Real Journalists Get Canned While Glenn Beck Just Gets Rich(er)

Real journalists continue to lose their jobs as newspapers cut staff in record numbers. And while this is happening hucksters like Glenn Beck continue to make millions playing on ignorance and fear

About a week ago I was on a Rutgers football message board where I read the sad news of the laying off of Home News Tribune sports reporter/columnist Paul Franklin and reporter/ columnist Rick Malwitz due to cutbacks and consolidation by parent company Gannett Co, Inc. Combined, these two journalists must have had 60 years of experience between them, but were let go, as have thousands of other newspaper reporters and columnists as that industry struggles to transition itself into the information age.

I'm a self admitted dinosaur who still gets two newspapers a day, the HNT and the Star-Ledger. I find newspapers a guilty pleasure instead of a necessity- most news I get is from the internet, or TV, or radio. But I love the tactile sensation of reading a newspaper while having my morning coffee- nothing beats it. The local newspaper will give me information about local stories that most other sources will not, and because of that newspapers will probably never become totally obsolete. Newspapers had to reinvent themselves in the 1960's when satellites were launched that could beam down to the world news as it happened.....the newspaper, until then the primary source of news for most people, had to become more opinion based and targeted to certain readership in order to survive. And the big fish ate the little ones; the number of newspapers in the United States began to shrink. In New York the decade of the 1960's saw the demise of the century old The Daily Mirror, The Journal-American, The World-Telegram &Sun, and The Herald-Tribune. In New Jersey we lost The Newark Evening News and The Elizabeth Journal. The Perth Amboy Evening News morphed into The News Tribune and moved to Woodbridge, and it finally merged with The Daily Home News of New Brunswick to become The Home News Tribune in the 1990's.

And in the new century America's newspapers continue to consolidate and reorganize, merge or fold, and send hundreds of respected professional journalists to the ranks of the unemployed. Advertising revenues for the print industry continues to shrink, so payroll is slashed.

Paul Franklin reported and commented on local scholastic and collegiate sports for as as long as I could remember. Most recently he was a beat writer for Rutgers Women's Basketball, and previously reported and wrote commentary about RU football. He's a big, gray bearded gregarious guy who could be seen in press row for most of the last two decades at The RAC, and though he was always objective and professional, the reader knew that this man was a fan of the games he reported on. He did his homework, never wrote "rip pieces" in order to sell papers, and always seemed to get an angle to a story from locker room interviews from student athletes.

Paul was one of the best....I miss reading his reports and commentary already.

Rick Malwitz is a real Central Jersey guy, and wrote about the issues that affect us locally in civil, rational tones and never ventured into sloganeering and character assassination. I mentioned Rick in this blog last summer when he broke down the root cause of high property taxes in New Jersey in a way few politicians would dare; Rick used the late New Jersey legislator Alan Karcher's premise of the insane number of municipalities in the state the bottom line cause of New Jersey's property tax woes. No one ever spelled out and defined the "whys" of the situation like Rick Malwitz, no progressive or conservative, and no governor of this state.....including the current one.

With these two gentleman, it was about integrity and journalism, not demagoguery.

The Gannett Blog does a great job at detailing the ongoing saga of Gannett's downsizing and the reaction of those affected by the cuts. I highly recommend the blog, it's great reading, and please take time to read the dozens of comments.

Which brings me to FOX News, and the Websters definition of demagoguery......Glenn Beck.

And in the spirit of full disclosure I'll have to admit....I never watch the guy. But I do watch the clips of his crazy rantings, of "Islamic- socialist" alliances out to conquer the world, all at the behest of President Barack Obama. The man is making a fortune appealing to fear and prejudice, and playing on the almost total ignorance of world and national affairs of his audience. Beck has become a multi-millionaire though spewing misinformation to his viewers, and throwing a nightly pile of horsecrap at his audience to see what sticks.

I'm debating in my mind on a daily basis....is this man demented or evil, or a little of both. More on Beck can be found at blogger pal Leslie's Parsley's Pics.

And you wonder...where is the justice?

Beck makes millions spreading hate and fear....and Rick Malwitz and Paul Franklin are looking for jobs after decades of good, solid journalism.

The Shooting of Gabrielle Giffords; A Commentary

Commentary

When I heard the news yesterday of the shooting of Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords at a meet and greet in a Tucson supermarket I must admit, I was not shocked. I was saddened to hear of the incident that left Ms. Giffords shot through the head, and six others dead and another 12 people wounded. A man who can best described as a deranged lunatic named Jared Lee Loughner was the alleged gunman. Federal judge John Roll, 9 year old Christina Taylor- Green-the granddaughter of former Phillies manager and Cubs general manager Dallas Green, Gifford's aide Gabriel Zimmermann, 76 year old Dorothy Murray, 76 year old Dorwin Stoddard, and 79 year old Phyllis Scheck lay dead after the scene was sprayed with shots from a handgun that we're told held 30 rounds of ammo in it's magazine.

No, I was not shocked in the least....in fact I said to myself, well, it finally happened. "It" being a violent event so shocking that the entire nation would be talking about it, just like after Virginia Tech, and just like after Columbine. And as in the case of those two horrific incidents, much will be said about guns and gun violence in America, and the examination of the Second Amendment...and ultimately nothing will change.

But this slaughter was different from the others in that it seemed to have a sitting member of Congress as it's target. We know that Ms. Giffords' congressional office in Tuscon was vandalized in the hours after the healthcare bill was passed last year- Ms. Giffords was a supporter of the bill. And we know that Sarah Palin had an image of crosshairs on her website targetting Giffords and 19 others for defeat in 2010 (Palin's aid Rebecca Monsour defended the image in an interview conducted Saturday).

No rational person can say that the angry rhetoric we hear in political discourse everyday was responsible for the shooting. But sometimes irrational people can believe the nonsense that they're hearing and act on it. I've often wondered if Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck actually believe even half of the BS they spew out daily, or are they just throwing it out there to appeal to a lunatic fringe. The extreme voices that talk about "second amendment remedies", and accuse a sitting president of being (pick one) a Communist, Nazi, racist, Marxist-Socialist, a Muslim, or not even being an American citizen didn't pull a trigger that killed six and wounded a dozen others. But they stir a pot that's ingredients are fear, ignorance, and paranoia.

And to certain deranged minds, like that of Jared Loughner, the conspiracy theories and angry rhetoric make perfect sense.

The Right will say there was anger and vitriol pointed towards the Bush administration and towards conservatives in general. To be sure, there were angry words- but never did members of People For The American Way show up "locked and loaded" with firearms at a Bush political event, nor did any Blue State governor call for secession if we didn't stop using his states' National Guardsmen in an Iraq war he didn't support. There was anger, but the progressives left 19th century remedies where they belong.

And to those who say the words of politicians and extreme media members don't incite people to violence, well aren't some of those the same people who fingered rappers and rockers for lyrical content that they contend lead young listeners to misogyny, drug addiction, and the murder of the nation's cops?

Many years ago I worked in a hotel in Miami. The Speaker of the House at the time, the Democrat Thomas Philip "Tip" O'Neill was a frequent guest with his wife.The Speaker would vacation with his best friend from Massachusetts, the Republican Silvio Conte. Among those in their close circle of friends were Bob and Elizabeth Dole, both Republicans and, and Democratic National Committee Chairman Bob Strauss. That was about 25 years ago, but it was a glimpse as to how things used to work in Washington- lawmakers were like an extended family, with disagreements on certain issues, but in many instances with deep personal friendships when the nation's work ended. It's no coincidence that the wedge that began to divide America was born in the late 1980's with the rise of Right Wing talk radio. The conservative base found a voice with Limbaugh, and he spawned scores of imitators and wannabes.

And the nation changed....and for my money, not for the better.

Below, a special comment from Keith Olbermann.

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Follow the Money (Part I); Beck Gives $10K to Chamber of Commerce

On October 14, Glenn Beck contributed $10,000 to the US Chamber of Commerce and urged his radio listeners to contribute to the Chamber as well.

Beck did this in response to charges that the Chamber may have funneled as much as $75 million to support candidates, all Republican, who support the Chamber's agenda, and that money has been contributed by foreign multi- national corporations in attempt to tip the balance in our November mid-term elections.

So here's how it goes.....Beck sends a $10,000 to the US Chamber of Commerce. His boss, Rupert Murdoch of NewsCorp FOX News parent company, gave $1 million each to the Republican Governor's Association and the US Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber puts the money in it's general fund. Then they pay for attack ads against candidates who the Chamber feels must be defeated in order to elect someone they believe is more friendly to business.....and to the agenda of the Chamber. All are Republicans, coincidentally.

Glenn Beck works at that "Fair and Balanced" news organization. Rupert Murdoch is NewsCorps' head honcho. It stands to reason that both are contributing to attack ads on Democratic candidates, but not doing so directly.

Rather, they're using the US Chamber of Commerce as a legal money launderer....it's that simple.

So much for Glenn Beck, and his hypocritical campaign "To Restore Honor" to America.

And so much for "fair and balanced".

No $75 ? Let It Burn; A Preview of "Tea Party America"?

As most readers know by now, Gene Cranick lost all his possessions, including three dogs and a cat, because his mobile home is Western Tennessee was allowed to burn to the ground because he failed to pay a $75 municipal fee that would have given him fire protection. Cranick called to report the fire last week and offered to pay the $75 to the South Fulton fire department, who refused to respond because doing so would only encourage others not to pay the fee.

South Fulton Mayor David Crocker said the following (from The Huffington Post)....

""Anybody that's not in the city of South Fulton, it's a service we offer, either they accept it or they don't."

This is a story that has resonated through America, and well it should. And it should be a cautionary tale to all of those who may have been seduced by the call of "government should be run like a business", that "government is always the problem, never the solution", and "smaller government now!". What is on display in this case is a possible preview of what life in Tea Party America could look like.....lower taxes, but "user fees" for governmental services.

User fees- remember that term. Because Republicans and their Tea Party buddies always talk about lowering taxes. But one of the ways they get money into the public coffers is increase user fees for government run entities. When Christine Todd Whitman became was elected governor of New Jersey in 1993 she ran on a platform to lower the state income tax by 10% each year for three years. The state income tax was lowered....but tolls on the New Jersey Turnpike, Garden State Parkway, and Atlantic City Expressway rose, and new toll booths were constructed in areas where previously there were none. New and higher user fees.

Call it a GOP shell game.

So let's examine some possible scenarios in "Ala Carte Tea Party America".

Do you want to send your kids to a public school? Pay a fee. But remember, since not everyone is paying property or income taxes to support the school system, the citizen could be shelling out a lot more money in fees than in property taxes.

What about law enforcement, garbage pickup, libraries, snow removal, senior services, unemployment compensation....and fire protection? Do we offer it "ala carte"? And when the next flood hits in Wayne, NJ or Alton, IL or Nashville, TN does the 911 operator have to punch in your ID and check the computer program to see which government services you've paid for?

Boat and watercraft sales should be healthy in this not so brave new world.

Here in New Jersey families are starting to pay fees if their kids want to play interscholastic sports, and other school systems are imposing fees for students to take field trips. We already have teachers who routinely shell hundreds of dollars of their own money for school supplies because state aid has been cut to a trickle thanks to the New Jersey Mouth That Roared, Governor Chris Christie, now with his road show at a GOP event near you.

This tragedy to Gene Cranick is something that never, ever should have happened in the United States of America. Period and end of story. The lack of response to the burning of Cranick's home, where firefighters did show up to protect his neighbor's home, was a scenario similar to America of the 19th century, where fire protection was done by subscription, and often fires went out of control because the occupiers of the burning buildings didn't pay for fire protection.

The Grand Poobah of The Tea Party, Mr. Glenn Beck, the man who invoked God from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in August for a new nation under God, said the following about the incident (from Newser)....

The argument about Cranick’s case will go “nowhere if you go onto ‘compassion, compassion, compassion, compassion’ or well, ‘they should’ve put it out, what is the fire department for?’” Beck said. “No, what is the $75 for?”

After all, he points out, “if they did put the fire out and make an exception for your house and you didn’t pay,” then “would anyone pay their $75?” (His producer helped Beck along in his explanation by mimicking Cranick’s accent for nearly the entire segment.) The fee is “to pay for the fire department to have people employed to put the fire out,” Beck continued, and to use fire services without paying the fee “would be sponging off of your neighbor’s $75.”

My question to Glenn Beck regarding this matter is very simple. If told another person's home was on fire and helped was asked for......what would Jesus do?

If you don't think He'd call for a thunderstorm to douse the flames, He's at least find a way to help...for free.

And if it were too late and the home was lost, He'd comfort the person who lost his home instead of ridiculing and trashing him.

Below, Gene Cranick talks to Keith Olbermann on COUNTDOWN.



In closing, I just watched the interview Olbermann had with Gene Cranick a second time, and I'm torn between profound sadness and outright rage. How can this be allowed to occur in our country? Lincoln spoke of "our better angels"....and thank goodness there are those good people of compassion and justice who are willing and able to speak up for those who have been wronged.

And as for those who say Cranick got what he deserved....quite frankly, they make me sick. This should be beyond politics or ideology. These are individuals who say human evolution is only a theory, yet they adhere and practice social and economic Darwinism.....survival of the fittest.

As for Glenn Beck....I can only say that this self appointed God fearing Christian and savior of America might be the the biggest hypocrite walking the earth. A man who lacks the basic compassion of Christ, and is nothing more than a cheap carnival huckster playing the role of American Messiah.

But the truly delusional are those who believe his gibberish. And PT Barnum is sitting up in his grave, winking at the poor suckers....and there are a lot of them.

It's Stewart vs Colbert For The Hearts of America on October 30th!

Not to outdone by Glenn Beck and Al Sharpton, who in August ran competing rallies in Washington DC on the same day, the two biggest stars of Comedy Central will be leading their troops to the nation's capital on October 30.

Last night on The Daily Show Jon Stewart decided enough is enough, that the discourse has gotten too venomous and crazy, and it was time to do something. Stewart called for a "Million Moderate March" on Washington in a rally to be called the Rally To Restore Sanity. But as you can see in the video below, Stewart ruffled the feathers of fellow "pundit" Stephen Colbert, who also had somethin' cookin'.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Rally to Restore Sanity
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Tea Party

Colbert, as you can see, had a major announcement of his own, and has his own agenda to "Restore Truthiness To America". Below, Stephen tells the world of his March To Keep Fear Alive, also in Washington on October 30 on The Colbert Report. Special cameos by Jon Stewart and our Sixteenth President.

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
March to Keep Fear Alive
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes 2010 Election Fox News

I don't know about you, but I've got nothing going for October 30th....it's only a three hour train ride from here. I wonder if FOX NEWS will cover the event?

The Way I See It; Patriotism Should Be A Quiet Virtue

Opinion

A certain issue has been bugging me for a very long time- and it's the segment of our society that self describes themselves as being patriots.

But before you read on, please note; I have nothing against patriots, and I am not indicting or criticizing people for love of the United States or of any other country (should the reader be from another nation). Hopefully readers and others may find me to be patriotic. But what I find disturbing is when a person feels the need to describe themselves as being a patriot.

Because in my eyes, being a patriot is a virtue. It's like being honest, or being a good parent or spouse, or being wise. You can even throw in the attribute of possessing beauty, internally or externally, or having talent. And to me, if a person is truly virtuous they don't extol their virtues.

I can tell another person they are wise, or possess genius, or are a good son to aging parents. But for a person to crow about their own virtues- "I'm a good son" or "I'm the smartest guy here", for example- is really bad form.

And it's not very humble.....and humility might be the greatest of all virtues.

Some of these feelings that I have no doubt come from the "Rally To Restore America" that Glenn Beck is holding in Washington today on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. He'll be addressing tens of thousands of patriots later on today.....and I know they're patriots, because so many of them say they are. I guess all one has to do is join "Tea Party Patriots" and that does the trick, like baptism or a bar mitzvah sanctifies and admits you to a realm of faith.

I grew up during a time where I was surrounded by quiet patriots, that of The Greatest Generation.  This includes my Dad, my uncles, my Mom, grandparents, cousins, family friends and others who came of age during the Great Depression and then fought the Nazis and Japanese in World War II, or made sacrifices here on the home front, or worked in factories aiding the fight against Axis oppression. They always talked about the Depression and WW2 when I was a little kid, and we listened to stories of gas rationing and boot camp and Grandma driving rivets as she helped put together tanks and jeeps at the old GM plant that was converted for the war effort. There many different stories from many different people, but they all had one commonality....

Each one said they were just doing their share. They didn't ask for extra credit. None of my acquaintances from that generation ever pointed to themselves and said "I'm a patriot". They would talk about the other guy and say, "He was a great patriot", or "She sure was patriotic". But they never made it about themselves....they were old school. You left it to others to praise your virtues, you never praise yourself. It was something called humility.

And that, in our narcissistic age where there are no secrets and a multitude of lies, is something seemingly lost in America.


Maybe a look in the mirror.....and a dose of humility directed at one's self, and to one's country, is what really needs to be restored.

Glenn Beck To Save America- From What?

Very briefly.....

Tomorrow, Saturday August 28, Glenn Beck will lead his "Rally to Restore America", an allegedly non-partisan affair on the National Mall in Washington, DC on the anniversary of Martin Luther King's "I Have A Dream" speech. The rally is being held on the same location where Dr. King delivered that famous address.

To date Beck has been very cloudy as to just what he is restoring America from, but here's a clue. Take a look at the video below.






The first African American President of the United States will be vacationing and not in Washington when the rally takes place. But the symbolism of Glenn Beck's selection of the date and location of the rally is pretty clear. When one looks at the video above, and Beck calls Barack Obama a racist, a reasonable person can see where Beck is coming from, and what his intent is.

I just wonder what music will be played when Beck takes the podium.

I've got 5 to 1 that it's "Jesus Christ, Superstar".

The Shirley Sherrod Story; How A Little Knowledge.....Plus "The Sin of Omission" ....Is A Dangerous Thing

"And on the day after the day after".

You probably know the story well by now.

Conservative activist Andrew Breitbart posted a 38 second snippet of a speech by US Ag worker Shirley Sherrod gave to an NAACP on his website Big Government.com. The edited video came across as racist remarks that appeared to show Ms Sherrod's resentment in helping a poor white farmer in 1986 when Ms Sherrod worked for a non-profit rural farm aid group.

Then all hell broke loose. Because Shirley Sherrod, an African American woman from the Deep South who's father had been murdered by white racists in 1965, became the victim of an extreme right wing smear. And it got worse; Sherrod was condemned by the NAACP, and fired by the Department of Agriculture by order of Secretary Tom Vilsack, and then vilified by many in the mainstream media, none of whom knew the facts.

Breitbart and the lackeys at FOX NEWS ran with the story of Sherrod's alleged racism, showing the doctored speech as an example of the black racism that exists within the NAACP and in the Obama administration. The only problem was the accusation was false. As can be seen in the video below is the true context of Sherrod's speech, and remarks of the Georgia farm couple she helped in 1986 and who to this day regard as a friend.



As the truth began to unfold, there was backtracking by the NAACP, the Department of Agriculture and Secretary Vilsack, and by the White House, who today offered an apology.

But maybe it's too little too late.....Vilsack and the Department of Agriculture and the NAACP took a huge hit, as did the Administration; they threw Shirley Sherrod under the bus in an overreaction to the falsehood initiated by Breitbart, nurtured by the usual suspects at FOX NEWS, and sold to the rest of the news media as fact. Few did any followup, and Shirley Sherrod was sacrificed by Secretary Vilsack before he or anyone under him could or would investigate.

Did anyone in that department ever hear of due process?

Or to ask the question when did the incident of alleged racism take place?

But the Million Dollar Question is.....did anybody in the administration consider the source?

I'm a Democrat, and I voted for this President.....but right now, I'm more than a little ashamed of this administration. Shirley Sherrod, an anonymous public servant, had to resign from her job via Blackberry in order to protect the Obama Administration, even though she was being denied her day in court.

Welcome, Young Skywalker, to The Dark Side.

Shirley Sherrod was fired from her job because the Obama Administration was scared to death that Glenn Beck would be using her as his latest cause celebre, an example of what was wrong with America. And the NAACP, who wanted racist elements of the Tea Party movement ousted- and saw Mark Williams and the Tea Party Express- get the boot- was afraid of being hounded into extinction by Breitbart, FOX News, and the rest of the Right Wing Gasbags (please see ACORN, R.I.P.). The timing of the release of the Sherrod tape by Breitbart, just after the ouster of Williams, has a very, very, very foul odor about it.

Shirley Sherrod was lied about on Fox News, and by Andrew Breitbart, plain and simple.....and the people who should have been looking out for her- her bosses and the Administration- threw her to the wolves, and then were shamed into apologizing to her, and doing the right thing, even offering her another job in the Department.

If I were her, I'd take my time.

Shirley Sherrod is the only one to emerge as a winner in this sad affair....a great and loyal American, and a true role model, she maintained her dignity in this sad rush to judgment.

The villains? Fox and and Andrew Breitbart. They'll be back.....they're like athlete's foot, irritating and never quite curable.

And the fools....the main stream media, the NAACP, Tom Vilsack, Robert Gibbs.....and the buck has to stop at the top....sorry, Mr. President.

Limbaugh "Eulogizes" George Steinbrenner; Part II, The "Explanation" (Huh?)

In an attempt to explain his words on the death of George Steinbrenner to an internet site, Rush Limbaugh has only made what he initially said just a bit more bizarre, controversial.....and just a little more whacky.

And of course, he injected more racial overtones into the "discussion"....are there really only three members in the New Black Panther Party ?

Anyway, Limbaugh's rant earned him a place on Keith Olberman's Worst Persons list last night on COUNTDOWN, along with the omnipresent Sharon Angle (GOP candidate for Senate in Nevada), and some blond with no eyebrows who thinks a Glenn Beck presidential run should be mentioned in the same breath with George Washington.

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Smart, Funny, and Irreverant- You Have To See "Tea Party Jesus".

A few days ago I posted the a video of conservative Christian (and 21st century Annie Oakley) congressional candidate Pamela Gorman, and the question was asked....what's with the this conservative Christian fascination with firearms and ammo and more firearms and the Second Amendment and more firearms?

Well, one of my online blogger friends (who runs a non-political blog) sent me a link that explains it better than I could. It's Tea Party Jesus, which uses works of art and stills from motion pictures to have the words of (allegedly) Christian conservative types come directly from the mouth of Jesus Christ.

Quoted are the usual right wing gasbags; Ann Coulter, Michelle Bachmann, Rush Limbaugh, and Tom Tancredo, for example. Above you'll see an example of what you'll find- a quote by Glenn Beck as spoken by Jesus. The quote was a reference to Beck's contempt for the complaints of the victims of Hurricane Katrina, whom he grew to hate faster than families of 9-11. Funny....the nuns and priests always told me God and Christianity was about love.

Amen.

Each picture links to the site from which the original quote was taken, all legitimate publications attributed to working journalists.
Amen (again).

Anyway, if you're offended by parody that some may find offensive, than stay away. But if you want to take a look and laugh at some of the hypocrisy of the right, then take a peek at Tea Party Jesus.

Amen.....and over n' out.

Lewis Black On Beck- "Six Degrees From (Minus Five)"

Last night on COUNTDOWN Keith Olbermann ran Lewis Black's "BACK IN BLACK segment from The Daily Show with Jon Stewart- and its worth a few minutes if you haven't seen it yet.

Black takes on Glenn Beck, a man Black says runs more clips of the Nazis on his program than does the History Channel. Black explores in only a way he could Beck's imaginary Six Degrees of Separation between a certain German dictator and the current President of the United States...and some others.

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But what is the symbiotic connection between Lewis Black and Glenn Beck?

Very simple.....Black gets paid for going before an audience, getting overly emotional, and being a clown. And so does Glenn Beck.

For more with Lewis Black, check the Lewis Black Official Website.

Helloooo...... Mr. President, are you listening??: WTF???? How DARE he!

Oh no! A friend of this blog is exposed as a dangerous subversive....and possibly having the secret identity of THE ANTI-CHRIST!!!!

Pray, my fellow Americans.....but first, click the link below, to see what I'm talking about.


Helloooo...... Mr. President, are you listening??: WTF???? How DARE he!

Massa's March Madness- The Scandal Gets A Little Crazier

To borrow a title from the Richard Thompson song...."Did He Jump Or Was He Pushed?"

Or perhaps a reworking of this old proverb....."If Eric Massa is asked the same question by ten different people, he will give ten different answers. If Eric Massa is asked by one person the same question ten times he will still give ten different answers".

I have kept watching the bizarre saga of former New York Democratic Congressman Eric Massa unfold over the past few. depending on what version of the story being told Massa resigned his seat because of a reoccurrence of cancer, or because he was the subject of an ethics probe because of sexual harassment, or that he forced to leave his seat by the White House- strong armed because he would not go along with President Obama's health care reform agenda.

Massa's story takes a twist when he appears on Glenn Beck's show on FOX, where Massa's story falls apart, much to the chagrin of Beck.

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This morning on The Today Show House Majority leader Steny Hoyer and House Republican Whip Eric Cantor appeared with Meredith Viera to discuss Massa's case....with predictable results.

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Glenn Beck Sponsorship Loss Now At 119

Controversial FOX NEWS commentator Glenn Beck may be the most popular voice on that network, but according to the website stopbeck.com the list of sponsors who have dropped advertising for his nightly show or have refused to advertise on it has risen to 119.

The latest sponsors to drop Glenn Beck in the United States are George Foreman Cooking, Sylvan Learning, and Weight Watchers.

Click here to read statements from these three companies.

Among the remaining sponsors of the Glenn Beck program are Dish Network, The American Petroleum Institute, and the State of Utah's Department of Tourism.

Beck, an ally of the Tea Party Movement, gave a keynote address at the Conservative Political Action Conference this past Saturday. In his speech he compared Republican spending addictions to his own problems of past alcohol abuse.

Poll: Fox Most Trusted Name in News, Beck Tops O’Reilly | Fancast News

Its official- The country really has gone to hell in a hand basket.

And this poll confirms it, as well as confirming this adage from the late George Carlin.....

"Think about how stupid the average person is....and half the people are even stupider than that!"

That whirling sound you just heard is Walter Cronkite spinning in his grave.


READ MORE......from Fancast News