Comments on: Pawlenty Palooza

By: Robert Glisson

Robert Glisson — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 19:21:34 +0000

On John Stossel’s show last week, he mentioned that ‘Atlas Shrugged’ sold more copies last year than Obama and Clinton’s combined. So much for best selling authors, when a fifty year old book out sells two current pols. However, I read somewhere a note, sub-article or otherwise overlooked bit. Many times a politician is rewarded, by someone buying a gross of books without picking up the delivery. The author gets the royalties though and no laws are broke. Oh, getting the money up front before the book is printed is called ‘an advance.’

By: Mike Marks

Mike Marks — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 16:57:34 +0000

The following is what I meant to say above but left out an important word accept:

…and accept better written books by those who actually have something important or relevant to say.

By: Mike Marks

Mike Marks — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 16:54:06 +0000

On the one hand the pols you mention are making profits from their experice either in the state house or in DC. On the other hand the free market (and I realize I’m using that term loosely) will tend to ignore, hopefully, lousy books by blowhards and beter written books by those who actually have something important or relevant to say.

If the publishing companies get burned enough they will quit giving these blowhards the equivalent of big sign on bonuses. Clearly a more effective but less profitable way to get ideas to the market is by blogging. This approach can be more free from the polishing of editors and the political correctness crowd as well.

However, to maintain or gain the kind of lifestyle afforded pols in the government can certainly be maintained much easier by brisk sales and sign on bonuses than blogging!

PS I know there is a publishing term for getting money up front before the book is published but I can’t recall it at the moment so I used a term from my industry, sign-on bonus.

By: irongalt

irongalt — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 19:30:24 +0000

“as if Sodom and Gomorrah could change without cataclysmic intervention” – precise analogy.

Besides, anyone who claims himself to be a “Christian” and yet engages in / supports theft (taxes, welfare, etc), is either not a Christian, or is a horribly warped and misguided one.

By: George Pal

George Pal — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 17:07:31 +0000

Back cover blurbs”

“Another in a series of self-regarding pols paying tribute to themselves.”

“Sure to lower the IQ of anyone already stupid enough to read it.”

“Golden TWOT* Award winning political autobiography”

“No trees were harmed in the production of this book. Recycled dreck on recycled dreck.”

*TWOT – total waste of time

By: tdm

tdm — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 14:09:01 +0000

“…the private economy, where productivity—output per unit of labor—dictates pay.”
In small business I agree but not so much anymore for corporate America except of course for white males. Not to say what Unions do to this standard.

By: Myron Pauli

Myron Pauli — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 09:19:15 +0000

If he has such a religious calling, why doesn’t he quit politics and become a minister??

By: Stephen Browne

Stephen Browne — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 07:46:02 +0000

Actually I’m torn. On the one hand, it’s infuriating to see pols as you say, “exploiting their already exploitative positions for yet more profit.”

On the other hand, every minute they spend penning their self-serving screeds is a minute they’re not working at the public business (or more aptly, giving the public the business.)

As Will Rogers noted, aren’t you glad you don’t get all the government you pay for?

(Sent from Minsk, Belarus.)

By: Robert Glisson

Robert Glisson — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 05:26:33 +0000

When he said, that he thought we should crack down on our enemies, he meant creditors, didn’t he?