Tales Of Hollywood And Politics

Written by Stephen Schochet


Arnold Schwarzenegger's surprise announcement that he was seekingrepparttar California Governorship brought to mindrepparttar 126012 many times Hollywood figures have been involved in politics. Here are some related anecdotes:

When actors first came to Hollywood there were signs put up in front of hotels and apartments that said no dogs or actors allowed, withrepparttar 126013 performers ruefully complaining about not getting top billing. The insecurity ofrepparttar 126014 profession has come through in political campaigns. When Ronald Reagan successfully ran for Governor of California in 1966 one ofrepparttar 126015 fruitless tactics used by his opposition was a television commercial featuring Gene Kelley stating," In films I played a gambler, a baseball player and I could play a Governor but you wouldn't really want an actor to really be a Governor would you?"

Ronald Reagan at one time was such a Liberal Democrat he drove friends to distraction with his views. One day inrepparttar 126016 thirties he was driving a friend home from work, yammering on about President Roosevelt's New Deal policies. Reagan who was near sighted and an erratic driver at best, seemed oblivious to road conditions. "Ronnie, watch out for that truck!"repparttar 126017 friend yelled. Missing an accident by a hair, Reagan continued," Truck drivers, that's whorepparttar 126018 New Deal will help!"

Like former President Reagan, Walt Disney claimed to be a Roosevelt New Dealer until a nasty worker's strike at his studio made him take a right turn. Although he campaigned heavily for Republican candidatesrepparttar 126019 cartoon maker kept friendly relations withrepparttar 126020 other side. Walt loved giving personal tours of Disneyland, and enjoyed having former president Harry Truman as his guest, even when his fellow Missourian turned down a ride on Dumbo: Too much Republican symbolism.

Another mogul, Louis B. Mayerrepparttar 126021 founder of MGM was a staunch Republican his entire life. Mayer never quite got over Franklin Roosevelt beating his good friend Herbert Hoover but accepted an invitation to meetrepparttar 126022 Democratic President atrepparttar 126023 White House in 1933. Immediately upon arriving inrepparttar 126024 Oval Office Mayer surprised Roosevelt by pulling a clock from underneath his coat and placing it onrepparttar 126025 President's desk. "What's that for, Mr. Mayer?" "Pardon me Mr. President. I heard you haverepparttar 126026 ability to have a man in your hip pocket after 18 minutes." Brandishing his long cigarette holder Roosevelt threw his head back and laughed, then began chatting withrepparttar 126027 film executive . He was startled when after seventeen minutesrepparttar 126028 mogul got up, grabbedrepparttar 126029 clock and leftrepparttar 126030 room.

The Plan for Iraq

Written by Ed Howes


When I allow my trained attack dog out ofrepparttar yard to runrepparttar 126011 streets, I am responsible for any damagerepparttar 126012 dog does. The Bible says so and modern statutory law says so. Careless dog owners are locked in American prisons today. When Congress turned America's President loose, Congress became responsible forrepparttar 126013 consequences. But you would never know that to hear them tell it.

The Congressional response is to dodge responsibility by beatingrepparttar 126014 dog and teaching him to behave differently next time. Bad dog! Senator Joseph Biden recently spoke for Congress when he publicly stated that he had no regrets about authorizingrepparttar 126015 President to wage war without conditions, he only regretsrepparttar 126016 incompetence ofrepparttar 126017 President. It is time to remove Senator Biden and his kind, who deny their responsibility and point to others. All who voted to give unconditional war making authority torepparttar 126018 President committedrepparttar 126019 rest of America torepparttar 126020 consequences of their irresponsible behavior. Whether we voted for any of them, they are acting in our name. Hence, we are ultimately responsible.

Members of Congress daily remind usrepparttar 126021 administration has no plan for Iraq. The administration says it is following its plan. What isrepparttar 126022 Congressional plan for Iraq? They have had a year to create one. I'll tell you what their plan is. It is to interfere with and haggle over any plan there is. I don't have a plan for Iraq and it would hardly make a difference if I did. Right or wrong,repparttar 126023 President is taking responsibility for an incompetent Congress andrepparttar 126024 only plan we have. Congress needs to shut up and do what is asked of it, until it has a better plan. Ifrepparttar 126025 people want a better Congress, they are out of luck. This one isrepparttar 126026 best money can buy. If they won't do their jobs, and they won't, they should forfeit their pay and go home. The world would be a better place for it.

There is one plan that has come out of Congress that should have enough appeal to enough people, to becomerepparttar 126027 reality. Recently announced Democratic Presidential candidate, Dennis Kucinich, says something torepparttar 126028 effect of surrendering all U.S. interest in Iraq torepparttar 126029 United Nations and withdraw United States forces. I assume he is working on a bill to introduce to Congress.

The intention to turn this whole thing over torepparttar 126030 U.N. is diabolically simple. It is enough to takerepparttar 126031 edge offrepparttar 126032 global hatred ofrepparttar 126033 United States for its former unilateralism. It answersrepparttar 126034 question, what can we do to abaterepparttar 126035 global hatred ofrepparttar 126036 U.S.? It givesrepparttar 126037 U.N. Security Council opponents exactly what they have been asking for and more - a big job with which to prove its competence and relevance.

Whilerepparttar 126038 President remains onrepparttar 126039 hook for allrepparttar 126040 promises made to his corporate friends, he is offrepparttar 126041 hook forrepparttar 126042 final outcome in Iraq, as much as he wants to see it through. If Congress takes this action before November, 2004,repparttar 126043 President won't be standing beforerepparttar 126044 American public asking for four more years to pursue his Iraqi dream.

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