Good grief! Do you mean that three hours per day, five days per week on radio AND ten or so books AND a website AND a NewsMax monthly column AND guest columns AND interviews on radio and television AND a twice-weekly column for the Santa Barbara News-Press aren’t enough opportunities for one 5’3” 110 pound woman to express her opinions?! Yikes! How much more could I possibly have to talk about? Lots! I’ve decided to begin a blog so that I can give my opinions and perspectives on issues that might not come up in any or all of the above! I’d like to invite you to send me local news pieces which make your eyelids twitch or just ask me for my knee-jerk opinion about some issue you’re curious or confused about. Just send them to me by clicking the “Remarks” tab at the top of this blog page. You can ask a question, recommend an issue for commentary, or respond to my commentary. Keep it clear, tight, and be civil… or your contribution will likely never see the light of day on this blog! Since this first blog is in the middle of holiday shopping, I thought it would be interesting to pass on to you this interesting information from John Stossel of ABC’s 20/20 program. A few weeks ago he presented the facts about Americans and charitable generosity. He set up a “test” to verify the statistics that point to political/social conservatives being more financially giving than liberals by having the Salvation Army set up their Christmas Kettle outside the most populous shopping areas in San Francisco and Sioux Falls, S.D. The results? The folks in Sioux Falls, which is largely Republican, religious and conservative, and of modest income, gave twice as much as the folks in the largely Democratic, secular, wealthy and liberal San Francisco. According to Stossel, “religion” is the biggest factor in charitable donations. Evidently, the religious folks, compelled by theology, not only give to their churches, but to other cases as well. During Stossel’s appearance on Bill O’Reilly’s television program on FOX, the point was made that “without religious people, most charities would go out of business.” When O’Reilly questioned Stossel for the explanation of why liberals give less, while promoting culture wars claiming liberals and Democrats are more compassionate toward the poor and middle class than conservatives and Republicans, the answer was that “liberals relied on the government to take care of these things.” Clever "out," don't you think?
