Oooh! Lookit what I dug up from last October!
Unless you've been living under a rock the past month (and I hope you haven't, that sounds awfully not-fun!) then you know all about the war of words that the White House is waging against Fox News. For me personally, I found it enjoyable to follow for the first few weeks, before I resorted to shaking my head and repeating Artie Neilson's line from Warehouse 13: "Children. I am working with children." Okay, I'm not working with them, but they sure are running the country! In any case, I think Anita Dunn & Co. are emerging as the clear winners in this, for several reasons.
1. When you get right down to it, well, the White House is right. Fox News is not news. I wouldn't go as far as Anita Dunn and call them the PR wing of the Republican party (although several people there do a very god job of being exactly that), but it's not news. It's commentary, plain and simple -- incredibly biased commentary, that likes to pass itself off as news.
2. Fox is populated by liars and hypocrites. Well, actually, that's not fair. The most vocal people on Fox (Sean Hannitty, Glenn Beck, et al) are hypocrites. For example, Glenn Beck calls Anita Dunn a communist for saying Mao Zedong is one of her favorite political philosophers. But . . . guess who one of his favorite authors is?! Yep, Adolf Hitler.
So . . . interesting, yeah?
By the way, before you accuse me of railing against Fox just because I disagree with their conservative position, consider this: Keith Olbermann says many things that I agree with. I still think he's a pretentious git, and MSNBC would never be my first choice for news, either.
Showing posts with label obama. Show all posts
Showing posts with label obama. Show all posts
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Things Wrong With The World, Part 2
This was originally going to be in honor of Banned Books Week, a rant about censorship and stupidity, and the futility of trying to keep knowledge from children. Well, I kinda missed that train (stupid.schoolwork.takes.over.my.life.) but I'll just incorporate that into a larger rant.
I was driving with my mom the other day (well, fine, my mother was driving, but hey) and I just happened to look out my window. The woman in the SUV next to us had about six bobby pins in her mouth and both her hands were occupied with putting up her hair. Going sixty miles an hour. On the freeway. Are you trying to get someone killed? I know people in LA can't drive, but this is really taking it too far.
Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. For, um, making nice speeches about "hope" and "change" and being an optimist? Because that's all I can think of at the moment. I'm sure there were plenty of other people who have sacrificed much more and accomplished better things that this prize could have gone to. And as much as I love my country and think President Obama is pretty cool, I would have much rather have seen this be awarded to him in a few years' time, when he's made genuine progress on his Middle Eastern peace initiatives. This lovely New York Times columnist has written what I think to be the perfect speech for Obama to give at the ceremony in December.
NASA crashed a spaceship into the moon to look for water vapor. And practically no one cared. Except the scientists. And me. What's up with people? This is the future we're talking about!
Rush Limbaugh and Glen Beck are pathetic excuses for human beings, just like FOX news is an insult to good journalism. Honestly, it's people and organizations like this that give all Republicans a bad name. I laughed when I saw that the White House was treating FOX like part of the "political opposition", because .... they so are. Really. And as for some of Anita Dunn's comments . . . wow, remind me to never get on her bad side!
I'm still shocked by the amount of incivility and childishness that our Congresspeople demonstrate. California's Democratic Assemblyman Tom Ammiano thinks it's perfectly appropriate to yell "You lie!" at Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, along with several other unreapeatable things. Sheesh, all the governor did was show up at a fundraiser. A Democratic one, to be sure, and he's certainly made many of us Democrats angry, but there's no excuse for saying what he did. And then a senator says that Republican opposition to healthcare reform just means they wan't people to "die slowly". True? Possibly. Inappropriate? Oh yes indeed. And if that wasn't enough, a representative finishes up his rebuttal against a House colleague by cussing him out. That's practically beyond ridiculous. I mean, no wonder Congress never gets anything done, everyone is too busy fighting. I cant believe people think that it's okay to say these things. Because it's not. I have the urge to go up to some of these people and shove a bar of soap in their mouths, because these people need a good mouthwashing.
And finally, Pepsi wins the Bad Taste award of the month for it's iPhone app, designed to help men "score" women. It's rude, it's degrading, it stereotypes women, and as a joke, it goes way too far. What happened to Apple's famed "app approval process" (oooh, alliteration skillz xD) which is criticized for being to harsh but lets something like this slip through? Not okay.
I was driving with my mom the other day (well, fine, my mother was driving, but hey) and I just happened to look out my window. The woman in the SUV next to us had about six bobby pins in her mouth and both her hands were occupied with putting up her hair. Going sixty miles an hour. On the freeway. Are you trying to get someone killed? I know people in LA can't drive, but this is really taking it too far.
Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. For, um, making nice speeches about "hope" and "change" and being an optimist? Because that's all I can think of at the moment. I'm sure there were plenty of other people who have sacrificed much more and accomplished better things that this prize could have gone to. And as much as I love my country and think President Obama is pretty cool, I would have much rather have seen this be awarded to him in a few years' time, when he's made genuine progress on his Middle Eastern peace initiatives. This lovely New York Times columnist has written what I think to be the perfect speech for Obama to give at the ceremony in December.
NASA crashed a spaceship into the moon to look for water vapor. And practically no one cared. Except the scientists. And me. What's up with people? This is the future we're talking about!
Rush Limbaugh and Glen Beck are pathetic excuses for human beings, just like FOX news is an insult to good journalism. Honestly, it's people and organizations like this that give all Republicans a bad name. I laughed when I saw that the White House was treating FOX like part of the "political opposition", because .... they so are. Really. And as for some of Anita Dunn's comments . . . wow, remind me to never get on her bad side!
I'm still shocked by the amount of incivility and childishness that our Congresspeople demonstrate. California's Democratic Assemblyman Tom Ammiano thinks it's perfectly appropriate to yell "You lie!" at Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, along with several other unreapeatable things. Sheesh, all the governor did was show up at a fundraiser. A Democratic one, to be sure, and he's certainly made many of us Democrats angry, but there's no excuse for saying what he did. And then a senator says that Republican opposition to healthcare reform just means they wan't people to "die slowly". True? Possibly. Inappropriate? Oh yes indeed. And if that wasn't enough, a representative finishes up his rebuttal against a House colleague by cussing him out. That's practically beyond ridiculous. I mean, no wonder Congress never gets anything done, everyone is too busy fighting. I cant believe people think that it's okay to say these things. Because it's not. I have the urge to go up to some of these people and shove a bar of soap in their mouths, because these people need a good mouthwashing.
And finally, Pepsi wins the Bad Taste award of the month for it's iPhone app, designed to help men "score" women. It's rude, it's degrading, it stereotypes women, and as a joke, it goes way too far. What happened to Apple's famed "app approval process" (oooh, alliteration skillz xD) which is criticized for being to harsh but lets something like this slip through? Not okay.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Obama, Healthcare, and Stuff You Really Shouldn't Say During Congress
It doesn't matter if you're a Democrat or a Republican, if you love you president or hate your president, if you are a member of Congress, and the president is addressing a joint session on a televised broadcast, you do not jump out of your seat and yell "You lie!" at the president. Especially if he's well, not actually lying. And yes, Joe Wilson, I'm talking about you.
Now, I'll be the first person to tell you that I haven't been keeping too close of tabs on the whole healthcare debate. I am far and away more interested in international relations and foreign policy than domestic issues. But I do know a few things.
The current healthcare system is broken. Even most of the Republicans know that, even if they won't admit it. We need a new plan, and right now, Obama's is the best one out there. It provides coverage for the millions of Americans who can't afford insurance, and, after all, healthcare should be a right, not a privelege. For all of you who complain that Obama's a socialist, guess what: he's not. For all of you who think this plan covers illegal immigrants (*cough*joewilson*cough*), guess what: it doesn't. For all of you who bitch and moan about the increased taxes, try thinking beyond yourself for once. You might want to try reading and understanding something before you criticize it.
Now, on to the actual outburst. Grown peoples' ability to act like schoolchildren never ceases to amaze me, and apparently even congressmen aren't exempted from this. Basic manners say you don't talk while other people are talking. Don't you remember learning that in kindergarten? And while caning people on the Senate floor may have been perfectly normal in the 1800s, neither that nor its verbal equivalent is acceptable today. I agree with the House's decision to formally reprimand Wilson just as much as I roll my eyes at his "apology" and "resoning" behind the outburst. When even people from your own party join in condemming you, you've crossed a line.
Congress is supposed to represent what's best about America. Checks and balances, the people's elected representatives making laws, and all that. And no matter who currently occupies the position, the office of President of the United States should command some dignity and respect (there are those very few cases who make such a mockery of the office that I just throw my hands up in disbelief). Civil debate is what Congress is all about. This healthcare speech was a chance for Obama to explain his plan, to try to reach out to Republicans. Joe Wilson, therefore, made not only himself but the whole House look stupid. How is anyone supposed to take seriously a body that doesn't even afford the president the simple courtesy of silent attentiveness during a speech? Honestly.
Hopefully, this was a (relatively) unbiased look at this one issue. This is one case where my reaction would have been the same no matter who yelled at Obama. And now . . . off to bed!
This one's for you, Ash! Thanks for the idea =)
Now, I'll be the first person to tell you that I haven't been keeping too close of tabs on the whole healthcare debate. I am far and away more interested in international relations and foreign policy than domestic issues. But I do know a few things.
The current healthcare system is broken. Even most of the Republicans know that, even if they won't admit it. We need a new plan, and right now, Obama's is the best one out there. It provides coverage for the millions of Americans who can't afford insurance, and, after all, healthcare should be a right, not a privelege. For all of you who complain that Obama's a socialist, guess what: he's not. For all of you who think this plan covers illegal immigrants (*cough*joewilson*cough*), guess what: it doesn't. For all of you who bitch and moan about the increased taxes, try thinking beyond yourself for once. You might want to try reading and understanding something before you criticize it.
Now, on to the actual outburst. Grown peoples' ability to act like schoolchildren never ceases to amaze me, and apparently even congressmen aren't exempted from this. Basic manners say you don't talk while other people are talking. Don't you remember learning that in kindergarten? And while caning people on the Senate floor may have been perfectly normal in the 1800s, neither that nor its verbal equivalent is acceptable today. I agree with the House's decision to formally reprimand Wilson just as much as I roll my eyes at his "apology" and "resoning" behind the outburst. When even people from your own party join in condemming you, you've crossed a line.
Congress is supposed to represent what's best about America. Checks and balances, the people's elected representatives making laws, and all that. And no matter who currently occupies the position, the office of President of the United States should command some dignity and respect (there are those very few cases who make such a mockery of the office that I just throw my hands up in disbelief). Civil debate is what Congress is all about. This healthcare speech was a chance for Obama to explain his plan, to try to reach out to Republicans. Joe Wilson, therefore, made not only himself but the whole House look stupid. How is anyone supposed to take seriously a body that doesn't even afford the president the simple courtesy of silent attentiveness during a speech? Honestly.
Hopefully, this was a (relatively) unbiased look at this one issue. This is one case where my reaction would have been the same no matter who yelled at Obama. And now . . . off to bed!
This one's for you, Ash! Thanks for the idea =)
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