Captain Digital

Random musings on politics, society, and pop culture from the Internet's marketing curmudgeon.

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Politics

What’s good for General Motors…

Chales Irwin Wilson
Charles Irwin Wilson

…is good for America, or to be completely accurate, “What was good for our country was good for General Motors and vice versa”, or so said Charles Erwin Wilson, Ike’s Secretary of Defense back in the 50’s. He believed that anything that was good for GM was good for America, because the two economies were inexorably intertwined. But what is good for General Motors?

I’ve been following the bailout of the Big Three for a long time. And I’ve got some ideas on a REAL solution…not this three-card Monte they’re playing in Congress. Real solutions. Here’s my ideas: [Read more…] about What’s good for General Motors…

G-Rod gets caught red-handed.

NEWS ITEM: Gov. Rod Blagojevich and his chief of staff, John Harris, were arrested today by FBI agents for what U.S. Atty. Patrick Fitzgerald called a “staggering” level of corruption involving pay to play politics in Illinois’ top office.

Blagojevich is accused of a wide-ranging criminal conspiracy, including alleged attempts by the governor to try to sell or trade the U.S. Senate seat left vacant by President-elect Barack Obama in exchange for financial benefits for the governor and his wife. Blagojevich also is accused of obtaining campaign contributions in exchange for other official actions.

FBI agents served a search warrant on his office at the Thompson Center this morning, said Frank Bochte, an FBI spokesman.

Blagojevich was taken into federal custody at his North Side home this morning—one day shy of his 52nd birthday.

Wow. [Read more…] about G-Rod gets caught red-handed.

Dr. StrangeGun.

…Or How I Wish I Could Stop Analyzing and Enjoy the Movies.

When I was a kid, there were three things I loved – listening to live music, watching live theatre, and going to the movies. In short, entertainment needed to be live or larger than life to jazz me. As I grew up and became a professional musician, my love of live music was tempered by my knowledge. In other words, since I was no longer blissfully ignorant, a slightly out-of-tune french horn or drummer that rushed a little really bugged me – to the point where I could pay attention to nothing other than what to me were glaring errors. Kind of a bummer, really. Can’t tell you how many otherwise fine events have been spoiled for me that way. [Read more…] about Dr. StrangeGun.

What does “American-Made” mean?

The Big Three schlep back up on Capitol Hill, hats in hand, massaging the road sores they got from actually driving from Detroit to D.C., where they will beg for bucks once again. They are in hopes that their performance will be a lot more convincing – not to mention, vastly less tone-deaf – than their last appearence. In the meantime, we’re treated to a parade of concerned Senators and Representatives who wail that, without an immediate bailout, The American Automobile Industry Will Come To An End As We Know It.™

Hogwash.

In order to understand why, you have to grok that there are really TWO American automobile industries – the traditional one in Detroit, and the one that exists everywhere else. [Read more…] about What does “American-Made” mean?

The Paradox Effect.

This perception versus reality thing is rearing it’s ugly head again in regards to the Presidency. Just about every conservative pundit and blogger out there (myself included) looked at Obama’s record in the Illinois legislature and U.S. Senate (what record there was) and assumed that he would immediately make good on his campaign promise to bring our troops home from Iraq immediately. He promised to be a different kind of politician, putting together an administration that did not represent Washington insiders, but outsiders, with new, fresh, progressive ideas. 

I don’t know that I’ve ever been more comforted to discover that Obama is the same old kind of mendacious, obfuscating, say-anything-to-get-elected-and-then-do-what-you-have-to-no-matter-what-you-promised brand of politician. In short, Obama lied. He gave every indication that he was going to tilt our defense and homeland security hard to the left. In fact, if we can judge future performance by his cabinet nominees, he’s going straight to the center, bypassing a main course of “dove” with a healthy serving of “hawk.”

Thank God. [Read more…] about The Paradox Effect.

Ayn Rand was Right.

I think most people go through life paying attention to their own specific interests, all the while blotting out what’s happening around them. They only wake up when something dramatic happens, or when it’s too late to do something about whatever it is that’s suddenly captured their attention.

9/11 is a case in point.

Aside from CIA, FBI, and NSA people, most people living in the pre-9/11 world had no concept of the danger we face from Islamic fascism.

That’s human nature, I suppose. We tune out most things that happen around us, because, frankly, we just don’t have the bandwidth. But that’s a dangerous habit when it comes to personal safety/homeland security. I’ve also come to believe that it’s equally dangerous when it comes to society and culture – specifically pop culture. [Read more…] about Ayn Rand was Right.

Thoughts on Barbara Bush.

Former First Lady Barbara Bush
Former First Lady Barbara Bush

Before there was a “W” in the White House, and before there was even a “President Bush” there was a campaign where Ronald Reagan ran for the White House against 1-term President Jimmy Carter. Reagan’s running mate was George Herebert Walker Bush, U.S. Congressman, U.N. Ambassador and director of the CIA. I was living in Shreveport, Louisiana at the time. As was the custom, the candidates and their wives spent virtually every day on the road, campaigning. For the opening of the Reagan-Bush/GOP headquarters, the campaign sent Barbara Bush to cut the ribbon and say a few words. I was a fledgling radio guy – the News Director for my college radio station, and the appearance of a candidate’s wife was newsworthy. So I hopped in my ’65 Galaxie 500 and motored downtown to check things out. Had little idea of what I was doing, mind you – just thought it would be cool to attend an opening.

When I arrived, a couple of people recognized me…my father was fairly well-known as a local musician, and some of his friends were movers and shakers in the local GOP. As the event was winding down, one of them asked me if I’d like to ride with Mrs. Bush in the limo taking her out to the airport. No idea why – they could have had any number of “real” reporters there do a story on her, and get some quality time with the candidate’s wife. But they picked me. [Read more…] about Thoughts on Barbara Bush.

Defining what’s “essential.”

Barack Obama, from his podium deep inside The Office of the President-Elect (?!), announced today that his administration would conduct a full and complete review of every government program, determine which ones we need – and which ones we don’t – and then cut funding to everything that’s not essential.

Bravo!

I’ve frankly been waiting for someone in power to do that for years. I’ve advocated a zero-based budget process since the Clinton years. It’s encouraging to hear the President-Elect talk about doing just that.

There’s just one, teensie, tiny little ol’ problem.

Who defines what’s “essential,” and what’s not? [Read more…] about Defining what’s “essential.”

A(n im)Modest Proposal.

Jonathan Swift, 1667 – 1745

Jonathan Swift, 1667 – 1745

With apologies to Jonathan Swift, I have my own modest proposal for the Bailout Bucks Sweepstakes. 

 

I think the government should write me a check. (And every other taxpayer for that matter.) 

Think of it this way…if the government is going to start bailing out every Tom, Dick and CEO, why not me? And you? I run a small ad agency in Amarillo. Like most people today, money’s tight. I have bills to pay. Fortunately, I didn’t do anything dumb like buy a house out of my price range, or rack up a huge debt for capital equipment I couldn’t afford. But because of some unexpected expenses (medical, family, business), I’ve got very little cushion left. We did all the right things – saved every penny we could, made extra house payments when we could, stopped buying non-essential things. Still, it doesn’t take much to shoot one giant hole in our savings parachute. Mind you, I’m not whining or complaining. At all. In fact, I think we are some of the lucky ones. Mrs. Digital and I are gainfully employed. We have a roof over our heads, and food in the refrigerator. We are self-reliant, and if we screw up, we’ve got nobody to blame but ourselves. 

So here’s my plan… [Read more…] about A(n im)Modest Proposal.