Archive for April 28, 2009
Smithfield Ham, Swine Flu and Paula Deen?
The Smithfield company’s (homepage screen shot — as of today — below) production and labor standards have been controversial for a long time. This for example, from 2006. And this, from April, 2007. Now we learn it might be at the heart of the Swine flu epidemic.
More as this develops.
Not So Deep Thought
I’m dubious about what Specter will bring to the party but I sure am having a good time watching the snarling Repubs on teevee today.
Democrats as the Battered Spouse
Thom Hartmann talked about this article on his show today: Democrats’ Battered Wife Syndrome, by Robert Parry. It’s fairly long but Parry explains the 40-year “marriage” between the abusive husband, the Republicans, and the battered wife, the Democrats.
Money quote:
The Democrats hope against hope that if they tolerate the latest Republican outrages maybe there will be some reciprocity, maybe there will be some GOP votes on Democratic policy initiatives.
But there’s no logical reason to think so. That isn’t how the Republicans and their right-wing media allies do things; they simply get angrier because belligerence has worked so well for so long.
On the other hand, Democratic wishful thinking is the essence of this political “battered wife syndrome,” dreaming about a behavioral transformation when all the evidence – and four decades of experience – tell you that the bullying husband isn’t going to change.
Democrats have got to get this. They have got to realize that being nice won’t work; it won’t make the Republicans change. This is working for them. For God’s sake, I’ve seen Democrats on “panels” on teevee sit there like a bump on a log while their Republican counterpart refers to the Democratic party as the “Democrat party.” They can’t even stand up to THAT!
Meanwhile, we the people, the nation as a whole — the kids in the dysfunctional relationship — suffer the consequences.
Fox News Pouts About Specter the Defector
This is the headline on FoxNews.com right now (4:35 p.m. ET): “PARTY POOPER – Specter Ditches GOP for Dems and Obama:”
Waaaah. Poor babies. They’re pouting. But I’m sure they’ll come back with a vengeance once they get their message lined up; coordinated, you know, with the winger wing of the GOP.
Rove’s Lame Spin on Specter
After decades as a Republican, Specter suddenly moved to the left.
Come on Karl. I know it’s early but you can come up with something better than that. How about it’s due to brain damage caused by his cancer meds?
The Righties Hate the Humane Society Too?
Not to defend Rush Limbaugh for God’s sake but he’s in big trouble with the righties because his,
new pet project — fighting animal cruelty for the Humane Society of the United States — is riling sportsmen from coast to coast, prompting fears that the talkster typically supportive of gun rights is aiding a group they say has a secret agenda to end all hunting in America.
Man. There’s just no end to the perceived “secret agendas,” is there? “They” are going take our guns; bring back the “fairness doctrine,” kill us all by infecting us with a bio-terrorist tool, i.e, flu manufactured in Mexico and brought in by construction workers…
No wonder they’re scared and angry. I would be too if any of it were true.
The NYT Claims CNN’s Reporting is “Middle Road.” What?
On Sunday the New York Times ran an article written by Bill Carter titled, With Rivals Ahead, Doubts for CNN’s Middle Road. In it, Carter claims that CNN’s strategy of late has been, “to steer the middle course in its news coverage.” Still,
Since the beginning of March, CNN has fallen behind both the longtime ratings leader, Fox News Channel, which, as the voice of disaffected conservatives, again has an imposing lead, and the upstart MSNBC, which has tried to mirror Fox’s success by steering to the left.
First of all, what’s “middle course” news coverage? The “news” CNN reports is essentially the same as that covered by Fox and MSNBC — typically the same four or five stories that the three of them sit on and repeat all day long.
What distinguishes the cable “news” outlets is their slant; their spin. Fox is obviously conservative. MSNBC is leaning left, but it runs the gamut from Scarborough and Buchanan to Olbermann and Maddow. CNN is most decidedly slanting right, not going down the “middle course.” Name one liberal over there. Jack Cafferty, sometimes. Name one conservative. Lou Dobbs, Mary Matlin, Dana Milbank, David Brody and Fran Townsend come to mind. CNN’s problem is that it has been trying to grab the conservative viewer, but conservatives are already loyal to Fox, so trying to mine that audience is a waste of time. Conversely, progressives tend to watch CNN, but as CNN becomes more conservative, they are gravitating toward MSNBC. In the end, CNN is the loser.
Arlen Specter Switches Parties
Arlen Specter Switching Parties from Republican to Democrat.
I’m not impressed or excited about this. It smells of desperation to me and Democrats don’t need another Lieberman.
“Keeping Us Safe” Goes Berserk
U.S. Authorities Divert Air France Flight Carrying ‘No Fly’ Journalist to Mexico.
A French author, critical of the United States, is such a threat to its existence that he can’t even be allowed into its airspace.
Culling through the 50,000-some names on the “No Fly List” is another thing that I hope is on President Obama’s to-do list. Thanks again boy George.
