I don't have any larger point, just wanted to say that.

:-)

-CW

But I calls 'em as I sees 'em and when he is right, he is right...

""Talking Points" does not justify bad behavior by pointing to other bad behavior. I don't like insulting rhetoric at town hall meetings. People should be able to state their case without personal attacks, and I suggest all Americans bring some civility to the debate. However, organized protest is not un-American, and the left is now getting a big taste of its own medicine.

Again, it is impossible to know what emotions are spontaneous and what are contrived, but if you want to know the truth about heath care, polling tells the tale. Most Americans now believe President Obama's health care vision is not good for them, and all the spin in the world will not disprove that fact.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,537982,00.html

Michale.....

"A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky dangerous animals and you know it!"
-Tommy Lee Jones, MEN IN BLACK

:D

Michale.......

For me, this is so not a partisan issue. In my view, the media is neither biased toward being liberal or conservative. The vast majority of the media and blogosphere is inept and incompetent and couldn't understand a complicated issue if their own lives depended on it.

As for the intelligence of the people...don't get me started!

You ask which 'faction' of the media has 'misled' the public...

You can't possibly be serious! I think you missed my point.

First off, no 'faction' of the media has 'misled' the public...that would give the lot of them too much credit.

As I wrote above, ALL parts of the media are responsible for MISINFORMING

What convenient amnesia ya'all have.. It's groups like MoveOn and CodePink that PERFECTED this kind of outrageous and aggressive behavior.

And now that the GOP is using the same tactics, ya'all are crying and whining in yer Cheerios...

If ya'all don't like this kind of behavior, ya'all should have condemned it back when the Hysterical Left was rife with it..

Ya'all made yer bed, now ya get to lie in it..

And I, for one, is laughed me arse off... :D

Michale.....

It's interesting how the media is changing. It used to be that people would buy newspapers or watch TV to find out about the latest events.

I think the Internet is now where many people go for this information. Why wait for TV or the news?

So ad revenues are down.

And free ads on Craigslist/Ebay have taken away another major source of revenue.

Because of these changes, mainstream media is looking for new sources of money and ways to cut costs. I wonder if they see this ideological fight as a new business model- similar to what happened w/ AM radio.

Content is cheap- it's some talking head saying whatever they feel like. No need for research or investigative reporting.

It generates interest- whether you agree or disagree.

And it generates ads from either corporations or advocacy groups wanting airtime for their opinions.

If it isn't there already, the next step would be to allow groups to directly fund content. Why put out content that you have to pay for, when you can air content that someone is paying you to air?

Not saying that any of this is good as an objective media is a cornerstone of a democracy. But it seems to be the direction the mainstream media is headed in.

- David

It has been my very limited experience that people may very well be just "pissed" but that a large portion of this visceral reaction to much of what the Obama administration is doing - particularly on the economic front - is based on simple ignorance and misinformation which I blame entirely on the ineptitude and incompetence of the vast majority of the media - all parts of it.

http://www.breitbart.tv/house-majority-leader-argues-with-democrat-tea-party-protester-during-news-conference/

Michale

"I couldn't have put it better myself.."

That's just evidence that I am always right. ;)

These people care not what others think or want or need. They are intent on getting their way. They are also the most easily manipulated. They are not Americans in any real sense of that title.

I couldn't have put it better myself..

As I said, it's a sorry tactic no matter WHICH side of the political spectrum uses it...

Michale....

I covered "fair and balanced" as part of one chapter in my book. Balanced is not necessarily fair and is frequently antithetical to both fair and true. For reasons of space I won't describe a bunch of applicable illustrations here but you are welcome to come up with your own. It's easy.

As for the yelling, nypoet22 is correct that the Nazis used that tactic. It definitely has the potential to be dangerous. It is used by people who fail to understand, appreciate or support democracy, something that most Americans consider a fundamental aspect of what America is.

These people care not what others think or want or need. They are intent on getting their way. They are also the most easily manipulated. They are not Americans in any real sense of that title.

If everyone agreed, we should not need elections. We could just appoint anyone at random. Democracy addresses the fact that people disagree. If two people disagree, one or both must be wrong. Democracy is an admission that one may be wrong. Democracy gives us the right to be wrong. That is obviously too nuanced for these regressives to comprehend.

Recognition that you may be wrong should bring restraint in public discourse. The fact that these people are so convinced of their own infallibilty that they feel they have the right to stop others from expressing themselves, is evidence that they believe in dictatorship, as long as the dictator agrees with them.

I posted the "tea party" instructions along with some video of the event here if you're interested:

http://thereckoner.com/?p=146

Our rep, Congressman Driehaus, did a good job of not getting rattled and making his case. It helped that they set the tone for a civil debate at the start.

Honestly, I don't think the teabagging interruptions helped the Republican cause.

What may help their cause, however, is the way our local paper shaped the article. They didn't focus on the tea party folks. Instead, it was more subtly biased.

All they presented was the Democratic plan and then the harm the Republicans said it would do. No potential benefits like insuring 30 million Americans, reducing the costs on small business, etc. Nothing.

So when you read the article, you read about the policy and then the harm.

I have a very polite letter in to the writer and will keep you posted if I get a response.

Great topically post, Chris!
- David

It's as annoying when the GOP does it as it was when the Hysterical Left did it.

However, the Democrats run a real risk in trying to label those that shout out as "kooks" or "fringe".

That is what the GOP did to the Hysterical Left and it probably cost them elections and the White House.

nypoet22

"What's good for the goose is NOBODY'S business but the ganders."
-Mr Furley, THREES COMPANY

In other words, it was the Left who originated the tactic. Therefore it is somewhat hypocritical for those on the Left to castigate those on the Right for doing the same thing.

Wouldn't you agree??

Michale.....

...Stan