Saturday, September 19, 2009

POWER POLITICS AND ANGER


David Shribman is a Pulitzer Prize winning writer and executive editor for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

He has written a terrific guest column featured in today's Globe about the animus that has characterized the health care debate in America.

In short, he argues that this fight is about the role of government in people's lives and the power that they may or may not have or relinquish.

Please read this piece.

NOT SPEEDING TO A CONCLUSION


The police are a riot. Really.

A yellow Corvette and a black Corvette go screaming by on a main thoroughfare in sunny downtown Surrey.

By the time they are finished their little imitation of the Indy 500, an 83-year old man sitting quietly on a bench at a bus stop has lost his legs.

Now here's the official report.

Police Friday were careful not to say “street racing,” but are investigating witness reports that both cars, which were apparently Corvettes, were driving alongside one another.

They're looking at whether speed was a factor.

You think?

Mr. Yellow Racer has sped away into the ether.

The police are questioning Mr. Black Racer.


THE LACK OF HARMONY TAX


Most of the powers that be are determined to assure us that the approaching HST will be good for us and that it makes imminent sense.

Balls.

Economists at the TD Bank differ.

Their report states clearly that while Big Biz will find a $6.9 BILLION windfall, you and I will be paying more for practically everything.

And that includes the food we buy at the grocery store and the food we eat in restaurants.

Nice.

No small wonder Bill van der Zalm and Carole James are doing the public tango together today in protest.

Like your phone can cable services don't cost enough, they'll be going up.

So will prescription drugs. That's helpful to the economy in general and to the aging population in particular.

This is a bad idea at any time.

In this climate it is suicidal.