Mornings 6-9a Talk With Bud - Phone 407-916-5400 bud@540wfla.com
Click here to see how much the National Debt continues to grow!
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Poll: To save money, Orlando has nixed the City Hall Christmas tree.
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Poll: New bumper sticker: "Pray for Obama, Psalm 109:8" (That verse says "Let his days be few; and let another take his office")
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Poll: Should 9-11 terrorist mastermind Kalid Sheik Mohammed be put on trial in New York City?
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Poll: Which Republican has the best chance of becoming President in 2012?
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Poll: Do you think the Ft. Hood massacre was a terrorist act?
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Poll: How is Barack Obama doing, compared to how you thought he'd do as President?
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Poll: One year after his election, how do you grade President Obama's performance?
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Poll: What should we do in Afghanistan?
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Poll: Which Republican candidate has the best chance of beating Alan Grayson?
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Poll: Does President Obama deserve the Nobel Peace Prize?
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Poll: Should CBS fire David Letterman?
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Poll: If Rich Crotty had run for Congress, would he have defeated Alan Grayson?
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Poll: Should the new lanes planned for I-4 through Orlando have tolls?
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Poll: What's behind opposition to President Obama?
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Links
VisitFamilies United for Our Troops and Their Mission who provide a means for our Gold Star Families, who have lost loved ones in the defense of our nation, to find solace in each other's company, and know that many others share their love, admiration and support for our armed forces.
--- Bud Hedinger on Filutowski --- If you're looking for a rock solid investment in these turbulent times, one that'll pay huge dividends for the rest of your life, I recommend High Definition Lasik from the Filutowski Cataract and Lasik Institute ! It will change the way you see your world ! I know, because High Definition Lasik from Dr. Konrad Filutowski has given me incredible 20-15 vision. Invest in this quick, easy and affordable procedure, and it'll pay off every time you open your eyes! Click here for more info.
The Grinches Who Stole Orlando's Christmas Tree! There will be no Christmas tree outside Orlando city hall this year, unless someone steps forward and donates one. Mayor Buddy Dyer and the City Council have decided they can't afford the $22,000 it would cost to put up the tree that has been an Orlando tradition for longer than anyone can remember. Another casualty of the recession....most of the other Christmas decorations in the downtown area will not be displayed this year. As you can imagine, this was the hottest topic in a jam packed lineup on BHL this morning. Most callers agreed with me that while it's refreshing to see elected officials at any level putting the brakes on spending, trying to balance the books on the back of Christmas is not the way to go. Mayor Dyer has no problem with spending $10 million to patch up the Citrus Bowl, or touting the $1.5 fake bridge on the 408 as a "gateway to Orlando", but when it comes to Christmas, the cupboard is suddenly bare. In the grand scheme of city spending, 22 grand for a Christmas tree is a snowflake in the bucket. Stop playing the Grinch, Mr. Mayor, and move a little money around so we can have the tree and some decorations this year! How do you feel about the demise of the Orlando Christmas tree? Is it the right move in tough economic times, or a "Grinchy" move? I hope you'll cast your ballot in our poll question posted elsewhere on this page.
Million Med March! If you want to stop the federal takeover of our healthcare system, now is the time to take action. The Senate takes it's critical "motion to proceed" vote Saturday night at 8, and if it gets 60 votes, there may be no stopping Harry Reid's Obamacare express. Scroll down to my blog entry from Thursday's show, and use the contact info for Senators Nelson and LeMieux. Let them know they will pay a high price if they vote "yes" on the motion to proceed. Local doctors opposed to Obamacare hope you'll be with them this weekend for Orlando's "Million Med March". The prime organizer of the event joined me live on today's show with details. Listen Here
Red Alert! Afghanistan, Obamacare, and bankruptcy for Florida. Those were just three of the many hot topics on BHL this morning as I welcomed best selling author and columnist Dr. Jerome Corsi for his weekly "Red Alert!". Listen Here
If you missed any of today's show you can listen to it or download it to your I-Tunes or MP3 player by clicking Here
Stop Obamacare In The Senate! If you want to stop the government takeover of our healthcare system, the time is now! The call for action came during this morning's show, when The American Conservative Union's Director of Government Relations joined me live to sound the alarm. As early as Saturday, the Senate will vote on a motion to proceed with the bill. If it doesn't get 60 votes, Obamacare is dead in the Senate..and dead, period!
Also, go online to www.gradegov.com and fire off a letter to Nelson and LeMieux. Only you can stop Obamacare...and now is the time to take action!!
Housecall from Dr. K ! What's the deal on those new breast cancer guidelines out of Washington...and what's coming out of the American Heart Association meetings in Orlando this week? I got the scoop from Dr. Ken Kronhaus from Lake Cardiology when he dropped by this morning at 8 for his weekly "Housecall". Listen Here
"Live" To The Gettysburg Battlefield! President Abraham Lincoln delivered his immortal Gettysburg Address 146 years ago, and on this morning's show, we climbed aboard the BHL time machine and took you there "live"! Listen Here
The Basket Brigade Needs YOU! The Basket Brigade, founded by my 540WFLA colleague, Joetta Raylots, has become a very special and vitally important Thanksgiving tradition in Central Florida. You can be part of this year's effort to provide Thanksgiving meals to the growing number of your neighbors who are really struggling. Joetta joined me on today's show to explain how it works. I hope you will Listen Here , check out the website www.basketbrigadeflorida.com and then come join the Basket Brigade this Saturday!
If you missed any of today's show you can listen to it or download it to your I-Tunes or MP3 player by clicking Here
If you are lucky enough to work for an employer who still provides a pension, that pension only kicks in when you're off the payroll and retired, right? But that's not how it is for Florida's thousands of state workers who are able to double-dip by retiring for a short time.... activitating their retirement package...getting rehired, and then collecting both a paycheck and a pension at the same time! This is all legal, but it is so wrong, and the state legislature needs to end this absurd practice, which, in this horrible economy, is just an unconscienable waste of taxpayers' money!
Kudos to the Orlando Sentinel for their exclusive story today on the double-dippers. It lit up the phones on my show, and if you missed the article I was referencing, here it is for you. I hope you'll read it, then contact your state repsentatives and demand they put a stop to this!
Seminole State College President E. Ann McGee is retiring next month, but hang
on to that congratulatory card.
She'll be back — four weeks
later.
College trustees have approved McGee's request to retire for the
month of December, then resume her job at the rapidly growing Sanford-based
college in January. That will allow her to grab a potentially big payout in
state retirement benefits.
As a retiree, she'll eventually collect
pension benefits along with her salary.
McGee joins thousands of elected
and appointed state employees enrolled in the state pension system who elected
to do the same thing over the years — in effect, double dipping into state
coffers.
Miami
Dade College President Eduardo Padron, Orange-Osceola State Attorney Lawson
Lamar, Seminole County schools Superintendent Bill Vogel and State College
System Chancellor Willis Holcombe are among other highly paid state
administrators who retired and returned to work soon after.
The practice
of double-dipping is perfectly legal, but it's created a lot of criticism —
especially amid Florida's ongoing budget crisis.
McGee says she's merely
seeking a benefit offered to thousands of state employees, likening the
retirement benefits to programs such as Social Security.
"I'm taking
advantage of what you get when you work 38 years in one system," said McGee, 60,
who has been Seminole State's president since 1996 and has worked at Florida
colleges for 38 years. "What I'm doing is not unusual. A lot of us who have
chosen to stay in Florida are eligible for this benefit."
McGee, whose
$300,000 in annual compensation includes about a $230,000 salary, said she
hasn't asked for a raise in four years.
Money "has not been my
motivation," she said. "It's been about moving this institution
ahead."
McGee said initial calculations show her retirement benefits may
include a lump-sum payment through the Deferred Retirement Option Program, or
DROP, of approximately $390,000. She said she does not yet know what she would
receive in monthly pension payments.
The 7,600 double-dipping state
employees identified in an Orlando Sentinel
But taxpayers upset by reports of
highly paid state employees also collecting pensions have been pushing for
change. State lawmakers this year passed legislation tightening the
rules.
If McGee had retired after July 1, 2010, she would have had to
wait six months — instead of the current 30 days — to resume work in a state job
connected to the retirement system. The new law also prohibits holding open a
job for a specific retired employee.
Members of the college's faculty
senate and board of trustees could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
On
Monday, McGee asked Seminole State trustees to allow her to retire for a month
and waive the 180-day advance notice otherwise required in her contract. Making
the move during December, one of the least-busy months of the year, will
minimize disruptions, she told trustees.
She sent an e-mail to faculty,
staff and students soon after Monday's board meeting to beat the rumor mill and
quash any suggestion that she was going away for good.
Having trustees
agree to rehire her Jan. 1 eliminates uncertainty about the college's leadership
at a pivotal time in its history, McGee said.
Under her watch, enrollment
at the main campus and satellite campuses throughout Seminole County has grown
50 percent during the past three years to nearly 31,000, she said.
The
college also is undergoing a $100 million building campaign that is changing the
face of the main campus. Among the new structures is a $30 million classroom
building to be shared with the University
of Central Florida that includes a library. The campus' new centerpiece is
scheduled to open in the spring.
The college changed its name in
September to Seminole State College of Florida from Seminole Community College
to better reflect its ambitions to provide four-year degree programs. The
college's first bachelor's degree program, in interior design, opens in the
spring.
By law, McGee will not be able to participate in any college
business during her Dec. 1 to Dec. 31 full retirement. She will miss graduation,
a tradition she said she loves. The college-owned car that is part of her
benefits package will be parked on campus and she will drive a rental during
that time, she said.
She won't have to clean out her
office.
Trustees on Monday agreed to allow Joe Sarnovsky, vice president
for administrative services, to serve as interim president.
Lawson Lamar, state attorney, 9th
Circuit: salary: $153,140; retirement: $121,036*
C.M. Smith III,
judge, 7th Circuit: salary: $145,080; retirement: $126,073*
Bill
Vogel, Seminole County school superintendent: salary: $176,583; retirement:
$75,220*
Earl K. Wood, Orange County tax collector: salary:
$152,288; retirement: $88,919* examination of state records
earlier this year have average salaries of $40,000 a year and receive retirement
benefits of about $25,000 a year.
Wednesday Is Frey-Day!
The Republican party's miseries in Florida, and the GOP's shining star in Sarah Palin. Both were on Lou Frey's mind this morning when he dropped by the "50,000 Watt Front Porch" to talk politics with the Budman. As always, Lou provided keen insights you will hear no place else. Listen
Here
If you missed any of today's show you can listen to it or
download it to your I-Tunes or MP3 player by clicking
Here
Glenn Beck brought breaking news to BHL this morning, but I have no idea what it is! He joined me live to promote his two appearances in Central Florida this weekend, including one where he promises to unveil a major new project and/or movement he plans to lead. Listen
Here
After the interview, the phones lit up with callers speculating on what Glenn's big announcement will be when he shows up at the Villages Saturday afternoon.
I think it's possible he'll unveil some kind of grassroots third party movement aimed at striking fear into the hearts of the two major parties...but I have no inside track on that...just a hunch.
Palin & Oprah
Right out of the chute this morning we got into Sarah Palin's much ballyhooed interview with Oprah. I thought she was terrific! While Oprah didn't ask the tough policy questions I want to hear Palin address, the former GOP VP pick was completely composed, candid, charismatic, and just downright likeable.
That said, most of the polls indicate a majority of Americans don't think Sarah Palin is presidential timber. My jury's still out on that, and you can weigh in by casting your ballot in the presidential poll question posted on the left side of this page.
Grading Congress
Our 8am hour began with our weekly visit from Elizabeth Letchworth, founder of the "GradeGov-dot-com" website, a.k.a. www.gradegov.com .
Elizabeth always has great insights on what's happening on Capitol Hill, and today was no exception. Listen
Here
If you missed any of today's show you can listen to it or
download it to your I-Tunes or MP3 player by clicking
Here
How Low Will You Go, Mr. President? In a tradition dating back to George Washington, American Presidents do not bow down to foreign leaders. It conveys weakness and subservience. Check out President Obama bowing low to the Emporer of Japan, in a sickening sequal to his bow before the King of Saudi Arabia. Compare the latest Obama bow to the ramrod straight Dick Cheney as he greeted Japan's emporer.
November 14, 2009 | 3:38am
(UPDATES: 12:22 p.m. A brief news video has been added below, showing the greeting in this photograph. Contrary to some claims, the video shows no reciprocal bow by the emperor, who traditionally bows to no one. And we've added a file photo from 2007 of Vice President Dick Cheney greeting the Japanese Emperor at the same residence in a different fashion.)
How low will the new American president go for the world's royalty?
This photo will get Democrat President Obama a lot of approving nods in Japan this weekend, especially among the older generation of Japanese who still pay attention to the royal family living in its downtown castle. Very low bows like this are a sign of great respect and deference to a superior.
To some in the United States, however, an upright handshake might have looked better. (See Cheney-Akihito photo, right).
Remember Michelle ObamaQueen Elizabeth on the back during their Buckingham Palace visit? America's royalty tends to make movies and get bad reviews and lots of money as a sign of respect. casually patting Britain's
Obama could receive some frowns back home as he did for his not-quite-this-low-or-maybe-about-the-same-bow to the Saudi king not so long ago. (See photo here)
How times change under Democratic presidents.
Back in 1994 when President Bill Clinton appeared to maybe perhaps almost start to bow to Akihito at a White House encounter, U.S. officials rushed to deny it was any such a thing. And the N.Y. Times chronicled the comedic drama here.
Akihito, who turns 76 next month, is the eldest son and fifth child of Emperor Showa, the name given to an emperor and his reign after his death.
Emperor Showa is better known abroad by the life name of Hirohito. He became emperor in 1925 and died in 1989, the longest historically-known rule of the nation's 125 emperors.
Hirohito presided over his nation's growth from an undeveloped agrarian economy into the expansionist military power and ally of Nazi Germany of the 1930's.
And, later, Japan became a global economic giant. Hirohito, along with Prime Minister Hideki Tojo, who authorized the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, were much reviled abroad during World War II.
Historically, debate has simmered over how much of a political puppet Hirohito was to the country's military before and during the war.
Even after Democratic President Harry Truman ordered the two atom bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in the summer of 1945, there were strong forces within Japan that wanted to continue to fight the Americans in the spirit of kamikaze suicide pilots.
But Akihito's father went on national radio, the first time his subjects had ever heard Hirohito's voice, and without using the inflammatory word "surrender," pronounced that the country must "accept the unacceptable." It did.
As the conquering Allied general and then presiding officer of the U.S. occupation, Gen. Douglas MacArthur, decided to allow Japan to keep its emperor as a ceremonial unifying institution within a nascent democracy.
Tojo, on the other hand, was hanged.
MacArthur treated Emperor Hirohito respectfully but, as his body language in this black and white postwar photo demonstrates, was not particularly deferential.
(But then MacArthur was not known as a particularly deferential person, as Truman discovered just before firing him later. But that's another war.)
Akihito was born during Japan's conquering of China and was evacuated during the devastating American fire-bombing of Tokyo, which was built largely of wood in those days.
The future emperor learned English during the U.S. occupation, but, inexplicably, his father ordered that his oldest boy not receive an Army commission as previous imperial heirs always had.
Akihito assumed the throne on Jan. 7, 1989. Within weeks he began a series of formal expressions of remorse to Asian countries for Japan's actions during his....
...father's reign. In 2003, he underwent surgery for prostate cancer.
In 1959, Akihito married Michiko Shoda, the first commoner allowed to enter the Japanese royal family. That was two years before the birth of Akihito's future presidential guest, Barack Obama.
Joe Biden was already 17 by then. But he wasn't a senator.
Huckabee & Hedinger I caught up with former Arkansas Governor and presidential candidate Mike Huckabee as he swung through Orlando promoting his new book. If you missed the interview that aired in our 7 o'clock hour this morning, here it is for you. Listen Here Politically, my bottom line on Mike Huckabee is this: he's among the top tier of Republican presidential contenders, and one of the nicest guys out there. However, he doesn't bowl me over, and neither does anyone else on the short list of Republicans with a fighting chance to win the White House in 2012. Who do you think has the best chance to become President? Huckabee, Palin, Romney, Gingrich, Pawlenty, or someone else? Let me know by casting your ballot in our poll on the left side of this page.
If you missed any of today's show you can listen to it or download it to your I-Tunes or MP3 player by clicking Here
© 2009
