The Water Cooler is written by Washington Times staffers.
By Jennifer Harper — Published March 17, 2013 Comments
The fact that 227 Republicans recently voted to deny an increase to the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour by 2016 has vexed Ralph Nader plenty. "The Republicans in the House should be ashamed of how they have abandoned the interests of their constituents and of the 30 million Americans who are making less today, inflation adjusted, than they did in 1968," he says. "Had the minimum wage kept pace with inflation since then, it would be $10.56 instead of $7.25 today." The outcome has also prompted the former presidential hopeful and long time environmental activist to do some math to make his point. "Jeffrey Immelt, the CEO of General Electric, made $12,400 per hour last year and his counterpart at Walmart, Mike Duke, has made $11,000 per hour," Mr. Nader observes. "When Republicans can cast a vote which says that those types of salaries are OK, but the lowest ...
by Jennifer Harper — Published March 15, 2013 Comments
"The American public has not yet come to a strongly shared judgment on the effects of the sequestration cuts," points out Frank Newport, director of the Gallup poll. New numbers reveal more than two thirds of the public say they simply don't know enough to tell whether the cuts are a good thing or a bad thing for themselves or their families. More than half can't judge the effect on the the nation. The problem: There's no real authority out there on sequestration. "Americans are likely basing their opinions of the cuts on what they hear, read, and see in the news and from friends and colleagues, as well as on their own experiences. Apparently, nothing in the information flow from any of these sources has been enough - to date - to move the public's opinions about the cuts in either direction," Mr. Newport observes. And the numbers: 69 ...
by Jennifer Harper — Published March 12, 2013 Comments
It's been a while since Sarah Palin wrote a book. The cultural plight of Christmas, however, has put the one time Republican vice presidential candidate into author mode. Mrs. Palin has forged a new deal with publisher HarperCollins to pen "A Happy Holiday IS a Merry Christmas," scheduled for November release. "Palin defends one of the most sacred holidays of the Christian faith against the politically correct elite who have hijacked the season," the publisher says, referring to the book as "a call to action." The author will define the case for "holding traditional Christmas dear to our hearts and for bringing back the freedom to express the Christian values of the season." Mrs. Palin intends to keep references to Jesus Christ in public displays, school concerts or other events. She will also take on the "over-commercialization and homogenization of Christmas in today's society," the publisher says. "Amidst the fragility ...
by Jennifer Harper — Published March 12, 2013 Comments
Palmetto State politics continue to be complex. Boisterous rivals like Teddy Turner and former Gov. Mark Sanford vie to fill the shoes of Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, the former representative appointed to his current office after Jim DeMint left to become president of the Heritage Foundation. Meanwhile, Sen. Lindsey Graham has a pair of unexpected challengers as 2014 looms in the distance. First, there is Bruce Carroll, co-founder of GOProud, the gay Republican group barred from the upcoming Conservative Political Action Conference at week's end. The 4-year-old organization has allies among those who insist the party needs help against Democrats from all sectors, gay or otherwise. Mr. Carroll has resigned his post and likely intends to run against Mr. Graham. "In the spirit of transparency and honesty, I informed my fellow GOProud board members that I could not dedicate the time to the organization while I seriously considered ...
by Jennifer Harper — Published March 11, 2013 Comments
ANALYSIS/OPINION The global media is in place to bear witness and offer chatty analysis, the debate and discussions are done just 24 hours before Catholic cardinals begin their conclave and select the next pontiff. Analysts have declared that their likely choice is a hard-nosed manager versus an inspiring man of faith. But maybe what they need is a savvy American in touch with faith issues, tricky politics and the 24/7 media marketplace, say some. "An American pope may be an idea whose time has finally come," says Forbes contributor Thomas Basile, who points out that the U.S. remains a charitable mother lode of benefit to the church; American Catholics contributed $70 million to the Holy See in 2011. Mr. Basile also reasons that a forward-thinking U.S. pontiff could be a fundraising dynamo on his own, and be quite at home under the microscope of endless social media and press coverage. ...
by Jennifer Harper — Published March 8, 2013 Comments
While the citizenry prepares to spring forward once again in the name of Daylight Savings Time, a pollster warns that the time change could create a "sleep starved society of epidemic proportions." Meanwhile, more than 7,000 people have already signed a White House petition in the last 48 hours that seeks to do away with the practice: "We petition the Obama administration to eliminate the bi-annual time change caused by Daylight Savings Time. Daylight Savings Time is an archaic practice in our modern society. The original reasons for the policies are no longer applicable, and the most cited reason for keeping DST (energy savings has never been shown to be true. Some industries still like DST (like sporting equipment retailers), but there are many more who dislike the changed hours (like television). The real issue, however is not the later hours or extra sunlight. Studies have shown that changing the ...
by Jennifer Harper — Published March 7, 2013 Comments
President Obama may not know what comes after a trillion, but college basketball fans need to be familiar with quintillion. It has 18 zeroes following its primary number. March Madness looms, along with the call of the traditional workplace guessing game and the culture that accompanies it. Fans hoping to nail the perfect NCAA bracket of college basketball championship matchups have a long road in front of them, according to the mathmatically inclined who suggest that eager speculators should consider the odds "weighing against perfection." So says Jeff Bergen, a mathematics professor at DePaul University in Chicago and a lifelong collegiate basketball fan. He has figured out the odds. They are not so good. "The odds of picking a perfect bracket are less than one-in-9.2 quintillion," the good professor declares. "For those with a solid knowledge of the history of the NCAA tournaments, the odds of picking a perfect bracket ...
by Jennifer Harper — Published March 7, 2013 Comments
Short, but liberal. Those Tweets may be only 140 characters long, but they can lean to the left just as effectively as long form stories from the fanciest of mainstream media. Liberal bias has invaded Twitter. A yearlong, software-aided study of millions and millions of tweets during the 2012 election by the Pew Research Center reveals that "in some instances, the Twitter reaction was more pro-Democratic or liberal than the balance of public opinion." Such events as news of President Obama's re-election predictably sparked happy tweets. They are good tools for serious agenda, and there is a near endless supply. The miniature missives are also quoted just as seriously as exclusives from political heavy hitters or analysts. "While polls showed that most voters said Mitt Romney gave the better performance in the first presidential debate, Twitter reaction was much more critical of Romney, according to an analysis of social media ...
by Jennifer Harper — Published March 6, 2013 Comments
There is already a bumper sticker out there that says "Barack 2012, Michelle 2016," spotted in the nation's capital in the last month. In that mindset, consider new numbers just released: a Harris Poll gauging first lady Michelle Obama's popular appeal among Americans, including a rating of her "job" performance and yes, a comparison with her hubby. The numbers: 71 percent of Americans say Michelle Obama was a positive factor in President Obama's re-election; 54 percent of Republicans and 89 percent of Democrats agree. 70 percent of Americans overall say Mrs. Obama has a positive influence on the president's decisions; 39 percent of Republicans and 95 percent of Democrats agree. 65 percent overall give Mrs. Obama a positive review on "the job she is doing as first lady"; 33 percent of Republicans and 88 percent of Democrats agree. 47 percent overall say she is "the best dressed first lady"; 24 ...
by Jennifer Harper — Published March 5, 2013 Comments
The Donald + CPAC. Yes, it's true. The American Conservative Union announced Wednesday that Donald Trump will address the 40th annual Conservative Political Action Conference when it fires up next week at a swank resort on the shores of the Potomac River. "Donald Trump is an American patriot and success story with a massive following among small government conservatives," says chairman Al Cardenas. "I look forward to welcoming him back to the CPAC stage next week. Mr. Trump's previous CPAC appearance was hugely popular among our attendees and we expect it will be even more popular this year." Mr. Trump joins a roster of high-profile speakers scheduled for the event March 14-16, including Mitt Romney, Jeb Bush, Sarah Palin and Gov. Rick Perry.
by Jennifer Harper — Published March 5, 2013 Comments
Are we talking media macaws here? The broadcast networks were only too happy to repeat and amplify the "dishonest, over-the-top fear-mongering perpetrated by the Obama administration" as the federal spending cuts eased into effect. So says the Media Research Center, which reviewed all 88 sequestration stories that ran on ABC, CBS and NBC during the two-week period between February 14 and March 1 - the day the dreaded cuts came alive - to find that 66 percent of the reports "advanced the most hysterical Obama administration talking points without any hint of skepticism." Yes, well. The analysis cited several examples. ABC World News reporter David Kerley, for example, likened the cuts to a "disaster movie." NBC "Today" correspondent Peter Alexander claimed the budget cuts would eliminate "meals for needy seniors" and deprive children of necessary vaccines. "There is a reason that public confidence in the news media is down to ...
by Jennifer Harper — Published March 4, 2013 Comments
Bristling with cameras and sensors, unmanned drones patrol borders and industrial pipelines here and abroad. They peek at troubled neighborhoods, wildlife areas and are now used in experimental news gathering projects by edgy journalists. They can be hefty aircraft, or out-of-the-box toys; some armed, most not. Drone videos are indeed popular online. But imagine this: You spot a drone from a law enforcement agency flying over your house taking videos or photos. Do you have the "right" to destroy it? Almost half of Americans - 47 percent - say why, yes, you do. Another 47 percent say no, leave that drone alone. So says a Reason/Rupe poll released Friday. The poll also found uncommon agreement among the political parties: 50 percent of Republicans and 55 percent of Democrats say citizens do not have the right to destroy the device under such circumstances. The American Civil Liberties Union, meanwhile, has already ...
by Jennifer Harper — Published March 4, 2013 Comments
"Two great competitions! You could win and expense paid week in Beijing and a chance at a $15,000 Grand Prize. Or you could see your short film produced. More than 100 great prizes in all. No entry fee. Don't miss out." And so begins China's determined foray into showbiz. On Monday, the Cultural Assets Office of the Beijing Municipal Government announced the 2013 Beijing International Screenwriting Competition, "open to US-based contestants of all nationalities." The state-run office only wants material centered on Beijing, however, and cheerfully frames the competition as a "groundbreaking initiative," among other things. And content? Some things are not lost in the translation. Like fantasy. Among Western-made movies, "Avatar" was the top draw in China, earning $221 million, followed by "Transformers: Dark of the Moon," which pulled in $174 million. "This competition is one of the first established routes for U.S. filmmakers to obtain direct access to ...
by Jennifer Harper — Published March 4, 2013 Comments
House Speaker John A. Boehner has done the dizzying math: "In the nearly four years since Senate Democrats last passed a budget, government spending has driven our national debt up past $16 trillion. That's more than $52,000 for every man, woman, and child," he says. Mr. Boehner has suggestions on what people could do with an extra $52,000, based on exacting consumer costs gleaned from federal statistics, pollsters and other sources. One could buy an annual NFL season ticket - for the next 67 years, for example. The amount could also cover groceries every week for the next seven years, or home maintenance for the next quarter-century. The money could cover all car maintenance, gas and insurance for five years. On the practical side, the taxpayer could put a down payment on a house, pay down a mortgage, pay the rent for the next four years, pay off personal debts ...
by Douglas Ernst — Published March 1, 2013 Comments
President Obama placed blame for the failed "sequester" negotiations at the feet of Republicans on Friday — an assertion that didn't sit well with Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions. In a statement provided by the Weekly Standard, Mr. Sessions, the top Republican on the Senate Budget Committee, faults the White House's "astonishing elitism" for the imminent spending cuts, citing the president's recent golf outing with Tiger Woods as example of government waste and ineffectiveness: "They have no plan to make our government leaner and more efficient. The President had 18 months to develop reforms to improve the government, but instead he announced furloughs of federal workers as a political cudgel. Yet, his golf weekend at the yacht club with Tiger Woods cost taxpayers over a million dollars — enough money to save 341 federal workers from furlough … These workers know firsthand how much waste and inefficiency exists in the government. ...
