CY, Shenonymous, Marshall et al:

Try also:

commondreams
consortiumnews
globalresearch
informationclearinghouse
Zcommunications

What you apparently haven’t figured out is that the “truth” IS a POV.  There’s the indisputable facts, then there’s their subjective interpretation.  Of course the facts you choose to ignore will affect the interpretation as well.

What you really need is a philosophy and a moral code, along with a realistic understanding that all countries must act in their own best interests.  Politics being the art of compromise, you’ll have to accept that policy doesn’t always reflect the highest moral stance.  So in the end, you just choose your side and fight for it.

See how simple?

You’re funny.  You probably think that all black people know each other as well.  Gotta love the conspiracists!

Conservative Yankee, so which is the most “objective?”  I read AlterNet but they have a lot of the TD and CD writers, most of them have a POV and bias, and from this article posts I now know about Truthout.com.  Not that I don’t agree with most of them, but still I’d rather have a clear view even if I am, as you well know, a liberal.  I don’t want a “balanced” view, I just want the truth.  Yeah, I know, I ask too much. I’m gonna ask for it anyway.

What the Times needn’t tell us about John McCain is that in spite of the smears he endured at the hands of W’s Rove, he still totes the party line. If you listen to him today, it’s the same fear-mongering and the same smears against Obama’s patriotism, the same smears trying to associate him with al Qaeda.

Somewhere in his remote corner you can bet that the ruthless, amoral, Machiavellian Rove is hiding advising him to say that Obama is delivering Israel to al Qaeda, and the smears will get worse.

If anyone thinks that “other wars” and “war in Iraq for 100 years” McCain has principles, look at his fear-mongering and his smears.

Thank you Maani.  I did know about AlterNet and CommonDreams but not the other ones.  I have copied them and will find them on the net.  You have done me and others a good service. 
Merci beaucoup Maani

McCain is not assemblying a “team” to advise him so much as a “team” which will be acceptable to the powers behind w. This “team” then becomes those which will substitute for cheney, rumsfeld, wolfy and the rest of the wrecking crew. They are out to “change” things like the Constitution, elections, corporate power, no taxes for the rich and provide the “Final Win” in the undeclared class war.
Media Corporations own the news. Defense Corporations own the military. Oil Corporations control energy. Corporations control the food supply. Corporations are trying to own the water supply. Corporations own the airwaves. Corporation stocks are owned by individuals. The largest stock holder has more rights than other stockholders. Ergo, those with the money have more rights than the rest of us as long as the corporations have the power. They’re given power(or should I say take the power?) by lawmakers, the executive branch and the judicial branch.
Check out greg palast on the 2000 and 2004 elections. These reports were made by him and then broadcast over the BBC. He also investigated the Exxon Valdez. As he has shoved proof under the noses of “officials”; I don’t see him having to defend himself in court over a libel suit.
Corporate Media in this country doesn’t fulfill the mandate of staying separate or neutral. They participate as willing partners in spin, propaganda, suppression and control of what the average person hears.
For instance, during the Iran-Contra illegalities, what U.S. Senator’s ranch in Latin America was being used to run drugs and arms? One can go to Latin America to read and hear about it but not here. A U.S. Senator complicite in an illegal war?

Agreed - Scheer doesn’t usually mangle reality this badly.  His simple minded multiplication of 100 (years) * 200 (billion) makes no sense.  I assume Scheer is opposed to our presence in Europe and Japan since that’s the kind of presence McCain envisions for Iraq.

Shenonymous, Expat:

Interesting.  I tried to post for you a list of links to good alternative media sites (since I was quite surprised that you did not know about truthout), but when I tried to submit the post, I got a message saying, “You are not authorized to perform this action.”

So apparently LieDig will not permit anyone to provide a comprehensive (or even close) list of links to other sites.

So instead, I will simply list them without the links and hope that works.  Enter these into Google exactly as they appear, and the proper site SHOULD be the first link.  You may or may not know of these sites, but if you were not familiar with truthout, I thought you might not be familiar with some of these.

Peace.

alternet
commondreams
consortiumnews
counterpunch
globalresearch.ca
informationclearinghouse
Zcommunications.org

It is about time to tell the truth about John Mc’Cain. The truth is he love his work, he loves lollipops specially when they come wrapped in a beautiful, attractive wrapper, like lobbyist Vicki Iseman, who has a extensive experience in lobbying,{see her web side} After all, “Beauty lie in the eye of beholder.”

I read recently where John McCain relies on former Senator Phil Gramm for advice on economic matters. Gramm’s wife Wendy was chairperson of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) in the last days of George H.W. Bush’s administration. What her qualifications for this job were are still a mystery, but she was in the right place at the right time for the Bush family & Enron. She ramrodded a ruling through that excluded from oversight and regulation energy derivative contracts and interest rate swaps. Two items specifically asked for by Enron. Phil & Wendy Gramm were not known as Mr. & Mrs.Enron for nothing. Of course, the Bush family was not on Enron’s payroll, but there were lots of huge campaign contributions, use of company facilities & aircraft and sponsorship of things like G.W.Bush’s inaugural ball. One can only imagine the amounts of cash passing under the table. If McCain needs economic advice, there are much cleaner sources for it than Phil Gramm or the rest of the Texas Oil Mafia.

Robert Scheer is correct in pointing out the duplicitous nature of a news entity such as the New York Times. But that “the consumer wins” mantra was also being chanted on the network news. John McCain, before he stooped to be a presidential candidate, was aware that the auctioning off of the broadcast spectrum was one of the largest corporate criminal heists in American history. But what was he to do, as a member of a political system that differs to wealth over any other consideration, be it Republican or Democrat.

The latest *poll* has McCain beating out Obama and Clinton.
This is highly suspect since McCain has been barely able to fend off Huckabee and the Democratic tallies in the primaries trounce the Republican turnout numbers. Apparently McCain *leads* on foreign policy when he echos the Bush administration during a time when the popular mandate rejects the Iraq disaster. The poll also reflects McCain ahead on the economy when he as much came out and admitted he knew nothing about economics.

This is all a part of campaign to spin it again, with an army of sneering, pinched Rightwing MSM hacks like Tucker Carlson, Glen Beck and that creepy Joe Scarsborough (who I heard this morning whining about President Carter’s criticism of Bush’s restriction of liberties) to disperse talking points, create wedge issues and fear and provide the mouthpiece for Corporate America to manufacture consensus. They do not reflect the popular will of the country, but they are awarded prize slots as political observers and prime time programs–sometimes more than one or broadcast more than one time on a daily basis. Hillary, however referred to Murduch as just another one of her “constituents” who she represented - as if we were all on the same footing. The notion of Clintonian DLC centrism is to triangulate on the propaganda of the Right to reap immediate awards(funding, innoculation from attack) rather than expose it for the lie. It essentially renders the purpose of the Democratic party moot under that short term strategy-and ultimately allows *drunken frat boys to run the country into a ditch*.

I checked out this site and it is amazing.  I appreciate your posting it and I will visit it daily now. Thank you.

^ the link to truthout.com.  Great site.  Never knew about them before.

Truthout.com

There’s that Clinton connection again with Rupert Murdoch or News Corp, whichever way one prefers to refer to it.

Clinton is losing and her campaign and hubby have exhausted the usual tactics, so time to call for “back up”.  Suddenly the times has the “poop” on Obama and McCain, yet both were only SPECULATIVE stories.  Fine for the National Enquirer, but do they really belong in the Times other than the gossip column until they’re factual?

We have journalists being fired for calling a spade a spade and then of course others who will spin it any which way they’re told.  Pathetic….really pathetic. There’s nothing worse than someone who can’t compete on a level playing field.  What does that say about a person?  “I’ll lie, cheat and steal to win….VOTE FOR ME..!!!”  Degenerates….. End the dynasties…Oust the Clinton’s and the Bush’s!  Losers…..lying, low life, vindictive sore losers.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article1816603.ece

Um, not if you look at who he was competing with…
....
Romney,Tancredo,Guiliani,Huckabee,etc.
....
YECH!!!!!!

Ok.  The New York Snoot has DEFINITELY gone down hill since Sonny Boy took over.

jleman, Feb27 2:36pm I don’t trust the newspapers any farther than I can throw a sacred or heathen cow.  You and cyrena, Feb 27 4:45pm and a few others are quite right about Bloomberg and I think it is wise to not trust any newspaper these days inasmuch as, or so I’ve heard, eight corporate families in the United States owns all the newspapers and are beginning to devour television and radio stations.  That being said we need some indicators on what way the wind is blowing just so we can gingerly step on the right side to miss the foul smell that is being generated.  We, the blogsters, do not have the means to take polls.  But there are a few out there so perhaps the best strategy is to average them out.  Except, some have this bias, while others have that bias and most likely will cancel each other out.  I am not sure what news service to even listen to these days as I have found supposedly objective NPR quite gushy to any Republican who might be on a show.  BBC maybe since they are not beholden to any American corporation, are they?  Taking Umberto Eco’s Figian way advice, I actually do not listen to any news either on radio or television but go to the Internet occasionally and browse TD, CD, AlterNet, and a few others to get a broad picture always keeping my eyes squinted for a tad of the truth, and check CNN for what’s going on in the world.  The problem with a short membered commission on the FEC is outside the realm of newspapers and is a big problem.  I have McCain in my site because more than anything I do not want to see another Republican regime running my life.  And I don’t believe for a bloody second anything the guy says or what anyone else has to say in support of him.

Texas has early voting and I made my primary selection for Obama.  I know the wrath of Khan will descend upon my head from some of you.  I’m ready for it.  But such is life.  I was torn not to be able to vote for the first woman to run for president, but I cannot abide her stand on Iraq all these many months and turncoat just to win votes won’t do it for me.  I don’t know if Obama is great presidential material.  I am still an Edwards fan.  But he isn’t around any more, or is he?  The convention is bound to be great theater.

Well, I’m glad you DID comment Shenonymous.

But…I’m thinking like GrammaConcept here. It’s curious about the LAT, but do you think the Bloomberg part of it might have had anything to do with that poll?

I dunno. It’s just hard to believe the MSM these days. From time to time, they do publish worthwhile stuff, but at the end of the day, they’re still all held by the same corporate crooks, who have wielded their strong holds to make certain news appear or disappear whenever the choose. Consequently, we just have to somehow believe our own eyes, despite what the media comes up with.

Just as the NYT ‘used’ to be a great newspaper, so has the LAT now been bought and sold. From time to time, a good piece of journalism still makes it through. But in politics, that isn’t always the case, and especially if the poll was conducted by Bloomberg, Inc.

In my observations, McCain may have a tight race with Hillary, if only because she at least appears to now be in favor of ending the war, though that’s really new. Obama would clearly beat him, decisively, because Americans are sick of war, and they’re sick of corruption, and their sick of the fact that tons of blood and treasure are being laundered through the sands of the Middle East.

At some point in the general election, McCain’s current NON-existent platform would come to light. Because, despite what he may have done in the past, his entire priority NOW, is on the non-existent ‘war on terror’ and the belief that global terrorism is the biggest threat the US currently faces.

By now, most folks know what a crock of BS that is. The ONLY reason that McCain has come to the top of the repug heap, is because he’s so far had zero competition, at least among the mainstream repugs. But in the general election, he would be toast.

Howard:

Brooks calls each of the five “positive” points a “crusade.”  George Bush referred to the war on terror as a “crusade” against “Islamofascism” - a “crusade” that John McCain very vocally supports.

Personally, I think we have had enough “crusades” - and TALK of “crusades” - for a while.

Peace.

I suggest to you Mr Scheer that you spend your time on more productive pursuits than the garbage the Times prints.Maybe in your next column you can dissect the newest column by that unbiased reporter they have hired William Kristol.Or may I suggest one of the many articles by Judith Miller.I must end this because the Times is such a waste of time to discuss.All the prpaganda that can fit on one page.

Remember when Hussein was denying he had nerve gas and the reactionaries in charge were saying they had the receipts to prove it?
As this lobbyist was paid by the industry, does the Times stop before showing the receipts because that would show them to be implicated along with the rest of the moguls? Are they withholding to suit their purpose and running this out before McCain is the designated nominee to make it an non-issue? Because, I remember a similar situation of Bush I having this affair,,, and the media dropping it.
Truly, the Times raising this issue now and the way in which they have, brings up more questions.

Admiral McPain’s support of American Imperialism and his inability to triangulate that mono-vision back to the bankruptcy both financially and morally of the country prove without a doubt that John McCain is outstandingly wrong for America.

I remember that question to Hillary by someone on the campaign trail:  would she try to re-instate the laws that prohibit one person, or one entity, from owning too many newspapers, radio and tv stations.  And I remember her non-answer.  Who thinks Hillary’s agreement with Rupert was that she would not promote divestment of consolidated media ownership if Rupert would agree not to use his media empire to attack her when she runs for president? 

The dangers of consolidated media ownership are so frightening.  Way beyond having Fox own everything and dictate what may or may not be covered in the nightly news, there is also the threat to democracy.  Let’s say, for example, that three people own most of the media.  They pick the candidate who promises to give them the most money, subsidies, tax breaks, and other benefits, and support that candidate.

But beyond that, they can simply refuse to allow other candidates any advertising time:  refuse to include them in debates (like Kucinich), refuse to let them run commercials on TV (as Move-on has been blocked), refuse to allow them to run ads in newspapers promoting other candidates. 

One of the first things we need to do if a Democrat is elected is to demand immediate divestment of media ownership.  We need serious restrictions on one person or entity, or related entities, owning multiple media.

I don’t know anything about the book business, but apparently some of the big publishers are owned by the same people who own the TV, newspapers, and radio.  Talk about complete control of content available to the public.  I remember discussion about Newt Gingrich supporting the law allowing media consolidation and being given a multi-million dollar book deal, which some saw as a quid pro quo.  Was the same true for the Clintons?  Didn’t they both get multi-million dollar book deals?  Was that after the 1996 new law?

Actually, maybe the first thing we need to do is to pass a law making it illegal for anyone to offer or give anything of value to any candidate, politician, or family member, along with very limited public financing.  If we don’t stop the politicians from accepting bribes, we don’t stand a chance.

Hey G.Anderson…

The idea behind the breakup of AT&T;was to create competition and eventually deregulated the industry.  Well that worked well, but only for the telephone industry as consumer costs rose.  The same thing happened when the power industry and cable industries were deregulated——eventual higher costs to their customers.  But that’s aggressive capitalism for you.  The competition that was suppose to keep prices in check never materialized——gee I wonder why??

It is obvious that necessary utilities have to be regulated in some fashion or the consumer will always lose to the shareholder.  In times of economic stress all parties must share the burden including stockholders.

It’s not a Democratic trick. It’s just the incompetence of the New York Times, actually a fairly conservative newspaper, publishing stories that even a more liberal paper (like the Washington Post) wouldn’t touch.

Try not to equate the Times with either Democrats or ‘liberalism’ (whatever that is). The Times is a business trying to hawk papers at anyone’s expense.

BTW - McCain vs Obama is a field of dreams. When was the last time we had this quality facing off in a presidential race?

......“the endless barking of a guard dog…”

Brilliant.

....Careful, Careful….

....As We Think, So We Become…

Just the other day I was talking to an AT&T;operator about the era when the government broke up the phone companies..She remembered those days well, and now we’re back to where we we’re before.

We discussed the government propaganda about how wonderful things would be for the consumer, but how we ended up paying much more money for our phone service.

We both agreed that eventually we’ll go through another period where the government decides to break the large corporations up again using anti monopoly laws, we’ll be told how much money we’ll save by increased competition, but in the end it will only be the corporations that make money on the deal.

I think it’s worth noting, that because of those landmark communication bills, we are much less informed as a nation, much more fragmented and subjected to endless hours of right wing talking heads whose never ending delusions of a conservative nirvana have poisoned the political dialogue, until it resembles the endless barking of a guard dog.

^ very good point…right on!!!!!!

^ collective intelligence of the American people deems that McCain is the “One”, when a democrat Porky pig should win by a landslide, then we deserve the thing we get.  If this is the voice of democracy; then I submit that democracy is a failed experiment.  The people are truly ignorant and do get the thing they want.  The only problem is that the people don’t even know what they want………a most damning position.  It’s a pity/tragedy when fear is the leader…..into the meat grinder of fascism.

^

“Refute with scholarship only.”  Bite me.

McCain is probably the best Republican left in the race.  David Brooks is a cherry picking conservative.  Lie down with lobbyists, (did you know they are paid to act like friends?) and you will wake up with fleeced citizens.  He, like anyone else would, is having his opinion manipulated daily by the lobbyists he’s around whether he knows it or not.  I believe he doesn’t.  His judgement is flawed either way for even allowing the appearance of corruption.  I believe he thinks of himself as superior to all others and that he’s so honest that he doesn’t need to worry about what we think, (except he wants us to vote for him). He thinks he’s too smart to be taken in by big money but that’s not very smart.

As for experience on national defense, if our next president is going to be captured by the enemy, John’s the guy we all should want.  I think it’s extremely unfair for someone to commit us to a hundred year occupation when he won’t be around for hardly any of it.

Here are just a few of the reasons why McCain is head and shoulders above the other candidates.

Refute with scholarship only.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/26/opinion/26brooks.html?_r=1&scp=9&sq=february+26+2008&st=nyt&oref=slogin

I don’t get it.  There is SO much to legitimately challenge John McCain about, that accusing him of dropping his pants with a pretty lobbyist without proof is just Democrats using Karl Rove’s dirty tricks.

I just got a mailing from the DNC ranting and raving about McCain’s decision to forego Federal funding for the primaries—some sort of paperwork that he didn’t file.  Who cares?

Attack McCain for supporting this idiotic war, for believing that Al Qaeda had contacts with Hussein, for wanting to escalate to attack Iran.

Attack McCain for his support of the erosion of civil liberties, for caving in on torture DESPITE being tortured himself.

Attack McCain for kow-towing to the religious right, for ignoring his base—the mavericks who don’t like neo-cons or fundies.

If McCain picks a centrist VP he will be hard to beat. But if he picks a rightwing-nut, he’ll be like the captive birds Cheney likes to shoot.

So tie McCain to Cheney, to Bush, to Rice, Tom DeLay, etc.

If the LA Times/Bloomberg poll is correct (see today’s LAT, Peter Wallsten article), McCain would win the general election.  Obama and Clinton are trailing in the overall popularity survey.  Democrats seem to be in big trouble.  There is less than eight months to turn that around.  Could either Obama or Clinton do that?  Democrats must win this time or we are all dead meat, not just the soldiers in Iraq.  The Democratic convention is going to be a crucial event.  Obviously the complaints being made against McCain’s two-faced walking sideways campaign financing is not getting much attention either by MSM, who is ignoring it as an issue, or the FEC…or the public for that matter. 

The FEC, which regulates campaign financing, is currently enfeebled by four empty commissioner seats.  Shouldn’t we wonder why Bush and the Senate have retarded any selection of these posts?  It is interesting how noxious as simple a thing as a deficient commission can be and how when we aren’t looking, elections can be washed pale. 

With the polls cut in the perennial percentage pie chart segments, also here comes Nader the spoiler again deluded in his thinking that he has even a rat’s ass chance to win the presidency.  That isn’t going to happen.  But he will help the Republicans win again and we will have more of the same as we have had for the last seven years.  And if you think that it has been a good seven years for most Americans then you need to be put in the nut house. 

It is hard to believe that I would be the first to make a comment on this article.