Subject: Speech by Major General Robert Scales USA (Ret) at Truman Library, September 12, 2009 Mr. Skelton, Mr Cleaver, distinguished guests and, most importantly, fellow veterans. What a great thrill it is see my comrades in arms assembled here so many years after we shared our experiences in war. Let me give you the bottom […]
Month: September 2009
Taking nominations for the leader of the free world
A telling compare and contrast moment: Mr. Obama’s address was the predictable mix of criticism of the past policies of the United States, self-praise for correcting said policies and vague calls to united action on matters of collective interest. It sought to ingratiate rather than offend. But Mr. Netanyahu chastised the United Nations for its […]
Which one is the adult?
Obama: “We must never stop until we see the day when nuclear arms have been banished from the face of the earth.” Sarkozy: “We live in the real world, not the virtual world. And the real world expects us to take decisions.” The rest of Sarkozy’s remarks: “President Obama dreams of a world without weapons […]
A reflection on mixed methods research in adult education
Introduction The Research Problem The purpose of this paper is to offer one vision of developing a methodological theory of mixed methods research co-equal with that of quantitative and qualitative research. I use a case study of the US Army Command & General Staff College engaged in a redesign of its curriculum, its teaching practices […]
The power of projection
by uttering a single word “liar” at an inopportune moment, first Maureen Dowd, the well known mind reader, and now Jimmy Carter (who’s anti-Semitism has been well documented by Christopher Hitchens) have authoritatively detected racism in Joe Wilson. As if it is inconceivable for opposition to the Dear Leader could possibly be on policy grounds. […]
Bush speechwriter insights to the world of strategic policymaking
Republican loyalists will seize on the behind the scenes reporting to indict the young speechwriter for disloyalty. i say however that Bush asks some good questions about the policies his staff are bringing him to support that clearly violate his guidance. It indicts the President for not having the right people around him, a responsibility […]
Speech checklist
Blame Bush? check Call republicans lying, scaremongering politically expedient hacks? check Then invite republicans to be reasonable and cooperate? check Use fuzzy unsupportable numbers? check increase the partisanship? check have more other hands than an economist? check gloss over disconfirming facts (like CBO analysis)? check characterize opposition as haters and obstructionists and toadies to powerful […]