OLD TOPICS RENEWED

[Hal Eaton]

I've been away from these pages for awhile; my 'puter is being re-done, and I don't trust my wife's machine (now in use). I've had several heart issues, together with a brain scan (old joke: they didn't find anything) and a carotid artery pressure check; tomorrow another brain evaluation (I've forgotten the name). Had another diabetic "episode" (5 in the last three weeks) at 3 AM this morning, so I missed choir rehearsal, Sunday School, and the morning service.

What to do? I made the mistake of listening to the morning news. (I shoulda dialed up one of the preachers.)

The resultant musings: Obama suggested yesterday that the "private sector" was doing "fine," suggesting that the growth was slow but gradual. The Republicans had a field day over that one word. If Obama had said the private sector "sucks," the opposition would have been equally critical, but from a different standpoint.

Then came the uproar over who leaked the news concerning our intelligence efforts against other nations (notably Iran). Of course, it was Obama's fault; he leaked the news in order to gain political points. The folks who orchestrated the effort reported to Holder, and since he works for Obama, it must have been his boss who authorized the leaks. (It's as if Holder sat at a computer console and devised the entire operation, and was the only one who knew what was going on.) Make your own estimate: How many nerds did it take to finger out (sic!) the whole process? Hundreds? Thousands?

Then there's the wholesale accusations against Obama for sitting in his office writing up a list of those to be assassinated. Typical of the nay-sayers is the name-calling over that wrongly analyzed tactic of modern-day warfare. The use of drones to take out various leaders of the terrorist organizations nearly always results in "un-anticipated consequences" and "collateral damage." However, there is no doubt concerning the ultimate purpose of the methodology involved: It allows us to wage warfare against the leading drum-beaters, cheer-leaders, and strategists of our enemies, with the least danger to our own troops, an eminently worthwhile goal. Cartoonists are having a virtual feast on the situation (see the cartoon page of this week's issue of THE WEEK); never discount their influence on the public discourse.

Please don't echo my wife's advice: "Quit watching Fox News!" I want to know what the rest of the world is seeing (and believing). Even though the news reporters (prognosticators?) and analysts (persuaders?) are under the heading of "America's Newsroom," they are cloaked in GOP garb. They see their function as "Attack, Attack, Attack," as long as the opposition is in charge.

Personally I've been a staunch Independent for more decades than I can remember; but I find my voting has become more and more Democratic over the years. (I do remember voting for Nixon!)

[Hal Eaton]

Please forgive the double submission; it's the fault of my wife's computer . . .

Yeah, sure. (Hey, that's the only example I know of a double positive meaning a negative!)