Friday, August 29, 2008

A Brilliant Choice

By now everyone knows that Republican presumptive nominee for president, John McCain, has tabbed Alaska governor Sarah Palin as his running mate. Kudos!

For those, like me, not thrilled with the choices we have, this is a breath of fresh air. Ms. Palin has a history of cleaning up corruption. Even among members of her own party! Can you say "No more business as usual."

There i also a chess game going on here. This game is made possible because Barak Obama, for all the spit and polish of his charisma and rhetorical skills, is a weak candidate. He will find it harder to attack Mr. McCain. Seven house hath McCain? Oops, seems he might have received a beneficial "loan" from a now-convicted felon. Hillary made shards of the glass ceiling; Sarah broke through. While Mr. Obama waffles and hems and haws on abortion and whether determining the start of life is at his pay grade, Ms. Palin is steadfastly pro-life. And this isn't a belief made in the abstract. WIthin the last year she gave birth to a son with Down syndrome. Isn't this a reason liberals tell us abortion should remain legal.

Now, this Iraq war, which we're winning, by the way. So, you want Republican leaders to put their sons and daughters on the line? Ms. Palin's son just enlisted in the Army. Soon he'll be Baghdad-bound--maybe. We'll see if he might now be re-directed (a la Prince Andrew of Britian).

Ms. Palin also come from the state that contains ANWR (Alaska National Wildlife Refuge). See, that didn't get past me. I recognized there was something similar to this Alaska business. Anyway Ms.Palin lives in Alaska and agrees with "drill here, drill now, pay less."

It was also amazing that Democrats (especially among the Obama camp) come out and say that Sarah Palin is too raw for the job should, heaven forbid, something happen to John McCain. Oops, problem. Obama has even less experience that Palin. In fact, Sarah Palin headed Alaska the Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, was mayor of Wasilla, AK (so it has less than 9000 people. Has Obama led any entity that large?), and governor of Alaska. And she was a reformer. She also ran a commercial fishing operation. Come to think of it, has Obama run a business of any kind? Any?

I am reminded of another crusading and reforming politician at the turn of the last century. Teddy Roosevelt was a young, crusading governor of New York. He was so effective the New York machine pushed for him to be the lesser of the Republican ticket. Problem. McKinley was killed by an assassin in Buffalo, NY (only a coincidence) and Teddy became the youngest president. Seems he did a good job, no? Fit as a bull moose. I'm sure Sarah Palin is as fit as the caribou she hunts.

Oh, yes, she embraces the Second Amendment as it was meant by the authors of the Constitution.

I believe John McCann made a wise choice for vice president. The GOP ticket is stronger. Wasn't this suppose to be the year the Dems retook the White House? Maybe next time.

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Is Wal*Mart (Walmart*?) Evil?

You may have noticed that Wal*Mart--or Walmart*--has changed its logo. Not a bad logo.

I’m not sure about the hatred against Wal*Mart. Often Wal*Mart is the only company to take a blighted property and clean it up. Sounds good for the tax base and the environment.

If local shops close because of Wal*Mart, likely the shops were struggling before Wal*Mart came. In Mukwonago, Wisconsin, the Wal*Mart SuperCenter (WMSC) is blamed for the closing of a local grocer. But I was in that grocery store months before the WMSC opened and walking through the produce section I was mortified to find browning and wilting produce. Hey, that store didn’t take care of its business when it had a chance.

The Pick ‘N Save in Burlington, Wisconsin, went on the attack. The owner would buy produce at the WMSC in Burlington and display it next to his produce to show his customers the higher quality he had. Makes sense. If Wal*Mart dictates what it pays for your produce, you’ll keep the best for a better price you can get for it. (Most farmers bring produce in when its ordered, so Wal*Mart or Pick ‘N Save, et. al., aren’t in the fields or farms actually choosing.)

The Chicago Tribune has been reporting that Chicago city politicians are likewise against Wal*Mart—to the detriment of the poor! In fact the Trib has a term, “food desert,” I believe, to describe areas where people have to travel more than an hour to get fresh produce and other staples in life. It is, in the Trib’s eyes, a public health issue. Wal*Mart would serve those blighted areas—if the politicians didn’t have their noses out of joint. (http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chicago-walmart-editorial,0,3508291.story)

I think it’s ludicrous for Cudahy, Wisconsin, especially the mayor, to oppose Wal*Mart given the entirety of the development proposed. I guess they would rather have an empty field to serve as a reminder of their failure with a failed project called the IcePort.

If aesthetics were an issue, check out the Wal*Mart in Pewaukee on Capitol Drive. One would never know that there is a Wal*Mart there as it blends in architecturally with the development on the east side of Pewaukee, Wisconsin.