Pajamas Media

100 Comments

1. Blackwater:

The way to defeat the left in the long-term is to become more like them in a tactical sense, not in an ideological sense. We have to take over the media, academia and the entertainment industry. We need to demonize the left, belittle them, insult them, mock them, censor them and ruthlessly push them to the sidelines without a care in the world for diversity of opinion. That’s what they do to us and it’s extremely effective. We need to protest in the streets, interrupt left wing speeches, boycott left wing industries and organize. We need to be extremely loyal to fellow conservatives and help them advance their beliefs in every way possible. Right wingers need to go to war ideologically or they’ll get crushed without mercy by the left.

Jun 6, 2009 - 3:38 am 2. Allston:

“The author wonders whether such an animal as a conservative social worker even exists.”

And now you know of three. Me.

Jun 6, 2009 - 4:30 am 3. Zer0:

“We must follow the example of Ronald Reagan and present voters with a choice and ideological clash in November 2010.”

We’ve been there, done that, and it don’t work.

The fallacy within Mr. Chaplin’s article is not the impossibility of changing liberals, but the probability that republicans in name only will be back at the head of the table again, maybe even sooner than later.

I’m tired of that game and I have an idea that the Lord God in Heaven is too.

The GOP isn’t ready and shouldn’t be put back into power – yet.

What’s needed is for the GOP (so that they never forget again) to suffer right along side the liberals until the chaos, damage, destruction and wreckage of our society is so extensive, so great and so widespread that it crushes the liberal’s will into submission from what they understand to be a monster of their own making.

At this time Mr. Obama is well on the way to delivering a much needed window of golden opportunity for our nation to completely heal itself.

Hence, every time he smashes a young child’s dreams of an education, embarrasses the United States in front of the world, seizes control of our banks, lending institutions, manufactures, healthcare systems, raises our taxes and uses the Whitehouse as a flop-house for his own entertainment, he is actually doing the best things needed for our country in the long run.

All we need to do now is figure out how to survive until that time is here.

Jun 6, 2009 - 4:46 am 4. Lucius Fieldon:

I find it funny that someone would complain that the “left” does not believe in diversity when it come to opinion seeing how the only place you hear “left”-wing opinion is on MSNBC and Air America.

Jun 6, 2009 - 5:03 am 5. Class Clown:

Lucius,

That is because you have defined “left” artifically leftward.

Think of Aristotle’s “Golden Mean”. The left has its extreme. The right also has its extreme. Halfway between is the “center” between extremes.

The actual political “center”, as defined by the midpoint of range of what real live Americans actually believe, falls somewhere just barely to the left of Fox News.

The radical Leftists are now so deeply cloistered in their own echo-chamber that they can’t even realize that they are at an extreme end of the full spectrum of American opinion. No wonder you can tell yourself that most of the media are “right-wing”.

Jun 6, 2009 - 5:52 am 6. Class Clown:

In other words, the mainstream media are only less left-wing than you. That doesn’t count as being “right-wing”.

Jun 6, 2009 - 5:54 am 7. colin wilkinson:

Here is a way to annoy a lefty in debate, ask them this question: How do you FEEL, knowing that I THINK that you are a complete ignoramus.

You have to get them emotionally hence the word feel. Than you denigrate their self-described intelligence.

Jun 6, 2009 - 6:07 am 8. Chuck Pelto:

TO: Bernard Chapin, et al.
RE: Heh

The “liberal” is a liberal in name only and will not allow reality or a respect for individual rights to derail his or her utopian endeavors. — Bernard Chapin

As the adage goes….

Liberals aren’t. Progressives won’t.

Regards,

Chuck(le)
[Progressive is a one-word oxymoron.]

Jun 6, 2009 - 7:08 am 9. David WL:

I was teaching (also “adjunct”: “full-time part-time” I call myself) a course in “Peace and Conflict” (yep, a conservative teaching “peace studies”!). Somehow the question of my own political affiliation came up. We were half-way through the semester, so I declined to declare myself.

The conservative of the class said he knew I was pro-Bush. I asked him later how he knew. He responded something like: “Because you were the only one of my philosophy professors that did not bash Bush in the first two weeks of class.”

Jun 6, 2009 - 7:49 am 10. Gary Ogletree:

Blackwater: Some of the tactics you advance are part of progressive ideology. I appreciate your passion and agree that we are at war here. We could lose this country with the typical Republican habit of being passive in the face of the enemy. We win by being smarter, better informed, more articulate. You can be strong without being a bully. But we have to hold our ground and respond quickly to the smears and spins. Cheney smacked Obama without being rude. The smarter young people tend to have a contrarian streak. Smart kids are wise to the global warming scam. They don’t react well when speakers are shouted down, nor do many independents. Our youth have lived all their lives observing the hypocrisy of political correctness, even if they have bought some of it. They can be won over by appealing to their native intelligence. John McCain could have been President if he hadn’t surrendered early on. Sarah Palin was effectively slicing and dicing a truly vulnerable Obama with a sweet smile. She was energized by defending truth, justice and the American way, and people responded. Obama and his posse started freaking. Until McCain and his RINO handlers intervened. They made it clear Palin was merely a guest on the ticket. She took it like a lady, although it cost her. Mitt Romney just came up with the curious idea that jihad is not part of Islam–after exhausting research, I suppose. Let’s see that Bore in the Woods video one more time. We don’t have to act like the left. We just have to stop retreating, like Newt just did by apologizing for a true statement. I doubt I’m alone at being really peeved that so many are saying Sotomayor’s confirmation can’t be stopped. Obama doesn’t know what a gift he handed to conservatives, nor do conservatives. Here’s a battle worth fighting with plenty of potential Democrat allies in the Senate who are quietly cringing over this pick. Maybe it’s time for Sarah Palin to visit DC and poke a few of our “leaders” out of their stinky trenches. Yo, Governor!

Jun 6, 2009 - 7:50 am 11. SteveB/Colorado:

The Right has its own problems with diversity of political views. The “big tent” of the Republican party envisioned by the late party chairman, Lee Atwater, continues to shrink thanks to those who think that anyone they can label as a “RINO” should be purged.

#1 Blackwater: “we need to demonize the left, belittle them, mock them, insult them…..” Gee, guess you haven’t been listening lately to Rush, Ann Coulter, Hannity, etc.

“We need to be extremely loyal to fellow conservatives and help them advance their beliefs in every way possible.” Sorry man; it ain’t that easy or simple. Do you really want the self-proclaimed “conservatives” of the religious right dictating their beliefs & imposing their ideology on you? If not, better pay a visit to the web site of Americans United for Separation of Church & State (headed up by an ordained minister).

What about defense and the Pentagon? I’m all in favor of a strong defense. But I don’t see a need to subsidize defense contractors in the amount of $300 billion in cost overruns (source: GAO study from earlier this year). How is that form of wasteful, “tea party,” spending considered as being “conservative?”

Jun 6, 2009 - 7:52 am 12. tanstaafl:

The “liberal” is a liberal in name only and will not allow reality or a respect for individual rights to derail his or her utopian endeavors…The radical’s concept of diversity is limited to encountering someone of a different sex or hue who feels exactly the same way about politics as they do.

True enough.

The left loves diversity only when it’s politically correct, left sanctioned diversity.

We are morally unclean and they fear contamination via exposure to our speech…Those who disagree with or criticize a statist’s policies quickly discover that there is something wrong with them.

The rigidity of the Leftist mindset can’t allow challenges to its neat & tidy set of lockstep set of assumptions. It truly is a mental disorder.

The larger enemy is excellence itself.

Besides your friend, Mr. Stein, there’s at least one other New Yorker who challenges leftist conceits, Tom Wolfe

Jun 6, 2009 - 8:14 am 13. Fred Beloit:

“In Chicago, there’s no getting around all the pseudo-liberals. Despite dwelling in a city and state rendered broke and dysfunctional by a corrupt Democratic Party machine, statists remain as ubiquitous as broken glass on the sidewalk.”

Ah Chicago and its broken glass. I was born and raised there. I used to ride the elevated from 58th street to the station near De Paul University to attend classes. When one rode on the right side of the car in the morning, the reflection of the the sun on the glass fragments was a celestial sight to see in the vacant lots, on the rooftops, in the streets , on the sidewalks, on the steps of the porches all along certain section of the South Side. Star clusters of glass, entire galaxies and galaxy clusters of glass. That was over 40 years ago. I left Chicago in 1965 and never resided there again. I’m sure all those liberal aldermen and -women have ensured that this has been cleaned up by now. Haven’t they. Haven’t they? Hummmm, haven’t they? HAVEN’T THEY?

Jun 6, 2009 - 8:18 am 14. TurfMonster:

Right on target, though I would go further than labeling them pseudo-liberals: They are illiberal.

Jun 6, 2009 - 8:42 am 15. Self-hating Boomer:

Progressive is a one-word oxymoron.

“Progressive” is vanity in a word. It encapsulate the communist mindset (remember who first used the term), because implicit in the term is Marx’s conceit that their utopia is inevitable. Marxism was never about changing the final resting place of history; it was always about accelerating the process.

One thing I do have to give them credit for is choosing language that packs a lot of [false] ideas into few words.

Jun 6, 2009 - 8:49 am 16. David S:

“The Democratic Party includes all kinds of regular folks but its activists and media representatives want nothing to do with peace, love, or understanding.”

You may overstate the case here, and certainly this same description could be applied to the GOP. I have not seen the Republican party media circus promote peace, love or understanding under any circumstances.

“The radical’s concept of diversity is limited to encountering someone of a different sex or hue who feels exactly the same way about politics as they do.”

And here the author reveals that he has no idea what he is talking about. There is a lot of political diversity on the left, despite this assertion to the contrary. Heck, radicals like myself even go so far as to engage in open debate with the diverse denizens here on PJM. I encounter folks from all political perspectives, and don’t shy away from discussing their beliefs or my own.

“To the left there is no such thing as a loyal opposition. Any contact with conservatives must be avoided. We are morally unclean and they fear contamination via exposure to our speech.”

See, you keep on making these unfounded assertions. You’ve provided zero reason to believe your caricature is accurate. Whether you are morally unclean or not I will leave to you – this is the kind of judgement made by fundamentalists, not leftists. I’m happy to have contact with conservatives, and absolutely treasure opportunities to open their eyes to their own hypocrisy and foolishness.

“Once ensconced in a non-productive redoubt, the leftist seeks to marginalize his conservative peers and ensure that his workplace is no more challenging to his inappropriately inflated self-esteem than the tests, mandates, or regulations he constructs during the course of lucrative business hours.”

This is precisely the reverse of my experience. I’ve only ever encountered conservatives who work hard to marginalize their coworkers, and whose overinflated self-esteem makes them believe they are competent despite serial failures. In my experience it is the folks on the left who have the maturity and self-awareness to realize that marginalizing their coworkers and performing poorly are non-productive, and therefore refrain.

“One of the central themes of I Can’t Believe I’m Sitting Next to a Republican is that we know the left but they don’t know us. “

The funny thing is, we do know you. In fact, we know you all too well, and understand the source of your confusion and isolation. If you got to know us, you would realize that we know you better than you think.

“Conservatives are greedy, hard-hearted, evil bastards, and are, by definition, wrong about everything.”

See? You mischaracterize the perspective of the left, and reveal by doing so that you have no clue how the left sees conservatives in the GOP. Certainly it is easy to see why the GOP would have such a reputation, but it is also clear that the individuals who make up the party are not so one-dimensional. I certainly don’t think conservatives are wrong about everything – just a few really important things.

“The hypocrisy and self-deception of the leftist is acute. They pretend taxes are patriotic and that government itself is a charity but prove scofflaws if their own IRS returns are examined. Pseudo-liberals contrast themselves with the right by proclaiming a love for minorities and the poor, but curiously choose to live in exclusive suburbs and eschew contact with the general population whenever possible.”

Except that taxes are patriotic, and most leftists pay their taxes in full and on time. It is the higher income earners that work to defray their tax burden, revealing a lack of patriotism – but these earners are distributed among both parties. Leftists dominate the cities, and most of the minorities and poor are Democrats – it should be no surprise that the Democrats love their own party members. Your claim that Democrats “live in exclusive suburbs and eschew contact with the general population” sounds like projection to me. Most of my urban neighbors are poor, working class Democrats.

“Sadly, engaging the left in debate is fruitless. As Mr. Stein observes, “The vast majority of my neighbors are too busy living their lives to waste much time on politics. They vote Democratic for the same reason they watch their diet and floss their teeth — it’s what smart, responsible, healthy, forward-thinking people do.” With such persons, “what will not happen is an actual exchange of ideas, since, by definition, your ideas (even if they were to be accorded that lofty status), are bad and dangerous.””

I am entirely open to an exchange of ideas, but I see little benefit in abandoning the smart, responsible, healthy, forward-looking perspective that I have come to after decades of dialogue with all parties. I’m happy to entertain new ideas and evaluate them for myself, but when you assume that debate is fruitless, inevitably you marginalize and diminish yourself and your opponent.

“Conservatives who know the left realize that our foes will never come around to our way of thinking. There is only one method by which to deal with them: defeat them in elections.”

You are probably correct in the end. I don’t expect to be converted into a raving wingnut, despite constant exposure to the talking heads on the right. If you want people to come around to your way of thinking, it will require you to address the concerns that motivate the left. Clearly you have not taken much time to assess these concerns, and how the GOP addresses (or fails to address) them.

I think your thesis that the left despises political diversity is a farce on the face of it, but it was entertaining to read through your attempt to justify such a one-sided perspective on the topic. In my observation, it is the GOP that has more difficulty with political diversity. The Democrats don’t harangue people for being “DINO”, but on the right it is quite normal to see the epithet “RINO” tossed about quite casually.

If you want to lecture the Democrats on political diversity, I would suggest a little self-reflection is in order first.

Peace.

DS

Jun 6, 2009 - 8:53 am 17. SteveB/Colorado:

#12 Tanstaafl: “the left loves diversity only when it’s politically correct, left sanctioned diversity.”

Sounds interesting. Now, substitute the word “right” for “left” and you get a definite true statement.

Jun 6, 2009 - 9:05 am 18. Chuck Pelto:

TO: SteveB/Colorado
RE: Reversing the Roles

Sounds interesting. Now, substitute the word “right” for “left” and you get a definite true statement. — SteveB/Colorado

Now….

….show us all the ‘right’ college professors who behave like the ‘left’ ones do.

That is IF you can find many ‘right’ college professors in the first place.

Regards,

Chuck(le)
[It's another idiotarian pile-up on the cross-Clueville express way.]

Jun 6, 2009 - 9:48 am 19. Brian:

Good read.Quite accurate as well.Again the left FEELS the need to come here with their holier than thou atitude,accusing us a doing the same.It is time to stop retreating and face off against the Left decisively whenever they try to paint conservatives with broad strokes.Do it without the rhetoric.For all the accusations Leftists have charged the Bush administration with,none of it is in court.Just the paranoia which is now rampant thanks to 7 years of fear mongering by the Left and our enemies.You would think Obama would reverse everything that the bush admin has done,but has not.Why?Because the Republicans were right.Granted some within the military,intelligence and govt ,are sadistic,racist,anti-semitic,but they are the exception and not the norm.For if it was the norm America would be destroyed by now.
Some in the media are focusing on the choice of words by Cheney and Obama.If after 8 years leftists dont realize what they up against,well then sorry but i cant vote for ignorant people who deny writing on the wall.Especially when enemies repeatly bash us on the head and the apologists come out in force to excuse their actions.
I still support keeping vital information being kept from the public to protect our troops,intelligence units and those of our true allies.The testament of the is the last 8 years without a terrible attack like our enemies constantly threaten is coming.
I dont allow these threats to change my life.To do so is to wave the white flag.That is something i cannot do.

Jun 6, 2009 - 9:54 am 20. Michael:

One thing absolutely scares me.

A left wing (former) friend of mine (he realized that I really am against gay’s using the word “marriage”) is now absolutely convinced that I am a homophobic racist. In my heart I know I am not and he really resents that fact.

I really believe that the leaders (I think are leaders) of the Democratic Party are in their minds trying to do good and are destroying human dignity and freedom in the process.

It seems to me that we are talking at each other and not to each other.

Something is very wrong here and the French Revolution (you know, The Terror) is winning.

Jun 6, 2009 - 10:34 am 21. Pee Wee Herman, Community Organizer:

And then they get hopping mad when Savage points out the obvious; that liberalism is a mental disease. I think the level of anger is proportional to the cognitive dissonance. At some point in their twisted, narcissistic psyches, they also understand that it’s all bogus.

But it’s all about them. The tide will turn when and only when Gen Z finally figures out that Teh One shafted them royally and irreparably with all of this deficit spending.

The day comes in every child’s life when they come to understand that Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy aren’t real. It’s going to be a real rude awakening when these children wake up and realize that Teh One just took tens of thousands of dollars of their future earnings and handed them to his buddies on Wall Street and UAW retirees.

And he’s only just begun stealing their money and giving it to his buddies.

Jun 6, 2009 - 11:31 am 22. Chuck Pelto:

TO: Michael, et al.
RE: In the Future….

I really believe that the leaders (I think are leaders) of the Democratic Party are in their minds trying to do good and are destroying human dignity and freedom in the process. — Michael

…based on the newly revised and ‘improved’ DSM-V—Holy Writ for Psychologists and Psychiatrists—you and others who believe as you do will be targeted as being ‘mentally ill’, via the “Pathological Bias” element that was just introduced.

However, it really is the Democrats who accuse you of such who suffer from this ‘ailment’.

Really, they should have left out “Pathological Bias” and put in “Rank Hypocrite” as a mental illness. But then all these so called ‘progressives’ would be eligible for institutionalization.

Regards,

Chuck(le)
[The road to Hell is paved with good intentions.]

Jun 6, 2009 - 11:43 am 23. ked5:

well of course. the left *is* the party of Orwell’s newspeak. activists want to keep those they advocate for down, as otherwise they’d be out of a job. they preach tolerance of all views, but express one that questions/opposes their carefully crafted self-serving positions, and they call you intolerant. Look at how zero handles criticism – he attacks, or his dogs do. They claim to embrace all, yet hold to nothing, doing only what is expedient at the moment. (obama joining the largest black church in chicago for political reasons) They claim religious tolerance, but despise and seek to destroy Christianity/Judiasim, and welcome the most intolerant religion of all (Islam.) then again, perhaps they realize if they don’t welcome islam, they might have an explosive day. they preach freedom, yet seek to become tyrants.

My daughter had a mandatory western civ class. She ended up spending the entire semester asking questions about the feminazi-leftist PC prof’s carefully crafted new-speak propaganda ploys, effectively undermining them. I’m sure it greatly benefited every other student in the class. It later came out, the woman was most angry that my daughter didn’t want her to be her mentor.

Jun 6, 2009 - 12:02 pm 24. JoeBandMember:

It’s very evident that the thing that will drive a leftist (because that’s what today’s so-called “liberals” really are) nuts every time, and launch them into an endless orbit of name calling and insults, is the slightest disagreement whatsoever.

So, my friends, keep them rattled. It’s SO easy.

Jun 6, 2009 - 12:20 pm 25. whataloadacrap08:

The plain fact of the matter is this, liberalism is an enemy creed, and the only way to defeat an enemy is to crush it completely. I’m not advocating physical violence against liberals, but I do belive that conservatives should relentlessly assault liberal ideas in whatever intellectual sphere they are found, such as in the media, or scholastic textbooks, and in popular culture idioms like the movies or TV.
It’s time to get proactive folks! Where are the movies that show how liberalism in daily life is causing angst and real suffering? Movies that show the hero cutting into the problem and finally revealing the smarmy liberal maggot in the shadows as the films ultimate bad guy? The liberal flicks always reveal an industrialist or a “Darth Cheney” style evil conservative getting the ultimate payback, so fight and beat the Hollywierd types at their own game!
Let’s stop being so goddamned nice and start beating them over the head with the liberals own clubs. Two can play at the Saul Alinsky game ya know!

Jun 6, 2009 - 12:23 pm 26. Self-hating Boomer:

The road to Hell is paved with good intentions.

You’re being too generous. Peel off the veneer of good intentions, and you find narcissism (and possibly some greed mixed in). These people with “good intentions” never seem to end up make significant sacrifices themselves. No matter how much of a crisis climate change is claimed to be, you never see Gore doing without anything.

BTW, once Obama coughs up his birth certificate, I want to see an audit of Gore’s electricity usage. Even with that many square feet, the electricity usage is way out of line. 50,000 quatloos says that his basement is full of gro-lux lights and…well…

Jun 6, 2009 - 12:24 pm 27. David S:

@22. Chuck Pelto:

There is no need to modify the DSM for your sake Chuck. I think we can find an existing diagnosis that will suit you nicely. Your thoughts?

Narcissistic Personality Disorder

While grandiosity is the diagnostic hallmark of pathological narcissism, there is research evidence that pathological narcissism occurs in two forms, (a) a grandiose state of mind in young adults that can be corrected by life experiences, and (b) the stable disorder described in DSM-IV, which is defined less by grandiosity than by severely disturbed interpersonal relations.

I’m going to with (b), but feel free to correct me.

Most clinical writers seem unaware that narcissists’ self-reports are unreliable. This is troubling, considering that lying is the most common complaint about narcissists and that, in many instances, defects of empathy lead narcissists to wildly inaccurate misinterpretations of other people’s speech and actions, so that they may believe that they are liked and respected despite a history of callous and exploitative personal interactions.

A pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy or behavior), need for admiration, and lack of empathy.

The disorder begins by early adulthood and is indicated by at least five of the following:
1. An exaggerated sense of self-importance
2. Preoccupation with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love
3. Believes he is “special” and can only be understood by, or should associate with, other special or high-status people (or institutions)
4. Requires excessive admiration
5. Has a sense of entitlement
6. Selfishly takes advantage of others to achieve his own ends
7. Lacks empathy
8. Is often envious of others or believes that others are envious of him
9. Shows arrogant, haughty, patronizing, or contemptuous behaviors or attitudes

Case closed.

Peace.

DS

Jun 6, 2009 - 12:32 pm 28. bobbcat:

10. Gary Oglegtree.

Surely you know why the observations you make in your post are true: The Pubs are too much like the Dems, basically. They don’t fight back because they don’t want to.

Jun 6, 2009 - 12:37 pm 29. steveg:

The most overdone thing in America. Smug liberals interviewing smug liberals.

Jun 6, 2009 - 1:04 pm 30. Sebastian Shaw:

The Left dictates homogeneous conformity in group think with the illusion of being open-minded or tolerant; they could not be further from the truth. All of them must look similar & act the same & have the same thoughts about fundamental matters across the board.

If one of the group think zombies goes off & thinks for himself, he is summarily ostracized from the group & kicked to the curb.

I really get a Night of the Living Dead vibe from most of the Leftists.

Jun 6, 2009 - 1:49 pm 31. sheesh:

20. Michael: . . . “I really am against gay’s using the word “marriage” . . . the Democratic Party are in their minds trying to do good and are destroying human dignity and freedom in the process.”

Dignity and freedom . . . unless it’s gays wanting to use the word marriage.

See what I mean?

Jun 6, 2009 - 2:04 pm 32. Insufficiently Sensitive:

For this reason, the leftist bon mot “respect diversity” is but a twisted joke.

And why not? The leftist concept of ‘diversity’ was always a cloaked maneuver to first dilute, then displace, then exclude those WASPS who it identified as the ‘establishment’ back in the 60s.

The smokescreen was the mantra declaring that adding varied skin colors to those Boards of Directors and Legislatures would benefit the country by adding formerly excluded ‘points of view’. Reality had nothing to do with varied points of view. It was all about power for the left, who were to exert power in color-coded blocs of uniform opinion.

It is always a joy to throw ‘diversity’ back at lefties, because it was THEY THEMSELVES who insisted that it contained a full spectrum of viewpoints. They are weakened when they deny that. Take back the campuses with their own battle slogan of ‘diversity’, and don’t accept their insistence on liberal guilt for honkies only.

Jun 6, 2009 - 2:28 pm 33. Chuck Pelto:

TO: Self-Hating Boomer
RE: Too Generous?

You’re being too generous. Peel off the veneer of good intentions, and you find narcissism. — Self-Hating Boomer

Must be a function of my ‘christian’ nature. In truth, you are right. And….it correlates well with what Michael was saying when I replied to him.

The point being, THEY ‘think’ they are doing ‘right’. When, in truth, they are doing what is ‘evil’. After all, they are gods unto themselves. They have no need for a REAL God. And any mention of such an entity drives them to ‘extremes’….. Just wait and see……

Thanks for pointing that out.

Regards,

Chuck(le)
[I am the lord my god. Thou shalt have no other god before ME! -- First commandment of the atheists]

Jun 6, 2009 - 2:39 pm 34. Chuck Pelto:

TO: All
RE: Uuuuuhhhhh….

…..I think David S is, once again, ‘projecting’ in item #27(above).

In the first place….

There is no need to modify the DSM for your sake Chuck. — David S

….I didn’t notice anyplace where they mentioned me ‘by-name’. But I do recognize how the new ‘diagnosis’ can be used for political purposes. Just like the Soviets use it to silence those who oppose their rule.

And….just think….we’ve got a socialist president and socialist-dominated Congress.

What an ‘interesting coincidence’, that.

And, just consider this….

A pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy or behavior), need for admiration, and lack of empathy. — David S

It’s sad that David S lacks any sense of empathy with the ‘right’. Isn’t it. Let alone vivo and so many others we encounter here. Especially when we try to patiently point out to them the errors in their ‘logic’.

And I just have to wonder about David S’s concept of “pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy or behavior)”. Is he jealous?

Regards,

Chuck(le)
[If you had a 'Life' in the first place, you'll never have a 'mid-Life crisis'. -- CBPelto]

Jun 6, 2009 - 2:52 pm 35. Chuck Pelto:

P.S. Okay…..

….I’ve had a ‘Life’. It’s a matter of fact, documented by the US Army and two daughters. There’s no agrandizement of the fact[s]. It’s pretty straight forward. I was here. I did this. I’ve left these people ‘behind’ as messages to a future I will not see.

That ‘Life’ is drawing to a close. Maybe within the next 10 years. More likely sooner. [Note: I'm in 'extended play' mode at THIS time.]

The question becomes, why is David S so ‘upset’? Is there something lacking in his ‘Life’?

Jun 6, 2009 - 2:57 pm 36. Chuck Pelto:

P.P.S. Does anyone else here recognize David S’s latest post as affirmation of this topical thread?

Jun 6, 2009 - 3:05 pm 37. Dutch1949:

The lefties will continue to gain, nothing will change, untill that fatefull time when a calamity will strike the U.S. and probably elsewhere. It is the way of man – not much different than when a new stop sign gets put at a street corner shortly after a child gets run over. “Oh God, we should have put that stop sign there before, it’s so obvious,” said one to another. We are too busy with our lives to notice this creeping thing coming. 9/11 wasn’t big enough, what’s coming may well be. “There are no enemies in foxholes.”

Jun 6, 2009 - 3:11 pm 38. goy:

At least ONE self-described liberal academic has taken the time – not to mention the slings and arrows – to show how the left lacks moral diversity. More importantly, his research demonstrates why.

As Insufficiently Sensitive notes, the left’s notion of “Diversity”, ultimately, is an appeal to ridicule which attacks the single-mindedness of morally comprehensive and mature, conservative, constitutional republicanism. In abusing the term relentlessly – as they have the term fascism – the left seeks and has achieved decades of compromise. False compromise. An adult does not compromise with children.

That compromise has given us the broken, 2 + 2 = 5 world we presently inhabit. We can only fix it by undoing the compromise and moving away from leftist totalitarianism, back to the center.

Jun 6, 2009 - 3:32 pm 39. Michael:

sheesh:

No.

Jun 6, 2009 - 3:40 pm 40. Tristan Yates:

I think people would be surprised by what a small percentage of the population progressives are. Remember the US is split 1/3 Democrat, Republican, and Independent more or less, and many Democrats are blue dogs who want to do the right thing for other people but understand that you can’t shut down the economy in the process. Remember Hillary got more than half of the Democratic Primary votes depending upon how you count. The average PA or WV voter wants to keep his union job and get a decent education for his kids not convert the country into North Cuba. So the real progs are maybe two thirds of one third or 20%.

Jun 6, 2009 - 3:40 pm 41. emma:

#27 David S.

Thanks for diagnosing Barack so well for us. Are you a mental health professional?

Jun 6, 2009 - 3:45 pm 42. emma:

#36 Chuck.

Yes. It made me laugh.

Jun 6, 2009 - 3:51 pm 43. Ed Wallis:

Dear “Michael #20″ –

To assuage your “fear” – in a ‘weekend mode’ sort of manner – allow me to reference one on my favorite sources:

Saturday Night Live (do you remember…)

WHAT IF NAPOLEON HAD A B-52 BOMBER?!

REMEMBER ONE THING…IF NOTHING ELSE : The Jacobins didn’t have the INTERNET.

heh.

Jun 6, 2009 - 3:59 pm 44. xcontra:

“One of the central themes of I Can’t Believe I’m Sitting Next to a Republican is that we know the left but they don’t know us.”

Exactly.

This is a significant weakness in the left although with control of establishment media, it looks like an advantage.

It is a weakness that can be exploited.

Jun 6, 2009 - 4:00 pm 45. David S:

@34. Chuck Pelto:

It’s sad that David S lacks any sense of empathy with the ‘right’. … Especially when we try to patiently point out to them the errors in their ‘logic’.

I have plenty of empathy for the right, despite your protests, and I appreciate thoughtful criticism. Unfortunately that is not what most of the replies here consist of. Diversity of thought is a wonderful thing, but when your personal religious views are confused with the truth, no amount of patience will do. If you would try to keep to a common frame of reference (the real world) then we might make some headway. I understand that it is hard to think outside the little box that you have lived in for so long, but please do try.

And I just have to wonder about David S’s concept of “pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy or behavior)”. Is he jealous?

In case you didn’t notice, I’m not jealous – in fact, I have a hard time guessing what you think I would be jealous of. I have no desire to emulate your particular brand of illness. But the fact that you think I should be jealous, well – you’ve just helped to establish the veracity of my diagnosis. Thanks!

35. Chuck Pelto:

The question becomes, why is David S so ‘upset’?

That’s funny, because I’m not upset at all. Projecting again, Chuck? I know I have a tendency to press your buttons, but try to keep a level head. I just thought that your DSM fantasies deserved a little dose of reality. I’m happy to be of service.

Peace.

DS

Jun 6, 2009 - 4:25 pm 46. Chuck Pelto:

TO: All
RE: Heh

What was I saying about ‘diversity’ on some interesting major blog-sites?

And how last week I was kicked/banned on Volohk Conspiracy?

Well….

…NOW…based on, for all I can understand, my expresssion of christian ethics on Dr. Helen’s web-site, over a matter of “From Patriarch to Patsy”, I can no longer post comments there either.

And….oddly enough, I was, shortly after being kicked/banned from Volokh Conspiracy, suggesting that it wouldn’t be long before we saw such behavior from other web-sites….

….GUESS WHAT!

Regards,

Chuck(le)
[The Truth will out.....and the politically correct are going to have a LOT of 'tap dancing' to do.....]

P.S. How much longer, oh Lord?

Jun 6, 2009 - 4:51 pm 47. Chuck Pelto:

TO: All
RE: David S and ‘Empathy’

I have plenty of empathy for the right, despite your protestsand I appreciate thoughtful criticism. — David S

He certainly has manifested his ‘empathy’ for the people on the other-side-of-the-aisle in all his comments here. Don’t you think?

Unfortunately that is not what most of the replies here consist of. — David S

Get this?

Everyone who disagrees with David S is something of an ‘idiot’.

Why does that blatantly conflict with his previous statement?

Three guesses….first two dont’ count…..

TO: David S
RE: Yeah….

In case you didn’t notice, I’m not jealous…. — David S

…that’s why you’re commenting now.

Regards,

Chuck(le)
[The Truth will out....]

Jun 6, 2009 - 4:58 pm 48. Chuck Pelto:

TO: All
RE: ‘Projection’, Anyone?

Projecting again, Chuck? — David S

Just out of ‘curiosity’….

…why would an airborne-ranger, LTC, member of Mensa be ‘jealous’ of someone like David S?

I’d appreciate someone explaining that to me….

Regards,

Chuck(le)
[The Truth will out....]

Jun 6, 2009 - 5:02 pm 49. SteveB/Colorado:

#18 Chuck Pelto: “now, show us all the ‘right’ college professors……” Unlike the brethren on this thread who think every college is loaded with leftist professors, without showing conclusive proof, I won’t attempt such an unsupported generalizing statement. My point was: what Tanstaffl wrote fits either extreme.

#27 David S. Thanks for the insight regarding the DSM. I used to have that as a reference when I was doing medical disability benefit work.

#33 Chuck P. again: “the point being, they ‘think’ they are doing ‘right.’ When in truth, they are doing what is ‘evil.’ After all, they are gods unto themselves.” A pretty generalizing statement altho I will agree that it could fit some on the left. On the other hand, it also fits some on the right, particularly the really vocal within the anti-abortion & anti-birth control movement.

#44 xcontra: “This is a significant weakness in the left although with control of establishment media, it looks like an advantage.” Huh?!? I never knew that the left controlled Fox News & Rush. Thanks for enlightening us.

Jun 6, 2009 - 5:03 pm 50. venividivici:

Any contact with conservatives must be avoided. We are morally unclean and they fear contamination via exposure to our speech.

Their malignant mindset poses serious obstacles for those who work alongside them. Political correctness and the sanctimoniousness of Democrats have made interactions with them a truly nauseating experience.

I wish to God that they would consider my wallet unclean, I’ll tell you that.

Their very existence does make me nauseous, though, especially when you realize that they only reason they exist is that people more conservative than they built a society where it is possible to be a parasite who adds no value and still get three meals a day.

I almost relish the idea of the collapse of civilization, which will probably hasten the removal of a lot of whatever genetic flaws make one a leftist in the first place. Not that they aren’t doing a good job of self-removal by not having enough kids to populate the next generation.

Jun 6, 2009 - 5:15 pm 51. Donna V.:

The Democrats don’t harangue people for being “DINO”

David S., aren’t you forgetting about Joe Lieberman? The VP candidate in 2000 who became a reviled man for backing the war? Remember Zell Miller? Casey in PA who broke with his party on the abortion issue?

There are no DINOs because the Democrats think in lockstep. Such was not always the case – the party once had room for Scoop Jackson as well as George McGovern.

most leftists pay their taxes in full and on time.

Barring Obama cabinet appointees, of course.

In fact, we know you all too well, and understand the source of your confusion and isolation. If you got to know us, you would realize that we know you better than you think.

David, the idea that conservatives don’t know liberals is laughable. Even if you live in the reddest county in the reddest state in the country, if you own a television, go to the movies, and have been to a public school you have been exposed to liberalism. When I was a liberal myself, I didn’t realize how slanted the newspapers, the 3 major networks, or my teachers and professors were, because fish don’t know they’re wet. I had to consciously seek out conservative publications like National Review and the American Spectator (this was in the early ’90’s) and often I got snide comments from the bookstore clerks when I plopped those magazines on the counter. If you don’t watch Fox, don’t listen to talk radio and don’t read conservative blogs, you’ll never hear conservative ideas expressed or treated respectfully on the other cable stations or media outlets. And you will certainly never be taught about them at the university level.

I went to grad school at George Washington University and I can assure you that the same cookie-cutter liberal conformity was displayed by every professor I had. And it was boring – it’s what made me try and seek out different opinions.

Jun 6, 2009 - 5:22 pm 52. DavidN:

The key to this, which Mr. Chapin misses, is the perception of their place in the world that most liberals have. They imagine the corporate world to be wall-to-wall conservatives, and they also imagine the (brace yourself) press to be pretty much completely conservative, or at least moderate, seeing two sides to the story when there’s only one. This makes them very proud, very brave underdogs, fighting against the conservative media and their allies in the corporate world. Because of this, anyone who says *anything* critical of their opinions is merely parroting the conservative party line on something, and can be safely dismissed, if not silenced. That college professor who doesn’t allow dissent in his classroom imagines himself in an uphill fight against a monopoly of opinion held by conservatives who control everything.

I know this worldview is delusional, but it’s how they think. No liberal imagines himself smothering dissenting opinion; no matter what the situation or who’s saying what, the liberal imagines himself to be the one voicing dissent, and in danger of being silenced. To paraphrase Rush: Liberals don’t need anyone else to dissent, they *are* dissent.

Jun 6, 2009 - 6:15 pm 53. "progressive"watch:

Blackwater [1],right. We have to defend ourselves in our culture and attack then,and this includes putting a pin in the media ballons,who never see a progressive leftist that isn’t always right. But we don’t want to become hate-filled like the leftists. I don’t believe in interrupting speeches. There I think you are wrong. We have to stop them from interrupting,not join them in interrupting speech. This kind of behavior is an attack on free speech and will lead to our losing it. We need to be active,find the right people and get them in office. We need to take these full-time paid with our money jobs away from the radicals who hate their and our land.

Jun 6, 2009 - 6:23 pm 54. Anonymous:

“Hate intolerance!” and other liberalisms like “Support Peace or I’ll beat you!” Liberals, being emotional, don’t have to make sense.

Jun 6, 2009 - 7:21 pm 55. Donna V.:

No liberal imagines himself smothering dissenting opinion; no matter what the situation or who’s saying what, the liberal imagines himself to be the one voicing dissent, and in danger of being silenced.

Interesting observation, David. A prime example: movie stars who congratulated themselves on “standing up” to the Bush administration, as if these pampered creatures were facing the same dangers as dissent writers in Eastern Europe during the Cold War. Of course, the “I’m a rebel/dissent” pose can be used quite cynically. When the Rolling Stones recorded a song critical of neo-cons, Mick Jagger idiotically said that he wasn’t worried for himself, but Keith Richards lives in the States, as if Cheney was going to send the CIA after a rich, aging, drug-addled lead guitarist who lives on Long Island. Well, at first I thought it was an idiotic comment. But Jagger isn’t a stupid man. He knows that the Stones image is built on being “anti-authority” – and that image takes a bit of a hit when the lead singer has been knighted and every member of the band is as rich as Croesus. He also knows the dolts at “Rolling Stone” take rockers’ “we’re against the man” crap at face value.

Now that the Left is “The Establishment,” “The Man” it will be interesting to see the cognitive dissonance that develops. No more pretending that they’re an marginalized, oppressed bunch.

Jun 6, 2009 - 7:52 pm 56. Thomas:

As long as you follow the and accept the revisionist dictionary of the “Left” you are chasing ghosts that one cannot define, explain nor catch: it’s an intellectual trick to divert your attention from the real thing.
There is no such thing as Left, Progressive, Democrat etc…there is only Marxism-Leninism: cultural, economical or both and that’s all there is to it.

It’s beyond my ability to share my experiences related to all imaginable form of Marxism during my life in Eastern Europe on these forums; – all of you will learn about it in due time under the God, Hussein.

My point is that Marxism is a totalitarian form of governance in which the radicals considered the leading element of the society a – sort of New Man (elite) and no deviation of the party policy is tolerated. — By corollary diversity will be crushed either by administrative means or by sheer violence: there will be groups of people designated as enemies of the people like the Veterans or Rush or Fox News and eventually they will be silenced.

Bemoaning the dearth of diversity in a Marxist society reveals a great deal of naivety and fundamental ignorance on the part of the narrator; – only a few month passed since the end of the Republic but the collapse is progressing at astronomical speed.

Remember, Marxism came to power by violence and bloody wars all over in the world, even in Russia there were resistance led by Admiral Kolchak during the Russian Civil War…
Only Americans succumbed meekly to a Kenyan street person and his tawdry coterie from Chicago so the retribution will be severe.

You won’t get rid of them at the voting boot, never – even the Russians under Yeltsin needed tanks and gun to get rid of their yesterday rulers, the Bolsheviks….

Jun 6, 2009 - 7:59 pm 57. tanstaafl:

David S is the quintessential liberal.

On all subjects, in all instances, under all circumstances in the rapidfire, daily succession of topics being unfolded, David S is right there (or right here) on cue.

From global warming to abortion to Sonia Sotomayor, you know exactly what his argument will be before he even regurgitates it.

Sotomayor ? David S was, naturally, an instant, overnight expert and echoer of the party line. …Is he the least bit bothered by more recent revelations that she has spoken & written of “the wise woman” thing on several occasions and, apparently, feels like it’s OK to bring her own brand of impartiality to judicial decision making ? Will he parrot The One™ that she misspoke, but, apparently has identically “misspoken” on numerous occasions ? Does it occur to him that if Sotomayor were truly wise, she wouldn’t be bragging about her own quality of character so often ? Is he discomfited that she left out information on her anti-death penalty stance in answering the Senate questionnaire and that, reportedly, the questionnaire was returned to her for more thorough information ?

Abortion ? After being informed that 50 million abortions have been performed in this country since Roe v. Wade in 1973, David S simply repeated, parrotlike, the Left’s talking point that the procedure is safe and rare. I think that safe and rare procedure happens something like 26 million times a year, around the world.

You want to know David S’s analysis on the complicated question of the legitimacy of the argument of anthropogenic global warming ? Think no further than AlGore, case closed.

(BTW, do AlGore’s monstrously growing income from phony “green” endeavors and his own egregious & hypocritical personal use of the planet’s resources give David S any pause for thought ? Uh, no.)

And so on.

When it comes to permutations of human thought and opinion, it’s ASIF the peace guy is a robot.

Jun 6, 2009 - 8:14 pm 58. Quincy:

Except that taxes are patriotic

David, I have to take exception to this as a blanket statement. The portion of my tax dollars that go to the powers and duties specifically enumerated in the Constitution *is* patriotic. The remainder, however, is not.

The fact that the people are coerced, under the force of law, to pay for politicians and bureaucrats continually making a mockery of the contract between the people and their government is an affront to any reasonable sense of patriotism towards the United States of America as a country.

From your posts here, I think you would probably find the end of that last sentence superfluous. However, as a liberal in the linguistically-correct sense, as opposed to a “liberal”/progressive/leftist of the modern sort, I find the concept of patriotism towards a government revolting. In my view, a government is a means towards the end of preserving the liberty of a people, nothing more.

Our political class has quite thoroughly abandoned the mission of preserving the liberty of the people they serve, instead seeking to rule and control us through various means of coercion for their own benefit. The GM and Chrysler bailouts, the bank bailouts, the stimulus packages, both the creation of and the rescue of the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, Kelo v. New London, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Welfare, the Defense of Marriage Act, warrantless wiretapping, Camp X-Ray, and the PATRIOT Act are all symptoms of the desire of the political class to shape society to their ends, and all in direct contradiction to the spirit and explicit letter of the contract between the people and their government. Paying for any of these things is simply not patriotic in the sense of being a supporter of the people and principles of the United States of America.

Jun 6, 2009 - 8:18 pm 59. misanthropicus:

RE #41/emma RE #27 David S. [...] Thanks for diagnosing Barack so well for us. Are you a mental health professional? [...]

Oh, Emma, you read my (and so many others’) minds -
Best -

Jun 6, 2009 - 9:52 pm 60. David S:

@51. Donna V.:

David S., aren’t you forgetting about Joe Lieberman? The VP candidate in 2000 who became a reviled man for backing the war? Remember Zell Miller? Casey in PA who broke with his party on the abortion issue?

Joe Lieberman left the party because he lost a party primary. He was not forced to leave. Zell Miller likewise left the Democratic party of his own accord, and elected not to run for office thereafter. Casey was never forced out of the party, despite his staunch opposition to abortion. There is still a lot of room for dissent within the party.

David, the idea that conservatives don’t know liberals is laughable.

Not as laughable as the claim that the media is “liberal”. Conservatives in this country think Fox is mainstream and NPR is a liberal news organization. The fact is that it is almost impossible to find a liberal news outlet. Newspapers, radio and television are dominated by corporate interests that prefer to stick with the center-right story that butters their bread. There is no left-wing equivalent to GOP domination of the airwaves and print media. I know it may be hard to accept, but the media bias in the USA is not liberal by any stretch of the imagination.

I consciously seek out perspectives from all along the political spectrum, and I have to say, conservatism is much better represented than liberalism in most of the major publications. Newspapers are consistently conservative, television news is consistently conservative, and even NPR often fails to balance the conservative opinions that are aired. Large portions of the universities are devoted to “business” schools that are filled with conservatives – there is no lack of conservative expression on our campuses.

Your personal experience of liberal conformity is an interesting one, but in my personal experience, it is the brain-washed masses of evangelical Republicans that are the source of boredom, and an impetus to seek other perspectives. Liberals are a diverse group, who may disagree over any number of topics. Conservatives, at least in my personal experience, are more likely to belong to a social group that enforces conformity of thought and belief – such as a fundamentalist church. By contrast, liberals tend to be independent minded and open to new ideas.

Peace.

DS

Jun 6, 2009 - 10:53 pm 61. Ms. Attitude:

16. David S: C’mon admit it, both sides have losers on it. I just did.

Jun 7, 2009 - 12:20 am 62. Roger Godby:

To Fred Beloit,

I recall visiting Chicago under Bush I and reading about a broad daylight rape at the Garfield el station. Nobody did anything to stop it. Disgraceful. When asked, a few people said they “thought it was a live sex act.” That would be a very progressive use of public revenues.

I think a nearby community organizer failed.

Jun 7, 2009 - 3:28 am 63. A Dave:

stroke stroke stroke, conservatives are perfect – liberals are evil, stroke stroke stroke, conservatives are kind – liberals are meanies, stroke stroke stroke. Yawn, all you folks who define yourselves by your political beliefs and then demonize the other side are masturbating in the mirror. Why don’t you grow up, stop chanting “the other side are poopieheads” and try to do some good in this messed up world. Fact: neither side has all the answers. Fact: both sides think they have all the answers. Fact: you all are going to destroy the world if you don’t STFUP and do something positive.

Jun 7, 2009 - 4:05 am 64. LibNoMore:

Re: Narcissism

Obama fulfills all nine.

And so does Mr. Obama.

Jun 7, 2009 - 6:19 am 65. Fragmentarian:

Nice try Dave but having tried to talk to you about anything other than football, I know that within a very short time, I’ll be some sort of an -ist for not accepting the gospel of warming and basking in the universal love and sharing. No one’s going to destroy the world. The people in it may even have a chance if the environmentalists allow them to continue to use it.

Jun 7, 2009 - 6:25 am 66. don:

Chuck Pelto, I’ll give you credit for inspiration (”Progressive” as an oxymoron).

Think of the reality of this “New” word: PROGRECESSIVE

Jun 7, 2009 - 6:43 am 67. Frank Logan:

As Ronald Reagan said, “‘The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they’re ignorant; it’s just that they know so much that isn’t so.’

Jun 7, 2009 - 7:33 am 68. Xanthippe:

Here’s a little experiment to try.

If you’re a conservative, pretend to be a liberal, and see how conservatives treat you.

If you’re a liberal, pretend to be a conservative, and see how liberals treat you.

I’ve considered myself both at different times in my life – and been treated far less respectfully by liberals than conservatives.

I live in a very liberal west coast town, supposedly a bastion of tolerance – but it’s only tolerance for those left of middle (doesn’t matter how far left).

Jun 7, 2009 - 7:34 am 69. Thomas:

@60. David S:
“By contrast, liberals tend to be independent minded and open to new ideas.
Sure, your ancestors during the Bolshevik revolution in Russia, members of the “Yevsektsiya” were open to new ideas, namely how to exterminate 100 million people worldwide in the name of your God of the moment like Trocky, a.k.a. Lev Bronstein.

You can sell your stale, putrid zeal to the inocculated, still credulous Americans who were never exposed to the ultimate, deathly horror of your ideology….but they are smart people and will learn as we did in Europe.

It’s almost like gallows humor to see when an absolute nobody and his coterie – including this idiot at Newsweek’s Evan Thomas: Obama Is ‘Sort of God’- regurgitate defunct Marxist ideas which are discarded even in Russia and exists in your beloved Cuba and N. Korea only.

Jun 7, 2009 - 7:44 am 70. AP:

#60 David S:

“Joe Lieberman left the party because he lost a party primary”

He lost the party primary because he supported the War. Almost all of Ned Lamont’s campaign was pointing that out.

Jun 7, 2009 - 8:17 am 71. Frank Logan:

Most young people have liberal feelings developed during their years of education. After entering the real world of work and struggle, a great many of them realize that there is no such thing as a free lunch, liberalism doesn’t help people. They become conservatives. Among the power seekers, a few republicans may become democrats for their own political gain, but fiscal Conservatives never become liberals. It’s like the Berlin Wall, it’s one way only. The ones who remain liberal are usually risk adverse. They stay in the Ivory Tower of academia or join a union and die liberal. Sadly not living life but observing it like a movie, as it passes them by.

Jun 7, 2009 - 8:39 am 72. Fragmentarian:

Xanthippe – If you don’t mind being called names, just say something, anything, that doesn’t resonate with “teh narrative”. It’s guaranteed.

Jun 7, 2009 - 10:58 am 73. Jeff C:

@60. Dave S.

Dave – what color is the sky in your world? Your #60 post is nothing but a liberal bedtime story and a tired one at that. All corporations are conservative? You must be a naive 20-something. You claim to “consciously seek out perspectives from all along the political spectrum…” but apparently basic research isn’t part of that process for you. Both Google and Microsoft are major global corporations with executive leadership that leans heavily liberal/Democrat. The “MS” in MSNBC stands for Microsoft – and most studies of media bias put MSNBC on the far left of the spectrum. Several studies have been conducted that support the notion there is a liberal tilt of most major media. Other studies have documented most journalists vote Democrat and have personal beliefs/attitudes to the left of the general public. A vast majority of major print media endorsed Obama for President last fall. Why would a majority of so-called conservative leaning newspapers endorse Obama over McCain? The New York Times has not endorsed a Republican presidential candidate since 1956. The NTY editorial board must be in hot water with their conservative corporate owners for not buttering their bread for the last 50 years, huh? So “liberals tend to be independent minded and open to new ideas.” Give me a break. Try opening your eyes and do some basic/simple research. You state “The fact is that it is almost impossible to find a liberal news outlet” but don’t reference a single fact or reputable study/document/report to support your position which is the liberal way – just keep repeating something until it’s considered a fact. The most basic research on media bias will locate countless studies and reports that contradict your #60 fairy tale so I’m calling BS on your noble position that you are open-minded and seek out various perspectives.

Jun 7, 2009 - 12:01 pm 74. sheesh:

Scott Roeder on the Tiller killing . . . “I know there are many other similar events planned around the country as long as abortion remains legal.” I think we have a running mate for Sarah Palin. Meet your new Joe the Plumber . . . Scott the Killer!

Jun 7, 2009 - 12:40 pm 75. Sara123:

When liberal newspapers first started failing beyond what they could deny, they claimed it was due to them not having enough diversity.

So they went on a quota hiring binge and decorated their buildings with a diversity of skin colors wraping up the same ole vapid liberal squawking to itself. I guess it did not work.

To liberals diversity is skin deep. That is about the most stupid and small mentality I can imagine among folks who consider themselve “intellectuals.”

Jun 7, 2009 - 12:59 pm 76. Houdini:

#26 Self-hating Boomer:

Here’s a link about Al Gore’s electrical usage, and I am sure that he also has a gas bill on top of that but this is just electrical usage here in the Nashville area where I also live, and I hate to admit it but I worked with Al in the 1960’s at the local newspaper before he went to Vietnam with his typewriter as a reporter (never subject to combat). Oh he lost his own home state and had he not he would have won the presidential election of 2000 you may thank the Volunteers of Tennessee for denying his the Presidency.

http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/government/a/al_gore_energy.htm

Jun 7, 2009 - 1:25 pm 77. Richard:

Unfortunately conservatives, particularly “social conservatives” who are willing to promote any State action opposing gay marriage, are easily characterized as homophobes because they act like them, despite their protestations to the contrary. When the financial mess around Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae broke the news, every conservative radio talk show host from Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh and Michael Savage decided to make jokes about Barnie Frank’s homosexuality and make it a topic of conversation. What the hell does that have to do with the financial mess we’re in? While its true that there’s a case to be made for inappropriate assignment of posts to Frank’s boyfriend, that wasn’t the point of the jokes, as this was rarely if ever mentioned. The point was to mock him because he’s a homosexual.

As long as that’s the first thing out of every prominent conservative’s mouth when talking about Barney Frank, it will be easy to peg conservatives as homophobes. If you don’t want to be painted as homophobes, you should be writing these prominent conservatives and tell them to keep their gay bashing jokes to themselves.

If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, its probably a duck.

Jun 7, 2009 - 1:42 pm 78. Someone75:

“The Left Loves Diversity — Except When It Comes to Political Views”

LOL. The GOP hates diversity ALL the time. This is so hilarious.

Pot/Kettle . . .

Jun 7, 2009 - 2:42 pm 79. Dave:

@Blackwater

Thank you! At least someone understands.

Jun 7, 2009 - 2:44 pm 80. goy:

Jeff C – As far as where the media’s loyalties lie, OpenSecrets tells the tale very clearly, sector by industry sector. Financial support goes overwhelmingly to the so-called “liberals”.

- Books, Magazines and Newspapers
- Cable & Satellite TV Production & Distribution
- Motion Picture Production & Distribution
- Recorded Music & Music Production
- TV Production & Distribution

A fool might think this behavior isn’t indicative of how they do their job, day-to-day. In fact, just like poor David S, it’s doubtless that quite a few of the folks working in these industries have deluded themselves into believing that while they may support the Democrats by an overwhelming margin, they’re still somehow able to remain professionally “objective” in a position that greatly influences public opinion. This is how the entrenched, leftist, Fifth Column media has come to be thought of as “mainstream” and centrist FNC has come to be viewed as “right wing”.

Jun 7, 2009 - 3:22 pm 81. Charlie:

I was on the board of a private school so far leftward that both registered Greens and Socialists outnumbered registered Dems among the parent population. At one meeting after a fellow board member had made a paean to our marvelous diversity, I countered, “Oh yeah, where are the Republican parents?”

This broke the meeting up in laughter. Convulsive laughter. Never suspecting they had an actual Republican in their midst, I got several pats on the back for my “great joke.”

Later, when we’d moved to a new topic and no one was looking our way, the director leaned over to me and whispered reassuringly, “There are actually a couple, you know.”

The good news… despite being in this environment nursery through high school, the boys have all turned out libertarian/conservative.

Jun 7, 2009 - 3:27 pm 82. Nick Jacob:

Hey all, just wanted to let you know that I’m a Conservative, majoring in political science at the University of Washington.

Here’s what I’m up against:

UW faculty, staff giving favors Obama more than 80-1

Sen. Barack Obama has received some 591 reported campaign contributions from University of Washington professors and staff. The number received by Sen. John McCain? Seven.

The UW staff contributions to Obama, now at $259,000, last month placed it eighth in the nation among all colleges donating to the candidate. UW staffers have donated $6,000 to McCain.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008333248_uwdonors31m.html

Jun 7, 2009 - 3:30 pm 83. james:

Liberalism is not a mental disease. For the liberals who seek domination it is a path to that end. For liberals who haven’t thought about it and think that, because liberals enjoy the same bands they do they must be, like, cooul, it is simply an unconscious acceptance of that domination.
Liberals are always the most aggressive, and the most stupid, people in the room.

Jun 7, 2009 - 3:32 pm 84. kdizzydaze:

from SteveB — What about defense and the Pentagon? I’m all in favor of a strong defense. But I don’t see a need to subsidize defense contractors in the amount of $300 billion in cost overruns (source: GAO study from earlier this year). How is that form of wasteful, “tea party,” spending considered as being “conservative?”

I agree SteveB but my question would first be – please adequately define a “cost overrun” and funny how the issue is only with the DOD. Don’t get me wrong – is there wasteful spending – oh sure – but please define a cost overrun first. I mean, is it buying too many bullets? Our boys having three meals a day instead of two because they could get by with that many? what is it precisely?

According to Barack obama, we simply need to properly inflate our tires (assuming nobodies tires are inflated properly) and we can resolve the energy crisis lickety split. And I also understand from Barack obama that his administration has uncovered nearly a trillion a year in waste already? I believe the speech was in February where he said that. Wow, if that is the case – he should point it out (I mean, if he’s already found it) and clean it up!!! Done deal, he’s a hero, he can spend on his cute social projects with the publics admiration and the conservatives are done. Somehow, I think the guy is full of it.

Jun 7, 2009 - 3:41 pm 85. goy:

Jeff C – just as an afterthought, here’s the scariest campaign donation statistic of all:

Education

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@78. Nick Jacob: - Here’s what I’m up against

Nick, the moral adolescents of the left will tell you that this is simply an indication that “educated” people (grads, post-grads, etc.) vote Democrat – the ostensible reason is that they’re “smarter” than those who don’t.

It never seems to occur to these lemmings that they’re not so much educated as overwhelmingly indoctrinated.

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@79. james: - Liberalism is not a mental disease.

Science indicates that this is in fact true. So-called “liberalism” appears to be more of a phase in human development than an illness.

We don’t label children “mentally ill” for acting like children (although even that’s changing, since we now medicate kids for being the hyperactive bundles of energy they have always been and will always be).

Similarly, the moral adolescents who subscribe to leftist ideologies aren’t so much mentally ill as much as morally immature. It explains a great deal, including how a full-grown, intellectually mature, post-graduate adult can subscribe to an ideology that only makes sense to a child.

Jun 7, 2009 - 3:50 pm 86. SteveB/Colorado:

Kdizzydaze: read the GAO report. These overruns have nothing to do with number of meals per day or ammunition. It’s programs like the F-22 and F-35 fighter planes.

As for wasteful spending in general, none of it is justified. I focus on the DOD because fellow conservatives tend to give military spending a “free pass” and focus on social spending. None of the wasted money is useful.

I favor a strong military, but also favor money being spent wisely. Last year, the Navy launched a new aircraft carrier; the George H.W. Bush; designed to fight the Soviet Navy on the high seas. Oops, Soviet Union imploded in 1991 and the Russian Navy can barely get a few ships out to sea. And, how do 80,000 ton carriers protect against four guys in a speedboat with RPGs? Reference: USS Cole in Aden harbor a few years back.

For more information, check out the group of retired generals & admirals in the Center for Defense Information. I think the link is http://www.cdi.org .

Jun 7, 2009 - 4:06 pm 87. Rahm Emanuel's consience:

I agree with Zero. The disease of “progressive” ideology in this country is past intervention. It must now develop full blown status so that all can see the stinking corpse it leaves and finally come face to face with the malignancy known as liberalism.

We who understood it all along should step back now and don our quarantine suits so that we can heroically drag that corpse to the dump and burn it.

Jun 7, 2009 - 4:33 pm 88. Jeff C:

@goy #80 & #85
Thanks for the additional data. I’ve added the OpenSecrets site and your blog to my favorites.

Jun 7, 2009 - 4:38 pm 89. Just Passing Through:

60. David S:

‘@51. Donna V.:

David S., aren’t you forgetting about Joe Lieberman? The VP candidate in 2000 who became a reviled man for backing the war? Remember Zell Miller? Casey in PA who broke with his party on the abortion issue?

Joe Lieberman left the party because he lost a party primary. He was not forced to leave.’

David, some of the absolutely obtuse nonsense you come up is priceless.

Joe Lieberman lost the primary because of a coordinated and concerted effort spearheaded by the far left element of the democratic party to replace him. That was done for the open and oft stated reason that he continued to back the then current administration’s conduct of the war. Ned Lamont rode that to the democratic nomination. The effort to replace Joe was heavily supported by out of state far left moonbats. I very clearly recall Kos’ disquieting prancing about in the commercial he appeared in supporting Lamont. Joe then ran as an independent and crushed that fool Lamont in the general election when the moderate democrats in CT and republicans crossing the aisle overwhelmingly supported and voted for him.

Arguing that Joe was not forced out of the party because of his voting record on the war is either obtuse, disingenuous, outright fabrication, or stupid. Take your pick.

Jun 7, 2009 - 4:49 pm 90. Anonymous:

SteveB/Colorado:

Chinese Navy?

You can’t dismiss Naval Aviation or what naval air power means to a marine on the ground or control of the sea lanes or force projection or anything like that and still say you favor a strong military. Sorry dude, I call BS.

As far as the USS Cole goes; Adapt, Overcome, and Improvise. So I say; let’s get the 22 and build another flattop to replace the two going out of commission shall we?

As far as the group of retired generals & admirals go? Well isn’t that just a testament to the free flow of ideas and concepts they enjoyed throughout their military careers? Good on ‘um, I say! I remember Adm. William J. Crowe once told the nation during the Clinton campaign that the M-1 tank was outdated by the tank killing Apache helicopter and should be scraped. Three wars later; wadda you think? But he was politicized don’t you see? Or stupid.
Hey? Is he on that list of yours?

Jun 7, 2009 - 5:17 pm 91. ding:

SteveB/Colorado:

Chinese Navy?

You can’t dismiss Naval Aviation or what naval air power means to a marine on the ground or control of the sea lanes or force projection or anything like that and still say you favor a strong military. Sorry dude, I call BS.

As far as the USS Cole goes; Adapt, Overcome, and Improvise. So I say; let’s get the 22 and build another flattop to replace the two going out of commission shall we?

As far as the group of retired generals & admirals go? Well isn’t that just a testament to the free flow of ideas and concepts they enjoyed throughout their military careers? Good on ‘um, I say! I remember Adm. William J. Crowe once told the nation during the Clinton campaign that the M-1 tank was outdated by the tank killing Apache helicopter and that it should be scraped. Three wars later; wadda you think? But he was politicized don’t you see. Or stupid.

Hey? Is he on that list of yours?

Jun 7, 2009 - 5:21 pm 92. Nate Hale:

For David S

You confirmed the man’s thesis within the first lines you scribed. The rest of your long winded self indulgence(s) does little to endear and appears only to allow yourself the luxury “to talk only to hear your own head rattle.”

Jun 7, 2009 - 5:25 pm 93. Cybergeezer:

Title should be: “The Left Loves Diversity as long as it is the Diversity THEY DICTATE.”

Jun 7, 2009 - 6:12 pm 94. jasons:

An excellent article which describes most of the “liberal” trolls on this website perfectly!

Jun 7, 2009 - 6:15 pm 95. silvernana:

It is very clear to me after reading all these comments that David S. is being a typical condescending liberal to all you conservatives who are bothering to argue with him. He is not nearly as intelligent as he thinks he is if he actually believes the MSM (now state run media)is in any way conservative. What person in their right mind would actually think that?
This country’s worst enemies are not the terrorists – it is the enemy within – the loony left, the state run media, and the Marxist we have living in the white house. They are destroying this country at rapid pace!

Jun 7, 2009 - 6:17 pm 96. ajacksonian:

Wasteful spending at DoD comes from multiple source, and a prime one is the cost of pork. Strange to say that pork projects are ones that the military has not asked for, does now want, do not budget for and must do. Thus when Congress hands out pork it typically does not hand out the infrastructure overhead costs of the programs to make sure they are run well. I know this from having worked government contracts from the government side and working with Congracting Officers. Typically for every dollar in a project the overhead, just to run the contract, is 15 cents. That 15 cents is taken out of the allotment to regular staff which already has contracts to work. Thus, as there are set hours in a day and the government already suffers a major productivity loss due to paperwork and bureaucracy (typically 35%), that means those projects will not get full attention, and will also require that less than full attention is paid to other, required contracts.

Pork dollars, then, not only cause the contracts that are put out for the pork to be poorly run, but for committed projects to suffer problems as well. That is only the beginning of the fun in DoD, and yet this exact, same problem is replicated wherever there are pork dollars spent. The reason DoD gets pinged is it gets so much pork. Fiscal responsibility, then, would require denouncing ALL pork expenditures as they take away from the legitimate job of government employees to satisfy pet projects of Congress. That is a corrupting influence when government dollars get less than due diligent oversight, go to contractors in bed with Congresscritters, and the money then cycles out of the public coffers, wastefully, and into the cronies of politicians who kick some of that right back to the politician.

DoD also has a problem with large scale projects, and the Navy is a large abuser of this, but all services have it to a degree: Request For Changes in contracts. RFCs are the open season for contractors to request more money to run a contract because the government wants to change it, thus changing the level of effort for the contract. If it is Thursday it must be an RFC from the Navy! That is how you move from a $30 billion vessel to a $200 billion vessel in ‘wasteful’ spending: the contracts keep getting changed. Indeed contractors will ‘low-ball’ contracts with certain parts of the government and the very first thing they do on award is hand over a package of proposed RFC from the contractor side to remedy the problems in the contract from the government side. Amazing, no?

Mind you the Federal Acquisition Regulation and Defense FAR will take up two 3′ bookshelves, has monthly changes and addenda… which everyone involved must know. Meaning the Contracting Officer, their representatives and, of course, the contractor. Changing regulations and bureaucracy then require additional cost overhead, just as a part of doing business.

Now if you really want waste/fraud/abuse, how about an Education Dept. that, in all of its years of hanging around, hasn’t changed the one statistic that shocked America in 1958 when poor Johnny couldn’t read: the literacy rate for school age children. That has remained rock solide since then to this very day and ALL the spending at Education hasn’t changed it one iota. Sounds like a massive CF to me, where our parents got less money per student and learned to read just as well as children do today. That goes all the way back to one-room schoolhouses at the turn of the century, apparently. This is a problem that money is not fixing.

Dept. of Agriculture hands out billions in subsidies to large agri-business… why do they need support being such large businesses and all? Can’t they figure out how to farm with their billions in profits?

Since the stand up of the Dept. of Energy we have had multiple energy crises, increasing energy cost and no real breakthroughs. That doesn’t sound so hot to me.

So while you ping DoD, realize that the problems there are endemic to the whole of government and noticeable only due to the scale of DoD itself. We have some non-functioning parts of government that are NOT provided for in the Constitution and should really be axed from the federal venue. I’m with you on that, I really am. Plus all those regulations need to be pared down a bit… a chainsaw would do nicely.

So how about a 10 year sunset for every law, regulation and every Deptartment outside of those mandated by the Constitution? All of it, put up for re-vote on the last digit year it was signed into law. Including the Public Law where Congress last set its own size in 1911… that would by default go to the maximum allowed in the Constitution if Congress couldn’t find a way to work things. I’m all for that, really… we don’t have enough politicians to keep each other in check right now. Too much money for too few politicians.

That isn’t ‘conservative’ apparently. That is federalism under a representative democracy where government must justify what it does with our money and not get a free pass on a continual basis. In theory liberals would love this… until you start doing the math on the 1:30,000 bit. Apparently representative democracy, when properly practiced, isn’t supposed to be fast, efficient or neat, but representative and highly so. So lets hear it from Congress on exactly WHY the American people don’t need more representatives Upon the Hill and why we need very limited representative democracy to run the Republic. That should prove very entertaining to listen to conservatives and liberal argue about why that wouldn’t work… as the clock ticks… and expose the rift between the people and their government. That doesn’t start at DoD, but in Congress.

Jun 7, 2009 - 6:50 pm 97. Jim Baker:

The Democrat concept of diversity is what gave us this recession. They are just people who can’t see that communism is the logical extention of their ‘progessive’ world view. Their brand of ‘progressive’ politics has been played out hundreds of times throughout history. They don’t learn anything about reality, and they would not exist except for a thriving economy to dirve them to their greed. But, if you sell these greedy power mongers short, you might get a real communist for a president.

Jun 7, 2009 - 7:02 pm 98. wayne:

If you think it is bad now, just wait until the Alinsky-ites get a full court press in our society. I’m about half way thru the book “Rules for Radicals” and it will absolutely put the chills in you.

The entire book is based on two premises:

1) The ends justify the means – example = if you want to get your neighbor to give up his SUV to stop global warming, its okay to mention to some fanatic kid who loves to play with matches and gasoline that your neighbor works for security for the IMF / World Bank and was bragging about beating up 3 protesters in Seattle.

2) Every one and every nation who has achieved wealth has abused it and it is someone else turn to be on top and for those who were on top to be forced into the lives of and service to the former poor people and nations.

Jun 8, 2009 - 4:53 am 99. Peter the Bubblehead:

Lucius Fieldon @ #4:

Someone obvioulsy has been ignoring NBC, CBS, ABC, the NY Times, the Boston Globe, innumerable other newspapers too numerous to name them all, CNN… Shall I go on?

You ask where the left-world-view is located, try opening your eyes. You might even notice the only so-called right-world-view (which is actually a lot closer to true balanced than right-ist) is FNC.

Jun 8, 2009 - 10:51 am 100. acj:

Hey, can I support a book right here….It is called the “The Dartmouth Review Pleads Innocent” for all of the right wingers wanting to have revenge on the left is in book form.
I think everyone should have their point of view and that is how we are fair and balanced. The media however isn’t fair and balanced. Many corporate sponsors are Republican corporate America; they avoid labor equality, pay and healthcare.

Jun 9, 2009 - 4:56 pm

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