Pennsylvania’s Governor Ed Rendell finally gets it right. He’s known for making outrageous comments that are, shall we say, perhaps not thought out as well as they might be. Think of him as Joe Biden on steroids. But in this case, it’s tough to disagree with the outspoken Democrat.
The background: Rendell wants to expand gambling in the Keystone State. Leslie Stahl is appalled that he thinks people should be responsible for making their own decisions as to whether or not they want to participate. The Nanny State mentality demands, of course, that people be protected from themselves.
By the end of the interview, Ed is snarling, yelling and insulting. And Leslie is Leslie, which means she deserves whatever scorn he wants to heap on her.
It’s the best 60 Minutes interview in a long time.
Here’s a transcript of the build-up to Ed’s outburst:
Rendell: “The biggest downside is that some people lose their paychecks. But understand, Lesley, they’re not losing their paychecks because Pennsylvania instituted gaming. These people were losing their paychecks in Atlantic City, in Delaware at the racetracks, or in West Virginia.”
Stahl: “So why not lose it here . . .”
Rendell: “Well, if they were going to lose it anyway, let’s get the upside. We were getting all the downside and none of the upside.”
Stahl: “The counter-argument is that you’re creating new gamblers. And lots of new gamblers.”
Rendell: “We’re not creating new gamblers.”
Stahl: “Well, ’cause it’s down the street.”
Rendell: “Those people play the lottery. They bet on football. How much money is bet on the Super Bowl.”
Stahl: “People are losing money for the state to get its revenue. They’re losing money.”
Rendell: “Let me answer this. You . . . you’ve . . . I’ve always . . . I’ve known, uh, for two or three decades, you’re a very smart person.”
Stahl: “But not now.”
Rendell: “But you’re not getting it.”
Stahl: “I’m dumb now.”
Rendell: “You’re not getting it. Those people would lose that money anyway. Don’t you understand? You guys don’t get that. You’re simpletons. You’re idiots if you don’t get that . . . That’s the answer and it’s the right answer.”
Source: Philly.com
This post was last modified on January 26, 2021
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Leslie Stahl's "fascination" with Islamists.
It has been a long career of pro-Islamism "research," by this eloquent reporter for CBS' 60min.
In the latest example (May, 13, 2012 http://www.cbsnews.com/2718-18560_162-962.html) she made a piece about Gulen, the Turkish Islamic cleric/tycoon who "funds" schools in the US and turns them into revenues for his global empire.
In quoting blogs that criticize Gulen as having a hidden Islamic agenda, she confronted one of Gulen's representatives about it, but instead of waiting for an answer from the man, Leslie jumped and PROVIDED an answer of her own... " Would you say it's Islamophobia..?" The man, of course, agreed to the provided "answer."
This is typical Leslie Stahl.
In fact, the entire program was not focused on the American English teacher who was fired for the sake of replacing her with a Turkish teacher... but on her fascination with the Turkish cleric. She was so memorized by his wealth... All you saw from her was, awe. Some "fearless" reporter, seeking the "truth," alright.
(I remember, she once [last year] took an Arab-Palestinian word... his ficticious claim that he has been in the area for... "hundreds" of years... at face value. Never mind that no Arab can prove any connection to the land of the Jews beyond the 1800s... Or the latest admission from the horse's mouth - Hamas to Egyptian media that "Palestinians" are basically half from Egypt, the other half from other Arab land...)
Here are some suggestions to Leslie, if she were to be a bit less bias...
Let's see a bit reporting on the Goliath. Not just in power and size, but in... intolerance!
1 - Checkout the usual venomous sermons in "moderate" mosques. Why not pick the March 15, 2012 example of top Islamic authority (mufti) calling to destroy all churches. Or the latest "moderate" Islamists (Egypt) call for jihad to march on Jerusalem as capital of a Caliphate?
2 - Scrutinize the ocean of racism against non-Arabs from Arabia to Sudan (Afro-Arabs, massacring millions of non-Arab natives); Mauritania (slavery), through Iraq (Assyrians, Kurds, Blacks, Yazidis, etc., all still discriminated against); Syria (the Alawite apartheid genocidal regime), Libya, Gulf states (Oman, Kuwait, S. Arabia, Qatar, UAE, where Asian workers/slaves are constructing their impressive buildings, and/or Asian maids are basically sex-slaves); N. Africa (e.g. Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, not just blacks, but Berbers natives to the land, have for too long suffered immensely); Lebanon (which hosts 200,000 living in the same slavery conditions as the African slave/maid who committed suicide this year. Or the Ahmadis as well as children of black slaves at the hands of) Palestinian-Arabs; (the Dom-gypsies in) Jordan; (the indigenous al-Akhdam in) Yemen, etc. Just because Arab Christians fear for their lives and won't speak on camera against totalitarian Palestinian Islamic-apartheid, doesn't mean, CBS should be silent....
These are just the tip of the iceberg, non-Muslims are either second or third in almost all Muslim land. Not just in Iran/Pakistan/Afghanistan/S.Arabia/Palestinian-Authority/Egypt, etc. Even in "moderate" Turkey, especially on Cyprus.
3 - Scrutinize the pro terror CAIR Islamic lobby (tied to criminal al-Arian).
4 - Heck, you can even make a 'special' on dehumanization in Islamic schools. The favorite one is of course the sick notion that Christians are pigs and Jews as apes.
5 - Last but not least, for CBS info... Terrorism against non-Muslims such as in Nigeria, Russia, Egypt, China, Israel, India, Philippines, Thailand, etc., or even against Muslims who are 'not Muslim enough...' by jihadists, such as in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Somalia, Iraq, etc., is also intolerance, and a very bloody one!
I personally love to see a liberal blow his gasket.
So you listen/watch Sepcial Ed for 4 hours a day?
Even a broken clock is right twice a day
Truly a clash of moronic proportions. The match-up of the ages. The worst Governor in the country and an equally bad reporter.
The lottery and gambling is the great tax equalizer. No better way to collect taxes from those po folk that don't pay any income tax.
That is a Limbaugh-ism, straight away. He points out that lotteries & other state gaming is 1 of the fews ways to get the poor to pay taxes.
That, and jacking up the tobacco taxes. If drugs were legalized and taxed, the poor would pay more in taxes also. But welfare recipients should always be tested.
Drug testing welfare recipients is straight out of O'Reilly's playbook, & it should be a requirement to get welfare.
The guy is absolutely right. The nanny state only appeals to simpletons and idiots. If people want to throw their money away on gambling, drugs, booze, whatever, it's their business as long as it's their money. And if it isn't their money then the program they got if from needs to be shut down.
Personally, I do not think anybody that reads the news is smart. Prove me wrong with facts and real achievement other than playing a popularity game.
Any state that has a state lottery but poo poos other gambling are hypocrites. The government semi-banned online poker, crushing the industry, but, hey, state lotteries are ok.
So since those people are going to lose their money anyway the State should be there with it's hand out gettin' some of it's hard wasted money!?!?
Yup. State run gambling is an excellent way of raising government funds. It's an entirely voluntary tax, unlike the rest of them. The federal income tax is voluntary, but if you don't volunteer, they take everything you own and put you in jail. I prefer to let gamblers fund state programs. If state budgets were scaled back to a reasonable level, maybe gambling would cover them entirely.
I have seen the bumper sticker "Rendell Man of Perdition". What a terrible greedy person he is. I am thankful that his time as governor is over.