Letters to the Editor
rbsimon
Published Letters: 19 Editor's Choice: 1
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"Not In Iraq on September the 11th"
[Read the article: Bush wins back the ditto-heads]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]We WERE in Iraq on September 11, 2001 -- in fact, we were in military control of much of the country, enforcing the no fly zones.
So why does the Bush Administration continue to insist otherwise?
http://scorpionbowl.blogspot.com/2007/07/not-in-iraq-on-91101-bush-herring.html
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My Name Is Tony
[Read the article: Quote of the day]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]You said "liar", but my name is Tony.
So, clearly, you weren't talking about me.
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Social Consensus Heuristic
[Read the article: Taser nation]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]The reason protestors are not allowed is so that they don't get on camera.
The Bush rallies have relied on use of what social psychologists call the social consensus heuristic -- a signal that, hey, everybody else thinks this is just great; I should too!
It is what is at work in the late night infomercials, where a crowd of "chefs" ooh and ahhh over some new kitchen weasel.
At home, we think, wow, all those chefs love it -- it must be great. What's the number?
Bush's rallies are just the same. In 2004, a crowd of 500 at a Bush rally sounded, on the radio, like the crowd at the Led Zeppelin reunion concert on the verge of the Stairway to Heaven encore (a more gracious comparison than Berlin 1936).
At the same time, Kerry's rallies, which were open and had Bruce Springsteen and crowds in the thousands, sounded sedate -- and hecklers were allowed.
On the radio, the Bush people were really, really excited.
And the Kerry rally sounded really comparatively sedate and uninspired.
And that has a psychological effect on those listening (or watching) at home.
Hecklers sort of spoil the effect. Which is why pre-screened audience members were instructed to chant USA! USA!, tear signs out of little old ladys' hands, deny entry to Americans who merely look like they might disagree.
And it worked.
Like here: http://www.wsbtv.com/news/9161291/detail.html
Of course, the folks in the crowd looked like brownshirts -- and tht's exactly how they were being used.
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Seen it before.
[Read the article: Here's what waterboarding looks like]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I recall seeing a very similar simulation a few years ago, when this first came out.
From what I recall, it was on FOX, and the television personality came out saying, well, it wasn't so bad.
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He Already Dinged Hillary
[Read the article: Goodbye, "Decider." Hello, "Mr. Interrupter"]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]He already dinged Hillary for President -- most likely so Jeb can run against her in 2012.
For the same reason that Hillary did not seem particularly excited about electing John Kerry in 2004. Because he would be running unopposed (in primary) for re-election today.
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While We're Assigning Chairs By Quota ...
[Read the article: Romney's not-so-clarifying clarification]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]We'd also have to have, in Romney's proportionally-represented cabinet, something on the order of 50% Democrats.
Give or take.
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Hero versus the Climate Criminals
[Read the article: Al Gore on the unhappiest of anniversaries]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]The election of 2000 was a pivotal moment for the natural history of humans on earth.
The energy industries picked their man and bought the White House in 2000 to prevent Gore from taking office and taking action on climate change.
And for seven years and counting, the dumping of carbon into the atmosphere continued unabated. The icecaps thawed, new shipping lanes opened, arctic ocean drilling became possible, and the corporate executives at Exxon got very, very, very rich. As did the Saudis, Dick Lesar of Halliburton, and the family Bush.
http://scorpionbowl.blogspot.com/2007/12/climate-crimes-against-humanity.html
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She Wasn't Kidding
[Read the article: "Oh, Dana"]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]She wasn't kidding. My jaw pretty much hit the steering wheel.
She seemed to have little idea (or concern) that the panelists and host were actually laughing in disbelief at what a complete fool she was.
And what complete fools we all are.
That the mouthpiece of the "leader of the free world" is not even slightly embarassed to admit on national media that she does not know the basics about American history shows what this Administration is all about: shameless ignorance.
And the state of our nation -- down the long slide to Idiocracy.
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Outstanding.
[Read the article: Tom the Dancing Bug]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]You nailed it.
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Lousy Moderator
[Read the article: A Democratic donnybrook]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]ABC's moderator, Charlie Gibson, picked a pretty good format -- which allowed for real, fairly substantive back and forth.
Pretty clear where his sympathies lie: he hounded the Democrats on traditionally "Republican" issues, such as the threat of nuclear terrorism -- but he did no such hounding of the Republicans about Democratic issues such as global warming or energy policy, or health care, or education. In fact there was NO talk of education (meaning Gibson didn't ask a question about it), except when Richardson brought up that point.
Gibson also allowed Romney top basically become the moderator. Romney got to pipe in after every comment by anyone else. It allowed him to look like the alpha he was trying to be -- the chairman of the board. Too bad the board really looked like a board of egotistical dickheads, beating each other up over the chance to bully and belittle Ron Paul.
The most stunning was, during the Democratic debate, Gibson's confident assertion (during the WMUR politics editor's assault on Democrats' pledges to roll back Bush's tax cuts for the wealthy) that raising taxes on families with incomes above $200,000 would affect two-professor couples who work at Saint Anselm College.
The crowd laughed at him. At home, we two teachers -- one "part time" college professor, one middle school teacher -- slapped our foreheads. Then he tried to correct himself by asserting that, maybe, two public school teachers in New York City make over $200,000.
Yeah. Over the course of 2-3 years, maybe.
Gibson has a major, major case of head-up-ass disease.
This is the guy they get to ask the questions?
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Bush Tactic
[Read the article: Clinton gets emotional]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]It's a Bush tactic -- she's responding to a plant asking her why she's so wonderful.
If it were Bush, he would talk about his religious faith.
Hillary is putting on an Oprah performance.
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Ct'd.
[Read the article: Clinton gets emotional]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Note, for example, how effortlessly she slips into her stock attack on Obama.