About This Blog
This blog was the first in the nation created by an editorial board to give readers a behind-the-scenes view of the discussion that goes into crafting the newspaper’s daily editorials. It includes updates on the work of the editorial staff and debates on general news issues. We welcome and read all letters from readers. Letters are selected for publication based on their clarity and brevity. They also are chosen to represent a diverse set of views on as many issues as possible. March 2010
Recent Posts
A last word about polling and the Texas GOP gubernatorial primary race Craig Watkins, Royce West, Dallas County constables and a continuing mess GOP governor primary: Predictions so far (updated 9:32 p.m.) In Texas GOP primary, should we expect a runoff or an outright Rick Perry win? Newspaper report indicates Texas might not Drinking game: If you know the lines between legal and not legal alcohol in Dallas, take a shot Without "bridging the gap," Observer's Jim Schutze crosses the river Health care summit: Just another editorial idea I was unable to sell Whatever you do, don't ask Rodger Jones about freeway congestion studies In DISD, next time you hear a fire alarm, just throw a chair through a window Categories
dallasnews.com
blogs |
Mike Hashimoto
March 5, 2010
A last word from me, at any rate. I was amused by the insistence, especially from Debra Medina supporters, that polling on the Republican governor's primary was not to be trusted. Rasmussen Reports, the polling outfit that did the most on the race, came for special criticism, despite a history of generally getting it right. Here's the final actual vote percentages: Here's the final Rasmussen poll, taken Feb. 23: That left Rasmussen with about 9 percent undecided, and those voters spread reasonably equally among the three candidates on Election Day. Rasmussen was closest to the pin among the major polling outfits that took samples in February, when interest was at its highest and decisions were being made. Three others: For your entertainment, if you find such things entertaining, here are cherry-picked comments (all spelling and grammar in the original) to two blog posts about polling leading up to the vote: ![]() ![]() The entry "A last word about polling and the Texas GOP gubernatorial primary race" is tagged: Texas governor's race March 4, 2010
One of the perplexing elements of the Dallas County constables saga has been the apparent reluctance of District Attorney Craig Watkins to get to the bottom of it. Watkins has gone out of his way to make clear that if anyone is going to investigate allegations of criminal corruption in his county, it's him and his prosecutors. Statutorially, he has a point. The question has been why, from the start, he just wouldn't say he was doing that, when we knew some number of constables employees had filed affidavits with Watkins' office alleging misdeeds. Another angle that got washed away in the torrent of information was the possibility that Watkins faced a conflict of interest. I was reminded of that this morning, reading our news account by Kevin Krause and Ed Timms detailing the release of a report on the civil investigation into Precinct 1 Constable Derick Evans. ![]() ![]() The entry "Craig Watkins, Royce West, Dallas County constables and a continuing mess" is tagged: Craig Watkins , Dallas County constables , state Sen. Royce West March 2, 2010
Now that Harris County finally got off the dime, we have a fairly complete early voting picture for the state: Perry 52.79%, Hutchison 30.48%, Medina 16.72% Back to predictions from yesterday, I'm not wrong yet. Based on the Colleen theory, though, I will be. Remember, her forecast had us in a runoff if Perry wasn't in the mid- to high-50s after early voting. Your view so far? Update: With about 13 percent counted, Perry has lost about four-tenths of a percentage point, still at 52 and change. Final update: Whaddya know? Hutchison concedes. ![]() ![]() The entry "GOP governor primary: Predictions so far (updated 9:32 p.m.)" is tagged: Texas governor's race March 1, 2010
First, a disclaimer: I'm truly lousy at predicting elections. I don't try to be bad at it; it just happens. I'm sure it's some subset of the reason I'm not very good at betting on sports: I let what I want to happen affect my judgment on what logically should happen. So when I tell you that it appears Rick Perry is about to win the Republican gubernatorial primary without a runoff, your best bet is to assume we're in for six more weeks of runoff campaigning. I can't help it. That's what the trend lines tell me. ![]() ![]() The entry "In Texas GOP primary, should we expect a runoff or an outright Rick Perry win? " is tagged: Texas governor's race February 28, 2010
If you were wondering where your local editorial board comes down on high-speed rail in Texas, make no mistake: We love it long time. We're especially annoyed that Texas leaders -- particularly Gov. Rick Perry -- are such dunderheads that they sat on their hands while the Obama administration was tossing around $8 billion in federal stimulus dollars specifically to boost high-speed rail construction: Gov. Rick Perry and other top leaders needed to have led a charge in behalf of the state's $1.8 billion request that would have advanced high-speed rail for Texas' largest metro areas. Yet they were all but missing and silent. The state did hire a rail chief last month, but Washington is looking for top state leadership in lockstep. Look at California, we said. They have it going on. ![]() ![]() The entry "Newspaper report indicates Texas might not be so dumb, after all, on high-speed rail" is tagged: High-speed rail February 26, 2010
As a young man, I had a conversation with an older fellow from Fort Worth and remember asking about a specific neighborhood there, "and can you buy beer there?" He looked at me like I'd lost my mind and said, "Son, the only thing dry in Fort Worth is the bottom of your shoe." Not if it's raining, I thought, but quickly explained that in Dallas, where we were at that moment, some parts of town were "wet," meaning a person could buy a six-pack at the 7-Eleven or even get a drink at a restaurant. Other parts, like Oak Cliff, where I grew up, were "dry," meaning one had to cross the river to buy alcohol. (Where you drank it was another story.) "Heard about that," the Fort Worth guy said. "That's why I'd never live over here. Wouldn't work here, either." ![]() ![]() The entry "Drinking game: If you know the lines between legal and not legal alcohol in Dallas, take a shot" is tagged: Alcohol laws
Jim Schutze, in his writings at the Dallas Observer, has made it abundantly clear that he's no fan of the board's "Bridging the Gap" project intended to raise living standards in southern Dallas. He's certainly entitled to his opinion. So it was with some special interest that I plowed through his latest for the Observer's print edition, "Oak Cliff Becomes Cool Embracing What Other Parts Of Dallas Have Fought: Builders, Bikes And Immigrants." Set aside some time this weekend and give it a read. (Actually, set aside a lot of time. At 5,800 words -- jeez, doesn't the Observer have any editors? -- it's a lot to absorb and digest. Then again, written in the unique Schutze style, it's an entertaining and illuminating read.) ![]() ![]() The entry "Without "bridging the gap," Observer's Jim Schutze crosses the river" is tagged: Jim Schutze , Oak Cliff , southern Dallas February 25, 2010
Early in the week, it was up in the air whether we would write an editorial in advance of the Obama health care summit or wait until we saw what happened and commented on that. My suggestion was that we should advance it with the admittedly cynical view that this was fairly pointless, no matter how much importance we might attach to the broader health care debate. No shock that this idea was dead on arrival with the devoted Obama supporters on our board. Instead, we decided on this editorial, which more or less evaluated the "Obama plan" he released Monday, three days ahead of his summit. ![]() ![]() The entry "Health care summit: Just another editorial idea I was unable to sell" is tagged: health care summit
Disclaimer: Rodger Jones is a great guy. I'm fortunate to office next door to him here in the A.H. Belo Command Operations Center. He knows his sports, has an excellent sense of humor and knows more about roads and trains than almost anyone. Here's the problem: You can't ask him a simple transporation question without him burying you in charts and graphs and press releases. (Despite being from Cleveland, Rodger would have made a fine engineer. If you know an engineer, you know what I mean. "Where do I plug in the power cord?" yields 10 diagrams and 30 minutes on the history of direct current.) Today's question: "Rodger, did you see that story on the Metro cover today about how messed up I-35E is? Is that a legit study?" ![]() ![]() The entry "Whatever you do, don't ask Rodger Jones about freeway congestion studies" has no entry tags.
Tell the truth: Were you surprised to learn this week that some Dallas high schools in, shall we say, troubled parts of town resort to chaining their doors shut during the school day to either keep kids in or potential criminals out? Anyone? Surprise inspections at 31 Dallas public high schools this week revealed that eight were locking exit doors that serve as escape routes during catastrophes, a serious fire code violation.
![]() ![]() The entry "In DISD, next time you hear a fire alarm, just throw a chair through a window" is tagged: DISD February 24, 2010
The Rasmussen poll on the Texas gubernatorial primary is out, and the news appears pretty good for Gov. Rick Perry, who has picked up four points to 48 percent since the start of the month (comparing the last two Rasmussen polls). Kay Bailey Hutchison is down two points, from 29 to 27 percent, but, interestingly, Debra Medina is polling at the same 16 percent as she was before she briefly lost her mind on Glenn Beck's 9/11 truther inquisition. With early voting underway, Rasmussen asked those who had voted already which way they went. The answer: Perry 49, Hutchison 24, Medina 20. Perry is very close to avoiding a runoff, which could save his campaign a fair bit of money that it could apply to the general against Bill White. That said, it will be interesting to see if many Democrats take Paul Burka's "suggestion" and cross over to vote for Hutchison (thereby increasing chances of a Perry-weakening runoff). For Mark Davis' take on the primaries and a couple of out-of-state perspectives, visit our Opinion home page and roll down to the Texas section. ![]() ![]() The entry "Latest Rasmussen poll: Perry 48%, Hutchison 27%, Medina 16%" is tagged: Debra Medina , Kay Bailey Hutchison , Rick Perry , Texas governor's race February 22, 2010
Quite a flurry of print activity this weekend on our Dallas County constables, boosted by the confluence of the Danny Defenbaugh's report release early in the week and early voting beginning the next day. Kevin Krause and Ed Timms had the Page One lead Sunday with a look at County Judge Jim Foster's quest to oust Constable Jaime Cortes through a fairly rare civil removal process. The same day, Gromer Jeffers had the Metro cover lead with a look at how the constable saga is affecting two Democratic primaries, county judge (with Foster running for re-election) and county commissioner Precinct 4 (with Elba Garcia, ironically the wife of Cortes' lawyer, the front-runner). We followed with an editorial in today's paper taking District Attorney Craig Watkins to task for, in effect, dragging his feet on a criminal investigation that forced the Foster-led commissioners' civil investigation, which led to the Defenbaugh report, which can yield no criminal charges before voters determine Cortes' fate in the primary, which is the real election since the Republicans have no candidate. That's a lot of words to plow through, but taken collectively, they give you a fairly complete picture of the political mess this has become. ![]() ![]() The entry "Lots of words to chew over on Dallas County's constable mess" is tagged: Craig Watkins , Dallas County constables February 11, 2010
I'm sorry I didn't get around to answering our "Editorial Board speaks out" question yesterday. I'm also a little relieved. What I probably would have said was that I'd been thinking hard about who I'd vote for March 2 and who I'd support when the board decided whom to recommend, if it mattered. And that I'd begun leaning toward Medina, because I agreed with many of her core positions and appreciated her clarity. That ended today. Sorry, but some things are deal-breakers. Inability to say, with clarity, that she dismissed "9/11 truther" thought and would not surround herself with anyone who thought that way is enough for me to make it a two-person race again. "I don't have all the evidence there, Glenn," Medina replied. "So I'm not in a place - I have not been out publicly questioning that. I think some very good questions have been raised in that regard. There's some very good arguments and I think the American people have not seen all the evidence there so I've not taken a position there." ![]() ![]() The entry "Debra Medina collapses on 'truther' question" is tagged: 9/11 truther , Debra Medina , Texas governor January 21, 2010
It's funny to recall that John Edwards, not the other guy, was once considered the chief potential roadblock on the Democratic side to a Hillary Clinton presidency. (Well, not that funny, but still.) Continuing to show his mastery of dragging out unpleasant business for as long as possible, Edwards now -- now -- admits to fathering a child by his mistress, conceived while his wife fought cancer. As detailed with great relish in Game Change, the insider book on the 2008 campaign, Edwards was no saint, but neither, apparently, was Mrs. Edwards. But why now? Why admit fathering the child after years of relentless denials? Mediaite takes a swing at it: One has to assume the deeply disturbing and damaging (as much for Elizabeth Edwards as John) revelations to come out of the book Game Change had something to do with it. Also, likely, some late desire to protect his family from further scrutiny, and one hopes a desire to do what's best for the child who is now two-years-old. That's the adult explanation. Mine is that Edwards, with typical political savvy, saw how well the whole Mark McGwire thing went. ![]() ![]() The entry "John Edwards stops the presses again" is tagged: John Edwards January 19, 2010
Interesting that about the same time that a Rasmussen poll gave Debra Medina the boost she needed to join the Jan. 29 Belo debate, another Rasmussen poll gives Democrat Bill White something to think about. As in, White should be Medina's biggest fan: -- Perry 50%, White 40% -- Hutchison 52%, White 37% -- White 44%, Medina 37% So which is more unexpected, Medina drawing 12 percent in the GOP primary against the incumbent and a two-plus-term U.S. senator or 37 percent in a hypothetical head-to-head against a well-financed Dem front-runner? ![]() ![]() The entry "Debra Medina and two Rasmussen polls" is tagged: Texas governor's race October 9, 2009
For what, you ask? Didn't anyone expect him to at least win, oh, a playoff game first? (Upfront apologies to Romo, as this really isn't about him. Sarcasm needs a foil.) Compare that to the news story of the day (so far): "Barack Obama wins Nobel Peace Prize." Apparently, the bar this year was set at "good intent." Or "goals and aspirations that make our tummies warm." Or "Look, he's not George W. Bush, OK?" At first you think, "What's wrong with my stupid radio? All static." Then, "What? Way too early for humor. Who messed with my radio?" Then, "The Onion has a radio station?" ![]() ![]() The entry "Tony Romo elected to Pro Football Hall of Fame" is tagged: Barack Obama , Nobel Peace Prize October 6, 2009
Don Hill isn't the first Dallas City Council member to get his fingers snagged in the till. Logic tells you he won't be the last. As long as such massive amounts of government money roll through the city cash register, temptation will find someone. Admittedly, that's if you subscribe to the federal jury verdict yesterday that found him guilty on seven counts of bribery, extortion, conspiracy and other unlawful deeds, not to mention his cohorts. Our Jason Trahan and others did fine work describing the action, but it's hard to imagine us kibitzers could claim knowledge or understanding more special than those jurors, who sat through everything. The impulse is to find and pass along the deeper meaning of such a significant trial on the city's history, City Hall and a city's residents. That's where our editorial today went in well-written, thoughtful form. Other commentators, like Metro's James Ragland, had their takes, too. A common thread, so far, is the need to reform the way business is done at City Hall. In most cases, that means ordinances or ethics regulations - something, anything, to make sure this kind of thing never happens again. I hope I'm not the only one who sees how pointless this could become. ![]() ![]() The entry "The Don Hill trial and calls for 'reform'" is tagged: City Hall , Don Hill trial September 25, 2009
In case you missed it, click on the thumbnail below to view the final version of Thursday's Opinion home page: Today's new page is now available at dallasnews.com/opinion, leading off with: "Clock is ticking for Obama on Afghanistan" ![]() ![]() The entry "Archive: Opinion home page, 9/24/09" is tagged: Opinion front archive September 2, 2009
In case you missed it, click on the thumbnail below to view the final version of Tuesday's Opinion home page: Today's new page is now available at dallasnews.com/opinion, leading off with the musical question: Does the president still have the political capital to make health care reform happen? ![]() ![]() The entry "Archive: Opinion home page, 9/1/09" is tagged: Opinion front archive September 1, 2009
In case you missed it, click on the thumbnail below to view the final version of Monday's Opinion home page: Today's new page is now available at dallasnews.com/opinion, leading off with what should the U.S. role be in Afghanistan. ![]() ![]() The entry "Archive: Opinion home page, 8/31/09" is tagged: Opinion front archive August 31, 2009
In case you missed it, click on the thumbnail below to view the final version of the Friday/weekend Opinion home page: Today's new page is now available at dallasnews.com/opinion, leading off with Dick Cheney, the CIA and interrogations. ![]() ![]() The entry "Archive: Opinion home page, 8/30/09" is tagged: Opinion front archive August 28, 2009
It's Friday, so we're producing three days of print commentary today. Some highlights for the weekend, with links to what's already online: Saturday Hits and Misses (editorial): If you are a fan of this rapid-fire series of opinions, good news. We offer even more this week. Susan Dodia: Leaving mental illness untreated is the worst possible option. Sunday Dallas budget (editorial): Tax increase? Not this year. The Dallas City Council should save that bitter pill for when they really need it, which could be the next budget cycle. Michael Paulson: How the boy wizard won over religious critics -- and the deeper meaning theologians now see in his tale. Rod Dreher: Health care and personal responsibility. Sustainable food (editorial): The high cost of cheap food and what we can do about it. Tom Leppert (editorial): We understand the temptation to seek an open U.S. Senate seat, but we'd rather he finish what he started as Dallas mayor. Charles Krauthammer and Steve Pearlstein: Competing views of the ongoing health care debate. ![]() ![]() The entry "Some bonus reading for your weekend" has no entry tags. August 11, 2009
In case you missed it, click on the thumbnail below to view the final version of Monday's Opinion home page: Special bonus: Rod is back at work, and his first page post-fellowship is available at dallasnews.com/opinion. ![]() ![]() The entry "Archive: Opinion home page, 8/10/09" is tagged: Opinion front archive August 10, 2009
In case you missed it, click on the thumbnail below to view the final version of the Friday/weekend Opinion home page: This morning's new page is available at dallasnews.com/opinion. ![]() ![]() The entry "Archive: Opinion home page, 8/9/09" is tagged: Opinion front archive August 7, 2009
It's Friday, so we're producing three days of print commentary today. Some highlights for the weekend, with links to what's already online: Saturday Arts (editorial): What to do with your kids -- for free? Think Cezanne. Sunday Williams (Juan Williams) and Markdavis (Mark Davis): Two perspectives on the apparent death of affirmative action. Drought (editorial): It's too late to plan for this drought. But the next one? Hotel (editorial): We aren't architecture critics, but we do have a few thoughts on what the convention center hotel should provide. Monday Trolley (editorial): Downtown and Oak Cliff streetcar plans work better together, than apart. Doerr (John Doerr and Jeff Immelt): To the known crises, add a fourth: competitiveness, especially on the next big boom of green technology. ![]() ![]() The entry "Some bonus reading for your weekend" has no entry tags.
In case you missed it, click on the thumbnail below to view the final version of Thursday's Opinion home page: This morning's new page is available at dallasnews.com/opinion. ![]() ![]() The entry "Archive: Opinion home page, 8/6/09" is tagged: Opinion front archive August 6, 2009
In case you missed it, click on the thumbnail below to view the final version of Wednesday's Opinion home page: This morning's new page is available at dallasnews.com/opinion. ![]() ![]() The entry "Archive: Opinion home page, 8/5/09" is tagged: Opinion front archive August 5, 2009
In case you missed it, click on the thumbnail below to view the final version of Tuesday's Opinion home page: This morning's new page is available at dallasnews.com/opinion. ![]() ![]() The entry "Archive: Opinion home page, 8/4/09" is tagged: Opinion front archive August 4, 2009
In case you missed it, click on the thumbnail below to view the final version of Monday's Opinion home page: This morning's new page is available at dallasnews.com/opinion. ![]() ![]() The entry "Archive: Opinion home page, 8/3/09" is tagged: Opinion front archive August 3, 2009
Sorry to have been away for a few days, but we had some technical difficulties updating the site. But in case you missed it, click on the thumbnail below to view the final version of the Thursday-through-the-weekend Opinion home page: This morning's new page is available at dallasnews.com/opinion. ![]() ![]() The entry "Archive: Opinion home page, 8/2/09" is tagged: Opinion front archive July 30, 2009
In case you missed it, click on the thumbnail below to view the final version of the Wednesday's Opinion home page: This morning's new page is available at dallasnews.com/opinion. ![]() ![]() The entry "Archive: Opinion home page, 7/29/09" is tagged: Opinion front archive July 29, 2009
In case you missed it, click on the thumbnail below to view the final version of the Tuesday's Opinion home page: This morning's new page is available at dallasnews.com/opinion. ![]() ![]() The entry "Archive: Opinion home page, 7/28/09" is tagged: Opinion front archive July 28, 2009
In case you missed it, click on the thumbnail below to view the final version of the Monday's Opinion home page: This morning's new page is available at dallasnews.com/opinion. ![]() ![]() The entry "Archive: Opinion home page, 7/27/09" is tagged: Opinion front archive July 27, 2009
In case you missed it, click on the thumbnail below to view the final version of the weekend's Opinion home page: This morning's new page is available at dallasnews.com/opinion. ![]() ![]() The entry "Archive: Opinion home page, 7/26/09" is tagged: Opinion front archive July 25, 2009
In case you missed it, click on the thumbnail below to view the final version of Friday's Opinion home page: This morning's new page is available at dallasnews.com/opinion. ![]() ![]() The entry "Archive: Opinion home page, 7/24/09" is tagged: Opinion front archive July 24, 2009
It's Friday, so we're producing three days of print commentary today. Some highlights for the weekend, with links to what's already online: Saturday Monkey (editorial): Wake up if you think this is the end of the crime wave. Young (Jeff Young): The case against new urbanism. Sunday Recovery (editorial): It's hard to find too many silver linings in a recession, but one is that it gives a city like Dallas a chance to reshape its future. Pointperson (Scott McClellan) and Markdavis (Mark Davis): A Q&A with the former Clinton and Bush II official now at Brookings, and Davis' point of view, both on the health care debate. Monday Exxon (editorial): Lots of folks are investing big money in alternative fuel sources, like algae. But the world's biggest oil company? It would seem so. ![]() ![]() The entry "Some bonus reading for your weekend" has no entry tags.
In case you missed it, click on the thumbnail below to view the final version of Thursday's Opinion home page: This morning's new page is available at dallasnews.com/opinion. ![]() ![]() The entry "Archive: Opinion home page, 7/23/09" is tagged: Opinion front archive July 23, 2009
In case you missed it, click on the thumbnail below to view the final version of Wednesday's Opinion home page: This morning's new page is available at dallasnews.com/opinion. ![]() ![]() The entry "Archive: Opinion home page, 7/22/09" is tagged: Opinion front archive July 22, 2009
In case you missed it, click on the thumbnail below to view the final version of Tuesday's Opinion home page: This morning's new page is available at dallasnews.com/opinion. ![]() ![]() The entry "Archive: Opinion home page, 7/21/09" is tagged: Opinion front archive July 21, 2009
In case you missed it, click on the thumbnail below to view the final version of Monday's Opinion home page: This morning's new page is available at dallasnews.com/opinion. ![]() ![]() The entry "Archive: Opinion home page, 7/20/09" is tagged: Opinion front archive July 20, 2009
In case you missed it, click on the thumbnail below to view the final version of the weekend Opinion home page: This morning's new page is available at dallasnews.com/opinion. ![]() ![]() The entry "Archive: Opinion home page, 7/19/09" is tagged: Opinion front archive July 18, 2009
In case you missed it, click on the thumbnail below to view the final version of Friday's Opinion home page: This morning's new page is available at dallasnews.com/opinion. ![]() ![]() The entry "Archive: Opinion home page, 7/17/09" is tagged: Opinion front archive July 17, 2009
It's Friday, so we're producing three days of print commentary today. Some highlights for the weekend, with links to what's already online: Saturday Harrop (Froma Harrop): Cities are back, but for how long? Census numbers show that cities are leading the suburbs in population growth, but as the economy recovers and credit eases, will suburban sprawl pick right up where it left off? Sunday Sotomayor (editorial): So, after a week of hearings, what did we learn and how should the Senate vote on her nomination to the Supreme Court? Bottom line: She deserves confirmation. Bennett (Drake Bennett): With back-to-back revelations of marital infidelity by Nevada Sen. John Ensign and South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford, two more cultural conservatives, the question again arises: Why is it that people who set themselves up as moral paragons seem to have the hardest time living up to their own standards? Williams (Shawn Williams) and Garrison (Trey Garrison): Two essays assessing the causes, and possible cures, for the cycle of violence that so often permeates black communities. Monday Krauthammer (Charles Krauthammer): On the 40th anniversary of the first moon landing, we say we will return in 2020, but that promise was made by a previous president. And for all of Barack Obama's Kennedyesque qualities, he has expressed none of Kennedy's enthusiasm for human space exploration. Also, our view in an editorial. ![]() ![]() The entry "Some bonus reading for your weekend" has no entry tags.
In case you missed it, click on the thumbnail below to view the final version of Thursday's Opinion home page: This morning's new page is available at dallasnews.com/opinion. ![]() ![]() The entry "Archive: Opinion home page, 7/16/09" is tagged: Opinion front archive July 16, 2009
In case you missed it, click on the thumbnail below to view the final version of Wednesday's Opinion home page: This morning's new page is available at dallasnews.com/opinion. ![]() ![]() The entry "Archive: Opinion home page, 7/15/09" is tagged: Opinion front archive July 15, 2009
In case you missed it, click on the thumbnail below to view the final version of Tuesday's Opinion home page: This morning's new page is available at dallasnews.com/opinion. ![]() ![]() The entry "Archive: Opinion home page, 7/14/09" is tagged: Opinion front archive July 14, 2009
In case you missed it, click on the thumbnail below to view the final version of Monday's Opinion home page: This morning's new page is available at dallasnews.com/opinion. ![]() ![]() The entry "Archive: Opinion home page, 7/13/09" is tagged: Opinion front archive July 13, 2009
In case you missed it, click on the thumbnail below to view the final version of Sunday's Opinion home page: This morning's new page is available at dallasnews.com/opinion. ![]() ![]() The entry "Archive: Opinion home page, 7/12/09" is tagged: Opinion front archive July 12, 2009
In case you missed it, click on the thumbnail below to view the final version of Saturday's Opinion home page: This morning's new page (with just a few changes) is available at dallasnews.com/opinion. ![]() ![]() The entry "Archive: Opinion home page, 7/11/09" is tagged: Opinion front archive July 11, 2009
In case you missed it, click on the thumbnail below to view the final version of Friday's Opinion home page: This morning's new page is available at dallasnews.com/opinion. ![]() ![]() The entry "Archive: Opinion home page, 7/10/09" is tagged: Opinion front archive July 10, 2009
It's Friday, so we're producing three days of print commentary today. Some highlights for the weekend, with links to what's already online: Saturday Hits and Misses (editorial): If you like your commentary in digestible bites, a few extra this week. Sunday Hicks (Victoria Loe Hicks): After the loss of a dear friend, the columnist soberly considers love and pain and life and death. Sotomayor (editorial): Our goal is to help readers feel smarter about this complex issue and better understand the Senate's role on presidential nominees. And we have some questions of our own. ![]() ![]() The entry "Some bonus reading for your weekend" has no entry tags.
In case you missed it, click on the thumbnail below to view the final version of Thursday's Opinion home page: This morning's new page is available at dallasnews.com/opinion. ![]() ![]() The entry "Archive: Opinion home page, 7/9/09" is tagged: Opinion front archive July 9, 2009
In case you missed it, click on the thumbnail below to view the final version of Wednesday's Opinion home page: This morning's new page is available at dallasnews.com/opinion. ![]() ![]() The entry "Archive: Opinion home page, 7/8/09" is tagged: Opinion front archive July 8, 2009
In case you missed it, click on the thumbnail below to view the final version of Tuesday's Opinion home page: This morning's new page is available at dallasnews.com/opinion (and if you visit and bookmark it, you won't even need these archive prompts, given its addictive nature and all)
![]() ![]() The entry "Archive: Opinion home page, 7/7/09" is tagged: Opinion front archive July 7, 2009
In case you missed it, click on the thumbnail below to view the final version of Monday's Opinion home page: This morning's new page is available at dallasnews.com/opinion. ![]() ![]() The entry "Archive: Opinion home page, 7/6/09" is tagged: Opinion front archive July 2, 2009
You are getting an extra day off for the Fourth, aren't you? For us, it's Friday, so we're producing four days of print commentary today. Some highlights for the weekend, with links to what's already online: Saturday Voices: We asked our Voices volunteer columnists to tell us who does the most in their communities with the freedom we enjoy. Trails (editorial): If you're going to build all these transit stations, at least make them reachable in ways other than by auto. Sunday Queenan (Joe Queenan): The "My Bad" syndrome, the act of being gutsy enough to accept responsibility for doing what one has unarguably done, is a cunning though ultimately cowardly way of deflecting attention away from the fact that no one else could possibly be held responsible for the screw-up. Nehring (Cristina Nehring): Give it a rest. Mark Sanford didn't commit murder here. He's in love. Anarchic, hurtful, but seemingly true love. Tolls (editorial): We reflect on the NTTA scofflaw policy and seek to offer constructive guidance on policy revisions. Waxman (editorial): Our view of the climate change bill that cleared the House and is headed to the Senate. In short: The "cap" part of cap-and-trade means fundamental change; the "trade" part is negotiable. Monday Adamson (editorial): The physically horrific conditions make clear that a nearly complete re-do of this Oak Cliff high school is essential for student and teacher safety, but saving the historic facade is worthy, too. ![]() ![]() The entry "Some bonus reading for your long weekend" has no entry tags. June 30, 2009
I've now read a very solid news story, one before-the-fact op-ed, two after-the-fact opinion columns and one editorial about Paul Quinn College and its lost accreditation. I remain stumped. Michael Sorrell, president of the tiny southern Dallas private school, wrote more than a week ago that things were on the upswing and he and his team just needed more time. Once the deed was done, our own James Ragland and Weber Shandwick's Ken Luce -- undoubtedly two good-hearted and well-meaning fellows -- insisted that "the community" bore some obligation to step up and save Paul Quinn. Our editorial today was in about the same place. My question: Why? ![]() ![]() The entry "If we're going to go to the mat for Paul Quinn, someone should answer this" is tagged: Paul Quinn College
If you're not prepared to hang on every word of testimony in the Don Hill corruption trial underway at Dallas' federal court house, his attorney teased at the defense strategy. Call it the Clay Davis Technique. "The evidence will show that Hill wasn't motivated by money," said Hill's lawyer, Ray Jackson, during his opening. "Don walked around with holes in his shoes." Oh, sure, there was a lot more. Hundreds of hours of wiretap evidence, allegations of public money ending up in private hands in nefarious ways, elected and appointed officials on the take ... wait, you weren't among the too few people who watched and memorized The Wire? Just go on siesta until Don Hill takes the stand: ![]() ![]() The entry "It's not TV. It's Dallas City Hall on trial" is tagged: Don Hill trial June 25, 2009
Mark Davis, one of our regular free-lance Viewpoints columnists, offers a bonus Web-exclusive column reflecting on the death of Michael Jackson: Wouldn't it have been something? Thursday, July 16, would have been his first show at London's O2 Arena, the first of dozens of concerts, spread out one every few days through the end of February, all at the same venue. The roughly 1 million tickets sold out in the blink of an eye.
![]() ![]() The entry "Mark Davis on Michael Jackson" has no entry tags. June 18, 2009
Betty Culbreath, long involved in city and county politics, lit us up pretty good in a recent post on her blog for daring to criticize Dallas City Council member Carolyn Davis. It's a free country and a big world. Everybody gets to have an opinion. Betty, I believe, would be the first to agree, and she has plenty of them. I even agree with many of them, just not this one. (She also might still be mad that we chose no one over her in her last City Council race and then argued that she and the rest of the Dallas Housing Authority board had to go over the Ann Lott fiasco.) To be clear, Betty's main complaint is that the Editorial Board slapped Davis around for her lack of leadership on the S.M. Wright Freeway/Dead Man's Curve issue. (Betty didn't mention Belize, so I won't, either.) ![]() ![]() The entry "Responding to Betty Culbreath (with special thanks to Carolyn Davis)" is tagged: Betty Culbreath , Carolyn Davis
What, he used his hand? The audacity. ![]() ![]() The entry "Obama kills a fly like a ninja, ctd." has no entry tags. June 16, 2009
If you're a regular reader of our Opinion home page, you probably recognized a few weeks ago that we're trying to bring a stronger local/Texas focus to our aggregation of commentary offerings. Our mushrooming number of staff-produced blogs should help in our daily hunt for opinion writing worth your while, but we'll also link you to commentary from other Texas newspapers, blogs or even Trey Garrison. Today's page is a good example. Three editorial board writers -- Bill McKenzie, Tod Robberson and Rodger Jones -- get good rides on the page. Bill's weekly column hit the sweet spot on our Big Story, which is reaction to Obama's health care reform speech yesterday in Chicago. Tod and Rodger swirl in their thoughts on a couple of local issues. In Tod's case, it's the Dallas City Council race in District 7, which neatly coincides with his base area in our Bridging the Gap project. Rodger takes on our local congressional delegation and whether members are doing right by their constituents in transportation funding requests. Tod wrote this post initially for our new Southern Dallas blog; Rodger did his for the Transportation blog. By all means, feel free to bookmark the Opinion front for more Texas-centric commentary. We get up at 5 a.m. and start searching, so you don't have to. (And if Dreher ever decides to come back to work, he can search, and I'll go back to bed.) ![]() ![]() The entry "Come for the local writers, stay for the whole site" is tagged: DMN blogs May 28, 2009
The topic has been on my mind since before D magazine's FrontBurner pulled its comments, at least for the time being, because, as I understand it, the knuckleheads were drowning out the thoughtful commenters. I mostly enjoyed the comments there, although I'll acknowledge that a great majority were a waste of time. Every now and then, I'd learn something from a comment (or just have that happy flash of recognition: "Hey, I know that guy.") Mostly, if I read into the comments, I flipped through fairly quickly, just to see what this self-selected population had to say. If the blogger's topic didn't interest me, comments good or bad probably wouldn't change that. ![]() ![]() The entry "Are online comment sections worthless? (ctd.)" is tagged: Mark Davis , Online comments May 15, 2009
Easier to document is that by continuing to spin and "clarify," she has turned a sideshow into serious problem for her side, including her president. Her news conference yesterday, even by her dizzy standards, was a classic. Her circle of defenders is loud but shrinking, and this treatment is not what a Democrat should have to endure. Rod has a solid selection of commentary at our Opinion home page. At ABC News' The Note, DMN alumnus Rick Klein has a fairly comprehensive collection of links, too. Your view? Is the speaker doing herself and her party any favors by keeping her role front and center? If not, how would you advise her to handle it? And is it possible that everyone is lying except her?
![]() ![]() The entry "Pelosi's timeline tortures the truth (Topic o' the tay ... er, day)" is tagged: Nancy Pelosi April 22, 2009
Whether bad plan or bad luck, Hillwood hasn't won with its Victory development surrounding the American Airlines Center. Many was the night I gazed out from the arena onto the plaza and wondered why smart guys with such access to capital had failed so miserably on such prime real estate. After all, the arena has two pro sports teams, concerts and other big events to bring traffic. Wasn't that enough? Not really. My lovely wife and I chatted up a waiter at a Victory establishment one day on the train to a Stars game. Business was good when there was a game. If not? Deadsville. My view is that the business plan of high-end retail, high-end residential and high-end hotels was a high-end bust of a idea. Rich people spend money, but they don't necessarily wander their neighborhood to do so. Victory seems to have been designed for regular foot traffic, except the people Victory needed to attract didn't see the point in wasting a perfectly good Lexus. Yes, that's way oversimplified, but would it have killed Hillwood to mix up the retail and residential to allow someone who didn't want to pay $400,000 for 800 sq. feet a chance to live down there? What are we, midtown Manhattan? San Francisco? What's your solution to the Victory dilemma? ![]() ![]() The entry "Is Victory busted? If so, bad plan or just bad luck? And what's your better idea? (Topic o' the day)" is tagged: American Airlines Center , Victory Park April 14, 2009
So I'm reading the Dave Levinthal-Chuck Carlton story about Dallas gearing up to attract the College Football Hall of Fame to a spot downtown next to not-yet-voter-approved convention center hotel, and, you know, fine. It would be a fine addition to downtown, and if it's all private money, even better. I seriously doubt it attracts much convention business here ("Let's see ... Vegas, Dallas ... Dallas, Vegas ... Vegas, Dallas ... Hey, Dallas has the College Football Hall of Fame, right? Boom."), but most of us are so seldom in South Bend, Ind. Yes, Arlington might have a stronger case, with a big, new football stadium and a major league baseball stadium and a more central location, but it appears farther behind the planning curve. Still, as I'm reading, I wonder why no one's thinking of a better location right here in Dallas: ![]() ![]() The entry "If big-money Dallas guys want the College Football Hall of Fame, is downtown the best place for it?" is tagged: College Football Hall of Fame , Cotton Bowl , Fair Park April 1, 2009
After the hundreds of thousands of words expended on the subject of Robert Powell and his knuckleheaded behavior after stopping Ryan Moats, this Mark Davis column in today's paper must have been the last straw: ... actions, not words, dictate reality. A waiting community will not be assured of the chief's sincerity until Powell is no longer on the force. Thus pushed, Powell took the off ramp today, sparing the city the nonsense of a firing, appeals hearing and possible reinstatement. (Just kidding. Be nice to Mark, who's having quite a day himself.) ![]() ![]() The entry "If Mark Davis wants a guy fired, that guy is better off just quitting" is tagged: Mark Davis March 31, 2009
Two bills supposedly toughening Texas' stance against drunken driving are headed out of the Senate and to the House. Who could be against making it harder to drink and drive in the state that leads the nation in alcohol-related driving fatalities? Me, I guess. Actually, I have no problem with forced blood or breath tests on suspected drunken drivers who have previous DWI convictons. If you (or I) get stopped for weaving, rolling a stop sign, running a red light, speeding, driving really slow in the left lane or sideswiping a parked car or curb -- observable signs of a possibly impaired driver -- you (or I) have kind of asked for it. And for that reason, I do have a large problem with so-called sobriety checkpoints. ![]() ![]() The entry "Sobriety checkpoints, or inconveniencing the innocent to catch a few drunks (Topic o' the day)" is tagged: DWI , John Carona , Texas Legislature March 26, 2009
There's no defending Officer Robert Powell or his actions in the now-infamous traffic stop of a family rushing to the hospital to say goodbye to a dying woman. That said, I'm not ready to jump to the absolute position that this officer should be fired. Normally, that's my inclination. And it's entirely possible that a Dallas Police Department investigation will lead Chief David Kunkle to that conclusion. If and when it does, he will be operating with more information than we have right now. ![]() ![]() The entry "Dallas police officer acted like a complete jerk, but is that a firing offense?" is tagged: Dallas police , Robert Powell March 24, 2009
Note to Belo security: The editorial board will be interviewing Dallas City Council District 7 candidates in early April. Please be on the lookout ... Hey, just kidding Mr. Redd! Holy cow, is this guy a piece of work. (As an aside, I'm not sure he does the worthy Second Amendment cause any good here, either.) If Charles "Chazz" Redd was wearing pants in this photograph, City Hall guy Dave Levinthal basically left him naked the rest of the way with this brief interview: Earlier Monday, Redd first identified the photograph as being taken while on a trip to Paris, Texas. Actually, Redd conceded later that the photo was snapped in Dallas, not near a lease. After he taught a gun-safety class. Seriously. Carolyn Davis and Ron Price, mind your business at the next D7 debate. ![]() ![]() The entry "Our building is still a gun-free zone, right?" is tagged: Chazz Redd , Dallas City Council
Over at D magazine, the always-interesting but not-always-thorough Zac Crain, fired off a cluster bomb of a column for their April issue that basically adds up to this: The DISD wouldn't have such an image problem if reporters at The Dallas Morning News and Channel 8 wouldn't gum up the system with so many fishing-expedition freedom of information requests that lead to overblown negative stories. That about cover it? Zac's column is a derivative of the stock DISD apologist view, which I've heard in various forms from my days at Kimball High School in Oak Cliff through 25 years at this newspaper: DISD never gets a fair shake. Any bad news ends up on Page One. Any good news is ignored or buried next to the obituary pages where no one sees it.
![]() ![]() The entry "When it comes to DISD and bad news, is it better that we just don't know?" is tagged: DISD , Zac Crain March 17, 2009
Calling fellow Dallas City Council member Vonciel Jones Hill "arrogant," "disrespectful" and displaying "signs of a dictatorship," Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Dwaine Caraway tells us he'll formally endorse Tiffinni Young in the hotly contested District 5 council race. Caraway, of course, is entitled to his opinion, and he's entitled to broadcast it, even if it's about a district where he doesn't live. I have my own doubts about Hill, and they have nothing to do with arrogance. But as long as arrogance is the topic ... ![]() ![]() The entry "Dwaine Caraway raises the stakes in a Dallas City Council district that's not even his" is tagged: Dallas City Council , Dwaine Caraway , Vonciel Jones Hill
The news is February that Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert had put out feelers about the possibility of the city taking over the Dallas school district was, deservedly, a big story. It ran on Page One and spawned no end of follow-ups, blog posts, comments, opinion columns and even an editorial from this very board. It will be interesting to see if this similar news story generates similar buzz: In a show of what can only be frustration with Dallas ISD, Democratic state Rep. Yvonne Davis has filed a bill that would break up the district. True enough, as a colleague pointed out to me yesterday. Still, the Davis proposal is a good bit farther down the sausage chute than Leppert's idea, which was no less implausible. ![]() ![]() The entry "Take over DISD or break the thing apart, which is the bigger deal?" is tagged: DISD , Tom Leppert , Yvonne Davis
I'm pretty sure I'm not one of those hyper-reflexive, fully-immersed-in-the-tank, he-can-do-no-wrong Obama defenders. (In fact, I work in close proximity to a few, so I know what they look like.) That said, I'm not sure I can sign on to this: President Obama's apparent inability to block executive bonuses at insurance giant AIG has dealt a sharp blow to his young administration and is threatening to derail both public and congressional support for his ambitious political agenda. Not that he and his administration don't deserve some scrutiny for how the financial bailouts have been handled (or mishandled), but unless I'm completely off base, the seeds for this were planted when Obama was still a presidential candidate. ![]() ![]() The entry "AIG and Obama's political capital" is tagged: AIG , Barack Obama March 5, 2009
Missed this yesterday (despite an e-mail alert), but Rasmussen had some interesting polling specific to our own state. -- 47 percent support Perry's opposition to stimulus funds, 40 percent say he should accept the money. -- 58 percent approve (14 percent strongly) of the job he's doing as governor, 41 percent disapprove (21 percent strongly). Interestingly, he gets 75 percent approval from Republicans. -- Sadly, only 48 percent favor legalizing casino gambling, compared to 45 percent who oppose. Other polls in past years have shown much stronger bias toward legalizing. (Here's our recent editorial supporting putting the issue before voters.) Much more in the free part of the questions and results.
![]() ![]() The entry "Rasmussen: Texans back Perry on stimulus rejection; only narrowly favor casinos" is tagged: casinos , Rasmussen , stimulus
Elections, as they say, have consequences. For those who vote and for those who are voted in. Obama undoubtedly inherited a crumbling economy, so it wouldn't exactly be fair to expect him to have us driving (hybrid) Cadillacs again barely a month since his inauguration. That said, the Dow has fallen 25 to 30 percent since that day of hope (and change) and, by most accounts, even with (or perhaps because of) all the trillions-upon-billions in steps taken, the signs grow bleaker into the mid-terms. Again, Obama and the Democrats are well within reason to blame the Bush administration for much or all of this, although I still maintain elected feds have a lot less to do with something as complex as a national economy than we might wish. But assuming that is your belief, at what point does this become the Obama economy and we can begin holding him accountable for improving it or (so far) worsening it? Here's one view from a newspaper that tends to track business developments: Listening to Mr. Obama and his chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, on the weekend, we couldn't help but wonder if they appreciate any of this. They seem preoccupied with going to the barricades against Republicans who wield little power, or picking a fight with Rush Limbaugh, as if this is the kind of economic leadership Americans want. ![]() ![]() The entry "When does this become Obama's economy? (Topic o' the day, real-life version)" is tagged: Barack Obama , economy
If you're just waking up to it, this should be among the lead news stories of the day: IRVING - Wide receiver Terrell Owens, whose future with the Dallas Cowboys has been in question since the off-season began, was cut late Wednesday night, according to a source. That ton-of-bricks revelation has all kind of short- and long-term implications for the local NFL franchise, its owner, its general manager, its only authorized spokesman and the players and coaches left behind. So far, here's what Jean-Jacques Taylor thinks. And what Tim Cowlishaw thinks. Here's a batch of other views from ESPN, which broke the story last night. And you? Good move, bad more or not something that concerns you? ![]() ![]() The entry "Cowboys cut Terrell Owens (Topic o' the day, sporting version)" is tagged: Dallas Cowboys , Terrell Owens February 25, 2009
Those libertarian-leaning gun owners, what will they think of next? Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Dwaine Caraway's plan is to give $50 Kroger gift certificates to anyone who turns in an unloaded, functioning firearm. The program commences at 9 a.m. on Saturday at Reunion Arena. Trey leaves unstated whether he will require an ID to get the cash, but either way, this has sterling stimulus potential. Well, assuming Trey's pockets are deep enough to afford more than a gun or two. But it's the thought that counts. And good intentions. ![]() ![]() The entry "Trey Garrison unloads with an interesting case study " is tagged: Dwaine Caraway , Gun buyback , Trey Garrison February 24, 2009
Safe to say that Joel Kotkin, one of America's leading experts on urban development, isn't contributing to Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's re-election campaign. Villaraigosa, Kotkin argues, is presiding over and exacerbating the decline of a once-great U.S. city, "one of the most rapid -- and largely unnecessary -- municipal reversals in fortune in American urban history." By the end of the 20th century, it stood not only as the epicenter for the world's entertainment industry, but also North America's largest port, garment manufacturer and industrial center. The region also spawned two important presidents--Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan--and nurtured a host of political and social movements spanning the ideological spectrum. Reading Kotkin through Dallas- or North Texas-centric eyes, are we so different here? Yes, it's hard to separate our city or region from worldwide economic problems that endanger every public budget that relies on sales and property taxes (city, county, school district, transit system). But are the people in charge today making the kinds of decisions that might lead to LA-comes-to-Dallas? ![]() ![]() The entry "That yard sign at Joel Kotkin's house does not say, 'Antonio Villaraigosa for mayor'" is tagged: Dallas , Joel Kotkin , Los Angeles February 23, 2009
(Upfront apologies to anyone who thinks we put too much sports on the Editorial Page. In my defense, I was moved to offer this latest goofy Jerry Jones story as an idea in our staff meeting today but held back.) I heard bits and pieces of the Jerry Jones gag-rule story on the radio and kept thinking, "No way. Not a chance." This is so Hugo Chavez of the Cowboys' owner, I don't know where to start.
![]() ![]() The entry "Jerry Jones declines comment on what Jerry Jones didn't say to start with" is tagged: Dallas Cowboys , Jerry Jones , Wade Phillips February 19, 2009
Reader Mike (no relation) has been bending my e-ear for some time generally about the financial crisis and is especially ramped up now that we've gotten into his area of expertise, real estate. That's what the foreclosure thing is about, right? Back to reader Mike: You know how I feel about the foreclosure bailouts in general, so I won't waste more of your time with that. However, when reading today's editorial, I did find the following interesting: I wasn't involved in the writing or editing, so I'll defer to those who were. Yes, I had a chance to offer thoughts before the editorial was written, as we all did. Mine (cribbed liberally from people who know this better than I do) were considered but didn't make it into the final version, as nearly as I can tell, primarily because the majority apparently wanted to support Obama's plan, which I don't. But I include them after the jump anyway, in case anyone wants to change their mind. ![]() ![]() The entry "Our editorial on the Obama foreclosure relief plan" is tagged: foreclosure , Obama
Sorry, Tod. I meant to respond to your post yesterday on Irving's City Council system but got bungled up in other things. In short, Tod believes Irving's disparity between large Hispanic population (40.6 percent) and Hispanic representation in elected city government (0 percent) is evidence of an unfair system that "doesn't work." Rod dissented, as will I. Tod makes two flawed assumptions: 1. The absence of Hispanics on the council is clear evidence that white Irving residents have not and will not support Hispanic candidates because they are Hispanic. (It's not clear whether Tod believe the converse also applies.) 2. Therefore, the only route to fairness for Irving's Hispanic residents is to draw a district where they are in a majority sufficiently large to elect one of their own. To do that would mean having a federal judge overturn a city's local control of its election system. Allow me to retort: ![]() ![]() The entry "Does Irving really need to change its council system?" is tagged: Hispanic , Irving , race , single-member districts February 16, 2009
Rasmussen has new polling that shows a plurality of Americans -- 38 percent -- believes the massive stimulus bill, urgently passed last week and about to be signed into law, well, any day now, will help the U.S. economy. Good news for the Obama side. Or bad news. Another 29 percent say the plan will hurt the economy, and 24 percent say it will have little effect. One could argue that 53 percent say nearly $800 billion in spending (and a few tax "cuts"), plus several hundred billion in debt service, will not go to good use. And this: Thirty-two percent (32%) say they're more likely to vote for someone who supported the bill in Congress while 35% said they're less likely to vote for someone who supported it. Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter, one of three Republicans who voted for the stimulus in the Senate, has been hurt politically for his decision. ![]() ![]() The entry "38% say stimulus will help. Or 53% say it won't" is tagged: Stimulus bill
Sure, it's not our money, and we take no joy in the economic downturn that has complicated Jerry Jones' plan to sell corporate naming rights to his new billion-dollar stadium in Arlington for tens of millions of dollars a year: When the Dallas Cowboys play their first game here later this year, team owner Jerry Jones might have a temporary name for his stadium and a lot less cash than he expected. The editorial board is on record encouraging Jones to resist the urge to sell the rights to anyone, arguing that some teams are so iconic that they should just leave those dollars alone. (Yes, easy for us to say.) That said, deals are deals, and dollars are dollars. The board is formulating a revised position that could be available on the Web site by tomorrow afternoon (and Wednesday's print edition). Maybe we should focus on the word "temporary." And think of that guy from the radio commercial, Bob, and his temporarily delighted boss, Mr. Fernwell. ![]() ![]() The entry "Sounds like Jerry Jones needs a temporary way to name his new stadium" is tagged: Cowboys stadium , naming rights February 13, 2009
Oh, sure, we could keep arguing in circles about the stimulus bill. Or, we could resolve to devote the entire weekend to reading it. (Well, I have a hockey game tonight, but right after that.) Your friends at ProPublica helpfully provide away around the broken links in Washington, where you were supposed to download the bill. (Think of it this way: You would be way ahead of every U.S. senator if you gave it the cover-to-cover.) Or, Michael Grabell and Christopher Weaver give you another option: Just weed through their comprehensive list of the spending. (Grabell got his start at this very newspaper, if that raises or lowers your trust level. Hint: It should raise it, as he's really good at this job.) Really, that's enough to put a spring in your step by Monday morning's rush hour. UPDATE: The ProPublica guys just added their breakdown of the tax "cuts." Trust me that it won't take as long to go through this part. ![]() ![]() The entry "Since you have no vote, go ahead and read the whole stimulus bill" is tagged: Stimulus bill
Little did Sharon know she was so cutting edge. Her comment the other day to a stimulus question - "I'm completely over the politics of this. Let's pass it and see if it works." - appears to be exactly the way the House Democratic leadership is going. First, the House and Senate pass can-you-top-this versions of the largest spending bill in American history with no conservative input and little Republican input. Then, they shut Republicans out of the conference process and return to their respective chambers with a slightly smaller bill that has grown to 1,434 pages. The new message to Republicans? "You don't need to read the final version. You were against it before and you'll be against it now. Just vote." Rory Cooper at the Heritage blog describes this as Pelosi's loyalty oath: You may see the bill if you promise to vote with us; if not, too bad. But surely someone has read this thing. Oh, right. Lobbyists. If nothing else, I'm getting what I asked for. Democrats are owning their bill. Completely. ![]() ![]() The entry "Stimulus too big and important to read. Just vote" is tagged: House Democrats , Stimulus February 12, 2009
Rodger posed a provocative question yesterday on whether Dallas should take the plunge into municipal management districts, in effect ceding some public control of specific parts of town to private developers. As it happens, our navel-gazing came too late, as the City Council voted to start the process of creating three such districts, two in southern Dallas (and one pretty far away near North Lake). For a primer on what these districts are and what the city is giving up, read Rudy Bush's advancer. I'm not 100 percent on this idea, but I think I'm closer than most of my colleagues. ![]() ![]() The entry "Are municipal management districts a good idea?" is tagged: MMDs , southern Dallas
Good on Metro columnist Steve Blow for doing what we should do more often in our business. Once the wave of hysteria has passed on a particular new law, he tracked back empirically to see if the hysterics had a point. In the case of Dallas' no-insurance towing ordinance, they did not: And guess what? Despite all the dire predictions to the contrary, the sky hasn't fallen. And a few more drivers may actually have insurance coverage. ![]() ![]() The entry "Steve Blow's insurance follow-up" is tagged: Auto insurance , Dallas , towing February 11, 2009
Just to run around this tree one more time, I said in our staff meeting this morning that Obama, in his Monday night news conference, had constructed a false choice over his stimulus bill: If you oppose our bill, you favor doing nothing. This struck me as unfair and untrue, leaving out the possibility that those opposed might support other methods of stimulus, just not all of his. One of my colleagues objected, contending Obama had not said it quite so bluntly. FORT MYERS, Fla., Feb. 10 -- President Obama likes to portray the battle over the economic stimulus package that passed the Senate on Tuesday as a stark choice between his approach and that of those who would "do nothing." "Nothing is not an option." "Do nothing." Yes, he may not doubt their sincerity, but he also doesn't leave much room for their arguments. It's his way or "do nothing." Many of the president's fiercest congressional critics support a stimulus package of similar size but think it should be built around a much higher proportion of tax cuts than new spending. Others have called for a plan that is half the size of the one headed for a House-Senate conference -- still massive by historical standards. ![]() ![]() The entry "Yes, Obama painted his stimulus as part of a false choice" is tagged: Obama , stimulus
Rod has his face shoved into a congressional hearing, so let me speak for him: Tim Geithner's plan to save the banks bombed upon debut, and today's Big Story on our Opinion home page collects all kinds of reaction to the plan. Later today, when the big bank CEOs testify before Congress - it's expected to be a circus - Rod will change out or adjust the Big Story to focus on that. We'll let you know when that happens. Check his work at dallasnews.com/opinion. ![]() ![]() The entry "The Big Story: Geithner plan bombs" is tagged: Big Story , Opinion home February 10, 2009
Please do not become confused today and mix up the massive stimulus bill in the Senate, headed soon to conference committee, with the massive bank bailout you should hear about from Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner. This is the bailout announcement postponed from yesterday, so the stimulus would have the entire stage: The gravity of the financial crisis confronting the Obama administration will come into stark focus today when officials unveil a three-pronged rescue program that may commit up to $1.5 trillion in public and private funds, and possibly more, lawmakers and other officials said. A trillion here, $1.5 trillion there ... A senior administration official warned last night that the ultimate cost to taxpayers has not been determined. Hard to imagine, I know.
![]() ![]() The entry "Bank bailout, not stimulus" is tagged: Bailout , stimulus , Tim Geithner
With all due respect to my good friend Bill, enough with this bipartisanship. If you take the president at his word, we face "catastrophe" without this massive stimulus bill. If you take the minority Republicans at their word, the catastrophe would be passing this bill and doubling a trillion-dollar deficit with one signature. The left argues that the stimulus really isn't large enough and wails at each line item whacked out in the name of seeking compromise. The right argues that you couldn't cut enough spending to fix the fundamental problem, which is that government spending does more harm than good, short or long term. Fine. And fine. Elections have consequences. Democrats have enough votes in both houses and the White House. Pass your bill. Take all the credit -- or the consequences. Same for the GOP: This works, you become the Whig Party; it doesn't, voters will listen next time. Let the best idea win. If the Dems' ideas are the best, they will own Washington for decades, as grateful voters send them back in increasing majorities election after election. If this bill, more than $1 trillion with debt service, is the right course, take it boldly. Don't let centrists of either party weaken it, in your eyes. Own your bill. Your thoughts? After the jump, two similar views from opposite poles. ![]() ![]() The entry "Stimulus and bipartisanship (Topic o' the Day)" is tagged: bipartisanship , Stimulus February 6, 2009
We lead our online Opinion home page this morning with a package of commentary on the massive stimulus bill and its pending vote in the Senate. Jason Rosenbaum of Huffington Post, Kimberly A. Strassel of the WSJ and Joel Stein of the LA Times have the play positions for now. Good stuff. Check it out. ![]() ![]() The entry "Today's Opinion front" is tagged: Opinion front February 5, 2009
This must be what triangulation looks like in practice. The fight over the Senate version of the stimulus bill -- $900 billion or so -- is sounding less bipartisan or more monopartisan, with some knife twisting. The general outline taking shape is that Obama is trying to wrestle back control of this -- let's be honest -- way overstuffed, every-appropriation-we-couldn't-get-passed-before bill, with blame cast toward Nancy Pelosi and the House Democratic leadership. That's certainly the Time magazine version of events: ![]() ![]() The entry "How the stimulus sausage gets made" is tagged: Barack Obama , Nancy Pelosi , Stimulus
Trey Garrison comes off the top rope with a bionic elbow to some local police departments who only want to be armed as well as central Asian militaries and see the in-the-balance federal "stimulus" bill as the route: Frisco wants $125,000 for an armored vehicle and $200,000 for a mobile command vehicle. You know, for all that gang tank warfare going on up in Frisco. Oh, sure, Mr. Funny Guy. When the apocalypse strikes, you'd better hope your suburban force inhaled deeply from this trillion, because there may not be another.
![]() ![]() The entry "Stimulated by more police SWAT teams" is tagged: Trey Garrison February 4, 2009
If you take Rep. Jim Cooper at his word, things are getting even more passive-aggressive than normal in Washington. Cooper, an Obama supporter and member of the House's Blue Dog coalition of more fiscally responsible Democrats, said in a radio interview that the new administration didn't imply but straight out encouraged him to defy Speaker Nancy Pelosi and party leadership over the massive stimulus bill. He did, along with 10 other Dems and every Republican, to no avail. "Well, I probably shouldn't tell you this, but I actually got some quiet encouragement from the Obama folks for what I'm doing," said Cooper, one of about 55 House Democrats to sign a letter criticizing Speaker Nancy Pelosi for suspending normal debate and committee rules on the $819 billion package. Trivia question: Assuming Cooper has paid all his taxes, who comes off looking worse here -- the "old bulls" running the counter at Satriale's or the young guy afraid to make them stop? ![]() ![]() The entry "Blue Dog: Obama, Pelosi at cross purposes?" is tagged: Stimulus bill February 3, 2009
Today was a good example of how our new Opinion home page can be a force for good in the world. (Or, a good place to waste a few precious moments on your boss' Internet connection.) Rod started the morning with a package of Tom Daschle pieces, with his nomination in the balance. (I thought the tipping-point piece was the friendly-fire editorial from the NYT calling for him to take a hike.) When Daschle did heed the calls around lunchtime, Rod revised our offerings with now-he's-gone pieces. It doesn't always work this smoothly, but today it did. If I were you, I'd bookmark dallasnews.com/opinion and visit repeatedly through the day, just to see if we can do it again. ![]() ![]() The entry "The evolving Big Story concept" has no entry tags.
Well, as a visitor to Mark Davis' Wednesday column on Armstrong's advocacy for a statewide smoking ban: Much was made of the "celebrity" and "expertise" Lance brings to the issue. Celebrity is irrelevant, of course. If Ted Danson is right or wrong on the environment or Ted Nugent is right or wrong about guns, it is on the merits, not because of their fame. And this: This is not properly a "health issue," as smoking ban proponents love to say. The health issue is ours to make individually, when we choose which establishments to enter and which to avoid. If it were government's job to compel healthful behavior, we would have diet and exercise police. ![]() ![]() The entry "Lance Armstrong, on our pages" is tagged: Lance Armstrong , Mark Davis , smoking bans January 28, 2009
Here's how you know it's going to be a tremendous day: 1. The weather guy actually got it right, placing a 30-mile skating rink between you and a staff meeting. 2. And the business that funds your mortgage has come to this: As newspapers go digital, their business model erodes. A 2008 research report from Sanford C. Bernstein & Company explained, "The notion that the enormous cost of real news-gathering might be supported by the ad load of display advertising down the side of the page, or by the revenue share from having a Google search box in the corner of the page, or even by a 15-second teaser from Geico prior to a news clip, is idiotic on its face." Leaving aside our constant badgering of the state to "adequately fund our hallowed institutions of higher learning," what exactly is the startup cost here? How large an endowment would a newspaper need? The news-gathering operations at The New York Times cost a little more than $200 million a year. Assuming some additional outlay for overhead, it would require an endowment of approximately $5 billion (assuming a 5 percent annual payout rate). Newspapers with smaller newsrooms would require smaller endowments. OK, let's guesstimate this newspaper at, oh, $2.5 billion. Line forms under the Rock of Truth sign out front. ![]() ![]() The entry "Waking up to the horn o' plenty" is tagged: newspaper future January 27, 2009
If you are a regular reader of our Viewpoints page, our Points section or his own blog, you know there are some strange ideas rolling around in Trey Garrison's head. Strange doesn't mean wrong, except in those rare cases when he and I disagree. Happily, his latest real writing-for-pay effort, for D magazine, is not one of those cases. Trey applies his logical thinking skills to the growing number of laws in our city that should fail anyone's logic test. Trust me, it will warm you like tortilla soup on a cold morning. See what you think. ![]() ![]() The entry "'The Wussification of Dallas'" is tagged: Trey Garrison |