Hard to know what to make of this piece by Eliott C. McLaughlin — except, of course, that it pretty much sums up the state of journalistic thinking in the MSM these days, which includes a reflexive disdain for constitutional principles it disagrees with while trying to be “fair and balanced.”
Experts: Angry rhetoric protected, but can be disturbing
Here’s how it begins:
Letting disgruntled citizens vent is important to national security, experts say, but some messages emanating from angry Americans in recent weeks have pressed the boundaries of free speech.
Important to national security? Free speech is important for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is that, since John Milton’s Areopagitica essay, it has been the basis of all the liberties of modern democracy. And what, exactly, are the “boundaries of free speech” in a society whose Constitution states, in the First Amendment, that “Congress shall make no law.. abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press…”
Politicians have reported slurs as well as threatening letters and phone calls. Congressmen have reported vandalism to their offices. One said he was spit on. Another said his brother’s gas line was cut after a Tea Party member posted his address online.
Tea Party leaders denounce the threats and deny involvement, pointing to fringe elements — not Tea Party members, per se, but groups with degrees of overlapping ideologies.
But the angry rhetoric is not isolated to fringe groups. Both mainstream liberal and conservative camps have joined the chorus, and while some of the language sounds threatening, most of it is protected.
You’d think an organization such as CNN — which is trying desperately to reposition itself as a middle-ground alternative to the open partisanship, whether real or perceived, of Fox News and MSNBC — might think twice before trotting out the usual tiresome and, in the “spitting” case, debunked leftist talking points.
It continues:
As the Tea Party held its April 15 tax day protest against government spending, related groups were planning an April 19 protest at Fort Hunt National Park near Alexandria, Virginia. The purpose of the latter, the groups say, is to “restore the Constitution,” and the location was chosen because it is the nearest point to Washington where firearms can be carried openly.
Here, CNN raises the fearsome specter of an armed rabble, a latter-day Whisky Rebellion, just across the Potomac from the nation’s capital, when in fact it’s a group of citizens exercising their Second Amendment constitutional rights in complete accord with the laws of the state of Virginia. You can certainly take issue with the protest’s high-stakes symbolism — and any outbreak of violence would be disastrous — but not with its legality. Maybe CNN should get out more, and take a look at some other states that permit open carrying of firearms — you know, redneck, racist places inhabited by wingnuts and troglodytes, such as…
After backing away from the now-discredited Frank Rich talking point that the Tea Partiers are a powderkeg just awaiting a match, McLaughlin quotes a First Amendment scholar:
“When you drive dissent underground, it’s bound to bubble up somewhere, usually with violence,” said Robert Richards, a founding director for Penn State University’s Pennsylvania Center for the First Amendment.
The 1950s brought us McCarthyism, the 1960s brought civil rights, and the 1970s delivered the Vietnam War — all issues that stoked anger and protest in the United States. During those same eras, Richards said, the Supreme Court was tackling a slew of cases that defended the rights of people and the press to criticize the government.
Today, after decades of relatively unfettered free speech, you still see anger and demonstrations, but the violent element is not nearly as constant.
“There’s less reason to erupt in some type of violence because you can get your message out there in other ways, other more appropriate ways,” Richards said.
Left unremarked is where the violence came from back in those halcyon days of civil-rights and Vietnam-era protest:
Dr. Jerrold Post, a George Washington University political psychology professor who spent 21 years with the CIA, said that in nations where free speech is snuffed, such as Yemen and Pakistan, domestic terrorism is more prevalent.
“Free speech relieves the pressure of discontent in some ways,” said Post, who founded the CIA’s Center for the Analysis of Personality and Political Behavior.
So… free speech is a good thing, right? Not so fast –
Post said he is concerned, however, about messages coming from the conservative base. Last month, GOP chief Michael Steele called for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to be put on “the firing line,” and House Minority Leader John Boehner said that a congressman “might be a dead man” because of his health care vote.
“I find some of this rhetoric recently — ‘reload’ — quite scary,” Post said of a Twitter post by Sarah Palin directing followers to her Facebook page, which had crosshairs on the districts of 20 congressmen who voted for the controversial health care bill. “Some people are going to hear that as, ‘Take up your arms.””
Of course, that’s only when Republicans do it. When Democrats do it… not so much.
McLaughlin’s pieces rambles on at endless length, backing and forthing in an old-school sort of way, trying to be “balanced” while winking every now and then to let the reader know we’re all on the side of the angels here. To his credit, he makes the point that there is a difference between abstract speech and actual violence, and that there’s a tricky legal line of demarcation between them at times, as exemplified by the Hal Turner case.
Still, the last words are given to Dr. Post, who does his best to channel Frank Rich:
Post speculated that today’s anger stems from a feeling of “groundlessness.” The face of politics is changing, whether it’s a black president, female secretary of state or gay, Jewish liberal as one of the most visible figures in Congress. Priorities are changing, too, as gay marriage, immigration, health care and drug legalization are among the most heated debates of late…
America has blamed Reds, Islamists, illegal immigrants and the “axis of evil.” The left has blamed the right. The right has blamed the left. Today, the Tea Party’s “them” is a perceived “soft center in Washington who doesn’t understand,” Post said, and it helps to have “an external target to blame.”
“It makes sense of the senseless in his life,” Post said. “There is a deep-seated need in human psychology for enemies. We define ourselves by what they are not. We end where they begin.”
In other words: whatever. Your attempts to make sense of this senselessness welcome here.
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81 Comments
"Letting disgruntled citizens vent is important to national security, experts say"
–Thanks "experts", for "letting" us vent. Kind of you.
"The face of politics is changing, whether it’s a black president, female secretary of state or gay, Jewish liberal as one of the most visible figures in Congress. "
–In other words, it's those angry white male homophobe anti-semite racists again, the biggest threat to the country. Maybe if we didn't have a massive federal bureaucracy acting as puppet master in their big social engineering project, we wouldn't have as many people complaining. Get out of our lives.
Eliott C. McLaughlin- Stupid and never to be read again. No one could ever make sense of his senseless nonsense.
What incoherent, one-sided twaddle (from CNN, not you) this is.
CNN there is an old saying, "A fox smells its own hole first" and you got you nose way up your butt!!
Unfortunately the left will always give themselves permission to step over the line in the matters of free speech, vandalizing, and beating folks up that they disagree with….but God forbid a Conservative say anything, even when it is without vitriol, evil, and slander, against their side. The Progs are the biggest hypocrites this world has ever seen. To them a Conservatism "should be seen and not heard…"
“I find some of this rhetoric recently — ‘reload’ — quite scary,” Post said of a Twitter post by Sarah Palin directing followers to her Facebook page, which had crosshairs on the districts of 20 congressmen who voted for the controversial health care bill. “Some people are going to hear that as, ‘Take up your arms.””
And some people are going to hear "Scooby Dooby Doo" as "Take Up Your Arms", too. If we must curb free speech in order to placate violent kooks, then what good is free speech at all? Might as well just cross it out of the Living Breathing Constitution.
Here is my translation: "Free speech is just one of the tools we can use to keep our inferiors from getting angry over things they cannot understand. But, as a tool, it has its risks."
Just what experts say that? when did they say that? — Katie Couric says that crap all the time, and her experts turn out to be anchors of their morning show.
It takes a liberal, union protest to be arrested and hauled off, in the name of protected free speech. (Queue Glover, Stern and friends) It takes a tea party to protest peacefully, with no violence and no arrests, while being spat upon, by the media, with the saliva of innuendo.
There's an increasing sense I get that there is a narrative building by the administration and the MSM for censorship and tightened control of the media, and I anticipate some sort of manufactured trigger for it to occur.
The MSM is the treason media, and the more I see of them lately (which is rare) the more angry I get at their audacity and arrogance. They seek $60 billion per year bail outs from taxpayers and Obama owns them, because he is the only one who do it to save them.
.
they only talk about removing free speech when dem's are in office. i remember when monika's oral mouth massager had to tell members of the millitary, they couldn't make jokes about him, since he was commander in chief. hillary was saying to speak out is amercan when bush was in office, but today it is dangerous to let disgruntled people speak out.
CNN is nowhere near left-wing otherwise they would have broadcast news that Congress filed articles of impeachment against Bush. In fact, CNN was scrubbing news critical of Bush for years, taking hot stories like the Downing St memos and the torture scandal right off the wire and putting them in the trash.
CNN is biased towards money, ratings and market share. They might seem liberal compared to Fox who intentionally lost money to promote political messaging, but they are only catering to the Dems because they have more power right now. This would change the moment the GOP took over.
As to the article, it was interesting for one question. What would you say to a mailing to convicted rapists that included the addresses of single women living alone? Surely free speech sometimes has limits and butts heads with common sense
In this way, they are saying the right wing pundits are using words that incite Tea Partiers to cross legal lines like cutting cables or making threats of bodily harm. I disagree though – I see the TP movement as healthy for the national dialogue and I am just waiting for the day they get more into policy details instead of repeating the stuff put out for them by pundits or lobbying groups like Freedom Works.
Was it just me or did anyone else think it was wrong to make and show a movie about murdering President Bush "AS" he was still the sitting President? What would they say if a movie came out next week on assinating Obowma? Nevery Mind no need to reply, we all know what would happen.
They never get the point. And some of the talking heads and pundits on Fox are not much better. Among the main complaints I hear from Tea Party members are:
1)Of course taxes but HOW they were used both in the past and how the present administration ADVERTISED they would raise taxes on SMALL BUSINESS.
2)GROWTH of government and size of new bureaucratic agencies.
3)The OVERREACH of government into every citizen’s life through administrative procedures and BYPASSING congress.
4)OBAMACARE is socialism and was rammed down our throat.
5)CAP AND TAX will destroy the middle class and a great many small businesses.
6)The TAKEOVER of private business and the CANCELLATION of contracts that were once guaranteed in the constitution.
7)The outright FAVORITISM of unions, not union members but UNIONS over private enterprise and private citizens.
8)The administration’s FOREIGN POLICY and the president’s constant demeaning the US, and his bows to foreign dignitaries, and the fact that he does not salute the flag.
Don't forget the continual insults and condescension.
CNN is leftist to the marrow and "wink and nod" pieces like this aimed at "repositioning" CNN to the middle are a waste of time, and are mere window dressing.
The fact of the matter is that they've sunk to an embarrassingly low point ratings wise and can't seem to recove from the "flat spin" they're in.
Stalin once said during WWII that "Lenin gave us the Soviet Union, and we f–ked it up"
Ted "I own Montana" Turner gave CNN a shiny new business model back in the day and over the years they became complacent and have, indeed – f'ed it up.
Ya, sure. Here's are the "policy detail" for the Tea Party you seek.
STOP SPENDING TAX $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ WE DON'T HAVE.
STOP SPENDING our children's and grandchildren's TAX $$$$$$$$$.
STOP SPENDING tax $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ like a drunken sailor OBAMA.
STOP SPENDING tax $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ like a bunch of morons Demoncrat Congress.
There, "policy ideas". How's that?
There now appear to be two truisms that apply to the party of the Democrat:
1) Accusations of Racism are the Last Refuge of Scoundrels and the Unoriginal, and nearly every single liberal is running for this cover.
2) Having suddenly figured out that Freedom of Speech is only good if you all speak socialisti, the Democat will do anything to demean it. In other words, now that the state organs of media have been broken by the internet, all the petty Hauptbahnfurhrers of the left are panicked that their false narrative is crumbling.
Therefore, now that it is becomming obvious that the emperor is nude, the left is reduced to name calling. Though crowded with Rhodes scholars, the left is so bereft of new ideas it is actually sad.
Best,
Lazy Jack
http://thanksforthelaughs.wordpress.com/2010/01/1... http://www.thanksforthelaughs.wordpress.com
They never get the point. And some of the talking heads and pundits on Fox are not much better. Among the main complaints I hear from Tea Party members are:
1)Of course taxes but HOW they were used both in the past and how the present administration ADVERTISED they would raise taxes on SMALL BUSINESS.
2)GROWTH of government and size of new bureaucratic agencies.
3)The OVERREACH of government into every citizen’s life through administrative procedures and BYPASSING congress.
4)OBAMACARE is socialism and was rammed down our throat.
5)CAP AND TAX will destroy the middle class and a great many small businesses.
6)The TAKEOVER of private business and the CANCELLATION of contracts that were once guaranteed in the constitution.
7)The outright FAVORITISM of unions, not union members but UNIONS over private enterprise and private citizens.
8)The administration’s FOREIGN POLICY and the president’s constant demeaning the US, and his bows to foreign dignitaries, and the fact that he does not salute the flag.
I guess by policy "details" you mean going along with whatever Obama says and prostrating ourselves before him so that we can work out the "details". Right. That's exactly the thing with you liberals and pragmatists, you act like there's no one right answer. You say we should have open debates and open minds, but when someone says something that doesn't agree with what you believe you don't even have to blink before someone on the left is calling our ideas hateful, stupid, or unsubstantial.
Either grow a pair and tell us that we are wrong and then tell us why, or stop telling us that our ideas are handed to us from on high because I assure you that your ideas are not completely free of any outside influence. If we agree with someone on talk radio, so be it. If you agree with some loser sociology professor, good for you.
Nothing was too over-the-top or inappropriate when the left was protesting the Iraq War. Not a Democratic Congressman announcing on the House floor that George Bush sent men and women to Iraq to "get their heads shot off for his personal amusement." Not liberal entertainers and commentators wishing for Dick Cheney's heart to fail. And not Rep. John Murtha accusing our troops of unspeakable crimes and Sen. John Kerry claiming only uneducated losers "get stuck in Iraq." Today, Bill Clinton cautioned Tea Partiers to speak with caution because "words matter" and heated rhetoric incites domestic terrorists like Timothy McVeigh to do terrible things. I don't recall Mr. Clinton providing similar cautions to the folks on his side when they were the ones doing all the talking.
"If they bring a knife, we'll bring a gun."
-Barack Obama
Hmmmm……How about, "If they bring a knife, you bring a gun"? I don't suppose anyone would hear that as 'Take up your arms", would they? 'Course not.
Did he find this "quite scary", when it came from the mouth of "The One"? Somehow, I think not. But then, we have all learned to disregard what comes out of that one's mouth, no matter how "clear" he tries to be.
This "poicy issues" tack is the same one they're leveling at Palin and every other conservative they hate. It's a circular way to say "You conservatives are stupid" a narrative left over from, what – the 60's, 70's? It's still as baseless and vapid as it was then.
As the oposition being AGAINST the party in power, and against these "loony tunes" that's the EASY PART.
In essence, that is the "policy idea" – tear down what they are doing, oppose their policies and crap like the healthcare "law" and if they like it, almost ALWAYS – oppose it.
True. As for the "Weather Underground" our "president" has a buddy and "ghost writer" that's an ex W.U. leader.
He's mainstreaming them.
Words matter. Only if they are liberal/conservative words. Truth matters. And discourse are the words you hear. Discourse must be heard and must be allowed. Do not fear those who speak. Fear those who fail to listen. Ask yourself if the representatives you have elected hear your speech. When we are no longer heard, the words will become action. History will never lie. Every once in a time, action replaces listening because there is change in the air. And change is the mechanism which has become the replacement for listening. It seems as if we are in the process of not listening and taking action because change is in the air. Can you hear what is coming? Listen.
Push back, somoene pays CNN's bills let them know how you feel. You don't have to compain on Brietbart daily when you could call CNN advertisers and let them know you won't spend money to support liars.
Why can't we do both?
"CNN is nowhere near left-wing otherwise they would have broadcast news that Congress filed articles of impeachment against Bush."
The founder of CNN married to Hanoi Jane, don't let little things like FACTS confuse you.
I have an idea. Let's ask Bill Ayers what he thinks!
But then I would have to watch CNN in order to find out who their advertisers are.
yup. I don't buy it for a second. The MSM is eaten up with liberal cancer. It'll take a few generations of failure before they "get it".
The MSM isn't handling being "in power" (through the proxy of a ultra-liberal president) very well. I supect they'll rebound after conservatives recapture the House and Senate and they can get back in their comfort zone of being vitriolic and ridiculous by pandering to college sophomore art students who's hard news is gleaned from the "Daily Show" and Letterman.
He's teaching "Bomb Making 3101" at University Illinois – Chicago. His e-mail is Leftistpigterrorist@psycholliberal.com
They're afraid.
That is very, very good.
It's good, because it is bullshit fear.
They are not actually afraid of the "potential for violence".
They are afraid for their political lives, and everybody knows it.
As Jefferson wrote, When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.
So……
BOOOOOO!!!!, mother f*****s!
Excellent point.
Says it all, really.
Was it just me or did anyone else think it was wrong to make and show a movie about murdering President Bush "AS" he was still the sitting President? What would they say if a movie came out next week on assinating Obowma? Nevery Mind no need to reply, we all know what would happen.
These clown didn't give two shi*s! about protesting in the 60's and 70's and all the violence that stirred up, and now suddenly they care? Where were they when SDS, Simbonese Liberation Army, Weather Underground, Black Panthers, as well as Chicago 8 were killing people most especially cops?
Could it be they are afraid now because the tea parties are aimed at liberalism and the radical left?
I just don't see me falling for this "unbiased" CNN reinvention bull. During the '08 primaries if you watched CNN you wouldn't even know there was a GOP candidate. Anyone who has ever watched CNN knows it tilts WAY to the left. But I suppose there are the intellegence-challenged out there who will lap up this drivel and regurgitate it to anyone who will listen. I hate stupid people.
Lolo: Yes, the "radicals" of the 60s and 70's get a free pass. Bill Ayers, Bobby Seal, Tom Hayden, that whole gang — all saints for socialism, they're off-limits, excused from judgment. After watching the Chcago video above, you can see how hypocrital the MSM has always been. You see in the video how it was Hayden who chose to ratchet up the conflict in typical Alinsky manner: force the "pigs," or the establishment, to respond with nightsticks against a threatening mob (which could very well have stormed into the hotel and the convention, but was stopped by the cops). That way, the cops look bad, the mob, an innocent victim "peacefully" demonstrating. Compare any 60's or 70's "radical" demonstration with any Tea Party, and the difference is outstanding. What's the MSM and Obama's conception of a "non-violent," non-provocative Tea Party? The participants doing the conga, quietly?
Lolo: Yes, the "radicals" of the 60s and 70's get a free pass. Bill Ayers, Bobby Seal, Tom Hayden, that whole gang — all saints for socialism, they're off-limits, excused from judgment. After watching the Chicago video above, you can see how hypocritical the MSM has always been. You see in the video how it was Hayden who chose to ratchet up the conflict in typical Alinsky manner: force the "pigs," or the establishment, to respond with nightsticks against a threatening mob (which could very well have stormed into the hotel and the convention, but was stopped by the cops). That way, the cops look bad, the mob, an innocent victim "peacefully" demonstrating. Compare any 60's or 70's "radical" demonstration with any Tea Party, and the difference is outstanding. What's the MSM and Obama's conception of a "non-violent," non-provocative Tea Party? The participants doing the conga, quietly?
Be afraid, very afraid if this type of reasoning made by Bill Clinton and others is allowed to go uncallenged. Anyone here remember the Sedition Act? It was the low point of the John Adams Presidency. The Sedition Act was used to quell opposition to the Party in power. The same thing is being touted by Bill Clinton with his reasoning. He hasnot gone all the way yet but he and others are laying the foundation so when the Federal Govt does do something it will appear reasonable. There is never a reasonable argument that blocks a citizens right to Free Speech and activities that allow these same citizens a method to make public thier grievances.
In order for the Govt. to take this "REASONABLE?" action all of us lose and surrender or rights.
You are delusional. There was no torture scandal, if by "torture" you mean 1) things that actually occurred and 2) something other than putting panties on a guy's head. FOX doesn't intentionally lose money. If you think the tea parties are controlled by outsiders, that's because that's the way you view all groups, but especially minorities. Only the left has a need for "civil rights leaders".
Spoken like a real South-sider.
Bill Ayers the weenie anarchist who called the cops when a FoxNews reporter wanted to interview him about his associations with Barack Obama?
What kind of a self-respecting anarchist CALLS THE COPS???
How would CNN know? – they lie to the American people and suck up to the Obama administration continuously. They practice cheap speech, not free speech.
CNN is part of the 5th column and should be removed and prosecuted as soon as real men take back control of the government.
If we really had "free" speech, CNN would be off the air. They are costing Americans their lives by spreading Obama's lies as if they were the truth.
Don't forget the marxiat mantra of "the ends justify the means" so often seen with Acorn and SEIU and perfectly practiced by our spending corruptocrats.
Dear Eliott C. McLaughlin:
We are just getting warmed up. If I was half the man I was before my little grenade juggling act I'd take a FLAMETHROWER to the CNN building.
Signed Al Pacino in Scent of a Woman.
FACT: Ted Turner sold CNN to the media megaconglomerate AOL/TimeWarner years ago. Before even Bush was elected, if I remember. FACT: CNN is run by it's corporate board today. FACT: Jane Fonda divorced Ted Turner.
Do you have proof that Turner is secretly running the company or are you using smear-by-association here?
So then you denounce Reagan and the Bushes who spent more than three times the money Carter and Clinton spent before Obama was even elected? I assume you knew this as students of tax policy and American history.
How come you give Reagan a pass? His trillions in spending was money we didn't have. Bush was worse, way worse because he destroyed the US economy before Obama was even sworn in. What a tool, right?
I say it's fair to criticize Obama for spending money we don't have, we agree! but where were you all for the past 30 years? Seems something is special about Obama that suddenly makes you interested in pay-go. Why so late to the party?
Not really James. I could agree with well reasoned arguments, but Palin either doesn't understand policy detail or is intentionally distorting it to sell Obama as worse than the Republicans who offered the same exact policies years ago. The health reform plan was a GOP plan during the Dole era, it's the same plan Scott Brown endorsed before he opposed it.
And if you are for fiscal responsibility, hcr will reduce the deficit and save us money over time because we are now paying even more for emergency-care visits for the uninsured. A healthy work force will make us more competitive. The death panel idea was also invented by a Republican.
So when I say let's get into policy details, it's because I see all the Tea Party people unable to explain what they are fighting against and why. Like 'keep the government out of my medicare', they contradict themselves and only seem to repeat Fox TV distortions without realizing that everyone must do their own independent research.
I love the idea of fiscal responsibility, that's what I've been fighting for long before Obama got elected. I write about Obama now, critical of too much spending. But I can't understand why Tea Partiers don't look to prosecute the crooks who have added trillions to the deficit during the 2000s through waste, fraud and mismanagement because the statute of limitations will run out if we don't act now. How come Tea Partiers want liberals to die but won't even do a simple accounting audit of Halliburton who ripped off American taxpayers over and over?
Why are you giving the Democrat Congress a pass? Why? Tip O'Neill declared EVERY Reagan budget D.O.A. (DEAD ON ARRIVAL) because they DIDN'T spend ENOUGH tax payer $$$$$ on "entitlements" and wasteful spending programs. Hence compromises that expanded spending.
Reagan's tax CUTS grew REVENUE to flowing into ter Treasury GREATLY but at every turn Tip, Teddy and the crew were ready to BLOW IT to buy votes.
You're missing the point. Liberal/Democrat/stupid voters don't understand or care about tax policy minutia – the WHOLE idea of protesting AGAINST this FOOL president is to undermine him, lower confidence in him and DEFEAT him. Pay-go is merely a red herring taxing mechanism. There is no will to cut soending.
Aside from the media saying it all exists, I have yet to see anywhere, any evidence what so ever! Just the media. And they all quote each other, and get a bunch of like minded to echo it, but never quote, investigate, or delve into the actual people they are talking about. Where is the voice of the accused? Where about their victims rights advocacy now?
Don’t ya just love that the libs can be, and have beeen, so violent, extreme, dangerous, and full of hate, etc? All throughout their history, (and even now are the only violent ones) yet we are told they are just Americans voicing their opinion(s). Well, you usually never even hear anything about it because it’s never newsworthy when they ARE violent.
You MUST take into account the entire picture not just the section that supports you part of the agenda. Congress under 40 years of Democrat Contol WASTED our tax $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ at every turn because they were BUYING votes with it.
As Demoncrats INTENTIONALLY DISTORT and LIE about the GOP, even a little truth about Democrats is damaging to them.
This is about capturing the middle ground. Majoritarian, winner take all politics works that way. The parties are soldified, it's the middle ground that is contested. Playing to them by POINTING out Obama lunatic speanding that is NOT BENEFITTING the middle ground is FAIR GAME.
"How come Tea Partiers want liberals to die " – explain this STUPID UNFOUNDED MORONIC statement.
Did Ted Turner found CNN?
Was Ted Turner married to Hanoi Jane?
You are insinuating what I originally stated is incorrect? where do you I say Turner is STILL running CNN?
Confused you with the FACTS ay libbie?, but what does a leftist history re-writer like you care?
You spout a collection of lesftist Democrat talking points, embrace them and try to convince us that they are you own and ignore ther facts.
It's a popular misconception to sell liberal as intelligent, when in fact college graduates are more likely to be conservatives and Republicans, but no matter – the Obama healthcare takeover CUTS MEDICADE BY 500 BILLION $$$$$$. FACT.
You don't "love the idea" of fiscal reponsibility or you would join in overthrowing this Obama Regime.
Right!
And I don't know why FoxNews legitimizes Al Sharpton by giving him contributor-status either.
As for #4, the un-Constitutionality of that bill is what rankles me, only a bit more so than the "Socialist" aspect. And for #7, I dislike how the President's administration is USING the unions to physically or verbally attack private citizens who peaceably exercise their free speech rights to disagree with the administration's policies.
“If you love security greater than liberty, the tranquility of servitude greater than the animating contest for freedom, go home from us in peace. We seek not your counsel, nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you; May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen.”—Samuel Adams (1722-1803)
The Tea Party is about ending the out of control spending. We don't have to defend the stupid past policies of Republicans because the goal is not to elect Republicans. The goal is to rein in spending.
We also don't have to defend the point in time at which a tipping point was reached. "Why now?" would make for some interesting research, but it is irrelevant to the issue.
Spending is out of control. Government intrusion is out of control. Gray haired women with teabags stapled to the brim of their straw hats is a bit startling as imagery for a popular revolt — but revolt it is. The revolution is happening. Join us!
After 8 agonizing years of George Bush, Jr., who wants to go back there? I wouldn't care if they threw him in jail and kept him there, but that was then and this is now. Two wrongs will never make a right. Why keep insisting it do so?
Rehashing Bush will do nothing to solve present problems.
Oh, and Bill Clinton is talking like the fascist he is.
James here is blaming speaker O'Neill as more powerful than the President. But Reagan signed the bill instead of vetoing it, and James is so naive as to think no deals were made?
So let's review. Reagan was pulled by the nose and forced to sign the bill (Exhibit A).
As we now know, GOP strategists knew debt-spending was the way to win elections, screwing our kids for later. David Stockman called it "starving the beast" of government by intentionally running deficits so Democrats would give up on health care or expanding Social Security.
Exhibit B- what did Reagan's Fed do? Alan Greenspan dropped interest rates and bought government bonds, producing a nice economic spike. Greenspan and Reagan then dramatically increased taxes on those making $38K by increasing SS/FICA, except the government used the cash as an election time float. Was this Tip O'Neill's devious plan? Was it the welfare recipients?
Exhibit C – follow the money. All the welfare double-dippers put together never came close to the enormity of the military budget under Reagan, more than all other nations in the world combined and largely on money borrowed from our unborn kids. So if we agree the welfare state was bad, why outdo that travesty with even worse debt-spending?
I submit to you we denounce all the wasteful spending, regardless of party. This way we can separate those who have solid patriotic American principles with those who just want their side to smash the other guys.
This video shows Tea Party protestors unabashedly saying liberals deserve to die.http://ezkool.com/?p=860
The housing meltdown story is quaint. Yes, Fannie and Freddie were corrupt in making personal riches for their CEOs and huge donations to both parties. But the CRA story just is false (and also designed to make minorities the scapegoat) – if you do your independent research, you can find that all the loans banks were "forced" to make came with a government requirement for verifying financials, something the banks chose not to do. At the same time, they made the same balloon loans to anyone dumb enough to sign, so the CRA numbers were LESS than the others.
Also, if the crisis happened because the government forced banks to lend to unqualified borrowers, then why not just repo the homes and get back the money? Answer – because the home values were inflated in the first place. The banks had already gotten their fees, repackaged the loans into MBS's and sold them to other suckers.
According the FBI, over 80% of the sub prime mortgages made in the crisis were made fraudulently, either intentionally failing to check financials or not doing the simple math that would show they were unsustainable. This was ILLEGAL acording to the CRA. So this represents a HUGE WHITE COLLAR CRIME WAVE, which Bush recognized and then disbanded the mortgage fraud task force trying to protect our economy.
Even still, the amounts involved only amounted to a portion of the dough involved in the collapse of the US economy in October 2008. Why not just use the first bailout (under Bush) to pay back the underwater portions of the loans? Because the credit default swaps taken out on the securities that contained these loans were bet on by thousands of banks, hedge funds and insurance companies all over the world and needed to be paid. The losers were about to swallow up every American's savings to pay this off, until the government stepped in – both Bush AND Obama.
Can you explain to me where you learned about the housing meltdown? I'd like to see your sources. Fannie/Freddie give most of their contributions to whichever party is in power, or likely to win. In 2006, it was the Republicans at 53%, but as you can see the contributions are almost even in any case. They want to make money for their stockholders, they don't really favor either party, both parties are filthy with the stench of their money, my friend. McCain did make a speech to reform the problem in 2005 so good on him. So why are they trying to primary him?
Babe Ruth was a pitcher for Boston. That is a true statement but means nothing in this conversation. What you said is correct, but has no bearing on this conversation.
He sold CNN and the Atlanta Hawks in 1995. He divorced Hanoi Jane in 2001. Here it is 2010 and you believe Turner is deciding what CNN covers on the nightly news. I know a line producer who worked for CNN during the Bush years. She told me they were not allowed to do any Bush stories on the air, especially after Katrina. They were depressing, and it hurt their merger applications.
So we agree suggesting their founder is secretly controlling them today is the workings of an imbecile. My question then is why did you bring him up? Do you believe CNN is biased? if so, why didn't they cover the impeachment filings?
"Dipped in Oil" LOL!!! that's GREAT! It would be waste of GOOD OIL though. CRA is not a fantasy, it was socila engineering by corrupt ignorant liberals. That situation continues. Wall Street gives to DEMOCREATS by a 75/25 % ratio for the last several election cycles. Obama the Fraud "smacks" in public and KISSES their ASSES in private.____The "Bush Bailout" was an agreement beween the out going administration and the in coming foolish administration to spilt the paasage between BOTH Adminiatration so characterizing it as the "Bush Bailout" isn't entirely accurate.____I read the WSJ and get accurate economic info from them, not spin and garbage from the NYT's.
You downplay the power of the Speaker, even a piece of shit like O'Neill? Thank GOD he's worm food like Teddy "Murderer" Kennedy. Massachusettes should be ashamed of the low garbage they send to Washington. Reagan made deals and signed budgets because the House would SHUT down the country.
Your second statement is mystifying. The party of WASTE, Democrats INVENTED DEFICIT SPENDING yet you call an election strategy? What?
Futhermore the debt was manageable and the deficit NON-EXISTANT by the mid 90's not thanks to that clown racist Clinton, but because of the disipline forced on him by the GOP Congress GIFT he gave American in Nov. 1994. It was the Congress that FORCED him to reign in welfare spending and balance the budget. That it woorked it's way back out of balance is bad, but not strictly a GOP issue as liberals been LYINMG about for 20 plus years now.
That the Democrats could even claim that they are the party of fiscal dicipline as LAUGHABLE and a terrible JOKE. LBJ BROKE the Treasury and the country with his 1965 "War on Poverty" which was actually the "War on White MiddleClass Americans". What a sham. Just reinslavement of minority voters in exchange for their votes. the DEmocrats are pimps, nothing more.
Reagans Fed inherited a MESS from Jimmy Carter, THE WORST PRESIDENT in modern times. Carter's ineptness made stagflation normal and interest rates were DOUBLE DIGITS for prime borrowers. Consumer rates were DOUBLE DIGIT skyhigh. Inflation was SKYHIGH double digits, and unemployment was skyhigh DOUBLE DIGITS.
People whine about this pussy Obama "inheriting a recession". Well boo f–king hoo.
U.S. military spending is constant at about 4 to 5% GDP. Democrat or Republican, it stays the same since the end of WWII.
Who gives a f–k what other countries spend on their militaries? Why should we care? We have a GIANT economy and spend about the same what other countries spend we just have a larger world presence and more obligations.
Only liberals quote the "spend more that all other countries combined" talking point. It's IRRELEVANT.
[...] Read the original: » Are There Limits to Free Speech and Other Constitutional … [...]
Gentle Readers,
#1: A Brick is thrown through the Michigan GOP office window
#2: Rep. Cantor (R) has a bullet shot through his window
#3: ' Crash the Tea Party ' deliberately infiltrates & disrupts Tea Party events
#4: Kenneth Gladney is brutally beaten up by SEIU thugs sent by OFA simply for displaying a Gadsen Flag
#5: A leftist nut job murders an IRS employee by flying his plane into an office building
#6: another leftist goes on a shooting spree at the Pentagon/ DC subway
#7: Republicans at the SRLC dinner are stalked, harassed & beaten
#8: Tea Party Express bus is egged
#9: The Tea Party is routinely & relentlessly slandered
CNN is right about the violence, but has it wrong about the underlying ideology. The political left are the ones who use violence against independents & conservatives.
#10: Pres. Clinton calls for restraint to prevent violence: Pres. Clinton is a liar. He knows full well where the violence originates.
Kindest Regards,
J Lepant Brighton CO
A man named Jim Adkisson is the evidence, he went to a church to kill liberals with a shotgun. His note said so. His bookshelf had O'Reilly, Hannity and Savage represented. O'Reilly was accused for egging on the Tiller Killer. I believe those guys may have toned it down since!
Liberals are capable of the same. In 1968 Wayne Kramer and the MC5 sang about revolution at the 68 Republican convention when riot police started busting heads. Punk rock may have been invented on that day.
You know what's funny about Bill Ayers? He was being tried for taking part in bombings meant to protest Nixon's abuse of US intelligence services for political gain and they had to let him go because they illegally wiretapped him. He went on to fight for needy kids his whole life, which is how he met Obama, I guess.
All this is true, but instead of saying Obama pals around with terrorists, I said it in a different framing. Tupac Shakur grew up in the belly of a woman who also bombed in protest of Nixon era crimes and kids all over America memorize his words today. Earl is right that we should give equal time to the 60s and 70s protest story today.
The first sentence of this thread "CNN is nowhere near left-wing otherwise they would have broadcast news that Congress filed articles of impeachment against Bush. " has everything to do with my original statement, what does that have to do with baseball? CNN was and is a left wing organization.
Show me where I stated Turner was in control, I stated he founded the network, nothing more, nothing less.
"Here it is 2010 and you believe Turner is deciding what CNN covers on the nightly news".
You know NOTHING of what i "believe". Quit twisting my words to fit your agenda. I do not "believe" CNN is biased, that is a FACT.
Anderson Cooper is "middle of the road" alluding to Tea Party as tea baggers? He is their main representative and if you "believe" that is not biased, you are delusional if you "believe" otherwise.
Who wanted to impeach Bush? Kucinich? John Conyers? Michael Moore? All fine middle of the road representatives, aren't they?
Read your own words: "Here it is 2010 and you believe Turner is deciding what CNN covers on the nightly news." "So we agree suggesting their founder is secretly controlling them today is the workings of an imbecile."
I agree with the left on nothing, facts to them are nothing if they do not fit their agenda.
Go twist someone else's words.
[...] » Are There Limits to Free Speech and Other Constitutional Principles? Ask CNN – Big Jou… [...]
Jamesb said: "Wall Street gives to DEMOCREATS by a 75/25 % ratio for the last several election cycles. Obama the Fraud "smacks" in public and KISSES their ASSES in private. "
THIS I agree with – ironically, the Obama campaign had over a million average everyday citizen donors trying to send a message to all business-as-usual politicians. But after Obama won, he grated favors to big financial institutions.
James believes it's because he cut a deal to agree to follow what Bush was doing, but I think it was because the banks held America's savings hostage, the devil in one of Obama's ears, while Rahm Emanuel played the 'angel' in his other ear, also telling him to cut the deal so Congressional Dems would start to see the Wall St. contributions instead of the Republicans.
A year later, Obama is seeing the outrage, right and left. You would think the Tea Party would be happy to reform banking, but it's like they don't want Obama to do it, they want a Republican to do it. Meanwhile, to get elected, a Republican would have to take millions from Wall Street.
Ya, tru about the small donors and the "money bombs" Obama's machine had working. That was very smart and effective. As you point out Main Street is feeling a little left out of the party about now with 10% unemployment and general malaise setting in -except on Wall Street. The market is doing well, and that's good for the country in general. I just don't think Joe and Jill Sixpack are feeling the effects of a strenghening market – yet.
True about Obama tapping into millins of small donors, very effective use of the internet and new media. Very innovative, I give his team due credit, and yes BOTH parties will be chasing Wall Street $$$$, that's a traditional GOP fund raising goldmine.
The TARP deal was worked out by both out going and in coming administrations and altough I don't agree with hoew it was handled it was a bi-partisan mistake. I don't smack Obama for TARP too much and some of that money is actually being paid back.
"The 1950s brought us McCarthyism, the 1960s brought civil rights, and the 1970s delivered the Vietnam War — all issues that stoked anger and protest in the United States. "
I can't remember who, other than communists, were driven underground during the 1950's. That said, civil rights and Vietnam were vital issues touching the core of American politics and society. So is the present run-away Federal Government. This essay validates the entire Tea Party movement.
CNN has been losing the ratings battle for years. They will always have enough viewers and sponsors to get by. Politics trumps money there. Economic action will not change them, at least when the difference is critical. No coincidence that MSM is starting to cover Tea Party events more and has even soften the rhetoric a little now that ObamaCare is past. This will continue until the November elections when the Tea Party will morph into all that is evil once again – unless it damages Republicans by fostering independent candidates.
wow, walsh, no wonder they toss your tail out of mainstrem news organizations. just went and read the piece, which states a case far different from yours says. convenient how you skipped every point that provide the balance you lied and said was missing. they even have a violent leftist cited in the story to prove the point that both sides are rasin hell. i cant believe you and your idiots didnt assume like the rest of us that the left was behing the vietnam war violence and mccarty protests. geez, you really mislead your audience. and they really eat up mis-information. I guess hacks will be hacks.
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