Says ‘Branding’ Puts Cart Before Horse
Editor,
The Economic Development Authority (EDA) for the City of Falls Church is currently working on a program of “branding” for the City.
They have hired an advertising agency to guide the process. The purpose of “branding” for the City is to attract people to live, work, shop, dine, take care of business and stimulate economic development. The “brand” is only as good as what you’re trying to sell.
There are dozens of ideas and improvements that would publicize the City and make it more attractive. Many are inexpensive or free. A few have been implemented during the past few years, but not nearly enough. Many of these changes must be made before the City once again spends money on this effort. “Branding” was tried several years ago, complete with a consultant and a new logo for the City. It was not successful. Trying to “brand” the same City of Falls Church, without first doing everything possible to publicize it and make it a more attractive, is “putting the cart before the horse.” Making these changes might just be all the “branding” the City needs.
Gerald Pressman
Falls Church
‘Empathy’ Is Not a Factor in Parsing Law
Editor,
It is appropriate to note the blatant dishonesty and the unhinged partisan bias of the media, but for his latest op-ed, columnist Nicholas F. Benton deserves a prize for chutzpah in pointing his finger at the Right. Just recall Dan Rather and his phony memos.
Benton’s easiest source to discredit is David Brock. Brock’s organization, Media Matters, is a left-wing organization solely existing to smear any perceived enemy of the extreme liberal agenda. Leftist writer Christopher Hitchens summed up Brock with this — “I would say without any hesitation that he is incapable of recognizing the truth, let alone of telling it.”
Benton condemned Fox’s coverage of Obama’s rumination on a Supreme Court nominee. He even provided quotes. Yet these quotes weren’t taken out of context or distorted by Fox.
It is a fact that Obama said that a “quality of empathy” is a facet he is looking for in his nominee. This comment is both idiotic and quite chilling, especially coming from someone who taught constitutional law.
“Empathy” in dispassionately interpreting the Constitution and the nation’s laws? That has never been, and never should be, a factor in selecting a judge for the highest court. The follow-up quote Benton
provided does nothing to lessen the shock of the president’s far-out-of-the mainstream thoughts on a qualified judge.
Paul Flusche
Falls Church
Obama: Constitution is What Left Says It Is
Editor,
From time to time I stop in at Brinkley’s in Falls Church, where from time to time I pick up a copy of your fishwrap to read as I am waiting to be served. I am never surprised to see the same old liberal-scmiberal twaddle time after time, and have been really amused at how you all are either totally deluded or don’t know what it is you are talking about, if in fact it is not both.
But this morning I read your attack on Fox News and your claim that they were worthy of Josef Goebbles as purveyors of political lies. As an example you quoted a Fox reporter as saying that “President” Obama delineated his criteria for a Supreme Court Justice in a touchy-feely way (which he did) and saying that this alienated Americans who believe that the Judiciary should follow the Constitution as written (which it does).
You then accused Fox of not mentioning the next sentence, where Obama said his pick would be someone who followed “our Constitutional traditions”. You pointed this out as evidence that Obama does, too respect the Constitution.
Really?
Obama is, as I suspect you are, a believer in the “living breathing Constitution” baloney that basically means the Constitution says whatever the Left thinks it can get away with saying it does.
F. Allen Norman Jr.
Alexandria
Hull Strong On Environment, Record Shows
Editor,
It is clear from the Letter to the Editor written by Aysegul Acar-Dreyer in the May 6, 2009 edition of the News-Press that she is deeply concerned about environmental issues and expects her delegate to be equally concerned. Delegate Bob Hull’s voting scorecard on environmental and other topics is included in the web site Project Vote Smart. It shows that the League of Conservation Voters, which tracks voting on environmental issues, has given Delegate Bob Hull the Legislative Leader status every year since 2004 with the exception of 2008, when he was given the Legislative Hero status. This certainly represents a strong and consistent commitment to our environmental resources.
Jan Reitman
Annandale