Author: hankkalet

I didn’t see it — not live, anyway — but President Bill Clinton’s exquisite hit (and here) on Chris Wallace gained him new respect in my eyes. Wallace, a moderate among fanatics on the conservative network, was preparing to follow the same script as was followed by ABC’s inane TV movie about 9/11.

What Wallace never expected was that the president would strike back and strike back hard.

Clinton laced into Wallace and the conservative and lapdog press that has allowed the canard of Clinton complicity in 9/11 to fester. The reality, as the ex-prez points out, is that Clinton made some efforts at capturing Osama bin Lade, ultimately failing; Bush, on the other hand, went into Afghanistan with the intention of tracking him down, got bored and opted to turn the Middle East into a chaotic blood bath.

I am no fan of Clinton — all anyone needs to do is read what I’d written during his eight-year tenure to know where I stand on his failed presidency — but now, six years into the disaster that is the Bush administration, the Clinton years look a whole lot better. (Check out Keith Olbermann on the verbal tussle.)

Another thing that struck me about the Sunday slugfest was the way it unmasked the press corps’ obsequiousness in the face of Bush — read John Nichols on this in The Nation:

The interview, which was broadcast over the weekend, got to the heart of what’s wrong not with the Bush presidency but with a media that covers that presidency from the on-bended-knee position.

It was boffo TV — but, unfortunately, it’s not likely to awaken the sleeping giant of the American press corps.

South Brunswick Post, The Cranbury Press
The Blog of South Brunswick

This just doesn’t seem like it goes far enough. So Sen. Bryant is leaving his post as chairman of the state Senate Appropriations and Budget Committee over accusations that he took a no-show job with the University of Medicine and Denistry to essentially “lobby himself,” as a report noted.

And Gov. Jon Corzine has ordered “his counsel to review Bryant’s activities as budget chair,” according to the Star-LEdger.

“There are enough things that raise questions that it’s appropriate to find out what happened, when it happened and why,” he is quoted as saying in the Ledger.

But he still wields an awful lot of clout. And, given the way his Democratic colleagues are tip-toeing around, he likely will continue to do so unless an indictment is handed down or he is forced to resign.

South Brunswick Post, The Cranbury Press
The Blog of South Brunswick

I received the following note from a resident over on Cardinal Court in Kendall Park:

Sprint is attempting to get South Brunswick to approve erecting a cellular tower on the property of Christ the King Church on Route 27 in Kendall Park. They want to build a 112-foot, flag-pole style tower with an equipment building. There is a zoning board meeting on Oct. 5 at 7:45 p.m. where Sprint will attempt to get the property at 3330 Route 27 rezoned from R-3 (residential) status to accommodate its plans. I am writing to you to see if there is a way to get this information published so the residents of the town can be made aware. We are planning on fighting this issue, and could use the support of everyone who agrees that this is not a desirable structure in our area. Our concerns revolve around potential long term health issues from RF emissions, potential negative impact on property values, and esthetics. We believe a 112-foot tower in this area would be an eyesore in what is essentially a residential area.

I can understand the concerns. Cell tower placement, however, is a difficult issue because of the various layers of government involved — while the local zoning board can review the tower, it’s hands are basically tied. If the Federal Communications Commission thinks that the tower is needed and that there are no better locations, it can overrule the zoners — which puts the onus on residents to do their homework.

Personally, I am of two minds on this. I generally side with residents when they are defending their properties against development. But at the same time, I believe we have invited this plague on ourselves by our attachment to our cell phones. We want to use the phones, want good service, but don’t want the towers necessary to guarantee what we want.

South Brunswick Post, The Cranbury Press
The Blog of South Brunswick

Maybe something good can come from all this ugliness and greed in Trenton. Maybe reform will finally end up on the agenda — like those ordered for independent authorities by Gov. Corzine or proposed by legislative Republicans (a mixed-bag of the good and the politically expededient, but a proposal nonetheless worth a discussion).

Here, according to the AP, is what the GOP is proposing:

The Republican-supported bills, among other things, propose barring public officials from holding more than one elected office, prohibiting public officials from receiving late-career salary increases that boost taxpayer-funded pensions, expanding a state anti-nepotism law, requiring unpaid suspensions of indicted public officials and mandatory jail time and full pension forfeiture for public officials convicted of corruption.

The Corzine executive order:

requires state authorities to establish bidding procedures, award most contracts to the low bidder, boost financial reporting, publicly advertise all contracts and work with state economic growth officials to coordinate spending.

A first step? I hope so.

South Brunswick Post, The Cranbury Press
The Blog of South Brunswick

The administration seems to be waging war against the press in Iraq, targeting Iraqis working for American news organizations. Read this Bob Herbert column for details.

South Brunswick Post, The Cranbury Press
The Blog of South Brunswick