Comments on: Conventions http://www.gorkyrises.com/2008/09/05/conventions/ the writings of C.J. Nolan Mon, 16 Jan 2012 18:35:53 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: mburma http://www.gorkyrises.com/2008/09/05/conventions/comment-page-1/#comment-3212 mburma Sat, 06 Sep 2008 09:19:50 +0000 http://www.gorkyrises.com/2008/09/05/conventions/#comment-3212 The next three months are going to be a cash fueled mud fest... like always only more cash. And especially now that Pallin has "energized" the Christian Right. Didn't the term 'christian' mean a follower of the teachings of Christ? when did that stop exactly? The next three months are going to be a cash fueled mud fest… like always only more cash. And especially now that Pallin has “energized” the Christian Right.

Didn’t the term ‘christian’ mean a follower of the teachings of Christ? when did that stop exactly?

]]> By: Ray Waldron http://www.gorkyrises.com/2008/09/05/conventions/comment-page-1/#comment-3198 Ray Waldron Sat, 06 Sep 2008 01:31:42 +0000 http://www.gorkyrises.com/2008/09/05/conventions/#comment-3198 First, thankfully the conventions are over so I can now get some sleep. I am getting old! Second, can anyone on the tickets talk about the issues and not engage in the playground name calling? While Obama has done the least of this, I nearly threw the tv out the window with Rudy "My Favorite # is 911" Giuliani doing more trash talking than Stephon Marbury and then Gov Sarah "Abstinence Works" Palin continue the piling on of comments(the aforementioned nicknames were added for your ironic twists of the day). It would be refreshing to hear both sides say that their plan is better than their opponent because of this or that. It would be great to hear someone today refer to the notion of the loyal opposition, a quaint idea which was good enough for those who founded this country and good enough for Abraham Lincoln throughout his career and even good enough for Ronald Reagan who had a great deal of respect and affection for Tip O'Neill. In today's world of Hannity and Colmes, Bill O'Reilly, and even Keith Olberman the notion of someone having an opposing viewpoint is characterized the same way the current President Bush said "Either you are with us or you are against us". There is no respect; there is no middle ground (and lets get a clue folks life is all about the middle ground). Having an intelligent and respectful conversation about the issues is just no fun unless we can somehow turn it into a verbal pro wrestling match complete with villains and good guys. I am afraid that we will continue to spiral further down until the national discourse resembles the backyard wrestling you can see on YouTube. People like Ann Coulter, Rush Limbaugh and Jay Severin do nothing to add to our national conversation. They merely establish divisions among the populace with their name calling thus making it easier for their respective marketing departments to optimize ratings and ad revenue. Somewhere (Philadelphia, actually) Ben Franklin is spinning in his grave. The Daily Show, thankfully, has skewered those in need of such a treatment in a manner that is truly fair and balanced (no apologies to the "Fogs" News Network - more irony). Here is to Jon Stewart, our last best hope. First, thankfully the conventions are over so I can now get some sleep. I am getting old!

Second, can anyone on the tickets talk about the issues and not engage in the playground name calling? While Obama has done the least of this, I nearly threw the tv out the window with Rudy “My Favorite # is 911″ Giuliani doing more trash talking than Stephon Marbury and then Gov Sarah “Abstinence Works” Palin continue the piling on of comments(the aforementioned nicknames were added for your ironic twists of the day).

It would be refreshing to hear both sides say that their plan is better than their opponent because of this or that. It would be great to hear someone today refer to the notion of the loyal opposition, a quaint idea which was good enough for those who founded this country and good enough for Abraham Lincoln throughout his career and even good enough for Ronald Reagan who had a great deal of respect and affection for Tip O’Neill. In today’s world of Hannity and Colmes, Bill O’Reilly, and even Keith Olberman the notion of someone having an opposing viewpoint is characterized the same way the current President Bush said “Either you are with us or you are against us”. There is no respect; there is no middle ground (and lets get a clue folks life is all about the middle ground).

Having an intelligent and respectful conversation about the issues is just no fun unless we can somehow turn it into a verbal pro wrestling match complete with villains and good guys. I am afraid that we will continue to spiral further down until the national discourse resembles the backyard wrestling you can see on YouTube. People like Ann Coulter, Rush Limbaugh and Jay Severin do nothing to add to our national conversation. They merely establish divisions among the populace with their name calling thus making it easier for their respective marketing departments to optimize ratings and ad revenue. Somewhere (Philadelphia, actually) Ben Franklin is spinning in his grave.

The Daily Show, thankfully, has skewered those in need of such a treatment in a manner that is truly fair and balanced (no apologies to the “Fogs” News Network – more irony). Here is to Jon Stewart, our last best hope.

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