Tele Prompter verse Crib Notes

Which is worse, using a tele-prompter to read your speech, or having crib notes on your hand so that you can remember your talking points? Who cares?

Anyone who has spoken in public knows that to stay on point its good to have some notes available.Others need their written speech available to ensure they do not stray into unsafe territory. Ministers do it all the time. Our elected officials do it all the time. Aren't we glad Lincoln wrote the Gettysburg Address rather than recite it off the cuff?

I really do not understand all the attention the media is giving to words on Sarah Palin's hand and the fact that Obama, like most presidents before him, use a tele-prompter.

How they present their message is irrelevant. What is relevant is that they present a clear, concise message and that they then go ahead and keep their word. That seems to be the problem to me in this case. Both Obama and Palin have made promises they have not delivered on. Their lack of credibility is not in how they present their message, but rather the fact that they do not follow up on the message.

Let's forget about presentation and concentrate on performance. Has Obama kept his promises? Has Palin offered any practical alternatives? That is what needs to be judged.

Its Common Sense!

Snow Storm 2010 - Why Can't the Political Parties Work Together?

The past two days I have spent many hours shoveling out both my house and car. According to a neighbor we got 31 inches of the white stuff here in Reisterstown and I believe him.

I live in a townhouse community, so a next door neighbor is really next door. During these two days we worked together and cleared the sidewalks, freed our cars, and because we do not see a county snow plow we got our street passable.

Now with an aching body, sitting back and reflecting on what was accomplished, I wonder why the gang on Capital Hill cannot do the same thing. Me and my neighbors do not agree on everything, we have our disputes and differences, but when things are bad, differences are put aside and the good of the community comes first.

Why aren't they doing that in D.C.? Frankly, I am tired of the name calling, the blaming and the attacks. Sarah Palin was able to level a lot of criticism at the President while at the Tea Party Convention, but I did not not see her offer any practical solutions to unemployment, health care or anything else.

Finally the President has asked the Republicans to present their Health Care plan - why he did not do that a year ago is beyond me.

Washington needs to get beyond egos and get to the business of cleaning the blizzard in the community and getting everyone moving in the right direction again.

Its Common Sense!

Let's take a minute to breath

I think that now is the time we all need to sit back and calmly reflect on what is going on. The stimulus package, like it or not, is passed and the money is going to be disbursed, sooner better than later. Some governors have problems with some of the money and that's fine. They should ask their constituents' opinion on the spending of any "questionable" money from the Federal government. This money is for the people, not for politicians to play with.

This week President Obama will unveil his budget and his plan to cut his inherited deficit in half during his term. Details will be important. Following the details will be even more important.

Pulling back from Iraq may save some money, but the truth of the matter is if we are to save Afghanistan from the Taliban and Al Quada, then we are going to have to spend heavily on education and modernization. In the past no country has defeated the Afghans because they only tried to destroy and break. To be successful we will have to work with the Afghans to help them grow and expand. All of which will take money.

So, we will sit and wait. There was a big conference today about the economy and the future of the country. All the experts were there. What we have to wait and see is if the "experts" can make their thoughts and dreams practical so that something beneficial will happen for the country.

Its Common Sense!