Howard Monroe And The Morning Show

Picnics and fireworks for a few days. Enjoy your Indepedence Day weekend. Plenty to do around the Valley. Fly the flag. Celebrate our freedom.

Monday, I'll be hosting "Statewide Talkline" on the MetroNews network. Hoping to talk cap and trade with Congressman Alan Mollohan. A little health care reform, and no doubt a lot of talk about Sarah Palin's announced resignation.

Tuesaday, Wheeling's mayor and vice-mayor join me to talk about their first yeR at the helm of city government.

Roll a strike, play the games.....

Ohio Governor Ted Strickland gas changed his posiition on slot machine gaming. In the wake of the budget woes facing the state, Strickland says it will be OK to allow slot machines at the 7 Buckeye State race tracks.

Ohio State Senator Jason Wilson says he doesn't disagree--in prinicple--but thinks allowing the gaming at bowling alleys would be more beneficial to the local area. Jason was a guest on my show this week. Listen here.

It's still Clinton's fault?

I used to laugh during the Clinton years at how many problems were "Clinton's fault", according to right wingers. It might have been a poorly-cooked steak in a restaurant, but some of the right-wing-haters it was always CLINTON'S fault. They despised the man.

This weekend while surfing some websites, I came upon a right-wing sponsored opinion poll. (I enjoy taking these polls and answering with my left wing spin because I know it confound the poll makers who expect full-throated right-wing support). But I had to laugh at the first question:

Vote today!
1)	Who is most to blame for America’s current economic crisis?
	Clinton Administration and the Democrats in Congress The Bush Administration Wall Street Banks and sub-prime lenders Real estate and mortgage professionals Investors Home buyers >

It's been 17 year since Bill Clinton was elected to office, but he still lingers in the mind of the right-wingers.

Should we tell them it's OBAMA's administration now??

Bloggers On The Bus

The rise of the "liberal blogosphere" has been an amazing phenomenon to watch. In the early days of the "Take Back America" conferences (which I broadast from each year) there were almost NO bloggers, then a few, and now they are a major force In 2000, the "liberal blogosphere" didn't exist, but within a few years, a few stalwart souls began taking their progressive points of view on-line and from there it grew to a cause, a movement, a political power, and to a major industry today. Eric Boehlert works at Media Matters and has written a new book called Bloggers On The Bus. An entertaining read through the creation of this influential force. He gets into a lot of great personal stories and some of the behind-the-scenes conflict in the world of liberal bloggers. I chatted with him on The Morning Show this week.

Remember you can order this book--and any others by guests you hear on the show by clicking on their book on the WVLY ON-LINE BOOK STORE.

Pannsylvania Congesswoman Allyson Schwartz and I discussed health care on the show on Wednesday.

Tuesday I talked with free market economist Thomas E. Woods. Expected a dry economic dissertation, but actually found him engaging..

Woods new bestseller Meltdown: a Free-market Look At Why The Stock Market Collapsed, The Economy Tanked and Government Bailouts Will Make Things Worse can be purchased through Amazon directly from the WVLY ON-LINE STORE. (click the link or see the box in the left-hand column of this page.

Is the future in the past?

USA Today today talks about plans to run super hero comics every Wednesday in their paper. It's a limited run,  and really more a promotion than an editorial change. But got me thinking....can the future of newspapers be in the things that made it so successful in the past? Not just more comics (serialized storylines and color, of course) but a return to the days of great local columnists? Newspapers used to be defined by their writers: Mike Royko, Jimmy Breslin, locally it was the late, great Don Daniels. When I was a younger man, I could hardly wait for the PM paper to hit the streets to read Don Daniels. Does it make sense for the papers to return to the days of "personal journalism"--writers wh can craft a piece on the page with a distinctive attitude and style that reflects not just th journalist, but also the town?

Monday on The Morning Show

Bus board member Charlie Ballouz rode the first bus to the Highlands this morning and then called in with a report. 8 Passengers on the 8:15 run from the Capitol Theatre to the Highlands. Charlie says they ranged from a 7th grader to several senior citizens. This expansion has been needed. I hope it works.

Hoppy Kercheval is back from vacation. He and I kicked around last week's US SupCo ruling involving WV SupCo Chief Justice Brent Benjamin.

A second undercover sting in Wheeling designed to catch "johns" looking for hookers. I was wondering out loud whether "johns" are really a nuisance in the Friendly City, but Wheeling councilman Don Atkinson quickly called me to say he sees cars circling the blocks a lot at night--obviously looking for ladies--and it IS a problem.

Victoria Jones and I talked about last night's 2nd season premier of the HBO vampire series, True Blood. I just LOVE it. But if you want to check it out (if you have HBO) be advised...nudity, aggressive sex, gore and violence abound. Even the opening credits are superb.