Ramirez on current gas prices

How the media botched the explanation of how they botched their reporting

 Ethel C. Fenig, quoting columnist T.A. Grant (Frank?) from The New Republic:

How did many fine, otherwise fair-minded journalists allow their judgment to become so clouded?

"Whoops! The problem shows up immediately: basic premise wrong so mostly everything flowing from it will be wrong. Maybe theses journalists were fine to Grant but they were not "otherwise fair-minded" and seemed to have very little judgment. Diversity be damned, the default, normal position for journalists at most of the dominant media is liberal; anything else is considered a deviation. Babble about neutrality and objectivity and even fair-mindedness but study after study confirms this the lack of objectivity, lack of neutrality, inherent biases in all angles of reporting and the liberal/left tilt."

The Times Loses It; Sense and nonsense about Tucson.

Weekly Standard  "A reaction so disproportionate and immaterial to a news story by a news organization is indicative of trouble in the body politic​—​trouble almost as severe as that which the Times claims the Giffords shooting indicates. I worry that in the tremors and hysteria of the Times we’re seeing the sad end of liberalism." P.J. O'Rourke

P.J. O'Rourke: 'We are seeing the sad end of liberalism'  "The kind of classical liberalism that birthed the labor movement, gave impetus to civil rights, and tried to soften the hard edges of capitalism is dead. It died in the protest movement of the late 1960's when those hostile to the American experiment supplanted liberals like Humphrey and Jackson, replacing them with Barney Frank and Dennis Kucinich types. Bred for combat with the right and completely unaware - or unconcerned - about the effects of their radical policies, the New Left has driven us over a cliff."

Frederick Douglass’s Irrepressible Faith in America

PBS photo

Heritage  "Myers goes on to recount the story of how Douglass, who as a former slave initially sided with the abolitionists of the day in rejecting America and its Constitution “for supporting and perpetuating this monstrous system of injustice and blood,” eventually developed, through a careful study of the Founding, an “irrepressible faith in America.” In America’s dedication to principles of natural human rights set forth in the Declaration of Independence, Douglass found reason to love and identify with his country, despite the injustices that he and his people had suffered.
"Douglass’s uplifting journey from alienation to a “rationally grounded hopefulness” should embolden all those of us who believe in America and her dedication—shaky at times, but always eventually triumphant—to the natural equality of men."

William Lloyd Garrison

Frederick Douglass "Ever since he first met [William Lloyd] Garrison in 1841, the white abolitionist leader had been Douglass' mentor. But the views of Garrison and Douglass ultimately diverged. Garrison represented the radical end of the abolitionist spectrum. He denounced churches, political parties, even voting. He believed in the dissolution (break up) of the Union. He also believed that the U.S. Constitution was a pro-slavery document. After his tour of Europe and the establishment of his paper, Douglass' views began to change; he was becoming more of an independent thinker, more pragmatic. In 1851 Douglass announced at a meeting in Syracuse, New York, that he did not assume the Constitution was a pro-slavery document, and that it could even "be wielded in behalf of emancipation," especially where the federal government had exclusive jurisdiction. Douglass also did not advocate the dissolution of the Union, since it would isolate slaves in the South. This led to a bitter dispute between Garrison and Douglass that, despite the efforts of others such as Harriet Beecher Stowe to reconcile the two, would last into the Civil War. "
More here:

Shields Asks Krauthammer 'Did Palin Unintentionally Make the Story About Herself and Not Tucson?'

Newsbusters  "Mark Shields on Friday actually asked Charles Krauthammer if Sarah Palin unintentionally made last Saturday's shootings about herself and not the tragic event.

"Krauthammer not only set the substitute host of PBS's "Inside Washington" straight, but also called for an apology from all those that shamefully tied the former Alaska governor to this awful tragedy (video follows with transcript and commentary):"

A Congress that reasserts its power

George F. Will  "Two years into Barack Obama's presidency, we now know what he meant about "hope" and "change" - he and other progressives hope to change our national character. Three weeks into his presidency, Newsweek, unhinged by adoration of him and allowing its wishes to father its thoughts, announced that "we are all socialists now" and that America "is moving toward a modern European state." The electorate emphatically disagreed and created the 112th Congress, with its exceptionally important agenda."

Kerby Anderson: Federal Salaries

Point of View  "One article in USA Today reported that federal employees making salaries of $100,000 or more jumped from 14 percent to 19 percent during the recession's first 18 months. Many American taxpayers see this as evidence by the current administration to grow the federal government at the expense of the private economy."

Propaganda techniques in light of the Tucson shootings (Updated)

Name calling  "What does the name mean? Does the idea in question have a legitimate connection with the real meaning of the name? Is an idea that serves my best interests being dismissed through giving it a name I don't like? Leaving the name out of consideration, what are the merits of the idea itself?"

Glittering generalities  "The Institute for Propaganda Analysis suggested a number of questions that people should ask themselves when confronted with this technique:

What does the virtue word really mean?
Does the idea in question have a legitimate connection with the real meaning of the word:
Is an idea that does not serve my best interests being "sold" to me merely through its being given a name that I like? Leaving the virtue word out of consideration, what are the merits of the idea itself?

Euphemisms  "When propagandists use glittering generalities and name-calling symbols, they are attempting to arouse their audience with vivid, emotionally suggestive words. In certain situations, however, the propagandist attempts to pacify the audience in order to make an unpleasant reality more palatable. This is accomplished by using words that are bland and euphemistic."

 Transfer  "...propagandists may attempt to transfer the reputation of "Science" or "Medicine" to a particular project or set of beliefs. A slogan for a popular cough drop encourages audiences to "Visit the halls of medicine." On TV commercials, actors in white lab coats tell us that the "Brand X is the most important pain reliever that can be bought without a prescription." In both of these examples, the transfer technique is at work."

 Testimonial  "The most common misuse of the testimonial involves citing individuals who are not qualified to make judgements about a particular issue. In 1992, Barbara Streisand supported Bill Clinton, and Arnold Schwarzenegger threw his weight behind George Bush. Both are popular performers, but there is no reason to think that they know what is best for this country. "

Plain folks  "We are all familiar with candidates who campaign as political outsiders, promising to "clean out the barn" and set things straight in Washington. The political landscape is dotted with politicians who challenge a mythical "cultural elite," presumably aligning themselves with "ordinary Americans." As baby boomers approach their sixth decade, we are no longer shocked by the sight of politicians in denim who listen to rock and roll."

 More here.  The Tunnel Wall is itself propaganda; all the articles we choose reflect the beliefs expressed in our statements in the right sidebar, to wit:
  The Democrat Party is not the party of tolerance and free expression, but a party dominated by socialist-leaning people who consider business and profit-making to be anathema.
  Democrat-party-sympathisers dominate the information industry and their ideas permeate the movies, entertainment, programs and music we absorb. Our very cultural foundations and the underpinnings of a free society are undermined by their words and actions.
  "Peace" and tolerance must be preached to those who would stand up to murderous philosophies. The actions of those who murder and terrorize must be understood as caused by others who have treated them unfairly. Among the left, what was once evil has now become good.
   The philosophies and deeds of the political left are sucking the very life and energy out of American society and our can-do outlook toward challenges. More and more of our actions and choices are being determined by bureaucracies and regulations, over one hundred recently being created by ObamaCare.
  My seventy-plus years has seen decades of resistance to socialism and it's suppression of  freedom and prosperity. It is beyond comprehension to see so many Americans now so anxious to embrace it.
  All this is behind the choice of columns in the Tunnel Wall.
  Bill Hayden, the Tunnel Dweller

The comment to this post is by Laird Wilcox, who blogs at ideologicalskeptic. He writes in his blog:

The Ideological Skeptic

My intention is to help promote the study of political, religious and ideological fanaticism and extremism, to promote the objective study of political psychology with particular emphasis on the practices of propaganda, persuasion and deception, and to promote the classical liberal view of civil liberties, freedom of expression and individual rights. I have compiled large collections of quotations on these subjects which I plan to offer as free downloadable PDF files in the [n]ear future.

Political Vultures; The sick art of turning insanity into politics

Paul Krugman

Victor Davis Hanson  "Third, the outrage of Daly, Krugman, Sullivan, and others is partisan and transparently self-serving. Paul Krugman would have more credibility on the topic of extreme rhetoric had he written a column a few years ago warning Americans that it was one thing to oppose George W. Bush, but quite another to publish a novel envisioning the assassination of the president, or to award first prize at the Toronto Film Festival to a “docudrama” constructing the shooting of Bush, or to compare one’s opponents (as Al Gore and John Glenn did) to “brownshirts” and “Hitler.” Did we ever hear from Andrew Sullivan to cool the sick rhetoric about Sarah Palin, in worries that his incessant rumor-mongering about her supposed faked pregnancies had reached the point of dehumanization?

"If crazed gunmen are sadly a periodic characteristic of American culture, so are political vultures who scavenge political capital as they pick through the horrific violence.

That Krugman article: Assassination Attempt In Arizona  "You know that Republicans will yell about the evils of partisanship whenever anyone tries to make a connection between the rhetoric of Beck, Limbaugh, etc. and the violence I fear we’re going to see in the months and years ahead. But violent acts are what happen when you create a climate of hate. And it’s long past time for the GOP’s leaders to take a stand against the hate-mongers.
"Update: I see that Sarah Palin has called the shooting “tragic”. OK, a bit of history: right-wingers went wild over anyone who called 9/11 a tragedy, insisting that it wasn’t a tragedy, it was an atrocity.
"Update: I’m going to take down comments on this one; they would need a lot of moderating, because the crazies are coming out in force, and it’s all too likely to turn into a flame war."

Back to Court to Stop Ground Zero Mosque

American Center for Law and Justice "Our legal case to stop the building of the Ground Zero Mosque in New York City is moving forward with an important filing today at the Supreme Court of the State of New York, where we already have filed a lawsuit challenging the project."

Lawsuit Filed to Stop the Ground Zero Mosque  "The group also pointed to the developers' application for $5 million in public funding through the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation as an indication that the project is moving forward."  Atlas Shrugs.

Watching Obama’s Tucson Speech from Behind Enemy Lines

Pajamas Media  "Over the course of visits here, my life and politics have steadily moved right, even as the retreat staff seems to have moved left. Most people I encounter here during “talking meals” never met a war or any armed conflict they tolerated, or an illegal immigrant they didn’t embrace with open arms. I’ve been tempted to ask whether these kind pacifists approved of the Revolutionary or Civil Wars but have bit my tongue and let it go. So I’ve learned to keep to keep a tight lip and keep my motto in Tucson: stay contemplative and quiet with controversy."

If you missed the rock concert memorial service but still want to pick-up a T-shirt, no worries: Ebay has you covered.

Tucson Shooting Victim Who Blamed Palin Arrested for Death Threat

Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion "I posted yesterday about Eric Fuller, who blamed Sarah Palin and others for the Tucson shooting by Jared Loughner.

"Now Fuller has been arrested for making a death threat against a local tea party leader:"

http://www.worldmag.com/editorialcartoons/

Tucson tea party leader Trent Humphries was threatened today during an interview with ABC.

"UPDATE….. The unhinged leftist J. Eric Fuller was charged with with threats and intimidation and he also will be charged with disorderly conduct."

Tucson Shooting Survivor: "It Looks Like Palin, Beck, Sharron Angle and the Rest Got Their First Target"
From DemocracyNow.org