Letters to the Editor
Nequals1
Published Letters: 332 Editor's Choice: 7
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@ Quiet Type
[Read the article: Michael Mukasey's tearful lies]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I can only say thank you to Glenn Greenwald for having the endurance to take on these endless layers of lies and hope that somebody in the MSM reads this article and distributes it or at least cribs from it!
Dan Froomkin gets at a great deal of the portion that concerns the White House and Scott Horton covers some of it as it pertains to the DOJ at Harpers. Charlie Savage writes about the usurpation of executive power.
But I get out of media discussions the idea that it's mainstream editors and publishers who put the brakes on coverage of this, for the most part.
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What is the take away?
[Read the article: Michael Mukasey's tearful lies]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I took your copy, Glenn and played with it a bit. What take away phrase, slogan or message do you want? (title of the ad?)
In Russia, China, Saudi Arabia, and North Korea, government spies on citizens.
Political leaders exercise unlimited power with no oversight. They make the law and break the law.
In America, we demand and deserve better. [patriotic, uplifting music -- inspiring photos]. What has always made America different -- and what makes us free and great -- is that all politicians are limited in their powers, and everyone must obey the law.
George Bush and Dick Cheney have been demanding these un-American powers.
And Congressman Chris Carney has been voting -- time after time -- to give them whatever they want.
To spy on American citizens. To listen to our calls and read our emails with no warrants. And even to allow the richest corporations to break our laws at will.
That's not American.
And it's not only Bush who will use the massive powers Carney is giving. Future Presidents will use them as well [flash pictures of McCain, Obama, Clinton].
We sent Chris Carnery to Congress to fight for our district and keep our nation both strong and free -- not to be a rubber stamp for whatever Bush and his rich corporate donors demand.
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John Yoo Advertised as Media Expert on UC Berkeley site
[Read the article: John Yoo's war crimes]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Sorry if this is a repeat, but did anyone notive that UC Berkeley continues to list Yoo on its media/speakers bureau site?as an expert
http://www.berkeley.edu/news/extras/experts/yoo.html
Expertise:
Constitutional and international law issues, affirmative action, civil procedure, public lawmaking, civil rights, class action law, federal and state constitutional law, U.S. Supreme Court, European Union, extradition, international human rights, international courts of justice.
Yoo has published articles about foreign affairs, international law and constitutional law in a number of the nation’s leading law journals, including the law reviews of Boalt Hall, University of Chicago, Columbia University, University of Michigan, University of Pennsylvania and University of Texas. He is the author of "War, Peace, and the Constitution," (University of Chicago Press) 2004.
Contact:
(510) 643-5089
E-mail: yoo@law.berkeley.edu
Additional contacts:
Janet Gilmore, Media Relations: (510) 642-5685
jangilmore@berkeley.edu
Roxanne Makasdjian, broadcast: (510) 642-6051, roxannem@berkeley.edu
I wonder what his fee and speaking schedule is?
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Are you distinguishing between and among....
[Read the article: The U.S. establishment media in a nutshell]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Investigative journalists, their editors, editorial staff, owners and publishers, pundits and commentators, and print and TV/radio reporters and commentators?
I ask becasue when I have attended venues discussing media accountability, invariably the investigative journalists reference the power over their stories held by their editors.
Editors as narrative gatekeepers put the IJs in a different light, and I wonder if you'd care to comment about that. (Referencing Charlie Savage, Dana Priest, Anne Hull,etc.)
I see the problem as multifold: a meta narrative controlled by consolidated big media owners and corporate investors, operational narratives distorted and controlled by pundits and commentators conflating commentary with news (marketshare trumps news), and operational narrative controlled by editors who gatekeep the "news" via coverage, column inches, airtime and story order placement. Then there's the marketing/advertising angle - where the advertisers control the news and stories with the use of withholding or buying ads.
With this hydra headed beast, won't it take a multiple-pronged approach to tame it and to bring it under control?
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One alternative to consider
[Read the article: The U.S. establishment media in a nutshell]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Advocating for the use of online accessible reporter, commentator, anchor, editor and publisher professional bios which address actual and potential conflicts of interest.
List their journalism credentials. List their past and present employers. List their family members and their corporate and media connections/influences.
Maintain a database as well so that the public can access professional resumes and a list of work by role - bylines, appearances, hosting, anchoring, reporting, editing, etc.
Every traditional media venue should have an "About" section entirely devoted to credentialing and transparency. I haven't read about journalism codes of ethics incorporating such an animal, but it seems as though it fits within a model of new media.
Certainly, bloggers who wish to be read as authorities on substantive issues should also be listing their credentials and sources of conflicts, as well, whether or not they are writing under pseudonym.
What are your thoughts and reactions? Is this already being done, and I've just not discovered it?
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A Iokannan in the Well
[Read the article: The U.S. establishment media in a nutshell]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Funny you should bring up avaition safety. I blog about it from time to time, and I follow the air traffic controller blogs. Did you know that air Force One was recently involved in an airspace separation problem? The sole person interested in the story as pitched is Dan Froomkin.
Southwest is the airline you are referring to, and Bobby Boutris is the name of one of the inspectors who whistle-blew and is now the recipient of at least one death threat. I betcha didn't know that Marion Blakely, the last FAA admin (the current appointment is stalled due to the usual Bush loyalty trumping competence and qualifications issue) went directly from there to a lobbyist position for airlines which are regulated by the - wait for it - FAA.
My latest aviation safety post is at the link under my name, and it contains links to the aviation and air traffic controller blogs. Your hair will stand on end. It may be of interest to know that many controllers will no longer fly themselves or their families, depending on the route and the airports involved.