March 12, 2003
THE BEARISH BULL:
Stop Being Decent? (Neil Cavuto, March 11, 2003, Fox News)I've had a chance over the last couple of days to talk to some foreign investors and let me tell you something: They're not big fans of ours, or me, for that matter.Perhaps it was that wine that I ordered with the twist-off cap. I don't know. But this much I do know: These guys over there don't think much of us guys over here.
They think we're arrogant, pushy and even reckless.
First of all, someone French calling me arrogant is pretty gutsy. But that's another issue.
No, my issue is why we put up with this crap in the first place. I'll tell you why: Because we're decent people. I'm a nice guy and all, but here's what I say: Stop being decent.
[T]he next time the South Koreans throw rocks and eggs at our U.S. guys there, I say, we bring them back home here and tell these ungrateful asses: You deal with the kook in pajamas north of you, collecting nuclear weapons.
Rupert Murdoch should be made an honorary American citizen.
N.B.--Joe informs us Mr. Murdoch was naturalized several years ago.
Posted by Orrin Judd at March 12, 2003 6:14 PMI think Murdoch was, in fact, naturalized several years back.
Posted by: Joe at March 12, 2003 6:28 PMRupert is in fact a naturalized citizen of the United States. He took the plunge back in 85's when it became apparent that the big three - ABC, CBS and NBC - were going to do everything in their power (via the congressmen they owned) to keep him out of the U.S. media markets. Specifically they were going to force a more restrictive interpretation of 47 U.S.C. § 310(b), which regulates the degree of foreign ownership/investment in American media, than was held previously.
It was Murdoch's intent to create fourth network and directly compete with the big three. News Corp (a Murdoch company) had substantial U.S. ownership, in excess of 75%, and News Corp was set to purchase of several Metromedia television stations, the beginning of what would later become FOX. The big three took him to court with the allegation that he, an Australian national, received a disproportionate benefit and held undue influence within the corporation so the purchase would technically violate 47 U.S.C. § 310(b).
In the end he was required to become an American citizen to comply with FCC regs, so he got his citizenship, though many claim he received special treatment from the Reagan administration's INS, and we got FOX on cable.
Reagan just keeps on giving...
Posted by: oj at March 12, 2003 9:12 PMMr. Cavuto should not mistake his acquaintance
for everybody.
One of my favorite stories is about the GIs
in the South Pacific. Unlike the British, they
freely shared food. They did not know that
sharing food was, locally, the way to hearts
and minds, they just did it because they
were ordinary Americans.
Today, if you go to those same islands and if
you know the language, you will hear the
young girls sing the songs their mothers
composed in the '40s -- the ones about how
they longed to have sex with the handsome,
generous Americans.