Journalist, Heal Thyself
Today's dose of unintended irony comes courtesy of The Dallas Morning News' Steve Harris, who grouses about his difficulties making a bill payment at Wells Fargo Financial's Web site. After several attempts, he reports being told by a phone representative, "Our Web site isn't very user-friendly", with which Harris undoubtedly agrees. Harris plays the part of the customer inflicted by a faceless, clueless corporation. The irony, of course, is that his readers have to navigate the user-hostile Dallas Morning News' Web site to read Harris' grouse.
President Bush's Hammer
Michael Landauer, of The Dallas Morning News, sees the deal on tax rebates to fight a looming recession as a reason for critics to apologize to President Bush for his call for the nation to go shopping after 9/11. Landauer sees Bush's call as a prudent move to keep the economy from falling into recession in 2001. He admits to wishing for more of a sense of shared sacrifice regarding the war in Iraq. D'oh. In World War II, the country went on a war footing. Not only did the economy keep humming away, it picked up the pace, producing jeeps, tanks, planes, guns and ammunition for the war effort. FDR didn't call for Americans to visit amusement parks, and George W. Bush shouldn't have, either.
President Bush never met a tax cut he didn't like. Budget surpluses as far as the eye can see (as in 2000)? Cut taxes. National crisis (as on 9/11)? Cut taxes. Growing budget deficits (as in 2002-2004)? Cut taxes. Shrinking budget deficits (as in 2005-2007)? Cut taxes. Good economy (as in 2007)? Cut taxes. Looming recession (as in 2008)? Cut taxes. When all you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail. Bush gets no credit for swinging his hammer left and right until the US economy imploded. No apologies are due.
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