Comments on: “Do Nothing Dems?” http://themoderatevoice.com/9375/do-nothing-dems/ An Internet hub with domestic and international news, analysis, original reporting, and popular features from the left, center, indies, centrists, moderates, and right Wed, 15 Feb 2012 04:12:09 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: Tully http://themoderatevoice.com/9375/do-nothing-dems/comment-page-1/#comment-35134 Tully Thu, 21 Dec 2006 21:48:11 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/2006/12/21/uncategorized/do-nothing-dems/#comment-35134 If I beat everyone else to the obvious by taking the close look, I can't link to my own analysis? That post is over a week old, and it's completely true, after all. :-) I do still like the stomping on earmarks bit, and even get a good chuckle out of Robert Byrd being the point man on it. The Dems won control, so they have every right to support their favored programs with the money left on the table by their quashing of earmarks. I'm sneering at the rhetorical posturing of "saving billions" there, when nothing is actually being saved. And it's an admiring sneer--it was quite a slick maneuver. Most of the earmarking quashed was from the Republicans (the majority always gets the majority!) so the Dems stood to lose proportionally less than the damage they dealt to the opposition, and the funding rediversion gave 'em back the money, just in program funding instead of earmarks. The poor folks at the cable news nets have 24/7/52 to fill up with things that keep you watching them and not the other guys. They gotta work with what they have. I think you nailed it when you said: <i>Not enough conflict or polarization = lack of excitement= low viewership. I guess there aren't enough celebrity outbursts to fill the gap.</i> Or as mooredynasty put it, slow news week. If I beat everyone else to the obvious by taking the close look, I can’t link to my own analysis? That post is over a week old, and it’s completely true, after all. :-)

I do still like the stomping on earmarks bit, and even get a good chuckle out of Robert Byrd being the point man on it. The Dems won control, so they have every right to support their favored programs with the money left on the table by their quashing of earmarks. I’m sneering at the rhetorical posturing of “saving billions” there, when nothing is actually being saved. And it’s an admiring sneer–it was quite a slick maneuver. Most of the earmarking quashed was from the Republicans (the majority always gets the majority!) so the Dems stood to lose proportionally less than the damage they dealt to the opposition, and the funding rediversion gave ‘em back the money, just in program funding instead of earmarks.

The poor folks at the cable news nets have 24/7/52 to fill up with things that keep you watching them and not the other guys. They gotta work with what they have. I think you nailed it when you said:

Not enough conflict or polarization = lack of excitement= low viewership. I guess there aren’t enough celebrity outbursts to fill the gap.

Or as mooredynasty put it, slow news week.

]]> By: Kim Ritter http://themoderatevoice.com/9375/do-nothing-dems/comment-page-1/#comment-35130 Kim Ritter Thu, 21 Dec 2006 21:20:06 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/2006/12/21/uncategorized/do-nothing-dems/#comment-35130 Great source for your comments, Tully, lol. Nothing like quoting your own analysis of the decision. Even so, there were a lot of mights and probablies in there. Which is exactly what the original post seems to be criticizing CNN for. Great source for your comments, Tully, lol. Nothing like quoting your own analysis of the decision. Even so, there were a lot of mights and probablies in there. Which is exactly what the original post seems to be criticizing CNN for.

]]> By: Tully http://themoderatevoice.com/9375/do-nothing-dems/comment-page-1/#comment-35126 Tully Thu, 21 Dec 2006 20:40:33 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/2006/12/21/uncategorized/do-nothing-dems/#comment-35126 <i>Must be a short news week.</i> It usually is. <i>I guess ratings would plummet if they had to report that earmarks were being frozen by the Dems</i> They have. They just kinda fail to mention that it won't actually cut spending, just <a href="http://www.stubbornfacts.us/domestic_policy/the_great_earmark_slaughter" rel="nofollow">redirect the money to their own favored programs and boost future baseline spending</a>. Still, the precedent of indiscrimately stomping on earmarks is a big plus. Must be a short news week.

It usually is.

I guess ratings would plummet if they had to report that earmarks were being frozen by the Dems

They have. They just kinda fail to mention that it won’t actually cut spending, just redirect the money to their own favored programs and boost future baseline spending. Still, the precedent of indiscrimately stomping on earmarks is a big plus.

]]> By: mooredynasty http://themoderatevoice.com/9375/do-nothing-dems/comment-page-1/#comment-35123 mooredynasty Thu, 21 Dec 2006 19:27:16 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/2006/12/21/uncategorized/do-nothing-dems/#comment-35123 What exactly <i>should</i> the Dems do? Our status in Iraq can't change short-term, regardless of the campaign promises, and the economy isn't bad either. Must be a short news week. What exactly should the Dems do? Our status in Iraq can’t change short-term, regardless of the campaign promises, and the economy isn’t bad either. Must be a short news week.

]]> By: Kim Ritter http://themoderatevoice.com/9375/do-nothing-dems/comment-page-1/#comment-35118 Kim Ritter Thu, 21 Dec 2006 19:03:32 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/2006/12/21/uncategorized/do-nothing-dems/#comment-35118 <i><i><i>Tucker Carlson seems to do this a lot and I respond with saddness</i></i></i> Uh Tucker Carlson is a self-righteous prig with 2 left feet, not a sterling journalist, LOL! He makes very little pretense at objectivity. Tucker Carlson seems to do this a lot and I respond with saddness
Uh Tucker Carlson is a self-righteous prig with 2 left feet, not a sterling journalist, LOL!
He makes very little pretense at objectivity.

]]> By: Kim Ritter http://themoderatevoice.com/9375/do-nothing-dems/comment-page-1/#comment-35110 Kim Ritter Thu, 21 Dec 2006 19:01:27 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/2006/12/21/uncategorized/do-nothing-dems/#comment-35110 I guess ratings would plummet if they had to report that earmarks were being frozen by the Dems , that Pelosi has requested that rules be adjusted to allow the opposition party to introduce legislation on the House floor, or is looking into having an independent body rule on ethics violations.Minimum wage hikes of 2$ per hour are meaningless as well, to American workers. Not enough conflict or polarization = lack of excitement= low viewership. I guess there aren't enough celebrity outbursts to fill the gap. I guess ratings would plummet if they had to report that earmarks were being frozen by the Dems , that Pelosi has requested that rules be adjusted to allow the opposition party to introduce legislation on the House floor, or is looking into having an independent body rule on ethics violations.Minimum wage hikes of 2$ per hour are meaningless as well, to American workers.

Not enough conflict or polarization = lack of excitement= low viewership. I guess there aren’t enough celebrity outbursts to fill the gap.

]]> By: Michael van der Galien http://themoderatevoice.com/9375/do-nothing-dems/comment-page-1/#comment-35105 Michael van der Galien Thu, 21 Dec 2006 18:55:26 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/2006/12/21/uncategorized/do-nothing-dems/#comment-35105 This story has three sides: - it's hilarious - it's sad - it's disturbing Why is it disturbing? Because, believe it or not, a <i>lot</i> of people watch CNN every now and then (and other networks) and... that's about it. Sure there are also a <i>lot</i> of people who actually think about it, but if the media repeat certain talking points time and time again, it's not completely bizar to believe that they can influence public opinion. This story has three sides:
- it’s hilarious
- it’s sad
- it’s disturbing

Why is it disturbing? Because, believe it or not, a lot of people watch CNN every now and then (and other networks) and… that’s about it. Sure there are also a lot of people who actually think about it, but if the media repeat certain talking points time and time again, it’s not completely bizar to believe that they can influence public opinion.

]]> By: Ryan S http://themoderatevoice.com/9375/do-nothing-dems/comment-page-1/#comment-35102 Ryan S Thu, 21 Dec 2006 18:54:57 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/2006/12/21/uncategorized/do-nothing-dems/#comment-35102 I didn't know it was January yet. Season creep must have folded time so much that January must come in the middle of December. I didn’t know it was January yet. Season creep must have folded time so much that January must come in the middle of December.

]]> By: Paul in Austin http://themoderatevoice.com/9375/do-nothing-dems/comment-page-1/#comment-35095 Paul in Austin Thu, 21 Dec 2006 18:49:42 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/2006/12/21/uncategorized/do-nothing-dems/#comment-35095 It seems that it is a basic tool of the media to fabricate doubt to provoke attention. Paul Silver, Gay Basher? Terrorist Threat? Tucker Carlson seems to do this a lot and I respond with saddness. It's a gotcha kind of reporting and it is demeaning to the reporter and the audience. It seems that it is a basic tool of the media to fabricate doubt to provoke attention.

Paul Silver, Gay Basher? Terrorist Threat?

Tucker Carlson seems to do this a lot and I respond with saddness.

It’s a gotcha kind of reporting and it is demeaning to the reporter and the audience.

]]> By: carpeicthus http://themoderatevoice.com/9375/do-nothing-dems/comment-page-1/#comment-35088 carpeicthus Thu, 21 Dec 2006 18:32:38 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/2006/12/21/uncategorized/do-nothing-dems/#comment-35088 They always have to have a metanarrative. It keeps them from having to think. They always have to have a metanarrative. It keeps them from having to think.

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