J. Randolph Evans Column No. 954 (3/06/09)

So, remember the farmer and ox?

True Conservatism has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and not allowed to fulfill its mission.

Once there was a farmer whose ox and wagon got stuck in a ditch. Now how that ox and wagon got in the ditch was a topic of much dispute. Some blamed the wagon driver; others blamed the wagon maker; and some even blamed the ox. But the fact that the ox and the wagon were in the ditch was clear and something had to be done. And so, the government decided to take over getting the ox and the wagon out of the ditch. This effort started a massive public works project to dig the wagon out. After all, it was the perfect excuse to do something about that ditch. Dig, dig, dig. Now since the government was spending so much money on this project, political leaders decided that the wagon was also the solution for a variety of transportation problems. So, it invited passersby to hop on board the wagon as they waited for the farmer and ox to get the wagon out of the ditch. Of course, it did not stop there. Every other project that needed an ox to pull it along got hitched to the poor ox.

WAIT … THERE’S MORE!

ProPublica.org introduces Stimulus blog — one-stop-shop for stimulus coverage

Each morning on the Stimulus Watchdog blog, we’ll be rounding up all the economic stimulus coverage. Consider it your morning espresso shot of stimulus.

Tracking the stimulus from bill to building. Lead stimulus reporter — and blogger — is ProPublica’s Michael Grabell. Also contributing are Olga Pierce and Chris Weaver.

Recovery.gov just got its first major face-lift since going live two weeks ago. It now has a state-by-state breakdown of transportation funding [2] and a new column of news releases. According to the government Web site, today is the day that federal agencies will begin to report what they’ve been doing with stimulus money. “The first contract will be awarded to American Infrastructure, a family business in Pennsylvania that will be resurfacing a road in Maryland,” President Obama said this morning. “More than 100 other people will begin receiving funds today, as well. Over the next few weeks, we will launch more than 200 construction projects across this country, fueling growth in an industry that’s been hard hit by our economic crisis.” He also unveiled the Recovery Emblem, a red-white-blue-and-green seal that will be stamped on highway and bridge projects.

Great new site.

Steele to Rush: I’m sorry; Update: Beck, Coulter knock Steele At HotAir.com – includes Beck/Coulter video

Rush’s fans will hold Steele in contempt for criticizing him in the first place and Rush’s critics will hold him in contempt for apologizing now. .

Every minute counts in this war of ideas, and the less time spent eating our own the better. The 24/7 message needs to be STOP THE OBAMA JUGGERNAUT.

Tip: GatewayPundit.com

Does that mean Barack Obama represents “Angry Black Men” then? Let’s face it… Only a raging leftist could get away with such an insulting and racist comment. Funny, Rush Limbaugh talked about this Leftist tactic of destroying reputations during that same speech last night:

Ladies and gentlemen of the United States, the Democrat Party has actively not just sought the failure of Republican presidents and policies and now wars for the first time, the Democrat Party doesn’t stop at failure. Talk to Judge Robert Bork or Justice Clarence Thomas about how they tried to destroy lives, reputations and character, and I’m supposed to say I don’t want the President to fail? [Applause]

Those who participate in the biased journalism of our era no longer seek accuracy and fairness. It is merely their angry attempt to sway a reader’s reaction toward a bitter and vengeful attitude against anything that the writer disagrees with. It is diametrically opposed to the REAL reporters of half a century ago … where the goal was for accuracy, truth and perspective. If fact, in 1947, the Hutchinson Commission on Freedom of the Press defined “news” as a, “truthful, comprehensive, and intelligent account of the day’s events in a context which gives them meaning.” So what happended CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC and a plethora of bloggers whose “explitive deleted” vocabulary far exceeds their use of anything informative? [insert cricket sound effects here] RELATED: NEWSBUSTERS: Limbaugh Speech Fact Check: Joe Biden’s ‘Stimulus Package’ Cluelessness