Neff Zone Column -- August 15, 2009

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Print Edition: August 15, 2009

A LESSON FROM DRAGNET

Outta the Zone…I’ve been watching the shenanigans that some are calling the "debate" over health care reform. Everyone needs to take a deep breath and remember the sage wisdom of Joe Friday from the old Dragnet television program: "Give me the facts, just the facts."

We all need to remember that democracy should not be played as a contact sport. It’s fine to criticize, argue, and discuss but the basis of all that should be the facts. In addition, loud does not equal correct; most often it’s the empty barrel that makes the most noise.

As Michael Tanner, a critic of the Democratic reform efforts from the libertarian Cato Institute, has said: "There’s a certain amount of hysteria out there among opponents and flat-out disingenuousness among proponents."

The best advice I can offer is to echo a USA Today editorial: "The Internet can spread misinformation like wildfire, but it can also be a powerful tool for discovering the truth…It might help to dial down the fear and anger if Americans reacted to claims from either side by logging on and looking them up."

How do you do that? Well, you won’t find an unbiased opinion by going to Web sites by right or left wing talk show hosts (Limbaugh, Beck, Schultz, Malloy); they all have an agenda. Instead, please go to the two sites that both the right and the left regularly cite as truthful and non-partisan, www.Politifact.com and www.FactCheck.org.

Politifact.com features a Truth-O-Meter that separates fact from fiction on a wide range of issues. You will probably be most interested in the "Pants on Fire" ratings which nails items that are just plain lies. You can also check out the Obama Meter to see how the President is doing and the Flip-O-Meter to learn which politicians are playing both sides against the middle.

FactCheck.org, from the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania, is a bit more scholarly than Politifact. This site tends to dig deeper into issues and the research is really solid. They have an e-mail newsletter that I’ve found particularly informative.

The bottom line is that by using these two Web sites an average person can sort out the issues of the day and have the correct facts in hand when debating an issue.

…Onward to other things. Two of my last three columns have been about the banking industry and I hate to belabor the topic, but folks these guys are the poster children for "not getting it." I think all of us, even if we’re outraged, can understand that if a company is turning a profit then they have the resources to hand out bonuses. I must admit, however, that it baffles me how a company that is losing money can do the same thing.

To wit, Morgan Stanley has recorded losses in each of the last three quarters but has set aside $6 billion so far this year for bonuses which is 72% of its revenue. Citigroup lost $27.68 billion last year and still paid $5.33 billion in bonuses. JP Morgan made $5.6 billion in 2008 and paid out $8.9 billion in bonuses. Fill in your own epithet here; I’ve run out of things to say.

…I love reading the USA Today column of Al Neuharth every Friday and last week’s was a gem. Writing about the National Hobo Convention in Britt, Iowa, Neuharth explained how you can identify a hobo. Hobo: A migratory person willing to work any task for the daily goal of three hot meals and a place to sleep. Tramp: A traveling non-worker who just begs for handouts. Bum: Too lazy to roam around and never works. You might find these definitions handy when classifying your relatives who come to visit.

…There’s been some confusion around town regarding the big KISS Tribute Concert on September 26 featuring the nationally acclaimed KISS tribute band Mr. Speed. Several people have told me that they’ve heard the show is already sold out. Nothing could be further from the truth. As my hero Ernie Harwell, radio voice of the Detroit Tigers for many years, used to say: "For you folks driving by the ballpark, there are still plenty of good seats available."

I think eventually the concert will be a packed house, but right now there are tickets available at all the outlets in town: McGuire’s, Toy Town, The Music Station, Thirsty’s, and The UPS Store. Starting Monday, tickets will also be available at the Cadillac High School athletics office. Remember, all proceeds go to the Cadillac Viking Boosters. Go to www.neffzone.com/kiss for details.

…Speaking of ticket prices, have you seen some of the rates for shows downstate this summer? Before Ticketmaster fees and taxes, it costs $49.50 for a Creed ticket, $82.50 for Motley Crue, $89.50 for Nikelback, $92.50 for AC/DC, and $125 for Journey/Heart, just to name a few. Prices like that are enough to make you cry in your beer which, incidentally, costs $8.50 (at DTE Energy Theater near Detroit). Now you know why those bankers need those bonuses.

Jim Neff is a local columnist. Comments to neffzone@gmail.com. Read Neff Zone columns online at www.neffzone.com/cadillacnews.