by Burt Prelutsky [scriptwriter]

Near the end of 2008, I appeared on a radio show when my friend Mark Isler substituted for the vacationing Hugh Hewitt. At one point, Mark asked the listening audience to call in and discuss those things they would miss the most in the coming year.

One of the first callers said that, thanks to a new law, he’d miss being able to text-message while driving here in California. Even though the caller was a young sprout, a mere 21 years old, I was amazed that he regarded this as an enormous sacrifice. (more…)

by Burt Prelutsky [scriptwriter]

Just for the record, I am a non-observant Jew. That means that my mother’s father, Max Lashevsky, who kept kosher and attended an orthodox synagogue every day of his life, would probably have considered me a heathen, while Adolph Hitler would have exterminated me in a gas oven.

I want that to be perfectly clear so that when I declare my concern for Israel, nobody will simply assume it’s because I’m Jewish. I am on the side of Israel because it’s a western democracy, an ally of America, and because I regard her enemies as the scum of the world. (more…)

by Burt Prelutsky [scriptwriter]

This is the time of year when the studios send DVDs of their movies to the members of the Screen Actors Guild, the Directors Guild and, in my case, the Writers Guild. It’s not altruism. They’re hoping to garner our votes for the various awards being handed out in the near-future.

In case you haven’t noticed, there is an annual pattern to the release of motion pictures. During the first few months of the year, the studios dump out most of the movies they suspect won’t do very well at the box office and which certainly won’t be competing for Oscars and Golden Globes. During Easter vacation and the summer months, with kids out of school, they start screening animated features and most of the big action movies based on comic books. Once September rolls around, there’s usually a lull until Thanksgiving kicks off the start of the homestretch. (more…)

by Burt Prelutsky [scriptwriter]

Once upon a time, Santa Claus was a very popular figure around this time of year. Edmund Gwenn even won an Oscar for portraying him in a movie. But along the way, it was Scrooge who kept gaining in favor. His role has been played by a galaxy of stars, including Reginald Owen, Albert Finney, Kelsey Grammer, Tim Curry, Walter Matthau, Fredric March, John Carradine, Ralph Richardson, Cyril Ritchard, George C. Scott, Alastair Sim, Patrick Stewart, Jack Palance and Basil Rathbone. I guess the allure of the role is that Ebenezer Scrooge goes to bed a mean and nasty creature, and by morning has undergone a dramatic epiphany and found spiritual redemption.

But time has taken its toll on his story, which first saw the light of day in 1843. These days, Scrooge strikes us as nothing more than a slightly eccentric old codger. His constant refrain of “Bah! Humbug!” suggests he’s just a little bit cranky, sort of like the loveable old grouch who lives down the block and grouses every year about firecrackers on the 4th of July and trick-or-treaters on Halloween. (more…)

by Burt Prelutsky [scriptwriter]

If I had a bigger ego, I could easily imagine that liberals say and do the things they say and do simply to perplex or annoy me. But I know I shouldn’t take it personally. All sane and sensible people are equally dismayed.

For instance, Rep. Charlie Rangel, chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, has been accused of failing to report income on a rental house he owns in a Dominican Republic resort, used one of his four rent-control New York apartments for campaign activities, mailed letters on official congressional stationery soliciting funds for an educational center to be named after himself, and used government property to store his Mercedes. (more…)

by Burt Prelutsky [scriptwriter]

I admit I am not an economist. The truth is, I have trouble balancing my checkbook. Having said that, I can’t figure out how we can compete in a global economy. When China uses slave labor and other countries pay their workers a few dollars a day, it seems to me that we’re trying to fight with one arm tied behind us and a small dog biting our ankles.

I know even less about cars than I do about economics, so I have no way of knowing if American cars are as good as those produced by the Germans and the Japanese. But I did hear recently that when pensions and benefits are factored in, a UAW union member makes about $78-an-hour. That works out to about $156,000-a-year. I’m not suggesting that an American factory worker isn’t worth it, but how can the company paying out that kind of money possibly sell a car at a competitive price? (more…)

by Burt Prelutsky [scriptwriter

Whenever I refer to liberals in print as pinheads, chowderheads, morons and flakes, I can always count on angry responses. Invariably, they will accuse me of stooping to insult them, instead of dealing with specific issues.

The fact is, I am always dealing with issues, be it the left’s adoration of the U.N.; their cockeyed belief in man-made global warming; their constant attacks on the first two amendments; their intolerance of Christian traditions and symbols, which, by the way, relies entirely on an intentional misreading of the Constitution, a document which does not and never has contained the words “separation of church and state”; their contempt for the U.S. military; the alleged supremacy of gay, Islamic and illegal alien, rights; their opposition to capital punishment; their support of judges who legislate from the bench; and their affinity for professors and journalists who feel their duty is to indoctrinate rather than educate or report. (more…)

by Burt Prelutsky [scriptwriter]

I have no way of knowing whether the Republican party will go the way of the Whigs, the Bull Moose and the dodo bird. But perhaps it should. After all, when they held control of the House, the Senate and the Oval Office, for the first six years of President Bush’s administration, they were inept, lazy and corrupt. In other words, they behaved just like Democrats.

To give Bush his due, he prevented a recurrence of 9/11, a notable feat when you realize how desperately the Islamics wanted it to happen again and again. However, he did nothing to prevent the financial crisis from taking place. What’s more, when it did occur, he, like McCain, never laid the blame for it at the feet of people like Obama, Chris Dodd and Barney Frank. I never could figure that out. Were they afraid they wouldn’t be invited to the really cool Christmas parties? (more…)

by Burt Prelutsky [scriptwriter]

Some people are convinced that a compassionate conservative is an oxymoron. But, I know better. I’m not suggesting I am one, but I do know a few. They’re the people who occasionally take me to task for being too critical of liberals.

They’ll insist that some of their best friends are liberals. Liberals, they’ll inform me, make fine neighbors and positively first-rate relatives. I patiently explain that they’re preaching to the choir. I know first-hand that liberals can be all of those things, and more.

My only problem with liberals is that they’re hypocrites and they can’t help lying. (more…)

by Steve Finefrock – [scriptwriter]

THE IDES OF NOVEMBER, 2008: Blood on the floor won’t be near good enough, reports Byron York from the National Review’s post-election cruise, to the gathered GOPsters at Republican Governor Conference conclave and panel. The regular folks among conservatives want blood on the walls too, York informs the pondering panderers. With York was William Bennett – reiterating that we must concern ourselves with “who teaches the children, and what they are taught” – and Haley Barbour as well as panel moderator Frank “I love Arianna’s House” Luntz.

On this date was to begin the criticism of president-elect John McCain – whoopsie daisy on that one. And we’re prohibited from any bashing of Obama The One [OTO] – ask Don Rickles about daring to ding OTO – and it’s pointless to hammer our very tired nominee. After all, he did the best he could, if the party and its membership – and leadership – did not. (more…)