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?

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?