411 Politics Roundtable: Naughty & Nice Newsmakers Of 2005 Part II

Posted by Jason Easley on 12.22.2005

Will the panel be any nicer to our last 5 newsmakers?

Welcome to Part 2 of 411 politics naughty or nice roundtable discussion. In part one; we discovered that our staff really doesn't like anyone. They are one prickly pack of pundits. Let's see what they think of the following five newsmakers.

First in this group is Wal-Mart

Steven Bellah: ---Naughty. I just watched "Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price" so I'm DEFINITELY sure of it. The problem I have with them isn't necessarily how they treat employees, or how they handle the company, but how they blatantly ruin small businesses. There's a little town south of where I live called Harrisonville, Missouri, and the Wal-Mart Supercenter in the center of town is the only major business that sells anything meaningful. This is a small, country town that has been monopolized by this company. Anything and everything ends at Wal-Mart. Hey, I don't have a problem with a Wal-Mart in say, New York or Chicago, but they need to stay out of Anytown, USA. There are episodes of South Park and King of the Hill (the one where Strickland Propane goes out of business because Mega-Lo-Mart starts selling propane) that exhibit my opinion perfectly.

My girlfriend's hometown had a chance to have a Wal-Mart a few years back, and overwhelmingly voted it down, because they wanted to keep their small town feel. I hope other small cites in America do the same thing. (Easley says: Bellah has a girlfriend, wow Christmas miracles do really happen.)

Matthew D.S.: Naughty. That smiley faced logo of theirs isn't fooling anybody!
Wal-Mart does provide the American (and Canadian and other nations) people with jobs and a source of income and is a vital part of the economy. Their corporate strategies and treatment of its workers, especially those who do their outsourcing work in Third World states leaves a little bit to be desired however. A girl I know believed Wal-Mart was evil and declared that she would never shop there, ever. Is Wal-Mart evil? I don't really think so per-se. But naughty? Most definitely.

Brian McLain: Naughty. I've worked for the company before and it is not pretty. Horrible wages, horrible benefits, and with the size that the company is, you would suspect they could offer a little something besides $6 per hour to pay its staff. But the gripes don't start there, as I also have to take on inflexibility in scheduling, threatening job loss (regardless of your time there), constant reminders that you can be replaced by anybody walking down the street, and an employee pride set-up Nazi Germany would be proud of. Sam, oh Sam, it has changed so much since you have been gone.

Mark Radulich: Nice. See above. (Easley says: By above Radulich is referring to his nice given to George W. Bush in Part 1. Let me see if I have this straight. You write entire column about the lost meaning of Christmas, but you give Wal-Mart a nice. I hope your future wife works in the mental health field, my friend.)

Brandon Crow: NAUGHTY. This is actually a tough call. (Easley says: No it isn't) On the one hand, you have the ridiculously cheap goods they offer, and you have Wal-Mart creating jobs in areas where traditionally, corporate America has ignored. But then you have their "minimum wage and overtime pay" scandals that just stink of corporate greed and exploitation. But I'll slide slightly over into the naughty realm just because people will stone me half to death if I don't. And I don't want to bleed on my new leather jacket...only $30 at Wal-Mart! (Easley says: The ever brave Crow, who is not afraid to stick his neck out.)

Toby Green: It must be nice to know that those low prices are off set by the fact that every time a Wal-Mart employee gets sick, the taxpayer pays for it. Wal-Mart is beyond evil, they are the epitome of greed. They destroy and depress communities wherever they go. It is beyond sad that a lot of people still can't see how awful Wal-Mart is and why by shopping there is sort of like taking a Flintstone vitamin laced with a date rape drug. Very Naughty. (Easley says: Crow, that is how you answer a question.)

Final Verdict: Wal-Mart is naughty by a 5-1 vote

The United Nations

Bellah: ---Nice. Who would think taking the time to solve problems would be a good thing? Our government could take a lesson from the U.N. It was obvious in 2003 that our President and our government didn't want to hear from the U.N that we should THOUGHTFULLY solve the problem with Saddam, and look where we are now.

Matthew D.S.: Nice. The fairly impotent international body is still out there trying to do its best for the people of the world although it definitely could use a shot of Viagra. Those states in the United Nations however make it an increasingly naughty body (boy does that sound funny). The Security Council is a relic of the Second World War and the vetoes held by the United States, Russia, et al. should be scrapped in the face of growing world powers such as India and Brazil. I concur with Mark re: the handling of the Hariri probe and the crack down on the "Oil for Food" scandal. Maybe the UN can teach a thing or two to the Liberal Party in Canada…

McLain: Naughty. They had a genuine purpose in this world, but dollar signs and balls the size of raisins have really make the U.N. a virtual parody of itself and completely pointless. Great job everyone!

Radulich: Nice. Whatever happened with the Oil-For-Food scandal and the sexual assaults in the Congo, it's being handled. That's all that I can ask of this organization. I'm not naive enough to believe that anyone or anything can fix the UN overnight but at least there's something akin to reform going on. I think what really made them nice this year was how the Hariri probe was handled and the subsequent withdrawal by Syria from Lebanon. Considering the reputation and potential the UN has for disaster, I'll take this as a sign that the UN is not completely useless. (Easley says: And the Grinch's heart grew two full sizes.)

Crow: Can't say. They've just been on the peripheral this year. (Easley says: For the love of God Crow, these are not tough questions. naughty or nice, it isn't that tough.)

Green: The United Nations, long in the crosshairs of the Neo-conservative movement, is the only thing that truly protects America at this point. If America ever completely dismantles the United Nations they will be placed firmly in the crosshairs of all the other governments in the world.

I could give a shit less about the food for oil corruption. I think the future of the United Nations is in doubt regardless of any scandal. John Bolton will make sure of that.

Naughty.

Final Verdict: 3 nice, 2 naughty, and 1 wuss, the UN gets a slim nice.

The People's Republic of China

Bellah: No real opinion, but why do I have the feeling they will take over the world someday? (Easley says: You should always have an opinion.)

Matthew D.S.: Naughty. The so-called Communist state cannot be deemed "nice" in my eyes ever until democracy reigns and the inhumane treatment of its citizenry ends. However, China hasn't offended many people in the world save for Taiwan, and has helped to string North Korea into talks over its obstinate nuclear weapons program. President Hu seems to be a reasonable man that the world can work with, so let's see if he allows further economic freedom which will in all due time lead to political freedom.

McLain: Non Applicable. Isn't China a secular nation anyway? Okay, if I have to choose it would be naughty...see my answer for Wal-Mart (Ironically the bastion of capitalism) above.

Radulich: Nice. Hooray for balance! China is the next great superpower and it's the perfect counterweight to American hegemony. I've been chronicling China all year and though I thought they were going to invade Taiwan over the summer, I believe now that they realize war on any level is counterproductive to their grand designs. Economics is king and they are primed to be the engine that drives the world economy. Taiwan isn't going to break away from China and therefore, even though China is expanding its military, there's really nothing to be afraid of. Protectionists will of course think I'm a lunatic but as I've said all year, you can't fight progress. The world is shrinking and the global economy makes living peacefully with your neighbors across our vast oceans of paramount importance. (Easley says: I put China on the list just for Mark, Merry Christmas.)

Crow: NICE. Only because it's great to see another rising world power on the upswing. China's not taking shit anymore and Bush America hates it. Pretty soon, China will be kicking ass and taking names. Anyone who can put the screws to the absolutely arrogant Bush America is on the nice list for now.

Green: A horrible boil on the face of the earth. It is as horrible as it comes from that nation. Fortunately, we are several billions of dollars in debt to China along with all of the east. It's so sad that democrats and republicans have fleeced America for several billions to these assholes and no one seems to care. Naughty

Final Verdict: 3 naughty, 2 nice, and 1 non-opinion, by the slimmest of margin's, China is naughty.

The oil and natural gas industries

Bellah: ---The naughtiest of naughty. They screw with our lives to make a profit. Gas was over THREE DOLLARS a gallon at one point this year. Sure, we were pissed, but we all took it up the ass because we need to drive. I loved how they "found" some oil and gas eventually went down. Pitiful. I understand the need to have a price on oil, and I understand the need to make a profit--but there is a way to do it without screwing the American people at the same time. I don't think it's a coincidence that gas prices go up in the summer and your furnace bill doubles in the winter. It's not high demand--its price gouging.

Matthew D.S.: Naughty. Dear Lord these people are money grubbers who want to exploit the environment (see the Arctic Wildlife Refuge) at any cost in order to produce this toxic fuel that the world is enslaved to. It befriends dictatorships and corrupt regimes and turns a blind eye to human and environmental degradation in pursuit of maximum shareholder benefit. Bleh.

McLain: - Naughty. Let's go over some of the reasons gas prices had sky rocketed, shall we? Hurricane Katrina, though a station manager told me they had been issued an order to raise prices past $3.00/gallon about 1 month before Katrina even formed! It's snowing in New England! People aren't buying ENOUGH GAS!!! If you are going to strip families of their hard earned wages and leave them to decide between walking to work and freezing in their homes to feed their family vs. warming themselves and starving, you have to have some serious issues with your father during your childhood.

Radulich: - Naughty. They knew we were going to be in trouble back in the 70's when the oil embargo's started. Yet the oil and natural gas industries did nothing progressive in the way of finding alternative or renewable fuel sources. There hasn't even any investment in drilling and refinery technology that can absorb category 5 hurricanes. Once again, that borders on malicious. The oil industry should have been able to absorb hurricane Rita but instead we all thought gasoline at the pump was going to hit 5 dollars a gallon. That strikes me as particularly naughty.

Crow: NAUGHTY. Naughty isn't a strong enough word to describe these bastards. Hey, BASTARDS is a nice word... I don't think this pick needs ANY explanation. These guys are right there next to the Bush Administration (literally) bending Americans over and pulling down their beautiful Wal-Mart pants.

Green: Ummm, yeah, well this one is self explanatory. Naughty.

Final Verdict: It is no surprise that the panel is saving a special place in hell for these guys, naughty

Lastly, The American People

Bellah: --Nice, but ignorant. There is one side that thinks everything our president and government does is wonderful and makes progress. There is another side that is pissed. And there is a majority that doesn't seem to care enough. We Americans need to get off of our asses and do something about all of it, instead of waiting for everyone else to do it for us. It's why I write here at 411 even though I really don't have the time to. It's because I DO love my country, and don't want to see everyone acting scared to death like Osama is going to come into their house and kill them.

Matthew D.S.: Who am I to judge my dear neighbours to the south? Wait a minute…I do it all the time! The American people are still a good hearted bunch of people for the most part, but they keep re-electing moron Republicans such as Dubya and dimwitted Democrats such as Kathleen Blanco. Well, what am I going to do about it!

Idea: alter the Constitution to let foreign-born nationals run for President (a stupid, stupid limitation which needs to go; all this says to foreigners is that although we welcome you to the US, you can live and breathe and reach the heights of government [such as Madeline Albright] but you damn well can't touch the Presidency, hands off you alien!).
After this is rectified, I will run for President and save you all.
Genius! All I can in all sincerity is God bless America and Canada and the world come 2006. We're going to need it.

McLain: Naughty, for the most part. Pick up a book and read people! Get online, stop looking at porn long enough to actually LOOK AT THE CANDIDATES and make an intelligent decision! Read the frickin' Constitution! Involve yourselves in your local community and politics! Stop sitting back and waiting for people to rule you, because you know full well they will and they have! Remember...YOU are THEIR boss, not the other way around. The Angry Scotsman says COAL FOR EVERYONE! Am I cynical? Yes. Do I believe things can't get better, hell no. I always have some hope, and that's what Christmas is all about, right? God bless, thank you, and courage....courage…This is the Angry Scotsman, Brian McLain, signing off.

Radulich: Nice...I'm writing this under duress as I actually think the American People were naughty but my lovely, vivacious, and persuasive fiancée "convinced" me to change my opinion. : P
Crow: NEITHER NAUGHY OR NICE-- just oblivious. Too bad. Because when Bush is out of office, the American people will have to wake up and deal with the massive political, cultural, theological and economic hangover. And you just know uncontrollable vomiting will be involved.

Green: I have so much sadness for being an American right now. I love my people. All of them. Black, Jew, Gay, Amish, Female, Hollywood Liberal, Red state conservative, Indian any other state. It doesn't matter anymore because we are all bending over and taking it from the 1% in this country. They have split us along all the usual lines, pro-life, anti-Christmas, rich poor etc. I will give the American People a Nice cause I feel bad for them. For us. Until we remove the blindfold from our eyes and see it for how it is we will always be blind.

Final Verdict: 4 nice, 1 naughty, and 1 wuss, the American people get a nice.

I hope you all have enjoyed the naughty or nice list. We will be back before New Year's with our year in review roundtable. Merry Christmas to both the panel and our readers.