Malcolm Cutchins: Tea Party-goers deserve more respect
Columnist
Published: May 11, 2009
Updated: May 11, 2009
There have been bizarre cartoons depicting T.E.A. Parties as rallies of rabble-rousers. Much smaller rallies held for more politically correct reasons have enjoyed more positive national headlines.
The rally in Auburn was attended by doctors, lawyers, judges, dentists, research professors, gubernatorial candidates, teachers, patriots, veterans, young people and old people — a real cross-section of America. They deserve much more respect.
One of the best speakers at the local T.E.A. party was AU student Carolyn Wren. Her speech was quite profound. “Has this great nation sunk so deep into the idea of big government coercion and control (we) actually believe that a small intellectual elite in a far distant capital can plan our lives for us better than we can plan our own? … No! It is time we take our government back! It is time we stand up for the freedoms bestowed upon us by our founding fathers! It’s time we carried our message of smaller government and lower taxes to every American …”
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In a similar vein, little has made the news about the Dave Ramsey nationwide simulcast on April 23. Originally planned for 800 locations, demand upped the total to more than 6,000 locations including about a half dozen churches locally. This “Town Hall for Hope,” covered “the economy, your money, real answers.” Fortunately, Dave knows what he is talking about – unlike cabinet members who cheated on taxes and are now making tax policy for the rest of us.
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President Obama’s first 100 days have involved spending, borrowing, and/or printing $12 billion a day. This is outright “child abuse” (much of the payback will be by our grandchildren!).
Pictures readers have most likely not seen in the news are the photos of the podium at Georgetown University, with a cross and “IHS” (an abbreviation of Jesus’ name) normally there – and with both completely covered with dark plywood for Obama’s speech. How arrogant can one be?
“All The News That’s Fit To Distract” might well describe the goal of this administration. Tom Blumer of Newsbusters notes that in the past 30 days (Ref. April 10) there have been some 2,500 stories featuring Obama and “distractions,” as opposed to about 800 “distractions” for Bush in his entire second term. Distractions too often make the news in place of deserved real criticism.
During my many years of teaching I gave almost 10,000 grades. For his reckless spending and about fifteen other anti-family things he has done, President Obama earns a failing grade as clearly as any I’ve ever given.
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Another tidbit not published in last week’s column: General Grant even fed General Lee’s starving army from his own commissary, and ordered that celebrations be stopped immediately. “The Rebels are our countrymen again.”
Dr. Malcolm Cutchins is an emeritus professor of engineering of Auburn University and writes a weekly column for The Opelika-Auburn News.
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Reader Reactions
I don’t worry about the Christianity of Ramsey as what he, and the late Larry Burkett, offer is generally solid in the fundamentals. I think Christianity rather neat in fact. Some Christians do greatly trouble me however.
While I’m not that into finances, to my own detriment I’m sure, I’ve been listening to Ray Lucia some lately. He seems as sharp as they come.
My problem with Ramsey has nothing to do with his Christian beliefs. I think his advice is generally good when limited to dealing with consumer debt and learning to live within your means. His investing and tax advice is simply not that great. I don’t attribute this deficiency to his Christian beliefs. These financial gurus who appear on TV and radio usually give very generalized advice that doesn’t fit individual situations. For example, Suzy Ormann was recommending that people pay the minimums on credit cards until they’ve built up an 8 month cash reserve. That’s a VERY expensive savings account given the interest rate being charged on most credit cards. That advice may be good for a few but not the greatest advice for many.
Shorter Malcolm Cutchins: I spent lots of time since my last column reading and/or watching right wing, Christianist sources and this is what they told me. However, with the exception of Ms. Wren’s contribution, he mostly avoided his frequent column by cut and paste.
As for the Georgetown podium, Dr. Cutchins finds arrogance where I find an understanding of the 1st Amendment’s Establishment Clause plus respect for citizens that aren’t Christians.
And Doc, tax policy generally comes via Congress, rather than the branch that enforces the law, doesn’t it?
Reckon Doc gets a cut from hawking the services of either Dave Ramsey’s Lampo Group or Tom Blumer’s training and development efforts?
Dr. Cutchins taught Aerospace Engineering and I am optimistic he was then, and perhaps even now, qualified to evaluate the work of students in that program. As far as his grading of the new administration, he is but a layperson whose opinion will stand or fall on his persuasiveness. As he stands now, I’ll give Dr. C an Incomplete.
And doesn’t the fact that we have folks like Dave Ramsey and Susie Orman indicate that at a minimum EVERY college student should be required to take a personal finance class in college. Auburn required that I take two quarters of World History when I was a freshman many years ago. While the course was interesting, a personal finance class would have served a greater value.
Truthfully, I think we should require a personal finance class in both high school and college.
Folks like Dave Ramsey provide good advice for folks saddled with lots of consumer debt and unable to match their expenses to the revenue. But, I’d be leery taking investing or tax advice from him (just as I wouldn’t take tax advice from Timmy-Boy either).
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