Year One
First, on a personal note, thanks to everyone for their continued support of KVEC. The ratings came out and we had another strong showing–finishing first among the AM stations, and holding our own against our FM colleagues. And our 19th season on the radio is off to a very strong start with heavy phone calls and great discussions on everything from marijuana legalization to President Obama’s handling of terrorism, to keeping San Luis Obispo safe. I think that January is my favorite month for the show — we always seem to burst out of the gate with renewed energy. Lots of good segments coming up on Hometown Radio.
So January marks 19 years for me and one year for President Obama. What a year it has been: pirates, bailouts, stimulus packages, health care, tea baggers, more health care, terrorism, global warming, Nobel Peace Prize. The Democrats seems to have their backs to the wall — Harry Reid slipping away. Massachusetts in play. Obama taking it on the chin in the polls.
We’ve gotten to see Obama in a variety of situations, but I wonder how much we’ve really gotten to know the man this first year. My impressions of him as an individual remain positive and hopeful. As a president, he’s starting to remind me of Woodrow Wilson or Adlai Stevenson — an intellectual who struggles to connect with the common person. He is clearly willing to tackle the important issues of the day, he has surrounded himself with smart people, but something doesn’t seem to be clicking just right at 1600. It will be interesting to see how the second year unfolds. Any predictions?
Finally, I’ve been reading excerpts of this GAME CHANGE book now out. Critics are pouncing on the Harry Reid “Negro” remark, though apparently it’s OK for RNC Chair Mike Steele to make a public promise by saying “Honest Injun.” More interesting to me in the book is the meltdown of John and Elizabeth Edwards and the utter disregard that the McCain staff had for Sarah Palin.
Happy reading!
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The Dave Congalton Show 
This will be a very interesting year.
Harry Reid thinks that "light-skinned" men with the ability to not use the "negro dialect" have a better chance at being elected that a dark-skinned man. Bill Clinton thinks that Obama would have been getting him coffee a few years ago. Combine that with the comment Clinton made a few years ago about the only blacks being at the Republican Convention were the wait staff and we have major racial problems here in the good'ol democratic party. The party of using race to divide. The party of former KKK Robert Bird of West Virginia. Reid is toast. Clinton should be. BUT the excuses are out and they did not mean it. Even Obama is not offended, but I have talked with some black friends of mine and they are offended by Obama's dismissal. Note, he make apologies now, but these events happened some time ago and the news people SAT on them to promote them, while pushing things out about republicans during strategic times. Bias…anyone?
There we go! Evidence right here in this forum of "conservatives" trying to stir up racial division in the Democratic Party. This time by trying to exaggerate the significance of supposed racial insults. I think "New Tone" should be serving us all, including all those anonymous, supposedly highly offended "black friends" of his, coffee. But let's let him serve himself first. He's the one who needs to wake up.
Wise Guy: get your head out of your ass! REID, not New Tone, said that only light-skinned, non-negro talking black guys get elected. CLINTON, not New Tone, said that Obama would have been getting him coffee a few years ago. Robert KKK Byrd, not New Tone, was the Grand Wizard of the KKK.It is not racially divisive to EXPOSE the racism of Democrats. Only a dunderheaded moron ideologue like yourself could possibly hope to tag "conservatives" with being racist for talking about the racists Democrats that said racists things. What is your problem? Are you a permanent resident at the Atascadero State Hospital? You should be.
Dave: (1) Glad to hear about the ratings. My wife and I listen whenever possible and appreciate the nice balance in topics and perspectives. (2) I voted for Obama and would still vote for him today over McCain, but I confess to wondering if we wouldn't be better off with Hillary as President. She just seems more confident and in control. Obama seems to have admirable goals, but some kind of disconnect hovers between him and the public. (3) Sadly, I predict big Democratic losses in 2010. I think we're heading back to divided government.
Big Tent, your continual use of low-brow, abusive language of the most gross and ignorant sort is not appreciated. It really degrades this forum. I can handle it. But I'm concerned that it turns others off. Is that how you treat your family members who happen to disagree with you? Children? I hope not.In case you didn't realize it, your gross, lowly insults suggest that you are desperate, mean and without any constructive comments or original ideas. If you had something worthwhile to say, you wouldn't have to resort to those base personal attacks every time someone bests you in a debate. Plus, youR attempts at insults seem especially cliche and worn, totally unoriginal and basically meaningless. (Atascadero hospital? Jeez. Surely you can come up with something fresher than that!)Your cheap insults bore me. I'm sure they bore other people. I realize that you aren't likely to come up with anything constructive or inspiring or insightful, but if at all possible, please try to come up with something to say that is at least somewhat ORIGINAL. Otherwise you're probably better off going back to simply parroting Rush Limbaugh or cutting and pasting from fringe "conservative" websites. Thanks.
I don't think Bill Clinton's comment was "racist." It is part of political culture in Washington D.C. for freshmen senators to act subservient to Senate veterans (and ex-presidents.) I think that is what Clinton was referring to, and not necessarily intending to have an racial overtones. Another molehill that some are trying to pile a lot of krap onto to make it into a mountain.
Yes, a very interesting year. Wise Guy, a few months ago I cut and pasted a litany of your comments (from just one thread) where you insulted and called conservatives every name in the book. Fast forward and here you are criticizing something that you are guilty of. H-Y-P-O-C-R-I-T-E! There, add another conservative to your name calling list.Now let's get to the debate part. Can't remember one you have won. Global warming by manmade CO2. Nope, not one link to prove your point and an abundance of links by us to prove it is not a man made phenomena. Stimulus money. Nope. You had absolutely no idea of how the United States can pay off it's present debt and liable future debt. Also, the stimulus has done nothing except pay off President Obama's backers. Health care. Nope. I guess I will just applaud your optimism.
Wise Guy would make a perfect liberal apologist/attack dog. Liberals have an excuse for everything and then turn right around, almost in the same breath, and accuse conservatives of doing EXACTLY the same thing he just excused the liberal for doing.I honestly don't think he reads what he writes. Its all just stream of unconsciousness blather.
Tut, Tut, Hoosier. You are once again misleading readers here. I ask that you repost that supposed litany of insults you claim I am responsible for. If you do, I think we will all see that, in fact, there were NO lowly and grossly-worded PERSONAL attacks directed specifically at people who contribute to this forum. I have NEVER called you or Big Tent an "idiot" or a "moron" or used so many of the other childish schoolyard taunts that some others here continually resort to when they lack words and ideas of substance to bolster their shaky, questionable, often destructive, opinions and assertions. Nor have I suggested that either of you be committed to Atascadero State hospital. I'm not in the position to make that type of diagnosis here and would not be so flippant to suggest otherwise. So, please repost that "litany" and let's all judge the worth and accuracy of those comments of mine that you take issue with. And let's see if they are indeed the type of lowly, gross and frequently childish personal attacks that many of us have been subjected to by "conservative" posters on this forum. Let this truth shine!
In the latest to come out of D.C.’s backroom health care deals, President Obama yesterday cut a doozy of a deal with labor union bosses. The fed’s health care plan must be so bad that even union bosses had to go to D.C. to say they wanted out. So… to keep their support for a flawed plan they got an exemption to provisions in the deal that others did not. Small business owners, our families running America’s mom & pops, did not get this deal. Ask yourself: why did union bosses get special treatment? And when did our country’s unions get on the wrong track with moves like this that hurt their good members and put them in such a bad light?
Pretty soon, everyone with money will be exempt from paying for the healthcare debacle… except for the people who can't afford to self-insure and make too much money to get it for free. Let's count all who are exempt:16 million labor union members1.7 million residents of the State of NebraskaEvery member of Congress and every Federal employee, all 20 million of them. Next up is the State of California, all 36 million of us, where Ahnold wants the same indemnified in perpetuity against ObamaCare costs deal that Ben Nelson bought with his 60th vote for this abomination of a bill. I tell you, there will be books written on the corruption and trampling of our civil rights. I say civil rights not in the context as it has been recently used with racial, gender or sexual orientation discrimination. I use the words civil rights to talk about those rights, both expressed and implied by the Constitution in the Bill of Rights. The preamble to the Bill of Rights states: "THE Conventions of a number of the States, having at the time of their adopting the Constitution, expressed a desire, in order to prevent misconstruction or abuse of its powers, that further declaratory and restrictive clauses should be added: And as extending the ground of public confidence in the Government, will best ensure the beneficent starts of its institution." The Ninth Amendment "The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people." (the enumeration amendment) and the 10th Amendment says: "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."It is an infringement on my civil rights to force me, under penalty of fines and imprisonment to buy healthcare insurance if I don't want to. Where is that in the Constitution? It is unconstitutional and I hope the AG of South Carolina continues with his plan of filing an injunction with the US Supreme Court. That's just one example of what an abomination this bill is. My hope is that Brown beats Coaksley and uses the seat held by Ted Kennedy to defeat this unconstitution attempt at hijacking the American economy.
It's all over except for the Fat Lady singing if the Democrats don't win in Massachusetts. If they can't hold on to Teddy's seat after 40 years in the Senate, the party deserves to go down in flames.Might make a good show topic, Dave: How did the Dems self-destruct?
A lot can happen in a couple years, but I GUARANTEE we will not elect a Republican as president in 2012.George W. Bush, Rush Limbaugh and Sarah Palin have so horribly damaged the Republican Party, it will take several election cycles before the Republican's can ever have a chance of regaining the White House. They might have a few successes in the senate and house before then, but they will be fleeting victories. Republicans are way to regressive for the upcoming generation, most of whom have either never heard of Rush LImbaugh or just see him as some oafish old, mean Republican dude leftover from the last century. And you read it here first from WISE GUY: There will be talk of Joe Biden stepping down and Hillary Clinton joining the 2012 ticket as Obama's VP—a can't lose ticket.
My prediction for 2010 is that Obama will continue to drop in popularity, health care reform will falter, driving his numbers down even more.Republicans will prevail in Nevada and Massachusetts. Then in November, watch for the Republicans to make major gains. Obama will be impotent to stop them.What chance does Obama have, Dave? How could he possibly shake things up after such a disappointing first year? He'd need something dramatic to rally the country and show his mettle. But I don't see that happening.However, let me be clear: the one advantage that Obama clings to is simple: Who do the Republicans have? Who is their standard bearer? Romney? Palin? Huckabee?As bas as he is, the guy might just get re-elected.
The only way that a sitting VP steps down from a re-election ticket is for either criminal or health reasons. So are you saying that Joe Biden is a criminal or that you are wishing his brain tumor reappears, Wise Guy?That would be the only way for you to get your dream ticket.Oh, and by the way, did any of you libs note that "Game Change" that one of the things that kept Hillary from being the VP choice for Obama was that Bill Clinton was in a heated, long-term affair with yet another woman. Those problems that Bill has just don't go away because you are dreaming of Obama/Hillary ticket. Might actually go a long way to HELP the Republicans win in 2012. You ought to be worried about the loss of control of Congress that is shaping up to smack Obama in the face in November. The loss of Teddy's seat to Brown will be just the start to the second Republican Revolution in the Congress. Harry Reid defeated, Nancy Pelosi sent back to the stands and no longer Speaker, no more veto proof and filabuster proof majorities… and no more rubber stamping/complicity for Obama's statist, socialist agenda by the Congress.With Obama FORCED by republican majorities in Congress, there might actually be a jobs program that ACTUALLY CREATES JOBS and not just more pork-barrel political payoffs. With Obama forced to negotiate with the Republicans, there might actually be a healthcare REFORM that cuts costs by decreasing malpractice claims, increases access to insurance by eliminating the state-by-state monopolies insurance companies have and there might actually be REFORM of Medicare, Medicaid, and the VA to eliminate the fraud, waste and abuse that will STILL plague those systems if the Obama Healthcare Abomination were to pass (it won't). Cap and Tax will finally be killed.Happy days are right around the corner for the Republicans and America… and it starts in Massechusetts.
Leave it to Big Tent REPUBLICAN to combine faulty logic, misinformation, insults and just plain meanness to disparage our nation's Vice President. The fact is that a VP can step down for ANY reason. Joe Biden is a true patriot and community servant. May he live a long and happy lifeThe Republican Party is flailing, with no credible national leaders. It's all B-Team. To the youth of America, the Republican Party is Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Bill O'Reilly and Sarah Palin. Who in the world would want to "party" with any one of them? They are SOOOO last century, just like Nixon, the Bush's and Joe McCarthy. Mitt Romney's a tool, Huckabee's a wannabe. Joe The Plumber has a much a chance as any of them.
I love it that the far left is in denial about the grass roots movement. New Jersey, Virginia, Kennedy's Senate seat. Looks like my donation to Scott Brown has done some good. Win or lose. My wish is for you to continue to underestimate what is going on. I just finish reading Palin's "Going Rogue". What a remarkable woman. Something you will never learn by listening to leftist outlets. Please continue the denigration of Sarah. Her message will resonate among the majority of Americans in this economy and these times. Not politics as usual with her. Absolutely amazing how she cleaned up the corruption in Alaska. And that was cleaning up Republican corruption. President Obama only has one hope. Move to the center, drop health care, and actually do something to create jobs. Once Americans find out what he is doing behind closed doors, they will revolt (e.g. Obama giving Venezuela 1.6 billion dollars to develop their oil recourses with all of the oil going to China and the person making the money is George Soros, Obama's number one financier). How nice. Americans get nothing from this deal.Long live the tea baggers.
Unwise Guy, you miss the operative term here: "re-election". So tell me: what earthly reason would Joe Biden voluntarily step down as Vice-President? hmmm? Well? There is no good reason for Joe Biden to step aside so Hillary Clinton can be Veep. To suggest it with no support is just stupid.Unwise Guy is still trying to convince you all here that Rush, Sean and Palin are the Republican Party. That, too, is stupid. Unwise Guy is probably some 60 year old fossil and therefore knows nothing of what the "youth" think.Unwise Guy really is quite laughable with his hairbrained theories and beliefs.
The word is "hare-bained" Big Tent, and I'm sorry to see you again having to resort to cheap (and incorrectly spelled) insults to try to bolster your world-view. And now you also resort to ageism, calling people "fossils" and suggesting that opinions of people in their 60s should be discounted for no other reason than they are coming from people no longer youthful enough by your standards to offer opinions of value. I'd say maturity can provide great powers of observation and insight into matters of youth. I value experience and a mature outlook. You have no idea how old I am, but no matter what age I am, I will never disparage or disrespect others simply because of their age. I think Big Tent owes a lot of people a Big Tent apology. What is it about those who most strongly identify with the "conservative" label, that compels them to be so continually mean-spirited, insulting and bigoted?
Wise Guy, it is a perception. The majority of the mean spirited comments on these threads come from the left. You do not think they are mean spirited because you agree with the sentiment. Calling bush a moron is acceptable because you truly believe it and do not know better. Countless times I have called you and Elvis out on this, yet you try in vane to tag conservatives with this. It just doesn't wash. You throw out the racism card, the we hate old people card, etc. Just doesn’t work. Your out of touch with middle America, the independants and this will show in November.
Hoosier wrote: "The majority of the mean spirited comments on these threads come from the left.""Mean-spirited" may be too hard to define. But let's make it absolutely clear: THE MAJORITY OF SPECIFIC PERSONAL INSULTS ON THIS FORUM COME FROM THOSE WHO LABEL THEMSELVES "CONSERVATIVES". That is QUANTIFIABLE.It is also quantifiable that the majority of submissions that Dave Congalton deletes (that we never even see) because of insults, personal attacks, and generally gross content, is from those who label themselves "conservative."I'd also have to say that the most selfish, least compassionate, most environmentally insensitive, most bigoted, most violent and torture promoting comments are authored by those here who label themselves "conservative." The pattern is all too clear and obvious. I don't need verification, I simply would like to hear some explanations on why this continues to be so.
Okay, quantify then. Let's start by insults you have said versus me. This is going to be fun and very telling.
Hoosier, my friend, I'm not going to do your homework for you. As I stated, I do not need verification. Let's just say I don't favor the "conservative" style of debate as experienced on this forum and from the "conservative" talk show hosts on KVEC. I find too many of their comments exceedingly repulsive and, even worse, unimaginative, frequently childish and witless. Fresh thought and originality of ideas is NOT a hallmark of those who label themselves "conservative." I find most of it exceedingly regressive and boring. Is fresh thought and productive ideas not allowed if one labels himself a "conservative" ?
That's unfortunate. I went back to just two threads and have enough of your insults to last awhile. Oh, I forgot, facts do not get into your way because your enlightened and have fresh thoughts and productive ideas, which you also don't care to share with us. I guess your fresh thoughts and productive ideas are just new ways of insulting conservatives without adding value to the thread. You have never had any answers.
Your problem, Hoosier, my friend, is that you are unable to distinguish between an insult and a diagnosis.Why don't you go ahead and post whatever it is you are talking about and let me explain the difference.But let me add, for your benefit, that it has not been Hoosier, among the "conservatives," who continually resorts to the most gross and unimaginative personal attacks and childish slurs to bolster their weak arguments. That kind of lowly "conservative" discourse has routinely come from others who post to this forum. Hoosier, I consider you a notch above them. Your basic viewpoints continue to be regressive, destructive and unhealthy in so many ways, but at least you present them in a generally gentlemanly way. I think you mean well, but are simply another "conservative" victim of years of corporate brain washing playing upon deep seated fear and insecurity. When I explain that you are a "pawn", it is not to tear you down and ridicule you, it is my effort to wake you up and wake up others who have also succumbed. I realize I don't have the stamina or patience or the diplomacy skills or erudition to help you completely appreciate the error of your ways. But I suggest you take to heart some of the points made recently on this forum by "Winston Smith." He's got some fresh energy and explains things well. If you are open-minded and let go of your ego, you could profit by truly considering his points in a heartfelt way. But as long as you or anyone else thinks that Sarah Palin is well-suited to be President of the United States, consider that a sign that you have not yet woken up or that your dream is being conducted by forces outside you, that you are still hypnotized, and that there remains a disconnect between what your soul needs and what your mind is obsessed with.
I have read all of Winston's posts and all I can find in them are error's of his ways, not mine. How can I ever take anything with a grain of salt that you say when you believe President Obama is the right man for the job. I love the liberals heart, but it is not checked in reality. If I could raise minimum wage to 25$/hr, I would. I would give everyone a house and car, and free access to groceries. But, reality is, it can't be done without bankrupting the United States. You have (could have been Elvis) stated that you had no idea how the USA is going to pay for the trillions of unfunded future debt, yet still want to add more to this. When is reality and responsibility going to replace your utopia? Or, since it is future generations that will suffer this, you just don't care?