Home > Thinking Right > Archives > 2007 > February > 10 > Entry

Real progress in the works at state Capitol

By Jim Wooten | Saturday, February 10, 2007, 11:50 PM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

When he entered Emory University as a freshman from Miami almost three decades ago, state Sen. Judson H. Hill (R-Marietta) was determined to become an orthopedic surgeon.

Once there, though, he found himself drawn still to the passions of his youth, to political activism. “My family was very involved in political discussion, and in civics and in giving back to the community,” said Hill, whose mother was area director in Miami for Barry Goldwater’s 1964 presidential campaign. Beginning in grade school, and while at Emory, he volunteered in Republican presidential campaigns. “I became involved and it essentially came down to a recognition that I enjoyed politics more” than medicine.

So he got a degree in economics and followed his father and grandfather into law.

The confluence of interests in health care, economics and public policy has drawn him into one of the major debates confronting the nation — the quality, cost and availability of medical care. Legislation he’s sponsoring is among the “Big Idea” bills that are starting to flow from the work of study committees.

Without question, this is one of the more exciting sessions of the Georgia General Assembly — and next year will be, too — because critical mass is forming on big idea proposals, with health care, education and taxes among them. The critical mass is not around radical ideas, but around the concept that consumers with information, incentive and choice will behave rationally, and everybody will benefit, including taxpayers.

The nuts-and-bolts proposals are not radical, either. On Monday, the Georgia Public Policy Foundation will bring together U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Michael Leavitt, Gov. Sonny Perdue and CEOs of major corporations to sign an agreement to work together to make information available on hospital outcomes, costs and other concerns that consumers have.

The model exists in Florida. As former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich told Hill’s study committee in September: “Knowing which hospitals have the highest and lowest death rates — and the highest and lowest prices — allows the consumers to choose the best-performing, highest-value hospital.” High quality and low prices often exist in the same facility, said Gingrich, whose ideas show up everywhere, including the White House.

“I think you finally have critical mass on this idea,” said GPPF’s Kelly McCutchen. “We’ve been pushing consumerism for some time now,” he continued. “It is not surprising that education and health care are the two parts of our budget that are most out of control, because both are paid by third-party payers.” Hill’s bill, available on-line, is Senate Bill 28.

Action on big ideas can come very quickly. Think tanks like Georgia Public Policy Foundation, and those formed earlier nationally, like Heritage, Cato, Hoover, Pacific Research, Reason, Friedman and others have been idea mills. Organizations like the National Legislative Exchange Council, which state Rep. Earl Ehrhart (R-Powder Springs) recently headed, disseminated ideas and model legislation. And then, of course, bold governors experiment.

On issues like transportation options, health care, education and taxes and other ways of checking the growth of government, legislators are far better informed and ideas are far more quickly refined than was the case in years past. So when a conservative majority forms, it’s not necessary to stumble around acting on hunch and impulse.

The process benefits, too, from party-switchers, especially in the House. On health care, for example, there’s nobody in the General Assembly with more detailed knowledge of Georgia’s programs than state Rep. Mickey Channell (R-Greensboro). The same is true of state Rep. Richard Royal (R-Camilla) on the state tax code. Both men are former Democrats.

The combination of legislators like Hill and others, good conservatives who know their mind and who can stand up and argue the big ideas, when combined with the expertise and institutional knowledge of those who have been around and in leadership positions as Democrats, bode very well for Georgia.

Hang tight. The next few years could be among the most innovative and important in decades.

• Jim Wooten is associate editorial page editor. His column appears Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays.

Permalink | Comments (141) | Post your comment | Categories: Column

Comments

By *Drunken Blogger*

February 11, 2007 08:00 AM | Link to this

YEAH!,I totally agree….let ‘em buy their own ?!

By WootenDull

February 11, 2007 08:02 AM | Link to this

It always cracks me up to hear a lib wailing about too much government spending:

Despite a national debt in the mega-trillions, Congress hasn’t blocked a single bill appropriating money for this war.-Queen Pinko, Urinal

If you haven’t learned by now, no matter what you do with a lib they will never stop whining, either you’ve spent too much or you haven’t spent enough, regardless of what you’ve done.

Government auditors have noted that few reasonable accounting rules were applied; the money was not monitored once it reached Iraq.

So let’s give it to the libs in Georgia, right?

In Atlanta, the school district is in hot water over spending a whopping $73 million on a computer network without routinely seeking competitive bids. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that all the money was “misspent or mismanaged.”

Liberals set up these huge massive untrackable government entitlement programs for the sole purpose of defrauding them, it’s like a way of living for them, see what’s coming for “climate change.”

They are not at all concerned about “Halliburton” or any other Conservative strawman losing government funds; what they’re really upset about are these Conservatives cutting into their action, taking money that they want to steal.

An L.A. Times op-ed of April 22 said, “Halliburton Received No-Bid Contracts During Clinton Administration For Work In Bosnia And Kosovo.” An October 2003 article in the (Raleigh, NC) News & Observer quoted Bill Clinton’s Undersecretary Of Commerce William Reinsch as saying “‘Halliburton has a distinguished track record,’ he said. ‘They do business in some 120 countries. This is a group of people who know what they’re doing in a difficult business. It’s a particularly difficult business when people are shooting at you.’”

It’s a wonder anyone even listens to a lib anymore.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.

By CJ

February 11, 2007 08:21 AM | Link to this

Oh my. While the rest of the country moves back to center after experiencing the havoc that so-called conservatives have wreaked at the federal level, our Governor and state legislators continue their efforts to roll back a century of progress. They’re working to replace income taxes with a sales tax structure where the less money you make, the larger the percentage of your income you’ll pay – thereby shifting more of the tax burden to the working poor. In the meantime, they’re working to eliminate income taxes for workers over the age of 65, a relatively comfortable demographic among workers, resulting in the rest of us having to make up the difference. While attempting to reduce taxes for upper income families, Georgia Republicans are planning to kick thousands of children off of the PeachCare program, limit funding for successful pre-k programs, shift funding away from our already under funded public schools, and of course, build more prisons. LBJ declared war on poverty. Georgia “Christians” have declared war on the poor.

In addition, a story in today’s issue of the AJC indicates that, despite continual findings that so many innocent persons have been imprisoned and/or sentenced to death, Georgia legislators are considering a bill that would allow a judge to impose the death penalty if nine out of twelve jurors vote in favor of it (currently a unanimous vote is required). So, with all the evidence of an imperfect judicial system when it comes to convictions, Georgia wants to make it easier to impose the death penalty – easier to kill persons who were wrongly convicted.

I read Wooten’s editorial today about the “big ideas” coming in Georgia under the leadership of Georgia Republican politicians, Newt Gingrich, right-wing think tanks, and CEOs motivated by short-term profits, and I hang my head in shame. Georgia will come around one day, just as the rest of the country is beginning to — but I’m frustrated that from abolishing slavery to eliminating segregation to imposing civil rights to replacing the electric chair to removing the confederate symbol from our state flag to eliminating the death penalty forever to providing homosexual couples the same rights as heterosexual couples (in time, the last two will happen) — we always have to be dragged kicking and screaming.

By Bob

February 11, 2007 08:52 AM | Link to this

There are indicators that the Gov. is interested in both his legacy and a higher office. From his swearing in social activities to testifying before congress…the Perdue Machine is casting him as operating on a higher place in the feeding chain. He does not pass photo ops as a player in national polictics. In that context we may very well see progress..

By Jim's a Distractor

February 11, 2007 09:10 AM | Link to this

Hi Jim,

Is “No Child Left Behind” one of the “big ideas” you speak of?

Or Peach Care? Is that one?

Or Kelly’s GPPF proposal that we dig tunnels underneath Atlanta to help with traffic, a’la the Boston Big Dig corruption and waste fiasco? Is that one?

Oh…and the “Contract With America”? Is that a big idea. Newt’s sure got a big head, so I guess that must be a big idea.

Your think-tank big ideas are destined for failure, just like those of the Democrats that you constantly bemoan. You’re just more obnoxious about it.

Oh, and btw, Iraq is George Bush’s fault, and his alone.

By JSS

February 11, 2007 09:24 AM | Link to this

You asked for it, you got it, **Nothing!”

The last two legislative sessions have been the biggest wastes of taxpayer dollars in a very long time. Not since the 55-58 sessions has less been done and more harm been doled out. So right wingers, please tell me how reinstating predatory loans serves the public or private interests? The insurance and banking sectors just run rough shot under the dome. It is like the Gilded Age in this State and the damage will have far-reaching consequences long after Richardson-Cagle-Johnson and their defacto puppet master Lynn Westmoreland are dust. Free markets are great, but only if you have a conscience.

Jim Wooten and his ilk talk endlessly about moral truths, but what good is that when it is based on a lie?

By Curious Observer

February 11, 2007 09:26 AM | Link to this

Ah yes! The first thing I do when I’m having a medical crisis is to run a cost-benefit analysis before I call 911 for help. I look at the death rates for area hospitals. I analyze and compare costs of treatment. I examine my checking and savings accounts to determine what I can afford. I call my HMO to determine the level of coverage I will have, given various alternatives. I consider the tax consequences of alternative actions.

Then and only then—provided, of course, I’m still alive—I make a rational decision based on the information I’ve gathered.

In short, I take a Republican approach to medical care. I wouldn’t want to make a mistake. After all, Bad Decisions Have Consequences. I know I need to take Personal Responsibility. And I’m certain that if everybody took this approach, we would not have hundreds of thousands of Georgians without affordable medical care, the doctors and hospitals would immediately lower their prices, and the Free Market would reign in the area of medicine. Of course, realtors would have to gear up to accommodate the thousands of gated mansions that would flood the market, once the incomes of physicians and HMO executives fell to a level that made these piles unaffordable.

By RW-(the original)

February 11, 2007 09:34 AM | Link to this

JSS,

Have you ever considered that people would be smarter about not falling for scams and might make better life choices if they hadn’t been taught for the last forty years or so that the government would be there to save them from any consequence?

By Seriously

February 11, 2007 09:43 AM | Link to this

RW, are our soldiers stupid? Are they unable to make “better life choices?”

This bill keeps the tough rules and regulations in place for military personnel based in Georgia.

I guess our Georgia lawmakers don’t have much confidence in our military. They must think they are stupid and unable to make sound decisions. What a shame.

By RW-(the original)

February 11, 2007 09:45 AM | Link to this

Curious Observer,

Maybe you should think about those things before you have a medical crisis, you reckon?

By What's Up Wit Dis?

February 11, 2007 09:50 AM | Link to this

Jim’s blog has been open for business for 45 minutes now and there has been no personal attacks, no gay bashing, no name jacking, no vulgarity, no mindlessness.

Let me see, why is this happening?

Gosh, hmmmmm, let me think, uhhhh, Polly’s not here?

Yes, that’s it!

Nothing but normal, pointed, thoughtful, meaningful, policy debate.

You know, like what this is supposed to be about.

But, if you’re a pervert and enjoy the filth, don’t fret, Polly will be along shortly to spew it’s pestilence and slime all over everyone.

It should be great.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.

By RW-(the original)

February 11, 2007 09:52 AM | Link to this

Seriously,

You’re not really living up to your name.

I said that people would be better off if their government nannies hadn’t been coddling them for the last few decades and you want to boil it all down to one bill in the legislature.

By Seriously

February 11, 2007 10:00 AM | Link to this

So you don’t support the new legislation, RW?

By RW-(the original)

February 11, 2007 10:13 AM | Link to this

Seriously,

I haven’t read the particular piece of legislation you’re so hung up on, but I doubt I would support it if it a) treats some people differently than others, or b) had government interfering in the free markets.

You are talking about one piece of legislation that is being bandied about in the Georgia state legislature and I’m talking about an overall ingrained dependence on government at all levels.

We aren’t even close to discussing the same things.

By Markus

February 11, 2007 10:15 AM | Link to this

Peeping Tom sayeth:

“RW, are our soldiers stupid? Are they unable to make “better life choices?””

According to your jackass hero John Effin’ Kerry, that’s a big fat YES. Morons.

By Randy

February 11, 2007 10:17 AM | Link to this

CO, Can I assume that your comment @ 9:28 was delivered with sarcasm? Making the quality & cost of healthcare transparent serves to force all healthcare facilities to be competitive in the free market. They’re in the business of making money, not losing money.

The more market consumers you attract, the greater value you hold and offer the consumer. If a facility or provider is suffering a loss in consumers, then the more apt they are to offer something better.

It’s nice to know you’re into personal responsibility. If you don’t like what’s available out there, you can start your own HMO or healthcare facility and make the money you resent others having. Then you can buy one of those mansions in that gated community from the doctor or HMO exec that failed to meet the public demand.

Opportunity! It’s a wise man who opens the door when it knocks.

If you don’t like what the free market has to offer, there’s always your local government funded healthcare center.

By time for the truth

February 11, 2007 10:20 AM | Link to this

Funny how the liberal party of hate media bigots have SULLENLY AVOIDED reporting an unsavoury truth about the intellectual lightweight nonenity Osama Obama. If he was completely white (instead of only half white) no one would give a flying toss about him!!

It seems he has for decades been hanging out with nasty religious black bigots

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/02/11/wus111.xml

By CDC Luxuary Jet and U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Michael Leavitt

February 11, 2007 10:20 AM | Link to this

Will some Gonzo reporter please check the airports to see how U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Michael Leavitt arives in the Atlanta area, by commercial jet in coach class or on the CDC luxuary jet the neocon thief has stolen as his just due private luxuary liner? Remember, the Secretary is a political appointee, while the Speaker of the House is an elected representative. Yet the NEO-CONVICT get the private luxuary jet?

By Corky Cobb

February 11, 2007 10:25 AM | Link to this

And just how do you support the troops Marquis??? By hidding under your bed with your keyboard. Boo.

By Libby and Feith: Birds of a Feather

February 11, 2007 10:26 AM | Link to this

Two of the pro israel lobby’s operatives in the US Government are now in the public spot light for their lies in support of the invasion of Iraq. If you want to identify other covert pro israel agents in the press, just look at who is defending these two liars, imho. The so called liberal Mike Lukovich today pubished a cartoon blasting Tim Russert for daring to testify against Libby. Michael Kinsley published a defense called “Free Scooter Libby” in this weeks Time magazine. The fanatical pro israel jews are circling their wagons around their two operatives, lest they join Frank Pollard in prision for acts of treason, imho.

By Markus

February 11, 2007 10:27 AM | Link to this

Note how liberals always b!tch about gated communities for doctors and HMO executives, yet stay dead silent on lawyers like John “Slip-n-Fall” Edwards who make millions off idiotic lawsuits and build 28,000sf mansions. For the mentally challenged liberals in Midtown, lawsuits are a HUGE reason why healthcare costs are increasing exponentially. Hypocrats.

By MarkAss and RW, BiDanish, and Dusty are the same person

February 11, 2007 10:30 AM | Link to this

Opps, I accidently left RW out of the multi personality collective that thinks it rules this blog. Your stench gives you away, please was you AASSSS and other fishy smelling body parts, fat boy/girl/it.

By Corky Cobb

February 11, 2007 10:37 AM | Link to this

And just how do you support the troops Marquis??? By hidding under your bed with your keyboard. Boo.

By RW-(the original)

February 11, 2007 10:38 AM | Link to this

Looks like the “newcomer” is back to screw up the blog again. Maybe Jim will learn one of these days.

By MarkAss and RW, BiDanish, and Dusty are the same person

February 11, 2007 10:41 AM | Link to this

OK, I will stick with this By line for today, happy RW aka MarkASS, BiDanish, Dried Dirt Dusty?

By Corky Cobb

February 11, 2007 10:47 AM | Link to this

Isn’t it great!!! All you neo-patriots like Marquis don’t have to go to Canada to escape the war anymore!!!

And just how do you support the troops Marquis??? By hidding under your bed with your keyboard. Boo.

By RW-(the original)

February 11, 2007 10:47 AM | Link to this

By the way, today is the 28th anniversary of another monumental failure of Jimmy Carter’s Presidency.

Remember those four awful years when you start thinking of voting for the Hillary/Obama ticket in 08.

By Buy Danish

February 11, 2007 10:50 AM | Link to this

The truth about the report on Douglas Feith and pre-war intel, who dared challenge the incompetent CIA’s evaluations:

[WOOPSIE!!! That it some correction!! Looks like the WaPo took Sen. (D. Michigan) Karl Marx Levin’s comments and represented them as being from the Pentagon.(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/08/AR2007020802387_pf.html)

More here, from Hot Air. You’ll note that the phony beadline still stands at WaPo as does the original Jason Blairesque story which by now had made its way around the world and is being celebrated by Mullahs in the Middle East and by Democrats everywhere.

By Markus

February 11, 2007 10:51 AM | Link to this

Hey corndog liberal ID freak-

How many Habitat For Humanity homes have you built lately? You DO care about the “poor” so much, don’t you? Why haven’t you stopped blogging and started volunteering your time to make other people’s lives better? Or are you just an armchair socialist warrior who types away with neoStalinist support of robbing others of THEIR money to pay for your culture wars? Sick liberal.

Oh yeah, one other thing. Why don’t you tell us all what YOU do to support the troops. Just one thing. Sick liberal.

By Markus

February 11, 2007 10:54 AM | Link to this

RW-

“You are talking about one piece of legislation that is being bandied about in the Georgia state legislature and I’m talking about an overall ingrained dependence on government at all levels. We aren’t even close to discussing the same things.”

It’s impossible to “debate” with a liberal. They let their emotions overload their cognitive thought process and logical reasoning. They can’t answer direct questions, they can’t answer simple yes or no questions, and they can’t stay on topic. They always try to drag you off into another topic when they can’t answer your topic. Then, if you are real lucky, they’ll jack your ID and call your mother names and you “sexually frustrated.” At least, that’s always been the case with me, which is why I don’t waste time with the sick liberals anymore.

Good luck. It’s going to be 55 today. I’m out.

By Redneck Convert

February 11, 2007 10:54 AM | Link to this

Glad to see that Curious guy is so carefull about how he gets doctor care. Me, I’m skedaddling to the nearest hospitle. In my case, Northside in Forsyth. I have the best chance there of not being put in a room with one of Those People. My uncle Bo told me oncet that if you hang around Those People long enough, you turn into one.

Wouldn’t that be awful? I leave the hospitle having to ride MARTA. And even if I can steal a car, I get run off the road by some white dude. I have to live downtown and walk around with my pants down around my hips and playing a boom box real loud. Nobody will give me a loan and I have to find ways to get my hand on other peoples paycheck to pay for my meth and crack. And I have to march with Al Sharptongue and Jesse Jackass to get more guvmint handouts.

Anyway, I figure rail lines would work if they would make room for cars and pickup trucks on the trains. That way I would have a way to travel when I get to where I’m going. But I’m not doing without my pickup truck, I don’t care what the libruls say.

By jm

February 11, 2007 10:55 AM | Link to this

Along the lines of making more educated choices, how about making every malpractice settlement open to the public for viewing. If a doctor or hospital I am considering settled a malpractice (either out of court or as the result of a court verdict) I want to know about it. Too often cases are settled out of court and the findings “sealed”. If you want people to make educated choices, then all information should be made available.

By Corky Cobb

February 11, 2007 10:58 AM | Link to this

And just how do you support the troops Marquis??? By hidding under your bed with your keyboard. Boo.

By Buy Danish

February 11, 2007 11:01 AM | Link to this

WOOPS. I missed a bracket. Here’s the lengthy WaPo “Correction”

Marcus,

Happy Birthday!

By RW-(the original)

February 11, 2007 11:03 AM | Link to this

John F’ng Kerry is on with Snuffalufagus, does anybody want to bet whether he can get through it without insulting the troops and flip/flopping mid sentence?

By RW-(the original)

February 11, 2007 11:05 AM | Link to this

Cross off the flip/flopping mid sentence. That one’s already been accomplished so we’re down to insulting the troops.

By AstroPain

February 11, 2007 11:06 AM | Link to this

If the diaper dont fit, you must acquit.

By RW-(the original)

February 11, 2007 11:07 AM | Link to this

Buy Danish,

I think Markus is talking about the weather, but just in case. Happy Birthday!

By Corky Cobb

February 11, 2007 11:14 AM | Link to this

I would love to see Marquis on one of those talk shows……

Question- Why aren’t you in Iraq?

Marquis- Did you build a house for Jimmy Carter?

Question- Are you glad war dodgers don’t have to go to Canada anymore?

Marquis- Heck yes. I just got a new Playstation.

Question- What have you done to support the troops.

Marquis- Thats an inappropriate question.

Question- I don’t think, so please answer.

Marquis- No comment

Question- You are scared to fight the terrorists aren’t you?

Marquis- I WANT MY MOMMIE!!!!!

By MarkAss and RW, BiDanish, and Dusty are the same person

February 11, 2007 11:21 AM | Link to this

Markus: “Mommy, please change my diaper, I definatley just sshhiitt my panties.”

By RW-(the original)

February 11, 2007 11:23 AM | Link to this

Kerry says he feels liberated that not running for President allows him to say what he thinks. The only thing it seems to have liberated him from is the botox shots, but I digress.

Kerry says we have to reduce our carbon footprint since he claims global warming is the most urgent thing the country has ever faced since he’s been in the Senate. Which of the mansions will be closing? Is Theresa giving up the G-5? He did say we couldn’t let Texas and China off the hook, I wonder if Algore has a Texas exemption?

By MarkAss and RW, BiDanish, and Dusty are the same person

February 11, 2007 11:23 AM | Link to this

RW - “I too want my mommy, because unless farts are lumpy, I definately just sshhiitt my panties.”

By TW

February 11, 2007 11:26 AM | Link to this

If Snuffalufagus could schedule Huckabee every weekend he’d put Jon Stewart out of business…hilarious…

By Curious Observer

February 11, 2007 11:37 AM | Link to this

So the medical industry is a free market! It’s news to me.

I always thought that the number of physicians was strictly regulated by virtue of the paucity of medical schools and the requirement that applicants have a recommendation from a medical doctor as a condition of entry, not to mention licensing requirements overseen by the medical community. It’s the closest thing to the medieval trade guilds we have.

And I always thought that the number of hospitals was strictly regulated by regional governmental authorities and accreditation requirements by the medical community.

It sounds like an oligopoly to me. Otherwise, we would have profit-oriented hospitals opening in multiple locations in all communities, and we wouldn’t be excluding so many graduates of foreign medical schools.

Pardon me for my mistaken impressions.

By RW-(the original)

February 11, 2007 11:39 AM | Link to this

Polly “newcomer” Prepuce,

Watch yourself junior or Mr. Wooten might warn you again.

By Buy Danish

February 11, 2007 11:39 AM | Link to this

I see the stinky poopy monster has crawled out from under the bed of Liberalism to make an appearance.

What a disgusting loser.

Marcus,

Enjoy the sunny day, and happy birthday whenever that is!

By MarkAss and RW, BiDanish, and Dusty are the same person

February 11, 2007 11:40 AM | Link to this

Yo, Dummies, this war is not about Republicans vs Democrats, it is about Treason in High Places. The pro israel lobby funded much of the Bush campaign, and as a reward got its operatives placed in high government jobs. Other pro israel operatives were elected to Congress via funding from pro israel groups. All operated behind the scenes to drive America to war with the Arab world, starting with Iraq. Afghanistan was a just response to 9/11, but has now been incorporated into the war on Muslims. Until we address the true problem, that of a foreign power getting its operatives in control of the US government, we are ffuucckking doomed. The foreign power will drain us of wealth, troops, and weapons systems while safely watching from the sidelines, and cutting their own deals for profit. Wake up America, or start bowing toward Tela Aviv.

By jm

February 11, 2007 11:46 AM | Link to this

For those of you who see only the beauty of privitizing government services, I would recommend reading Oliver North’s column: http://www.washtimes.com/commentary/20070210-101936-2608r.htm

It is always enjoyable to see a true believer foisted by his own petard.

By MarkAss and RW, BiDanish, and Dusty are the same person

February 11, 2007 11:49 AM | Link to this

I ain’t no stinking liberal, as they are owned and operated by the pro israel lobby. I am just a concerned citizen who is trying to protect his country from foreign influenced decisions to make war an people just because of their religon or ethnicity. The war is between jews and Arab/Muslims and america should stay the hell out of it. No money or weapons for either side, and we sure as hell should not be fighting for isreal against arabs in Iraq. Where do you think torture of arab suspects came from? It is standard israeli treatment of arabs. Waterboarding is a Mossad technique of torture. I am disgusted with the corruption of our democracy by the pro israel lobby buying elections for politicians who agree to support Israel first and foremost. We are being robbed blind by the pro israel fanatics, and most of you are too stupid to understand. The jews call the non jews goiym, which means animal in Hebrew. It appears most of you fit the description.

By RW-(the original)

February 11, 2007 11:53 AM | Link to this

When Senator McCarthy tried to get the foreign spies like Alger Hiss out of our government he was vilified.

Oh and he was right too.

By Dennis

February 11, 2007 11:53 AM | Link to this

Mr. Wooten said, “The critical mass is not around radical ideas, but around the concept that consumers with information, incentive and choice will behave rationally, and everybody will benefit, including taxpayers.”

In short, then, Mr. Wooten, an informed consumer will make the “best choices”? Let’s say that’s correct and then apply that to political elections as well.

Where have you and the conservative press been while Sen. Roberts of Kansas refused to release Phase Two of the Senate Intelligence Committee report on pre-war intelligence on Iraq; what the White House knew, when they knew it, and how they used that information to determine to attack Iraq?

The senator stated in effect that he didn’t want to release the report prior to the 2004 elections because he did not want the report to influence the outcome of the elections.

In other words, if the consumer (the voter) had that information available to him, the consumer (the voter) might make a “bad choice”?

Thankfully, Mr. Wooten, inspite of Sen. Roberts, inspite of the conservative press, inspite of conservative writers, the “consumer” has seen through the fog.

You don’t have to be a blind conservative not to see it, just an ignorant one to deny it.

By getalife

February 11, 2007 11:54 AM | Link to this

“Rep. Rohrabacher: Global Warming May Have Been Caused By ‘Dinosaur Flatulence’”

There ya go PF.

I yield the blog.

By MarkAss and RW, BiDanish, and Dusty are the same person

February 11, 2007 12:04 PM | Link to this

RW - There were far fewer communist in our government in the 1950’s then there are pro israel jews and other operatives today. As long as the communist in america were loyal to america and not to russia, they should have been free to believe in that political persuasion. Senator McCarthy was wrong to pursue them for their political beliefs, but he was absolutely correct to pursue them if they were loyal to Russia and acting for the benefit of russia in their official acts. That is what makes the pro israel operatives traitors, their official acts within the us government are not for the benefit of america, rather they are for the benefit of Israel. The pro israel lobby tries to blur this line by saying “what is good for israel is good for america.” But this is no correct, as our invasion of Iraq has been very good for isreal, and very very bad for america.

By RW-(the original)

February 11, 2007 12:14 PM | Link to this

jm,

What does your story have to do with privatisation?

By Huge

February 11, 2007 12:17 PM | Link to this

These Bush-bot idiots have from day one, consistently shown themselves to be the antithesis of statesmanship.

In the run-up to the Iraq war, Rumsfeld sharply criticized nations opposed to the conflict — specifically France and Germany — referring to them as “Old Europe.”

Without mentioning Rumsfeld’s name, Gates said some people have tried to divide the allies into categories — such as east and west, north versus south.

“I’m even told that some have even spoken in terms of ‘old’ Europe versus ‘new,’” Gates said. “All of these characterizations belong in the past.”

As do these arrogant, incompetent and gutless neo-cons themselves. And based on what happened in last November’s elections, it’s starting to happen.

Hallelujah!

By RW-(the original)

February 11, 2007 12:18 PM | Link to this

12:04,

Pardon me if I choose not to take the word of a foul mouthed blogger on the subject of government infiltration.

By MarkAss and RW, BiDanish, and Dusty are the same person

February 11, 2007 12:24 PM | Link to this

That’s the attitude RW, attack the messenger and not the message. Bring it on, stinky pants or is it panties?

By MarkAss and RW, BiDanish, and Dusty are the same person

February 11, 2007 12:29 PM | Link to this

Or is it diapers RW?

By RW-(the original)

February 11, 2007 12:30 PM | Link to this

Polly,

It’s pretty simple. We have the Venona papers proving that McCarthy was right about our government being infiltrated by Soviet spies vs. your anti-semitism. Not much to discuss.

By Huge

February 11, 2007 12:36 PM | Link to this

Leave it to pathetically warped neo-cons to portray Joe McCarthy as one of the good guys! Once a slimeball, always a slimeball?

It is well documented that McCarthy exaggerated his war record. He claimed to have enlisted as a “buck private,” though due to his automatic commission he entered basic training as an officer. He flew 12 combat missions as a gunner-observer, but later claimed 32 missions in order to qualify for a Distinguished Flying Cross, which he received in 1952. McCarthy publicized a letter of commendation signed by his commanding officer and countersigned by Admiral Chester Nimitz, but it was revealed that McCarthy had written this letter himself, in his capacity as intelligence officer. A “war wound” that McCarthy made the subject of varying stories involving airplane crashes or antiaircraft fire was in fact received aboard ship during an initiation ceremony for sailors who cross the equator for the first time.

And you, the demented 25% that still carries water for the worst president in the history of the nation, rag on Kerry’s Purple Heart!!!

By MarkAss and RW, BiDanish, and Dusty are the same person

February 11, 2007 12:38 PM | Link to this

Wrong poppy butt RW - We have Frank Pollard in prison for spying for israel, we have libby and filty feith, with more to come soon. Parts of the FBI are not under the control of the pro israel crowd, and they are hot pursuit. Now do take a shower, as your stench is fogging my monitor.

By getalife

February 11, 2007 12:45 PM | Link to this

“President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia accused the United States on Saturday of provoking a new nuclear arms race by developing ballistic missile defenses, undermining international institutions and making the Middle East more unstable through its clumsy handling of the Iraq war.”

We know Vlad.

By Buy Danish

February 11, 2007 12:45 PM | Link to this

Awwwww. Get me a violin.

Huge Blowhard is offended by the terms “Old Europe” versus “New Europe”.

By Dusty

February 11, 2007 12:47 PM | Link to this

Curious Observer,

Some of your observations seem credible. Hospitals do have regulations and inspections, all of which are necessary.

They do not want doctors with phony credentials that graduated quickly from “island” med schools or any unlicensed school.

They also do not want doctors with other liabilites such as drug and alcohol problems and poor professional records from other hospitals. Doctors trained in foreign countries are tested by the ECFMG exam which will not allow them a license to practice if they are under standard.

There are professional committees in every hospital who seek to rid the facility of dangerous or phony doctors. There are also requirements for nurses, medical technologists and many other hospital workers. IT IS ALL FOR YOUR PROTECTION.

You can read about the tragedies of people who go to “quacks” for cheap treatment or to other countries where there are no inspections or license requirements in medical facilities.

Jim is talking about our state government which is studying the problem of costly healthcare. It is a tough one because it is very hard to get “good” medicine on the cheap.

By Huge

February 11, 2007 12:58 PM | Link to this

Something tells me the bigot wouldn’t know a violin if one fell in her huge lap. But I’ll bet curly and markie mark can attest to the fact that she plays a mean skin flute!

Look in the bushes, bigot! I think I see a commie! And what’s that under your bed? A Michigan mooslim? Surge, bigot, surge!

By RW-(the original)

February 11, 2007 12:59 PM | Link to this

Blowhard,

Nice little obfuscation, but smearing the man and ignoring the subject is all we’ve come to expect from you.

Beavis,

Assuming you mean Jonathan Pollard he was convicted in the 1980’s and had been a CIVILIAN intelligence analyst. Libby will soon be walking free with NO conviction and should file a civil suit against the Justice Dept and Fitzfong if that’s doable under the law. The Feith story is some of the most unethical journalism I’ve seen. The Washington Post takes dictation from Carl Levin and claims it’s a Pentagon report. Of course they know idiots will buy it so if they don’t care about their integrity that’s their business.

By MarkAss and RW, BiDanish, and Dusty are the same person

February 11, 2007 01:04 PM | Link to this

Carl Levin is one of the covert pro israel jews in the dummycrat party, imho. He is what is known as a “sleeper” who will only awake when he is needed to protect israel and its cowardly lobby. They work on both sides of the isle and the issue, so they can steer america in the pro israel direction at all times.

By Buy Danish

February 11, 2007 01:13 PM | Link to this

Something tells me the bigot wouldn’t know a violin if one fell in her huge lap.

Huge Loser,

I don’t know, maybe in your circle of jerks (pun intended) knowing what a violin looks like might represent some sort of arcane knowledge.

I am completely unscathed from your pitiful attack. I suggest you try your nanny nanny boo boo tactics with your playpen pals and cage mates.

By Huge

February 11, 2007 01:20 PM | Link to this

We? Do you have a mouse in your pocket, ricky? Or maybe you’re actually sybil? Or maybe the bigot is over and your messaging her impenetrable alligator like skin? Be a man and start standing on your own two feet, boy!

The point is that your love for McCarthy is illustrative in explaining why you neo-cons are so fvcked up and warped.

Politically you share his unmistakable characteristics with the Klan and the Nazis.

You cretins simply have to have someone, ANYONE, to hate and look down on. It is the only thing that gives your sorry little 24/7 blogging lives any meaning or purpose.

And now that you can’t really get away with terrorizing blacks or women in this country anymore, you’ve just moved on. First to commies, then the SE Asians, then Hispanics. And now of course, all Muslims.

And just like that POS from the 50’s, you dipsh!ts can never actually substantiate your moronic claims, no matter the topic. But it’s comedic to watch you spin and twist instead!

So he’s gone down in history as a arrogant twerp that lived for and loved trying to ruin the lives of innocent people.

Some hero, you dirtbags have…

By Liz

February 11, 2007 01:21 PM | Link to this

Buy Danish, you stink so bad no one can stand to be around you. Take a shower as often as necessary to reduce the stench a little, for humanity’s sake. Thank you

By RW-(the original)

February 11, 2007 01:32 PM | Link to this

Today’s Parade lists their top twenty dictators and Hugo Chavez didn’t make the list. Of course Parade also said in today’s edition that Barbaro is in stable condition and while that may be true in a technical sense it isn’t what they meant.

Blowhard,

You can’t name one innocent person McCarthy ever destroyed. Why aren’t you going after the Jew basher here today while you’re on your tolerance crusade?

By Buy Danish

February 11, 2007 01:32 PM | Link to this

MidoriLIZ,

You are one psychotic parrot and arrived right on schedule. Stop projecting your hygiene problems onto me. Maybe Huge Loser will clean your cage for you.

By Huge

February 11, 2007 01:44 PM | Link to this

Jew basher? Help me out here moron? What are you referring to?

Bigot, your affinity for scatalogical matters is well known, so quit pretending to be so modest.

By Huge

February 11, 2007 01:59 PM | Link to this

Dipstick ricky,

Your disgusting hero TRIED to destroy innocent American lives by the dozens, you moron. If you had ever read anything on the topic, you’d would stop embarrassing yourself further by trying to defend him.

The fact that people of conscience, morality and intellect like Edward R. Murrow helped shut him down is the most important point.

Too bad for you that your empty soul wishes he had succeeded.

By Buy Danish

February 11, 2007 02:00 PM | Link to this

Bigot, your affinity for scatalogical matters is well known, so quit pretending to be so modest

Huge Blind Mouse,

I know filth when I see it, if that’s what you mean.

Like the filth from the Jew hater you so conveniently ignore despite his numerous filthy posts. (Also note how he admits posting using another name):

*By MarkAss and RW, BiDanish, and Dusty are the same person *

February 11, 2007 10:30 AM | Link to this

Opps, I accidently left RW out of the multi personality collective that thinks it rules this blog. Your stench gives you away, please was you AASSSS and other fishy smelling body parts, fat boy/girl/it.

…It began there and has deterioriated as the day goes on.

By RW-(the original)

February 11, 2007 02:09 PM | Link to this

Blowhard,

The fact remains that you can’t name a single innocent person he destroyed or even the ones you now claim he tried to destroy. Funny how every time you’re proved wrong you just change the parameters of the discussion. Now run off and get the Wiki link of the Hollywood group that didn’t have a damn thing to do with the Senate.

Here’s some helpful relationship advice for you since I’m feeling ambivalent today. When you’re with “One Voice” later try to remember that blow is just a figure of speech.

By Gypsy

February 11, 2007 02:17 PM | Link to this

speaking of cages, who let Buy Danish out of hers?

she is one paranoid dumbshiit. A smelly one too.

and this blog deteriorated the moment her foul presence showed up.

she has made so many enemies here, she’s starting to see imaginary ones too.

what a toxic shrew.

By Buy Danish

February 11, 2007 02:21 PM | Link to this

On topic!

Here’s a health insurance plan from Mitt Romney we should be watching carefully and possibly emulating.

For those of you who like to shoot the messenger and immediately disregard anything that appears in the WSJ, here is NPRs take on the same subject.

I trust that our legislature is paying attention.

By MarkAss and RW, BiDanish, and Dusty are the same person

February 11, 2007 02:28 PM | Link to this

Wrong Dirty Danish, I don’t hate jews, but I do hate traitors. Since half my family is jewish (the half I like) it pains me to post these observations and complaints. Nevertheless, treason is treason and must be delt with or the union is lost.

By Gypsy

February 11, 2007 02:28 PM | Link to this

I thought the only topic you could stay on was how great you are, and how stupid everyone else is, toxic shrew?

By MarkAss and RW, BiDanish, and Dusty are the same person

February 11, 2007 02:31 PM | Link to this

RW you idiot, being a communist loyal to the united states of america is not now nor should it have ever been a crime. You said “Blowhard,

You can’t name one innocent person McCarthy ever destroyed. Why aren’t you going after the Jew basher here today while you’re on your tolerance crusade?” Many actors and directors were ban from working in their field, scientist could not pursue work in their field, and many politicians were destroyed. Do I need to do an internet search for you to name names?

By MarkAss and RW, BiDanish, and Dusty are the same person

February 11, 2007 02:34 PM | Link to this

Partial list of people hurt by Mccarthism:

Protestors opposing the jailing of the Hollywood Ten in 1950 (from the 1987 documentary Legacy of the Hollywood Blacklist).The Hollywood blacklist—more properly the entertainment industry blacklist, into which it expanded—was the mid-twentieth-century list of screenwriters, actors, directors, musicians, and other U.S. entertainment professionals who were denied employment in the field because of their political beliefs or associations, real or suspected. Artists were barred from work on the basis of their alleged membership in or sympathy toward the American Communist Party, involvement in liberal or simply humanitarian political causes that enforcers of the blacklist associated with communism, and/or refusal to assist federal investigations into Communist Party activities; some were blacklisted merely because their names came up at the wrong place and time. Even during the period of its strictest enforcement, the late 1940s through the late 1950s, the blacklist was rarely made explicit and verifiable, but it caused direct damage to the careers of scores of American artists, often made betrayal of friendship (not to mention principle) the price for a livelihood, and promoted ideological censorship across the entire industry.

The first blacklist was instituted on November 25, 1947, the day after ten writers and directors were cited for contempt of Congress for refusing to give testimony to the House Committee on Un-American Activities. A group of studio executives, acting under the aegis of the Motion Picture Association of America, announced the firing of the artists—the so-called Hollywood Ten—in what has become known as the Waldorf Statement. On June 22, 1950, a pamphlet called Red Channels appeared, naming 151 entertainment industry professionals in the context of “Red Fascists and their sympathizers”—this was the most publicized explicit blacklist ever issued; in addition to those named, dozens of other artists found it equally difficult, in many cases impossible, to get work in the entertainment field. The blacklist was officially broken in 1960 when Dalton Trumbo, an unrepentant member of the Hollywood Ten, was publicly acknowledged as the screenwriter of the films Spartacus and Exodus; a number of those blacklisted, however, were still barred from work in their professions for years afterward.

Contents [hide] 1 Overview 1.1 The blacklist begins (1947) 1.2 The list grows (1948–50) 1.3 HUAC returns (1951) 1.4 The height of the blacklist (1952–56) 1.5 The decline and fall of the blacklist (1957–present) 2 The blacklist 2.1 The Hollywood Ten and other 1947 blacklistees 2.1.1 The Hollywood Ten 2.1.2 Others 2.2 Persons first blacklisted between January 1948 and June 1950 2.3 The Red Channels blacklist 2.4 Persons first blacklisted after June 1950 2.5 Other blacklisted entertainment professionals 3 Notes 4 Sources 4.1 Published 4.2 Online 5 Additional links

[edit] Overview

[edit] The blacklist begins (1947) The Hollywood blacklist is rooted in events of the 1930s and the early 1940s. During that era, long before the horrors of Soviet premier Joseph Stalin’s rule became common knowledge in the West, the American Communist Party attracted a large number of followers, many of them young idealists in the field of arts and entertainment. During World War II, when the United States and the Soviet Union were allies, membership in the American Communist Party reached a peak of 50,000.[1]

The 1947 HUAC hearings in session.Perceptions changed soon after the end of World War II, with communism increasingly becoming a focus of American fears and hatred. The “Second Red Scare” was spurred both by reports of Soviet repression in Eastern and Central Europe in the war’s aftermath and the growth of conservative political influence in the U.S. following the Republican triumph in the 1946 Congressional elections, which saw the party take control of both the House and Senate. In October 1947, a number of persons working in the Hollywood film industry were summoned to appear before the House Committee on Un-American Activities (HUAC), which had declared its intention to investigate whether, as described by scholar Richard A. Schwartz, “Communist agents had succeeded in implanting Communist messages and values in Hollywood films.”[2] This group of American movie professionals—primarily screenwriters, but actors, directors, producers, and others as well—were either known or alleged to have been members of the American Communist Party. Of the forty-three people put on the witness list, a total of nineteen declared that they would not give evidence, of whom eleven were actually called before the committee. Of the eleven “unfriendly witnesses,” one, emigré playwright Bertolt Brecht, ultimately chose to answer the committee’s questions.[3] The other ten refused, citing their First Amendment rights to freedom of speech and assembly. The crucial question they rebuffed is now generally rendered as “Are you now or have you ever been a member of the Communist Party?”—which was not and had never been illegal.[4] (In fact, each had at one time or another been a member; some still were, while others had been in the past and only briefly.) These ten were formally accused of contempt of Congress and proceedings against them began in the full House of Representatives.

In light of the “Hollywood Ten“‘s defiance of HUAC—in addition to refusing to testify, many had attempted to read statements decrying the committee’s investigation as unconstitutional—political pressure mounted on the film industry to demonstrate its “anti-subversive” bona fides. In October, with the hearings still under way, Eric Johnston, president of the Motion Picture Association of America, declared that he would never “employ any proven or admitted Communist because they are just a disruptive force and I don’t want them around.”[5] On November 17, 1947, the Screen Actors Guild voted to make its officers swear to a non-Communist pledge. The following week, on November 24, 1947, the House of Representatives voted 346 to 17 to approve citations against the Hollywood Ten for contempt of Congress. The next day, following a meeting of film industry executives at New York’s Waldorf-Astoria hotel, MPAA president Johnston issued a press release on the executives’ behalf that is today referred to as the Waldorf Statement.[6] The statement declared that the ten would be fired or suspended without pay and not reemployed until they were both cleared of contempt charges and had sworn that they were not Communists. The first Hollywood blacklist was now in effect.

[edit] The list grows (1948–50) The HUAC hearings had failed to turn up any evidence that Hollywood was secretly disseminating Communist propaganda, but the industry was nonetheless transformed. The fallout from the inquiry was a factor in the decision by Floyd Odlum, the primary owner of RKO Pictures, to get out of the business.[7] As a result, the studio would pass into the hands of Howard Hughes; within weeks of taking over in May 1948, Hughes fired most of RKO’s employees and virtually shut the studio down for half a year as he had the political sympathies of the rest investigated. Then, just as RKO swung back into production, Hughes made the decision to settle a long-standing federal antitrust suit against the industry’s Big Five studios. This would be one of the crucial steps in the collapse of the studio system that had governed Hollywood, and ruled much of world cinema, for a quarter-century.

In the spring of 1948, as well, all of the Hollywood Ten were convicted of contempt. Following a series of unsuccessful appeals, the cases arrived before the Supreme Court; among the submissions filed in defense of the ten was an amicus curiae brief signed by 204 Hollywood professionals. After the court denied review, the Hollywood Ten began serving one-year prison sentences in 1950. In September 1950, one of the ten, director Edward Dmytryk, publicly announced that he had once been a Communist and was prepared to give evidence against others who had been as well. He was released early from jail; following his 1951 HUAC appearance, in which he described his brief membership in the party and named names, his career recovered.[8] The others remained silent and most were unable to obtain work in the American film and television industry for many years after. In the case of Adrian Scott, who had produced four of Dmytryk’s films—Murder, My Sweet; Cornered; So Well Remembered; and Crossfire—and was one of those named by his former friend, his next screen credit would not come until 1972 and he would never produce another feature film. Some of those blacklisted continued to write for Hollywood or the broadcasting industry surreptitiously, using pseudonyms or the names of friends who posed as the actual writers (those who allowed their names to be used in this fashion were called “fronts”). Of the 204 who signed the amicus brief, 84 would be blacklisted themselves.[9]

A number of nongovernmental organizations participated in enforcing and expanding the blacklist; in particular, the American Legion, the conservative war veterans’ group, was instrumental in pressuring the entertainment industry to exclude those of political sympathies it disagreed with. In 1949, the Americanism division of the Legion issued its own blacklist—a roster of 128 names it claimed were all participants in the “Communist Conspiracy.” Among the names on the Legion’s list was that of well-known playwright Lillian Hellman.[10] Hellman had written or contributed to the screenplays of approximately ten motion pictures up to that point; she wouldn’t be employed again by a Hollywood studio until 1966. Another influential group was American Business Consultants Inc., founded in 1947. In the subscription information for its weekly publication Counterattack, “The Newsletter of Facts to Combat Communism,” it declared that it was run by “a group of former FBI men. It has no affiliation whatsoever with any government agency.” Notwithstanding that claim, it seems the editors of Counterattack had direct access to the files of both the Federal Bureau of Investigation and HUAC; the results of that access became widely apparent with the June 1950 publication of Red Channels. This Counterattack spinoff listed 151 people in entertainment and broadcast journalism along with records of their involvement in what the pamphlet meant to be taken as Communist or pro-Communist activities.[11] A few of those named, such as Hellman, were already being denied employment in the motion picture, TV, and radio fields; the publication of Red Channels meant that scores more were placed on the blacklist.

[edit] HUAC returns (1951) In 1951, HUAC held a second investigation of Hollywood and Communism. By this time, the legal tactics of those refusing to testify changed; instead of relying on the First Amendment, they invoked the Fifth Amendment’s shield against self-incrimination (though, in fact, Communist Party membership would never be made illegal). While this usually allowed a witness to avoid “naming names” without being indicted for contempt of Congress, “taking the Fifth” before HUAC guaranteed that one would be added to the industry blacklist.

Scholar Thomas Doherty describes how the HUAC hearings swept onto the blacklist those who had never even been particularly active politically, let alone suspected of being Communists:

[O]n March 21, 1951, the name of the actor Lionel Stander was uttered by the actor Larry Parks during testimony before HUAC. “Do you know Lionel Stander?” committee counsel Frank S. Tavenner inquired. Parks replied he knew the man, but had no knowledge of his political affiliations. No more was said about Stander either by Parks or the committee—no accusation, no insinuation. Yet Stander’s phone stopped ringing. Prior to Parks’s testimony, Stander had worked on ten television shows in the previous 100 days. Afterwards, nothing.[12]

[edit] The height of the blacklist (1952–56) In 1952, the Screen Writers Guild—which had been founded two decades before by three future members of the Hollywood Ten—authorized the movie studios to “omit from the screen” the names of any individuals who had failed to clear themselves before Congress. Writer Dalton Trumbo, for instance, one of the Hollywood Ten and still very much on the blacklist, had received screen credit in 1950 for writing, years earlier, the story on which the screenplay of Columbia Pictures’ Emergency Wedding was based. There would be no more of that until the 1960s. The name of Albert Maltz, who had written the original screenplay for The Robe in the mid-1940s, was nowhere to be seen when the movie was released in 1953.[13]

As William O’Neill describes, pressure was maintained even on those who had ostensibly “cleared” themselves:

On December 27, 1952, the American Legion announced that it disapproved of a new film, Moulin Rouge, starring José Ferrer, who used to be no more progressive than hundreds of other actors and had already been grilled by HUAC. The picture itself was based on the life of Toulouse-Lautrec and was totally apolitical. Nine members of the Legion had picketed it anyway, giving rise to the controversy. By this time people were not taking any chances. Ferrer immediately wired the Legion’s national commander that he would be glad to join the veterans in their “fight against communism.”[14]

During this era, a number of influential newspaper columnists covering the entertainment industry, including Walter Winchell, Hedda Hopper, Victor Riesel, Jack O’Brian, and George Sokolsky, regularly offered up names with the suggestion that they should be added to the blacklist.[15]

The Hollywood blacklist had long gone hand in hand with the Red-baiting activities of J. Edgar Hoover’s FBI. Adversaries of HUAC such as lawyer Bartley Crum, who defended some of the Hollywood Ten in front of the committee in 1947, were labeled as Communist sympathizers or subversives and targeted for investigation themselves. Throughout the 1950s, the FBI tapped Crum’s phones, opened his mail, and placed him under continuous surveillance. As a result, he lost most of his clients and, unable to cope with the stress of ceaseless harassment, committed suicide in 1959.[16]

[edit] The decline and fall of the blacklist (1957–present) A key figure in bringing an end to blacklisting was John Henry Faulk. Host of an afternoon comedy radio show, Faulk was a leftist active in his union, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. He was scrutinized by AWARE, one of the private firms that examined individuals for signs of communist “disloyalty”. Marked by AWARE as unfit, he was fired by CBS Radio. Almost uniquely among the many victims of blacklisting, Faulk decided to sue AWARE in 1957.[17] Though the case would drag through the courts for years, the suit itself was an important symbol of the building resistance to the blacklist.

The initial cracks in the entertainment industry blacklist were evident on television: on November 30