IS THE FAIRNESS DOCTRINE AS UNFAIR AS CONSERVATIVES FEAR?

[Editor's Note: The following is accompanying material to a post by Dustin Siggins for his article on NewMajority. -nick]

In 2007, Senators John McCain and Ted Kennedy, along with former President Bush, attempted to pass controversial immigration reform. The Heritage Foundation, combined with talk radio personalities such as Michael Savage, Rush Limbaugh and Laura Ingraham, have since been credited with the grassroots reaction that caused legislators to shoot the bill down in the Senate. Since that time, liberals and Democrats have worked to reinstall the Fairness Doctrine. Despite what Representative Mike Pence (R-IN), former President Clinton, Senator Debbie Stabenow, as well as many others on the left and right think, the Fairness Doctrine is never coming back. Whichever party attempted to bring it back would quickly find itself out of power.

The bigger threat to talk radio- the only area of media dominance by conservatives, and more importantly an area of media that should remain as free as the Internet, television, newspapers (for now), books, magazines, movies, etc.- is what has been coined as “localism.” In 2007 the Center for American Progress came out with the liberal blueprint for policy designed to diminish the hold conservatives have on talk radio- the report decries the Fairness Doctrine but pushes for 24-hour on-duty personnel, localism boards to guarantee minority opinions are heard, and regulations on how many stations may be owned by one corporation in a particular area.

During my time as an intern in Regulatory Policy at The Heritage Foundation, I conducted a partial case study of Littleton, New Hampshire- a town of 5,845 according to the 2000 census- and how localism regulations would affect radio stations in the area. Below are my results:

A Brief Look at Littleton, New Hampshire

Littleton is one of the most popular tourist attractions in New Hampshire. Boasting a population of only around 6,000-the official U.S. census stated 5,845 residents in 2000-Littleton has three gigantic advantages over most towns its size. The first is its location, only 15 minutes from Cannon Mountain, where Bode Miller grew up. 25-30 minutes from Bretton Woods, a mountain part of the Mt. Washington Grand Hotel. It is also accessible from New Hampshire’s only interstate highway, Interstate 93, through multiple exits.

A second advantage is Chutter’s Candy Store. Started in 1995 as a small local store, it expanded to possessing the world’s longest candy counter at over 112 feet before its founders retired. A huge draw both locally and with tourists, Chutter’s sells everything from high-end chocolates to penny candy to novelty Littleton, North Country, and New Hampshire souvenirs. Over a dozen unique stores such as The Village Book Store, Littleton Bike Shop, and “Today’s Movies At Yesterday’s Prices” Jax Jr. Cinemas complete the ensemble of small, unique New Hampshire tourist and local attractions.

The third advantage is Littleton’s status as a perennial contender for the Great American Main Street Award. It has been names the #1 Main Street in the nation at least once since 1997, and boasts a 2% retail vacancy rate on Main Street, down from 20% in 1992. (http://www.golittleton.com/littleton_main_street.php) This status, and the publicity therein, make Littleton a necessary stop for Canadians passing through to the rest of America, as well as many Americans going to Quebec and other southeastern portions of Canada. Traditional visitors who enter New Hampshire for its foliage, great skiing, and famous hiking locations also make Littleton a regular stopping point.

Back in the 1990s, Littleton struggled with unemployment and sagging local support. One of its big turnaround points was the opening of Wal-Mart, which draws shoppers from as far away as an hour on a regular basis. Since 1998, when Wal-Mart opened its doors, Littleton has replaced Berlin, NH has the hub of activity in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Applebees, Lowe’s, Home Depot, Ninety-Nine Restaurant, and over a dozen chains have entered the town, boosting population, employment, and tourism rates.

Background of Major Littleton/North Country/New Hampshire Media

Newspapers

According to local author and bookstore owner Mike Dickerman, The Littleton Courier used to cover six high schools; now, since it is owned by a New Hampshire-based corporation with 11 North Country newspapers under its name, only three are covered. Mr. Dickerman, a former writer for the newspaper, explained that while the corporation allows for greater profit for the local newspaper, the amount of local news is lacking. Furthermore, since the corporate-owned papers trade articles, many locals are seeing the same articles twice in the same week. The Coos County Democrat, owned by the same corporation as The Courier, is one such paper located only two towns away from Littleton. Dickerman feels, as many do, that repetitive articles take away from the amount of news covered locally.

Eileen Alexander, the Democrat’s editor, says that since 1990 her paper dropped its coverage from the entire North Country-approximately 90 minutes of driving, from end-to-end, and many towns-to the several towns in the local school district as well as three towns close by and big news in neighboring Vermont.

John Harrigan, former 2^nd-generation owner of the Colebrook News & Sentinel in Colebrook, NH, believes that the Localism laws would have no effect on ability of papers to be local; he makes the claim they already are. According to Harrigan, weekly papers outnumber dailies 11-1; approximately 13,000 to 1,200. Dailies are less profitable than weeklies, because they offer much of the same information as other dailies, whereas weeklies cover what the local people want in a unique fashion. Furthermore, on the business end, corporations have little effect on newspaper ownership, because the public chooses what it wants. The New Hampshire Sunday News columnist believes there are always opportunities available to entrepreneurs who want to open a newspaper in the modern world and serve a market better. Harrigan states without equivocation: “I don’t give a fly about the FCC.”

Few other newspapers reach into the Littleton area. Some of the larger papers, such as The Boston Globe and The New York Times, have their typical presences, but other than The New Hampshire Union Leader-NH’s largest state newspaper-and The Caledonian-Record, a medium-sized paper out of St. Johnsbury, VT with a circulation of just over 10,000 daily papers, (http://caledonianrecord.com/main.asp?SectionID=14&SubSectionID=467&ArticleID=60&TM=53123.72) other printed media presences are limited primarily to several small, free papers.

Radio

In radio, however, things are very different. Presences range from ultra-local to locally regional to multi-state regional. Also, while change takes place, there is a free-flow of stations and interchanging ownership.

Recent examples of the ever-changing, as well as growing, evolution of radio in the Littleton, NH are omnipresent; the following are just a sample. 106.3, WMTK’s, move to its base of operations one town over to St. Johnsbury, VT; however, it still plays Classic Rock in Littleton and the surrounding towns. Two new radio stations-one, an Oldies station, and the other, a Classic Rock station-have opened in the area in the last twelve months, owned by the same radio company that owns 96.7, WLTN and 1400 A.M. A small, privately-owned station started a summer program of music within the last several years on 91.7 FM. 107.5, Frank FM, an Oldies station out of Portland, Maine hit the airwaves several years ago, and has expanded to around half-a-dozen stations in Northern New England. Also, 96.3, WJJB, out of Gray, Maine changed from Fox Radio to Sports on September 1^st. A light rock station, 94.9 WHOM, the largest radio transmitter in the nation-which reaches five states & parts of Canada-and country station 103.7, WOKQ, are both located on Mt. Washington, the tallest mountain on the East Coast. Both reach from Massachusetts to the North Country. Kiss 102.3, WXXS, plays modern pop music, and has been in the area since 1998. Other stations include Star 92.9, WEZF Burlington, VT and 90.5 WCKJ-owned by Christian Ministries, Inc.-out of St. Johnsbury, VT.

A number of local stations cover local events, news, etc. 106.3, WMTK, covers Littleton-Chevrolet events, as well as daily updates on local restaurants and specialty stores. 1400 AM covers all Red Sox games, as well as Littleton High School basketball games. 103.7, known as 97.5 in the southern part of NH, covers events at the local airport and other locations, in addition to all New England Patriots games. New Hampshire Public Radio also covers many different events.

A number of those involved with the radio industry agree the changes would have some negative effect. The General Manager of Nausau Broadcasters: Frank FM, Patrick Tyrrell, in Portland, Maine, for example, believes that “The customers get what they want. If they want local, they will go local. If they don’t, they will go non-local.” Meanwhile Andy Phillips, a 17-year veteran of Littleton-area radio and a former radio personality in northern Vermont, believes that harm will depend on the station; some stations still fully staff, so variety is present. Also, the effects of localism will affect these stations minimally. The Main Studio Rule would only apply if on-air, so closing at night gets rid of expense problems.

One of the strongest opponents to localism regulations was Barry Lunderville, owner of Barry P. Lunderville, LLC and several area radio stations. He believes that localism boards put stations out of business, and that greater ownership in the Littleton area increased by anti-conglomeration regulations would create less of a piece of the pie per company would also but stations out of business. In fact, Lunderville stated that “centrally-located” business will be impossible with the type of regulations the FCC proposed in December of 2007.

Television

There has always been a local television channel in Littleton, for selectman’s meetings, etc. WMUR-TV, an ABC-affiliate owned by Hearst-Argyle with two other locations in Boston, MA and White River Junction, VT, made a return to the North Country of New Hampshire in 2005. (http://www.wmur.com/station/5013678/detail.html) It provides state news on its TV station and website, as well as locally-focused programs such as “New Hampshire Chronicles.” It has three repeaters located in the North Country; two are in Littleton, and a third is in Berlin, New Hampshire. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WMUR-TV)? Also, New Hampshire Public Television goes all around the state, often in the North Country.

Internet

The lack of high-speed Internet has been a point of concern for years in New Hampshire, especially in the rural North Country. However, recent efforts by New Hampshire Senator Judd Gregg and former Senator John Sununu have brought broadband Internet access to the North Country. This had been previously unavailable, leaving Dial-Up as the primary Internet access speed to towns without the (relative) economic influence of large towns/small cities like Berlin, North Conway, and Littleton. Many people, from business owners to public officials, believe this will improve the economies and opportunities of and in rural New Hampshire. (http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa5283/is_200712/ai_n21277993)

Several new and influential sites are www.bluehampshire.com, a liberal blogging/grassroots website, and www.polickernh.com, a takeoff from www.politicker.com. BlueHampshire, started several years ago, gained notoriety when a former staff member of former Representative Charles Bass went on the site to blog against Bass’ opponent, current Representative Paul Hodes (http://bluehampshire.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=85) Politicker, on the other hand, bills itself as a “virtual watercooler for the state’s political elite.” Its opinions and biases appear moderate-they make no official statement on their site regarding leaning left or right-and it runs daily polls, weekly “winners & losers” within New Hampshire, and has numerous articles and opinions from local to national influence and scale.

Littleton and its neighboring towns have added websites promoting themselves; the sites range from relatively simple and straightforward- http://www.whitefieldnh.com/ -to comprehensive and vibrant-www.golittleton.com. These sites are incredibly useful to the thousands of tourists who visit the area every year, as well as the many actively involved and culturally inclined local citizens.

Telecommunications

One issue of great contention across Northern New Hampshire for the last several years has been telephone company Fairpoint’s plans to buy Verizon’s northern New England telephone network. Many New Hampshire residents and organizations opposed this, and took many steps to prevent its passage. (http://www.nhpr.org/node/13987)

The FCC eventually signed off on the deal in early 2008, but it still needed state support and approval. (http://www.boston.com/news/local/new_hampshire/articles/2008/01/09/fcc_oks_fairpoint_verizons_new_england_phone_deal/) Since then, New Hampshire has accepted Fairpoint’s offer (http://www.nhpr.org/node/14351), which critics have called a positive for Verizon-which is trending away from residential phone lines-and a negative for everyone else, especially consumers. (Investors appear to feel the same way; the day the FCC approved the deal, Fairpoint’s stock dropped while Verizon’s went up). The deal also includes some Internet services. Since then, the issues have not stopped for Fairpoint, including some customers claiming they have not received bills in months (my parents and some of their friends, for example) and accusations of “cramming” onto bills. (http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Fairpoint+bills+%27crammed%27+with+bogus+charges&articleId=a4cde5ad-bf43-49aa-bb6a-3e57f7b6d9f1)

Conclusions

Localism and localism-related concerns are largely invalid. Rules such as main studio, 25-mile radius, and ownership limits are far too expensive for single-station and other small radio companies to follow and still be in business. Local boards will also be expensive, as radios will lose market share, in addition to limiting what consumers within the market listen to. After all, if the majority of a particular market ignore what the minority wants and listen to what they want anyway, a station that listens to minority opinions on local boards will be out of business in a very short time.

In regards to the Littleton, NH market specifically, there are more radio stations now than ever before. Also, with the Internet, TV, phone lines, and cellular phones become more modern, more numerous, and more prominent than ever before, information can be gathered more effectively, quickly, and thoroughly than those trying to pass localism regulations realize. Localism rules, the Fairness Doctrine, etc. are limiting to small companies and consumer choice, not liberating.

One of the other arguments used in support of the aforementioned regulations is that in small and/or rural markets greater risks of conglomerate monopolization exist. While such business practices DO take place, by and large it is medium and small businesses that are present in small towns. Also, should a conglomerate monopolize a region and bring a product-in this case, listening material-different than what is preferred by the target market, consumers will not listen because they have so many different options of media. This will cause the company to lose profits, and therefore either modify to the market or sell that particular location. Lastly, between 1970 and 2004, in the era of deregulation of media, the number of radio stations has actually increased, putting a lie to the idea of conglomeration preventing radio growth and diversification. (http://www.cato.org/testimony/ct-at040928.pdf)

ONE LEGITIMATE CONCERN: If there are no other choices, people may HAVE to listen…they may not care enough to demand change. However, there will always be a disgruntled listener, risk-taking entrepreneur, etc. to bring a product the target market will enjoy and partake of. Furthermore, with current technologies including television, Blackberries, and computers, the negative effect of a dominant radio conglomerate is very limited.

-dustin siggins

No Prosecution for Patriots

While I would certainly argue that President Obama has championed and proposed terrible pieces of legislation such as the stimulus bill, and supports liberal fantasies such as a radical environmentalist agenda and single payer health care, he has made the right call with regards to the proposed prosecution of CIA officials.
The President and Attorney General Eric Holder who has called us ?a nation of cowards,? have decided not to prosecute CIA officials who used harsh interrogation techniques during the post 9/11 administration of President George Walker Bush. Obama did however condemn the ?enhanced interrogation techniques? as the President said he seeks to move beyond ?a dark and painful history.? I find this to be a bit unpatriotic as courtesy of Mr. Bush?s national security policies, America has not been subject to another act of terrorism while the UK and other countries such as India have. But that?s another argument.
Furthermore, it would be extremely unpatriotic to prosecute these CIA officials for merely following through with their orders. The Attorney General shares my view, “It would be unfair to prosecute dedicated men and women working to protect America for conduct that was sanctioned in advance by the Justice Department.?
The President did however release four memos in which Bush-era lawyers approved in often graphic detail tough interrogation methods used against 28 terror suspects. This was a horrible idea considering we are still fighting a war in Afghanistan, Iraq, and a war on terror. A former top official in the administration of President Bush called the publication of the memos ?unbelievable.? ?It’s damaging because these are techniques that work, and by Obama’s action today, we are telling the terrorists what they are,? the official said. ?We have laid it all out for our enemies. This is totally unnecessary. ? Publicizing the techniques does grave damage to our national security by ensuring they can never be used again ? even in a ticking-time- bomb scenario where thousands or even millions of American lives are at stake.”
The most controversial of these interrogation techniques is undoubtedly waterboarding and members of both parties including Republican Presidential nominee John McCain have condemned the practice. I think it is fair to note in that argument that many military personnel undergo waterboarding in training. “Tens of thousands of American Air Force and naval airmen were waterboarded as part of their survival training,” says a Senior U.S. intelligence official, who has spoken on condition of anonymity. “We don’t maim as part of our training. We don’t mutilate. We don’t sodomize. Those are things that are always bad. . . . Intellectually, there has got to be a difference between [waterboarding] and the others; otherwise we wouldn’t have done it in training.”

-sam

Step Up the Support or Start Running North

In the past few years, U.S. leaders ignored the growing grumble of drug related violence in Mexico because they were too focused on the stability of Middle Eastern states.? Foreign policy goals must be prioritized logically, in order of which states have the closest regional proximity and strongest economic ties.? The U.S. – Mexican border expands nearly 2,000 miles and the economic relationship between the two states is beyond vital; Mexico is the United States third largest trading partner.? Prioritization of Middle Eastern oil resources has left the United States vulnerable to serious problems festering over the border.? Mexican problems become American problems when cartels are operating out of our cities, spreading violence to small towns and large metropolis areas alike.? I outlined this clearly in an August?op-ed in The Washington Times, which apparently fell on deaf ears.? Now what do we do?

The working relationship is difficult to approach because the U.S. and Mexico have a long standing and productive alliance, one that has warranted their country to be considered part of NORTHCOM instead of SOUTHCOM in the eyes of the U.S. military.? This distinction gives Mexico a visual superiority over Latin American states because of the mutually beneficial diplomatic relationship which must be maintained at all costs.? Some have raised the notion of mobilizing the National Guard to the border, something that many of the border-state Governors support (not surprisingly, because it is a huge increase in their power).? While adding the National Guard to the border could help in the event of a very serious emergency, militarizing the Mexican border has serious diplomatic side effects that make it a very unattractive option.

Illegal immigration and narco-trafficking is a law enforcement issue and must be dealt with by CBP and ICE, both of which are doing an increasingly effective job at it over the past 7 years.? We can quell the problem by continually supporting both of those agencies while acknowledging the American end of the problem: demand for drugs and the supplying of weapons.? The shared responsibility that Hillary Clinton recently acknowledged has been missing in the past and is necessary for progress in the U.S.-Mexican relationship.? Addressing the problem on our end will be more effective in the long run than pretending to have the capability of securing such an expansive border completely and crushing the supply of drugs from Mexico.

We must support the Mexican government so that they can fight it on their end.? The challenge in combating the cartels with the legitimate Mexican government is that cartel members have infiltrated most levels of the very forces which exist to fight them.? Simply throwing money at the problem with the Merida Initiative will not fix it.? We must support trusted and dedicated leaders to rebuild Mexico and its leadership strategically, while showing their citizens and loyal sovereign leaders the respect they deserve.

-annie

Conservatives Just Don’t “Get It”

You’ve heard this right?  Conservatives just don’t “get it” when it comes to technology, social networking, and Internet marketing.

Really?

I’m so sick of hearing this.  What secret technology recipe do Dems and liberals hold in this medium?  What have they done that is so damn special?  Everywhere I turn I’m being fed this line about how liberals have cornered the market on online politics.  Why?  Because the Obama campaign used Twitter, Facebook, and put a donate button on their campaign website? Please…

MoveOn.org is certainly a big player in some areas of webspace, and they have no equal in the conservative cybersphere…yet.  TheVanguard.org argues that they will be the conservative answer to Moveon.  This is a promise we have heard before, so I will remain cautiously optimistic.  But while we are on the subject, what is it that MoveOn has on it’s website that is so mind blowingly special?

I circled it for you in case you are a conservative/libertarian that just doesn’t “get it”:

The MoveOn page is filled with rhetoric and articles.  As an aside if you look closely you will pick out blatant misleading numbers all on one page. Their email sign up claims 4 million members.  The article under “Success Stories” claims 5 million members in the title.  While just under the title the actual story print claims 4.2 million members.  I wish my boss paid me an extra 80% on every 20% of the dollar I made.  But I digress.

The big FTW that liberals all other the Internet sipping their techno-lattes are getting all worked up about is how many email addresses MoveOn has collected via what boils down to a newsletter sign up box, a donate button, and a graphic icon link to their Facebook and YouTube fan sites.  That’s it folks.  That’s what the big liberal Net geniuses  are walking around heads in the clouds over.  High-five guys! You conquered the Internetz!

What is the actual gain from this?  MoveOn had close to $60 million in donations in 2004, and unless usual donors took their money straight to Obama, it’s safe to assume that the number was close to that in 2008.

While not in direct competition, The Heritage Foundation had a similar endowment in 2008 and also holds a similar size contact list.  Being that Heritage is a think tank, and not a social club, many of their priorities are different.  But there endowment certainly allows them to compete in the same spaces that a group like MoveOn is battling for ground in.

But what are the real numbers here?  Why can’t conservatives compete in the webspace like they do in talk radio in meatspace?  Why don’t we get it?  What aren’t we getting?

WHAT WE DON’T GET IS THAT WE HAVE BOUGHT INTO A LIE THAT WE “DON’T GET IT”.

… in the big lie there is always a certain force of credibility; because the broad masses of a nation are always more easily corrupted in the deeper strata of their emotional nature than consciously or voluntarily; and thus in the primitive simplicity of their minds they more readily fall victims to the big lie than the small lie, since they themselves often tell small lies in little matters but would be ashamed to resort to large-scale falsehoods. It would never come into their heads to fabricate colossal untruths, and they would not believe that others could have the impudence to distort the truth so infamously. Even though the facts which prove this to be so may be brought clearly to their minds, they will still doubt and waver and will continue to think that there may be some other explanation. For the grossly impudent lie always leaves traces behind it, even after it has been nailed down, a fact which is known to all expert liars in this world and to all who conspire together in the art of lying.

?Adolf Hitler , Mein Kampf, vol. I, ch. X

Look at the numbers:

MoveOn is winning the Facebook war.  That’s pure Paris Hilton “hot” right there.  You guys can trade pictures and make cute references to the Messiah’s newest portrait in your status bar.  But Facebook isn’t the only application in webspace.  Liberals claim to be controlling everything.  But the numbers don’t add up.  The DNC less than half the subscribers or channel views than the much webspace belabored RNC on YouTube.  And the RNC easily rivals MoveOn in YouTube channel subscribers, falling behind by only 500 subscribers, but actually having 65,000 more views of channel content.  And Twitter, the Internet rage that is constantly talked about by liberals like they invented it is completely dominated by conservative and libertarian organizations!  In fact MoveOn and the DNC don’t even have representation on Twitter.  And let’s not even discuss individual members of Congress’ Twitter or Facebook adherence.  They all have them.  No one has an advantage.

So why are liberals and media outlets always saying that conservatives “get it”?  Because of Obama.

The Obama campaign’s technology effort which receives ravenous attention didn’t invent these applications or even use them any differently than anyone else in the conservative movement, with the exception of my.barackobama.com which allowed individuals to organize local events online.  Ultimately a brilliant strategy.  But It is no secret that Obama implemented an 18 month online social networking strategy, while John McCain simply pushed hard at the end, running what amounted to be a 72 hour “get out the vote” train wreck.  The reality of what happened last year was that Obama’s team produced an in depth Internet strategy from the very beginning.  The Internet was not just a webpage used to promote his candidacy and explain his policies.  It was used to connect like minded individuals through various ranges of social networking.

This isn’t something new to conservatives and libertarians.

It was new to John McCain’s campaign staff and John McCain.  And by the time McCain got on board with a decent Internet strategy, that ship had sailed, and Obama’s web presence was rolling down a mountain like a Mac truck with no brakes.  When liberal pundits are issuing their insults toward the other sides comprehension and use of Internet applications, they are thinking of the Obama campaign specifically, and not the broad strokes.  What Obama did with technology and did early was a great move.  But the uses of tech in his campaign was not some secret cauldron of witch brew which only liberals had the necessary skills to use.  Conservatives have been using the same tools for years.  And when we saw them being used by Obama and used successfully, we were sitting around all thinking, “This stuff should be obvious, we are all using it, why isn’t McCain.”  Conservatives have it right.  They’ve “got it”. In fact if you want a closer look at how well they get it, look to efforts like CEI’s openmarket.org, bureaucrash.com, globalwarming.org, or the Heritage Foundation’s stopspendingourfuture.org, 33-minutes.com or their joint venture ReadTheStimulus.org.  Or try RedCountry.com, RedState.com, TopConservativesOnTwitter.com (#tcot), atr.org (Americans for Tax Reform), netrightnation.com; these go on forever.

The RNC’s loss of Cyrus Krohn is a tough blow.  But you can’t build an empire with one hammer.  And furthermore, the duties of the RNC specifically does not necessarily need to be creating and implementing new widgets and whatzits.  It needs to be making sure that the next candidate is.  If the RNC was behind at some point then let’s be clear, the RNC is not the conservative movement.

Realistically, there is also more to the story.  While conservative get technology and use it effectively, the last campaign was riddled with problems.  Mixed messages and feelings over the Bush policy, the party being sporadic with their message, and many conservatives feeling like they were being left behind and no strong voice to represent their political ideology.  At the same time, Democrats were very united.  Not by Twitter or Facebook, but by a common theme, ‘Paint McCain as another Bush — No more Bush!”

For conservatives to rebound, and additionally re-capture the votes of moderates and libertarians they don’t need to just use technology well.  Getting a lot of followers on Facebook or Twitter will not win an election.  Conservatives need a unified voice, a return to traditional conservative values, and a common theme.

Which they have found, in Obama.

-nick

?I have heard there are troubles of more than one kind.  Some come from ahead and some come from behind.  But I’ve bought a big bat.  I’m all ready you see.  Now my troubles are going to have troubles with me!?

Joe Klien is Looking For a Sugar Daddy.

Well, I am unaware just how knowledgeable people are of myself and my beliefs, but I will begin by stating my political tendencies are geared toward the right, put mildly of course. Surprisingly enough, I enjoy a good episode of Morning Joe every day; a habit that cannot be beneficial to my heart health. Nonetheless, I listened Time Magazine?s Joe Klien explaining how the American people polled by CBS (because a flash poll conducted at 10:30pm on a weeknight of people who watched a liberal president?s liberal manifesto presentation wouldn?t have skewed results) showing 80% of Americans liked what they heard last night. Mr. Klien exclaims that the people are scared, they need a leader, and they are looking for a daddy in government. I would ask those educated individuals (whether or not you committed the treasonous act of dropping out of high school) to search the repository of their history books, and tell me what happened to a people?s freedoms when such sentiments were supposedly shared by the volkgeist.

I want to point out the danger behind such lines of thought. The public as of late has been ebbing and flowing with emotion. A dangerous situation as founder James Madison points out in the Federalist Papers where the ?tyranny of the majority? was pointed to as a real possibility in democracies. The United States has become increasingly apathetic, and today we are beginning to understand a true beginning of nihilism here on our soil. People did not vote based on their principles, they voted in the heat of the moment, to be a part of history, for an articulate leader instead of his ideas. When we stop being guided by our core beliefs, and begin to question everything our country has and continues to stand for, and then develop a mutual understanding that anyone can be right so in arguing your point you demonstrate old prejudices; we then become bewildered beasts in our own society. All it takes is for a situation to scare the people into looking into a man, or a god. Heidegger points out how a people will look for a ?superman? or god to lead them when they feel vulnerable. He would know after all. I do not mean to make any unfair comparisons, or be accused of reducto ad Hitlerum; however, if similarities exist, we would be derelict if we didn?t point this out.

Now we have President Obama. He is not Hitler, or a tyrant. Please do not misconstrue what I say as a mere ad hominem attack shallow in understanding. Can we please point out the fact that he is a mixture of the worst parts of our most liberal presidents? His ideas of an intellectual elite guiding us out opf the recession, and heading these bureaucracies reeks of Woodrow Wilson; his lack of understanding regarding the military, and promulgation of an argument to raise the number of troops and their pay and their benefits, but cutting the budget drastically; and the most lauded comparison with F.D.R. and his misguided belief that radical spending will drive the US out of an economic recession. Adding short term ?infrastructure? projects to rebuild roads and schools and anything else? where does someone who was a part of the 52,000 Citi employees fit in to that? After having worked as an IT recruiter for years, I cannot understand how an IT recruiter today finds a way to place his .Net Developer on a new project that involved re-paving I-495.

There are myriad particulars in President Obama?s speech last night that we can argue against. That would take more time than I have currently, and I have bored you enough as it is. I would point out the one thing people said the President needed to do in order to have a successful speech; instill confidence. Well the Dow is down 150 points. I will let the events pass final judgment on the level of success. And I would hope that MSNBC has tissues in their preparation rooms for their guest, to wipe the brown residue off their noses. No wonder they can?t smell how bad this stinks.

New York: The Empire Tax State

You can’t create an Empire State without a little cash to go around.? The tax break looks to be coming to an end in New York.? A recently passed bill titled the “Amazon Tax” will be coming to online purchases near you – er, if you live in New York.? The New York government has decided that companies selling goods in New York should be shouldering the tax burden for the state.? This will go directly against the basic premise that is the Internet Tax Freedom Act which was created in 1998 to help the new medium to foster and grow.? Maybe the government is starting to decide its grown enough, and it wants a piece of the pie?

Check out Ars Technica for a detailed breakdown.

-nick

Franken lawyer uses football analogy, realizes he went to Duke

Just hours ago it was reported that Al Franken carried a 50-vote lead in the Minnesotta Senate race.? The SNL funny man, and failed Air America radio host attempts to carry his complete lack of political education and experience into the U.S. Senate.

With only a battle over absentee votes remaining, Franken attorney Marc Elias remarked that, “We are well into the fourth quarter…We are a few yards from the end zone, but we feel good about being able to get it in.”

As a Florida State alum, I wanted to take a moment to remind Mr. Elias that he attended Duke.

Mr. Elias…Please do not make football references.? You went to Duke.? Based on this, we can expect you to fumble at the goal line and lose the election.

p.s. And before basketball comments are made. FSU is 2-2 vs. Duke in the last 5 years, so we’re holding our own thanks.

- nick

People for the Eating of Tasty Animals takes shot at Palin

In the most recent attack on Palin (the poor girl isn’t even running anymore, lost the election to say the least and she still can’t escape the attacks) PETA has thrown her under the bus in what can only be acknoledged as a blatant attempt to reach the 18-34 year old key demographic with a video game featuring her and others.? Well known hunters and fur wearers including Palin are targeted in PETA’s attempt at creating a video game.

I really have nothing more to say but….seriously?

- nick

Video games are bad. I mean me. -Blagojevich

I honestly cannot think of anything?more unscrupulous in politics besides straight out murdering someone than trying to sell off an empty seat in the U.S. Senate.? But that’s exactly what Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was attempting to do.? Seriously. U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald called it, “truly a new low.”

If your memory can take you back a bit, this is the same guy that wanted to regulate the sell of video games because of moral concerns.

On a wire tap Blagojevich was recorded saying that the Senate seat “is a f***ing?valuable thing,?you just don’t give it away for nothing.”??Going on to say, “I’m going to keep this Senate option for me a real possibility, you know, and therefore I can drive a hard bargain. You hear what I’m saying. And if I don’t get what I want and I’m not satisfied with it, then I’ll just take the Senate seat myself.”??Additionally referring to Obama as a?”motherf***er,” saying that if “I don’t get anything,” he would not appoint a friend of the?Obama camp.? “F*** him. For nothing? F*** him.”? “They’re not willing to give me anything except appreciation. F*** them.”

It’s interesting to note that one of the prime targets of his video game regulation was aimed at?the Grand Theft Auto series because the moral depravity and violence would negatively influence teenage kids.? Is it possible that maybe teenage kids are affected negatively by a politician playing the real life counter part to the dirt ball political leaders of the GTA series story lines?? Games influenceing?life?? Nope, games imitating life.

-nick

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