Just a short note today. If you have time tomorrow, stop by for the Christmas Maha-Spectacular.
Paul Krugman writes today about the Humbug Express:
Have you heard the one about how there’s been an explosion in the number of federal regulators? Mike Konczal of the Roosevelt Institute looked into the numbers behind that claim, and it turns out that almost all of those additional “regulators†work for the Department of Homeland Security, protecting us against terrorists.
Still, why does it matter what some politicians and think tanks say? The answer is that there’s a well-developed right-wing media infrastructure in place to catapult the propaganda, as former President George W. Bush put it, to rapidly disseminate bogus analysis to a wide audience where it becomes part of what “everyone knows.†(There’s nothing comparable on the left, which has fallen far behind in the humbug race.)
And it’s a very effective process. When discussing the alleged huge expansion of government under Mr. Obama, I’ve repeatedly found that people just won’t believe me when I try to point out that it never happened. They assume that I’m lying, or somehow cherry-picking the data. After all, they’ve heard over and over again about that surge in government spending and employment, and they don’t realize that everything they’ve heard was a special delivery from the Humbug Express.
See also “People, We’re in Deep Trouble” by Gene Lyons.
Even compared to the manifest swindles and perversions of the past 20 years or thereabouts, the United States has never seen anything like Fox News. The closest comparison to what Fox does daily would be the party-line propaganda sheets of the far left and extreme right that made Orwell worry “that the very concept of objective truth is fading out of the world.”
If you read the comments — and I don’t necessarily recommend that you do — it becomes apparent that it does no good to tell the lemmings they’re being lied to. The truth is whatever Faux says it is.
Elsewhere: Brian Beutler has more to say about why moderate Republicans voted for some Democratic bills in the lame duck session.
Ah yes, the rightie “Humbug” is strong in this country today! Very strong!!!
And FOX News is the ultimate “Humbugger Helper.”
Talk radio (I don’t need to say Conservative before those words, because in about 97% of this country, there’s no such thing as Liberal talk radio) gets a special assist to stretching-out the humbuggery to those without cable TV, or who drive and turn on the car radio, with Rush leading the wolf pack. And hundreds, if not thousands, of male and female wannabe’s in towns across this once great nation, parroting everything Rush, Glenn, Sean and Laura say – often word for word.
I wrote about this countless times here before, and I won’t bore you with it again, but I just want to mention it – we need to bring back “Equal Time.” But that ship sailed a long, long time ago. And with it, any opportunity for people to hear both sides of an issue or argument, and not just the side of the one with the most and loudest megaphones – those voices, and the equipment, all bought and paid for by the megaphone corporations and affilated companies.
That’s why Net Neutrality really is the last, best hope, for America. Where else, outside of the NY Times Editorial page and few of their and the WaPo Op-ed writers, and a couple of hours on MSNBC, do you hear anything that represents what Liberals and Progressives have to say, without the message being totally obfuscated, or completely lied about, by the likes of Juan Williams and other paid shills who are sold to the lemmings are reprentative voices of the left?
And that’s why the few corporations who own almost all of the peoples access to our news (TV, radio, print, magazines), and their propandizing, bought and paid for shills, have started to confuse what Net Nuetrality is all about. And God help us if they succeed. But I think He/She/It will say to us, ‘Look you got yourslves into this mess, now get yoursleves out.’
Thanks Ben, but even with the progress of the last couple of years, it looks more and more like we may not be able to keep the Republic you gave us…
To maha and the readers here, just in case this is my last comment before the end of the day (don’t get your hopes up!), I wish everyone a Happy and Merry ChristmaHanuKwanza! And to really tick off our pals on the right – HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!
I have noticed that if a song gets enough air time, no matter how crappy it is, you will eventually find yourself tapping your foot to the beat.
Lies repeated become truths.
Charalatans become sages, pitch men become the experts.
erinyes,
And does anyone believe that Taylor Swift can really sing?
Maha,
I don’t read any righty-blogss. None. Absolutely zero. And I only comment at five or so progressive blogs. The righties make stuff up faster than “all the kings horses and all the kings men” can debunk it.
“it becomes apparent that it does no good to tell the lemmings they’re being lied to”
Put them on the “B” Ark and send them into space. OOPs! I forgot– that’s already been done. That’s how the Earth was first populated.
OMG, Chief; My daughter worships the ground Taylor Swift walks on, she even looks like her.
Just stopping by to wish you Best Fishes for the New Year. May Manta Claus bring you lots of cockles.
Vulgus vult decipi.
Just sayin’
erinyes,
I do not mean to rain on your daughter’s parade, and I congratulate you on having a good looking daughter.
And hopefully she will take some of the money she has earned and take voice lessons. But as of about six months ago, she had a flat voice.
Chief, we’ll just keep that a secret between you and I.
Thanks for the kind words, she takes after her mom, but we need to fatten the kid up a bit.
“Vulpes ut amici est hostium.”