(PV) Fear among the GOP candidates

[Etta Place]

Thanks for your thoughtful response, Dan. Gee, if we could work out this military issue, you and I would probably would find much common ground.

[Etta Place]

Originally Posted by DanTheEldest

While extreme partisanship is counterproductive, some is necessary simply because there are very different philosophies in our nation about what constitutes "progress", and which direction to move collectively. These differences have become markedly visible particularly in the last 40 years or so, with neo-socialists advocating one road and conservatives advocating another. As much as it would be nice to "draw together more" as Americans, these ideals at their cores are fundamentally incompatible. Talk radio has become as popular as it is today because it's a medium that fills a need. The overall media industry in this country has been left-leaning for so long that people are used to hearing a particular slant without even being aware of it, so when conservative radio came about it was the proverbial "breath of fresh air". I would submit it doesn't divide the country so much as expose the divisions that are already there, and I'm glad it exists. There are many bills and programs that would have been inflicted on the American people "under the radar" that were exposed and stopped by talk radio and the conservative blogosphere where they wouldn't have been otherwise because the regular media either ignored them or actively advocated for them and to that end kept things quiet.

Bottom line: conservative talk radio is a business. If it wasn't drawing an audience, advertisers wouldn't spend their money and the programs would go off the air. Liberals recently made a transparent attempt to stifle this free marketplace in the way they usually do--not by advocating for left-leaning talk radio to compete in the free marketplace of ideas, but by trying to pass legislation to force "equality" on the airwaves with the resurrection of the horribly-misnamed "Fairness Doctrine". If leftists want their own progressive radio, start the channels, get the talent to host, and find some advertisers who are willing to fund it--it's as simple as that. It's telling, though, that their recent experiment (Air America) has been an almost unmitigated disaster. Draw your own conclusions about what the populace as a whole are really looking for in the political talk arena.

Have a good Saturday.

Did you add this after the fact?

Well, I think I'm back to disagreeing with you on more stuff.

I think most of the people who listen to conservative talk radio are middle class folks, probably many of them so-called "Reagan Democrats." I think many of these people are populists, rather than economic conservatives. I bet if you took a poll of all of the Rush and O'Reilly listeners, most of them want Social Security. Many of them probably want a better healthcare system in this country and wouldn't be opposed to the government running it.

In my opinion, what upsets many of these people is the decline in social standards and morality in this country and a cheapening of our culture through an emphasis on consumerism (including the marketing of sex), as well as a left wing in this country that they view as elitist and out of touch with regular Americans.

[DanTheEldest]

Originally Posted by Etta Place

Did you add this after the fact?

Nope..it was there.

Well, I think I'm back to disagreeing with you on more stuff.

I think most of the people who listen to conservative talk radio are middle class folks, probably many of them so-called "Reagan Democrats." I think many of these people are populists, rather than economic conservatives. I bet if you took a poll of all of the Rush and O'Reilly listeners, most of them want Social Security. Many of them probably want a better healthcare system in this country and wouldn't be opposed to the government running it.

I've listened to numerous hosts for quite a long time, and I can tell you that the average audience to conservative radio spans the entire gamut of our populace, from hard-core right, to various shades of middle, all the way to the wingnut left who tune in to hear what the "enemy" is saying. It's quite possibly the most diverse audience of any entertainment media around--something the liberal mind doesn't usually note.

Many want Social Security, and even I think it's a decent program when viewed within its limits. It was originally supposed to be a supplement for those few who reached later years to add to their own retirement savings, but it has since become the "go-to" government substitute for personal financial responsibility. I believe it needs to stay in some form because reasonable elder care is the moral thing to do, but it needs a drastic overhaul, and that's all most of the "talk radio crowd" believes--allow for more personal involvement in how their personal accounts are managed, and let some of the funds be investable where they can do more good. As it is now, the Feds use S.S. as just another source of revenue; it ceased to be a "lockbox" decades ago (if it ever was) and is now just another pay-as-you-go program. With the huge numbers of Baby Boomers retiring in the next decade or two, many of whom expect the government to regard them as they regard their generation (the center of the universe), S.S. is in big trouble without some meaningful reforms.

The fact that many favor the idea of government-run healthcare doesn't automatically make it a good idea. Anybody who's ever talked candidly with Canadians, Australians, or the various Scandinavian nations who have socialized medicine will come to stark realizations about its severe limitations (I'd recommend sending a PM to Brickboy about this if you doubt me; he's got relatives in Sweden who can tell you the real story of this type of thing). Those who favor it either don't understand that "there is no such thing as a free lunch" (taxes would rise to 50%+ as they do in other heavily socialized nations), or they're under the mistaken notion that having government run anything is better than private enterprise. As a general principle, government in general can do anything the private enterprise system can do, but at half the efficiency and for three times the price. It sounds nice to say "free healthcare for everybody", and it's an idea politicos love to throw around to attract the economically ignorant, but as a practical reality it leaves much more to be desired than the current (albeit flawed) system we have today.

In my opinion, what upsets many of these people is the decline in social standards and morality in this country and a cheapening of our culture through an emphasis on consumerism (including the marketing of sex), as well as a left wing in this country that they view as elitist and out of touch with regular Americans.

No arguments there. People listen to conservative radio for a host of reasons, and with an equally large range of opinions on the issues, many of which concern the degradation and decline of the family unit and the growing sense of contempt in which the liberal left holds traditional principles of morality.

Stupid format....I have to type something here so it'll enter the quote box where all the good stuff is.

[Etta Place]

Originally Posted by DanTheEldest

Stupid format....I have to type something here so it'll enter the quote box where all the good stuff is.

I do have an opinion about what you said (of course) and will respond later. Got to get moving here.

[AZXD]

Originally Posted by Freedom1911

Probably just another Ron Paul supporter trying to boost the Liberal agenda by trying to trash the Republican party.

View it however you like!

But as long as stories of Democratic accusations get printed that tell the public 'The general's plan meant 10 more years of war, or even "endless war."' there needs to be a little fear spread around.

Like it or not Iraq is center stage in the upcoming election, and no amount of rhetoric is going to save the Republican party if they show close ties to the administration and it's ideology of how to instilling national security by fighting and rebuilding another country while we sit here with open borders and falling bridges.

[FrankRizzoXD40]

Originally Posted by Etta Place

Where do you get the idea that MoveOn.org funds the Democratic Party? Where's the proof?

WOW--this comment alone was more than enough to draw me back into the XDTALK political fray!!!

Hmmm....it is pretty much common knowledge that moveon.org plays a HUGE part in funding the democrat party and it's candidates.

This from cnn.com, using the Federal Election Commission as a source....

Originally Posted by CNN.com

Moveon.org supporters have contributed over $108,000 to Democratic presidential candidates this year through the group’s political action committee, according to Federal Election Commission records. Sen. Barack Obama lead his party’s field in contributions received through Moveon.org, with just over $30,000 received since the start of his campaign. Rep. Dennis Kucinich received almost $25,000 compared to just over $23,000 for former Sen. John Edwards and $18,000 for New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson. Sens. Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden each received between $5,000 and $6000, while Sen. Chris Dodd received just under $1000.

The full story is here....
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com...org-donations/

Frank

[Dhunter55]

Welcome back Frank.

[cucamelsmd15]

Originally Posted by FrankRizzoXD40

WOW--this comment alone was more than enough to draw me back into the XDTALK political fray!!!

Hmmm....it is pretty much common knowledge that moveon.org plays a HUGE part in funding the democrat party and it's candidates.

This from cnn.com, using the Federal Election Commission as a source....



The full story is here....
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com...org-donations/

Frank

Hes alive!

[Powerman]

Originally Posted by FrankRizzoXD40

WOW--this comment alone was more than enough to draw me back into the XDTALK political fray!!!

Frank

After being fed a steady diet of Judge, I actually miss you Frank

That kid must be keeping you real busy. Hope things are well with the little one.

[AZXD]

Originally Posted by FrankRizzoXD40

WOW--this comment alone was more than enough to draw me back into the XDTALK political fray!!!

Hmmm....it is pretty much common knowledge that moveon.org plays a HUGE part in funding the democrat party and it's candidates.

This from cnn.com, using the Federal Election Commission as a source....



The full story is here....
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com...org-donations/

Frank

Awesome, glad your OK!!!!!
I've been wondering.

Oh yea!
Welcome back Frank

EDIT: Yes, how is the family?