For the second time in a month, we're diverging from our usual discussion of politics during the workweek to focus on events happening in the NFL - but if you're a political fan, don't worry. There's something in this for you, too.
If you're a fan of professional football, or football in general, it's likely that by now you've heard that eventual Hall-of-Fame quarterback Payton Manning is joining the Denver Broncos, after the Indianapolis Colts let him out of his contract earlier this year. For Broncos fans that we know, this led to a temporary crisis, as Tim Tebow was already on the team, and was expected to be the Broncos quarterback this fall.
Tebow - who became a focus of popular culture last year, not just for his on-field football performance, but also for his religious stance - is too good a player to relegate to second tier status. It's also too expensive for Denver to keep both Tebow and Manning.
So as of last night, the Broncos traded Tebow to the New York Jets. That trade could make a big difference to the Jets this next year, and Jets fans are already excited about their new QB. It's a feeling that New Orleans Saints fans won't be having for at least the next few years.
As we commented near the beginning of March, we thought that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell would do exactly what he began doing yesterday, when he laid out the first of many punishments for the 'BountyGate" scandal.
To start with, Goodell suspended the Saints head coach, Sean Payton, without pay, for the entire 2012 season, effective immediately. Goodell also banned Saints general manager Mickey Loomis for the first eight games of the regular season. Neither of these actions has ever been taken by ANY NFL commissioner in the history of the sport. The Commissioner's punishments didn't stop there.
The man at the heart of the scandal, coach Gregg Williams, was banned indefinitely from the NFL. Since Williams had already moved to the St. Louis Rams, the Rams also have to suffer for "BountyGate". But that's not all. Goodell also fined the Saints half a million dollars - and took away their second round draft picks for 2012 and 2013. For those of you that don't know pro football, losing those draft picks means the Saints will have to pay more to acquire players that other teams didn't really want for the next two years. In other words, their team will be worse, and will cost them more, every day, as their players age and get hurt.
Goodell punished the Saints more severely than any other team in the history of the NFL - and he's nowhere near done. Punishments for players and lower level coaches are expected to come down soon, and could be equally as harsh.
As we told you when we first covered "BountyGate," winning is NOT the only thing - and this is why.
If people think they can cheat and get away with it, they're wrong. Cheating always catches up to the cheater in the end.
While Tim Tebow's on-field prayers can seem to ring false to some, there are many in the NFL who say Tebow really is someone who appreciates his faith, and tries to live it fully every day. As big a star as Payton Manning is, and as much as some Husker fans still hold a grudge against him from his college days, many pros have said that Manning - like Tebow - is an honestly good person who also chooses to do the ethical thing, and nearly always shuns unethical behavior.
There is a reward for doing things the right way. Even if that path is hard and doesn't always take you where you want to go, as fast as you wish you could get there, in the end, we believe it's the best way to live. Sometimes, you may feel like the powers that be are just moving you around, shuffling you from place to place.
Even if that's true right now, we hope that you'll do the right thing, even when no one else is looking. Trust us - it's worth it in the end.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Barrel Full O' Stupid
Even when we already know the likely outcome of some events, we can still be amazed at how some of those events unfold - and how persons involved in those events can justify horrible outcomes as acceptable.
Take the case we looked at Tuesday, of the young man who was murdered in Florida. Trayvon Martin was killed by George Zimmerman, a man with a history of violent arrest, disturbing the police, and racism. With all these strikes against him, Mr. Zimmerman was still allowed to have a concealed weapons permit, in the state that originated the '"Stand Your Ground' law. In the first five years since that law was enacted, "justifiable homicides" tripled in Florida - often because people who were unstable and prone to paranoia are allowed to carry guns.
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that even if Trayvon Martin hadn't been the victim of George Zimmerman's paranoia and racism, another unlucky young person might have been.
In that same spirit of insane stupidity, Congressional Republicans, led by Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, announced their budget plan for 2013 on Tuesday. To say that this year's version of the Ryan Plan is insanely stupid would almost be an insult to how brilliantly bad it is.
The all-new Ryan Plan has some similarities to the original "Path To Prosperity" that Rep. Ryan released last year - for example, significantly raising the cost of health care for the elderly, through a voucher system. Although that idea went over like a lead balloon last year - even with Republicans - Ryan put nearly the same points in his plan this year.
Of course, that one bad idea isn't nearly enough for us to call the Ryan Plan "insanely stupid."
On top of a plan that would significantly increase medical costs - especially for the elderly - the new Ryan Plan would also raise taxes on the poor, and freeze the pay of Federal workers for five years, while giving a $3 trillion tax cut to the rich and big corporations. It would also cut most parts of the safety net, while massively boosting military spending - which means that the Republican Congress also would break the budget and deficit control agreement they made with Democrats in August of 2011.
That doesn't seem to really be a concern, however, for Rep. Ryan or the Republican talking heads who support him on this, as the new Ryan plan would also blow a massive hole in the deficit, with no real way to control spending at any time in the foreseeable future.
All this in an election year, when Congressional Republicans need political successes to run on, if they expect to be successful in this fall's elections.
Of course, that assumes Republican voters will turn out to vote for their candidates this fall. If Republican turnout this autumn is like that in the Illinois primary on Tuesday - where only 24 percent of Republicans turned out to vote, the worst turnout in 70 years - having a successful political platform to stand on will be the least of the GOP's problems.
Let's make it perfectly clear - this "budget" put forth by Rep. Ryan was never meant to be an actual budgetary document. Not only was this version of the Ryan Plan missing all kinds of specifics - including one of the most important details... an honest accounting of how to pay for the thing. This document was in no way a compromise - and it wasn't meant to be.
Real budgets have details, they figure out how to pay for everything - and they're configured in a way designed to win enough votes to become law. This "plan" was nothing more than a statement of dogma that now guarantees Republicans in both the House and Senate will have no significant budget successes to show their constituents this fall.
Politically, for Republicans, the new Ryan Plan is a cannon full of stupid, aimed right at the heads of the GOP.
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure how this one is likely to end either.
Take the case we looked at Tuesday, of the young man who was murdered in Florida. Trayvon Martin was killed by George Zimmerman, a man with a history of violent arrest, disturbing the police, and racism. With all these strikes against him, Mr. Zimmerman was still allowed to have a concealed weapons permit, in the state that originated the '"Stand Your Ground' law. In the first five years since that law was enacted, "justifiable homicides" tripled in Florida - often because people who were unstable and prone to paranoia are allowed to carry guns.
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that even if Trayvon Martin hadn't been the victim of George Zimmerman's paranoia and racism, another unlucky young person might have been.
In that same spirit of insane stupidity, Congressional Republicans, led by Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, announced their budget plan for 2013 on Tuesday. To say that this year's version of the Ryan Plan is insanely stupid would almost be an insult to how brilliantly bad it is.
The all-new Ryan Plan has some similarities to the original "Path To Prosperity" that Rep. Ryan released last year - for example, significantly raising the cost of health care for the elderly, through a voucher system. Although that idea went over like a lead balloon last year - even with Republicans - Ryan put nearly the same points in his plan this year.
Of course, that one bad idea isn't nearly enough for us to call the Ryan Plan "insanely stupid."
On top of a plan that would significantly increase medical costs - especially for the elderly - the new Ryan Plan would also raise taxes on the poor, and freeze the pay of Federal workers for five years, while giving a $3 trillion tax cut to the rich and big corporations. It would also cut most parts of the safety net, while massively boosting military spending - which means that the Republican Congress also would break the budget and deficit control agreement they made with Democrats in August of 2011.
That doesn't seem to really be a concern, however, for Rep. Ryan or the Republican talking heads who support him on this, as the new Ryan plan would also blow a massive hole in the deficit, with no real way to control spending at any time in the foreseeable future.
All this in an election year, when Congressional Republicans need political successes to run on, if they expect to be successful in this fall's elections.
Of course, that assumes Republican voters will turn out to vote for their candidates this fall. If Republican turnout this autumn is like that in the Illinois primary on Tuesday - where only 24 percent of Republicans turned out to vote, the worst turnout in 70 years - having a successful political platform to stand on will be the least of the GOP's problems.
Let's make it perfectly clear - this "budget" put forth by Rep. Ryan was never meant to be an actual budgetary document. Not only was this version of the Ryan Plan missing all kinds of specifics - including one of the most important details... an honest accounting of how to pay for the thing. This document was in no way a compromise - and it wasn't meant to be.
Real budgets have details, they figure out how to pay for everything - and they're configured in a way designed to win enough votes to become law. This "plan" was nothing more than a statement of dogma that now guarantees Republicans in both the House and Senate will have no significant budget successes to show their constituents this fall.
Politically, for Republicans, the new Ryan Plan is a cannon full of stupid, aimed right at the heads of the GOP.
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure how this one is likely to end either.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Perspectives On Injustice
Many of you who follow the NCAA basketball tournament more closely than our small group does were probably pulling your hair out - or tearing up your brackets - after this past weekend's games. For those of you that have a bracket you pass around your workplace, chances are good you came back to work on Monday to the news that a colleague who doesn't even care about basketball is beating nearly everyone else.
At the time, this may seem like a cosmic injustice to you - but we know it's one that you'll live with, and even forget soon.
Sadly, though, the family of 17–year-old Trayvon Martin won't soon be forgetting what appears to be the unjust murder of their young son.
While we've been reading about the story in the local Florida news for a few weeks now, we chose to wait to focus on it until more of the facts had come out. Here's the quick version, according to multiple legitimate sources, in case you haven't heard it yet.
Trayvon Martin, a seventeen-year-old from Miami, was visiting his father's house in a gated community, in Sanford, Florida, in February of this year. Trayvon was watching the NBA All-Star game when he decided he would run down to the corner 7-Eleven, at halftime to get some candy and iced tea.
On the way back, Martin crossed paths with George Zimmerman, a "neighborhood watch leader," who had a history of violence and abusing the cops, as well as questionable behavior. Zimmerman focused on Martin, followed the young man, even calling 9-1-1, saying Martin looked "like he's up to no good." Witnesses said Martin seemed to be trying to run away from Zimmerman, even as the Sanford police dispatch told Zimmerman to stop following the young man.
Zimmerman didn't stop following Martin. In fact, Zimmerman appears to have hunted the seventeen year old down, shooting and then killing him.
While the incident is an injustice by itself, what has happened after - or rather, what has NOT happened after the killing - is the real injustice.
Zimmerman used a law that originated in Florida, and has since spread to sixteen other states, known as a "Stand Your Ground" law - though to civil justice proponents, the law has become known as a "shoot first" law. In short, the law extends the traditional "castle law" provisions that most states have regarding their home to an individual, and the area around that person. If you believe that your life and safety is in danger, you can use deadly force to defend yourself, even if no one else has attacked you first.
So even though law enforcement knew that Zimmerman had shot and killed the young Mr. Martin, since Zimmerman claimed he felt his life was in danger, the police didn't arrest Zimmerman. The Sanford police also didn't drug test the shooter, or test him for virtually any other reason either. Even though Zimmerman had a history of repetitive, abusive, and even violent confrontations with the police, the local officials did nothing.
Did we mention that Zimmerman is white, while Martin was black?
In today's America, where a sizable contingent of one of our two major political parties seems intent on returning us to the social mores prevalent in the 1950s, including racism and virtually nonexistent access to birth control, this story ultimately isn't a surprising one. The story of Trayvon Martin is one that few honest Americans would be have been surprised to see coming from the Deep South, in the 1950s.
This isn't the 1950s, though - or the Wild, Wild West.
The idea that someone saying their life is in danger gives them the power to kill anyone they choose, without repercussion, is - on its face face - an unjust law, not befitting a modern society like ours.
Since the local Florida police appear incapable of doing this case any justice, the Justice Department is now looking into the case. Zimmerman may yet prove not to be completely guilty - but that won't change the injustice of the "Stand Your Ground" law.
It won't bring back Trayvon Martin either.
At the time, this may seem like a cosmic injustice to you - but we know it's one that you'll live with, and even forget soon.
Sadly, though, the family of 17–year-old Trayvon Martin won't soon be forgetting what appears to be the unjust murder of their young son.
While we've been reading about the story in the local Florida news for a few weeks now, we chose to wait to focus on it until more of the facts had come out. Here's the quick version, according to multiple legitimate sources, in case you haven't heard it yet.
Trayvon Martin, a seventeen-year-old from Miami, was visiting his father's house in a gated community, in Sanford, Florida, in February of this year. Trayvon was watching the NBA All-Star game when he decided he would run down to the corner 7-Eleven, at halftime to get some candy and iced tea.
On the way back, Martin crossed paths with George Zimmerman, a "neighborhood watch leader," who had a history of violence and abusing the cops, as well as questionable behavior. Zimmerman focused on Martin, followed the young man, even calling 9-1-1, saying Martin looked "like he's up to no good." Witnesses said Martin seemed to be trying to run away from Zimmerman, even as the Sanford police dispatch told Zimmerman to stop following the young man.
Zimmerman didn't stop following Martin. In fact, Zimmerman appears to have hunted the seventeen year old down, shooting and then killing him.
While the incident is an injustice by itself, what has happened after - or rather, what has NOT happened after the killing - is the real injustice.
Zimmerman used a law that originated in Florida, and has since spread to sixteen other states, known as a "Stand Your Ground" law - though to civil justice proponents, the law has become known as a "shoot first" law. In short, the law extends the traditional "castle law" provisions that most states have regarding their home to an individual, and the area around that person. If you believe that your life and safety is in danger, you can use deadly force to defend yourself, even if no one else has attacked you first.
So even though law enforcement knew that Zimmerman had shot and killed the young Mr. Martin, since Zimmerman claimed he felt his life was in danger, the police didn't arrest Zimmerman. The Sanford police also didn't drug test the shooter, or test him for virtually any other reason either. Even though Zimmerman had a history of repetitive, abusive, and even violent confrontations with the police, the local officials did nothing.
Did we mention that Zimmerman is white, while Martin was black?
In today's America, where a sizable contingent of one of our two major political parties seems intent on returning us to the social mores prevalent in the 1950s, including racism and virtually nonexistent access to birth control, this story ultimately isn't a surprising one. The story of Trayvon Martin is one that few honest Americans would be have been surprised to see coming from the Deep South, in the 1950s.
This isn't the 1950s, though - or the Wild, Wild West.
The idea that someone saying their life is in danger gives them the power to kill anyone they choose, without repercussion, is - on its face face - an unjust law, not befitting a modern society like ours.
Since the local Florida police appear incapable of doing this case any justice, the Justice Department is now looking into the case. Zimmerman may yet prove not to be completely guilty - but that won't change the injustice of the "Stand Your Ground" law.
It won't bring back Trayvon Martin either.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)