just answer the question

OK folks, that seems easy. So why was it impossible to answer the question today: if it appears that News Corp has bribed officials at Scotland Yard or hacked phones and if that is a violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act should the FBI investigate and prosecute? This is not a Republican or Democratic exclusive issue. Well, yes this one is but the bigger issue of answering simple questions put to politicians isn't. Answer the question, tell the truth and move on. If you do not think so, say that, if you do, say that. Even if you want to say that it is a question you do not want to answer because. . . . so that. Fine, don't be evasive. We do not want evasive. Got it?

10 questions for Rupert - more or less

There are so many arising from the New of the World scandal.


What did you know about this and when did you know it? Yes, I know that is really many questions but . . .
What do you now know about this?
Who is investigating for News Corp and is that investigation independent and well funded?
Will you make the results public since you said News Corp is cooperating?
If you are cooperating are you or News Corp.also funding Ms. Brooks legal and PR expenses?
Have you or News Corp investigated if this alleged bribing and hacking is or was going on at any other entity owned directly or indirectly by News Corp.?
What have these investigations uncovered and when?
Is it your plan to notify everyone who was hacked by News International and when will you do that?
Does News Corp have lists and details of hacking, dates, who, etc.?
Does News Corp have the hacked messages?
Were employees of Scotland Yard paid to provide information and/or to not investigate News of the Worlk?

How to know if the deficit pundits are about deficits or other things

Let's take a real look at this one. If you want to close the federal deficit please don't warn about Spain to Greece. They can't print money, the Federal Reserve can. Yes, it may cause inflation and it may be a bad idea not no we will never default because of lack of funds. We print the stuff remember. That said, we may default if the crazy people who tell you about Spain get control of the mess. Better question, are those people looking to cut the entire budget or just parts they don't like. For example, and this is just an example, say the EPA was 1% and the military was 99% and we had to cut 1% do these people cut from the EPA? Do they cut just from the EPA? Really folks, if you want to cut the deficit maybe you should cut from the areas where we spend the money. Hmmmm. Cutting can be very expensive. For example, we live longer in a very real way because of improvements in public health, water, sewers, etc. We also live longer because of medical research. Cutting NIH won't save money over 10 year it will cost us money. So, if you want to know who wants to cut the deficit and who wants to cut programs they don't like, follow the money, the real money, the place we spend money.

cry wolf

Democrats need to have some integrity too. Sticking a rider on the budget slashing that takes the wolf off of the endangered list to get one of their own re-elected is just wrong. this kind of cynical politics shows a lack of common sense as well. How do these people think they can point at Republicans and complain. Get a backbone and fight when something is right. Don't add it to an totally unrelated bill.

On state and local deficits

What if the Democrats wanted to make states more efficient, leaner and really wanted to cut waste. What if Republicans really wanted to create jobs and not make the economy worse so that unemployment would go down and it would not help them in the next election. Then, perhaps, they would agree to have the federal government loan some real money to the states to tide them over this continuing high unemployment, avoid layoffs and allow states a bit of a breather. What if the federal government were to be a lender to the states at a minimal interest rate and take back the states promissory note. No increase in the deficit. What if the state did not need to repay the money until unemployment fell below some reasonable number, perhaps 5 percent or 4 percent. That would allow the state to have income from sales and income taxes from those people who had jobs, would be able to repay the loan easily and would not have to repay it until then. What if there were an incentive to make state government more efficient as the stick with the carrot to make the Republicans happier. Would all that work?