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News/Politics 3-11-14

What’s interesting in the news today?

Open thread.

1. An update on the Ukraine situation.

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2. CBS and one of it’s reporters are parting ways. That’s a shame, she was one of the few willing to pursue scandals involving the Obama administration. It’s also why she’s leaving. It seems CBS doesn’t like that type of real investigative reporting.

From Politico  “CBS News investigative correspondent Sharyl Attkisson has reached an agreement to resign from CBS News ahead of contract, bringing an end to months of hard-fought negotiations, sources familiar with her departure told POLITICO on Monday.

Attkisson, who has been with CBS News for two decades, had grown frustrated with what she saw as the network’s liberal bias, an outsize influence by the network’s corporate partners and a lack of dedication to investigative reporting, several sources said. She increasingly felt that her work was no longer supported and that it was a struggle to get her reporting on air.

At the same time, Attkisson’s reporting on the Obama administration, which some staffers characterized as agenda-driven, had led network executives to doubt the impartiality of her reporting. She is currently at work on a book — tentatively titled “Stonewalled: One Reporter’s Fight for Truth in Obama’s Washington” — that addresses the challenges of reporting critically on the administration.”

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3. WHAT!!?? The Southern Poverty Law Center has a liberal bias too?

Oh say it ain’t so…. 🙄

From TheChristianPost  “The Southern Poverty Law Center’s “Hatewatch” fails to use objective criteria in determining which organizations should be labeled a “hate group,” George Yancey, professor of sociology at the University of North Texas, finds in a new study, “Watching the Watchers: The Neglect of Academic Analysis of Progressive Groups,” published in the January issue of the journal Academic Questions.

SPLC’s list dubiously lists Family Research Council as a hate group while ignoring anti-Christian groups that use similar rhetoric, which demonstrates that the list is more about mobilizing liberals than providing an objective source for hate groups, Yancey argues. SPLC has escaped critical analysis of its work in academia because of a liberal bias among academicians, the study additionally claims.

SPLC’s Hatewatch has become the definitive guide among some scholars, authors and media organizations to what is, or is not, a “hate group.” Conservatives have long criticized the list for labeling social conservative organizations, such as Family Research Council, as hate groups.”

“All the groups listed on Hatewatch, with the exception of black separatists, Yancey notes, are either political or religious conservatives. Yancey believes this is because SPLC is a liberal organization and it is using subjective criteria to choose which groups belong on the list.”

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23 thoughts on “News/Politics 3-11-14”

  3. Ricky, In a comment I made yesterday about the start of WW I, I said concerning Bismark.
    “Not only did Bismark know the score, he knew what game he was playing.”

    Our problem is that Obama thinks the game he’s playing is Climate Change and Income Redistribution. He is in a world that is playing games of hegemony and radical religious expansion, depending on the players.
    When, if ever, we wake up to discover what is going on, we will be out of chips.

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  5. Its always interesting to see people view current events from their own particular interest. Although the possibility of oil shale in eastern Europe may form part of the economic background, its far from the central focus. And the author fails to mention, most oil companies have left the area due to negative test results, only Chevron remains and it has yet to find a viable field. After initial optimism, the Poles are debating whether to go nuclear or for other sources (wind, sun) to weed themselves off Russian natural gas.

    Gates is right to assert the Crimea is gone. And despite Cheney’s assertion, this has nothing to do with Obama even St. Ronald could not have prevented it. With two air force bases and the Baltic fleet already in the Crimea and an ethnic composition 75% Russian, Russia already occupied the Crimea. And using the events of the past two months — an overthrow of an elected president, Putin has leveraged this into a takeover.

    The Crimean Russians have no desire to be ruled by nationalists from Lvov. Putin uses this to stoke nationalism back home where a little patriotism can override a growing opposition and make people forget a petro-state isn’t actually good for the overall economy.

    Obama has been playing the same game as his predecessors have done since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Roll back the curtain and slowly assimilate the East into the western economy. Using two institutions, NATO and EU, the West has slowly absorbed central Europe, most of the Balkans (Serbia is an exception and for their defiance they lost Kosovo and Montenegro) the Baltics and is now moving into more traditional Russian territory. In the early 2000s, the US and the EU tried to peel Georgia away using a populist revolt ie the Rose Revolution. Here, Putin drew the line and invaded Georgia and Bush, Cheney et al knew they had overreached and backed off. A similar attempt was made in 2004-5 in the Ukraine ie the Orange Revolution which was partially successful but unfortunately for Ukrainians, these leaders proved as corrupt as the pro-Russian politicians and the Ukraine stagnated. But to be safe, the Orange politicians were poisoned, assassinated or jailed. In the last few years, the EU has been slowly trying to integrate the Ukrainian economy and the now vetoed trade deal was a crucial step in moving Ukraine from Russia to Europe. When it was vetoed by a legitimately elected President (and I’m sure he was bribed by Putin) his opponents rioted and chased him out of the capital. For Putin, any attempt to peel the Ukraine away from the Russian sphere must be stopped if only to prevent the naval base from falling into western oriented hands. Hence, the Crimea is a deal breaker — he won’t let what he views as nationalists from Lvov anywhere near the place.

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  6. 2. The corporate news model has no room for investigative reporting of any kind. Corporate news consists of following the Kardashians around. When a reporter refuses to adopt the corporate model for which she is employed, she is agenda driven. An other words, here’s a reporter who refused to follow her employee’s business model and thus she was let go. Of course by wrapping herself in right wing victim hood, she will at least generate some publicity for the book deal.

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  7. I find it interesting that Russian scientists and leaders are allowed to objectively analyze facts, even if such analysis refutes sacred liberal beliefs.

    For example, the Russian scientist quoted in the article was able to denonstrate that most of the global warming hysteria is a load of manure. No Western scientist could safely take such a position.

    Similarly, Russian leaders haven’t accepted the recently created myth that homosexuals are “born that way”. Russians still understand that there are a number of factors that could lead a young person into perversion. American scientists understood this for decades until a few decades ago. Now, they have been forced to recant or be relegated to oblivion.

    “Science” in the West is a politically-correct joke. The Russians still have a space program. As Obama told the NASA head, his top priority is to make statements praising the scientific contributions of Muslims.

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  9. It’s OK though, the Obama admin is working on their latest recruitment tool to boost morale and increase troop levels. As soon as they complete their purge of existing troops, especially Christians and conservatives.

    http://conservativeangle.com/military-hiring-muslim-brotherhood-chaplains-again/

    “Here’s yet another example of “are we just that stupid?” When the truth lies right before you and you refuse to accept it, whose fault is that?”

    “Yes ladies and gents, our US military is recruiting Muslim chaplains from an organization with known ties to the Muslim Brotherhood. And if you’re somehow unfamiliar with the Muslim Brotherhood, please read the 1991 Explanatory Memorandum of the General Strategic Goal of the Ilkwan (Brotherhood) written by Mohammad Akram. The document, uncovered in an FBI raid, details the Brotherhoods planned infiltration of the US – and doggone if they’re not achieving their objectives.”

    “The two chaplains endorsed by ISNA are Sgt. Mustapha Rahouchen, who will be used by the U.S. Army, and Captain Rafael Lantiqua, who was chosen by the U.S. Air Force.

    The Muslim chaplaincy services for the military and prisons were started by Abdurrahman Alamoudi, who was convicted in 2003 on terrorism-related charges. He later admitted he was a secret member of the U.S. Muslim Brotherhood.”

    They’re even running recruiting ads in Brotherhood publications. When the Obama transformation of the military is complete, his dream military will be totally fabulous with gay pride parades and all, and leadership trained by terrorist sympathizers. What could possibly go wrong? Russia’s aggression is just the start.

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  10. One major difference I see is that previous administrations wouldn’t have been the butt of jokes about foreign leaders making a fool of them. We may not have liked Dubya or Slick Willy but we were patriotic enough that “he was our dog and we could kick him but nobody else could”. Today we have United States citizens taking sides with Putin against Obama and laughing about it.

    Guess we can’t all live in that mecca of perfection known as Canada.

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  12. Kim — you raise a good point. Leftist American couldn’t stand Bush and mocked him at every turn yet they wouldn’t cheer on Hussien or Osama. Now, we have right wing Americans who can’t stand Obama more or less siding with Putin. Hmm is the left more patriotic than the right?

    You’re welcome to make your way to the promised land any time but personally I’m not too please with my present government and am not too optimistic about the future.

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  13. An interesting commentary on the Ukraine situation. Interesting in that it supports the EU and believes that Putin and Russia are weak and susceptible to economic sanctions.

    http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2014/03/ukraine-goodbye-cold-war-hello-g-20143645051692739.html?fb_action_ids=370249069783694&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=other_multiline&action_object_map=%5B1430752633829522%5D&action_type_map=%5B%22og.likes%22%5D&action_ref_map=%5B%5D

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  15. Eh, I don’t think the left’s regard for Saddam was all that different than how the right are talking about Putin. Anyway, different situations. Comparisons don’t really go too far.

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  17. Here’s the subhead in the article linked by hwesseli:

    “A new report shows corporations like Koch Industries have gotten billions in government subsidies.”

    Thankfully, a growing portion (though not big enough) of the American “conservative” movement is outgrowing the politics of the ’90s and ’00s and committing themselves more to *principle* (e.g. *opposition* to the kinds of govt subsidies the article alleges) over personality (e.g., commitment to the Kochs or the likes of George W.–hence, the rise of the RINO moniker). Perhaps reference to articles like hwesseli’s are meant to sting “the right,” but it’s becoming more often the case that “the right” actually *makes use* of such articles to point out their proper distaste for govt involvement and overreach.

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  18. Is the left more patriotic than the right? No. I am an aberration in that I am one of the few conservatives I know that has completely given up on the US and desires for Texas and/or other Southern states to secede and recreate a nation that stands for free enterprise and against abortion and perversion. Most of my conservative neighbors still think the US can rebound and are the first to voice support for the US and join the military. However, I have noticed that liberals are much prouder of their country now that Obama is in charge.

    One thing that has happened in the last few months: The Social conservatives and the military hawks in the Republican Party are in full retreat. The future of that party belongs to moderate libertarians and people opposed to Neo-Conservative foreign interventions. Rand Paul, who is a kinder gentler version of his father is the man of the hour. He has a chance to be very competitive with young voters. I am not endorsing him. As noted above, I support secession, and no one could do more for that cause than Obama, although Hillary is probably equally despised down here.

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  19. The media likes to call Russia and Ukraine “kleptocracies” and talk about how much Putin and his cronies have received directly or indirectly from the government. I believe that coverage is accurate.

    Switzerland, Chile, and Germany are probably examples of governments that are somewhat free of corruption.

    The US is also a kleptocracy. “Civil Rights” leaders shake down companies with government support. Sen. Feinstein’s husband gets a huge govt. contract. Al Gore and all his rich “green” buddies fly in jets bought with tens of billions in taxpayer subsidies and higher prices paid by consumers. Of course, the biggest example is in health care. How many docs, hospital administrators, and heads of drug companies live in million dollar mansions paid for by our socialist Medicare and Medicaid programs?

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  20. Kim, What conservatives respect about Putin (apart from his courageous stand against perversion) is that he acts in his own country’s best interest. This is what he did in Georgia, Chechnya, the Crimea and (as detailed above) in his dealings with the tree-hugging West.

    By contrast:
    1. Little Bush invaded Iraq when any idiot could have predicted that the war would be expensive and, if successful, would generate a new Iranian ally.
    2. Little Bush and Obama continued to promote democracy in the Middle East. In the West Bank, Lebanon, Iraq and Egypt, the winners of elections have not favored the US.
    3. As detailed above, Obama and the greenies adopted a plan that penalized competitive US industries, favored industries that could not compete, and transferred billions to Russia, China, Brazil and other countries.
    None of these actions were in the best interest of the US.

    Some say Obama wants the US to fail. I don’t believe this just as I don’t believe Little Bush wanted to hurt the US when he invaded Iraq. When you look for the reason a politician took an action, never underestimate stupidity.

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  21. As patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel, its not an insult to be less patriotic but I do find it amusing that the “my country right or wrong” is now capable of criticism. And as a leftist, I can assure you the left had little regard for Hussein — for Putin I can have respect whereas Hussein was a tin pot dictator.

    When it comes to welfare many on the right ignore the beam (corporations) and go for the speck (food stamps). Sure some ardent libertarians may advocate a rejection of subsidies etc but once elected they realize the need to maintain some subsidies and programs in order to get re-elected. Even Rand Paul relaxes his ideology to support agricultural subsidies.

    The US is not anywhere near the corruption of Russia and Ukraine despite some egregious examples of crony capitalism. Transparency International produces a corruption index based on the perceptions of various international bodies. The Scandinavians of course are on the top of the list with Canada, Australia and the rest of northwest Europe right behind them followed at 19th place by the US. Russia is at 127 and Ukraine at 144 out of 175 countries. Btw Chile is at 22 and Poland is 44 …. good for their geographical neighborhood but not as good as the US.
    http://cpi.transparency.org/cpi2013/results/

    Putin is following his own short term interests. Petro-states are at the mercy of singular demand and the rise and fall of commodity prices. Furthermore, petro based economies often hollow out other segments of a nations economy (a real threat to the Canadian economy right now) . http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_disease

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  22. HRW, Your ratings are interesting, but I doubt if any of my four examples of US kleptocracy are counted as “corruption” by your rating service. Nevertheless, each involves the use of government to move large sums of money from taxpayers, consumers and businesses to a favored few.

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