Yes, I love the NFL and yes, I’m glad that Rush Limbaugh will not be a minority owner of the St. Louis Rams.  But I do want to clarify my position, which I failed to completely explain when we discussed Limbaugh getting drop-kicked by the prospective ownership group on the show last Friday.

At issue are misquotes of Limbaugh on race and slavery that were spread by Rev. Jesse Jackson, Rev. Al Sharpton and others.  A caller asked me how I would feel if someone spread lies about me, causing me to lose my job or not be hired in the first place.  My response was, inadequately, that Rush Limbaugh is hardly hurting.  While that’s true, my point was that it wasn’t the lies spread about Limbaugh that sunk his attempt at NFL ownership.  It was the fact that he is an extremely controversial figure and the NFL shies away from that type of controversy.  To assume that the head of the prospective ownership group fell for the misquotes lock, stock and barrel, and was simply duped by Jackson and others is nonsense. 

Limbaugh is hardly Mr. Sensitive when it comes to racial issues (think “Barack the Magic Negro.”  Nope, no racial insensitivity there).  When Colin Powell endorsed Obama’s White House bid, Limbaugh said it was “all about race.”  But his rantings are never about race!?  Everyone is obsessed about race except Rush?  Puleeze.  

Poor Rich White Guy.  Limbaugh would look a lot better if he didn’t blame his opponents everytime he suffers a set-back.  Rather, he should be an adult and state that “not everybody embraces my views, but I have a right to them and I’m happy to take my lumps for expressing them.”

Here is an excellent message I received after our show on media bias this morning…

“One point that I think should be mentioned with regard to the media is that nobody should expect to have a media source they can trust.  Skepticism is the most important tool that a citizen of this country can have.  Throwing away media sources serves little purpose; if a clear cut bias is apparent, as with Fox or Newsweek, then take it with a grain or spoonful of salt and extract what information from the source that you can.  Even in a biased article it is possible to get some idea of what the actual story is, and seek more truth elsewhere.

In my opinion the most dangerous scenario is being demonstrated currently by political commentators of all ideologies who constantly assault the integrity of the media and try to draw people away from a source of news that is biased in a way they don’t agree with.  This has the effect of focussing groups of people only on media with a bias that they appreciate.  If we don’t agree with a media source that’s not a bad thing, it’s a bad thing if we begin saying “I don’t agree with that source so I will ignore it.”  That makes for isolated and subsequently ignorant, easily riled masses of people.  Exactly what we’re seeing today.” – Perry

I agree that we do need to check out media we see as biased against our views.  I would never have looked into Van Jones’ background without all the noise about him from right wing talk radio.  When I did research him I found him to be a smart and worthy guy who looks to have some answers about how a green economy can preserve our standard of living and help preserve the environment.  I know I was supposed to come away believing he is just a died-in-the-wool marxist, but, hey, I’ve got a brain.  I’m not a Glenn Beck robot.

I guess I knew that the whole “socialist” thing wouldn’t end with the campaign and the right would try to hang it around Obama’s neck at every perceived opportunity.  But it’s escalated to a level of hysteria (and I don’t mean that in a sexist way) that I don’t think anybody expected.

Obama is being equated with Hitler and Stalin and any other brutal dictator that can be grabbed off the rhetorical shelf.  Those comparisons are not only indecent and wrong, but plain stupid and, yes, childish.  Calls to the program today likening Obama’s planned speech to American school children - about the importance of hard work and a good education - to the indoctrination of the Hitler Youth would be laughable if they weren’t made with such seriousness.  And that’s what’s scary. 

And we hear non-stop about the scary communists who are part of Obama’s administration.  Glenn Beck carries on about Van Jones, a man who has worked his whole life to better things for people and the planet.  As a young man he saw injustice in this system - and yes, there is injustice in this system - and rebelled against it by professing his adherence to a system - communism - that was at complete odds with one in which he saw much inequality.  His views tempered over time and he turned to contemplating how society and the environment can coexist in a mutually benefitial way.  We’ve heard much about “Van Jones in his own words.”  But here are some words of his that Fox News can’t seem to find…

“[W]e are entering an era during which our very survival will demand invention and innovation on a scale never before seen in the history of human civilization. Only the business community has the requisite skills, experience, and capital to meet that need. On that score, neither government nor the nonprofit and voluntary sectors can compete, not even remotely.

So in the end, our success and survival as a species are largely and directly tied to the new eco-entrepreneurs — and the success and survival of their enterprises. Since almost all of the needed eco-technologies are likely to come from the private sector, civic leaders and voters should do all that can be done to help green business leaders succeed. That means, in large part, electing leaders who will pass bills to aid them. We cannot realistically proceed without a strong alliance between the best of the business world —and everyone else.”

Those are words from his 2008 best seller The Green Collar Economy, and are hardly the words of a committed communist.  He’s a smart man who’s dedicated himself to coming up with ways to make our economy more sustainable.  He’s the right guy for the job. 

The ridiculous charges being made against Obama and his appointees are nonsense and discredit those who bring them much more than they do the president.  The truly sad thing is that we can’t have an honest argument in America anymore.  As we’ve seen with health care, we can’t debate the issues or legislation honestly.  It’s just smear smear smear. 

I know many would like to see this liberal remain behind bars, but by helping me you’ll be helping lots of local kids and families who are living with Muscular Dystrophy.  I’ll be arrested on Wednesday, August 26th at about 11a.m. and hauled off to jail where I’ll remain until I raise $2,000 for the North Sound Chapter of the Muscular Dystrophy Association.  Help me help these wonderful area families by donating today at my personal website.

Thank you so very much!  I’ll have some bread and water in your name.

The people taking to the streets to protest “big government” and out-of-control spending are a little late getting into the game. The massive federal budget deficit didn’t just happen when Obama took office, as this article clearly points out. It’s been many years in the making.

A huge reduction in tax receipts, thanks to the tanked economy, is a big factor in the deficit. Also, Bush administration initiatives that have been adopted by Obama (Iraq, Afghanistan, middle class tax cuts, Medicare drug benefits) have for years and continue to push us into the red. Obama’s initiatives, including the stimulus package, account for just 10% of deficit spending.

I know I’ll be lambasted by the right for “blaming it all on Bush” (I know, a two term president who’s now out of office should be free from citicism). But Obama does deserve a knock or two for not confronting the reality of the deficits and how to deal them over the long term.

So my question to the “Tea Partiers” is, what’s taken you so long?

If Boeing and the machinists union negotiate in good faith and reach an agreement on a no-strike clause, fine. But for Boeing to insist on it under a threat to open another 787 production line in a different state is just plain wrong.

Boeing’s CEO has said that the company and the unions must set a new, more cooperative tone - and that makes sense. But basically demanding that the unions completely “disarm” is not a step in that direction.

Business is a two-way street. Management can’t see labor as an enemy and vice versa. And the right should stop blaming workers for the failures of businesses they work for.

Republicans in congress and others are criticizing President Obama for not being more supportive of the protesters in Iran.  But I think they’re forgetting, or ignoring the fact that he toes a very fine line.

Iran’s supreme leader has already blamed the U.S. and the west in general for fomenting the unrest that has led to the protests over the disputed election and even for causing the protests themselves.  He doesn’t have much to base that claim on, but would if Obama jumps in as a cheerleader for the protest movement. 

This is the Iranian peoples’ fight, not ours.  It would only undermine and demean their bravery if Obama were to grandstand on Iran’s turmoil.

General Motors is a mess, a mess created by the free market - and not one that the right can blame on the government.  Now, what should the government do?  Stand idly by while the whole thing collapses and takes an entire American industry with it?  Or step in, invest a lot of money and order it to restructure into a competitive company? 

Of course, Obama chose the latter and most agree it’s the right thing to do.  The new CEO of General Motors says it’ll allow the company to come back stronger.  The conservative PM of Canada says his government’s similar investment in GM there will save the Canadian auto industry. 

I know many say we should just let it collapse (serves the unions right), just as we should have allowed the banking and insurance systems to fail.  I guess the thinking is if we all just suffer enough for four years a Republican will certainly be elected in 2012.  Sounds like the right really wants not just Obama, but America, to fail.

I also find it funny, if it weren’t so sad, that many are so disgusted by our government taking over a failed company, but don’t bat an eye when it takes over another country.

Jeremy and I are doing great guns with our workouts, new and improved diet and straighter frames. 

Give Brad and Dana a call at Brad and Dana Chiropractic for treatment of existing problems you might have, or for a check-up to make sure your body is in good shape as you begin or continue a fitness program.  They’re great, and their office is the friendliest place you’ll find in Bellingham.  I even bring the baby along for my appointments.

Call Carrie Stone at Want More Health to get your diet straight - without going on a diet.  She can get the weight melting away and get you looking good in an incredibly short amount of time.

And Zak, Krista and Jason at Fitness Gear and Training are the best.  Check them out whether you’re looking for a personal trainer or a small bootcamp style program.  Either way, they give you the personal attention that really inspires and they know how to work you out gradually so it’s not agonizing - just rewarding and successful.

Check out the new video of Jeremy and me working out.  It’s not exactly pretty, but gives a good idea of what we’re doing with our trainers.

Enough of this nonsense already over the Department of Homeland Security’s assessment of the potential for violent hate groups to make a resurgence.  It is sensible for law enforcement to be dilligent in considering potential threats where ever they may lurk.  It’s just too darn bad that some extreme rightists have been and could continue to be a threat to the nation and its citizens, just as have left wing nuts and other extremists.  And former soldiers have done some very bad deeds.  Timothy McVeigh was a gulf war veteran.  Even sniper John Muhammad was a veteran.  Still, Janet Napolitano and the FBI itself say veterans and conservatives aren’t being “profiled.”

And to everyone hollering about surveillance of Tea Party attendees (which didn’t happen anywhere that I have seen) I say:  where were you freedom lovers when anti-war marches were regularly video taped by police during the last administration.

And Obama certainly takes all types of terrorism seriously as evidenced by his focus on Afghanistan.