Michael Moore the capitalist needed a dictionary before titling new film

by Kay B. Day

Somebody should’ve given filmmaker Michael Moore a dictionary before he set out to make his latest film. He should have titled the film ‘Cronyism’ instead of ‘Capitalism.’He seems to confuse the two terms. ‘Capitalism’ is defined by Encarta as “an economic system based on the private ownership of the means of production and distribution of goods, characterized by a free competitive market and motivation by profit.”

A story at CNN said Moore has an “eight figure-net worth,” and I haven’t seen announcements he plans to re-distribute his wealth anytime soon. Same goes for the tax-loving Democrats who control Congress—their latest ploy is another ‘sin tax’ on soft drinks. I don’t like sweet drinks, so I can be objective here. A new tax is not the answer. Government reform is the real answer and no politician to date has the [insert your favorite male anatomy vulgarism here] to take on true government reform. That would involve cutting spending. Dems are completely incapable of doing that and I don’t see the GOP braving that battle either, unfortunately.

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Harry Belafonte to Al Jazeera: US still 'deeply racist'

by Kay B. Day

Screenshot of Harry Belafonte interview by Al Jazeera.Al Jazeera interviewed singer Harry Belafonte on Thursday, and the entertainer spoke candidly. Asked if the US had moved to a “post racial period” after the presidential election, Belafonte said the country is still in a “deeply racist period.”

He wants dialog. “America has never held an honest debate on racism,” Belafonte said, adding that President Barack Obama has been “very clever in bypassing the issue of race.” Attributing that to politics, he said Obama advisers probably didn’t want “to scare white people.”

The well-known musician was one of the largest funders of the civil rights movement in American history. Despite achieving monetary and artistic success on a grand scale, Belafonte has devoted his life’s work to the poor, and not just those with brown skin—he said poor people come in “all colors and stripes.”

Belafonte has a global perspective—he doesn’t focus only on the US poor, but on the world’s poor. And he isn’t sure about the president’s understanding. Belafonte asked, “Does he have a real handle on the kind of radical thinking necessary to change the way the whole system does business?”

Belafonte also said capitalism has a “hostile history,” and he viewed it “not as a friend but as something that oppresses.”

The singer acknowledged Obama hasn’t invited him to the White House, but added, “He may find reasons to invite me.”

Belafonte also seemed to blame third world problems on the US, a tactic entertainers often adopt when they’re in a foreign country. The interviewer didn't ask about civil wars, Islamic extremists, deforestation, cronyism  or tribal disagreements. Nor was mention made of corruption like the oil-for-food scandal that plagued the United Nations. Celebrities have a conspicuous podium, especially in countries without a free press, and their opinions are often accepted as fact.

As for America, Belafonte apparently has something in common with the Obama administration—an affinity for labor unions. “The voice of workers in this country have yet to be heard,” he said.

Hollywood leftists del Toro and Damon still angry despite Obama victory

Benicio del Toro is Che in a romanticized film about the Cuban fighter Che Guevara. Photo from N.Y. Film Festival.You’d think all the left leaners in Hollywood—using ‘Hollywood’ as a state of mind rather than as a real geographical reference—would be walking around with a perpetual smile. After all, the candidate the entertainment industry overwhelmingly backed won the office of the U.S. presidency. But no! Angst, for the serious performer, is a duty. That is perhaps one reason Benicio del Toro, of late garnering attention for his role as Che Guevara in the movie not surprisingly named ‘Che’, got a little wired during a recent interview with The Washington Times.

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