Bipartisanship

The theme of the day at the LAT seems to be bipartisanship. That's what Democrats press for when they're losing.

French strike

The LAT has a picture in today's newspaper of French people waiting to board trains at Gare du Nord in Paris. The trains were slowed by a nationwide strike of transportation workers over government plans to raise the retirement age to 62 from 60. According to the LAT, the strike was spreading as the newspaper went to press.

Republicans on verge of victory?

According to the WSJ, 162 of the 179 Republican House seats are safe; only 146 of the Democratic seats are safe. If the unsafe seats split 50-50 then Republicans will take the House 225 to 209, a pick up of 46 seats.

CA budget can't be cut: LAT

In front page reporting today, the LAT claims that California's budget can't be cut further. But politicians and reporters always say that. It makes no sense. Cuts are possible until expenditures reach zero. Politicians just need the will to cut them.

California's budget

The LAT describes last minute negotiations in Sacramento leading to the new budget agreement. It wasn't pretty. The legislators were petty and greedy and undignified. The description reminded this old fool of Bagdad negotiations as described in various newspapers. We Americans were supposed to be above that kind of negotiating.

KCET vs PBS

KCET Los Angeles has announced it is leaving PBS at year end. A ploy? Will PBS and KCET settle their differences? Probably. Will viewers miss PBS? Not much. KCET? Not much. KCET viewers most frequently get, instead of entertainment, begging -- for money.

Reward the providers, punish the customers

Rupert Murdoch writes in today's WSJ about public education. He laments the condition of our public school system and claims it produces poorly educated graduates, or students who quit school before they graduate. Murdoch charges that our public school system rewards the providers (teachers, principals, unions, etc.) and punishes the customers (students, their parents and future generations who will pick up the tab for people who may not be able to provide for themselves because they were not educated.) If Murdoch is right, and it appears he is, then the U.S. faces a bleak future unless changes are made.