Classic Jon Stewart

It was fun to watch Stewart dismantle Glenn Beck's argument that progressivism was the disease that ails America. At the Annual CPAC conference, Beck launched into a tirade that blamed everyone from Teddy Roosevelt to FDR for the malaise facing the American economy... (Teddy Roosevelt? Really?!) At one point Beck claimed that he learned all of his quasi anti-progressive American history from the Library at which point Stewart stopped and said:

"Glenn, the library isn't free! It's paid for with tax money. Free public libraries are the result of the Progressive movement to communally share books. The first public library was the Boston public library in 1854. It's statement of purpose: every citizen has the right to access community owned resources. Community owned? That sounds just like communist. You're a communist!"

It just reminds me that on a fundamental level even my sense of humor tilts to the left. Stewart, for the most part, bases his humor on showing how off, how stupid, and how ass-backward his targets are. Beck, on the other hand, tends to base his humor on the grand idea that we are all victims of a conspiracy. To my mind one of the problems with Beck's thesis is that the conservatives are honest and pure in their intentions. But, once we start shining the light on one conspiracy can the Republicans really stand up to such scrutiny? Won't we find just as many holes in conservatism as progressivism? To state it more clearly, I don't think either point of view has a lock on the truth. Both need each other and unfortunately we are stuck in the middle. I think change will happen but it's not going to be as neat and tidy as Obama lead us to believe.

Bullies

As much as I want to continue to rail against the dark presence of Goldman Sachs and their evil emperor Lloyd Blankfein, my attention has be drawn to another phantom menace: Bullies and Stupidity.
I was watching the Daily Show last night when the portly Newt Gingrich rolled out on stage. He was wearing smug suspenders of confidence to hold up his 60" pants. As he an Jon Stewart tussled over various issues they came to Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and the trial that was to take place in New York. Stewart correctly stated that Richard Reid the shoe bomber was tried in US court under the Bush administration and Gingrich falsely stated that Reid was a US citizen. Where were the right-wingers when 289 terrorist were tried in US courts under Bush?
The discussion went on to talk about Miranda rights and why Obama doesn't "get" how to try terrorist. Never mind the disaster Bush created. Never mind the black eye and loss or moral standing the Bush brought about. Never mind the recruitment tool Gitmo is. Gingrich spoke and his followers listened. Republicans have taken to the position that military tribunals are the best way to go and treating the terrorist thugs as criminals is wrong. The sad thing is that too many people below 35˚ north agree with Gingrich. The very people who are chanting for Obama to read the constitution are the same people who would throw it away and forsake our court system, arguably the best in the world.

Just Make It Simple

Last night Jon Stewart interviewed Doris Kearns Goodwin, noted presidential historian. In his first question about the SOTU he asked what she thought and she said I thought his words were good but will they lead to action. She gave the example of LBJ in '65 talked about Medicare, Education, and Black voting rights and he got them all in six months time. Later in the interview Jon Stewart said Reagan was able to articulate a simple vision... with health care why can't they say here's the four things that are broken: pre-existing conditions, drug prices, expand medicare to 55, and revamp tort reform. Let's fix that. Wow that makes sense and the Republicans know it. Already the Repubs are starting to say we want to take simple steps instead of 1000 page bills. I know that changing legislation is messy and it can't be broken down into four bullet points but the message and vision could be simplified.

Why does Jon Stewart get this and the rest of the media are fumbling around with their heads up their asses?