unacceptable?

Welcome to governing Ms. Goldman.

Nothing, anywhere is working

Not that it is surprising, but anti-immigrant zealot Bill Gheen wildy exaggerated this week in a conversation about immigration, telling a Fox News Interviewer (who else?) that “the entire Republic isn’t functioning.”

The entire Republic has shut down? Who knew.

From the Fringe

From the Fringe favorite George Leef has been busy this week, questioning why public schools teach music, though that is not a surprise coming from someone who doesn’t believe public schools should teach anything because he’d rather they didn’t exist.

In a review of a new book by some supply-side economists he loves, Leef calls Obama’s advisors “pseudo economists.” The only real economists are apparently the ones who agree with Leef.

He also says if the Obama economic policy agenda goes through we will face the end of prosperity. Didn’t that already end for a lot of people during the last Administration?

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This entry was posted on Friday, November 20th, 2009 at 4:33 pm and is filed under Fitzsimon File. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.