And America has many domestic enemies. Most are members of the "Phony Outrage Base" – pundits who pretend to get angry for ratings, politicians to pretend to get angry for votes, voters who pretend to get angry because they hate themselves and need an outlet to spew their hate.
Over the past few weeks, our domestic enemies, in the form of political pundits, have been railing against John McCain, the probable Republican nominee. Normally I'd say, "Hey, they're turning inward. That's a good thing." Unfortunately, our enemies aren't stupid.
Rush Limbaugh recently devoted his entire three-hour program to blasting McCain. Ann Coulter appeared on Hannity and Colmes last week and said she'd campaign for Hillary Clinton if McCain was the nominee. Laura Ingraham says she doesn't trust McCain. Michael Reagan, son of the former president, said McCain speaks down to conservatives. The list goes on, and on.
Go to Human Events Online and try to find a positive article about McCain. Seriously, go ahead.
Now, let's ask the question. What do all of these pundits have in common?
Give up?
(Truth is, this is a pre-written article, so I don't know if you're actually answering me. But if you are, I'm going to be honest, that's a little weird. No offense.)
They all make money by giving their conservative opinion. Most of those I mentioned came into their own during the Clinton years. They opportunistically defined themselves as conservatives in the Goldwater-Reagan mold, and Bill Clinton as the devil.
There is no Republican to rally around this year, the way they did George W. Bush. But of the three left (no offense Dr. Paul, but I don't consider you "left" in the Republican race), McCain is the most likely to get things done in office. They would be the wrong things and compromised things, but still, they'd be things.
Should this happen, the talk radio audience would finally wake up because talk radio would have nothing to talk about. It would cease to be what it is. Many would realize, no, Sean Hannity isn't a "great American," he's a brat who hates his audience enough to lie to them daily.
If you think Sean Hannity doesn't hate you, you probably hate yourself.
If McCain is the president, congressional Republicans will join with him, because that's what Republicans do, they get in line. And McCain is a conservative, one of the most conservative members of the Senate. Sure, he was against the Bush tax cuts, but that's because he doesn't hate the middle and working classes of America, and realized we were in a war. He wants to save our environment, and that's because he doesn't hate the earth. He supported immigration reform because he thinks rounding up illegal aliens and dumping them back in Mexico is something Stalin would have done. Doing nothing – which, it seems, the majority of Republicans are now intent on doing – is something Jimmy Carter would have done.
And for the record, it seems at odd with reality that Republicans would be against environmentalism. So I have my own theory on that. The reason Republicans don't believe in global warming is because they have to pander to their base. No, not the "Phony Outrage Base," but close.
This is the base consisting of Evangelicals who home-school their kids because public schools teach evolution. The ones who believe God made the world in seven crazy nights 5,000 years ago, and put dinosaur bones in the ground to test our faith...and the sun revolves around the earth. The ones who believe it would be impossible for humans to kill the earth since we aren't God.
Who would Limbaugh rail against if the Republican president and the Republican congress did things he didn't favor? He would be against everyone. His radio show would be the same as Alex Jones's: Conspiracy theory after conspiracy theory, all to no purpose, with almost no audience to speak of. Rush Limbaugh would have to make a new career out of being a 9/11 Truther.
Randy LoBasso is 24 years old, from Philadelphia, PA. Throughout his time writing for Opednews.com, he feels he grew as a writer and has a deep respect for the alternative media of which Op Ed News is a part. Because of the clips he created on this site, he recently landed a job in the political arena. However, he has been prohibited by his employer from publicly writing on politics for fear that it will be taken the wrong way, and used by the opposing side. He thanks Rob Kall and all of Op Ed News' editors for encouraging him to speak his mind and wishes the best for this young site.
Thanks.
This is the base consisting of Evangelicals who home-school their kids because public schools teach evolution. The ones who believe God made the world in seven crazy nights 5,000 years ago, and put dinosaur bones in the ground to test our faith...and the sun revolves around the earth. The ones who believe it would be impossible for humans to kill the earth since we aren't God.
Exquisite piece of writing that evokes great imagery of just how absurd Republicans, and by proxy, the evangelical believers are in regards to reality, science and facts.
by
Frank J. Ranelli (63 articles, 143 quicklinks, 28 diaries, 365 comments)
on Thursday, February 7, 2008 at 6:02:40 PM
Does anyone on this thread actually believe McCain will be anything other than another George W Bush?
McCain has demonstrated that he will stick his thumb in his mouth and then wave it over his head to see which way the political wind is blowing before making any comments...
He has continually lied about his positions and changes them to suit his needs...
Do we need 4 more years of Bush in the white house??
I think not...
Ciao, CZ
by
steve scheetz (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 511 comments)
on Thursday, February 7, 2008 at 6:37:15 PM
Be it enacted that we ban paid political broadcast advertisements, in the same manner and for the same reasons we ban paid cigarette broadcast advertisements -- namely, that the product advertised (adrenalized hatred or nicotine) is addictive, and the product advertised (adrenalized hatred or nicotine) is a public health hazard.
Then let campaigns for election to political office use print media. Wherein they compose English sentences, forming arguments and stating positions on issues, more or less representing their reasoning, as to the value and virtues of voting to elect the campaigns' candidates.
The fact that cigarette paid-broadcast ads are banned is precedent and proof that bans on broadcast content is a legal proscription. Massmind media does NOT have Constitutional freedom-of-speech rights; broadcasting has only freedom-of-Press rights. You and me talking on a park bench -- that's freedom of speech. The Press is much more pernicious and quite properly restricted from saying things you and me may say, or that can be said 'in public' wherever the listener(s) are able to speak back, in two-way COmmunication -- the one-way fiat, edict, dictatorial nature of massmind media is its inhumaness which we are well advised to choke off.
Political campaigns could put their advertising in bumperstickers on NASCAR's, like cigarettes do.
by
meremark (1 articles, 3 quicklinks, 23 diaries, 483 comments)
on Thursday, February 7, 2008 at 10:30:50 PM
In Australia, we have them too! They clog the airwaves from morning to night stirring gullible people and making the stressed. But we don't have a Bill O'Rielly hower. No, he's an ass who, like Faux News, should never be taken seriously!
Many in my country are very concerned by what is happening in the U.S.A. Luckily, we just got rid of a Conservative Government who set the country back twenty years.
You folks, and the rest of the world, may not be so lucky.
www.dangerouscreation.com
by
David Grayling (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 8 comments)
on Friday, February 8, 2008 at 1:30:28 AM
Why anyone, who cares about honesty and integrity, and life, would vote or endorse any single candidate who supports this war, is beyond understanding. They ALL know now, that it was based on lies, falsehoods and BS. We invaded a country that did us no harm, (we always do that) butchered the people who lived there, destroyed their homes, jobs, and poisoned the air they breath, for a lie! And any candidate who wants to keep this murderous rage going, deserves to be thrown out of office, not given a promotion.
I really do not get it. What do Americans not get? WHY would anyone support these warmongers who are willing to kill innocent people for no reason. What if it was reversed. Imagine China or Russian soldiers kicking in or doors and butchering our children, parents, right in front of us, then killing us also, for no reason at all.
I am at a loss ... we have a bunch of disgraceful people running for office and the people encouraging them, instead of making them answer for their reason for continuing this war! Now this george bush wannabee, McCain wants to bomb Iran next. What is wrong with us.
Ron Paul is the only one who says NO MORE WAR..and I don't agree with him a lot, but at least he cares about the killing of innocent people..what is more important than that?
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joyce (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 73 comments)
on Friday, February 8, 2008 at 8:23:12 AM
Here is my explanation as to why Bush attacked Iraq ...
Oil is a strategic resource - it keeps our military operational and it keeps goods from around the world moving to market. Without oil our economy would distruct and all big busisness would collapse. Oil production (supply) has reached a peak while demand is continuing to increase (China, India, and other less developed countries are driving this increase in demand).
Bush invaded Iraq to insure access to its' oil. He could not acknowledged the true reason for his action because the immorality of it would not be acceptable to the American people and so Congress would not authorize such action. He thus used the "War on Terror" propaganda campaign to justify the invasion.
Bush believes he is saving western civilization from destruction. I think the leaders of those countries who supported the USA understand the true reason for invading Iraq. I think the story that Saddam had weapons of mass destruction and was supporting terrorist organizations was knowingly untrue propaganda to deceive the U.S. Congress, the media, and the public with scare tactics into voting to allow him to declare war against Iraq.
Having said that; I think the situation with regards to oil is valid; but I consider the choice that Bush took (to use military force to secure oil) immoral.
I think we need to quickly develop alternative sources of energy to replace our dependence on oil. Because science has discovered that global warming will create serious conditions in our planet's environment we need to create energy sources that are renewable and don't create greenhouse gasses.
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Philip Pease (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 112 comments)
on Friday, February 8, 2008 at 11:37:06 AM
The PURPOSE is to DESTRUCT big business: it's the harm
.
The way that big business does business is what the problem is.
There are other ways -- natural, organic, sustainable ways, to do business.
The confusion is in thinking that dismantling (or stopping enabling) Big Business is going to end the nation's and the world's financial 'economy.' Big Business is NOT the 'Economy.'
Economy is what we all share, and trade in. Big Business is what 'they' (money-worshipping sociopaths) take.
We each don't 'get to live' when we 'get a job.' We get to live when we have work to do, and we do it.
Pursed-lip conservative Coolidge coined the whole lie that Big Business is vital to living our lives. That lie was: "The business of America is business."
The truth is: The business of Business is business. The business of America is Justice.
(Also, insuring domestic tranquility, promoting the general welfare, providing for the common defense, and securing the blessings of Liberty.)
by
meremark (1 articles, 3 quicklinks, 23 diaries, 483 comments)
on Friday, February 8, 2008 at 3:03:35 PM
I think it's much simpler than that. He attacked Iraq to help form what Karl Rove once called "The permanent Republican majority." That's why he held the key vote before the mid term election and raised the Sesame Street terror colors when Senator Kerry moved up in the polls.
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Randy LoBasso (16 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 9 comments)
on Friday, February 8, 2008 at 2:13:52 PM
