Blog posts. Various topics.

[Damn True]

Recent blog post:

Seven People That Are Screwing Up This Country

[shmoov69]

Hmm.......good points, but they are "just" talking heads getting people worked up. They get NOTHING done, the politicians are the ones "getting stuff done" so to speak. They are the REAL offenders IMO.

But something to ponder without question!

[sniper]

Yea I have to agree, with all the problems in this country, are you seriously trying to blame talk show hosts? It couldn't possibly be those career politicians that have been creating and "solving" problems for 30 or 40 years. Nahh, they have nothing to do with it.

[Slow Ride]

Most of the sheeple don't know who those people are. Now if they were on American Idol or one of the housewife reality shows...

[Damn True]

Hmm.......good points, but they are "just" talking heads getting people worked up. They get NOTHING done, the politicians are the ones "getting stuff done" so to speak. They are the REAL offenders IMO.

But something to ponder without question!

They and the broadcast organizations they work for create the narrative of public discourse. They hold the filter for what does and does not get out of Washington and into the public's living room. They bring on guests to provide commentary or analysis that is either in keeping with the narrative they are driving or are representative of an opposing viewpoint which they seek to marginalize.

They obfuscate the actual issues and policies and candidate positions and drive discussion away from them and toward the arguments about arguments and in so doing keep people from fully understanding what is actually going on in Washington or their State houses. Part of it is pure sensationalism for the sake of ratings, but on a deeper level its an effort to veil reality.

[Damn True]

Yea I have to agree, with all the problems in this country, are you seriously trying to blame talk show hosts? It couldn't possibly be those career politicians that have been creating and "solving" problems for 30 or 40 years. Nahh, they have nothing to do with it.

That's kinda the point isn't it?

Second paragraph:

As the title suggests, there are 7 people who are doing serious damage to our nation as a whole. In reality, the list is far longer than 7, but specific to the topic of political discourse these folks are among the most visible offenders.

[ITLBTU]

I don't think I agree. How can a few "right wing" commentaries who are bringing out to light, the goings on of the left be bad for America? Especially when the rest of the press is so far left. I'm hardly a "sheeple" although I do enjoy Dr. Savage as well. I'm surprised his name wasn't on the list... I do believe the Constitution is being severely attacked and the "right" seems to be the only side who cares. The "middle" needs to learn that if they just sit on the fence too long they won't have a side to choose from... And our Country has been going "left" for a long long time...

[Damn True]

I don't think I agree. How can a few "right wing" commentaries who are bringing out to light, the goings on of the left be bad for America? Especially when the rest of the press is so far left. I'm hardly a "sheeple" although I do enjoy Dr. Savage as well. I'm surprised his name wasn't on the list... I do believe the Constitution is being severely attacked and the "right" seems to be the only side who cares. The "middle" needs to learn that if they just sit on the fence too long they won't have a side to choose from... And our Country has been going "left" for a long long time...

The right wingers are just as bad as the left. None are all bad all the time which is why people generally don't get as cheesed by the one they most closely align with.

It's in the manner of presentation. If I tell you that something you are doing is possibly damaging because of "A", "B" and "C" which will result in "D" you are likely to at least give it a listen because the point was made logically and politely. If I however preface it with an effort to make you look stupid it wont matter much what I say after that, you are likely to tune me out because I've insulted or belittled you.

Each of the people mentioned does from time to time make good points. But they are essentially preaching to the converted because they all marginalize opposing viewpoints. Hence, anything they say either falls on deaf ears or on ears who already agree. The result is that the conversation is not elevated, any real discourse is prevented and we continue to swirl the bowl.

[realcoray]

The right wingers are just as bad as the left. None are all bad all the time which is why people generally don't get as cheesed by the one they most closely align with.



Each of the people mentioned does from time to time make good points. But they are essentially preaching to the converted because they all marginalize opposing viewpoints. Hence, anything they say either falls on deaf ears or on ears who already agree. The result is that the conversation is not elevated, any real discourse is prevented and we continue to swirl the bowl.

I think the last point is key, on either side these sorts of people serve as an echo chamber that reinforces and bolster what their audience want to hear. Any media that doesn't reinforce what they think, they assume is obviously on the other side. No issue is as black and white as some of these people will attempt to portray (and as many of their followers will believe), but people don't accept that they frankly may not be right or may not have considered every facet.

I'm not sure if they are screwing up the country or not, assuming they are preaching to the converted, those viewers would still have their beliefs and resistance to even the concept that they may not be right or that the other side may have valid points. Also I'm dubious on the whole concept that the country is more screwed up than it has been in the past. I cannot remember the government being any more effective, I don't recall a time when one side or the other lived up to what they promised or even made much of an effort to make it appear like they would.

[Damn True]

I think the last point is key, on either side these sorts of people serve as an echo chamber that reinforces and bolster what their audience want to hear. Any media that doesn't reinforce what they think, they assume is obviously on the other side. No issue is as black and white as some of these people will attempt to portray (and as many of their followers will believe), but people don't accept that they frankly may not be right or may not have considered every facet.

I'm not sure if they are screwing up the country or not, assuming they are preaching to the converted, those viewers would still have their beliefs and resistance to even the concept that they may not be right or that the other side may have valid points. Also I'm dubious on the whole concept that the country is more screwed up than it has been in the past. I cannot remember the government being any more effective, I don't recall a time when one side or the other lived up to what they promised or even made much of an effort to make it appear like they would.

Good point. But I think we are drifting further from a place where someone can make a reasoned argument for change to policy "X" without demonization for their opposition to the status quo simply because of said opposition. Case in point: 30-someodd years ago Reagan convinced many on the left that his plan to improve the economy stood a better chance of success by laying out reasoned arguments against the Carter admin plan. Sure there was opposition, but at the time it took the form a snarky political cartoon or a goof on Saturday Night Live. Today it takes the form of full-on character assassination at best.

[Pro Stock]

I think that you are mostly blaming the messenger, at least now days we are getting an equally distorted view from the left and the right instead of all left.

[sniper]

Yea, I still think it's kind of nuts that you are blaming talking heads, but hey it gets a conversation going.

Two quick points. First I think you are giving those people WAYYYYYYY to much credit.

Second, All those people merely prech to their crowd. I mean really, how many people of an opposite view point listen to things they don't agree with?

[Damn True]

10th, 11th & 12th paragraph:

The discussion becomes an argument about arguments rather than issues, ideas and solutions. The result is that you have a group of hard-left sycophants and another group of hard-right sycophants all running around, frothing at the mouth, repeating the ad hominem attacks, factless rants, accusations of tyranny, fascism, socialism and other asinine ½-truths (if not outright lies) foisted on them by their chosen talking head screaming at the top of their lungs to each other and nobody is listening.

Why would they?

There is a fallacy at play here that the Nation is divided in ½. It isn’t. There is a relatively small group of serious nuts on the left and another group of serious nuts on the right and a big group in the middle where the left/right lines blur. These are people who share some views with “the other side” who perhaps consider themselves socially liberal but fiscally conservative or vice versa. People who rather than mindlessly follow one side or the other actually make judgments on individual issues and candidates based on their values and realistic analysis of the impacts on their lives. They are not the useful idiot. They are not the mindless drones that hang on every word offered by Keith Olbermann or Glenn Beck. They are the people who actually decide elections and we are freaking tired of all the yelling, screaming and insulting of each other!

[Jim Nilsen]

The confusion generated by talk shows is about the difference between what you think and what you believe. This is where I see America divided, it's not against each other that is the biggest divide but the one that is within us. Hearing information even when you just listen to the facts will change what you may think and lead you to believe something new. If you are strong in your beliefs you get angry or feel part of it and righteous but it affects you for the now moment and if the media has its way you take it with you where ever you go.

I look at these shows as a way to flush out who is not happy and why or if we just don't care. The polititions have to love them for all of the controversy and publicity.

Real news, you have to look everywhere to see the differences in the same event to get an idea as to how messed up it really is.

Let's see any of the talking heads start a movement of legislation with the power of their airwaves.

I think of them as the puss in a wound sometimes!

[Tony_SS]

True I'm glad you discovered the false left/right paradigm. It was not long ago that you would have posted a tin foil hat image after a comment like this:

but on a deeper level its an effort to veil reality.

The Fact is, Operation Mocking bird did exist. Reporters are easily bought off.. cheaply too. lol.

The MSM is a dinosaur in the making. However, Truth is being broadcasted on the boob tube:

Freedom Watch by the Judge!
http://www.foxbusiness.com/on-air/fr...tch/index.html

[Tony_SS]

Duopoly is another good term. I'll use it in a sentence. The MSM talking heads have a duopoly of control over the airwaves, directing people to think and operate into a false left vs right paradigm, creating a classic divide and conquer scenario in which the true elite win either way.

[Damn True]

New blog post:

Environmentalism - Sanctimony Is Thy Name

[LeighP]

All very true....I've been pointing out how "ungreen" the Prius is to anyone who'll listen...from the looks on people's faces, you can see they've never thought about the points brought up in that blog.

[sniper]

That last post was a good read. Instead of blathering on about things I agree, I have one idea to disagree with. US oil production and its effects. Most people like Palin and those ideas in your blog are just wrong. Oil is a "WORLD" commodity. We DO NOT mine, produce, drill , or gather oil that is only consumed by the US.

The other issue is that, If we produce more of the gross total, then OPEC countries, can and will draw back on their production to maintain their predetermined price point. Then we are just using up our reserves with little to no benefit.

Here's one that'll tickle your pickle. We gladly make and create a minimum wage and other nefarious regulations in this country to create a sort of "fairness". Then we accept, allow, and create an environment where companies go searching for $1 a day labor and no regulations. Then we import those products with zero "fairness" penalties, ie; tariffs.

This is what I do not understand. If our country was built and modeled aroung states rights.
My take on free trade is not the USA competing against other countries but allowing states to freely trade between themselves. Thanks Bush.

Anyway, sorry for the rant.

[Damn True]

The price of a barrel of oil is but one component of the price of a gallon of gasoline. Don't confuse the price of gas with the price of oil. They are only tangentially connected.

The domestic oil companies costs are driven up by the need to import (at great cost) raw crude and large quantities of already refined gasoline. We currently import nearly 1M barrels of gasoline per day during peak demand months. This costs the domestic companies a lot more due to the increased transportation, transfer, and liability costs compared to gasoline that is refined domestically. That additional cost drives up the price per gallon at the pump.

The more domestic oil that is used, the lower the cost to the oil companies. The price of the oil won't change as a result, but the price of the gasoline and heating oil will.