Saturday, May 30, 2009

IS THE CHICAGO BULLS' ROSE TARNISHED?

When you compare the problems being confronted by our nation today, the latest scandalous allegations regarding Chicago Bull’s basketball star Derrick Rose and his high school grades and SAT score might appear to be minor. I, however, do not think these charges are insignificant, because Rose is an important role model to thousands of children across the country.

I commend both the Chicago Sun Times and the Chicago Tribune for excellent reporting on this story, because it has far reaching implications impacting numerous entities. Institutions such as the Simeon Career Academy, the Chicago Public School System, the University of Memphis, the NCAA, The Chicago Bulls, and the National Basketball Association are all directly involved in the outcome of these yet unproven allegations.

Did Derrick Rose participate in changing his grade at Simeon; did someone else take the SAT test for Rose; if so, who; was the University of Memphis complicit; what position will the Chicago Bulls and the NBA take on these questionable actions? Your Commander believes these are all vitally important questions to be resolved.

Obviously numerous jurisdictions will be most interested in this very serious matter. Federal money is directly involved in school funding, and inter-state activities are apparent here, thus the federal government should be directly drawn in. The Justice Department and the FBI working in conjunction with local authorities in Illinois and Tennessee, as well as the NCAA and the NBA should all be working closely to bring the facts to conclusive action.

I found it very interesting to read the results of two different polls taken by each of the newspapers.

Sun Times Poll:

Should Simeon High School have to forfeit their 2006 and 2007 state championships?

Yes, if they cheated, they don’t deserve it - 56% (435 votes). No, they earned it on the court, not in the classroom - 43% (338 votes).

In the Chicago Tribune Poll the following question was asked:

Does this change your opinion of Rose? If the allegations against Derrick Rose at Simeon and Memphis turn out to be true, does it alter your opinion of him?

Yes - 28.3% 810 responded

No - 71.7% 2862 responded

Total responded 2862

Personally I am shocked that the Sun Times poll had only a 56% response in the Yes category, and I am equally disappointed to see the respondents to the Chicago Tribune poll indicating that 71.7% feel Rose’s actions (if proved to be true) does not alter their opinion of him. This is not, and never has been a racial issue. It is a question of right or wrong behavior, nothing more or nothing less.

My God, does truth and integrity mean nothing anymore to our fellow citizens? I hope the allegations are proven not to be true, but if they are, those responsible should be held accountable for these actions. What kind of an example does this behavior indicate to young people who idolize this year’s NBA Rookie of the Year? Apparently the moral compass of many of our fellow Americans just does not exist anymore, and that it itself indicates we are all at great peril.

It will be interesting to see just how much transparency these allegations receive.

COMMANDER GRANGER

Friday, May 29, 2009

WHERE IS THE NATIONAL OUTRAGE?

Every day we hear another devastating story of corruption, waste or mismanagement within our day to day lives and nobody seems to pay any attention. I am beginning to believe that the American public is totally ignoring the problems, because they think there is nothing they can do about the situation. Tragically, our fellow citizens are wrong to ignore these thorny developments.

Ever since the last national election we have heard extensive news reports that ACORN conducted illegal voter registration activities and received huge public funds which were illegally and inappropriately diverted. First of all, why was this permitted to occur and secondly, why are no thorough investigations being conducted by legal authorities who serve under oaths to act against such violations of existing laws?

There are multiple accusations against ACORN, but the Justice Department does not conduct investigations or pursue legal means against the community organizer. This situation stinks throughout Washington.

Back on January 27th President Obama signed a Presidential determination that approved the expenditure of $20.3 Million in migration assistance to the Palestinian Refugees and “conflict victims” in Gaza. This determination allows hundreds of thousands of Palestinians with ties to Hamas to resettle in the United States. Little press coverage has alerted American citizens to the fact that this order provides a free ticket replete with housing and food allowances to individuals who have displayed their overwhelming support to the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in the parliamentary election of January 2006. Why has this action not been covered widely by our national media outlets and where is the outrage to this presidential action?

While driving today I heard a commercial calling for immediate action to investigate the eligibility of President Obama to serve, because his origin of birth is still questioned. Newsmax.Com in a May 12th, 2009 announcement has drawn attention to the fact that the United States Justice Foundation has filed lawsuits in Ohio, Mississippi, Hawaii, and California to compel Barack Obama to prove that he is constitutionally eligible to be President of the United States. For further details I suggest you look at the USJF website:
https://secure.conservativedonations.com/usjf_coverup/?a=2353

Interesting questions are raised in these filings, and I would like to know why have the Obama interests thus far spent in excess of $800,000 in legal fees, and still have not produced the appropriate documentation. Where is the public outrage and where is the media coverage?

Last, but not least I would like to know just where are all those shovel ready projects? Thus far I have not seen any evidence that even the first shovel ready project has started in Northern Indiana where I reside. Our elected leaders were forced to vote and our president signed the Stimulus Bill into law without even permitting appropriate reading of the legislation’s contents. Our president and his Treasury Secretary Geithner said it was vital for the economic survival of the nation to act quickly. Well they did and I have not seen any definitive action except the nationalization of our major banks, automobile industry, AIG, and our major investment firms.

In the May 28th issue of USA Today there is an interesting article. As reported, “States with the highest unemployment rates have received comparatively few stimulus contracts awarded by federal agencies and totaling nearly $4 billion”. Why has Idaho with 7% unemployment received $245.83 stimulus dollars per-capita spending, while Indiana with 9% unemployment has received $0.29 stimulus dollars per-capita spending? There are numerous states with much higher levels of unemployment that have similar low levels of stimulus per-capita spending dollars, such as Michigan and Ohio. Clout rules the day, and there is no outrage, or massive media coverage.

I do not see any end to these deplorable developments. As long as we continue to cower like sheep when near the shepherd’s dog, we are doomed.

COMMANDER GRANGER

Thursday, May 28, 2009

WOULD YOU CHANGE YOUR VOTE

Consider the fact that it has only been six months since the general election in November 2008. Since then, consider all the events and issues that have bounded into our daily considerations and concerns. Once you have digested that question, I ask again my inquiry in a little different way; if you knew what you know today would you vote the same way?

Chances are your answer would be yes, because the political debate has continued to become even harsher on both sides of the fence. It is absolutely amazing just how many issues have developed onto the front burner of concern in the last six months. Would you believe for one minute that our federal government would essentially nationalize our automobile industry, our major national banks, AIG, several large financial institutions, announce the closing of Guantanamo’s detention center, order the immediate troop reductions in Iraq, create record levels of national debt, and sign into law massive spending legislation without even reading the details?

I want to draw your attention to a very informative article I read on Time magazine’s website by David Von Drehle titled WILL THE GOVERNMENT SAVE GM? It is well worth reading and can be obtained via at http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,1901345,00.html
Von Drehle really opens eyes relative to our government’s heavy handed treatment of the bondholders, and car dealers compared to their favorable intervention on behalf of the unions. Long established legal standards were clearly abused by our new administration, and legal scholars will study these actions for years to come. After reading this article I wonder if all those who voted for Obama would do so again.

It is your Commander’s opinion that both the Republicans and the Democrats are to blame for our current economic crisis. Why did Bush delay action in the automobile crises until Obama took office? Why did both Bush and Obama throw good money after bad in propping up General Motors and Chrysler, unless they wanted to kiss the Union’s ring?

Both the Bush and Obama administrations have been totally irresponsible in their spending and appropriation habits, but we are responsible for permitting these dangerous actions to occur. We are now sitting on the precipice with several looming problems; the collapse of Social Security and Medicare, exploding credit card debt, escalating national debt, record setting unemployment, and ever increasing foreign tensions. What about the future in Iraq, Afghanistan, North Korea, Israel, Russia, China, and the ever violate Third World Countries in Africa?

Nationally, presidential administration after administration has passed the buck addressing a fair solution to the growing financial burdens caused by immigration. There is no end in sight for this, because politicians want the Latino vote now and into the future. The failure to solve this one matter is causing the financial chaos in the State of California, and its problems are spreading across the nation.

Our supposedly brilliant leadership in Washington is daily borrowing massive amounts of money from foreign investors that could at anytime call their notes of obligation. How can we place our financial future into the hands of questionable friends such as Saudi Arabia, and China to name just two? We cannot even count on these countries to support our interests in the United Nations, so why would we naively believe they would not pull the rug out from under us when they saw the right opportunity which would also provide their provincial national interests?

I believe we were ill served by the main stream media during our most recent election because they did not properly vet either candidate. Media was so busy belittling Senator John McCain, and falling over themselves in praise of Senator Barack Obama, many voters chose to ignore the opportunity to evaluate the true significance of their vote. Who believed back in November the extent of the socialist vent our new administration really was planning? Well, we know now and it’s only 4 months into the Obama administration. And now, we are about to see our Supreme Court move even further to the left with the pending appointment of Sonia Sotomayer. Obama may have another appointment or two in the future…I can’t begin to think about that just yet.

Would you have changed your vote had you known what you know today? I doubt anyone would, unless you could have looked into the future like a fortune teller or could read the cards. Let us never forget that our past leaderships have repeatedly failed to serve our long-term survival interests, and we sank the hook into our mouths this time with a very slick, well organized, questionably financed political campaign.

The Republican Party will need a near miracle to get back into power, but they have come back from the floor before and they can do it again. They desperately need a qualified, broadly appealing candidate. I think the GOP is struggling to find its voice and its speaker with that vision. It is very important that a multiple party political system survives.

Only we, the voters, can save this great nation by demanding the necessary actions by their elected officials. Write them, call them, and demand that they pay attention to your interests and not the special interests that have been propping them up and lining their pockets. Your vote can be more powerful than the politician’s over-stuffed war chests. If we, the voters, don’t address our interests we will have no one to blame but ourselves.

COMMANDER GRANGER

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

WHAT HAPPENED TO COMPROMISE?

First, we must establish the fact that your Commander is an idealist, and not a very effective realist. I make every effort to be objective, but it is frequently difficult to honestly see the other guy’s opinion without being influenced by my upbringing in an ultra-conservative, depression era family.

In preparation for this commentary I went to my New World Dictionary and looked up the definition of “POLITICS,” and it is recorded as “the science and art of political government” – “political methods tactics” – “factional scheming for power and status within a group”. I feel the latter definition fairly describes the conditions facing the state of politics today, namely factional scheming for power and status within a group.

With all the problems facing our great nation today we find our politicians tearing one another apart on virtually ever single issue. It is said that the art of politics is the ability to reach acceptable compromises, but how can that happen when both major political parties are operating in full battle mode for the personal destruction of their opponents, and all their positions.

History establishes that political rancor has existed since the colonial days, but our Founding Fathers found a way to reach acceptable accords that successfully led to our Declaration of Independence and our magnificent Constitution. At least in those early days politicians attacked one another with some degree of civility. If we are to look at the vocal advocates of each party today there is little or no attempt to reach a compromise and civility is now, and has been for some time, out of vogue in Washington.

Originally I intended to list the provocateurs on both sides of the political discussion, but I have changed my mind. There are so many people who have raised the harshness of the debate I could list several hundred names. The 24 hour cable news cycle usually doesn’t help the debate; it just seems to add fuel to the fire. It is essential to include the media spokespersons as well as the political operatives to that list, because they all have polluted the discussion to all time low levels of decency. All they accomplish is smearing the opponent’s position and then nothing is really achieved when the opposition is steamrolled or personally destroyed.

The current fad to urge investigations and prosecutions of past administrations may come back to haunt our current leadership. Personally, this tactic disgusts me to my core. History proves that every President could be questioned for some past actions. Hindsight tends to hold a high degree of accuracy for everyone, but much more is to be gained by moving forward.

So I have come to the conclusion that “POLITICS” should now be defined as “the art of greed and personal enrichment.” These positions are both detrimental and wrong for our citizenry, but the ultimate decisions are now essentially based upon “whose Ox is being gored.” Why do we permit this to happen to our great country? I really am beginning to wonder if we can reverse the destructive course that we are blindly following.

COMMANDER GRANGER

Monday, May 25, 2009

A SAD DAY TURNS BRIGHT RED, WHITE, AND BLUE

Normally Memorial Day has always been a sad day when my family celebrates with great respect the lives of America’s War Veterans. My Dad was a veteran of service with the 122nd Mounted Field Artillery Battalion of the Illinois National Guard’s 33rd Division, and I served with the 5th Air Force during the Korean War. While I have only viewed Arlington National Cemetery from the passing road or on approach or take off at Reagan Washington National Airport, I will always remember visiting the Punch Bowl National Cemetery in Honolulu. It was a highly emotionally experience that has stayed with me for more than twenty years.

As usual we flew our beautiful American flag to commemorate Memorial Day, but what made this one special was the fact that my son, Kenneth, paid us an overnight visit Saturday from his home in Dallas. Ken is my first born and only son and thus always will hold a special place in my heart. He has made his family most proud by his Emmy award winning work at KXAS-TV the local NBC affiliate in Dallas, as well as his embedded assignment with the Marines in the 2002 invasion of Iraq. In 1983, he covered the Marines Barracks bombing in Lebanon, as well as coverage over his career of thirteen hurricanes along the Gulf Coast to name a few highlights of his carrier.

Don’t misunderstand me for one minute in highlighting Ken. My only daughter, Karen is equally important to me and our family. I take particular pride in the manner in which she has handled her life. She and her husband cared for their ailing son at home for many years, until his passing in 2005.

So while Memorial Day is one of sadness as we honor all the fallen veterans of our many wars, it was wonderful to have our son home for just a few hours. I said a prayer Saturday evening when I put my head down on my pillow for the blessing that had befallen us to share part of this important weekend with Kenneth. I thought of all the families who did not have their sons or daughters home to share precious moments and remembrances.

God Bless America, and all those who have served her so honorably. They gave their precious lives so we can have our wondrous freedoms. In the chaotic, unsettled world in which we live today we must never forget those who gave us their last full measure.

COMMANDER GRANGER

Sunday, May 24, 2009

HASTE MAKES WASTE AGAIN MR. PRESIDENT

Here we go again with President Barack Obama addressing the nation on the contentious issue of closing the Guantanamo detention center, and dispersing the prison population. This issue would not have half as much steam had the president not rushed to announce his intensions immediately following his inauguration.

As is so often the case it will be most interesting and far more accurate to evaluate matters of this nature twenty-five years from today. Since most of us will not be around at that time I feel it is necessary to voice my opinion now. Both sides of this debate are hard set in their opinion so it has become a delicate issue. It is your Commander’s opinion that the facility in Cuba continues to be both necessary and appropriate, because I believe the majority of American citizens, who are voters and taxpayer’s too, do not want these terrorists inside the United States. Our squeamish Congress and the President’s own Democratic Party finally heard the peoples’ concerns and that is why they voted against funding the prison closing.

President Obama’s point that the existence of Gitmo is the major selling point in the recruitment of terrorists is shallow at best, because if it was not this it would be some other political selling point from the fanatic’s position. Wouldn’t the new place we housed terrorists become the next symbol for Al Quaeda or other enemy entities to use as a rallying point? It is further my opinion that this excuse is a typical position coming from a liberal politician that is a further extension of “Hate George Bush” on every single possible matter. It is further a perfect example of the naive thinking of a politician who has never experienced combat or the fulfilling experience of serving our country in the military.

This entire debate could have been avoided had Obama not promised closing the facility before he knew all the facts during his run for the Presidency. Who in their right mind would propose closing a facility without a thorough and definitive plan to deal with its detainees? Apparently, our president still does not realize that our Muslim enemies still want to kill all Americans, not just Republicans.

As the elected President of the United States of America, President Obama has the legitimate right to close Gitmo if it his desire, but he should have first listened to the electorate, not his elite liberal followers and advisors. Paying off political obligations has a history of creating big problems and this is a perfect example. Without a plan in hand, the quick announcement to close Gitmo was totally premature, and has resulted in his backtracking in a typical lawyer type speech a few days ago at the National Archives. His address clearly shows that he is a trained lawyer, but obviously an inexperienced practitioner of his trade. When did he ever practice professionally as a lawyer, aside from a professorial position followed by political office climbing?

This misstep is identical to the rush to judgment in signing the Stimulus Bill before anyone could read its contents. To prove my point, do you know that over 10,000 dead individuals have received $250 stimulus checks? One recipient, who died more than 30 years ago, actually left the USA back in 1935 when he returned to his native Italy. While this represents over 2.5 million dollars, apparently that is chump change in Washington today. Now we are paying for the ill advised haste with the huge unaccounted spending of millions of our precious tax generated dollars.

If you heard the president’s speech as I did, you may agree that there was a definite arrogant tone that he knew better than we do. Our President does know more than we do when it comes to secret intelligence, but that does not justify his gloating that he knows better than his constituents. If my president was so smart, he would not have announced the closing of Gitmo without any plan for the closure’s execution. Any experienced lawyer would know that you cannot move several hundred detainees through our legal system within the next eight months. Neither lawyers nor the courts will move that fast, and to force action quicker will only lead to more massive wasteful expenditures.

I have been carefully listening to my presidents speak going back to Franklin D. Roosevelt, and I have never heard one of them until now continue to tell his audience how proud he is to be the Commander in Chief. I wonder why Obama must remind us of his lofty position in virtually every address he reads. Most of all the presidents I remember have not needed to bask in the glow of the office, however one might suspect Obama feels the need to remind us of his supremacy over us lesser soles.

I keep saying that I want my President to be successful, but he keeps putting his unseasoned foot into his teleprompter guided mouth, because his advisors are apparently afraid to give him solid, honest advice. The cult-like aura surrounding Obama could, and may, lead to his political downfall in the long run. God I hope I am wrong, because it is in our collective benefit that our president is successful in leading our great country to peace and prosperity.

COMMANDER GRANGER

Thursday, May 21, 2009

GET YOUR READING SPECS OUT AGAIN

While I am still struggling through Jon Meacham’s well written AMERICAN LION: Andrew Jackson in the White House, I recommend it particularly if you are a history buff. The details that Meacham brings forward are truly amazing, but sometimes it seems over the top.

As I have written earlier, I frequently read three or four books at the same time because time restraints dictate when I have sufficient time to delve into heavy reading works or I am not in the mood for a particular genre.

I just finished and strongly recommend best selling author David Hagberg’s THE EXPEDITER for quick reading and maximum adventure. David’s work is new to me, but he has written over twenty-five different spy stories, and this one is his 2009 thriller that takes the reader from Florida to Washington, to North Korea, Japan, back to Washington, back to Japan, and finally home to Florida via Washington. Within 351 pages the hero racks up several thousand miles on CIA aircraft, Chinese Embassy planes, and a North Korean Hovercraft. The lead character is deeply involved in preventing a nuclear attack that would cause millions of deaths from Asia to the United States.

This tale of intrigue ends with a cliff hanger, so no doubt there will be more adventure from our hero in the near future. I was so impressed with Hagberg’s creativity that I intend to hit my local library and read some of his earlier books.

Get your favorite beverage, and lounge in your most comfortable chair as you start turning the pages of THE EXPEDITER.

COMMANDER GRANGER

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

PRESIDENT OBAMA HAS LEFT THE BUILDING

Monday morning when your Commander rose to a bright cool morning, I could almost hear a loud sigh of relief being expelled by the entire South Bend community. As many across the country know, President Barack Obama came to the University of Notre Dame Sunday, May 17th to give the commencement address and to receive a coveted honorary degree. Since the invitation was extended about two months ago, it has brought increased tension within our area, culminating with protests and the attention of the national media, including the major television networks and the 24 hour cable news channels.

I happened to be on the campus of Notre Dame a week ago and there were numerous demonstrators near the main entrance to the University proclaiming their strict positions on Abortion and Stem-cell Research. The university received a restraining order to keep protestors from setting foot on campus.

Our area has been inundated with airplanes flying around with anti-abortion banners and large trucks circling the region with graphic depictions of dead, bloody fetuses. Out of town advocates arrived several days before commencement and numerous arrests took place. Our local newspaper ran special features addressing the invitation’s controversy, and the television stations over worked every possible angle of the story for days.

On Sunday our local NBC television station (WNDU-TV) provided almost wall to wall coverage of events unfolding on campus from the early afternoon thru to the departure of Air Force One well after the originally scheduled time. The WNDU switchboard must have been buzzing, because its coverage of the day’s events and Obama’s speech overlapped the NBC network’s coverage of the Chicago Blackhawk/Detroit Red Wings hockey play-off game. The station had long promoted plans to join the game in progress at the start of the second period, but the commencement events ran well behind schedule presenting a dilemma. WNDU elected to stay with commencement and joined the hockey game in the third period. This was another no win situation just as the discussion has been on the Presidential invitation question.

My wife and I watched the entire television coverage and we were quite relieved to see that the graduation took place almost without incident, because this was really about recognizing the student’s achievements and receiving their diplomas. The brouhaha between Obama, the University, and the local Bishop was just a side issue to the abortion/stem-cell debate. Yes, there was a brief interruption during Obama’s speech, and yes there were numerous arrests on the campus, but fortunately there was no violence. Some activists on both sides of the debate spent the night in the slammer, but that did nothing to solve this debate.

We liked the president’s speech. Personally, I felt that Notre Dame’s President was somewhat fawning and obsequious, but considering the fact that he and his Trustees started this controversy I can understand his desire to bring a calming atmosphere to the event. The contentiousness of the subject was not solved, but no one expected it to be just by Obama’s appearance. Only time will tell if the university and our president were correct in creating the huge controversy with the invitation, and his acceptance.

University President Emeritus Theodore Hesburgh was in the commencement audience and was acknowledged several times. He will celebrate his 92nd birthday next week and is still a much loved and revered figure on campus.

In the interest of balance, it should be noted that in Monday’s Chicago Tribune there was an article praising the Reverend Father President John Jenkins for his compassionate, conciliatory introduction of President Obama. I suggest that the university would have been correct to invite the president to speak, but not now and that the awarding of an honorary degree was the real act that ignited the inflammatory debate.

I wonder why the University moved as it did when it immediately alienated a significant portion of highly supportive donors. Already there is local discussion as to whether the Rev. Jenkins reign as President of Notre Dame will be renewed upon its expiration next year. Unless there is some quid pro quo here I cannot see what the University gets out of this entire situation other than a warm and fuzzy feeling, because hard lines have now been drawn that will take years to heal, if ever.

The abortion question will not go away easily, because it is so emotional. The discussion on stem-cell research will linger too, but it may become moot with the developments in the scientific community to achieve equal results without destroying fetal material. The coming Supreme Court appointment will now become even more contentious as a result of this renewed abortion squabble.

The church will continue to function and I am certain the rift will ultimately heal, but not quickly. Rarely considered is the question: Was the expense of literally millions of dollars by the government and the University justified in order to have the president address the students at this time? The liberals and bleeding hearts are euphoric, and the ultra-right wingers remain firm in their position, so just what was really accomplished? If one says it is the development of dialog, I suspect that is just academic double talk and represents a typical naive position to reality.

The South Bend community has immediately shifted to the more pressing issue of the day, namely will Notre Dame’s football team win, and will Charlie Weis be retained as the Fighting Irish Coach. It is funny living here in quiet northern Indiana, where interests are sometimes quite different than those of the outside world. Even with massive unemployment due to the current problems in the recreational vehicle industry and the automotive parts business, core employers in this area, football is again the big discussion topic of the day.

Based upon what I observe your Commander suspects Washington is just as screwed up as we Hoosiers are in establishing appropriate priorities.

COMMANDER GRANGER

Sunday, May 17, 2009

SETTLING THE SCORE - TALKIN' CHICAGO SPORTS

I want to suggest a real change of pace in reading with Mike North’s new book "SETTLING THE SCORE – TALKIN’ CHICAGO SPORTS." Mike is a native Chicagoan who is a product of the north side Rogers Park neighborhood. He got his start owning and operating a Hot Dog stand, and this led to a very successful career as a highly opinionated Sports Talk host on Chicago’s very popular WSCR-AM (The Score). Mike has developed a unique shtick with a highly exaggerated Chicago accent.

Love Mike or hate him, he has built a loyal following within the huge block of Chicago sports aficionados for many years. Reading this book brought back many fond memories of my youthful days as an Andy Frain usher at Wrigley Field, Comiskey Park, The Old Chicago Stadium, and Soldier Field in the 1940’s.

Mike North is much younger than me, so he refers to many players from his era, and thus there are just reasons for me to disagree with his list of the best participants on the Chicago sports scene. Be that as it may, he sure brings back memories of watching great games on some of the coldest Sundays at Wrigley Field when George Halas was coaching the Chicago Bears against great Green Bay Packer teams who were coached by the legendary Curley Lambeau. I totally agree with Mike when he says that Wrigley Field was the best place to watch football, because your seats were real close to the action.

Your Commander retains great memories of Soldier Field too, dating back to the time my Dad took me to the then very popular Chicago Tribune All-Star football game. We saw the great halfback Tom Harmon of Michigan play for the College All-Stars against the Chicago Bears in 1941. I recall that the fog was so bad along the lake front that it was hard to see the field, but Tom Harmon along with the Bears filled the house to some 90,000 excited fans.

Also there were those late evening rides home on the Rocket Streetcar along Madison Avenue after working great Chicago Blackhawk hockey games in the old Chicago Stadium or seeing Gorgeous George wrestle The Giant. The old Chicago White Sox Comiskey Park was a fond place for my Grandmother and me for numerous Ladies’ Day games, and also ushering at Chicago Cardinals football games.

Mike will not be getting a Pulitzer Prize for his writing skills, or will I, but if you have any Chicago connections you surely will enjoy this soft cover book (214 pages). It was not a problem for me, but Mike tends to repeat himself in several different chapters.

Mike has worked the Chicago sports scene during a truly exciting period, especially with Michael Jordan playing two different times for the Bulls. We old dogs had our great experiences too, and saw some of the best who ever played in Chicago like the Cub’s Stan Hack or Hank Sauer or Phil Cavaretta, then Bill Mosienko, Doug Bentley and Stan Mikita with the Blackhawk’s, or early Bull’s stars Jerry Sloan and Bob Love under beloved Coach Johnny “Red” Kerr, and Luke Appling or Minnie Minoso with the White Sox, and you cannot forget Chicago Bears like George Blanda or John Lujack either. I totally agree with Mike regarding his comments about the Bears great Sid Luckman, because I feel he was one of the very best quarterbacks I have ever seen.

So for a total change in a reading experience, I recommend you pick up a copy of "SETTLING THE SCORE." At least it is not about depressing political shenanigans or the sluggish economy.

Let me close with this quote from Mike North’s book about the late, great Walter Payton, “I’ve seen guys who were more talented, but I’ve never seen guys get more out of their talent.” May you rest in peace, Sweetness.

COMMANDER GRANGER

Saturday, May 16, 2009

SO MANY SUBJECTS...SO LITTLE TIME

With the posting of yesterday’s commentary titled “Great Quotes” your Commander’s total works for 2009 surpassed the entire 2008 efforts. On a pure numbers basis I wrote a total of 73 different rants or raves starting April 23, 2008 with “Sportsmanship Is Dead” through “Blessings To Count” December 23, 2008.

2009 started with “Down, But Not Out” January 3rd, and now 74 various commentaries later through May 15th’s “Great Quotes,” the 2008 number has been exceeded. Obviously I will continue to post during the remaining months of this year, and I promise you my wonderfully supportive readers, as well as my invaluable editor, that I’ll make a concerted effort to address equally significant matters beside politics. Believe me, this is not a solo effort, but a truly collaborative effort where our Chicago roots probably come through from time to time.

Speaking very personally, I have found this Blogging to be most rewarding and stimulating both emotionally and mentally. I especially enjoy delving into the research side of a subject, and this blog has become an old man’s fulfilling hobby. At 77 I find the old body starting to demand less vigorous activities, but this work keeps the mind both active, and ever inquisitive.

All of us who have been rewarded with Senior Citizen status are most fortunate, and I appreciate every day that the Good Lord has granted me. Being a realist I know the there are fewer days ahead than there are behind this magnificent journey. Accepting this premise, I wish I had entered this writing hobby thing much sooner, because there are so many subjects to address. Unfortunately there may not be enough time to cover them all, but I’m going to give it one hell of a good shot. (Don’t worry, my health is good.)

So over less than 13 months this is the 148th edition of F. Robert’s World. Thanks for your attention and loyalty. I promise to give you my best efforts in what remains of the Commander’s great adventure.

COMMANDER GRANGER

Friday, May 15, 2009

GREAT QUOTES

Every one of us has read or heard words spoken that precisely coincide with our thoughts and principles. All too frequently we forget those beautifully spoken words and go on with our lives never to repeat them or address any actions that could flow from their concepts.

Here are some quotes that I have come across recently in my readings, viewing and interaction with friends.

On a cable channel a retired military contributor referring to our new President said, “The President has made more promises than a sixteen year old boy in the back seat of a car on a Saturday night.”

John Adams said, “In my many years I have come to a conclusion that one useless man is a shame, two is a law firm and three or more is a congress.”

Mark Twain was quoted as saying, “If you don’t read the newspaper you are uninformed, if you do read the newspaper you are misinformed.”

Twain also said, “Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But then I repeat myself.”

Winston Churchill spoke these words, “I contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle.”

Unofficially attributed to President Abraham Lincoln, “In the end, it’s not the years in your life that counts. It’s the life in your years.”

Many years ago George Bernard Shaw said, “A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul.”

Bill Clinton’s classmate at Georgetown University said, “Foreign aid might be defined as a transfer of money from poor people in rich countries to rich people in poor countries.”

Frederic Bastiat, French Economist (1801-1850) said, “Government is the great fiction through which everybody endeavors to live at the expense of everybody else.”

In 1764 Voltaire said, “In general, the art of government consists of taking as much money as possible from one party of citizens to give to the other.”

Pericles (430 B.C.) is quoted as saying, “Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn’t mean politics won’t take an interest in you.”

I especially like these words of Ronald Reagan’s, “The government is like a baby’s alimentary canal, with a happy appetite at one end and no responsibility at the other.”

Artist Edward Langley (1928-1995) said, “What this country needs are more unemployed politicians.”

The great Thomas Jefferson said, “A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have.”

The often quoted Benjamin Franklin said, “They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.”

Here are two wonderful quotes from Thomas Jefferson: “The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.” and “When government fears the people there is liberty; when the people fear the government there is tyranny.”

Author Robert Heinlein said, “Anyone who clings to the historically untrue--and thoroughly immoral--doctrine that ‘violence never solves anything’ I would advise to conjure up the ghosts of Napoleon Bonaparte and the Duke of Wellington and let them debate it. The Ghost of Hitler could referee, and the jury might well be the Dodo, the Great Auk, and the Passenger Pigeon. Violence, naked force, has settled more disputes in history than has any other factor and the contrary opinion is wishful thinking at its worst. Breeds that forget this basic truth have always paid for it with their lives and freedoms.”

From Samuel Adams, “If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or your arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen.”

Don’t you find it very interesting that many of these statements and utterances spoken hundreds of years ago are just as applicable today as they were then? I wonder just where our current political and comedic discourse would fall on a political rancor bell-curve chart. Maybe we will get a chance to read historians writings when we are in the hereafter. It will sure be very interesting, insightful and one hell of a lot more accurate than our current perspective.

COMMANDER GRANGER

Thursday, May 14, 2009

HERE WE GO AGAIN, OR LET'S SPEND MORE MONEY

Your Commander pleads with President Barack Obama to slow down his frantic rush to fulfill all his numerous campaign pledges, because shortly we will need to replace the government’s worn out printing presses. As we enter the second 100 days of this Presidency we have already increased our national debt obligation to all-time historic heights and the end of increased spending remains in the far distant unspecified future.

Just yesterday our president gathered with his supportive clan (Rep. Henry Waxman D-CA, Vice President Joseph Biden, Rep. George Miller D-CA, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi D-CA, Rep. Steny Hoyer D-MD, and Rep. Charlie Rangel D-NY) to announce, “the stars are aligned” to pass his health care agenda this year, with the legislation set to begin in the House of Representatives in July.

President Obama’s latest daily pronouncement occurred just prior to his jumping on Air Force One for another gas guzzling round trip jaunt across the country to receive another controversial honorary degree and speak at graduation, this time at Arizona State University. Our president, who is calling for all Americans to conserve energy and “go green,” will be jumping back on Air Force One on Sunday to fly to South Bend (this time just a round trip half-way across the country) for an even more contentious commencement speech and to receive an honorary degree from the University of Notre Dame.

As I have suggested numerous times before, it is far past time for Obama to practice what he preaches. Apparently our lofty leadership lives under a different set of principles and obligations than the lowly taxpayers.

Several administrations, both Republican and Democrats, have called for affordable health care, but they have all failed due to an inability to agree to even the most basic approach in solving a most complex set of problems. With Obama’s party having a majority in both Houses of Congress, there is a big rush to push through his campaign intentions to buy lasting voter obedience with a Socialistic National Health Care system, no matter the financial cost.

Let’s keep in mind the frantic rush to quickly vote through (and never read) the Stimulus Package. How much has been spent in your community on so-called shovel ready projects since its February passage? Since the Stimulus Bill was passed, we the gullible voters are supposed to be thankful and consider the administration has solved that problem. So now Democrats expect us to jump into the next huge spending legislation before any significant questions can be objectively addressed. We are to forget the established fact that socialized medicine in Britain and Canada is anything but acceptable compared to our practically on demand health care. It actually kills people waiting for care, but Democrats would have you believe it is supposed to be so wonderful.

Would it not be wise to establish a true Blue Ribbon panel to study the multitude of problems and present solutions to first cut medical costs and then suggest a realistic way to pay for the programs they will suggest? The White House gang wants to rush this Health Care program quickly down our throats, and then move on to the next spending bill. After eight years they will be out of office with mega government pensions, and we the taxpayers will be left to pay the bills. Their health care will be totally free, and you and I will be paying through our you know what.

To pass meaningful responsible health care by July 2009 is totally unrealistic, and represents another example of the Washington Two-Step. Just watch, once again they will not have time to even read the massive legislation’s details. Expect to see the unions, welfare, and illegal immigrant crowd garner the bulk of the perks. This is just like the campaign promise Obama made to reduce taxes for 95% of Americans, however 50% do not pay any taxes. That is Washington mathematics.

To rush health care legislation through the House in two months and 18 days is nothing short of irresponsible. Here we go again America. I personally cannot afford this administration, and you cannot either.

COMMANDER GRANGER

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

ADAPT OR PERISH

During the current economic dilemma we are experiencing the gradual deterioration of both the free market economy and the newspaper industry. Actions of our new federal administration thus far have shown its approach to solving our economy by first paying back their huge political obligations to the special interests, especially the Unions and liberal establishment.

Of immediate danger is the American newspaper industry which is closing more newspapers almost every week due to falling advertising lineage and circulation and ever increasing labor costs. In an earlier commentary I listed the top ten prospects for closure. Those papers have either shut down or are in bankruptcy. I believe that the situation has grown so severe that the trend is now irreversible.

Technical advancements have given the newspaper industry tremendous competition for each pair of profitable eye-balls with the advent of the internet and the 24 hour cable news channels. News can be viewed on cell phones. Particularly the younger generation is going elsewhere for news and information.

Although my local paper is still viable, I personally will miss my morning newspaper when the day comes that it ceases printing, and I suspect that shortly I will only be able to rely on USA Today and the Wall Street Journal for good analytical journalism. As we lose more and more newspapers we will be deprived of thorough investigative reporting that has provided us with invaluable information, i.e., would we have learned about Watergate without the Washington Post? How will we learn about political issues, especially on the local and state level? Gone will be the days of solid foreign bureau analysis from respected reporters in the capitals around the world. It has just become too expensive to maintain foreign news bureaus.

It is not just the rising cost of paper or ink, but the unrealistic expectations of the newspaper unions who represent the pressmen and reporters. As circulation shrinks, the expense side of the balance sheet continues to grow due to built in benefit obligations. Something has to give and it is obviously going to be the quality of the actual newspaper product. My local paper has reduced the page size, and now it is about half the size it once was in page count. We no longer see advertising lineage increases, but more fluff pieces, and thus less reader appeal. I am just about to drop my local newspaper subscription, but I hang on out of the fact that old habits are hard to break.

I once could rely upon the New York Times for solid information, but its growing liberal vent has turned me and thousands of other readers off to its biased agenda. It is sad to see a once proud institution’s demise just because it no longer gives the customer what they have learned to expect.

Why do a few newspapers continue to increase their circulation? Both the USA Today and the Wall Street Journal have reported increased ABC (Audit Bureau of Circulation) figures. They are surviving and actually growing in this ever changing competitive climate, because they are giving their readers what they crave. Crisp writing, good reporting, excellent coverage of both local and foreign news, with superior business information, and just enough sports information to satisfy their customers.

When I started working in the exploding television industry back in the mid-1950’s the owners of newspapers were investing heavily in the new medium. Television scared the hell out of the print industry, so they joined the ranks of television to protect the bottom line. Many newspapers still own and operate both papers and television stations, but television is failing lately, too with excessive competition. No one has found a way to make a significant amount of revenue from their new web sites, and there is not sufficient time left for the newspapers to survive. They have simply run out of both money and time.

At sometime in the future I would love to read the conclusions of case studies that will be conducted by graduate business schools like Harvard University’s MBA program or the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. Time will provide us a better perspective as to why the newspaper industry disappeared.

With the demise of the newspaper industry as we have long known it, we the readers will lose an invaluable source of information, insight, understanding, and my morning coffee will never quite taste the same ever again.

COMMANDER GRANGER

Friday, May 8, 2009

THE BLOGOSPHERE

Some senior citizens have hobbies such as gardening, woodworking, painting, and I have selected blogging as mine. Lately, my hobby has come under criticism, because of so-called “bad bloggers”; people who use a blog to promote incorrect information, phony things, and themselves. As far as your Commander is concerned that is fine with me, since no one requires you to read or pay for anything I have to say.

Way back in 1906 Voltaire said; “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it”. I think that expresses my sentiments precisely, and I will fight like hell to guarantee our mutual rights under the First Amendment of our precious Constitution addressing every American citizen’s freedom of speech. Al Neuharth the founder of USA Today had an excellent column in the May 8th issue entitled “Should bad bloggers have press freedom?” Al firmly believes they should and that it is your obligation to carefully consider the source, and accuracy of a blog’s content.

As a student of history, I have learned that politicians have been vicious going back to colonial days when pamphlets were published containing brutal, unsubstantiated charges, so these current blogging concerns are not something new…just in a new, modern medium. I find it hysterical that some current political operatives such as James Carville, Rahm Emanuel, David Axelrod, Senator Harry Reid, Congressman Barney Frank, and Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi feel that right-wing talk radio or the Blogosphere is out of line when they were dishing out the very same inflammable babble during the Bush 41 and 43 Administrations. Sound, reasoning minds can easily distinguish facts from exaggerated verbiage, but Republicans and Democrats both have very short, selfish memories.

One great danger of misinformation is that if someone tells a lie a sufficient number of times there is a tendency for uninformed people to believe the lies. Both advertisers and politicians have proven that statement to be correct.

Many months ago your Commander expressed his intent to be a provocateur and to encourage expanding discussion on various subjects. I really do not care if you agree with me, but I will continue to be accurate in the hope you will become interested and motivated to enter the conversation. Disagreement, discussion, consideration, debate, compromise, resolution, and action are core foundational ingredients that contribute to our magnificent democracy.

Blogging is a wonderful exercise for one’s mind. Try it someday; I believe you might enjoy the results.

COMMANDER GRANGER

Thursday, May 7, 2009

WHAT COMES NEXT?

What comes next is not the chicken or the egg, but the possible economic and social collapse of our Democracy as we have known it since the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Each morning when I awake I thank the Lord Almighty that I have been given the privilege to cherish another day on this magnificent planet Earth as a citizen of the United States of America. Lately your Commander has added to his prayer a special plea that our Lord looks over our new President Barack Obama. I must admit that action is obviously selfish, because I am not an ardent supporter of his. Can you imagine what would happen to our country should our President be felled by an act of terrorists or some seriously ill person. Then we would have Joseph Biden as our President and maybe Nancy Pelosi would be the Vice-President. Senator Harry Reid’s influence would grow and Congressman Barney Frank could be named Speaker of the House. Hopefully, God will protect us all from that frightening possibility.

Having been fortunate to enjoy life in the good old USA for over 77 years, I cannot remember a time when there was more uncertainty or growing concern about the future course of the American way of life. After seeing the turnout of thousands of equally concerned Democrats, Republicans, Liberals, Conservatives, and fellow citizens of every race creed and color at the Tea Parties, something unique is really happening across the Fruited Plains.

I know that they will never admit it to the American public, but people like James Carville, Paul Bagala, David Axelrod, and the hammer, Rahm Emanuel, must be concerned that their deck of cards may be coming to an earlier end than they planned. I suspect that the Americans who gathered April 15th did so out of a mutual concern for the future of our country. They did not necessarily gather spontaneously, because the Fox News Channel wrapped its powerful media forces around the Tea Parties as if it was its own sponsored promotion. It was not a call to arms by Fox, but it was the American people truly opposed to the huge budget deficits and runaway spending.

It will be very interesting to see if the Tea Party initiative has legs and grows into a significant political force or an effective peaceful voting block. Your Commander believes that our new President and his Administration are attempting to accomplish far too much within the early days of his term. I stated in a recent commentary, “What’s the rush? Why don’t you sleep on it before you act?” Clearly, haste makes waste and we are already seeing massive waste in the funneling of stimulus money to short-term projects that are nothing but political payoffs to special interests, such as Acorn and the Union movements.

I do not purport to be a graduate economist, but I can balance my check book. I know that our government cannot absorb the massive debt that this new Administration has assumed without eventual massive increases in taxation and the diminishing of our quality of life. As President Ronald Reagan said in 1981, “Government is not the solution, it is the problem.”

Hopefully, you are not getting tired of me referring to Mark Levin’s best selling book “Liberty and Tyranny”, but he hits the nail on the head when he addresses an entire chapter to the United States Constitution. I believe the answer to the title question of this commentary “What comes next” is our beloved Constitution.

To quote directly from Levin’s book, “The Constitution is the bedrock of which a living, evolving nation was built. It is – and must be – a timeless yet durable foundation that individuals can count on in a changing world. It is not perfect but the Framers made it more perfectible through the amendment process. Our Constitution clearly specifies that the federal government should be small and the power of the States should be significant. The Constitution has led this great nation successfully through times of trouble before and it can do so again. We cannot count on income redistribution, or social engineering by an elite leadership group that no longer relates to the average American’s desires and dreams of Liberty as outlined in the Declaration of Independence."

As you may recall, your Commander was once a Republican, then became an Independent, but now he is a dedicated Conservative Constitutionalist. Americans can rally around the goals and intentions of our Founding Father’s proven words of leadership and wisdom. Social engineering subverts our Constitution and our leadership is not following their Oaths of Office when they abuse, misinterpret, and ignore that near perfect document.

When the likes of Al Franken can be permitted to steal an election to the United States Senate, then there is “trouble in River City.” It is time for the honest, God fearing good guys to stand up and be heard.

COMMANDER GRANGER

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

NOTRE DAME STUDENTS DESERVE DIGNIFIED COMMENCEMENT

Back on March 26th your Commander related his opinion relative to the brouhaha surrounding Notre Dame’s invitation to President Barack Obama to be its 2009 graduation speaker and to receive an Honorable Degree. Many Catholics, including the area Bishop, are against the invitation because of Obama’s stand on abortion rights and his executive order regarding stem cell research.

Both sides of the issue have had sufficient time to vent their spleens under our wonderful First Amendment guarantees. The local newspapers and television stations have carried stories on the Notre Dame dilemma almost daily, and this hot-button confrontation has even been carried on the major television networks prime-evening newscasts. Some of the 24 hour cable news channels have also aired extensive coverage, so the subject has been well vetted.

Pro-Life activists have set up an office in South Bend and they have several vehicles riding around town with extremely graphic pictures of aborted fetuses. Restraining orders have been issued against the group and they are not allowed to set foot on the campus. However, there are threats to disrupt the graduation ceremonies on May 17th.

At this point there is little more to be said about the controversy, because the opinions on both sides are firmly established. Let us all permit the tenor of this confrontation to simmer down. We want the graduation to be peaceful, pleasant and a memorable day that will be an appropriate reward for all the hard work of the graduating class. The parents and friends of the class deserve to have a pleasant day, too.

Time will grant the ultimate determination as to who was right or wrong in inviting President Obama and whether he should receive an honorable degree. Time, too, will tell us if this invitation was tainted by “Pay for Play” rewards to the University. I would love to know if ND’s President, Rev. Jenkins, would still invite the President if he knew of the contention his invitation would generate. It is the Commander’s opinion that there would be a controversy no matter who President Jenkins invited. In this litigious world that we now live in there would be someone who would object if the speaker was the Pope or the Dalai Lama.

Congratulations to the Notre Dame Class of 2009. These students may not know it yet, but their real challenges await them as they enter the highly competitive real world outside the sheltered world of academia.

COMMANDER GRANGER

THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS

Originally I intended to address my concerns relative to our nation’s commitment to the United Nations, but when I started researching the topic I had to first study the history of the League of Nations. Your Commander does not believe one can discuss the United Nations objectively unless you know why the League of Nations failed. Thus, I will compose another commentary regarding the United Nations in the near future.

Only a few individuals are living today who can speak authentically relative to the subject of the founding of the League of Nations way back in 1919. I have found that there were four significant reasons for the League’s establishment:

1. To encourage disarmament.
2. To discourage aggression from any nation.
3. To improve living and working conditions in all parts of the world.
4. To encourage more countries to cooperate, especially in business and trade.

Following the end of World War 1 those four reasons appeared to be appropriate for the League’s formation, but several powerful countries failed to join. That is a vital part of the question regarding the ultimate failure of the League. Below are listed three of those nations and why membership was withheld.

1. Russia was not invited into membership, because it recently had the communist revolution.

2. Germany was not allowed to join having recently been defeated during World War 1. The League was founded in order to discourage aggression and encourage peace, and Germany did not meet those essential goals.

3. The USA did not join even though President Woodrow Wilson had suggested the League’s formation. Following the War a majority of Americans were firm isolationists and wanted no part of European affairs.

With these points in mind let’s look at the principal reasons for the failure of the League of Nations:

1. The lack of an army.
2. The effects of the economic depression.
3. The aggression of Japan and Italy.

There are combinations of reasons for the League’s ultimate failure. First, without an Army the League had no way to enforce its actions. Second, the world-wide impact of the economic depression caused some countries to become aggressive toward neighboring nations. For example, Japan invaded Manchuria and Italy invaded Abyssinia in order to supplement the shortages of food and raw materials for their growing populations. The depression also placed Britain, France and the League in a tricky situation to stop aggression since economic sanctions could not be imposed or enforced. This caused the UK and France to go behind the backs of other League members in order to sort out a compromise with Italy over the Abyssinia dispute, because they did not want war with Mussolini or for him to ally with Hitler. Ultimately Mussolini did join with Hitler which made a bad situation worse. Eventually the mistrust between the League’s members led to its collapse, because member nations could not work as a team.

If you are interested in learning more about this intriguing subject I suggest several informative websites;

http://www.historyonthenet.com/WW2.causes.htm
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/league_nations_failures.htm
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_did_the_League_of_Nations_fail
http://www.johndclare.net/league_of_nations8.htm

I have found this to be a very interesting subject. Armed with this information and a more accurate historical perspective we should be in a much better position to address the analysis and discussion of the USA’s membership in the United Nations. We’ll leave coverage of that intriguing topic for another day.

COMMANDER GRANGER

Monday, May 4, 2009

PANDEMIC AND ECONOMIC CHAOS HAVE GENERATIONAL IMPACT

We are experiencing the dramatic impact of what may become an international pandemic along with severe economic difficulties. Both problems are called by several different names, Pandemic, Swine Flu or H1N1A; Recession, Depression, or Economic Downturn. These events will impact individual families, specific countries, and the entire world socially and financially immediately and in future generations.

Both of these problems influenced my family going back to the Pandemic of 1918 when my father’s only sibling, Elsie, died while he was in his senior year at the University of Illinois. About three years later his mother, Clara, also died from a different strain of flu. Those two deaths had a lifelong influence upon my father that he could never totally overcome. Being a first generation American, he lost the two beloved women in his life at that time within just a few years. He then lost his sole remaining family member when his father slipped on the ice on a cold 1931 winter day in Chicago and died as a result of the fall and head injury.

While the Flu took his mother and sister, it was the dramatic Depression of 1929 that lastingly impacted my dad when his father lost his entire fortune with the collapse of the stock market. As a young man establishing himself in business, he was forced to assume the entire financial support of his father until he died. Grandfather had been a prosperous restaurateur in downtown Chicago who owned a prime piece of real estate which the Bank of America Building now occupies. All was lost due to grandfather’s ill advised investments in the futures market.

When I say that the 1918-1919 Pandemic and The Great Depression had a lasting influence on dad, as a result, those events also affected me. My father was so concerned about financial obligations that he never bought a home and always rented thus lived virtually from paycheck to paycheck without investments. Although I am not as cautious as he about finances, I am conservative about most things in life.

I remember well that each year around December 15th dad would go into a funk, which continued through the Christmas season. I vividly remember mom suggesting that we both give dad some extra space around the Holidays, because he felt so blue. He frequently expressed his deep loss of his sister, mother and father, especially at the holidays. With the early loss of his father, my dad was the sole remaining member of his family. These losses were a hole in his day to day life until the day he died in 1976.

So what is the point of this story? I was an only child and greatly miss my parents who I lost a number of years ago. I was fortunate to have them both for a long time. Mom died of old age at 94, and dad just gave in to old age at 83. The point is live life well every day that the Good Lord gives you. Love, and appreciate your entire family, because they are what make the quality of one’s life something unique, and worthwhile.

Pandemics come and go, just as Depressions or Recessions so we just have to hunker down and make the necessary adjustments to place our loved ones in the best possible position to cherish each day we have together.

COMMANDER GRANGER

CONGRESS NOSES UNDER THE BCS TENT

Here we go again with our Congress spending our tax dollars to investigate a subject that should be the provenance of other organizations. Our political leaders continue to grandstand with extravagant Congressional Committee investigations.

This past week Congressman Bobby Rush D-IL who is Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection Subcommittee said the following about their investigation into the Bowl Championship Series (BCS), “We have to be willing to take some action on this. We’re asking for fairness and equity on this issue.”

First of all, would you not like to know just how much money this Committee has spent holding these hearings? I’ll bet the total expenditure would be astounding. With all the problems facing our government both nationally and internationally, is there really any justification to study the efficacy of college football’s Bowl Championship Series? Your Commander suggests that this issue is something that should fall under the direction and jurisdiction of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

Currently the NCAA is under some duress, because President Miles Brand is experiencing unfortunate and very serious health issues. This in itself may be an appropriate cause to delay a thorough study of the recent concerns surrounding the BCS discussion. This is a highly emotional subject and one that has far reaching legal complications. If a decision is reached to switch the BCS to a play-off format that will immediately impact numerous legal contracts that exist covering a substantial number of bowl game commitments. Additionally, if the bowl games are scrapped, there will be huge losses in charitable donations that have historically flowed from those events. How can events such as the Orange Bowl, Cotton Bowl, Sugar Bowl, and Rose Bowl as well as numerous other lesser Bowl Games survive under a play-off format?

These questions and other numerous obstacles call for appropriate consideration and determination. There is no doubt in my mind that the likes of Rep. Bobby Rush are not qualified to address this very complicated matter. First of all he is the same clown that earned a questionable reputation as the leader of a recent Black Caucus delegation to visit Cuba and played cozy with both President Raul Castro and his brother Fidel Castro. This is the same Bobby Rush who was a member of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), and was co-founder of the Illinois Black Panther Party in 1968. This individual is nothing more than another Illinois opportunist who has wrapped his persona into the camouflage of politics, just like Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, and, you know, that other guy who came out of the Chicago Community Organizing pretense. (Does the new president ring a bell?)

Congressman Rush is not the only bad guy in this matter, because Congressman Joe Barton R-TX is in this because his “favorite” team was slighted by the BCS last season. Let us get honest about this discussion, and stop spending unnecessary taxpayer money. Any decisions regarding the BCS should be in the hands of sports experts or even the frequently inept self-serving NCAA, not the egocentric Halls of Congress.

COMMANDER GRANGER

Friday, May 1, 2009

WHAT TO DO WITH "UNCLE JOE?"

We all have relatives or friends who are a little different, and there is a tendency to ignore their idiosyncrasies or just disregard their behavior.

When individuals of the nature I am referring come to national prominence their behavior becomes headlines, such as comments uttered by Vice-President Joseph Biden. For many years Senator Biden has been notorious for outlandish statements, and a shoot from the hip approach to political babble. One must wonder just how an individual such as Biden could achieve such political prominence in view of his long-standing behavior.

Not long ago, the Vice-President was presiding at a political gathering and he introduced a local politician requesting that he standup and take a bow. Repeatedly Biden asked the politician to stand only to finally realize that the individual was handicapped, and could not stand. At the time he brushed that most embarrassing situation off, but it did make national headlines proving he did not even know the individual he was praising in the introduction. That was another example of the pure and inaccurate political bull we endure daily. Don’t you ever wonder why we rarely take these obvious blunders seriously?

At a recent press conference President Obama was questioned about a dubious comment that Biden had made, and he responded, “Oh well, you know Joe”.

Now we have the very serious issue of a possible pandemic alarm of Swine Flu or whatever the government has decided to call it. Yesterday our Vice-President again unthinkingly spoke on NBC’s Today Show and said “I would tell members of my family, and I have, I wouldn’t go anywhere in confined places right now. It’s not that it’s going to Mexico; it’s that you are in a confined aircraft. When one person sneezes, it goes everywhere through the aircraft. That’s me”. Biden’s comments could have immediately caused serious economic disruption to our nation’s mass transit systems and our fragile economy. Shortly following Biden’s comments wiser heads sprang into action distancing the Executive Branch of our government from Biden’s comments.

Presidential Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said that Biden’s words were misinterpreted and that he meant to say that if someone was sick they should stay home, but that was nothing more than Washington spin. We heard and saw exactly what Biden said and it was not what Gibbs suggested.

One must wonder just how long President Obama can continue to support “Uncle Joe” Biden. This individual is clearly a loose cannon, and someone who should be placed in a quiet room without any means of outside communication on behalf of our government. Can you imagine just where the United States of America would find itself were Biden to assume the Presidency? Again, as I have said earlier may God protect and bless President Obama.

Like a number of others in our government, Biden is obviously several cards short of a full deck. Tragically, there are others in both Houses of Congress. Space does not permit me to name my list of suspects and I would bet you can make up a list of your own.

We will never know, but I hope that our President has taken his Vice-President into the Oval Office and given him a severe reprimand and warning over yesterday’s clearly irresponsible remark. It is definitely time for Biden to put a sock in his mouth, and it appears too to be time for Biden to take his life-time pension and take Amtrak home to his compound in Wilmington, Delaware. Our Vice-President has become both a national and international embarrassment. Bye-Bye, Uncle Joe.

COMMANDER GRANGER