Category: Guest Authors

Free What?

If questions still linger about our free press,  they have all been answered through this slanderous media lynching of Herman Cain.  Whether one is Democrat or Republican, liberal or conservative, America must finally recognize that along with education, our news and informational sources are now in the governmental tank!

War used to be truth’s most feared adversary.  Senator Hiram Johnson, way back in 1917 said, “The first casualty when war comes is truth.”  This became the subject for Phillip Knightley’s extensive essay entitled The First Casualty.  I mention this solely for the need to prioritize the need for truth’s essential worth in reporting the news.

During the days since my last presentation, where I tried to make light of an anonymous question of  “gesturing,” news reports have upped the ante for Presidential campaigning.  Now, we have a face and a name, along with unpleasant charges from supposedly a quid pro quo offering by candidate Cain.  While reports center upon this unsubstantiated charge, many questions remain ignored by our army of investigative reporters.

As a curious bystander intent upon maintaining election integrity, bells and whistles chimed for me with the accuser’s hometown of Chi-town.  What a coincidence!  Also, it seems that Ms. Bialek imitates our federal government’s spending habits as she seems to live at a level not commensurate with her income.  This, along with her fickle work record and her 1991 personal bankruptcy action, should arouse curiosity as to her current living quarters being in the same building as Mr. Axelrod, of the Obama Administration.

After failing to ignite a public condemnation from charges of improper or harassing “gesturing,” our media sleuths have now located Ms. Bialek, after fourteen years, who now feels the need to set the record straight and be desirous of a confessing Mr. Cain.  Ms. Bailek’s ability to quell her nagging conscience for those fourteen years is remarkable in itself.  I remain curious as to just what caused her sudden reformation?

Ms. Bialek asks America to believe that based upon some previous and inconsequential meeting, she flew to Washington and reserved accommodations in the hopes of contacting Mr. Cain for possible employment?  This, on the surface, seems to be an expensive long shot.

Her description of what took place combines fantasy and romanticism into a well rehearsed presentation which just doesn’t quite jive with reality.  Her version relates that Mr. Cain “upgraded” her room to that of a suite and that they enjoyed drinks prior to going to another location for dinner.  Excuse me but if all this were true, and given that Ms. Bialek is not some naive school girl, either she is a fabricator or she is an extreme fabricator.  Who in their right mind would go to dinner with the expectation that the evening would end after desert?

Given Ms. Bialek’s background, from both a financial and personal perspective, possibilities abound that notoriety and some future payday may play heavily into her sudden need for Mr. Cain’s accounting.  Despite all these circumstances and inconsistencies, how is it that not one media pundit hesitated with their anti-Cain venom?  It now seems that the pedestal reserved for Ms. Bialek is all for the ruination of America’s first black conservative presidential candidate, pure and simple.

Our nation’s media sources and individual talking heads have shown their intentions and exhibited a vendetta styled assault upon what many view as Obama’s most serious threat.  Obviously, this comes from Mr. Cain’s equal racial footing and subsequent appeal to the black voter.

While this type of journalism may well define the demise of what was a “free press,”  it is the typical American reader and  audience viewer who needs to recognize this for what it is.  If not, then we have truly lost our desire and need for seeking truth.  All without having a war to fight.

Jim Bowman, Author of

This Roar of Ours

The Roar

The media’s investigative hound dogs are into a suspicion which they believe could end a black conservative’s Presidential quest.  Ironically, this mad dash to commit journalistic assassination completely ignores the fact that this entire fiasco is based on a whimsical allegation which, even those at Politico are not quite sure of just what it entails.  It’s the old “see if it sticks” reporting.

Recently, syndicated journalist Kathleen Parker provided just what a clear thinking analysis could achieve when political vendettas are left outside the mix.  In today’s column, Ms. Parker writes, “To Cain’s generation (age 65), a casual remark about someone’s appearance is often viewed as a gesture of friendliness.  To someone younger, who has been versed in the catechism of sexual harassment, it could be viewed as hostile or at least inappropriate.”

I think Ms. Parker has summed up this entire “grabbing at straws” attempt to derail what may very well become the first successful black conservative Presidential candidate.  And once again, it comes down to our old but reliable nemesis of “education.”  Think about it folks.  Just what  has become grounds for “sexual” harassment in our own environs?

I’ll be perfectly frank in that I am a member of Mr. Cain’s generation.  I now reminisce for the days when whistles resulted in a wave, even accompanied with a smile?  Not in every instance but certainly in many and without any thought to being harassed.  One could actually compliment a young lady as to her great looking legs (prior to this unisex pant suit fad) without fear of rebuke.  Has society become so minutely sensitized that casual compliments are now taboo?

Ultimately, this entire harassment charade, and Mr. Cain is just its latest target, is a wee bit hypocritical when given the allurements of summertime bikini briefs.  Instead of attempting this “high tech hanging” (Justice Clarence Thomas’ words), maybe our astute and truth seeking journalists should determine just who it doing the harassing when the office outfits are shelved for a week-end at the beach!

Jim Bowman
Author of,
This Roar of Ours

                                                                         The Roar

I am a patient man with what I consider to be a modicum of intelligence.  As such, our current President seems to have an unusual but consistent manner which infuriates, embarrasses and insults.  When lumped together with his second in command, these impressions become magnified greatly.  I’ll graciously give Biden a pass since his jobs requirements and subsequent laughable performance is thankfully a non factor.

Not so for the “can’t wait for Congress” President.  Nearing his three year mark and after receiving the public’s trust and expectation for addressing policy ills, his track record is abysmal.  He has infuriated as his promises for exiting the Middle East was put on hold.  Now, with next year’s election looming and his poll numbers in the tank, he deems abandoning Iraq, at a most inopportune moment, an appropriate and viable decision.

His actions and mannerisms leave much to be desired if Presidential decorum is still a worthy trait.  His gait is one to be found in a youthful jive setting.  His lack of self control uncovered another level to his unique Presidential style when kicking a closed door open after leaving what seemed to be a  briefing of some sorts.  And need one harken back to the embarrassing photo of the First couple saluting with their hands over their heart?  Can any Obama supporter explain why our commander in chief is clueless to a rudimentary grade school function?

Remember our embarrassment when President Obama felt the need to knell when confronting foreign heads of state?  This, aside from committing a grave injustice to the office, was not the actions of a leader.  This was so out of sorts to proper and established American protocol that it presented an air of being intentional.

Lastly, Obama has obviously kicked off his own campaign season, by preaching at his favorite niche for support, the college campuses.  Once again this gifted community organizer reverts back to his tactics of creating unrest as he instinctively “talks down” to his youthful supporters.  He  even seems to roll up his sleeves in an attempt to “get down.”  The only glitch is that his “get down” presentation is to the excessively educated who themselves tend to “look down.”

Those of us who have worked for a living while raising families and who have eventually severed the mortgage strings are aghast at such a performance.  This man has indeed transformed America but in doing so, he has also awakened both sides of the political aisle.  His record of instituting purely socialistic policies, along with his rude and arrogant style of conduct and iron fist, “can’t wait for Congress” approach, has become a unifier in opposition to the love, trust and adoration which brought Obama to our White House.

Similar to his record, there is little to defend as his current campaign mode is to amass votes in whatever manner available.  His ploy for buying votes with student loan relief substantiates this reckless “the end justifies the means” philosophy.  These are tactics learned early and carried throughout his life.  As such, he may well be too entrenched at playing the organizer than to act Presidential.

Jim Bowman
Author of,
This Roar of Ours

                                                                             The Roar

And here I thought we were supposed to select the best Republican alternative for a showdown with Obama in November, 2012.  First, it seems that the political world, coupled with the mighty news networks, have taken a page out of the sport’s play-off system as republican “debates” have now become  an endless, boring, and unproductive bit of chatter.

“Debates” may also center upon a single issue, such as the economy or the immigration travesty. In addition, the moderators often attempt to instigate, through their style of questioning, a feisty yelling match, which we just all so recently experienced between Perry and Romney.  Eventually, the notion begins to form that bickering and accusations are not the grist for choosing a Presidential candidate.

What is usually given a pass, by both the manner of questioning and the ensuing mudslinging, is the disastrous record that Obama has amassed.  More often than not, these forums are conducted by members of the press who are uniformly pro-Obama.  As a rule, the queries are directed to one candidate’s opinion verses another leaving Obama no where in sight or thought.

As mentioned, these are the months leading up to our selection of a presidential candidate.  The obvious shifting away from scrutinizing the present administration’s policies verses what each candidate has to offer for a solution is both disingenuous and misleading.  And all the candidates, with the possible exception of Newt Gingrich, are only too eager to degrade or attack their fellow Republicans.

The future voter in 2012 should be repelled by such antics.  During the debate intervals, whoever is deemed the most recent winner or leader in the polls becomes the subject for ridicule and even personal attacks by our nation’s media.  It’s a sort of political version of the old time “king of the mountain” game.  Whoever holds the high ground become the target for throwing down the hill.  It was fun when young but it has no relevance within discussions leading to possible leadership

We all agree that this coming election will not only be crucial but already is quite different in that the consensus is, whoever wins the Republican nomination will probably win the White House.  This is reason why so many entered and still remain.  But, how admirable are these candidates when they eagerly respond to such back ally tactics?

Moments of leadership and coolness under fire have briefly flashed yet this instinctive quality remains generally under wraps.  What has been presented is a mantra of me, me, and more me.  This display is part and parcel of what is ailing our general society.

Above all, these self preservative attitudes and styles are missing the point.  The calling of a President should first answer our Country’s call and that is to tend to the betterment of our Nation.  Lord knows this is now of crucial importance.  First and always come our United States.  This is paramount to the White House, to all lesser held offices and all the way down the the soldier in the foxhole.  And it’s that soldier, mired in mud, that is often the most loyal to his sworn oath of duty.  Could it be that our search and selection process for leadership is in the wrong arena?

Jim Bowman
Author of
This Roar of Ours

                                                                              The Roar

If any questions remained, they were all finally answered by recent events.  There is not one remaining iota of doubt that America, along with its institutions of freedom,individual liberty and opportunity are squarely in the cross hairs of our Cold war nemesis, communism.

Consider its recent strides.  Since their scare from McCarthy, they regrouped mainly in academia, but also with a fair sprinkling in other influential fields.  However, their invasion into the educational field, with particular emphasis at the higher level, provided both insulation against a replay of inquiries while at the same time enjoying an air of respect from their lofty positions of tutelage.  And the plums to be planted and harvested were the young and impressionable minds which fed off their instruction.

This cadre of subversives had their first taste of success through the Vietnam protests during the sixties.  What appeared as a simultaneous uproar no doubt required a coordinated effort.  Each college campus reacted in almost a knee jerk reaction once the affair commenced.  This large scale effort was the product of a national network, and with many of its cohorts at the classroom controls, the only organized anti-American element capable was the CPUSA, the Communist Party USA.

Now, zoom forward forty plus years to this fervent anti-American,  anti-capitalist venom.  The demographics from this orgy of unrestrained youthful idealism  leaves little to the imagination as to where this unrest originated since overwhelming numbers appear to be of collegiate age.

As if this disorder and mayhem is not enough, what is more alarming are the elected leaders in our government who are themselves sensing that  the time is right to aid and identify with this rabble.  Sadly, this has been evident at every level of authority, including our President.

Politicians being what they are, extreme opportunists, democrats and Obama may view a chance to raise sagging poll numbers through alignment with this youthful rebellion.  While this may be the most acceptable of reasons, it remains reckless and irresponsible since the emotions they are stoking may erupt from the slightest provocation.

Americans of every stripe must decide whether our country should resemble a tattered South American banana republic as political tactics hasten after the rise or fall of poll numbers?  And, if this Obama ploy is successful, will this anarchy become embedded within our political process every four years?

Or is there more to this than political gamesmanship?  If we remember back to those protests from the sixties, what ever became of all those college hooligans?  Many matriculated into current positions of authority and prestige within our government.  Bill and Hillary attest to how youthful idealism fades with age.  Or does it?

Through these intervening years, the American voter unknowingly may very well have sponsored the same anti-American radicals who rampaged our society during the Vietnam era.  The question is, did their indoctrination fade or has their own venom been waiting for just such an occasion.  Certainly, with a number of leading politicians voicing their own anti-American utterances, the seriousness of this consideration cannot be ignored.

Consider the reaction of a former Speaker of the House when learning of a Portland, Oregon demonstration  singing a song’s lyrics of, F “the United States.”  Rep. Pelosi’s comment was, “Well, God bless them.”  And she is just one example.  They are here and they are not just in the streets but also in our government legislating.

Jim Bowman
Author of,
This Roar of Ours

                                                                                  The Roar

For too long, America has been under the leadership of a President who, for all intent and purposes, consistently opts for the wrong course of action.  This fact alone validates why our fuel prices have almost doubled, our unemployment hovers at or above nine percent and our housing market remains in tatters.  And, it is this consistency which raises eyebrows.

In a curious sidestep, it has recently become the fashion to center our ire against those Wall Street profit seekers.  The original gatherings of protest have since leap-frogged from the Big Apple to any and practically all metropolitan areas.  Again, the President’s choice of action regarding this development becomes highly questionable if the betterment of our Nation remains paramount.

It probably seems slightly redundant to echo the inescapable fact that from Obama’s earliest Presidential campaign overtures, our media has been overly accepting of any and all of Obama’s shortcomings.  This policy continues today as a local headline misleads, “Obama ups heat on GOP to pass jobs bill.”

While this jobs bill gains the reader’s initial attention, a more accurate headline may have read, “Obama once again shows impatience and Presidential irresponsibility.”  His frustrations were evident from the first sentence as he stated his desire for Congress to pass his jobs bill or  be “‘run out of town’ by angry voters.”  Actually, Ben Feller of AP left the key word of “run” out of the quote which once again softened Obama’s threat.

Now I ask you, is this any way to be Presidential?  Vote for what I want or you will be chased “out of town” by essentially a mob, which I condone?  And talking about mobs, we return to Wall Street where there might be career openings for organizing and training the mob mentality.

Once again, Obama’s actions are irresponsible as he not only supports but seems to encourage this mob sentiment against our Nation’s financial center.  While hyping his jobs bill, which is essentially just another stimulus package cut in half, he reflects the anticipated positions of both Republican Congressional leaders by a return to his former organizing skills.  They may be the heart and soul of community organizing but as a National leader, the overall betterment of the country should be first and foremost when being President of “all” the United States.  Not so with his embarrassing comment; “And, you know, all I can do is make the best arguments and mobilize the American people so that they’re responsive.”

Since the House became the purview of Republicans, the Obama Presidency has traveled rocky roads.  The American voter is now witnessing the sudden change from his first two years of grinning to his current  nine month state of perplexity.  And his frustrations are without pretense, as his recent remarks suggests.

One last observance offers credence to his uncertainties.  Supposedly, Obama’s unseen resume contains a reference to his professorship of Constitutional Law.  So, it might just be the heat of the moment for him to misstate, as Commander-in-Chief,” We have a democracy…”  Or, I wonder how many of his students got that question wrong in his tests?  Again, his baffling consistency.

Jim Bowman
Author of
This Roar of Ours