Joe Klein's complaint

[Lynn7]

This is an excerpt from Time magazine- you can't read the whole article unless you are a member I guess.
He is complaining the left wing sites are pushing people too far to the left just as Rush has pushed conservatives too far to the right. What he doens't get is that Rush doens't push us- he is just saying what we already beleive. Is that how it is with the left wing bloggers? Or are they being pushed to the far left?

"But the smart stuff is being drowned out by a fierce, bullying, often witless tone of intolerance that has overtaken the left-wing sector of the blogosphere. Anyone who doesn't move in lockstep with the most extreme voices is savaged and ridiculed—especially people like me who often agree with the liberal position but sometimes disagree and are therefore considered traitorously unreliable. Some of this is understandable: the left-liberals in the blogosphere are merely aping the odious, disdainful—and politically successful—tone that right-wing radio talk-show hosts like Rush Limbaugh pioneered. They are also justifiably furious at a Bush White House that has specialized in big lies and smear tactics. "

[Thrizzle]

Originally posted by Lynn7
They are also justifiably furious at a Bush White House that has specialized in big lies and smear tactics. "

And the disaster of a war they started, which was mismanaged from the start in deplorable ways. And a million other things that the Bush administration has messed up. I think the lefts reaction is justified and appropriate, in the same way that pro-lifers pursue their cause; if i thought babies were being killed i'd be outraged as well.

[EVILxxx]

If I was going to make that case I would point to Lieberman being bullied out of the party.

[Brando @$$ Fat]

I don't see any purpose for bitching. Republicans can just as easily start up more blogs. The internet is a completely (almost) free place, unlike the news media.

There's always going to be bullying in politics. Conservatives were huge bullies back when the Iraq War started, and I see no denying this.

[MadsenOMC]

Originally posted by Lynn7
This is an excerpt from Time magazine- you can't read the whole article unless you are a member I guess.
He is complaining the left wing sites are pushing people too far to the left just as Rush has pushed conservatives too far to the right. What he doens't get is that Rush doens't push us- he is just saying what we already beleive. Is that how it is with the left wing bloggers? Or are they being pushed to the far left?

You are a Limbaugh admirer Lynn??!! Say it isn't so!

Was Lieberman really bullied out of party? I am not a fan of his at all.

[electriclite]

Originally posted by Lynn7
[B]This is an excerpt from Time magazine- you can't read the whole article unless you are a member I guess.
He is complaining the left wing sites are pushing people too far to the left just as Rush has pushed conservatives too far to the right. What he doens't get is that Rush doens't push us- he is just saying what we already beleive. Is that how it is with the left wing bloggers? Or are they being pushed to the far left?

/B]


Uh, Limbaugh himself said he was "carrying the water" for the Republicans, aka pushing their agenda and then cried abuse when they lost their seats in the midterm elections.

So yes, he's done his fair share of peddling. Besides, what if you were a conservative and didn't agree with Limbaugh? I believe that's the point Klein is making.


And yes, every side has their percentage that are mean-spirited and violent. I can't tell you how many times I've seen the loonies on the left and rolled my eyes at them in a way I thought I had reserved only for Ann Coulter.

[EVILxxx]

Originally posted by MadsenOMC


Was Lieberman really bullied out of party? I am not a fan of his at all.

Yeah. Since he wasn't in lock-step the Dems backed another candidate who won the primary. Lieberman ran as an "independent democrat" and won.

[MadsenOMC]

I know all this, but would you really argue that he was bullied out of the party? Lieberman is a sack of shit so I'm not losing any sleep over it.

[Scarfather]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6F7Q7BkAbCk

On Rush Limbaugh.

[Thrizzle]

Lieberman lost the primaries and ran as an independent. He wasn't bullied out of the party, the primary voters decided they had enough of him. He's a typical politician who supports big business and the almighty dollar.

[electriclite]

Originally posted by Thrizzle
Lieberman lost the primaries and ran as an independent. He wasn't bullied out of the party, the primary voters decided they had enough of him. He's a typical politician who supports big business and the almighty dollar.


Yeah, but he still got elected.

[Lynn7]

Originally posted by electriclite
Uh, Limbaugh himself said he was "carrying the water" for the Republicans, aka pushing their agenda and then cried abuse when they lost their seats in the midterm elections.

So yes, he's done his fair share of peddling. Besides, what if you were a conservative and didn't agree with Limbaugh? I believe that's the point Klein is making.


And yes, every side has their percentage that are mean-spirited and violent. I can't tell you how many times I've seen the loonies on the left and rolled my eyes at them in a way I thought I had reserved only for Ann Coulter.

Rush might have said that but many times he has addressed the ditto heads question and has said that it does not mean people are copying him just saying ditto to the compliments he is given by other conservatives. I like Rush a lot. He has a brilliant mind and expresses many things that I already feel. To me. his show is a meeting place for fellow conservatives. But if people don't like him they just don't tune in and he doesn't urge listeners to go out and protest or to write out reps. Not that I have heard anyway.

Teh article was by a Dem who has been targetted by people farther to the left. He is the one complaining- not me. But I do think the left has gotten very hateful. Yes they can disagree with others but the words are so hateful and personal at times.

[Brando @$$ Fat]

Originally posted by Lynn7
But I do think the left has gotten very hateful. Yes they can disagree with others but the words are so hateful and personal at times.


Am I the only one who remembers the hateful shit that came out of the mouths of conservatives when the Iraq War was popular? People would call me horrible things just because they would randomly ask me if I approved of the war and I would say no. Conservatives are known to say horrible things, so I think the left is just reacting to that.

[Lynn7]

Originally posted by Brando @$$ Fat
Am I the only one who remembers the hateful shit that came out of the mouths of conservatives when the Iraq War was popular? People would call me horrible things just because they would randomly ask me if I approved of the war and I would say no. Conservatives are known to say horrible things, so I think the left is just reacting to that.

No, conservatives are perfect and never say hateful things. I thought everyone knew that. ;)

On the other hand the left has gone to the moon with the effects of their rage about the war. I will relate the way the radical libs are with the war is comparable to the radical prolifers who paraded around with grotesque pictures of dismembered fetuses and called women baby killers. The radical libs are much the same but for different issues.

[Scarfather]

Originally posted by Lynn7
On the other hand the left has gone to the moon with the effects of their rage about the war.

Because surely they'd get much more done with a somber whimper. An obscene war beckons vibrant protest.

[Brando @$$ Fat]

Originally posted by Lynn7
No, conservatives are perfect and never say hateful things. I thought everyone knew that. ;)

On the other hand the left has gone to the moon with the effects of their rage about the war. I will relate the way the radical libs are with the war is comparable to the radical prolifers who paraded around with grotesque pictures of dismembered fetuses and called women baby killers. The radical libs are much the same but for different issues.


I think it's a matter of location, also. You live in Massachusettes so I imagine it's a lot harder to be a Republican up there. I didn't think I was a liberal until I realized how conservative those around me were.

I do agree with you though, it's reached the point where we can't have a mature debate in this country.

[Lynn7]

I am actually a registered independent but I do vote all Republican. It is not hard to be a conservative up here cause most of us do not go around talking politics. I get along with everyone beleive it or not- even those who are totally on the other side from me.

The problem with living in Dem Mass is that now we have a Dem governor for the first time in about 12 years and this guy is getting ready to hike up our taxes on everything. This week it is beer. I think my fellow Mass citizens who happen to be libs aren't going to like it either.

With gas prices driving the prices up on everything we do not need to add more hardships. I have a feeling that Mass people are going to remember why they voted for Repub governors for so long. I think they had forgotten.

[EVILxxx]

Originally posted by Thrizzle
Lieberman lost the primaries and ran as an independent. He wasn't bullied out of the party, the primary voters decided they had enough of him. He's a typical politician who supports big business and the almighty dollar.

Bless their hearts.
Nearly all the independents, a lot of dems, and some repubs felt he was worth reelecting. It's only been in recent years that a democrat couldn't be conservative and vice versa. It was actually kind of nice when the extremes within the parties didn't have the clout they do now.

[Brando @$$ Fat]

Originally posted by EVILxxx
Bless their hearts.
Nearly all the independents, a lot of dems, and some repubs felt he was worth reelecting. It's only been in recent years that a democrat couldn't be conservative and vice versa. It was actually kind of nice when the extremes within the parties didn't have the clout they do now.


Plus, Lieberman isn't exactly Zell Miller, he actually believes in most of the Democratic platform. He's extremely pro-Israel, though, and will probably support any future wars against Muslim nations.

[MadsenOMC]

Lieberman is calling for a military strike against Iran.

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20070610/D8PM5HEO0.html

[Thrizzle]

Originally posted by EVILxxx
Bless their hearts.
Nearly all the independents, a lot of dems, and some repubs felt he was worth reelecting. It's only been in recent years that a democrat couldn't be conservative and vice versa. It was actually kind of nice when the extremes within the parties didn't have the clout they do now.

Extremes? This was because of the war in Iraq. Wanting to pull troops out of harms way isnt an extreme position, and the democratic party needs the votes.

[EVILxxx]

Originally posted by Thrizzle
Extremes? This was because of the war in Iraq. Wanting to pull troops out of harms way isnt an extreme position, and the democratic party needs the votes.

Lieberman stuck by his original decision. That is the only thing that made his position unique compared to all the past years of Democrat support. Just because he wasn't united with the party against Bush he wasn't supported, because the democrats won't win the next election unless Bush is constantly railroaded.

[MadsenOMC]

Why the fuck shouldn't Bush be constantly railroaded? You say that like it's a bad thing.

[EVILxxx]

Originally posted by MadsenOMC
Why the fuck shouldn't Bush be constantly railroaded? You say that like it's a bad thing.

I didn't mean that it was necessarily wrong to railroad Bush, but if someone decided not to, I don't think it would be right to ostracize them either.

[Thrizzle]

The approval rating for the democratic congress has been plummeting, mostly because of their inability to get anything done on Iraq, the environment, earmarks, and healthcare. The immigration bill has a lot to do with it as well, but most people see the democrats as being too moderate to make any significant changes (which is why they dominated the elections).

[MadsenOMC]

I think a majority of the American public has a very low opinion of Congress overall right now, regardless of party.

[Jim H]

Originally posted by Lynn7
No, conservatives are perfect and never say hateful things. I thought everyone knew that. ;)

On the other hand the left has gone to the moon with the effects of their rage about the war. I will relate the way the radical libs are with the war is comparable to the radical prolifers who paraded around with grotesque pictures of dismembered fetuses and called women baby killers. The radical libs are much the same but for different issues.

As near as I can tell, both sides are huge douchebags. I've never heard any equivalent of some right wing talk radio on the left in any popular media though. That seems to be the difference... Perhaps they spew out equal hate, but the right's vitriolic haters have bigger fanbases.

[MadsenOMC]

Some days I have a long commute to work, so sometimes I listen to Air America radio. Overall, despite being a proud liberal, I can't stand it. It doesn't challenge me. It doesn't make me think. It doesn't offer both sides of the story. It's simply the host screaming and shouting about how much Bush sucks. Now I agree, but tell me something I don't know. I think overall it's pretty worthless.

[Badbird]

Originally posted by Thrizzle
The approval rating for the democratic congress has been plummeting, mostly because of their inability to get anything done on Iraq, the environment, earmarks, and healthcare. The immigration bill has a lot to do with it as well, but most people see the democrats as being too moderate to make any significant changes (which is why they dominated the elections).

WTF? It's only been like six months. You can't turn an aircraft carrier on a dime, nor can you just undo years of beurocracy.

[Thrizzle]

Yea, i was merely making the point that a far left view is what the country wants.

[EVILxxx]

I think the rhetoric from the right is more centralized with easily identifiable television and radio stations. Essentially this makes it easier to identify. The left is more dispersed throughout many media channels, making slants harder to detect.