prole

No, not "indeed". I think as a society we can stand some more Paul Ron and Ralph Nader and a lot more besides. The greatest check to political power is an informed and engaged citizenry. The function of independent journalism is to inform the population and the media's a means to transmit it. Providing more bandwidth to this function, a forum for diverse views, and more transparency for the processes of governance free from the pressures of profit-making would be the goal, not State control over content.

I don't know that I'd give "normals" that much credit either.

That the State, populated as it is by lobbyists and corporate in-and-outers, has given over the public airwaves entirely to the corporate megaphone without regard for its monopolistic practices would suggest that some are more entitled to an audience than others.

The current situation amounts to limiting the public square to a tiny minority, but hey... Democratic institutions have devised all sorts of ways to protect the interests of minorities. The 'one dollar/one megaphone' media oligopoly system however has not.

I'd rather what's in the public interest be decided by the public through an open and democratic process than by simply allowing it to be defined de facto by those whose abiding and objective interest is in keeping "the unruly mob" in a state of idiotic stupor punctuated with bouts of frenzied consumption. [video:youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31_v2SLwLJI

On the other hand however, Republicans have had to adopt more extreme rhetoric and tactics (retrograde social policies, scaring the shit out of people from enemies without and within) in order to maintain the electoral support for economic policies which were clearly not in the nation's interests. At some point, the GOP will need to address this contradiction and it may just as likely jettison those Reaganite ideals you which you hold dear as its electoral base (see People of Walmart thread).

And the question for you is how the GOP is to draw the numerical majorities it needs while simultaneously flamethrowering them with its economic policies without appealing to religion. I'm sure it's the hottest topic amongst the new vanguard. Keep us posted.

This is a point worth considering, though it's hard to tell right now which wackos have done more damage to the GOP: the religious ones or the economic ones.

Or did you think that FoxNews was likely to use this: in an article describing something found in a Murdoch-owned media outlet? Even I don't think you're that dumb.

Given Fox's broader role in creating and sustaining the right-wing hysteria of late and the ability of most Americans' to connect the dots corresponding to increased incidents of violence, it goes without saying that things would not go well for FOX if anything too major went down. Therefore, it's important that Fox sometimes go out of its way (totally over the top, in the case of this article) to quote sources condemning inflammatory incidents. That it's Facebook and not MySpace may actually strengthen Fox's hand in that it's able to condemn inciteful speech while ignoring its own very profitable role in the same activity.

The mark on his cheek is quite curious...

I looked but this is the only one I could find:

Fox News doing its best at C.Y.A.-style reporting just in case anything does happen. No information as to the results of the poll.

He's the Octobroho.

Jon Gosselin is white.

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POPE BENEDICT IS ALSO AS GAY AS THE DAY IS LONG !!!

OMG!!! Min 1:09-1:13. The slight confused head-tilt!

No.

Kid with the red shirt in the middle that's playin' games is lookin' to get his hide tanned with Daddy's belt.

Ironically enough, if Adolph Hitler was in control of the nations airwaves, it probably wouldn't look much different than it does now. [video:youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8k08ex2A4I

I thought this post was about the latest Duggar news.

Anyone with any real interest in this case ought to watch this recent documentary. [video:youtube]

I'm sure you'll both forgive the rest of us if we continue to focus on those irrational followers that are actually (somewhat) relevant. Republicans Celebrate the Religious Right

The most important "incentive", of course, being that they've already been priced out of other areas.