Tuesday, December 27, 2011 What Do They Call a President Who Happens to be Black? If You Are Fox News You Call Him a "Ghetto Crackhead"
Malcolm X famously asked, "what do you call an educated negro with a B.A. or an M.A., with a B.S., or a PhD?" The answer? "You call him a nigger, because that is what the white man calls him, a nigger."
Decades later, his wisdom endures.
Malcolm's observation captures the pain experienced by many African Americans, when during their coming of age moment (either before or after the talk about how not to get shot by the police during a routine traffic stop), they realize that being "young, gifted, and black" is not, all things being equal, sufficient for success in America. Malcolm's words also capture the sentiments felt by any black person whose confidence has been described by their managers or peers as "threatening" or "arrogant."
His wisdom also explains the moment when black professors walk into a room for the first time and their students look at each other in shock, wondering if this teacher is "qualified" to teach them; Malcolm's wit also captures the frustration and insult felt by any black or brown person who has been presumptively assumed to be a janitor, maintenance worker, or mail clerk at their job, when in fact, their titles are actually "manager," "director," or "vice president."
Malcolm's comment on the arrogance of white racism also speaks to collective memory: it conjures up family stories of men and women trained as doctors, engineers, and lawyers, but who had to work as Pullman Car porters, maids, and home health attendants because Jim and Jane Crow America was by definition, a system designed to choke out the social and economic mobility of the African American community. Both then and now, white racism does the work of class inequality.
It is a given that Fox News has no love for President Obama. To point, on the Hannity show last week (and without retraction or apology after the fact), Eric Bolling described President Barack Obama, "as a skinny, ghetto, crackhead."
This moment was an object lesson on the white racial frame in action, and the truth of Brother Malcolm's deep understanding of the pathologies of white racism, where any black person, however accomplished, intelligent, and gifted, is de facto seen as "less than," a "nigger," as a person who is not equal to even the most mediocre and lowest of white people.
Black people and black humanity are forever suspect, under watch, and viewed as less than by many in White America. To the white gaze channeled by Eric Bolling, we are perpetual criminals, deviants, over-sexed, libidinous, dangerous, and pathological. These sentiments are a function of the "wages of whiteness," the psychological investment in white supremacy, and white superiority, spoken to perhaps most famously by W.E.B. DuBois more than a century ago.
My surprise at the claim that President Obama shares anything in common with a "skinny, ghetto, crackhead" is rooted in its absurdity. Obama is human. He is imperfect. I often disagree with his politics. Obama is a man. He is nothing more, nothing less. But a crackhead? Impulsive drug user? A hype? Nope. Not ever. Obama's personhood and habitus, his relaxed and effortless black cool pose (even if some do not possess the cultural framework and lens necessary to perceive it) is obvious--and unapologetic.
The inability by some on the Right to see Obama's full and dignified black humanity, as opposed to a default of black drug use, criminality, and omnipresent, irrepressible "niggerdom," is the source of my hurt. I must ask: If the white conservative imagination can frame a man of Obama's abilities, poise, intelligence, genius, life accomplishments, and talent as a skinny, ghetto, crackhead, how do they see the rest of us?
Conservative Stalwart Bill Kristol has called out Glenn Beck on his nonsensical rantings about the situation in Egypt. I have been amazed by the Republican media's talking points over the past week. Basically, the Republican media establishment has come out in support of dictator Hosni Mubarak & his government, all in the name of undermining President Obama. Republican Supreme Leader Rush Limbaugh, along with Glenn Beck, Sarah Palin, and much of Fox-Non-News have been leading the way in this particular anti-Obama effort. But in the process, they have come away looking absolutely ridiculous.
Finally, some Conservatives are beginning to speak up, unable to deal with the level of crazy coming from their own ranks.
And despite all of this...what does Obama do? He legitimizes Fox-Non-News (a political organization) by appearing on their network over the weekend. This is the kind of nonsense that gives me a headache about Obama & Co.
Caption: Shhhh... (whispering) I'm making a killing by taking advantage of these idiots on the right, especially the dopes in that Tea Party Movement. They buy my act hook, line & sinker...and none of them have caught on yet. These people are so stupid... I can get them to support just about anything. They believe every lie that I tell, and I'm going to keep making money off of them. Thank God for stupid people...and Thank God for Roger Ailes for giving me this great platform.
I don't know if it's stupidity or genius... because after all, he is the one getting over by taking advantage of the ignorance of his followers. Hell, if I had millions of American zombies hanging on my every word & making me richer, I would probably take advantage of them too, as long as it was legal. Who wouldn't? But then again, I have a conscience and a moral compass, two things that Glenn Beck doesn't have. So I don't think I would do very well as a con artist.
This is the most phony right wing hack on the airwaves. He doesn't even make it a secret anymore. He's openly phony, yet his supporters (idiots) love to watch him. His latest antics involve encouraging his Christian followers to leave their churches if they notice any sort of "social justice" being practiced or preached. Problem is... this includes many right leaning evangelical churches, including The Catholic Church...and even his own Mormon Church.
Even though it is clear (no longer a secret) that his activities are part of an ongoing Republican effort to use fear to excite voters, his followers will unfortunately continue to support him. The idiots in the so-called Tea Party movement will continue to back him, even though they are openly being manipulated by scare tactics from the right...all for political purposes. Many of his followers hang on his every word, and will do exactly what he tells them. As I have stated many times before, it is amazing how the right is able to get these folks to even go against their own economic and political interests and their interests simply as citizens. The level of manipulation and propaganda is truly unbelievable to me. But what blows my mind even more is the fact that it works... the fact that so many people embrace the rights propaganda without questioning anything about what or who they are supporting.
Last week, the conservative broadcaster Glenn Beck called on Christians to leave their churches if they heard any preaching about social or economic justice because, he claimed, those were slogans affiliated with Nazism and Communism.
This week, the Rev. Jim Wallis, a liberal evangelical leader in Washington, D.C., called on Christians to leave Glenn Beck.
“What he has said attacks the very heart of our Christian faith, and Christians should no longer watch his show,” Mr. Wallis, who heads the antipoverty group Sojourners, wrote on his “God’s Politics” blog. “His show should now be in the same category as Howard Stern.”
Mr. Beck, in vilifying churches that promote “social justice,” managed to insult just about every mainline Protestant, Roman Catholic, African-American, Hispanic and Asian congregation in the country — not to mention plenty of evangelical ones.
Even Mormon scholars in Mr. Beck’s own church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said in interviews that Mr. Beck seemed ignorant of just how central social justice teaching was to Mormonism.
The controversy began when Mr. Beck said on his radio show: “I beg you, look for the words ’social justice’ or ‘economic justice’ on your church Web site. If you find it, run as fast as you can. Social justice and economic justice, they are code words.
“Am I advising people to leave their church? Yes! If I am going to Jeremiah Wright’s church,” he said, referring to the incendiary black pastor who led the church attended by the Obama family members when they lived in Chicago. “If you have a priest that is pushing social justice, go find another parish. Go alert your bishop and tell them, ‘Excuse me, are you down with this whole social justice thing?’ ”
Political Hotsheet February 17, 2010 6:30 PM Michelle Obama to Appear on Mike Huckabee's Fox News Show
First Lady Michelle Obama will appear on Mike Huckabee's Fox News program this weekend, according to U.S. News & World Report.
Huckabee, the past and possibly future Republican presidential candidate, is having the first lady on to discuss her efforts to fight childhood obesity. Huckabee has struggled with weight problems and wrote a book entitled "Quit Digging Your Grave With a Knife and Fork: A 12-Step Program to End Bad Habits and Begin a Healthy Lifestyle" after losing more than 100 pounds.
The former Arkansas governor had kind words for Michelle Obama for taking on childhood obesity. Speaking to U.S. News, he said it "is not a left/right, liberal/conservative, Democrat/Republican issue. This is an issue that falls beyond what I call the 'horizontal' issues of left and right and rises to the 'vertical' level of up or down."
HUCKABEE will be shown Saturday, 2/20 at 8pm EST with repeats on Sunday, 2/21 at 8 pm and 11 pm EST
I think Huck would show her more respect than any of the rest of the clowns on that network.
So if I want to be a political analyst on a major cable outlet, I simply have to show how uninformed I am about the World? That seems to be the standard in this Country. The dumber you are, the more you are rewarded. In most other parts of the World, it is cream that is supposed to rise to the top. But in the USA, Bullshit is often what gets pushed up. Amazing! And people wonder why the U.S. is in the political and social malaise that it's currently in today, unable to function effectively to deal with the problems it faces?
News that Sarah Palin will become a contributor and part-time columnist at Fox News did not surprise me. Mainly, it represents the further deterioration of two important institutions, the GOP and the American media.
For the GOP, it illustrates how bereft that party is of good ideas that its lodestar is an ideological weakling. And this is the view of Steve Schmidt. The McCain campaign strategist said as much in his 60 Minutes interview where he acknowledged that Palin didn’t even understand who her son would be fighting in Iraq.
On Faux News over the weekend, Right Wing mouthpiece Ralph Peters called for the Taliban to execute captured Army Pfc. Bowe Bergdahl. I have seen a lot of nonsense by the Right...but this made my heart skip a few beats (not for any good reasons either). I thought I was imagining things... that maybe Rachel Maddow (who pointed this out on her program) was somehow playing tricks on me... but I went online and retrieved the video and replayed it just to make sure that I didn't lose my mind.
Peters has jumped to a lot of conclusions....mainly assuming that Pfc. Bergdahl abandoned his post. The latest reports that I have read have suggested that this soldier may have been drinking and may have wandered off too far.
"Five days ago, a drunken American soldier who had come out of his garrison named Malakh was captured by mujahedeen. ... He is still with mujahedeen," said the report. The short Web message did not elaborate on his whereabouts....
Either way.... Ralph Peters is out of line.
1. No matter what the circumstances are... this is an American. Period. The U.S. should do all it can to find him and bring him home alive.
2. This young man is/was the responsibility of his senior enlisted comrades (NCO's) and his commanders...regardless of the circumstances. It was their job to take care of him....especially if he was under the influence or for some other reason was not making good decisions for himself. He's a Pfc. for crying out loud! Even if he did something worthy of disciplinary action... he's still the responsibility of his NCO's and commanders. It is their job to make sure he gets home to his family. The same is true for any soldier. Even if they are under the supervision of MP's... They should still be brought home to their families.....and to face disciplinary action if appropriate.
3. It is way out of line for a pundit, a reporter, and especially a Right wing mouthpiece to call for the death of an American soldier being held captive. Especially when the family is panicked about their loved one. Isn't Ralph Peters, with the help of Faux News, collaborating with enemies of the United States by asking them to kill an American soldier? What Lt. Col. Peters did is sickening. His retirement status should be reviewed IMO.
When I think of Tea Parties the image that comes to mind is my little sister playing dress-up-- using her mothers clothes for a costume and having a make-believe moment. It's all about children pretending and using their imaginations to keep themselves entertained.
This same kind of make-believe is what the Republican "Tea Parties" were all about this week. The so-called "Tea Parties" were basically PR creations, crafted by Republican Strategists, sponsored by Right Wing front groups like FreedomWorks, and promoted by Right Wing Republican media. These people are masters at creating their own reality when the real world doesn't suit them. The events are designed to whip the Republican faithful into a frenzy. You even had Texas Governor Rick Perry (one of the Confederate Governors opposing Obama and rejecting stimulus funding) attend one of these events saying that Texas could secede from the United States... that whole Confederate thing again (if not in geographical terms...it's definitely alive in terms of ideology). What is it with Republican Governors and seceding from the Union? Sarah Palin and her husband have actually been connected with secessionists in Alaska.
One of the big ironies in all this is the fact that most of these "protesters" actually received a tax cut, which went into effect this month. I really don't believe these people understood exactly what they were protesting. All they knew is that this effort was part of the Right Wings anti-Obama campaign...and at the end of the day...that's all they really needed to know.
But are most Americans falling for this mostly manufactured outrage? Are Americans buying what Republicans are selling? Apparently not... at least not at the moment (although the power of Republican media has a way of changing that rather quickly). According to a new Gallup Survey, the tax issue is much ado about nothing, especially when put in historical context.
The Following Is Courtesy Of Gallup:
Views of Income Taxes Among Most Positive Since 1956
PRINCETON, NJ -- A new Gallup Poll finds 48% of Americans saying the amount of federal income taxes they pay is "about right," with 46% saying "too high" -- one of the most positive assessments Gallup has measured since 1956. Typically, a majority of Americans say their taxes are too high, and relatively few say their taxes are too low.
These results are based on the Gallup Economy and Personal Finance poll, conducted each April, including April 6-9 of this year.
Since 1956, there has been only one other time when a higher percentage of Americans said their taxes were about right -- in 2003, when 50% did so after two rounds of tax cuts under the Bush administration.
The slightly more positive view this year may reflect a public response to President Barack Obama's economic stimulus and budget plans. He has promised not to raise taxes on Americans making less than $250,000, while cutting taxes for lower- and middle-income Americans. The latter has already begun, as the government has reduced the withholding amount for federal income taxes from middle- and lower-income American workers' paychecks.
In this year's poll, slim majorities of both lower- and middle-income Americans say they pay about the right amount of taxes, while upper-income Americans tend to think they pay too much. The views of upper-income Americans have not changed in the past year, while both middle- and lower-income Americans are more likely to say they pay the right amount of tax. Read more of the Gallup report here.
The Republicans, especially those in the Republican media, are trying to convince the American public that this is an issue with legs and that there is genuine anger towards taxes across the social and political spectrum...when in reality, most of the noise about taxes and fiscal responsibility is coming from a small fringe within their Party... almost a fringe within a fringe...because the Republican Party is down to its base at this point. Where were these people when George W. Bush and the last Republican majority were running up huge deficits, trying to hide spending by keeping it off the books, not monitoring Wall Street, allowing the Oil Companies to rape ordinary working Americans, and allowing Special Interest Groups (Government contractors) to literally rob taxpayers blind in Iraq with thefts of historic proportions. They weren't trying to stage these grand protests then. In fact, it was the Republicans lack of fiscal responsibility that largely contributed to the current mess that the Country finds itself in.
This is clearly an effort by Republicans and their media apparatus to whip up anger towards Obama. Many of the people at these "Tea Party" rallies did not show up to complain about taxes at all. Instead, they were complaining about a list of other perceived grievances with Obama... with signs suggesting that he's Muslim, friendly to terrorists, is a communist, a Nazi, ...you name it. To me, the events appeared to have the feel of last years General Election campaign where folks were calling for violence against Obama, carrying racists signs, vandalizing campaign offices, and using stuffed Monkeys to represent him. It almost harkens back to the Southern tradition of lynching picnics, where lynchings were social events. I know that's an extreme comparison....but race is surely playing some role in these events. How many Blacks did you see in these crowds? Let's be honest...these are generally White Americans who are simply looking for any excuse to protest Barack Obama.
This is really an example of Right Wing media using fear & propaganda to take advantage of the ignorant and the uninformed. They prey on folks who are driven more by ideology (religion, race, xenophobia, fears, prejudices, and culture war issues for example) than by facts. It sends the message that Right Wing media is still strong and can make themselves as relevant as they want to be... regardless of whether they are dealing with the real world or not.
Just in case you didn't know, there are a lot of snakes in the grass. Maybe you need some reminding.
I'll begin the list of snakes that are to be trusted at your peril. These are folks that mean you harm, and don't wish you well.
I won't get them all. I'm sure that Mirror On America posters will be able to add to it.
The Mirror-On-America-Snakes-Can't-Be-Trusted List:
1. Bill and Hillary Clinton - they aren't your friends. They haven't even moved into detente with you. Assume at all times that they are NEVER to be trusted, and are working behind the scenes at every moment to undermine you. Period. 2. Anyone who worked for Hillary Clinton - yes, I know you hired some of those folks. Do it at your peril. Trust them at your folly. But, when they sell you out, don't say you weren't warned. 3. Anyone who was in Camp Clinton that works at Fox Noise - whatever commentary they would say isn't worth spit, and you best believe it's not going to be for your benefit. 4. Harold Ford, Jr. - The Dark Sith loathes you. And, I can count on one hand the number of times he's been complimentary towards you during this campaign season. Don't ever turn your back on him, and don't remotely believe he's a surrogate FOR you. 5. Joan Walsh - Anyone who runs a site that actually CALLED you 'UPPITY' - that just about says it all. 6. All the feministas for Hillary who were yelling sexism 24/7 for the last month on any television show they could find...you know the bunch I'm talking about. They've been awfully silent about the attacks on Michelle...so, only 'some' women are worth defending to them. 7. The old Civil Rights Establishment - pick and choose. You don't know what's going to happen with this group. 8. The Half of the Congessional Black Caucus that supported Hillpatine - STAY AWAY from those Negroes. Don't even return their phone calls. 9. Shelby Steele - this could be for most of the Black Conservatives, but Steele deserves special notice. He's lost his mind during this campaign, turning his back on his writings of the past 15 years because of you.
Now, I'm opening it up to Mirror On America....tell me of the snakes you see out there.
The Conservative media infrastructure in the U.S. is huge. Republicans/Conservatives dominate Talk Radio and have a strong presence in the world of TV news. The Center for American Progress recently published a report showing the dominant presence of Conservative programming on the radio. This report backs up other reports that show the dominant presence of Right Wing media. Rush Limbaugh's program alone is broadcast on more than 500 radio stations across the Country, including to the Armed Forces Radio network which is piped in to U.S. troops stationed across the globe. Limbaugh also has approximately 20 million listeners. To put that into perspective, Canada has a population of roughly 34 million people. This gives the man once referred to as the most dangerous man in America one of the biggest message platforms in the Country... certainly one of the biggest amongst Conservatives. This allows Republicans to control the debate in the mainstream media on a variety of issues, even when they are the minority Party.
It is not unusual for the Mainstream media to use Right Wing talking points as a starting point for political and social discussions.
Right wing media has been the driving force behind the Republican Party for the past 2 decades and it continues to have influence. With an army of dozens of Conservative radio stations from coast to coast and hundreds of Right Wing talk show hosts, pundits, & columnists, Republicans have been able to drown out more Progressive voices. In fact the Right wing Republican media is strongest when their Party is in the minority.
Right Wing media, led by radio host Rush Limbaugh, represents the voice of the Republican Party. Right wing talk show hosts are the spokespeople for the Republican Party. Limbaugh & Co. not only speaks for the Republican Party, but they basically run the Party. It has been this way for years & will continue to be the case. Republican politicians have acknowledged the fact that Rush Limbaugh & Co. controls the GOP and its agenda. Right wing hosts and pundits set the tone, decide the message and determine what the Party stands for, leaving Republican politicians with no choice but to fall in line (even when they may not believe in the message or the tactics from the Party's far right Army of spokesmen/women). We see this with the more than ridiculous "Birther Movement", where Republican politicians - some of whom probably know better - are forced to chase ghosts. Even when they know the issue is a sham, they have to at least pretend to play along. Why? Because what used to be the fringe of the GOP is no longer the fringe. The crazies are now part of the mainstream base of the Republican Party. These politicians (the handful of Republicans with half a brain and a little common sense) can't afford not to play the game. They are forced to dumb-down to placate the base of the Republican Party; something that is fascinating to watch. Troubling...but fascinating at the same time.
The March 2008 dust-up between Limbaugh and RNC Chairman Michael Steele was a perfect demonstration of who is in charge of the Republican Party. And Michael Steele has not been the only Republican political figure who had to learn this the hard way… there have been several Republican members of Congress who have had to apologize and bow to Limbaugh after they have made slip ups, challenging Limbaugh’s clout and authority. It’s as clear as day that these folks dictate the Republican agenda. Whenever a Republican political figure slips up…. They have to turn right around and apologize....almost groveling at Limbaugh's feet as they do so. And they are often humiliated publicly. Republican politicians are scared to death of Limbaugh & Co. That's power!. And why is this the case? Because the Republican Party is fully dependent on its media foot soldiers to sell its message or to distort the message of its opponents. More important.... the Republican Party depends on its media wing to raise money. The Republican Party would be nothing without these propaganda spinsters.
Partisan politics is nothing new. But in recent years there has been a noticeable change in the tone and message, particularly from Right wing Talk Show hosts - The foot soldiers of the Republican Party. What’s different now is that the Republican Conservative media is embracing more aggressive & radical tactics. Hate speech has become the norm. The messages are more dangerous, destructive and toxic today. And many are even embracing the idea of using threats and violence. This is a dangerous turn for American political and social discourse and it threatens our so-called Democratic system.
See a video clip about the dangers of Right Wing Radio:
Below are a few examples of acts of violence & terrorism in the U.S. that have been encouraged by the Right Wing media’s message. By whipping up hate, spreading propaganda, and playing on the fears and the ignorance of their followers, Republican Right Wing media hosts have created, and continue to create, an environment in this Country where racial and political violence is becoming all too common. No one is holding these media figures accountable.
1. Eric Rudolph - Killed 2 and wounded 150 others in a series of bombings between 1996 and 1998, including the 1996 bombing at the Olympic Games in Atlanta Georgia, and several attacks on abortion clinics.
8. Dera Marie Jones - Arrested in 2005 for threatening to kill a Federal Judge. Jones was fueled by hatred whipped up by the Republican Right Wing Talk Show hosts who were creating a frenzy about the Terri Schiavo case.
14. Richard Andrew Poplawski - Right wing nut murdered 3 Pittsburgh Police officers in April, 2009. Poplawski was paranoid that President Obama was going to take away all guns (which was never actually the case…the issue regarding Obama and guns really had to do with the Assault weapons ban, Concealed Carry rights, and more licensing…. However, Attorney General Eric Holder has made clear that even these efforts are not and would not be a primary focus for the Obama Administration). Taking away gun rights completely was never a proposition that was on the table… but Republican Right Wing Talk show hosts have been whipping up this rumor, sending their followers into an irrational frenzy. [additional source] [additional source]
19. Republican Tea Party Terrorist Byron Williams - In July of 2010, domestic terrorist Byron Williams opened fire on police in California and engaged in a major shootout before giving up. Williams, who was heavily armed, was stopped by Police while en-route to carry out killings at ACLU offices and other locations. Williams had planned to attack the ACLU & Liberals, and was influenced by propaganda from Conservative media. Read more here, here and here.
Why is this hate speech allowed to persist on the public airwaves?
It seems to harken back to the turbulent 1950’s and 60’s when Progressives & Blacks faced the threat of violence and death for their beliefs & for wanting civil & human rights - a time when American terrorism was a reality.
Republicans seem to be willing to bring that kind of divisive atmosphere back to life- in fact, it seems as if they want to expand it. It’s not just about race anymore. It’s now about race, class, immigration, abortion, religion, progressive politics, and all sorts of issues. They are looking for all sorts of ways & reasons to split the Country -- and more of these people seem to be open to the idea of violence. It’s no coincidence that Sarah Palin was whipping up hate during the 2008 Presidential Election campaign. Republican strategists knew exactly what they were doing….Playing on the fear and xenophobia of White Americans and fanning the flames of hate and divisiveness for their own political gain. It’s ironic that these folks really can’t stand the poor, the White poor included. Yet they are able to fool poor Southern Whites into believing that they (Republicans and their media foot soldiers) really have their interests at heart. In reality, Republicans have been able to use poor Whites to bolster Conservative causes by convincing them to work against their own best economic and political interests. This is one of the most amazing phenomenon’s in American politics today.
Republicans want to protect their geographical base… which is primarily the South and they seem to want to re-establish some sort of Confederacy…. If not a geographical one, certainly a political and ideological one.
It is important for folks to know who these people are, so….
Who Are They?
So who are the leaders and spokespeople for the Republican Party? Who are the GOP Cheerleaders? (this is just a partial list of some of the biggest figures…but members of the Republican media apparatus actually number in the thousands across the Country; including national and local hosts, pundits, columnists, authors, religious leaders, Conservative activists, reporters and media execs).
In no particular order, they are:
1. Rush Limbaugh
2. Sean Hannity
3. Bill Cunningham
4. David Duke[1] Even David Duke has his own radio program that was once syndicated and beamed across the Country. Duke was arrested overseas for his extremism.
5. Michael Savage He was banned from Britain for hate speech
6. Neal Boortz
7. G. Gordon Liddy[1]
8. Laura Ingraham[1][2]
9. Glenn Beck[1][2]
10. Pat Buchanan
11. Matt Drudge
12. Brit Hume
13. Mark Levin
14. Roger Ailes
15. Dave Glover
16. Elisabeth Hasselbeck
17. Bill Kristol
18. Ann Coulter
19. Bill O’Reilly
20. David Limbaugh
21. Kevin James
22. Jesse Lee Peterson
23. Chuck Colson
24. Tammy Bruce
25. Melanie Morgan
26. Hal Turner
27. Bob Grant
28. George Will
29. Chris Wallace
30. Michael Medved
31. Alan Keyes
32. Mort Kondracke
33. James Dobson
34. Michelle Malkin
35. Joe Scarborough
36. John Gibson
37. Pat Robertson
38. Jon Caldara
39. Mike Gallagher
40. John Ziegler
41. Jim Quinn
42. Michael Reagan
43. Steve Sailer
44. Scott Wheeler
45. Jerome Corsi
46. Cal Thomas
47. Alex Jones
48. Dick Morris
49. Oliver North
50. Bernard Goldberg
51. Jerry Doyle
52. Joseph Farah
53. Dana Perino - Former WH Press Sec. under Bush, Now a PR Spinster.
54. Karl Rove
55. Neil Cavuto
56. Christopher Ruddy
57. John Podhoretz
58. Aaron Klein
59. Jack Cashill
60. Matthew Sheffield
61. Charles Krauthammer
62. Armstrong Williams
63. Brent Bozell
64. Rick Santelli
65. Jay Severin (James Thompson Severino)
66. Cliff Kincaid
67. Joyce Kaufman
68. Brad O’Leary
69. Michael Patrick Leahy
70. James David Manning (Black preacher paraded around by White Conservatives). See him in action
71. Jim Robinson - of the 'Free Republic'.
72. Tom Tancredo
73. Gary Marx - Director of the Right Wing Judicial Confirmation Network (JCN)
74. Randall Terry
75. Curtis Sliwa
76. Wesley Pruden
77. Roger Hedgecock
78. John F. McManus
79. Heidi Harris
80. Dana Loesch - Loesch (pronounced Lash) works for KFTK 97.1 FM (the Republican/Conservative propaganda station in St. Louis, along with KMOX 1120 AM). She's what I call "The Little Ann Coulter". She's one of the leaders of the St. Louis Tea Party effort and has her own radio program. She also recently entered the national stage, filling in for other Right wing mouthpieces such as Michael Savage - on The Michael Savage Show.
81. Richard Land - Far right evangelical with his own talk show.
82. Dennis Miller
83. Lou Dobbs - A fiercely Conservative Republican who pretends to be an "independent".
84. Hugh Hewitt
85. Kevin James
86. Sarah Palin
87. Dick Armey
88. Dale Robertson - One of the national "Tea Party" leaders. Runs website TeaParty.org
89. Andrew Breitbart
90. Nicole Wallace - Former Communications Director for George W. Bush...now a pundit pushing Right wing propaganda.
91. Monica Crowley
92. James T. Harris
93. John Robert Bolton - Foreign policy radical
94. Wayne Allyn Root
95. Herman Cain (A Clarence Thomas Twin)
96. Ernest Istook
97. Pamela Geller
98. Mark Williams
99. Tom Fitton
100. Colin Hanna
101. Mark Belling
102. Lee Rodgers
103. Brendan Steinhauser - FreedomWorks (Tea Party Organizer)
104. Marc Thiessen
105. Tony Blankley
106. Stuart Varney
107. Megyn Kelly
108. Karen Hanretty
109. Jeffrey Lord
The Republican Media’s Anti Obama Campaign
The Republican Party & its media have teamed up for a campaign against President Obama. This campaign was officially launched in February 2008, with so-called “Tea Party” protests around the Country, in opposition to the stimulus legislation designed to save jobs and keep the economy afloat until the banking problem, the housing market and other issues could turn around. Although in reality, the Anti-Obama campaign got going as soon as Obama was elected - basically it's a continuation of the General Election Campaign. The clear irony here is that the economic mess at the heart of all this was a disaster left by their Republican President, but they are upset that Obama made an attempt to clean up their mess. Incredible. No furry at all towards the jackasses who caused the problem. According to Republican politicians and their supporters… it was poor folks… folks on Mainstreet who caused the recession (which started in December of 2007)…. Not the Bush Administration for having poor economic priorities and having an SEC, FTC, and Treasury Department asleep at the wheel for years and the Bankers for not having prudent lending practices or Executives on Wall Street who were making a killing by creating & trading in an underground, therefore largely unregulated, market of Mortgage Backed Securities and other exotic financial products. No… poor folks caused the recession.
I thought the election campaign was over and I had hoped that politicians in Washington would be willing to cooperate to solve problems. But Right Wing Republicans have decided that they will be obstructionists. They have declared war on Obama and have made it clear that they hope the President fails. Even though the Presidents failure could mean the nations failure & at the very least it could mean more suffering for Americans. Republicans see this as their only way to return to power. So they are on record hoping for the Country’s failure for the benefit of their own selfish interests. Notice, however, how Republicans offer few fresh ideas of their own- only the stale ideas of the past; ideas that have been tried and that have failed.
What are the aims of the Anti- Obama Campaign?
1. To discredit Obama.
2. To Paint Obama as Un-American
3. To Obstruct ALL of Obama’s initiatives, even those that Republicans pretend to be willing to support.
4. To block Obama’s efforts to improve the economy - Republicans hope for worsening conditions for Americans. (For their own narrow political interests).
5. To make the Obama Presidency a failure.
6. They will do anything they can to undermine Obama’s Presidency - ANYTHING. There seems to be no limit to how low they are willing to go to accomplish this goal.
How Do Republicans & Their Right Wing Media Plan to Accomplish These Goals? What Will Be Their Talking Points?
1. They will continue to call Obama a socialist & communist as a way to scare voters.
2. They will try to divide the Country based on class and race - the same thing that they tried during the 2008 Presidential campaign with Sarah Palin. However, this campaign may be even worse. They will really try to rip the Country apart.
3. They will continue to push the lie that Obama is not really an American citizen…and thus the idea that Obama is not the legitimate President.
4. They will say that Obama is anti-Christian.
5. They will suggest that Obama is unpatriotic.
6. They will use the term “Liberal” (which Obama has not been so far as President) as if it were a dirty word. They will try to equate “Liberal” with “Socialist” and “Nazi”.
7. They will disrespect the First Family. No… I’m not talking about the typical banter that we have seen over the last 200+ years… The kind of disrespect I am suggesting will be of a nature that we have never seen before.
8. They will try to blame poor economic conditions on Obama and will try to re-write history. They will try to convince Americans (who have extremely short memories) that Obama is the cause of their economic hardship.
9. They will push the idea that Obama is secretly Muslim.
10. They will say/suggest that Obama is friendly to terrorists.
11. They will try to stir up anger, hatred, and racial divisions among their supporters.
12. They will paint Obama as being weak on National Security...weak against terrorists, etc.
13. They will stoke violence among their supporters and may (in a roundabout way) even encourage their supporters to engage in violence against certain people or certain groups.
14. They will use lies, distortions & propaganda of all kinds to mislead the American public.
-- All of this sounds sickening, but this is what they hope to do. This is unfortunately where we are as a Country.
What Do They Generally Believe?
1. The Free Market should be allowed to run wild - with no oversight and no new laws to protect Americans.
2. Americans who don’t have enough to eat should be left to fend for themselves. “Haves” shouldn’t have to take care of the “Have Nots”. “Let em starve” is basically the attitude that Republicans have.
3. Americans who are out of work and are struggling to support their families should fend for themselves. Government has no business playing a role in helping the unemployed or providing entitlements. Let churches and charities take care of the unemployed. Not the government.
4. Americans who are losing their homes or who are in danger of losing their homes should fend for themselves.
5. Americans facing economic hardship are “whiners” (as a top economic advisor to Presidential candidate John McCain once stated).
6. Americans with no healthcare or inadequate healthcare are simply out of luck. They should grow up and stop whining. The Republican answer to this problem is… “sorry you are facing such a tough time”…. “we send our prayers”. Republicans support the “Pray You Don’t Get Sick Insurance Company”…perhaps the fastest growing insurance company in the nation…with thousands more new accounts each month.
7. Social Security should be privatized and put on the stock market. They would really like to do away with most "entitlement" programs.
8. Tax cuts are the cure for all economic problems. Tax cuts will create jobs. (Although this theory was allowed to play out during the Bush Administration…. Didn’t work so well. The theory was proven false).
9. War is a solution for most foreign policy problems.
10. Against increase in spending for education.
11. They don’t like the idea of the separation of church and State. Many believe that the U.S. should be a religious State - much like Israel & Iran, where religion often dictates policy.
12. Tend to be less supportive of Science and the Arts.
13. They oppose responsible sex education programs or family planning.
14. Don’t care much for international institutions like the UN, unless they are used to further the Neo-Conservative foreign policy agenda.
15. They generally despise Gays and Lesbians.
16. They generally can't stand Hispanics. They particularly hate Mexicans... They are hostile towards other Hispanics as well, but their hatred of Mexicans is visceral. Of course Mexicans are o.k. when Conservatives are exploiting them for cheap labor (disgusting stuff). Cubans are an exception to their general dislike of Hispanics, because they see Cubans as Republican votes or being at least Republican leaning.
17. They generally despise immigrants, especially Non-European immigrants - legal or otherwise. They see immigration as putting a strain on U.S. Taxpayers and threatening jobs for "real Americans” (code for White Americans). They especially dislike Arab and African immigrants.
18. They don’t like the Judicial Branch and seek ways to subvert the Constitution and weaken the authority of judges. They view judges who make decisions contrary to Republican ideology as “activists”…and “dangerous”. They have even expressed a desire to “remove” judges who don’t agree with them and have (in a roundabout way) encouraged their supporters to threaten violence against judges and do harm to them by whipping up hatred via the airwaves.
19. They are loyal supporters of big business interests over workers.
20. Muslims are terrorists. (all Muslims must be Terrorists... what else could they be?).
21. Support the growth of the Military industrial complex.
22. They don’t really like the poor (including poor Whites) or working class people.
23. They tend to support business interests over the environment.
24. They tend to be xenophobic.
25. Many don't respect Blacks, don't really see Blacks as equal citizens, and resent the idea of Blacks holding high office or accumulating wealth. The proper place for Blacks (in the minds of many Republicans/Conservatives) will always be in some sort of subservient role to non-Black elites, no matter how hard they have worked to be viewed as equal or to simply be respected as citizens in this Country. Some may not say these things publicly, but this is what many Republicans/Conservatives believe.
26. Any sort of tax is a bad tax.
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Three Great Books About the Right Wing Republican Media
Since September 11, 2001, most attempts at reasoned political debate in America have been severely limited by the violent language of the Right. In books and on television, it has become a regular ritual for conservative pundits and intellectuals to infuse violence—particularly against Democrats or liberals—into discussions of the major issues of the day, such as terrorism, immigration and gun violence. The result is the creation of a shrill discourse that silences opposition and destroys any chance for serious, civil debate.
In Outright Barbarous: How the Violent Language of the Right is Poisoning American Democracy, political language expert Jeffrey Feldman analyzes the words of leading conservative figures Ann Coulter, Dinesh D’Souza, James Dobson, Wayne LaPierre, Pat Buchanan and Bill O’Reilly to show how the Right’s language of violence is polluting our public discourse and limiting the free exchange of ideas. In addition to exposing the conservative obsession with violence, Feldman also shows how the civic discussion in America can be reshaped without the use of violent language, creating a healthier political climate.
“Outright Barbarous turns the spotlight on the rhetorical thuggery of the Right, exposing how the verbal excesses are being perpetrated not just by media blowhards like Ann Coulter and Rush Limbaugh but by conservative thought leaders. But Feldman does more than point fingers; he offers practical steps for cleaning up our too-often-toxic political discourse.” - Arianna Huffington
“Since 9/11, America has been contaminated by the violence of right-wing language, in the speeches of Republican politicians and the rantings of the talking heads on Fox News and on conservative talk radio. Jeffrey Feldman’s insightful and important book cuts through the violence, and shows how we can restore the democratic ideals that America was founded upon.” - Thom Hartmann
“Jeffrey Feldman warns us to ignore the right wing noise machine at our own peril. Backed by right-wing think tanks, foundations and millionaire families, conservative standard bearers will continue to enrich themselves at the cost of a more civil, equitable society. Read Outright Barbarous to find out what they're really saying, and how we can stop it!" - Sam Seder
"The two parties have combined against us to nullify our power by a ‘gentleman's agreement' of non-recognition, no matter how we vote ... May God write us down as asses if ever again we are found putting our trust in either the Republican or the Democratic Parties." -- W.E.B. DuBois (1922)
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