It ain't over until the fat cat sings
Are the good times really over for good? Are the freedoms we have fought for in America DEAD. We have the best politicians money can buy. My opinion of a speech by Dan Rather former CBS Anchorman on April 19, 2011.
Another bit of wisdom from Uncle George Whitlow, who keeps searching for all the right answers to life's persistent questions.
On
Tuesday night Sweet Angie and I went to University
of Louisiana at Monroe Brown
Auditorium to see Dan Rather’s speech. Dan is an investigative reporter and for
many years was the CBS News Anchorman. He
was very interesting, informative, and entertaining. His main message was to
warn us about potential loss of our freedoms as Americans. Rather said
essentially that the politics our nation was founded under are dead. We no
longer have government for the people by the people. We have government by the
rich for the rich. The
campaign cost of the last presidential election was $2 billion and that the
next election will cost $3 Billion. To be elected you have to have the support
of big money. Then you are tied to do what big money demands.
Will Rogers knew this was
true when he said that America has the best politician’s money can buy and this
is even truer today. The Bible says
the love of money is the root to all evil. 
Dan said his most memorable interviews were with
Saddam Hessein and
Mother Teresa. He said he interviewed
Hessein twice and each time they spent 4 hours alone. His first impression was
that I am standing here with a cold blooded killer. Rather said he really
enjoyed working with Mother Teresa, because she was a very remarkable woman. He
covered a story about her going through dumpsters, finding abandoned babies and
bringing them back for a safer fuller life.
Dan
had an amusing story about President
Lyndon Johnson. Johnson’s press
secretary George Christian suggested the president live up to his campaign
promise to get our boys out of Vietnam. Johnson replied that surely he did not
promise that. Then Christian handed the president several newspaper clippings. A
few days later, Christian brought in a tape player and played back part of
Johnson’s speech where he promised to get our boys out of Vietnam.
Johnson
replied that surely you are aware that these things can be spliced and doctored
up. He never made that promise. A few days later Christian and the President
were watching a movie in the White House Theater. They were watching
John Wayne and the
Alamo for
about the 20th time. After the movie, George slipped in news footage
of the President promising to bring our boys home. Johnson replied are you sure
that was me in those news shows.
A
political science professor at ULM asked Dan Rather what was the difference
between Lyndon Johnson’s relationship with his press secretary George Christian
and President Obama’s relationship with
Jay Carney. Rather summed it all up with one word-MONEY. Johnson and
Christian had the agreement that they disagreed in 300 ways. They could hash
through their disagreements and at the end of the day have a drink together or
watch a movie in the White House Theater. The main purpose of an investigative
reporter is to dig for the truth and present that truth to the American public.
Anderson Cooper calls it TRANSPARANCY. With the cost of political campaigns above $2 Billion, the successful
presidential candidate or candidate for any other public office has to comply
with the wishes of their contributors. Therefore many of the wishes of the
American public go unfulfilled such as cars that get 40 miles per gallon, solar
energy, windmills, biodiesel, adequate affordable health care, and eliminating
dependence on foreign oil. The political parties today do not know the meaning
of compromise.
Rather’s
funniest story involved him and his bride Jean not long after they were married.
They decided to drive to her parents’ home in a small west Texas town, about 80
miles out of Austin. They started out on an 8 lane interstate, then a 4 lane
interstate, than a 2 lane black top road that turned into a gravel road, and
then a dirt road to her home town, population 32. It was a very hot west Texas
day and they decided to stop at a 7/11 store for a DR Pepper. Jean went inside
of the store and Dan stayed in the car to keep the air conditioner running. Dan
said it took her a very long time to get the DR Pepper, when he noticed her in
an animated conversation with the owner behind the counter. After about 20
minutes she returned to the car with the DR Pepper. What took you so long and
who was that strange man you were talking to so animatedly to. She replied that
that was Billy Bob Caldwell and that he was a successful entrepreneur and owned
this gas station. She said they were engaged at one time.
Dan thought this over and said, if she had played her cards right, she could have married this guy and ended up helping him out in the gas station. Jean said, nope you got it all wrong. If I had married Billy Bob Caldwell, he would be the anchor man on CBS News.
My for real cousin Merle Haggard Are the Good Times Really over for
Good Lyrics:
I wish a buck was still silver.
It was back when the country was strong.
Back before Elvis; before the Vietnam war came along.
Before The Beatles and "Yesterday",
When a man could still work, and still would.
Is the best of the free life behind us now?
Are the good times really over for good?
Are we rolling down hill like a snowball headed for hell?
With no kind of chance for the Flag or the Liberty bell.
Wish a Ford and a Chevy,
Could still last ten years, like they should.
Is the best of the free life behind us now?
Are the good times really over for good?
I wish coke was still cola,
[ Find more Lyrics on
http://mp3lyrics.org/8QJO ]
And a joint was a bad place to be.
And it was back before Nixon lied to us all on TV.
Before microwave ovens,
When a girl could still cook and still would.
Is the best of the free life behind us now?
Are the good times really over for good?
Are we rolling down hill like a snowball headed for hell?
With no kind of chance for the Flag or the Liberty bell.
Wish a Ford and a Chevy,
Could still last ten years, like they should.
Is the best of the free life behind us now?
Are the good times really over for good?
Stop rolling down hill like a snowball headed for hell.
Stand up for the Flag and let's all ring the Liberty bell.
Let's make a Ford and a Chevy,
Still last ten years, like they should.
The best of the free life is still yet to come,
The good times ain't over for good.
more smoke school stories
It ain't over until the fat cat sings
