I failed to realize that this column is quite simply a repeat of a December column that put all problems at the feet of Obama... You have not lost your predetermined conclusion.
Marvin Covault presents an interesting premise when he describes the shifting culture in America, specifically the blame game. He enumerates three specific elements in the shifting culture and describes them as all bad. The first is the blame game that has paralyzed our government. He suggests, and rightly so, the origin of that phenomenon to be some 15-20 years old. The second shifting cultural element, although he doesn’t call it that specifically, is the election of Barack Obama as Commander in Chief of Blame. Finally, he labels big government the third shifting cultural element that robs from the rich and supports the undeserving masses who are craving more from government because Obama made them victims and entitled to more and more governmental largesse. Mr. Covault’s assessment regarding the emerging blame game over the past twenty years is reasonably accurate. Points two and three are hard to validate with any factual evidence.
From the first day of Obama’s election he has been characterized with an “otherness”, UnAmerican, foreign born, not Christian, a Marxist, a Communist, a Nazis, and yes, a racist! All this before the administration could do much of anything except try to bail out a failing economy. People rallied in Washington with guns and anti-Obama rants that were obviously factually challenged. When John Boehner was asked about trying to cool to the anti-Obama rhetoric, he replied, “They have a right to express their opinions.” True. But Boehner is theoretically a leader, and he has a responsibility to lead, a responsibility he and the rest of the Republican Party refused to exorcise.
Where Mr. Covault and I part ways is what I call the real culprit of our shifting culture, the emergence of “spin”, or the facile re-interpretation of events to support an already firmly entrenched conclusion. There is no search for truth, only the re-painting of events to suit one’s perspective. Worse, our preconceived opinions are now pure as Gospel. Our opinions are the only factual positions and are not open to discussion or deviation. There can be no truth, but our truth. There was once a journalistic altruism wherein writers sought truth and justice. The American way of justice is firmly grounded in a presumption of innocence. Today newspapers and cable television are filled with descriptions of history that are shaded to support a preconceived opinion, or more correctly, a pre-determined agenda. That is neither justice, nor American. Mr. Covault has correctly identified a shifting culture that began some twenty years ago with an emerging lack of tolerance for ideas different from ours, or the old notion that the ends justifies the means. Sorry, Mr. Covault. Your assessment was on track until you started to “spin”.
Most people have already challenged the content of this letter in superior fashion. There is not much I can add to make the fallacy of the writer's reasoning more clear. However, let me suggest the writer venture out to the theater and witness Lincoln. This 'Stovepipe' represents a moral compass that recognized the essence of Democracy. Unfortunately, Mr. May has demonstrated neither a grasp of this country nor its founding principles. Lincoln wrestled with the really big issues that define who we are for all time. The parallels with current politics found in Kushner's brilliant script are profound. Obama waged no class warfare; that warfare was begun decades ago when corporate oligarchies began their ascendency. Extremism on the right has attempted to define this country in terms of a narrow 1%. This narrow band scolds people who might game the system for a few extra food stamps while the likes of Romney and friends scam the government of taxes with off shore accounts, rigged tax incentives, and subsidies. And, scam medicare - as Romney's son has done with the motorized wheelchairs. Get rich from the government you scold! Hypocrisy.
"CNN’s Candy Crowley, the moderator, even took sides against Mr. Romney when he and she disagreed over how the president handled the Libyan crisis. It was a free-for-all with the mainstream media and the president on one side, Gov. Mitt Romney on the other." R. Levy
I'm very sorry Mr. Levy this doesn't rise to the level of partisanship. I'm not sure what debate you were watching, but Candy Crowley did not take sides! In fact, she suggested the contention Romney might have intended! This is journalism at it's absolute worst. Return to your toy store where you are more comfortable - in fantasyland.
I don't mind debating legitimate opposing points of view, but this is illegitimate, untrue, and simply a naked slur not only of the debate but the moderator... and most of all the rest of us who watched the debate and know the truth.
By the way, there is a certain whining quality to the voices on the right when they are challenged on the veracity of their statements. In your eyes, sir, I'm afraid a civil debate is when the Democrat rolls over and plays dead rather than challenge your ideas. How un-American!
Now there's an intelligent comment! Sure makes me believe the letter must have some factual basis. It's always fun to dismiss opposing points of view and bolster your own point of view by simply denigrating the opposition. How adult. According to Mr. Ward Barack Obams single-handedly destroyed our culture, values, leadership role in the world, our economy, borders and immigration control, redistributed wealth, and removed God from our world. Whew! That man has been busy. His repeated reference to electing a son this November, and I know it has an antecedent in Paul Dunn's article, muddies the water rhetorically. The 'otherness' campaign against Obama has been waged since the day of his inauguration, and I for one reject that dog-whistle propaganda. Incidentally, I would welcome a factual discussion of your assertions because they simply don't square with reality. Mr. Ward's letter is rather a nice prologue for a book of fiction.
Moore County, read and re-read the chain of comments over this article. The racial bigotry unleashed by this column is mind-boggling! The scam is that we call ourselves enlightened and democratic. Reasonable men can disagree reasonably, but the tone of this dialogue is disgusting, resulting from the clarion sounding of a bigoted dog-whistle attack that has nothing to do with policy but rather personal prejudice. I'll bet they claim to be Christians, too.
With this One Column Too Far, Robert has managed to embrace every fraudulent Republican talking point we have heard for almost four years. You have a constitutional right to be wrong and I have a constitutional right to challenge your inaccurate and fraudulent spin of facts. This column is a fantasy. Let’s start with the title of this One Column Too Far, “Our President is Scamming Black America.” Scamming is pretty specific but you offer no evidence other than cherry picked statistics and right-wing spin. Scamming goes to intent and you have not even come close to demonstrating intent! Shame on you! You’re a lawyer, Robert. Your own column is inadmissible because its hearsay! If you want to debate policy, debate policy. The hidden narrative you imply is that Obama is an ineffectual Black Man. Enough already! Grow up! I have listened to Republican attack dogs call Obama a racist from two days after the inauguration. Has anyone in Republican leadership had the integrity or courage to say enough? No. Quizzed by media within the first two years of the administration about racist attacks on the President, Boehner said this is a free country and they have a right to express their opinions. And leaders have a responsibility to lead! Your column leads me to believe this is a quality that escapes you. The GOP has abdicated any leadership status. The incendiary content of your column is unnecessary and detrimental to civil discourse. I call for it’s immediate removal and you should resign from writing. Go back to your toy store. It’s time America stand up to those who think they want a government of the rich, by the rich, and for the rich. And this does not begin to refute the fraudulent interpretation of history that chooses to ignore the hole dug by Bush-Cheney over eight years!
"These are the words of leeches that profit from low-income workers and the dollar bills of welfare recipients, none of whom can afford to gamble, but all of whom feel the need to place sucker bets on a dream that they will never be poor again."
This is one of those rare occasions when you and I are on the same page, Robert. Your condemnation of casinos and the lottery is accurate. The same could be said of major companies like Seagrams who produce "Ripple" for consumption by the less fortunate. You seem to suggest more government regulation to protect people from the unscrupulous. Becareful, Robert you're not going to ingratiate yourself with the Tea Party folks. You then suggest we should tax people appropriately. Thank you, Robert. We do have to pay for what we spend. Now that we have a fundamental understanding of what government should do, we can proceed to a rational discussion of how to achieve those ends without partisan rancor and tests of purity. I for one would welcome that level of dialogue.
SCOTUS sold our political system to the highest bidder. Don't believe me? Look at the presumptive nominee of the Republican Party. Money changed the votes in the nominating process.
RodHarter 1 hour, 19 minutes ago
A Shifting Culture in America
I failed to realize that this column is quite simply a repeat of a December column that put all problems at the feet of Obama... You have not lost your predetermined conclusion.
RodHarter 13 hours, 14 minutes ago
A Shifting Culture in America
RodHarter 5 months, 4 weeks ago
Conservatives Must Call Out the Liberals
Most people have already challenged the content of this letter in superior fashion. There is not much I can add to make the fallacy of the writer's reasoning more clear. However, let me suggest the writer venture out to the theater and witness Lincoln. This 'Stovepipe' represents a moral compass that recognized the essence of Democracy. Unfortunately, Mr. May has demonstrated neither a grasp of this country nor its founding principles. Lincoln wrestled with the really big issues that define who we are for all time. The parallels with current politics found in Kushner's brilliant script are profound. Obama waged no class warfare; that warfare was begun decades ago when corporate oligarchies began their ascendency. Extremism on the right has attempted to define this country in terms of a narrow 1%. This narrow band scolds people who might game the system for a few extra food stamps while the likes of Romney and friends scam the government of taxes with off shore accounts, rigged tax incentives, and subsidies. And, scam medicare - as Romney's son has done with the motorized wheelchairs. Get rich from the government you scold! Hypocrisy.
RodHarter 7 months ago
So Who Won the Debate? — North Carolina
"CNN’s Candy Crowley, the moderator, even took sides against Mr. Romney when he and she disagreed over how the president handled the Libyan crisis. It was a free-for-all with the mainstream media and the president on one side, Gov. Mitt Romney on the other." R. Levy
I'm very sorry Mr. Levy this doesn't rise to the level of partisanship. I'm not sure what debate you were watching, but Candy Crowley did not take sides! In fact, she suggested the contention Romney might have intended! This is journalism at it's absolute worst. Return to your toy store where you are more comfortable - in fantasyland.
I don't mind debating legitimate opposing points of view, but this is illegitimate, untrue, and simply a naked slur not only of the debate but the moderator... and most of all the rest of us who watched the debate and know the truth.
By the way, there is a certain whining quality to the voices on the right when they are challenged on the veracity of their statements. In your eyes, sir, I'm afraid a civil debate is when the Democrat rolls over and plays dead rather than challenge your ideas. How un-American!
RodHarter 9 months ago
John Kennedy's Oratorical Fraud
This column is an embarrassment to anyone who thinks.
RodHarter 10 months, 3 weeks ago
The Son We Need to Elect
"... Before the mindless liberals."
Now there's an intelligent comment! Sure makes me believe the letter must have some factual basis. It's always fun to dismiss opposing points of view and bolster your own point of view by simply denigrating the opposition. How adult. According to Mr. Ward Barack Obams single-handedly destroyed our culture, values, leadership role in the world, our economy, borders and immigration control, redistributed wealth, and removed God from our world. Whew! That man has been busy. His repeated reference to electing a son this November, and I know it has an antecedent in Paul Dunn's article, muddies the water rhetorically. The 'otherness' campaign against Obama has been waged since the day of his inauguration, and I for one reject that dog-whistle propaganda. Incidentally, I would welcome a factual discussion of your assertions because they simply don't square with reality. Mr. Ward's letter is rather a nice prologue for a book of fiction.
RodHarter 11 months ago
Our President Is Scamming Black America
Moore County, read and re-read the chain of comments over this article. The racial bigotry unleashed by this column is mind-boggling! The scam is that we call ourselves enlightened and democratic. Reasonable men can disagree reasonably, but the tone of this dialogue is disgusting, resulting from the clarion sounding of a bigoted dog-whistle attack that has nothing to do with policy but rather personal prejudice. I'll bet they claim to be Christians, too.
RodHarter 11 months ago
Our President Is Scamming Black America
With this One Column Too Far, Robert has managed to embrace every fraudulent Republican talking point we have heard for almost four years. You have a constitutional right to be wrong and I have a constitutional right to challenge your inaccurate and fraudulent spin of facts. This column is a fantasy. Let’s start with the title of this One Column Too Far, “Our President is Scamming Black America.” Scamming is pretty specific but you offer no evidence other than cherry picked statistics and right-wing spin. Scamming goes to intent and you have not even come close to demonstrating intent! Shame on you! You’re a lawyer, Robert. Your own column is inadmissible because its hearsay! If you want to debate policy, debate policy. The hidden narrative you imply is that Obama is an ineffectual Black Man. Enough already! Grow up! I have listened to Republican attack dogs call Obama a racist from two days after the inauguration. Has anyone in Republican leadership had the integrity or courage to say enough? No. Quizzed by media within the first two years of the administration about racist attacks on the President, Boehner said this is a free country and they have a right to express their opinions. And leaders have a responsibility to lead! Your column leads me to believe this is a quality that escapes you. The GOP has abdicated any leadership status. The incendiary content of your column is unnecessary and detrimental to civil discourse. I call for it’s immediate removal and you should resign from writing. Go back to your toy store. It’s time America stand up to those who think they want a government of the rich, by the rich, and for the rich. And this does not begin to refute the fraudulent interpretation of history that chooses to ignore the hole dug by Bush-Cheney over eight years!
RodHarter 11 months, 1 week ago
Government and Gambling Don't Mix
"These are the words of leeches that profit from low-income workers and the dollar bills of welfare recipients, none of whom can afford to gamble, but all of whom feel the need to place sucker bets on a dream that they will never be poor again."
This is one of those rare occasions when you and I are on the same page, Robert. Your condemnation of casinos and the lottery is accurate. The same could be said of major companies like Seagrams who produce "Ripple" for consumption by the less fortunate. You seem to suggest more government regulation to protect people from the unscrupulous. Becareful, Robert you're not going to ingratiate yourself with the Tea Party folks. You then suggest we should tax people appropriately. Thank you, Robert. We do have to pay for what we spend. Now that we have a fundamental understanding of what government should do, we can proceed to a rational discussion of how to achieve those ends without partisan rancor and tests of purity. I for one would welcome that level of dialogue.
RodHarter 11 months, 4 weeks ago
Obama's "Change" Is Only a Guess
SCOTUS sold our political system to the highest bidder. Don't believe me? Look at the presumptive nominee of the Republican Party. Money changed the votes in the nominating process.