DANGER! - Political Thread

[el_chode]

So general Petraeus was brought down in part by the FBI accessing his email account without a warrant. OH SNAP

[pawpaw]

Sticky would be stoked, but probably wouldn't admit it on the internet (too internet-tough). Then he'd call Norquist names:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2012/11/26/the-gops-read-my-lips-moment/?hpid=z1

Ol' Grover is toxic for political compromise. I say "good for the four that took their names off his list."

[Tracy 2112]

Ladies and Gentlemen, Tom Ricks stars in one of the shortest interviews ever:

Tom Ricks Criticizes Fox Coverage Of Benghazi Attacks

[Taterbug]

Ladies and Gentlemen, Tom Ricks stars in one of the shortest interviews ever:

Tom Ricks Criticizes Fox Coverage Of Benghazi Attacks

oh no he di'int ,   How dare he question THE Fair & Balanced Network.   Where is Hannity when you need him ?

[rincon]

I just can't understand WHY IN THE WORLD so many people in America still watch Fixed News...Fake News...Fox Noise! They lie so much, it is unreal!

I watch it a few hours a month just so I can form my own opinion of it, other than just bashing them without ever watching it. Some of the people I know that slam it the most have never even watched it, and get offended when asked if they ever do. Seems hypocritical to me. It was HIGHLY entertaining on election night.

[Jaimoe]

Disturbing photos, but rightfully so. My friend served in the US military during the Persian Gulf War. He made it through ok, but died senselessly in a drunk driving accident - along with his buddies - in the early '90s coming back to the base after a bender (he wasn't the one behind the wheel). I miss him. He alluded to some of the horrors he saw over there and carried a picture of me and my sister with him into battle. 

I get FOX spreading outrageous lies, but I don't understand why socialism gets muddied up in all of this. We all live with forms of socialism in our everday lives. Pea-brains seem not to know this, and certainly don't know the difference between socialism and communism.

Sincerely,

Your socialist, capitalist, non-pacifist tree-hugging north of the border cousin.

On a municipal note, Toronto's despised mayor was just throwm out of office for a conflict of interest charge. Awesome! 

[Jaimoe]

The American-made motto, "All for one and one for all", doesn't seem to exist anymore, or it's getting hammered as the years go on. It's starting to be: "Me for me and too bad for the rest of you".

Hey, Canada is led by the Progressive Conservative federal government, but even some of their most right-wing policies would seem kinda centrist compared to the US. And all the provinces and territories are headed by premiers of one of the three political parties (the Green Party only has one seat in Parliament and no elected premier), which instill even more sets of values and rules. Ontario has a minority Liberal government, but to us, liberals are more planted in the middle ideologically. Quebec elected a minority separtist government, but it tends to lean left on many issues.

What this all means is that we neighbours to the north generally look like left wingers to you folks, but I see more and more divide going as the PCs try to shape Canada in PM Harper's image.

[rincon]

Mr. White stated, "Just for the record; I served in the U.S. Navy on a guided-missile cruiser during the first war with Iraq back in 1991. We were there for the entire run-up to the war (late Oct. to Jan.) and left as soon as there was a cease fire (March, I think) to go into the shipyards for overdue maintanence. My ship launched the first Tomahawk missile of the entire war. I served my nation without question. I was there before the 1991 war during the Iran-Iraq war (my tour there was in 1988-1989) and later for another tour of the Persian Gulf in 1992 to keep an eye on the place. So, my views are not merely from the couch."

You have clearly made some valid points. If this post was in response to my comment about people who never have watched Fox news criticizing it, you don't fit that category. It was more intended for the less informed who simply parrot what others tell them, and have no real examples of the ridiculous/criminal propaganda of that network.

Ironically my father, who was a missile officer with 30 years Naval experience, was weapons officer on the Norton Sound in the 70's which main objective was testing the Tomahawk Missile. I was having one of the most important conversations of my life with him in 1991, when on the TV, tuned into CNN, the initial attack on Baghdad started. The newscasters, including Bernard Shaw, who reported from a hotel, stated there was no indication where the bombs were coming from. there were 2 reasons for that. Stealth bombers, and the tomahawk. My father knew at that moment that over 25 years of his Navy career, plus private sector contracting, was getting its first real world test. Something to be proud of? In one sense, clearly it was. In another sense, after watching a few episodes of Oliver Stones Untold History of the US, maybe it is nothing to be proud about at all. Just more destruction in the name of "Freedom".

[Jaimoe]

Hey Mr. White, I don't know how you can stand being subjected to bad forms of biased and sanitized US-centric news on a daily, hourly, minute-by-minute basis. Most if not all US newscasts on the major networks are horrible. CNN is terrible, your nightly newscasts on the Big Four are tightly-produced entertainment packages set-up to not get folks riled up too much at dinnertime. Although the Canadian Progressive Conservative government tries to dismantle the CBC through budget cuts (the CBC is publically funded), we still get balanced and indepth domestic and world news coverage every day. The BBC is even better, although it doesn't look to the US as much. The CBC does great US news. Folks that live near the US-Canada border know what I'm talking about. Does anyone watch news via PBS?

[Jaimoe]

I'm not familiar with Trio. The CBC has a few documentary programs that are great. I've seen some amazing docs about the Afghanistan war. Also, it's long-running CBC doc program, The Fifth Estate, is terrific. It's in the vein of 60 Minutes (without mugging hosts), although only focusses on one story. CTV (privately owned CBC rival - I work for them) also has a great doc program called W5.   

[Jaimoe]

Once Bravo and NBC got involved, no wonder it disappeared.

The CBC has its own doc and arts channel. Also check out CBC News Network online. CBC Bold is a good arts/news channel too.

CBC Radio-One is online. It has lots of great programming (both arts and news, plus some great music shows). Radio and TV are equal with the CBC and both are vital to the fabric and identity of Canada as a nation. On a related note, if you like indie rock, CBC Radio-Two and CBC Radio-Three are required listening.

[rincon]

Democracy Now. Amy Goodman. She ranks right up with John Stewart, Bill Maher, and Noam Chomsky who will dig into any issue however controversial, yet ignore the scientific evidence that CLEARLY PROVES the US governments account of 911 is pure bullshit. I refer to them as pressure relief for the left. I put my sometime heroes Keith Olberman and Rachel Maddow in the same category. If they truly speak what they know, they will be ostracized by their corporations and  peers. None of them got the balls to say what they really know.

[Jaimoe]

Democracy Now. Amy Goodman. She ranks right up with John Stewart, Bill Maher, and Noam Chomsky who will dig into any issue however controversial, yet ignore the scientific evidence that CLEARLY PROVES the US governments account of 911 is pure bullshit. I refer to them as pressure relief for the left. I put my sometime heroes Keith Olberman and Rachel Maddow in the same category. If they truly speak what they know, they will be ostracized by their corporations and  peers. None of them got the balls to say what they really know.

Traditionally, media is controlled by the right or is at least conservative by nature. No wonder they don't shoot from the hip.

[rincon]

Yet in the US the delusion is the media is controlled by the left. The entertainment news may be left, but the hard core politics is clearly right wing. The Iraq invasion is an extremely embarrassing example to prove that.

[LeanneP]

Yet in the US the delusion is the media is controlled by the left. The entertainment news may be left, but the hard core politics is clearly right wing. The Iraq invasion is an extremely embarrassing example to prove that.

Yes, yes! Very true!

I think it's good to remember that the editors and reporters are probably all heavily lefty, for the most part, but the management are right wingers or at least know how to get the uncritical masses stirred up and buying papers while also treading lightly around tough topics in order to preserve their access to right wing stars and newsmakers.

That being said, I have a story about how the news turned someone...

In Canada, we have the Sun News Media Corp and they started what we often refer to as Fox News North. My cousin has worked for Sun first in print and now on their TV station, for many years. When we were in our early 20s we were close and definitely lefty liberal types. The years of working for Sun, however, has turned him almost tea party right wing. It's scary.

My Grandmother and I watched his network debut and both shut off the TV part way through with our jaws on the floor wondering what happened to him. I've had mutual friends email and ask if they're memories of a young progressive guy were false because his politics had become to disgusting. And the guy lives those politics, too. Sad.

[Jaimoe]

Leanne, the TV ratings for SUN TV are miniscule and the newspaper chain is losing money. Nuff said.

[LeanneP]

Well, that's a comfort. I thought the paper was bad but the network is crazy pants. While I hope my cousin can always support his family, I do hope Sun News Channel tanks.

[Jaimoe]

I'm talking ratings in the hundreds per hour.

[Grizzly Mom]

If this is not appropriate, please take this down, just don't take away my roll call status.

Since the world seems to be moving in a faster pace in the direction of crazy, I feel compelled to reach out to the MMJ community and explore options on how to redirect the energy back to the start. It's all well and true that half of the country voted for a lunatic, and many may be racist, uneducated, and reality tv enthusiast; we can't lose sight that they need an intervention. I have yet to speak to my family members that voted for the Orange King, I am just waiting for my emotions to die down before I try to help them. But mark my words, one day I will help them see the light, one day.
Until then I will join in and protest the election, I will protest the black snake going through the Sioux land at Standing Rock Reservation. I will continue to call my Politicians, Email the President, Call the White House. And never give up hope. Because right now, hope is getting me through today. See you at the next show. And for the people going to Jim James solo show in DC on 11/19 please stop by The National Monument from 10-3pm, we are staging a demonstration for Standing Rock and doing some peaceful stuff to make room in this city for love. Help me shake things up, not burn things up, let's be classy DC.

[headhunter]

Good for you Grizzly Mom.  It is indeed dangerous and insane when the foxes are in charge of the hen house.