Bryan Schott's Political BS - 'Industrial Grade Stupid'
by Bryan Schott
08/21/2012 | 526 views | 1 1 comments | 4 4 recommendations | email to a friend | print
Think before you speak. It’s a simple idea, but one politicians are having a lot of trouble adhering to.

In the past week or so, politicians on both sides of the issue have said things that are industrial-grade stupid. Vice President Joe Biden told a group that Republicans wanted to put them “back in chains.” Over the weekend Missouri Senate candidate Todd Akin said pregnancies rarely result from “legitimate rape” because a woman’s body has a defense mechanism to prevent pregnancy.

Both of these statements show a stunning amount of ignorance and idiocy.

I would like to propose a 24-hour waiting period for politicians who want to speak in public. That way, they might have a chance to think about what they are going to say and reflect on whether their statements might make them look like complete morons.

But, you might say, the Akin comment came during an interview. How was he supposed to know the subject of abortion would come up? First, he’s talked about abortion over and over again and it’s his own fault if he was unprepared for the question. Second, use the waiting period to simulate an interview. I know lots and lots of unemployed journalists who would be a great resource for politicians. They’d help prepare and a politician could say they were creating jobs!




Movie Review: The Campaign

My political junkie nature and the fact it really wasn’t that funny kept me from enjoying this movie.

Basically, The Campaign is a 85-minute screed against the “Citizen’s United” Supreme Court ruling. I liked the idea of the movie, a couple of wealthy brothers (Dan Akroyd and John Lithgow) pour millions of dollars into a Congressional campaign to get someone sympathetic to their agenda elected.

But what ruined the movie me wasn’t the predictable jokes or the pornographic campaign ad produced by one of the candidates. It was the utter unbelievability of the polling that broke the spell for me.

As they got closer to election day, polls showed one candidate up by 12 points until they committed a big gaffe that left them down by 8 points within 24 hours. I don’t care how bad the act is (one of the politicians punches a baby and a dog), there is no way that produces a 20-point swing that is then completely erased within a matter of weeks.

Yes, I’m a dork.




Jordan soccer report: The varsity lady Beetdiggers downed Highland 3-0 last week. The JV wasn’t so fortunate. Freshman goalkeeper Kari Schott made a number of spectacular one-on-one saves in the second half to keep the game scoreless, but a free kick late in the game snuck under the crossbar and gave Hillcrest the 1-0 win.

Next up for Jordan are night games against Lone Peak on Tuesday and Murray on Thursday.




Parting thought: “How can you govern a country which has 246 varieties of cheese?” ~ Charles De Gaulle
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August 22, 2012
While God did not invent the teleprompter, he needs to imbibe politicians with the sense to use one.
today's headlines
Local Headlines
May 19, 2013 | 4328 views | 0 0 comments | 1 1 recommendations | email to a friend | print

Salt Lake Tribune

Op-ed: Special prosecutor needed

Op-ed: SLCC's role in small business

Paul Rolly: Will Mia Love learn from past errors?

Editorial: Fighting the feds: Law antagonizes officers doing a job

Editorial: Drinking drivers: Lower threshold not best deterrent

Editorial: No solution: An appointed A.G. no improvement

High-risk Utahns' health insurance will shift to federal management

Confusion lingers in Utah over teen access to 'morning after pill'

In surprise to the NSA, Utah Data Center may pay tax on electricity

Utah gun sales, permits triple since Sandy Hook

Q&A: Utah teachers and guns in schools

Gun-toting Utah teachers to parents: Your kids are safe with us

Hatch has plan to attack public-lands pot farms

D.C. Notebook: Huntsman: 'Political extremism' prompts scandals

Utah GOP again rejects reforms to nomination process

Deseret News

Frank Pignanelli & LaVarr Webb: How will these national scandals affect Utah politics?

John Florez: Involve the poor in solving poverty

Democrats call for legislative hearings into state executive scandals

Utah added 43,000 more jobs in April 2013 compared to April 2012

Utah facing $1.2 billion-dollar water pollution problem

Mia Love announces she's officially running against Matheson — again

GOP delegates reject changes to nominating system; petition drive coming next?

Airport TRAX ridership remains strong weeks after official opening

Other

Op-ed: Common Core poses 'real threat' of loss of privacy (Daily Herald)

Op-ed: Common Core standards better than what Utah has now (Daily Herald)

GOP delegates keep system as is; Love announces candidacy (Daily Herald)

Editorial: Don't make AG an appointment (Standard-Examiner)

Editorial: IRS bullying disgraceful (Standard-Examiner)

W. Davis corridor dispute rages on in Farmington, Kaysville (Standard-Examiner)

Weber State shows off to Regents (Standard-Examiner)

Layton leaders reluctant to embrace voting by mail (Standard-Examiner)

Councilwoman wants to be Bountiful's first female mayor (Standard-Examiner)

County Councilman Craig Petersen announces run for Logan mayor (Logan Herald Journal)

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