So I watched the Republican debate last night.
And I am puzzled - and indignant - about the politeness and deference of the questioners. The candidates can spew nonsense and the media lap-dogs make the occasional feint, but essentially let them get away with it.
Perry was asked what he thought about the audience's cheering for his execution record. He responded that the American people appreciate justice, and when you come to Texas and kill our children and police officers, blah blah. Why did the moderator (yeah, good term) not haul out a piece of paper and say: Cameron Todd Willingham, evidence stank, you quashed an inquiry - please respond. Of course that bloodthirsty crowd might have booed, but let them.
Chris Matthews asked Santorum do you believe in evolution, do you believe in evolution, do you believe in evolution, and Santorum gave a weasly answer about how maybe there was evolution on a small scale somehow, BUT HUMAN BEINGS WERE CREATED DIRECTLY BY GOD. Matthews actually congratulated him (possibly ironically?) on his answer.
And all this stuff about not being *sure* yet about climate science, only days after a record storm that devastated Vermont and had threatened a New Orleans-like scene on NYC. (Oh, a fluke, just like all the other stuff going on, record wildfires in Texas, etc.)
Again with the no-no taxes, shudder, even at the rate of 10 to 1 vis-a-vis cuts. No questions about how the hell to pay for your wars, you guys.
I read in some of the media today that when Perry did his shtick about social security being a Ponzi scheme, he's saying the government is involved in criminal activity, haha. Why did not the 'moderators' challenge him (hell, why didn't the other candidates, beyond Romney's mild rebuke), plus ask him how the hell people, esp. with such high unemployment and underemployment, with no safety nets, are supposed to accumulate in the predatory investment system sufficient to keep them in their old age (and medical problems...)
Why didn't anyone ask Perry about his Dominionist ties?
Or skewer that nauseating Ron Paul creature on his notion that we can leave regulation to those outfits who benefit most by lack of same, and that if government absolutely HAS to do something, then it should be the state governments - those financially strapped entities. How long has be been on the public teat?
And afterwards, despite some ascerbic commentary, most the pundits and media people have commented on *performance*. Perry started out better than expected, but faltered... NOT ON WHAT HE SAID, BUT HOW HE SAID IT.
This ain't the Oscars. This is our goddamned lives.
TIP:
Enter the amount, and click "Tip" to submit!
Sean Murphy
Irene Barnett
Jeff J.
bieterblog
Kathy Gori
Donegal Descendant
Salon.com
Comments
And the lives that will be most affected by whichever of these candidates might (emphasis on might) become president will be Americans. As if much of the world doesn't hate us enough already.
Thanks for this post.
HUGGGGGGGGGG
At the end I asked myself if I would vote for any of them.
the only answer was: NONE OF THE ABOVE....
corporate money is intent on destroying every agencies and regulatory body and will accept only laissez-faire, free for all, free trade third world politic for the entire "global environment/world/economy", a world of two classes, workers and the rich. which goes all the way to explaining the connection between the koch bros and the tea party.
But I've seen them all already.
Don't all their necks look a little too long?
Like lizard long?
Yep; that such nauseating Christofascists weren't questioned closer about their whacknut beliefs is even more disgusting than the candidates' putrescent lies. And the problem goes way deeper than just how the moderators were in the debate last night; our media consistently presents purveyors of anti-democratic hatespeak like Bachmann and Perry and assorted Tea Party lunatics as having the same legitimacy as sane people, and by doing so they help move this country farther to the lunatic Right.
If this clown gets anywhere near the White House, we’re doomed. (Of course, the rest of them are clowns too.)
But ignorance goes a long way in the US of A and voting repeatedly against your own self interest has been firmly implanted in the mind of the average US citizen who through a hundred years of government propaganda is no longer able to differentiate between what is good for him/her or what is bad for him/her.
A perfect ending here too, Myriad. Congrats on the EP, btw.
They should have tomatoes thrown at them. And don't bother taking them out of the cans. The tomatoes, I mean.
rated
But I can't imagine the pain you must have endured ;).
Rated for guts (or masochism).
The death penalty is unique because there is one major traditional institution against it and that is the Catholic Church, but it is not of course alone among religious organizations, for which those who have gone past it can be thankful.
But it's a long, hard climb. Europe is already out of it. There is hope, I believe, for this one in the future but it's up to true liberals to keep up the fight and not be discouraged.
Mary - Sometimes I think the rest of us should get a vote in the U.S. elections, seeing as how the outcome affects us so much.
Linda - I had a little sip while watching, but what I shouldda done was get into this bottle of rum someone left behind...
Mission - even the weasily 'reasonable' ones? I don't know which were more off-putting, the frankly crazy (Mr. Paul, I'm looking at you), the out-of-their-depth (somebody should go back to making pizzas and fostering kids), the shit-kicker (you know who), or the smarmy 'reasonable' morons, er, Mormons.
Monkey - the media certainly gives every impression of (smirkily, smugly) being complicit.
Rei - I don't know if Huntsman would win an election. He's sort of good-looking, but lacking in elect-ifying charisma. Probably would be convenient to have a Chinese-speaking prez, tho.
Candace - at least I got an EP...a somewhat meaningless thing...
Oh John! (Did you notice the nice array of ties on the platform for O's speech last night? Why can't men have a little color beyond that weird useless neck/chest adornment?)
Owl - at least with DS and CR one can laugh thru the tears. Watching it straight: only tears, amidst the thorn bushes...
AKA - indeed. The alien lizards have taken over the bodies of all world leaders (and some local municipal ones too).
Hawley - the moderators are all FINKS! (Tho I suppose if they weren't, they'd be summarily fired.)
Julie - Indeed (sob)
Nana - Right On! Or, because "right" is such a dirty word these days, Exactly! Tell it!
Rock - yeah, that vaccine, Merk connection business...and how it was all right to enforce that, but Real Health Care For Everyone? oh no, that's unconstitutional.
Hans - Insane clown posse on that stage, and the audience took them seriously...and the populace takes them seriously. Sometimes I wonder why there aren't riots in the streets - but people ROTFLMAO in the streets is what's called for.
Algis - yeah.....but it ain't really funny, McGee
Scarlett - I wish I hadn't watched it. But guess what I'm gonna be doing next Monday night?
Linnnnnn - yeah, lunacy. With a capital loon.
Tink - yeah, like he thinks that'll get anywhere...
Mistercomedy - hey, I was inspired...outrage will do that.
Abrawang - considering the applause for the execution thing, the audience might have lynched the mods if they'd asked some tough questions...
Greenheron - wise of you
Kosher - OMGZ, you're gonna make me nostalgic for NIXON!! (Sob)
Mr. Hardin - didn't see the Big O up there in the debate. Guess I missed that.
Shiral - canned tomatoes or fairy-dust? Decisions, decisions... I think Perry would look darling with sparkles in his hair. OTOH, sporting a black eye might be nice...
Seer - masochism rules! Gonna do it again on Monday night. And there are probably lots more to come...
Ben Sen - and we here in Canada have left the death penalty behind. The evolution of consciousness seems to occasionally go retrograde. And, yes, it takes a minority sometimes. When it was abolished in Canada, it was done by the government despite a majority of the population being in favour of it. Maybe even a majority of the legislature. But with our system of government, the prime minister and cabinet can push through legislation...dangers in that of course, but also benefits. I suppose there are some benefits to a system of chaos and deadlock such as you guys endure, but I prefer ours...
welcome to this website----free ship ping accept pay pal----
we provide all kinds of high quality shoes and the other things
if you are interested in it don't hesitate to search our website
hoping you can have a good shop ping experience
--- -- (w w w ) ( cabikini ) ( c o m ) --- ---- --
Dedicated service,the new style,believing you love it
fast shipping^ ^ high quality ^ ^ don't miss this chance ^^
^^^^we sincerely hope your coming^^^as soon as possible
The questioners' behavior makes perfect sense when you realize that they are, in fact, tasked to entertain passive viewers. It's a show, pure and simple. Corporate, profit-driven infotainment, not citizenship news.
We need to talk to any of our friends and neighbors who may not yet understand this to help them learn that they need to get their information elsewhere. If we don't, who will?
Karen - that's the worry, all right. Someone who, for instance, had never heard about Willingham, might have come away with the idea that all is well with the Texas justice system, and that the appeals system is sufficient to catch any *rare* problems. Or that indeed the pension system that has kept a whole lot of people above water for the last 70 years is some kind of cheat and should be immediately abolished. Even if they realized they were basically watching a cage fight ("Who did well, who 'lost'?")