Right Wing Noise Machine
The more I think about the lunatic right, the more I am reminded of Shakespeare’s immortal words, “it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing”. Let’s remember on his best night Glenn Beck attracts 3 million viewers. If that were the audience for a prime time drama on Fox, it would be cancelled. More importantly, for all the noise of the August Town Meetings, not a lot has changed in terms of public perception of Health Care Reform.
But even after weeks filled with seemingly ominous portents for Mr. Obama’s ambitions, there is evidence that public opinion remains basically supportive of him. Despite intense controversy over the “public option,” a government-backed insurance plan that would compete with the private sector, a CBS poll at the end of August found that 60 percent of Americans still support the idea, down from 66 percent in July. And half the respondents to the poll said Mr. Obama had better ideas on health care than Republicans, down from 55 percent.
Ultimately, Beck and Limbaugh are playing the “Long Tail” game–making money from a small fanatic niche audience. As Tom Friedman points out this morning, (and I suggested yesterday) the Tea-Baggers and the Republicans in general are really confused.
The G.O.P. used to be the party of business. Well, to compete and win in a globalized world, no one needs the burden of health insurance shifted from business to government more than American business. No one needs immigration reform — so the world’s best brainpower can come here without restrictions — more than American business. No one needs a push for clean-tech — the world’s next great global manufacturing industry — more than American business. Yet the G.O.P. today resists national health care, immigration reform and wants to just drill, baby, drill.
“Globalization has neutered the Republican Party, leaving it to represent not the have-nots of the recession but the have-nots of globalized America, the people who have been left behind either in reality or in their fears,” said Edward Goldberg, a global trade consultant who teaches at Baruch College. “The need to compete in a globalized world has forced the meritocracy, the multinational corporate manager, the eastern financier and the technology entrepreneur to reconsider what the Republican Party has to offer. In principle, they have left the party, leaving behind not a pragmatic coalition but a group of ideological naysayers.”
It’s time for President Obama to go back into his campaign fighting mode. The Murdoch and Clear Channel propaganda machines can still make money playing to the Black Helicopter crowd, but that doesn’t mean we need to pay any attention to what they are saying from a public policy perspective.
Tom Friedman as a source? Tsk tsk
Tom Friedman as a source? Tsk tsk
Tom Friedman as a source? Tsk tsk
Tom Friedman as a source? Tsk tsk
If Tom “wind sock” Friedman is talking down the party-formerly-known-as-Republican then we can be confident public opinion is moving our way. Nobody in the mass media better captures (ie. slavishly follows) the medial mind than Friedman.
I’d have thought the advantages to business of a public health insurance system that liberated them from managing health benefits would be so obvious even American MBA’s could see it. But just as an MBA is an expensive way to buy an elite social network, once in that elite social network one mustn’t be disloyal to class allies like the good folks running our private health insurance companies.
Sorry, that’s perhaps a gratuitous slap at the literal-minded ‘show-me-da-money’ American business culture, but we sure could use a little more brain-wattage from the Republican party. I think even the average corporate Republican MBA type would be a large step up from the Beck-enstein monster.
If Tom “wind sock” Friedman is talking down the party-formerly-known-as-Republican then we can be confident public opinion is moving our way. Nobody in the mass media better captures (ie. slavishly follows) the medial mind than Friedman.
I’d have thought the advantages to business of a public health insurance system that liberated them from managing health benefits would be so obvious even American MBA’s could see it. But just as an MBA is an expensive way to buy an elite social network, once in that elite social network one mustn’t be disloyal to class allies like the good folks running our private health insurance companies.
Sorry, that’s perhaps a gratuitous slap at the literal-minded ‘show-me-da-money’ American business culture, but we sure could use a little more brain-wattage from the Republican party. I think even the average corporate Republican MBA type would be a large step up from the Beck-enstein monster.
If Tom “wind sock” Friedman is talking down the party-formerly-known-as-Republican then we can be confident public opinion is moving our way. Nobody in the mass media better captures (ie. slavishly follows) the medial mind than Friedman.
I’d have thought the advantages to business of a public health insurance system that liberated them from managing health benefits would be so obvious even American MBA’s could see it. But just as an MBA is an expensive way to buy an elite social network, once in that elite social network one mustn’t be disloyal to class allies like the good folks running our private health insurance companies.
Sorry, that’s perhaps a gratuitous slap at the literal-minded ‘show-me-da-money’ American business culture, but we sure could use a little more brain-wattage from the Republican party. I think even the average corporate Republican MBA type would be a large step up from the Beck-enstein monster.
Did you guys know that the Supreme Court is hearing a case today on political contributions, and the straws in the wind indicate that a narrow majority is leaning toward lifting all limits on corporate campaign spending?
Talk about a right-wing noise machine–you won’t be able to hear yourself think. And this SC majority will lecture us about “liberty” and “freedom of speech.” And the implications of this ruling will become manifest…just in time for a Sarah Palin presidential campaign in 2012.
Even a complete twit can be elected if her puppetmasters can contribute literally billions.
Did you guys know that the Supreme Court is hearing a case today on political contributions, and the straws in the wind indicate that a narrow majority is leaning toward lifting all limits on corporate campaign spending?
Talk about a right-wing noise machine–you won’t be able to hear yourself think. And this SC majority will lecture us about “liberty” and “freedom of speech.” And the implications of this ruling will become manifest…just in time for a Sarah Palin presidential campaign in 2012.
Even a complete twit can be elected if her puppetmasters can contribute literally billions.
Now don’t you be talking that way about my Sara, boy! She’s got nice legs and those Angelina Jolie lips! And what a pair of twits! Ya betcha! Remember, the Supreme Court under Justice (sic) Roberts just calls balls and strikes, they don’t pitch or swing…
Oh, and in case anybody thought we weren’t all going to be one big happy Jon&KatePlusEight happy family under the same roof, look what’s coming to a former wetland near or on top of you: http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20090909/us_time/08599192069800
Thank God SOMETHING is going to bring us all together! Hey, in addition to all that stuff at Walmart Prices from Red China, there’s shirts and slacks and shoes made in freakin’ Commie Vietnam! All sharing shelf space in the Only Store We Will Ever Need Again! “Welcome to Walmart!”If we can’t all just get along, we can at least go out in a blaze of consumer-driven glory…
Now don’t you be talking that way about my Sara, boy! She’s got nice legs and those Angelina Jolie lips! And what a pair of twits! Ya betcha! Remember, the Supreme Court under Justice (sic) Roberts just calls balls and strikes, they don’t pitch or swing…
Oh, and in case anybody thought we weren’t all going to be one big happy Jon&KatePlusEight happy family under the same roof, look what’s coming to a former wetland near or on top of you: http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20090909/us_time/08599192069800
Thank God SOMETHING is going to bring us all together! Hey, in addition to all that stuff at Walmart Prices from Red China, there’s shirts and slacks and shoes made in freakin’ Commie Vietnam! All sharing shelf space in the Only Store We Will Ever Need Again! “Welcome to Walmart!”If we can’t all just get along, we can at least go out in a blaze of consumer-driven glory…
Now don’t you be talking that way about my Sara, boy! She’s got nice legs and those Angelina Jolie lips! And what a pair of twits! Ya betcha! Remember, the Supreme Court under Justice (sic) Roberts just calls balls and strikes, they don’t pitch or swing…
Oh, and in case anybody thought we weren’t all going to be one big happy Jon&KatePlusEight happy family under the same roof, look what’s coming to a former wetland near or on top of you: http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20090909/us_time/08599192069800
Thank God SOMETHING is going to bring us all together! Hey, in addition to all that stuff at Walmart Prices from Red China, there’s shirts and slacks and shoes made in freakin’ Commie Vietnam! All sharing shelf space in the Only Store We Will Ever Need Again! “Welcome to Walmart!”If we can’t all just get along, we can at least go out in a blaze of consumer-driven glory…
The danger of the rage cycle is that after some frequency of alternating rage and depression comes ennui. As put by an old friend long ago, “when you’re hot you’re hot but when you’re not, you can’t give it away.”
The danger of the rage cycle is that after some frequency of alternating rage and depression comes ennui. As put by an old friend long ago, “when you’re hot you’re hot but when you’re not, you can’t give it away.”
The danger of the rage cycle is that after some frequency of alternating rage and depression comes ennui. As put by an old friend long ago, “when you’re hot you’re hot but when you’re not, you can’t give it away.”
The danger of the rage cycle is that after some frequency of alternating rage and depression comes ennui. As put by an old friend long ago, “when you’re hot you’re hot but when you’re not, you can’t give it away.”
Just watched a great speech. Now let’s see what the right wing noise industry does with it.
Just watched a great speech. Now let’s see what the right wing noise industry does with it.
Just watched a great speech. Now let’s see what the right wing noise industry does with it.
Just watched a great speech. Now let’s see what the right wing noise industry does with it.
Here’s my problem: neither side cares what the facts of the matter are or even the laws. Between the left and the right the press has become a sock that two dogs are pulling on viciously.
By now some of you have seen the YouTube videos of the ACORN employees in Baltimore explaining to two reporters disguised as a pimp and his employee how to use Federal funds to acquire a house to set up a brothel.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWRTYD26Kxc
The right says that this is another example of what the President was organizing. The left says this is an example of using the ‘scary negroes that play well in the South’ to whip up rednecks.
In between are the “I don’t want to know if it upsets my preconceived opinions about either side.”
No one is saying this is a felony. No one cares. Skip over the links to Beck or Maddow. Skip over the spinners and watch the videos.
It’s ALL noise, Ken.
And that is bad news for the Republic.
Here’s my problem: neither side cares what the facts of the matter are or even the laws. Between the left and the right the press has become a sock that two dogs are pulling on viciously.
By now some of you have seen the YouTube videos of the ACORN employees in Baltimore explaining to two reporters disguised as a pimp and his employee how to use Federal funds to acquire a house to set up a brothel.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWRTYD26Kxc
The right says that this is another example of what the President was organizing. The left says this is an example of using the ‘scary negroes that play well in the South’ to whip up rednecks.
In between are the “I don’t want to know if it upsets my preconceived opinions about either side.”
No one is saying this is a felony. No one cares. Skip over the links to Beck or Maddow. Skip over the spinners and watch the videos.
It’s ALL noise, Ken.
And that is bad news for the Republic.
Here’s my problem: neither side cares what the facts of the matter are or even the laws. Between the left and the right the press has become a sock that two dogs are pulling on viciously.
By now some of you have seen the YouTube videos of the ACORN employees in Baltimore explaining to two reporters disguised as a pimp and his employee how to use Federal funds to acquire a house to set up a brothel.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWRTYD26Kxc
The right says that this is another example of what the President was organizing. The left says this is an example of using the ‘scary negroes that play well in the South’ to whip up rednecks.
In between are the “I don’t want to know if it upsets my preconceived opinions about either side.”
No one is saying this is a felony. No one cares. Skip over the links to Beck or Maddow. Skip over the spinners and watch the videos.
It’s ALL noise, Ken.
And that is bad news for the Republic.