MSNBC

Chris Matthews On Bill Maher Show Asks Why Money Is The Only Measure Of Success!

Ronald 3 Comments

MSNBC’s Chris Matthews was on Bill Maher’s show on HBO last night, and got into a debate with conservative right wing talk show host Roger Hedgecock, formerly Mayor of San Diego, regarding how to measure “success”.

Matthews asked why we worship money so much, that only if one earns a lot of money is he or she considered a “success”.

Matthews asked about the high school teacher who is a “success” in educating the future generation, but makes only $70,000 a year at the end of his career; or the soldier in Afghanistan who sacrifices his safety to help protect America and is paid even less. Is he not a “success”?

What Matthews is saying is so true! “Success” should not be how much money you earn; how much money you avoid paying in taxes; how big your home is, or how fancy your car is; how much you cheat your workers in benefits and work conditions; how much you exploit consumers because of greed of a business owner to trick consumers into paying top price while claiming to have a “sale”; spending one’s money to gain an advantage from a politician, so as to avoid regulation in the public interest; and other examples of the worship of money for its own sake!

“Success” is not only the teacher and the soldier, but also the nurse, the police officer, the firefighter, the librarian, the social worker, and the many other occupations and fields of work where workers make our lives better. This also includes the so called ‘little people”, such as the server at a restaurant, a bartender, a maid, a sanitation worker, and numerous other fields of work, where often rich people look down on these people as the scum of the earth, because they do not earn a lot of money!

This new “Gilded Age” we are in, which makes one “worship” people whose job is to enrich themselves at the expense of “average” people, and brag about it; and have parties in Boca Raton, where they disparage half the citizenry; and pay as much for seeing a politician speak as the average annual salary of a family of four, who pays more tax percentage wise they they do, must be made out to be what it is—a white collar crime which should be exposed and prosecuted under the laws, and condemned as unpatriotic and selfish!

Jerome Corsi, World Net Daily, And “Gay” Barack Obama! How Low Can Conspiracy Theories Go?

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Jerome Corsi, a well known and notorious conspiracy theorist, who collaborates with the right wing World Net Daily website, called “World Nut Daily” by MSNBC ‘s Rachel Maddow last night, has come up with a new theory involving President Barack Obama.

One of the leading advocates of the “birther” conspiracy theory, that Obama is a secret Muslim born in Kenya, now Corsi is promoting what anyone who has followed the attacks on Obama could have predicted would eventually emerge in this Presidential campaign as a last resort to stop the Obama march to victory—the accusation that Obama is secretly gay, that he had a gay lover killed, and another one paid off to remain silent, and that Obama is well known in gay circles and bathhouses in Chicago!

Corsi is the same man who not only has promoted the “birther” myth, but also was involved in the “Swift Boat Veterans” attack on Senator John Kerry, the Democratic Presidential nominee in 2004, which helped to undermine Kerry’s candidacy against President George W. Bush!

Corsi is also a believer in other conspiracy theories, and is obviously frustrated that his recent book on Obama and “birtherism” has failed to have an impact, so he and the World Net Daily website now have reached a new low, but that any intelligent person could have figured would eventually come to light.

The thought in this man’s mind and that of the website supporters is that Obama being called gay is going to defeat him, but it will not, and with the country warming up to the concept that being gay is a private matter, and that being gay is not a crime, and more people being accepting of someone being gay, it will only insure that Obama will not be hurt by scurrilous charges that most certainly would have been revealed years ago, had they been true!

The idea that Barack Obama has such connections and influence that he can “hide” his Kenyan “birth”, his “Muslim” faith, and his “gay” sexual orientation from the American people and actually become President, and be on the verge of a second term, is so ridiculous, that one must wonder about the mental stability of those who believe it, and totally destroys the credibility of both Corsi and World Net Daily, if there was any left in the minds of serious minded, normal people!

Is Ezra Klein Correct That We Are Witnessing The Worst Congress Ever? YES, By A Landslide!

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The 111th Congress (2009-2010) has been seen by many observers as the most productive Congress since the 89th Congress (1965-1966).

But now, the 112th Congress (2011-2012) has been declared by Ezra Klein, the brilliant commentator of the Washington Post and MSNBC, as the WORST Congress EVER!

Is Ezra Klein correct in his assessment? ABSOLUTELY!

The 112th Congress, as Klein says, has failed to deal with the problems facing the country, and has had as its major agenda the defeat of President Obama for a second term, and in the process, holding Americans hostage in the midst of the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression!

Klein points out the following:

No Congress, with records back to the 80th Congress of 1947-1948, has produced such little passage of legislation, with the smallest being the 104th Congress (1995-1996), with 333 laws passed, and Democrat Bill Clinton being relected President in 1996 as a result.

Congress has only a ten percent approval rating, an all time low, with the Internal Revenue Service being at a popularity rate of 40 percent; Lawyers at 29 percent; President Richard Nixon during Watergate at 24 percent; Banks at 23 percent; the British Petroleum Oil Spill at 16 percent; and Paris Hilton at 15 percent, as examples!

The 112th Congress is the most polarized Congress since the end of Reconstruction in the 1870s, and we all know what came after–the GILDED AGE period of corporate dominance, not well looked upon by historians, and reminding us that we are now, in so many respects, in a new GILDED AGE, personified not only by the GOP control in the House of Representatives and in many state governments, but by the wealthiest Presidential nominee in American history, Mitt Romney, worth twice the assets of the last eight Presidents from Richard Nixon to George W. Bush combined!

The Republican majority in the House and Republican opposition in the Senate set back economic recovery in 2011 and right up to this moment in 2012, by any measure! And this Congress caused the loss of America’s credit rating, and seem ready to do it again!

Voting unsuccessfully to repeal the Affordable Care Act THIRTY THREE times is an exercise in futility, and the House of Representatives has wasted approximately EIGHTY hours in doing nothing, two work weeks when they could have been working on job creation legislation!

This Congress has NOT passed any appropriations bills by the deadline of October 1 in 2011, and will not by October 1, 2012, as things stand!

The failure to provide for the future of our infrastructure–roads, bridges, subway systems, and airports– is a major problem for the long term.

Two Congressional experts, Thomas Mann and Norman Ornstein, have written a book condemning the paralysis of the 112th Congress, saying it is the worst performance they have witnessed in 40 years of covering Congress!

In sum, the 112th Congress is an embarrassment, and there is no sign of any improvement in the future, particularly if the split Congress continues into the future!

A Liberal-Progressive Mount Rushmore And A Conservative Mount Rushmore: Who Would Be On Such Mount Rushmores?

Ronald 9 Comments

Last Friday, Joe Scarborough and MORNING JOE on MSNBC had distinguished historians assess which Presidents might be on a new, second Mount Rushmore, if such a monument were ever built.

This brought to mind the idea of who might be on a Liberal-Progressive Mount Rushmore, and who would be on a Conservative Mount Rushmore, if such were ever constructed anywhere in America.

This is mostly just interesting scholarly speculation, but here goes my suggestions for such honoring on both sides of the political spectrum.

LIBERAL/PROGRESSIVE MOUNT RUSHMORE

Robert La Follette, Sr.–Republican Governor (1900-1906) and Senator (1906-1925) of Wisconsin–Mr. Progressive of the early 20th century and 1924 Progressive Party nominee for President.

George Norris–Republican Congressman (1902-1912) and Senator (1912-1942) of Nebraska–the most creative reform figure and longevity of the first half of the 20th century, a bridge between the Progressive Era of Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson and the New Deal of Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Hubert H. Humphrey–Democratic Mayor Of Minneapolis (1945-1949), Senator (1949-1964, 1970-1978) of Minnesota, and Vice President of the United States (1965-1969) and Democratic Presidential nominee in 1968, who had the most creative record of promoting reform in the years after World War II throughout the 1960s.

Ted Kennedy–Democratic Senator (1962-2009) of Massachusetts, the fourth longest serving US Senator in American history, and the most creative reformer in the years from the 1970s until his death in 2009.

A possible alternative would be Democratic Senator George McGovern of
South Dakota (1922-2012), who ran for President in 1972, and was a major critic of the Vietnam War, one of the most decent men ever in American politics, serving in the Senate from 1963-1981.

CONSERVATIVE MOUNT RUSHMORE

Arthur Vandenberg–Republican Senator (1928-1951) of Michigan, who opposed the New Deal and was an isolationist in foreign policy through World War II, but then became an internationalist in support of the United Nations and President Harry Truman’s Cold War policy against the Soviet Union after World War II, and potential Presidential candidate twice.

Robert Taft–Republican Senator (1939-1953) of Ohio, son of President and Chief Justice William Howard Taft, promoted the anti labor union Taft-Hartley Act, promoted an isolationist foreign policy, and considered Mr. Conservative by his party, and a potential Presidential candidate numerous times.

Barry Goldwater–Senator (1952-1964, 1968-1986) of Arizona, succeeding Robert Taft as Mr. Conservative, and 1964 Republican nominee for President, becoming the hero of conservatives long term, and having an effect on President Ronald Reagan.

Ronald Reagan–Republican Governor of California (1966-1974), and President of the United States (1981-1989), after a career as a movie actor, influenced by the principles and ideas of Barry Goldwater, who he publicly backed in a famous speech in 1964.

The author welcomes commentary on these selections!

Which Presidents Would Belong On A Second Mount Rushmore?

Ronald 7 Comments

This morning, on MORNING JOE on MSNBC, there was a fascinating three hour discussion on the American Presidency, to commemorate the Fourth of July national holiday.

Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski had many distinguished guests, journalists and historians, to analyze the office and the 43 men who have held that position.

Three distinguished historians–Doris Kearns Goodwin, Jon Meacham, and Evan Thomas–gave their view of which Presidents would be appropriate for a second Mount Rushmore, if such a momument were ever to be built in South Dakota or elsewhere.

Their selections were certainly fascinating, controversial, and highly debatable.

Goodwin’s list was Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry Truman, Lyndon B. Johnson, and Ronald Reagan.

Meacham’s list was Andrew Jackson, Franklin D. Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy,and Ronald Reagan.

Thomas’s list included Franklin D. Roosevelt, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan, and George H. W. Bush.

So FDR and Reagan are on all three lists, and would certainly please progressives and Democrats on the one hand, and conservatives and Republicans on the other hand.

But there the disagreements begin, and lead to a total of six other Presidents being listed–Jackson, Truman, Ike, JFK, LBJ, and Bush No. 41.

One wonders if there has been disrespect shown toward Woodrow Wilson, who had such a long range impact on the office of the Presidency, although there has been a lot of criticism directed toward him over the years.

One also wonders about the famous “obscure” President, James K. Polk, who gained more territory in his one term than anyone other than Thomas Jefferson.

Also, the question arises whether Bill Clinton will see his historical stock rise as the years go by, to the point of possibly being a candidate for a second Mount Rushmore.

If this author and blogger were queried about his choices, the Presidents he would select would be to agree totally with Doris Kearns Goodwin: FDR, Truman, LBJ, and Reagan!

But now the reader can chime in with his or her views about a second Mount Rushmore, and the more the merrier!

A Chicago Tribune “Dewey Defeats Truman” Moment: An Embarrassment to CNN, Fox News Channel And National Public Radio!

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Electronic journalism did not have a great moment this past Thursday, when two cable channels, Fox News Channel and CNN, and National Public Radio as well, botched the first report of the Supreme Court decision on “ObamaCare”, declaring the plan had been declared unconstitutional!

It was a startling blunder, particularly for CNN and NPR, as Fox News Channel is infamous for distorting news on a regular basis!

A tremendous embarrassment it is, which will not give confidence to news junkies, while at the same time, MSNBC got it correct from the first moment, so let us salute MSNBC for its accuracy!

This whole situation reminds us of the Chicago Tribune headline in 1948, declaring GOP nominee Thomas E. Dewey the winner over President Harry Truman, leading to a photograph of Truman holding up the newspaper headline and beaming in victory, a priceless moment in American history!

Time For A Debate: Sean Hannity Vs. Lawrence O’Donnell, Or Other Alternatives!

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It is time for conservatives to stop propagandizing on Fox News Channel and talk radio, and get out there and compete in a debate on the issues of the campaign!

Since Sean Hannity is particularly glib, I propose that he participate in a debate against Lawrence O’Donnell of MSNBC!

Or why not Bill O’Reilly of Fox News Channel compete in a debate against Rachel Maddow instead?

Or have Rush Limbaugh of talk radio fight against Ed Schultz in a debate sponsored by the cable news channel, C SPan!

Any combination of a conservative against a progressive is fine, if not this precise matchup suggested!

The progressives would wipe the conservatives all over the floor, if such a debate or debates occurred, but face it, the conservatives would NEVER agree to such a situation!

Certainly, it would be very interesting, and probably more informative, than the Presidential or Vice Presidential debates coming up in September and October!

The Crash And Burning Of Cory Booker: The End Of National Leadership Potential!

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Just a few weeks ago, it looked as if Newark, New Jersey Mayor Cory Booker had a great political future, thought to be likely to challenge New Jersey Governor Chris Christie for re-election in 2013, and maybe to become a possible Presidential candidate in 2016.

This author theorized that Booker could become the successor to Barack Obama, and be the second consecutive African American President of the United States.

It is now time to say forget it, as that is NOT going to happen!

Mayor Booker ruined his political future in one fell swoop when he went on Meet the Press on Sunday morning, and openly criticized the Obama campaign’s argument that Mitt Romney’s experience at Bain Capital, primarily concerned with maximizing of profit over people and survival of specific businesses, was a negative that disqualified Romney to be President of the United States. Booker disagreed with the attack on equity capital, venture capital, saying he found it “nauseating”, stunning David Gregory, the host of Meet the Press, and the rest of the panel that was on the program Sunday morning.

Later, Booker backed off on his criticism, and also went on Rachel Maddow’s show on MSNBC last evening, protesting the way the Republican Party is now using his statement to help their own campaign and attack Obama.

Unfortunately, it is too late once you have left, symbolically, the toothpaste out of the tube, as it cannot be put back!

We have now learned that Bain Capital helped to finance Booker’s campaign for Mayor, and he is, therefore, already tainted, so do not expect him to go further than, maybe, re-election to be mayor of Newark.

Booker turns out to have made a fatal error that cannot be reversed, and if, by some chance, Mitt Romney wins the Presidency, this moment will be seen as the moment that Romney gained an edge, all due to a Democratic mayor who was fatally flawed by his own blunders and personal association with Bain Capital.

What a sad ending to a promising political career, stained by connection to equity capital which he should have rejected, but was too tempted by the offer of support, and, therefore, lost his principles!

Dan Rather Memoir Worthy Reading For Anyone Who Is Journalism “Addict”!

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Dan Rather, the former long term CBS News journalist, and anchor, who has spent nearly 50 years in the news business, has just published RATHER OUTSPOKEN, a revealing and stimulating book on his long news career.

Rather was a man of courage and conviction in the news business, and was one of the author’s most admired television journalists of the past, including also Walter Cronkite and Ted Koppel.

Rather made a lot of enemies over the years, and had particular challenges with the two Bush Presidencies, but the man never held back on his search for the truth, and he is still seen often on MSNBC as a guest, and has his own show on HDNet.

It is always good to see Dan Rather on television, and his book will reveal a great deal about the controversies he dealt with, and help us to understand this man who has had a great impact on television journalism!

The Intellectual Prowess Of MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow, Melissa Harris-Perry, And Chris Hayes

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MSNBC may not have a very large audience base, as compared to Fox News Channel, but that is not the only way to judge media.

After all, the New York Times has lower readership than the New York Daily News, for instance, but that does not make the Daily News a newspaper of quality, and the same goes for cable television news.

Quality and intellectual challenge are what makes journalism outstanding, and in that regard, Fox News Channel is no comparison to MSNBC.

And the author is not referring here to the traditional talk show hosts–the Reverend Al Sharpton, Chris Matthews, Ed Schultz, and Lawrence O’Donnell in the weekday evenings, although all are enlightening.

And he is not referring to Morning Joe, or Chuck Todd, Andrea Mitchell, Martin Bashir, Dylan Ratigan, Alex Wagner, or others on the weekday daytime, all of whom are great, but not what he wishes to emphasize.

Rather, the author is referring to three true intellectuals, Rachel Maddow, on at 9 pm eastern time during the week, and Melissa Harris-Perry and Chris Hayes, on for two hours each on both Saturday and Sunday.

Rachel Maddow, 39 years of age, has degrees from Stanford University and Oxford University, an earned doctorate, and was the recipient of a Rhodes Scholarship. Anyone who watches her or reads her new book, DRIFT, cannot help but be impressed with her pure intellectual brilliance. She is also a delight on a personal level, with a great sense of humor!

Melissa Harris-Perry, 38 years of age, is an African American professor of Political Science at Tulane University, and formerly taught at Princeton University and the University of Chicago, earned a Ph. D. at Duke University, and is the author of two books. Her two hour show on both Saturday and Sunday is extremely enlightening, and her pleasant personality comes through on a consistent basis!

Chris Hayes, 33 years old, is married to Kate Shaw, an Associate Counsel for President Barack Obama, is an editor at large of The Nation magazine, and has a show called Up With Chris Hayes for two hours each on Saturdays and Sundays. Sometimes called the male Rachel Maddow, Hayes comes across as an intellectual on the level of Maddow and Harris-Perry, and he possesses a bachelor’s degree from Brown University.

His show, as with Maddow and Harris-Perry, is extremely enlightening and stimulating to viewers who appreciate good intellectual discourse! His book Twilight Of The Elites: America After Meritocracy, will be published in June, 2012.

Anyone who reads this blog should make it a habit to watch these three brilliant talk show hosts–Rachel Maddow, Melissa Harris-Perry, and Chris Hayes!