http://punditwire.com Sat, 18 May 2013 06:00:47 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://punditwire.com/2013/05/16/dhs-irs-announce-see-something-say-something-partnership/ http://punditwire.com/2013/05/16/dhs-irs-announce-see-something-say-something-partnership/#comments Thu, 16 May 2013 16:47:32 +0000 John K. Herr http://punditwire.com/?p=8816 WASHINGTON -- The Department of Homeland Security and the Internal Revenue Service have joined forces in a bold new partnership to empower Americans to stop terrorism and crime. Under the banner of the “See Something, Say Something” program, the two agencies will work together to teach citizens ways to help identify potential terrorists or prevent criminals from carrying out their grisly deeds.]]> http://punditwire.com/2013/05/16/dhs-irs-announce-see-something-say-something-partnership/feed/ 0 http://punditwire.com/2013/05/14/wagners-dead-elephant/ http://punditwire.com/2013/05/14/wagners-dead-elephant/#comments Tue, 14 May 2013 16:21:07 +0000 Hal Gordon http://punditwire.com/?p=8746 Richard Wagner, the great German composer, was born two hundred years ago on May 22, 1813. Wagner was one of the most stupendous musical geniuses who ever lived. He was also a notorious anti-Semite. Even on his two hundredth birthday, there is no ignoring the dead elephant in his living room. At the same time, to say that Wagner was an anti-Semite, and to say no more than that, is too simple. It is too simple because Wagner was very much a self-contradictory genius, and his contradictions extended to his attitude toward Jewish people. In other words, Wagner was an anti-Semite, but… And the but was not inconsequential.]]> http://punditwire.com/2013/05/14/wagners-dead-elephant/feed/ 0 http://punditwire.com/2013/05/14/the-death-of-ambassador-chris-stevens-honesty-and-accuracy/ http://punditwire.com/2013/05/14/the-death-of-ambassador-chris-stevens-honesty-and-accuracy/#comments Tue, 14 May 2013 11:13:08 +0000 Charles Crawford http://punditwire.com/?p=8801 One question I put into my Speechwriting training courses (and into any course I give) is this: What is the Supreme Quality in any piece of professional work such as a speech? Choose from the following options:

• Simple message
• Strong structure
• Accuracy
• Loyalty
• Energy + commitment
• Clear language
• Honesty + integrity

]]> http://punditwire.com/2013/05/14/the-death-of-ambassador-chris-stevens-honesty-and-accuracy/feed/ 0 http://punditwire.com/2013/05/14/how-tea-party-can-help-irs/ http://punditwire.com/2013/05/14/how-tea-party-can-help-irs/#comments Tue, 14 May 2013 11:09:43 +0000 Pundit Wire http://punditwire.com/?p=8795 Contributions to social welfare groups [501(c)4s] involved in the political process do not yield tax deductions for donors, contrary to the original text of this post. On behalf of contributor Jim Jaffe and everyone here at PunditWire, we apologize for our error. ]]> http://punditwire.com/2013/05/14/how-tea-party-can-help-irs/feed/ 0 http://punditwire.com/2013/05/09/obamacare-prescription-keep-calm-and-carry-on/ http://punditwire.com/2013/05/09/obamacare-prescription-keep-calm-and-carry-on/#comments Thu, 09 May 2013 19:20:32 +0000 Jim Jaffe http://punditwire.com/?p=8766 There’s growing angst in the health reform community that Obamacare is not succeeding as it should. Perhaps that’s nothing more than a response to the growing popularity of immigration and tax reform. The basic premise of the complaint, as I understand it, is that the infrastructure is not as far along as some would like, which may lead to confusion when major elements become effective next year, that Americans remain ambivalent about the bill because they don’t know what it does for them and that this lack of enthusiasm - coupled with continued GOP opposition - will yield a bad result in Congressional elections next year.]]> http://punditwire.com/2013/05/09/obamacare-prescription-keep-calm-and-carry-on/feed/ 2 http://punditwire.com/2013/05/08/thou-shalt-not-disapprove-of-gay-marriage/ http://punditwire.com/2013/05/08/thou-shalt-not-disapprove-of-gay-marriage/#comments Wed, 08 May 2013 15:37:32 +0000 Hal Gordon http://punditwire.com/?p=8745 “How a minority, reaching majority, seizing authority, hates a minority!" -- Leonard H. Robbins A florist in Washington State won’t provide floral arrangements for a gay wedding, citing her “relationship with Jesus Christ.” In response, the state’s attorney general has slapped a $2000 consumer protection lawsuit against the lady, alleging a violation of the state’s antidiscrimination laws. And the American Civil Liberties Union has threatened to weigh in with lawsuit on behalf of the gay couple that was refused service. A simple case of discrimination? Think again.]]> http://punditwire.com/2013/05/08/thou-shalt-not-disapprove-of-gay-marriage/feed/ 2 http://punditwire.com/2013/05/07/reject-these-voices-obamas-ohio-state-offensive/ http://punditwire.com/2013/05/07/reject-these-voices-obamas-ohio-state-offensive/#comments Tue, 07 May 2013 19:54:44 +0000 John K. Herr http://punditwire.com/?p=8740 Commencement addresses are tricky for the political speechwriter. The audience is young and distracted. They did not come to see the speaker, a politician who is never more than a sentence away from a flash-mob eyeroll. President Barack Obama found a way around this dilemma. His commencement address Sunday at the Ohio State University was a full-throated defense of his political agenda, backed by an attack on his opponents as un-American. He carefully built up strawmen, then casually torched them in his insouciant style.]]> http://punditwire.com/2013/05/07/reject-these-voices-obamas-ohio-state-offensive/feed/ 0 http://punditwire.com/2013/04/26/my-memories-of-the-george-w-bush-presidency/ http://punditwire.com/2013/04/26/my-memories-of-the-george-w-bush-presidency/#comments Fri, 26 Apr 2013 06:00:58 +0000 John K. Herr http://punditwire.com/?p=8690 Following the dedication of the George W. Bush Presidential Center, here are a few memories off the top of my head:

The photo of Jenna and Barbara at their dad’s Inauguration, beaming proudly through the wind and rain.

]]> http://punditwire.com/2013/04/26/my-memories-of-the-george-w-bush-presidency/feed/ 1 http://punditwire.com/2013/04/24/everything-we-see-is-perspective-not-the-truth-marcus-aurelius/ http://punditwire.com/2013/04/24/everything-we-see-is-perspective-not-the-truth-marcus-aurelius/#comments Wed, 24 Apr 2013 17:24:48 +0000 Dave Helfert http://punditwire.com/?p=8678 The National Rifle Association’s willingness and facility with lying about anything that might reduce the slaughter of innocent people by being shot has always been striking. But rarely has a national organization turned its back so completely on its previous positions, ignored the clear and overwhelming sentiment of the American people in general and its own paying membership in particular, and been so willing to depart so totally from facts.]]> http://punditwire.com/2013/04/24/everything-we-see-is-perspective-not-the-truth-marcus-aurelius/feed/ 1 http://punditwire.com/2013/04/22/help-ive-been-framed/ http://punditwire.com/2013/04/22/help-ive-been-framed/#comments Mon, 22 Apr 2013 17:52:28 +0000 Charles Crawford http://punditwire.com/?p=8664 A key skill taught to mediators and negotiators is how to ‘reframe’ issues. This means moving the conversation to a higher level of generalisation. A form of bold simplification that (as the jargon has it) takes all concerned from their obvious Positions to less obvious Interests and Needs. And thereby creates space for strategic compromises. Thus a haggle over compensation payments: “I think I’m hearing from you that you can be flexible on phasing these payments, but you really need certainty on the total?” The reframing question opens the idea of trading Money against Time. Framing is all around us these days in politics. Organisation activist Saul Alinsky featured it prominently in his Rules for Radicals: “Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it.” ]]> http://punditwire.com/2013/04/22/help-ive-been-framed/feed/ 1