WhatFinger


Michael Bates

Mike Bates is the author of Right Angles and Other Obstinate Truths. Michael's articles have appeared in the Congressional Record, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, Mensa Journal. As a lad, Mike distributed Goldwater campaign literature and since then has steadily moved further to the Right. In 2007, he won an Illinois Press Association award for Original Column.

Older articles by Michael Bates

Most Recent Articles by Michael Bates:

Democrats for dead babies

Look at our presidential candidates, brag Democrats. Such diversity, such pluralism, such variety. We have a woman, a black, and a Hispanic running. Heck, there’s even a white male tossed in the mix just for fun. Indeed, Democrats perceive a veritable embarrassment of riches.
- Thursday, January 10, 2008

An endorsement that might matter

Do celebrity endorsements make much of a difference in elections? Barack Obama’s assistance from the unelected queen of the world, Oprah Winfrey, suggests maybe not, at least not in the way you’d expect.
- Wednesday, January 2, 2008

Honestly, is this the best we can do?

In little more than 200 years, we’ve gone from George Washington, who could not tell a lie, to modern political figures who will never be mistaken for the indispensable man.
- Thursday, December 27, 2007

Christmas contemplations

The Beatles were right when they sang money can’t buy me love. I guess if they’d wanted to be more precise, they’d have crooned that money can’t buy authentic love although in some instances it can acquire a reasonable facsimile of it, but that might have been tough to rhyme.
- Thursday, December 20, 2007

Jackson had it right the first time

The first President Bush crafted a 1989 taxpayer-funded plan to bail out the troubled savings and loan industry. As usual, Jesse Jackson jumped on the case, primarily Bush’s
- Wednesday, December 12, 2007

This is America, speak Spanish

I find it annoying to call a telephone number and have to press 1 to proceed in English. It seems to me that our national language should routinely be used and callers wishing an alternative should be the ones to select a number.
- Thursday, December 6, 2007

Durbin toys with a new idea

Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) is really, really concerned these days about toy safety. So, as the Dickster is wont to do when he’s really, really concerned, he brought his massive intellect to bear in reaching a solution. This was plainly a time for creative, original, innovative, out of the box ideas. Think, think, think. By Jove, he’s got it! More money for a government agency.
- Thursday, November 29, 2007

The Pilgrims, Thanksgiving and the common good

The notion of a common good has traditionally been popular in this democratic Republic. In recent years and among certain public figures, however, the expression has taken on a more collectivist connotation.
- Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Judging Clarence Thomas

Much of the reaction to Clarence Thomas' new memoir, My Grandfather's Son, has centered on the justice's anger. You have to credit the mainstream media credit with consistency. Sixteen years after his confirmation to the Supreme Court, he's as disliked by them now as he was in 1991.
- Thursday, November 15, 2007

Obama, pizza, and the forgotten man

Barack Obama has a special appeal to youth, as evidenced by the $4,600 campaign contribution he received from one 8-year-old boy. Sibling rivalry may have played a role as the kid's sister matched his contribution with her own to the Illinois Democrat.
- Wednesday, November 7, 2007

Oprah finds answers aren’t so simple

Oprah Winfrey's heart was in the right place. She used a significant portion of her abundant wealth to start the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa earlier this year.
- Thursday, November 1, 2007

Homeless for Hillary No Occident

Some things never change. The Los Angeles Times last week reported that in New York City Hillary Clinton brings fresh meaning to Chinese take out. Her campaign's hauling in bundles of cash from impoverished Chinese areas. Dishwashers, waiters, street vendors, and other folks not normally considered fat cats are generously donating.
- Thursday, October 25, 2007

A biting assessment of socialized medicine

Historian Will Durant wrote that first century Romans had access to dentistry, including "gold teeth, wired teeth, false teeth, bridgework, and plates." Many 21st century Englishmen probably wish they had it so good.
- Thursday, October 18, 2007

Liberals rush to ban Rush

When the angry left's lap dogs are told to heel, they readily obey. So as liberal bloggers got their undies in a twist over broadcaster Rush Limbaugh using the term "phony soldiers," Congressional involvement was predictable.
- Thursday, October 11, 2007

Candidates try to keep ‘em laughing

Next year's presidential race may be characterized as the campaign of the cackle. You know what I'm talking about: that staged, shrill, joyless hoot emitted by Mrs. Clinton.
- Thursday, October 4, 2007

Still Selma after all these years

Jesse Jackson is getting some richly deserved criticism for charging Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) is "acting like he's white" when it comes to the racially charged incident in Jena, Louisiana. Since shooting his mouth off, Jackson's backed away, claiming he either doesn't remember saying any such thing or that his words were taken out of context, whichever excuse you'll buy.
- Friday, September 28, 2007

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