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Fox News Continues to Hallucinate About a Socialist/Fascist Menace -- And It's Causing Real Damage

By Timothy Karr, Huffington Post. Posted April 30, 2009.


Fox news' insane rants about the impending onset of socialism/fascism has trickled into mainstream media. This is extremely dangerous.

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Last week, conservative factions within the Republican National Committee circulated an e-mail urging party leadership to brand as a "socialist" anyone who advocates even moderate changes to the government's role in society.

It's clear that the overlords at Fox News Channel already got that memo and decided to ratchet the volume up a notch -- to 11.

According to Politico, RNC member James Bopp Jr. proposed a resolution that would acknowledge that President Obama wants "to restructure American society along socialist ideals" and call upon the Democratic Party to rename itself the "Democrat Socialist Party."

"Just as President Reagan's identification of the Soviet Union as the 'evil empire' galvanized opposition to communism," Bopp wrote, "we hope that the accurate depiction of the Democrats as a Socialist Party will galvanize opposition to their march to socialism."


Red-Baiting Redux

And indeed, this has been a season of red-baiting the likes of which we haven't seen since the reign of a certain senator from Wisconsin. The week before Bopp's memo, Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-Ala.) insisted that "some of the men and women I work with in Congress are socialists." Bachus says he has already counted 17 of them but that there may be more.

Also keeping a list is Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), who in the final days of the 2008 election season questioned then-candidate Obama's patriotism and called for an investigation of Democratic members of Congress for "anti-American views."

Bachmann didn't rest there. During an appearance late last month with Fox News Channel's Sean Hannity, she reiterated her call for a revolution against the tyranny of President Obama and congressional leadership.

"This is economic Marxism," Bachmann said of their economic stimulus plan. "[Obama] is moving the United States away from free-market capitalism and instead he's imprinting socialism deep into our centralized economic planning."

Like most of Bachmann's ranting in the media and on the Hill, these allegations make zero sense. But reality hasn't stopped her from assembling a political career out of comments that fan the flames of fear among the most militantly conservative.

When Socialism Isn't Bad Enough

Bachmann is by no means America's sole demagogue. That she's been given a national stage to insult our collective intelligence, though, is cause for notice.


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See more stories tagged with: media, socialism, obama, fox news, glenn beck, cnn, michelle malkin, militants, fascim, network news

Timothy Karr is the author of MediaCitizen, a weblog about the future of America's media. He is the campaign director of Free Press. From September 2003 through February 2005, Karr was executive director of MediaChannel.org and Media for Democracy.

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View:
We Are Headed for Fascism ... It Started In Earnest Under Bush ...
Posted by: mmckinl on Apr 30, 2009 12:31 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Obama has done very little to stem the tide ...

Fascist America, in 10 easy steps

In short ... rewarding failed crony capitalism (banksters), a compliant media as in the MSM, ignoring torture, increased warrant-less surveillance under Obama and still in Iraq and increasing forces in Afghanistan.

Indeed Fox News is exorting the formation of "brown shirt" type movements, invoking socialism as treason and inventing internal enemies such as immigrants ...

This will not end well ... but then again I believe TPTB don't want it to end well. In all the confusion the country is being looted and pillaged to the advantage of those that parlay weakness into Disaster Capitalism and initiate the Shock Doctrine to consolidate their position and power.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

» RE: I get it! Posted by: Cybershaman
» RE: I get it! Posted by: kogwonton
» Obama Obama rah rah rah! Posted by: Bliss Doubt
» RE: Obama Obama rah rah rah! Posted by: JenniferBedingfield
» How's that working for you Jen? Posted by: UnEasyOne
» Keep laughing. Obama's failing you. Posted by: JenniferBedingfield
» What? Posted by: Parcival01
» Hahaha, you are funny!!!! Posted by: Prophit0
» RE: You pulled all of that out of your ass Posted by: rfrancis@godisdead.com
» Fox viewers are "more well educated"? Posted by: photon's feather
European-styled socialism, yeah right
Posted by: themotie on Apr 30, 2009 12:36 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Most democrats would belong to the right-of-center to the medium right in most of Europe. European RIGHT WING politicians are telling Obama the american state should take on a more active leadership role in the banking business. As to Fox, Josef Goebbels is (probably mis-, but still it fits, somehow :-) ) quoted as saying "if you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it".

Off topic, but it's still funny in a tragicomic sort of way that the US Office of Strategic Services described Hitler's psychological profile as:

"never allow the public to cool off; never admit a fault or wrong; never concede that there may be some good in your enemy; never leave room for alternatives; never accept blame; concentrate on one enemy at a time and blame him for everything that goes wrong; people will believe a big lie sooner than a little one; and if you repeat it frequently enough people will sooner or later believe it."

Sounds like some slightly more modern politician?

Ah, well ...

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

Democratic Socialist Party
Posted by: Revolutionary (Direct) Democracy on Apr 30, 2009 12:50 AM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?


FREE AMERICA

VOCA, NOW !!

REVOLUTIONARY (DIRECT) DEMOCRACY

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

Obama Could, and Should, Renounce Unconstitutional Powers
Posted by: DrBrian on Apr 30, 2009 12:57 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
It's richly ironic that it was George W. Bush who arrogated to himself unconstitutional executive powers with the gleeful assistance of almost all Republicans and the hypocritical connivance of most Democrats, and now the right is suddenly concerned about fascism.

They do, however, have a point: Obama has yet to repudiate any of Bush's innovations in governance. He's still spying on all of us, still violating the Geneva Conventions, still denying due process, still protecting war criminals.

Obama could both regain some support from his erstwhile progressive base and undermine criticism from the far right by keeping his promise and renouncing unlawful executive authority.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

» RE: Tongue out of cheek... Posted by: Crazy H
» RE: Tongue out of cheek... Posted by: hilaryuk
» RE: Tongue out of cheek... Posted by: Crazy H
» RE: Tongue out of cheek... Posted by: Basenjis
These...
Posted by: adp3d on Apr 30, 2009 1:31 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
...idiots are just alienating sensible people and are just shrinking their own base. They are desperate people trying desperate tactics. They certainly are doing nothing to strengthen themselves. Basically, they just hate it that a black man is president.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

» RE: These... Posted by: Shey
more shiny things
Posted by: DrXyzzy on Apr 30, 2009 1:35 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Noise about socialism or any other ism distracts us from actual problem solving. Fox et al labeling something as socialist is the latest tactic in debasing the public dialogue.

I propose a codicil to Godwin's law: right-wing memes tend to converge on charges of socialism, which are supposed to stigmatize the target irrevocably while averting the use of independent rational thought and critical thinking.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

» RE: more shiny things Posted by: Shey
» RE: more shiny things Posted by: Quannah
villager
Posted by: villager1 on Apr 30, 2009 1:43 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
What "collective intelligence" is Tim talking about here?

Those same greed mongers who collectively got the whole planet into this mess in the first place no doubt!

Maybe it is time for the less intelligent to get it right since they are usually not afraid of working with their hands instead of their mouths.

The "Mouths" have done irreparable damage and now it is time for "The true labourers" to put it right and make sure that the "collective intelligent" remain in a safe place where they cannot mess up again!

Intelligent indeed! In what respect would that be? Thieving, gambling and robbery perhaps?

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

Prof Bob
Posted by: ProfBob on Apr 30, 2009 2:05 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Socialism has many definitions--marxist, welfare state, economic. Will Fox define exactly what it means before attacking it? Is it only socialized medicine? Is it our Social Security or Medicare? Is it unionism? If it is socialized medicine--which type are they criticizing?

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» RE: Will they? No, never. Posted by: ZPaul
» RE: Prof Bob Posted by: Lilly
» RE: Prof Bob Posted by: 4changenow
» RE: Prof Bob Posted by: Shey
Making socialism look good
Posted by: Perry Logan on Apr 30, 2009 2:39 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
The Repubs are probably vaguely aware they've managed to make socialism look good:

Many Americans prefer socialism to capitalism, new poll finds

With the U.S. government taking a majority stake in banks, bossing around the auto industry, and floating the possibility of nationalized healthcare, there have been rumblings in the media that the U.S. is leaning toward socialism.

A new poll suggests that if there's merit to those arguments, many Americans wouldn't mind.

Only a slight majority of American adults believe capitalism is better than socialism, according to the latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.

Asked whether capitalism or socialism is a better system, 53% of American adults cited capitalism, 20% said socialism and 27% said they weren't sure.


Busload of Faith

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GOP, Fox News Sink Into Outright McCarthyism
Posted by: SkeeterVT1 on Apr 30, 2009 2:42 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
It's time to call the Republicans and Fox News out for what they've sunk into: Outright McCarthyism. They are now openly broadcasting the Red-baiting propaganda of "Tail-Gunner Joe" himself, the late Senator Joseph R. McCarthy (R-Wisconsin).

It's been over a half-century since McCarthy terrorized the nation with his anti-communist witchhunts, so it's instructive to check out the story of the McCarthy era of the 1950s.

Check out the Wikipedia pages for:

Sen. Joseph R. McCarthy

McCarthyism

The House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), chaired by McCarthy

Edward R. Murrow, the CBS newsman who exposed McCarthy as the bully he was.

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One more note
Posted by: eeuropean2000 on Apr 30, 2009 3:29 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Cretins like Beck, Limbaugh, Coulter and Hannity would not exist if there was not an audience for them. And a cretin like Michelle Bachmann would be nowhere near Washington if a majority in her district hadn't voted for her. This recalls what Einstein said: "There are only two things in the world that are endless -- the universe and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." From my perspective in Europe, America is going right down the tubes by allowing people who are the absolute enemy of intellect and reason to have so much influence.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

» RE: One more note Posted by: Captainmagic
» RE: The road to hell... Posted by: Cybershaman
» RE: I gave you a "5" also! Posted by: Cybershaman
» RE: One more note Posted by: Axiom69
» First Amendment When Convenient? Posted by: johnwinthrop
Sure, cahnge the party's name
Posted by: inanaturallight on Apr 30, 2009 4:27 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
on the condition that the Republican party changes its name... to the Nazi party.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

» RE: Sure, cahnge the party's name Posted by: johnwinthrop
No Longer Quivering ‹(ô¿ô)›
Posted by: deni_haven on Apr 30, 2009 4:54 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
As the former editor / publisher of a "pro-life, pro-family" newspaper for 15 years, I can say that it is just this sort of fear-inspired crap that made me happy to sell the paper and walk away from right-wing politics as well as the monster-god and his misogynistic "word" upon which the Christian right stands.

I am no longer spreading hateful, intolerant and ignorant lies ~ and I am No Longer Quivering

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Capitalism is about Money; Socialism is about People
Posted by: thornwolf on Apr 30, 2009 5:01 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Capitalism cannot function without strong governance. The reason for this is that capitalism is rooted in the corporation, an artificial entity with no soul and no conscience. If allowed to run without regulation, capitalism self destructs like an over-revved engine because it is incapable of moderating its own actions, which are directed at maximizing the bottom line regardless of any considerations.

Socialism is about people. Without people there is no society. No corporation could exist or have a purpose without a society within which to act. People come first. People make up a society. The society has needs that must be met. The purpose of government is to meet the collective needs of society. In doing so, government must regulate corporations. If government fails to adequately regulate, then corporations will plunder the society. It's as simple as that.

Corporations become dangerous to society when they are successful in amassing economic power but still go unregulated. Then they have the power to buy the government. This is the Republican agenda, to empower the corporation at the expense of the consumer. Woe unto us who let them get away with it.

The Republican Party, which long ago ceased to be the party of Abraham Lincoln, is entirely greed based and concerned only with amassing wealth and power. As such it is disinterested in and antagonistic to society and social needs. This is why Republicans must paint socialism as evil, because socialism, by caring about people more then about corporations, stand opposed to the fundamental tenets of the Republican Party.

Republicans try to sell their party as the champion of small government and low taxation. But they only mean those things when applied to those at the top of the economic pyramid. Tax cuts for the rich, not the middle calss or working poor. This they call supply-side stimulus, but that is a lie designed to line their own pockets, not do what's best for the country and the society. There is such a thing as supply-side economic stimulus. It consists of tax increase at the top, exactly the opposite of what the Republican Party promotes. An examination of economic indicators following top-tier tax cuts and top-tier tax increases in the past century will show this is true.

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» what about the people whom is running the show? Posted by: SeattlePackedSnowandCollidedCars
» running the show? Posted by: Bliss Doubt
Fox News is patently Anti-American
Posted by: thornwolf on Apr 30, 2009 5:07 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
It makes no sense whatever to grant constitutional rights to corporations. By what stretch of logic should an artificial entity with no soul or conscience be granted rights like a natural person?

Corporations exist by virtue of government franchise. The United States Government was created by the people to serve their needs. How could the government enfranchise an artificial entity with as much rights as the people who created to government? It couldn't.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

» RE: But they did. Posted by: Ghoulman
» Labelling leads to totalitarianism Posted by: johnwinthrop
US Journalism Is Failing Us
Posted by: Lilly on Apr 30, 2009 5:11 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I hope everybody goes back to this article and reads again the paragraph about the mainstream media ignoring their journalistic duty of providing context and analysis. I don't think anything in the past 8-10 years has shocked me more than that, not even Rove, Cheney, and Bush. I was living in DC during Watergate and after that felt that the investigative journalists would keep us free. What happened to their courage?

It seems that anything FOX says nasty, loud, and often gets picked up and passed along by the MSM in lieu of doing their own homework. Right-wing talking points soon appear, without attribution or challenge, on so-called mainstream television, and meanwhile the Right continues to bleat that the MSM are left-biased so the MSM politely responds by inviting further Rightist opinion. Is all of this the influence of Right-leaning corporate ownership of media? Or journalistic laziness?

Another piece of this, I think, is that anyone younger than 40-45 has grown up in a United States where "conservative" means "normative" and "liberal" means "aberrant". People have been carefully brainwashed to believe that government is evil, government employees incompetent, and taxation, theft---and the Left has done too little to counteract that teaching. So when Glenn Beck rants about Obama being the ruin of this nation while, in the background, he runs footage of the Nazi army marching across Germany under the swastika, the ears and eyes that attend him have already been taught: the soil has been well-prepared for the seeding.

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» 3 things Posted by: Cory.Goodman
» RE: 3 things Posted by: Lilly
Where's the Secret Service?
Posted by: Jasonix on Apr 30, 2009 5:47 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
The radical Right is determined to have a violent confrontation in this country. It's time to grant their wish. Glenn Beck and his cohorts should be taken into custody by the Secret Service and the government should shut down Fox News. That's why we have the Secret Service.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

» Waterboard 'em Posted by: grindermonkey
Otto
Posted by: otto on Apr 30, 2009 5:46 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
As human beings we all have a tendency to generalize a bit too much without understanding what we're talking about. But this unfortunately efffective means of mass brainwashing by the media shows a real mental vacuum in our American society. We understand too little and are not critical enough unless we tend to "like" what we see and hear.

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Sly as a Fox
Posted by: 2thepoint on Apr 30, 2009 5:49 AM   
Current rating: 1    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Fox isn't starting the socialist rant, Obama is. It doesn't take an economic genius to see what he is doing. Giving unions enormous power, taking over companies, firing executives and most damaging of all, criminalizing anyone who works in a management position in the corporate world or owns their own business and does very well.

Basically , anyone who is rich is a criminal in Obama's eyes.. a class war and the opening to socialism.

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» RE: Sly as a Fox Posted by: Bob Horn
» RE: Sly as a Fox Posted by: robert.noll
» RE: Sly as a Fox Posted by: Crazy H
» Obama is no socialist Posted by: johnwinthrop
» Pakistan is not the 51st State Posted by: johnwinthrop
» RE: I rest my case. Posted by: picalillie
» RE: Sly as a Fox Posted by: Lilly
» RE: Not So Sly as a Fox Posted by: munchkinpup
» RE: Sly as a Fox Posted by: Shey
Fascism and Socialism are already here, and have been for years.
Posted by: Eddie Van Helsing on Apr 30, 2009 5:54 AM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
The only thing that's dangerous about Faux News' yellow journalism is that it presents the tyranny under which we have suffered since Nixon as something new.

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A Modest Proposal
Posted by: mpwilliams on Apr 30, 2009 5:56 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
The ownership, management, programming director and broadcast principals at Fox News should be prosecuted for sedition and conspiracy to incite stupidity.

Michael P. Williams
The Woodlands, Texas

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» Say Hi to Bush 41 for me Posted by: johnwinthrop
An Example of right wing control:
Posted by: Bob Horn on Apr 30, 2009 5:57 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Go to the web page for MSN. The articles here are better than most in the media but there is a problem here. Read some of the news stories there and then read the comments. 90% are so right wing, ignorant, and arrogant they look like either David Duke or Glen Beck wrote them while drunk. Then try to register to join in the discussion to argue with them online. If you are left of Newt Gingerich you will probably not be able to post a comment. They get rejected by the watchdog in charge of comments on MSN's articles. What can be done about this?

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Pointy, Why Doesn't Your Head Explode?
Posted by: Carol Burns on Apr 30, 2009 5:59 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
You're so full of it.

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» RE: Pointy? Posted by: Ghoulman
» RE: Pointy? Posted by: robert.noll
» RE: oh... him. Posted by: Ghoulman
Demonizing the word 'socialism'.
Posted by: Ghoulman on Apr 30, 2009 6:02 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
That's what this is about. It's handy to attack Obama as he is proposing a 'sorta' socialist health plan. So called single payer.

Call it "European-styled socialism", but let's remember Canada and every other First World nation has something like this. ALL OF THEM.

Why not the USA?

Because the USA has always been socially behind and backward in every sense. Health, education, social issues. The USA domestic policy was never, ever, left at all. The fact the Right are attacking Obama like this goes to show where the money is. If Obama manages to actually push through his moderate health bill it would raise the USA to the status of being almost as modern as... Canada. Fucking sad, eh?

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What are taxes but means to multiply and Share Fish & bread?
Posted by: Purple Girl on Apr 30, 2009 6:23 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Taxes Are a Redistribution of wealth- they pay to feed and care for those who are unable to do so for themselves.They use our small donation to expand the availability of essential resources to the needy, the young, the old and the ill. How do these Neo Cons think Jesus would view taxes- as an evil or a means of charity?
Do they think Jesus would expound the virtures of equating Guns with God?Believed it was virtuous to kill or torture others, "in Gods name".I think not.Lest we forget He was tortured and Murdered too- In the name of the religious doctrine and the 'security' of the state.
Do they think Jesus would devalue a life because of an affliction or disease (AIDS, Swine Flu- Remember the Lepers). I think Not.
Do they think Jesus would expell Anyone from worshipping and praising God? Is not God the Creator of All- Loves Us all? Did Jesus Pick and choose who could listen to his sermons? Find peace,love and happiness in his teachings? I think Not.
Do they think Jesus would have disregarded the gifts provided to us and preach reckless destruction and hoarding of these gifts, negating the responsiblity to pass them on- share with those to follow? I think Not.
Until the Religious 'right' goes beyond talking the talk and begins actually walking the Walk, Their claims to 'righteousness' will continue to be suspect.

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» Taxation is extortion Posted by: Eddie Van Helsing
» RE: Taxation is extortion Posted by: stellabloo
» I think I know how to spend my money better than the Goverment Posted by: SeattlePackedSnowandCollidedCars
» The R-Jesus vs. the D-Jesus Posted by: Bliss Doubt
» Your flawed assumption, Seattle, Posted by: Bliss Doubt
FoxNews like a drowning victim
Posted by: xvictor on Apr 30, 2009 6:24 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
A person who is about to drown in a deep pool of water wildly flails his arms while yelling loudly for help and at the same time gulping big amounts of water. After a short while, he goes under.

FoxNews is at the state now where it's wildly flailing about and yelling loudly.

It's just a matter of time.

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» Murdoch will drain the Pool Posted by: johnwinthrop
Keith Oberman vs Glen Beck
Posted by: donnal on Apr 30, 2009 6:29 AM   
Current rating: 1    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Keith Oberman and Glen Beck are both over the top...

Fox is what it is, you know when you turn on Fox that a differnt view of Mr. Obama and his spending will be given. When you turn to MSNBC, NBC, CBS, ABC, CNN, Public TV, you will find talking heads who will not ask a hard question or give a different view from what the WH is giving to their news rooms.

The MSM contiues to give Mr. Obama a pass on trillion dollar spending and taking this country in the wrong direction, Fox is providing different information. Some may not like the delivery, including myself from their talking heads, but at least it is being given.


Many who were HP, Moveon.org, WP, Emily's List to name a few have gone to Fox, because something is wrong when these sites have now become the same as Fox was during the Bush era. These sites and networks have pushed us out because we hold different views and dare to question Mr. Obama. Fox provided a landing place for us. Sadly, both sides are so far left and so far right that each need a time-out.

Socialism will not take this country down, it will be individuals who will not think for themselves. Sadly, this is what Mr. Obama and company are counting on for you to just submit.

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» Rubbish Posted by: Parcival01
» Balderdash Posted by: leafsong1
Exploding the myth
Posted by: Democritus on Apr 30, 2009 6:42 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Michelle Bachmann and Larry Kudlow praise "free-market capitalism" in lockstep with no regard for its fatal defects. Go to www.watchingpolitics.com to read "Exploding the Myth of Free-Market Capitalism," by Professor L.S. Carrier. There you will find no empty posturing, simply an analysis of just how damaging free-market capitalism can be.

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How to neuter Fox News
Posted by: Pauline2005 on Apr 30, 2009 6:43 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Revise government procurement rules. Make all government contractors prequalify again. Include a stipulation that any advertising on Fox News by a member of the group of which they are part, will disqualify a supplier from contracting with the government for a specified period of years from the date of the last such advertisement. Get a law through Congress if necessary.

Hit Fox News where it hurts most easily - it's profit margin.

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» Awww, c'mon... Posted by: Parcival01
I just had a discussion with a "tea party" attendee
Posted by: Parcival01 on Apr 30, 2009 6:55 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
...and she referred to something like the "slime" that was elected president.

I didn't need to ask her which "news" she watches. She referred too to how terrible (or disastrous, a word of that superlative nature) the country is today. I attempted to remind her that Mr. Obama's popularity is still very, very high. But she was too busy telling me that she's part of a faction who's contemplating leaving the US. I asked for where. She said they were thinking of Australia, but then hissed, "but they have socialized medicine there." So they're contemplating New Zealand (which, to the best of my knowledge ALSO has the dreaded, unGodly, terrible, bizarre socialized medicine!!!)

I was on the verge of telling her to leave, with a hearty "good riddance," but I have a few friends in New Zealand. I don't want to subject those friends to the redneck, racist, separatist lunatic fringe Yanks who'd be among them!

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» True Posted by: Parcival01
A very silly author
Posted by: leafsong1 on Apr 30, 2009 7:15 AM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
The problem with Fox News is that they don't make enough money to pay for good talent? What planet is this guy from? And why is there no mention of what the hell these people claim to be talking about? We know they are distorting, but what, specifically are they distorting? Those of us who would never watch Fox for five minutes might want to know, but the author doesn't seem to think it is important.

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Real Opportunity To Change...
Posted by: ranchero42 on Apr 30, 2009 7:16 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
And what to they do? Become resolute that the real problem was that they hadn't gone far enough to the right. Compound stupidity with insanity. The First Amendment ends where treason and sedition begins. Solution? Land is cheap in Texas, let 'em start fresh, a whole new country of like-minded fascists. I can see it all now, legalized gunplay in the streets over parking spaces. Speaking of which, they won't need a "Texans With Disabilities Act", they'll be packin' lead so everybody and their kinfolk will be "Longhorns With A Limp".

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makes me laugh and cry....
Posted by: dsmidiman on Apr 30, 2009 7:18 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Anybody that listens to the hypocritical, hateful, extreme right wing, so called Christian, anti American, corporate sponsored, fear based, dictorial wannabe hog wash spewed out by Fox News, Limbaugh and the likes of should have both thier heads and thier hearts examined!!! Thier nonsense is so rediculous it makes me laugh...

It say's in the Book of Revelations that the end of the world comes not from countries killing of each other nor from different races of people killing off each other and not from aliens. The end of the world is caused by extreme "religious" factors who have the GWB "My Way or the Highway" mentality fighting against those of us who believe that every human being on this planet has a "GOD" (what ever that entity means to them) given right to health, happiness and prosperity. Fox News and the likes of are doing their best to draw the line in the sand that will ultimately make the "Revelation" come true. That makes me cry.

The world and it's inhabitants are constantly evolving and the laws that we humans make that dictate how we live need to constantly evolve also in a way that is most benefitial to ALL of us. This way of thinking is what got Obama elected and gives him the support he has by the majority of the people in this country. You can call it Socialism, Tree Hugging or any other "buzz" word you like. The bottom line is we've tried it the other way and look where it has gotten us!! Fox News and the likes of need to shut the F*** up and let's see what happens taking a different course.

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psychologist
Posted by: psychologist on Apr 30, 2009 7:30 AM   
Current rating: 2    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Thank God for Fox News the only reliable source for the news. While the left wing media continues to falter and go bankrupt.

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» psychologist, heal thyself Posted by: Defenestrator
» RE: psychologist Posted by: robert.noll
» RE: psychodribble Posted by: ranchero42
Fight the Meme by Redefining Socialism
Posted by: snax on Apr 30, 2009 7:31 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I have frequently been drawn into discussions over the issue of socialism with those who think they are opposed to it in any form. Reminding them however that socialism provides for their roads, their sewer treatment plants, the police and fire protection, their children's schools starts to bring home the larger point that socialism is a vital part of making communities and our nation work. I always stress that that neither capitalism nor socialism can exist to the exclusion of the other, that a balance must be struck, and without that balance, neither extreme is worth the payout.

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Voice Of Fear
Posted by: melpol on Apr 30, 2009 7:32 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
The Right wing media has become the voice of fear. Its audience is made up of people that imagine that they live in a vacuum without any need for government help. But if they smell smoke they will quickly call the fire department. The voice of fear broadcasts that Mexican drug dealers are invading the South West. But listeners refuse to stop buying their drugs. The voice of fear claims that the nation is losing family values. But most listeners have been divorced at least once. The voice of fear offers no remedy for the problems of the nation but it keeps us scared.

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» RE: Voice Of Fear Posted by: Lilly
» Rick Perry Posted by: Bliss Doubt
Which is it? Fascism or socialism?
Posted by: Defenestrator on Apr 30, 2009 7:44 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
They are opposite sides of the political spectrum! That's like worrying about a flood drought. If they are worried about working people taking over their factories, that's socialism. If they are worried about the government taking over the factories, that's fascism. You can't have both!

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boo hoo Fox News is messing up the swag boo hoo
Posted by: SeattlePackedSnowandCollidedCars on Apr 30, 2009 7:56 AM   
Current rating: 2    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
boo hoo boo hoo boo hiss

Who cares! Why are you guys watching Fox News anyway? Y'all got a network right? Y'all got two networks, and even Public Taxpayer funded Radio and TV and all the old rabbit ear networks. Newspapers are going under so I guess you guys and girls need to be out supporting there product and telling the advertisers "I've seen this in the New York Times."

Really AlterNet this is getting old crying about Fox News, how about you guys get back to reporting on that generational theft from the left. You hate bank bailouts as much as we do and I know you are asking yourself everyday "Why is Obama cuddling up to Wall Street?" Whom ells is going to ask that on Cable News because it damm sure an't going to be CNN or MSNBC and you know it.

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Horsefeathers
Posted by: willymack on Apr 30, 2009 8:01 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
So, fox noise is dangerous, huh? Want to ban it, huh? Bit of a problem with that one; something to do with the First Amendment. Faux news is only as dangerous as the brain-dead ninnies who watch and listen to it. They DO have ten times the coverage as say, Sirius Left Talk Radio, for instance, but let's face it, anybody with half a brain who listens to their goofy blather does so for LAUGHS, anyway. The cure for fox's bizarre lies is a first-rate education at our public schools. We're way overdue for that.

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THERE'S ALWAYS A SOCIAL ORDER
Posted by: VZEQICVA on Apr 30, 2009 8:14 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Without that we would be in chaos. For 8 years we were in my mind, living under a form of dictatorship. We are now in the process of rebuilding. To some, it resembles socialism. We are rising above the Bush mentality of letting the markets run everything and slowly moving back to giving a damn about each other. It's not for everyone. Selfish is very clearly defined and easy. Caring about the other guy requires some thought. We are not becoming socialized we are becoming civilized. I think we give far to much attention to the loud mouths on Fox and they love every minute of it. As long as they have an audience they don't care whether or not they're liked. When Bush was president there were many things that troubled me and some things I found downright scary. And yet he was 'their man', possibly because he was a selfish bastard. Suddenly volunteering in a soup kitchen sends out a wave of fear. FOX is talking to a shrinking audience. That's what they're afraid of. Thanks, ANNA

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This comment has been removed from the site due to non-compliance with AlterNet's community policies.
» RE: Fogs Nooz Posted by: ranchero42
European-style socialism?
Posted by: Christopher Hobe Morrison on Apr 30, 2009 8:19 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I forget the details, but there were recently some polls saying that since the right has started saying that Obama is a socialist, people were increasingly reporting good feelings about socialism. Maybe this is why the right has started using terms such as fascism and communism.

I think if you really look at the days of the blacklists, the people who refused to hire those who were blacklisted did so not so much because they agreed with the blacklisters but rather because they were afraid. The blacklisters acted as if they were very powerful, but the only power they had was the fear people had for them. That was why the "At long last, have you no shame?" at the Army-McCarthy hearings started an avalanche that fell on McCarthy.

This is why Keith Olbermann's approach of lampooning the Bachmans and the Palins is so good. If you laugh at evil as well as point out how stupid it is, you can destroy it. It would be nice to get all the sponsors of Fox to stop advertising there, but this would fit right in with the right's paranoia (see, they are out to get us because we are right and they are afraid). Actually they are the ones who are afraid, which is why they are having hysterics.

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Fasci-Socialism...?
Posted by: CanuckKid on Apr 30, 2009 8:23 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Defenestrator makes a good point above (except that Fascism, I think, isn't so much the government owning the factories as it is the men who own the factories also owning the government): Which "ism" is it, Mr. Beck?

"We're into socialism now. That's not our final destination...Our final destination is happy-faced fascism."

Ummm... 'scuse me...? So... you all are being pushed heavily to the left before your final lurch to the far right...? It seems that Señor Beck is having trouble keeping his "ism"s straight. Would someone kindly buy him a dictionary and show him how to use it?

The States just had eight years of something that looked a lot like Fascism under GWB. After that, anything to the left of Barry Goldwater would look like socialism. The Obama Administration is neither. He's a member of the Democratic Party, which is quite a bit more right-leaning than what Beck, Billo, et al. would have you believe.

The Dems won a free and fair election, guys. Get used to it.

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» RE: Fasci-Socialism...? Posted by: LeeAnnG
» RE: Fasci-Socialism...? Posted by: Defenestrator
Media is hastening their own self-destruction
Posted by: Mousey on Apr 30, 2009 8:31 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Just when the mainstream media had a golden opportunity to repudiate the propaganda flowing from FOX News, they decided - again - to jump on the bandwagon because FOX's insanity is garnering ratings.

CNN and MSNBC will never catch up to FOX because they are too lily-livered to fully embrace the non-sensical ranting , but in dabbling in it they sully their own reputations (what there is) and rather than achieve any fairness or balance, they expose themselves as irrelevant ratings whores.

Discerning news consumers take it with a grain of salt, but as the author states, the seepage is dangerous and the idiocy continues to permeate daily conversations.

But who has the megaphone, the platform from which to denounce this slide? None other the perpetrators.

We need another "Outfoxed" but including all the major outlets. MediaMatters needs to get into the documentary business.

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Socialism? Obama is just a big neo-con turd.
Posted by: Bliss Doubt on Apr 30, 2009 8:45 AM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I had to turn him off last night. This was at least the fifth speech in which he complained of "inefficient government" and spoke of coming cuts to what he calls, in neo-con language, "entitlements" (social security and medicare). Whatever he chooses to call health care reform is going to tiptoe around the insurance and pharma lobbies.

Get ready to have your social security added to the big "bailout" pot of corporate welfare which is funding the global expansion of multinational corporations. Bank of America to cut 35,000 jobs stateside, yet will add 15,000 jobs in India. Where does a company on the verge of bankruptcy get the funds to expand operations in foreign countries? How does bankrupt Chrysler have the money to merge with Fiat and retool factories to produce Fiats? We can congratulate our elected leaders for using our taxpayer dollars against us, taking from the working class to give to the mega-wealthy so they can expand abroad and leave the american working class in abject poverty.

Wouldn't it be more efficient for government to back out of private business and let business solve its own problems? Yet it would seem that it's more convenient to blame the employee and employer funded social security program, which has never been funded by government and has only been raped and robbed by government, for the inefficiencies that are bringing down our economy.

Bailouts are not helping this economy, and people who lose social security will not be able to retire on their prudent investments. Without serious regulation, it isn't safe to invest in these corrupt and crooked markets. When our economy really goes dark, even credit unions will not be safe from runs on the money.

What a waste of air time to make people think that Obama has any sort of socialist leanings at all.

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I do not think........
Posted by: Don't Panic on Apr 30, 2009 8:54 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
You people get this whole thing.......The mean old white men cannot say anything that might be construed as racsist so they bring a sideways attack at the silly little black man who got himself elected fairly to the presidency, They do not know what to do or how to think and OMG what is happening to our country and isn't it just totally comical that these scared OLD WHITE MEN are saying things about this marvelous black man things like fascist and silly little crap like that when hitler and mussolini hated ay body of color or with different ideas than theirs. Curiouser and curiouser.

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We need to stop calling them "conservatives"
Posted by: LeeAnnG on Apr 30, 2009 9:02 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
The nutjobs at Fox and in the government are not conservative. This is a misuse of a very useful word. Loonytoons like Michelle Bachman are as far from conservative as Rev. Wright. They are radical, over-the-top, living in La-La land wingnuts. Nothing conservative about this.

It's good when words have real meanings because communication benefits when they do. "Conservative" means "cautious, traditional, unprogressive, conventional, stable, inflexible, obstinate, rightwing."

The bizarro noise machine members are certainly not cautious, conventional, or stable. They are reckless, out of touch with even the most fundamental conventional wisdom or standards of behavior, off-the-wall unstable, and raving radicals. They are not really even unprogressive, because they are in favor of progressing toward an even more extreme corporate state with even more jingoistic guidelines and nutty agendas. (They are only unprogressive when it comes to making life better for real people.)

The only definitons that apply are "obstinate" and "rightwing." And these people are so far out, they aren't even rightwing any more. They are off-the-radar-wing or maybe batshit-loopy-wing. But absolutely, positively they are not conservative.

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» Love it. Posted by: Bliss Doubt
» RE: Love it. Posted by: picalillie
» Interesting Posted by: LeeAnnG
» RE: Interesting Posted by: Defenestrator
The Monsters are Due on Maple Street
Posted by: marjani on Apr 30, 2009 9:11 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Watch 22. The Twilight Zone - The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street in Entertainment | View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com.

These Republican conservative histrionics remind me of this particular episode of the Twilight Zone. Mainly because Rod Serling wrote it as a response to American racism lodged against blacks.

The studio exec's changed it to be more "open" and not peculiar to blacks, but that's not the way it was written at origin.

The "monsters" Serling originally wrote about were black folks in America, to say this is what happens when you have hyped-out "mob/crowd hysteria" amongst insane and unreasonable people for no reason other than their own fears. It turns out they were being "watched" by aliens who wanted to see how humans would react when pitted against the unknown and unfamiliar--those they don't take the time out to get to see or know because they are locked in their own strange worlds where everything is alright until 'something else' (spooks!) starts running interference.

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» RE: The Monsters are Due on Maple Street Posted by: jonestown kool-aid
Such Short Memories
Posted by: HipBone on Apr 30, 2009 9:13 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
It's hard to believe, but is everyone( in the right wing) forgetting this economic disaster was caused by( among other things) 8 years of Bush hell?
Where was Glen Beck when the Patriot Act came out? It is most obvious to the objective person that the politics of fear are being whipped up in the Fox blender. Don't drink the Kool Aid. Get your information from the net, not these bozos.

Having said that, it is also obvious that the banking and military shadow interests are still influencing foreign and domestic policies. People still have a legitimate right to be concerned when many of the executive power grabs have not been overturned by Obama.
There are still midnight raids by ICE that seem to be targetting visible minorities. You can still be denied Habeus Corpus and detained indefinitley. The War on Drugs is still a fascist system. The Obama gang still seem to be stalling swift and fair prosecutions for the Torture Team. Everybody knows these things, but quite frankly are too scared of their government to have the purge that is needed. Hope is always tommorow, and Change still has not come.
What Beck, Limbaugh and OReilly are able to tap into, is the anger of a confused public to go after the new Obama administration. Kind of like going into Iraq because of 9/11

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» RE: Such Short Memories Posted by: picalillie
Balancing Socialism and Capitalism: some thoughts on social justice
Posted by: pdxjoe on Apr 30, 2009 9:26 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
"I always stress that that neither capitalism nor socialism can exist to the exclusion of the other, that a balance must be struck, and without that balance, neither extreme is worth the payout."

The thought of socialism and capitalism being in some sort of balance is already a sort of capitalist fantasy, where socialism is construed as a prop, a compensation even, for the profit-seeking of capitalists. This is distributive justice as peddled by liberals for decades - where capitalism is treated as a kind of engine for social wealth that we domesticate and harness through taxation - and it sucks.

Herein lies the main difference between the liberal and the socialist. The liberals want to feed and protect the poor "who need it," all the while maintaining the poor in their poverty and rich in their wealthiness. For what would happen to all the people working in the government - existing here as a kind of "public business" whose job it is to maintain the social body for going to work everyday (consuming and producing are the same in this sense) for the profit-engine - if everyone made too much to qualify for their services, and who would pay for it if there were no rich? This is social justice trapped in the logic of private gain.

The socialists simply want to feed and protect everyone, regardless of class. This is what happens in a classless society: classes disappear not because we renounce or forgive them, but because we forget them in the daily work of our shared life. This radical sort of message of universality, not simply "helping the poor" but reaching out to those who were excluded socially and economically, is what got Jesus crucified. In this sense, we live in strange times, where the hyper-rich who exclude themselves from society by becoming little self-sustaining islands unto themselves and the hyper-poor who are excluded from state protection, who are homeless or live in slums and are subject to gang-rule and the hand of the black-market, where these two classes are flip-sides of the same coin. Real social justice addresses both of these groups as needing the same universal inclusion.

You can talk of balance, but the only appropriate balance is where all major industries - agriculture, housing, transportation, communications, healthcare, education, banking - are socialized, are collectively owned and ran BY THE PEOPLE through THEIR government.

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Freedom of Speach
Posted by: Archie1954 on Apr 30, 2009 9:29 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Freedom of speach is sacrosanct but there are laws against preaching sedition and maybe it's time to start enforcing them.

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» RE: Freedom of Speach Posted by: Quannah
» RE: Freedom of Speach Posted by: ranchero42
» RE: Freedom of Speach Posted by: picalillie
» Sedition vs Secession Posted by: u2r1
Socialism, Communism & the Democratic Republic
Posted by: Crazy H on Apr 30, 2009 9:43 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
These political systems have a lot in common. They all are founded on the belief that the little guy matters.

The first two have been incorrectly associated with totalitarian governments for so long that they've lost all meaning in public discourse.

Fuks news uses them interchangably with "liberals" "Muslims" and "fascists" - and all their salivating audience knows is that they're supposed to be Bad Things.

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» OK Posted by: johnwinthrop
Right wingers are all in favour of small government...
Posted by: davmills on Apr 30, 2009 9:59 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
...when it comes to guns and money.
But when it comes to individual freedoms related to same-sex marriage, access to media, cannabis consumption and use, etc., they're the ones callling for government intervention via police and courts.
And as for the Nazi analogy: didn't Bush sr's father invest in Nazi Germany?

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where?
Posted by: finch on Apr 30, 2009 10:07 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Where is the socialism?

This is what I see:

That top 1% holding a disproportionate amount of wealth. According to US PIRG 100 billion dollars of expected tax money being hidden by the wealthy elite.

Public universities whose entry requirement is only a capacity to pay. A health care system where you must buy private insurance which bets against you?


So, I ask, where is the "socialism"?

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This is probably the one issue I agree with fox news on.
Posted by: rafaeltoral on Apr 30, 2009 10:38 AM   
Current rating: 1    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
This is a fascist police state. If you fail to take notice you are probably already fully indoctrinated. When its "liberal fascism" fox news is all over it. But when its eight years of "conservative fascism" everything is hunky dorey.

Bottom line this is a fascist police state. You had better take notice lest you lose the few rights you still have left.

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rename the Republicans
Posted by: gk13 on Apr 30, 2009 10:53 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Time to rename the Republican party the
No to Everything Rethuglican Know Nothing party.

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What a joke
Posted by: obliu222 on Apr 30, 2009 11:04 AM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
The point of this tactic is obviously to disguise the fact that on serious issues the Democrats and Republicans are actually so similar. It's amusing that they simply conflate their rhetoric in a way that makes Socialism sound oppressive. Last time I checked, Socialism was about empowering the masses, just like Democracy supposedly is. Let's not forget to leave out that point, even if it makes idiots think that we're Socialists or sympathizers. Because the proof is in the pudding. You don't have to be afraid of idiots after all. It lasts about 6-7 years and then everybody gets fed-up as hell with their BS and they go back to being crazy and indignant every day of their lives. The truth is that both parties are wings of the national "business party" and any much more crazy allusions to Fascism would have to be referencing this reality.

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» RE: What a joke Posted by: rfrancis@godisdead.com
» RE: What a joke Posted by: obliu222
» RE: What a joke Posted by: rfrancis@godisdead.com
darkmark
Posted by: darkmark on Apr 30, 2009 11:17 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
when has the usofa ever had a mainstream newspaper that wasn't only concerned about its bottom line? not in my 64 years. admittedly the fox station's form of news defines the right for this country more then any large form of media ever has.

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There is a way to fix Faux...
Posted by: Quannah on Apr 30, 2009 11:24 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
it's called REGULATION.

The FCC granted Rupert Murdoch an EXEMPTION when he bought several local stations in NYC and when he bought the Wall Street Journal.

Revoke the exemption. Make Rupert choose. Make him sell-off some of his holdings, which comprise a MONOPOLY.

Create new regulations that will not allow them to call themselves a "News" Organization when it is so obviously the Propaganda Wing of the Republic Party.

Last year, it came to light that many talking heads on Faux Noose were reading talking points from the Bush White House, faxed to them fresh every morning from Karl Rove, and presenting this as "news." It's propaganda!

Who is the head of Faux Noose Channel? Roger Ailes... a longtime Republic Party political operative. He was a media consultant for Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, and George H. W. Bush, as well as Rudy Giuliani’s first mayoral campaign in 1989.

There are remedies available. Question is... are we willing to push this?

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» RE: There is a way to fix Faux... Posted by: JenniferBedingfield
» RE: There is a way to fix Faux... Posted by: rfrancis@godisdead.com
» RE: There is a way to fix Faux... Posted by: rfrancis@godisdead.com
We don't have many options here. Regulation is needed but for now, turning off Faux is all we have
Posted by: JenniferBedingfield on Apr 30, 2009 11:37 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
as a real choice. Faux will not destroy us alone. There are plenty other media outlets cooperating with Faux believe it or not. Can we not train our progressives to take on the rightwing puppet network when they go on the air to debate? For example, Cynthia Mckinney would make a great replacement for Alan Colmes since she's bold and daring while Colmes is just a wee-wee boy always allowing Hannity to eat his lunch. Until the progressives and liberals stop hesitating and are unafraid to talk in ways that will implicitly put Faux Noise to shame, the only option we have is to stay away from it.

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Inconsistency
Posted by: LeeAnnG on Apr 30, 2009 11:47 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
A.K.A hypocrisy is a staple of the Faux "news" pundits, hate mongers, and rightwingers in congress. There was an article in Daily Kos back in 2005 called "Why Did They Hate America" that pointed out the ugliness of the regressives during the Clinton administration about the war in Kosovo.

These incredible hypocritical blowhards never seem to remember their own criticism of the President when he is not a member of their elite group of American jingoists.

Here are just a few quotes:

"Victory means exit strategy, and it's important for the President to explain to us what the exit strategy is."
-Governor George W. Bush (R-TX)

"You can support the troops but not the president"
-Representative Tom Delay (R-TX)

"No goal, no objective, not until we have those things and a compelling case is made, then I say, back out of it, because innocent people are going to die for nothing. That's why I'm against it."
-Sean Hannity, Fox News, 4/5/99

"Explain to the mothers and fathers of American servicemen that may come home in body bags why their son or daughter have to give up their life?"
-Sean Hannity, Fox News, 4/6/99

This, of course, is just one glaring example of the "love it or leave it" crowd's 180 degree reversal when it's the "liberals" or Democrats declaring war, limiting our "freedoms" or "going on spending sprees."

It reminds me of the American exceptionalism mindset on a slightly smaller scale, only it's Rightwing exceptionalism. They seem to believe that they are chosen by god, so their ends justify the means and they are capable of only doing good. To a paraphrase the famous words of Nixon, "If the Republicans do it, then it's not illegal or immoral."

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» RE: Inconsistency Posted by: percipi22
I wouldn't worry this too much...
Posted by: Jdog on Apr 30, 2009 12:28 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Fox will always be Fox, and everyone knows where it stands. As to the rest of the media, it just chases the trend. At present, they believe this sells. Soon, even the media will realize that most Americans hold generally progressive views.

When that happens, all of this goofiness about Marxism, socialism, and facism from people who don't know anything about any of these systems will just fade away...The current bleeding off of Republican votes will continue, and the GOP will be reduced to the ultra-wealthy on the one hand, and a handful of poor, uneducated, and racist dopes on the other.

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» worry about dopes Posted by: johnwinthrop
» RE: worry about dopes Posted by: Timba
My wife and I quit watching Faux Noise and the rest years ago and we don't regret it.
Posted by: maxpayne on Apr 30, 2009 12:31 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I find it hard to believe these networks have even an audience let alone huge ones. Maybe if we'd all turn off the tellies and socialize a bit more with one another, these dirty stations wouldn't be so powerful.

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» Maxpayne welcome back! Posted by: Bliss Doubt
» RE: Maxpayne welcome back! Posted by: maxpayne
Socialism and Fascism are at opposite poles
Posted by: bluefire on Apr 30, 2009 1:24 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
The opposite of Fascism is Communism. The far right is fascistic, the far left is communistic. Socialism can't lean into Fascism, that would be a contradiction in terms. Socialism and Capitalism are far milder forms of Communism and Fascism. Communism could be considered a reduction to the absurd of Socialism and Fascism could be considered a reduction to the absurd of Capitalism.

Maybe Fox is trying to confuse things for propaganda purposes? Or are they just ignorant?

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» RE: Communism and Fascism are pretty much the same Posted by: allyourbasearebelongtous
How dumb are Fox viewers?
Posted by: ReallyBearish on Apr 30, 2009 2:16 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
My friend the conservative (that lives in a rent controlled apartment in NY) was blathering on about the Obama bailout scheme, so I asked him if he knew what a derivative was, or a CDO or a CDS. He hadn't a clue. This is the kind of "information" that Fox News passes on to it's idiot audience.

Derivatives were at the heart of the bank and the AIG blowup. If you don't know what a CDS (insurance for a CDO) is, or that the Bank of America, Citicorp and JPMorgan Chase are into trillions of dollars worth of derivatives, how could you have any insight whatever into the banking mess? Sixty Minutes covered this in detail, but the Fox News audience couldn't handle this since most of them operate at a 5th grade math level.

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» RE: How dumb are Fox viewers? Posted by: percipi22
DEMS HIDING HIDDEN COSTS OF SOC HEALTHCARE THAT MAKE IT MORE EXPENSIVE THAN PRESENT SYSTEM-PART A
Posted by: SassyFrassy on Apr 30, 2009 2:51 PM   
Current rating: 2    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
IN SCOTLAND-462,000 PEOPLE DIED AS A RESULT OF HEALTHCARE FAILINGS

ENGLAND---the NATIONAL HEALTHCARE JUST UP AND DECIDED TO HALT KNEE AND HIP REPLACEMENTS FOR OVERWEIGHT PEOPLE.

in SOUTH AFRICA- PATIENTS DIED after his life saving surgery was RE-CLASSIFIED as 'elective' and CANCELED seven YES THAT'S RIGHT SEVEN times until it was simply to late.

in AUSTRALIA man has been on a 90 day waiting PERIOD---for over 2 years.

in Canada -cancer patients have been DENIED life saving medicines that are standard treatment in USA and covered by USA INSURANCE.

ENGLAND AGAIN---- Alheimer's patients denied $5 a day drug that provides crucial relief because it's considered TOO EXPENSIVE.

CUBA---they are FORCED to BEG tourists for common medicines like allergy and asthma inhalers and even aspirin.

EVERYWHERE SOCIALIZED MEDICINE HAS BEEN TRIED IT HAS FAILED.

The DEMS BRAND of getting around using the term SOCIALIZED MEDICINE is to dress up their BIG GOVERNMENT schemes to bamboozle public by calling it UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE OR HEALTH CARE FOR ALL to 'diguise' the fact it should be labeled as HEALTHCARE FOR NONE so the BIG GOV can pocket the funds.

NO matter how these DEMS CALL soc med it always has the same RESULTS---RATIONED HEALTHCARE, DENIAL OF ESSENTIAL MEDICAL SERVICE, WAITING LISTS, MEDIOCRE MEDICINE, AND UNNECESSARY SUFFERING AND DEATH. and for whaaat?? so gov can pocket the funds. always the bottom line.

MEANWHILE WASH DC SLUGS end up with final say over your most intimate medical decisions NOT YOU AND NOT YOUR DOCTOR.

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DEMS HIDING HIDDEN COSTS OF HEALTHCARE THAT MAKE IT MORE EXPENSEIVE THAN OUR PRESENT SYSTEM--PART B
Posted by: SassyFrassy on Apr 30, 2009 2:52 PM   
Current rating: 1    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Here we have the DEMS always needing a bigger shovel for the level of UTOPIAN propaganda they want to throw at the UNSUSPECTING PUBLIC.

wanna? know the latest??? Michael moore made a progpaganda film where they attempt to bamboozle the PUBLIC by claiming CUBA'S healthcare is better than the USA ....and that the USA should go to the CUBAN model for healthcare.

WANNA KNOW??? what the reality is and whaaat they are really HIDING... the reality is in CUBA people have to BEG FROM TOURISTS for allergy inhalers and aspirin. You can bet if Americans are allowed to be bamboozled into Socialist healthcare DEMS will make SURE USA is WORSE OFF than CUBA.

According to the new stimulus if your child needs antibiotics and the GOV only wants to give them Asprin or NOTHING guess whaaat they will get ASPIRIN or nothing. Soc healthcare is MORE expensive AND gives NO HEALTHCARE. We are no scholar, but you don't need to be a scholar to SEE whaaat is wrong with the DEMS scenario.

PEOPLE OUR MARKET BASED HEALTHCARE SYSTEM IS ONE OF THE BEST IN THE WORLD. Why, sure it's not perfect. BUT THE SHORTCOMINGS it faces such as high cost of drugs and insurance---are in part THE results of the inroads the SOCIALISTS AND LIBERALS have already made into our market based health care system.

THE REAL SOLUTION TO fixing HEALTHCARE ISN'T to make UNCLE SAME/DEMS your doctor ....BUT to GIVE YOU THE PUBLIC MORE CHOICE.

ALLOWING the DEMS socialize healthcare not only would prove expensive but DEADLY. Think about it?? DEMS WANT TO SPEND MORE MONEY BUT DENY PUBLIC the meds and services it needs while GOV POCKETS THE CASH TO SPEND ON PORK.

TAKE A LOOK .. 50% OF BRITISH AND NEW ZEALANDS WOMEN diagnosed with breast cancer DIE. however, HERE IN USA only 1/5th breast cancer sufferers DIE FROM IT. did you know hair dye are directly linked to breast cancer??

25 % CANADIA men and 50% of british men diagnosed with prostrate cancer die from it. HERE, IN USA less than 1/5th men die from it.

BRITISH-ER'S with serious illnesses are 7 times more likely to die from them than AMERICANS with such conditions.
BRITISH-ERS are also 4 times MORE likely to DIE during major surgery than Americans.

IN most countries if you are OVER A CERTAIN AGE like 75 they will let you die.

this is what awaits America if public doesn't do what it takes NOW to seek LEGAL ACTION to kick out SOC healthcare stimulus AND BAILOUT.

see The National Center for Public Policy Research also see American Ctr for LAW and Justice

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CHILDREN MOST HARSHLY AFFECTED BY SOC HEALTHCARE
Posted by: SassyFrassy on Apr 30, 2009 2:54 PM   
Current rating: 1    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Here we have the DEMS always needing a bigger shovel for the level of UTOPIAN propaganda they want to throw at the UNSUSPECTING PUBLIC.

wanna? know the latest??? Michael moore made a progpaganda film where they attempt to bamboozle the PUBLIC by claiming CUBA'S healthcare is better than the USA ....and that the USA should go to the CUBAN model for healthcare.

WANNA KNOW??? what the reality is and whaaat they are really HIDING... the reality is in CUBA people have to BEG FROM TOURISTS for allergy inhalers and aspirin. You can bet if Americans are allowed to be bamboozled into Socialist healthcare DEMS will make SURE USA is WORSE OFF than CUBA.

According to the new stimulus if your child needs antibiotics and the GOV only wants to give them Asprin or NOTHING guess whaaat they will get ASPIRIN or NOTHING.

Whats worse.. if your/adult/child are X percent sick they ARE LEFT TO DIE.

Soc healthcare is MORE expensive AND gives NO HEALTHCARE. We are no scholar, but you don't need to be a scholar to SEE whaaat is wrong with the DEMS scenario.

DEMS LIED to claim our healthcare system is broken. SOCIALIST HEALTHCARE is MORE EXPENSIVE and gives NO HEALTHCARE.

PEOPLE, OUR MARKET BASED HEALTHCARE SYSTEM IS ONE OF THE BEST IN THE WORLD. Why, sure it's not perfect. BUT THE SHORTCOMINGS it faces such as high cost of drugs and insurance---are in part THE results of the inroads the SOCIALISTS AND LIBERALS have already made into our market based health care system.

THE REAL SOLUTION TO fixing HEALTHCARE ISN'T to make UNCLE SAME/DEMS your doctor ....BUT to GIVE YOU THE PUBLIC MORE CHOICE.

ALLOWING the DEMS socialize healthcare not only would prove expensive but DEADLY. Think about it?? DEMS WANT TO SPEND MORE MONEY BUT DENY PUBLIC the meds and services it needs while GOV POCKETS THE CASH TO SPEND ON PORK.

don't ALLOW yourselves to be put off seek LEGISLATIVE and LEGAL ACTION TO KICK STIMULUS OUT AND BAILOUT. go see --The National Center for Public policy Research and American center for law and justice

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DEMS MISLEAD PUBLIC ON SOC HEALTHCARE...
Posted by: SassyFrassy on Apr 30, 2009 3:10 PM   
Current rating: 1    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Here we have the DEMS always needing a bigger shovel for the level of UTOPIAN propaganda they want to throw at the UNSUSPECTING PUBLIC.

wanna? know the latest??? Michael moore made a progpaganda film where they attempt to bamboozle the PUBLIC by claiming CUBA'S healthcare is better than the USA ....and that the USA should go to the CUBAN model for healthcare.

WANNA KNOW??? what the reality is and whaaat they are really HIDING... the reality is in CUBA people have to BEG FROM TOURISTS for allergy inhalers and aspirin. You can bet if Americans are allowed to be bamboozled into Socialist healthcare DEMS will make SURE USA is WORSE OFF than CUBA.

According to the new stimulus if your child needs antibiotics and the GOV only wants to give them Asprin or NOTHING guess whaaat they will get ASPIRIN or NOTHING.

Whats worse.. if your/adult/child are X percent sick they ARE LEFT TO DIE.

Soc healthcare is MORE expensive AND gives NO HEALTHCARE. We are no scholar, but you don't need to be a scholar to SEE whaaat is wrong with the DEMS scenario.

NOW the latest?? all this talk of doing what they want for the GREATER GOOD?? WHEN it should be labeled as DOING WHAT THEY WANT FOR THEIR FEW in order to do the PUBLIC BAD.

PEOPLE WASH DC SLUGS KNOWS the longer they drag their feet the HIGHER TAXES HAVE TO GO TO OFFSET THE EXPENDITURE and the USA PUBLIC cannot sustain it and it will DESTROY AND BANKRUPT THE public. THIS isn't opinion this iS FISCAL FACTS.

DON'T WAIT till you are stuck home with SCREAMING KIDS/LOVED ONE'S whom are left without medicine to die slow and painfully to then attempt to get it fixed it WILL BE TOO LATE.

DID you know that an UNTREATED EAR INFECTION will leave a child PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED for LIFE?? .

DID YOU KNOW that the same cause of ear infections is the cause of allergies and asthma and all result IN UNEXPLAINED deaths in children because children have little to no immune system from birth.

WELL you can bet the DEMS DO and were willing to create a SOCIALIST STIMULUS to inflict the public harm anyway so WASH DC CAN LIVE ON PORK at the expense of YOUR CHILD/FAMILY health and safety.

it is imperative to seek LEGAL AND LEGISLATIVE AVENUE'S to kickout bailout and stimulus otherwise IT WILL BE TOO LATE.
see American Center for Law and Justice and The National Center for Public Policy Research

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» RE: PART E Posted by: Crazy H
bear of very little brain
Posted by: percipi22 on Apr 30, 2009 3:35 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
okay! I confess, I am a socialist. I believe people should take care of eachother, especialy the ill, elderly, and those not able to take care of themselves. I am guilty of wanting public schools, good fire and police protection. All socialist. I want elected officials that keep our roads and street lights up to order with the tax dollars I pay with all my neighbors, very socialist. I want evironmental watch dogs, financial watchdogs, a government, paid for with my tax dollars with all my fellow citizens to keep us out of war, protect us from invaders and provide us with those socialist tenents promulgated in the constitution. I am guilty all day long of supporting those "socialist-wobblie" unions.
I am against corporate welfare for the sake of billions going to feed the few greedy vultures called stockholders, which oddly enough are usually the same folks screaming till they are red in the face about socialism being such a bad thing. Those hate mongers that scream against social security while spitting about liberal socialists are the true supporters of fascism. Corporate fascism, which isolates us from eachother, creates enemies where there are none, runs around like chicken little to foment disaster capitalism to keep us off balance and upset while they pick our pockets and our treasury.
I care about you and all my fellow citizens and if that is socialism I am guilty all day long.

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» RE: bear of very little brain Posted by: wrinklemomma
GOP's new name
Posted by: allyourbasearebelongtous on Apr 30, 2009 3:43 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
so i imagine that the GOP is going to rename itself the

Republican Authoritarian Fascist Party


seems only fair to call it like it is

people who live in glass houses, etc.

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Fox Purveyors of Ignorance
Posted by: rigpa44 on Apr 30, 2009 3:57 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Fox is the consummate purveyor of propaganda, distorted information, and false innuendo. They are also the kings of "negative freedom" i.e., "we can say and do anything we want, and if it hurts someone, belittles people, defames the innocent, and destroys public servants, too bad. We have an agenda, and we're going to push it in your face - no matter how much it hurts the country." Is this news? Not even close. It's over-the-top destructive psychological warfare. Be afraid. Be very afraid. It's powerful brain- washing, and It'll turn you into a delusional robot without you even noticing it.

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Democrat Socialist Party
Posted by: Starfall Deception on Apr 30, 2009 5:39 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Yeah, that's right, Republicans. You won't be watching Fox News for long, 'cause in Soviet America, Fox News watches YOU.

But srsly. OMG FEARMONGERING! :0

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GOP Geniuses, please explain,
Posted by: hardwroc on Apr 30, 2009 8:42 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
After the reaction and outrage, and organized attack upon the Dixie Chicks for voicing an opinion of George Bush, HOW can they then explain the behavior they now demonstrate, and the absolutely dispicable charges and verbal assaults on President Obama?

If the Chicks were "treasonous" as suggested on FOX and Limbauge,Savage,Beck, etc, then how can the crap being spewed by the "anti party" (gop) of late?

I would suggest that the next cretin that speaks of armed revolt find a sidewinder up their ass. Now THAT might be something to support their talk of government "takeover".

Just remember, this "takeover" is the result of a counted out ballot kind of election. Like in America of old.

But, please do explain this contradiction of attitudes to us. I'm thinking that GOP types call anything a Democrat says is treason, and whatever comes out of the butt of a Republican is sunshine.
The GOP has been in the sun too long!

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» RE: GOP Geniuses, please explain, Posted by: picalillie
The U.S.
Posted by: peskyfly1 on Apr 30, 2009 9:03 PM   
Current rating: 1    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Has been a fascist dictatorship since Kennedy's assassination. Every one in the world knows it except you U.S.ians.

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Ditto heads...
Posted by: frank69 on Apr 30, 2009 11:22 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
They're not called ditto heads without good reason. Foxy loxy ditto heads.

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For assorted wingnut idiots--donnal, 2thepoint, unrepentant heretic, etc.
Posted by: munchkinpup on May 1, 2009 12:21 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
First, you are not thinking for yourselves, only regurgitating wingnut talking points.

Quote: "you know when you turn on Fox that a different view of Mr. Obama and his spending will be given."
Fox wouldn't even air Obama's last press conference, so just what "view" are they going to propagandize for the viewer?
Either they actually air the "news," such as it is, or they don't.

Fox EXISTS to twist and exaggerate-how they love to edit Obama or any other "librul's" words to gaslight their viewers.

Try to remember that during the last eight years of the Bushies reign, Fox NEVER criticized Bush, etc., EVER!! The Murdock wingnut propaganda machine was firmly in place to manipulate viewers into supporting the Iraq war, and every single whitewash of the Bush administration's subsequent lies. For eight fucking years!!

Torture does not matter to the asshats sitting in front of their bleating Fox teevees, but it does matter to the majority of liberals who willingly criticize Obama's disinterest in prosecuting obvious war crimes of the previous administration.
You will never find any kind of genuine truthful analysis on Fox. It exists solely for frothing at the mouth assholes who most definitely do not possess any critical thinking skills, and the Fox ptb know exactly who their audience is: assholes like donnal and some of the other morons getting off on posting their wingnut insanity on AlterNet.
Eight years was long enough--now STFU.

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» And one more thing Posted by: munchkinpup
Fox, Socialism, & Things That Go Bang In The Night
Posted by: 3party on May 1, 2009 1:41 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I have a modest proposal. Gambling machines in states where gambling is illegal have to be labeled "FOR AMUSEMENT ONLY" (There are few things more amusing than having a winning hand but no winnings.) By analogy, fake news shows such as Fox News should be required to have these words superimposed on the screen at all times: "FOR AMUSEMENT ONLY. NOT TO BE USED AS A NEWS SUBSTITUTE."

My less modest proposal is that an attempt be made to stop brainwashing little children (which is where it starts) with the idea that there is something bad about socialism. There is a reason voters all over Europe very often choose 'European-style socialism' at election time.

Right now, India is voting. In the state of Kerala, a democratically elected Communist government is up for re-election. The Communist Party has been voted in and out of power several times since the late 'fifties. The brainwashing is so thorough in this country, that the very idea of democratic communism contradicts everything Americans have been told. Fancy that.

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OBAMA WILL APPT KOOK
Posted by: reelman on May 1, 2009 4:19 AM   
Current rating: 1    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
OBAMA: HE WILL APPT KOOK TO SC

Apr 30 2009, 10:12 pm by Marc Ambinder
Souter Said To Be Retiring; Who Would Replace Him?

AP, NBC, and NPR report that Justice David Souter, an associate justice of the Supreme Court for 18 years, will retire at the end of the term.

If Obama appoints a thoroughgoing liberal, Republicans will give him the fight of his life — though he might, by the time of the vote, have 60 Democrats to avoid a filibuster. A more moderate pick would disappoint his liberal base. In reality, Obama can appoint anyone he wants.

Could be …Elena Kagan, formerly the dean of the Harvard Law School, Cass Sunstein, a brilliant constitutional law prof who now works at Obama’s Office of Management and Budget, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, judge Diane Wood, and Leah Ward Sears, the chief justice of Georgia’s Supreme Court. A dark horse might be Judge Nicholas Garaufis of the Eastern District of New York.

CRAWFISH NOTE: Looking at the radicals Obama has already put into power, who can doubt another strident secular socialist will be on the SC? Only a fool.
Its Ruth Ginsberg time again. Remember her? She was the far left ACLU activist lead attorney now on the SC. All votes radically wrong too. Naturally this dufus writer says IF he appoints a throughgoing liberal….what a joke. Get a grip. Obama is a strident secular socialist!

The appointee will be portrayed by the biased media as moderate no matter who it is…mark it. They will not expose ratings from kook groups much. Those seeking the whole truth will. Just look closely at the list above…far lefties ALL.
Liberal activist Souter was radically wrong as a habit so the SC will not be changed much.

http://conservablogs.com/theconservativecrawfish/

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» "Far Left" Posted by: Defenestrator
» Crawfish = bottomfeeder Posted by: Quannah
Fox News causing damage, how about Barry?
Posted by: WeimMom on May 1, 2009 3:45 PM   
Current rating: 1    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
How can anyone say Fox News is causing damage? The real damage is being done by Barry Soetoro? His lies and "Far" left stand is dividing the country, not Fox News.

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Hope
Posted by: mike_burns on May 1, 2009 6:50 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
For the first time, I love listening to the right wing. They do nothing but give me hope and love Obama even more.
You see, I am a socialist.

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WE MUST FIGHT FOR THEW FREEDOMS THAT GOD WANTS US TO HAVE WITH THE WORD OF GOD
Posted by: wildtom on May 2, 2009 1:27 PM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Jesus told us to render under Caesar that which is his,i.e. the money that had his image on it.
We must start consciously living outside of the'system'.We can develop bartering at a local level.

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Beware of Memos from the Republican-Fascist Party
Posted by: alfalafal on May 2, 2009 3:09 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
It's time to stop Fox News AND the Republican Party USA. They have both long ago abandoned any semblance of objectivity, fairness or balance and are way beyond deserving of anyone's attention. In Fox's case, call it a boycott if you want or just quit listening. Who gives a rat's ass what the idiots on those stupid TV shows think or say? As for the so-called Republicans, they should just be seen for the fascists they are. I hope some Democrat has the balls to turn around and demand that the GOP rename itself the Republican-Fascist party since that fits them to a T. Under Bush we had eight years of a governmental system led by a moron who fancied himself a dictator believing that he held complete power ("I'm the decider"), forcibly suppressing opposition and criticism (the Patriot Act), giving unfettered ruinous reign over the economy to his billionaire friends and supporters, and promoting mindless patriotism, steeped in racism and other forms of prejudice justified on grounds of religious supremacy, in Bush's case: white straight Christian males.

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Urban Myth #3
Posted by: Urban Myth #3 on May 2, 2009 6:00 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I'd give Fox all the rope they want. It's a classic case of underestimating the intellect of your average person: yes they have ratings; in the same way the Fat Lady at the Circus does....does she affect Voting patterns?
Beck comes across as a bad actor - Americans who are homeless now, know which Administratation is at fault - everyone does! Fox could teach Goebells a thing or two; but then, he's gone too huh?

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338 BILLION AND GROWING
Posted by: reelman on May 3, 2009 6:01 AM   
Current rating: 1    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
What ever happened to the "citizen" first?

URL's are included for verification of all the following facts.

1. $11 Billion to $22 billion is spent on welfare to illegal aliens each year by state governments.

Verify at: http://tinyurl.com/zob77

2. $2.2 Billion dollars a year is spent on food assistance programs
such as food stamps, WIC, and free school lunches for illegal aliens.
Verify at: http://www.cis.org/articles/2004/fiscalexec.html

3. $2.5 Billion dollars a year is spent on Medicaid for illegal aliens.

Verify at: http://www.cis.org/articles/2004/fiscalexec.html

4. $12 Billion dollars a year is spent on primary and secondary school
education for children here illegally and they cannot speak a word of English!

Verify at: http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.0.html

5. $17 Billion dollars a year is spent for education for the American-born
children of illegal aliens, known as anchor babies.

Verify at http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html

6. $3 Million Dollars a DAY is spent to incarcerate illegal aliens.

Verify at: http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html

7. 30% percent of all Federal Prison inmates are illegal aliens.

Verify at: http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html

8. $90 Billion Dollars a year is spent on illegal aliens for Welfare &
social services by the American taxpayers.

Verify at: http://premium.cnn.com/TRANSCIPTS/0610/29/ldt.01.html

9. $200 Billion dollars a year in suppressed American wages are
caused by the illegal aliens.

Verify at: http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html

10. The illegal aliens in the United States have a crime rate that's two
and a half times that of non-illegal aliens. In particular, their children, are
going to make a huge additional crime problem in the US

Verify at: http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0606/12/ldt.01.html

11. During the year of 2005 there were 4 to 10 MILLION illegal aliens that
crossed our Southern Border also, as many as 19,500 illegal aliens from
Terrorist Countries. Millions of pounds of drugs, cocaine, meth, heroin
and marijuana, crossed into the U. S from the Southern border.

Verify at: Homeland Security Report: http://tinyurl.com/t9sht

12. The National policy Institute, 'estimated that the total cost of mass
deportation would be between $206 and $230 billion or an average cost of
between $41 and $46 billion annually over a five year period.'

Verify at: http://www.nationalpolicyinstitute.org/pdf/deportation.pdf

13. In 2006 illegal aliens sent home $45 BILLION in remittances to their countries of origin.

Verify at: http://www.rense.com/general75/niht.htm

14. 'The Dark Side of Illegal Immigration: Nearly One million sex crimes
Committed by Illegal Immigrants In The United States ..'

Verify at: http: // www.drdsk.com/articleshtml http://www.drdsk.com/articleshtml

The total cost is a whopping $ 338.3 BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR.
BILLIONs and we know which Party is behind it and wants more.

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Moron Nation Journalism Crisis Is No Accident
Posted by: lorenbliss on May 3, 2009 2:45 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
The journalism crisis of which Mr. Karr writes is no accident. U.S. capitalists began the deliberate destruction of mass media some three decades ago, when the banksters initiated the deliberate escalation of monopolization, the ultimate goal of which -- clearly foreseen by the more astute journalists -- was always the profitable imposition of (genuinely) fascistic/theocratic ideological uniformity on the nation.

Prior to that escalation, which began in the 1970s with the dramatic expansion of the Gannet chain, the banksters had been profoundly reluctant to finance such schemes. Newspapers were traditionally a low-profit venture (in 1970 the average annual net profit was about 6 percent), and television was already turning an anti-reading public into Moron Nation: the most savagely anti-intellectual people in human history. What few print-media chains existed were either family affairs (e.g., Newhouse) or regional (e.g., Gannett in Upstate New York) and had evolved accordingly. But the sudden and perplexing availability of expansion capital changed all that.

With a career in mainstream and alternative media that spans half a century, my own belief -- based on the government’s aggressive effort to suppress alternative media during the 1960s and 1970s -- is that the banksters' media-monopoly schemes began as part of a frightened response to the socioeconomic and spiritual revolutions threatened by the countercultural ethos. While the relatively crude COINTELPRO operation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation has gotten most of the attention, the true alternative-media destroyer was the Central Intelligence Agency with its Operation CHAOS -- the CIA's brazenly illegal involvement an accurate measure of the perceived threat.

The spiritual aspect of the counterculture’s incipient revolution, with its resurrection of the original human symbol for deity -- the indescribably ancient concept of a goddess who mothers everything (and thus unites all existence in a single ecology of being) -- was correctly viewed by capitalism’s inner circle as infinitely more threatening than Marxism, and the ruling class responded accordingly. The destruction of alternative media, and the creation of Big Business media monopolies, was but one of myriad countermeasures that suppressed the nation’s revolutionary potential, probably forever.

That most of the public never grasped how media monopolies are intrinsically oppressive (and are themselves part of an entire panoply of oppressive strategies and tactics) is testimony of the extent to which Moron Nation has been conditioned to become the Nation of Denial: not just of class-struggle, but of the hideous truth that the capitalists themselves -- far from being the conformity-hobbled Rotary Club mediocrities of U.S. leftist archetypes -- are in fact (especially with their seductive credo of infinite greed as maximum virtue), the most bottomlessly evil geniuses H. sapiens sapiens has ever spawned.

Which brings me back to the crisis in journalism. Once given the imprimatur of Wall Street, the media monopolists maximized their profiteering in all the usual U.S. ways: union busting, payroll slashing, automation, price hikes, reduction in product quality. What the banksters didn’t reckon on -- or maybe this was their intent all along -- was that as U.S. living conditions deteriorated toward the One Big Sweatshop of the plutocrats' dreams, we would abandon newspapers as irrelevant to our new lives as slaves and indentured servants. But that is precisely what is now happening -- the "crisis in journalism." The capitalists are shutting down their newspapers, withdrawing their money to invest more profitably elsewhere, no doubt experiencing parasitic ecstasy at the prospect of indulging their infinite greed free of what little (pro-forma) media resistance remained.

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Come On!
Posted by: jhough1832 on May 6, 2009 8:29 AM   
Current rating: 1    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I think you need to read the dictionary to understand the meaning of Communism and Socialism. You rant against Fox News and yet talk about banning their thoughts and ideas. Isn't that Communism ie: banning the thoughts and ideas of someone else? I always thought that a free America welcomed the discourse of ideas. However, you seem to want to shut that down and only have your ideas heard. I think the Congress and the President are on the wrong course. But time will tell. Hope it won't be too late.

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» RE: Come On! Posted by: theblackgeorgecarlin
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