NSA spying on millions in the USA

[smokedog#3]

that the democrats would be stupid enough to invent such a concept, especially the way this is backfiring on W. it seems like a sure way to get voted out of office. just hard to believe.

 

[volinbham]

This line reminds me of an old question from J101. Is good news news?
As relates to Hayden, when his name first surfaced as nominee, there was a good deal of reporting on his resume. I thought that what I saw was balanced. Further I was left with the impression that he was a highly qualified man. In as much as there was balance to the reporting and yet I was still left with a positive impression, I would have to say that there was coverage of how Hayden "protected this country".
This is such a well presented opinion that I don't really care to come after it.
Except to point out that there is, of necessity, a tendency to write to "draw people in" across the board in the media in general. From a strictly journalistic standpoint, I don't believe anyone in the business really wants to stand up and defend that fact. But it is a fact. And it occurs in every outlet, no matter how upstanding their reputation.

I say this in order to point out that the "up to something" lean has become the nature of the beast.
I think it is now, regrettably, up to you as the reader/viewer to see beyond the "flourishes" of the reporting and filter in the substance of it.

Not sure if I offered much clarity to my thinking, but there you go.

I agree with what you are saying - it is a matter of appealing to an audience. The audience is made up of the "little guy" and generally we are drawn towards stories that tear down or expose.

I was commenting more on the effects -- it almost appears to be a self-sustaining issue. People want to read about the bad, the media emphasizes the bad, we believe it and consider it the whole story and consume more...

Back to the Hayden thing - I agree that he has been presented fairly or at least in a balanced way. It's just the nature of the beast that those stories however are little stories while the NSA story (which may or may not be of any more consequence) is presented with blaring headlines on the front page.

 

[OWB]

Nobody has restricted ANYTHING though. That's the big misconception in all of this.

Not yet, give it another year or two though.

 

[OWB]

My neighbors can complain at 4 in the afternoon about my coonhounds barking while playing with each other.

I can get a $250 fine........

God Bless America.......

They hate us for our freedom.

 

[orange+white=heaven]

I was commenting more on the effects -- it almost appears to be a self-sustaining issue. People want to read about the bad, the media emphasizes the bad, we believe it and consider it the whole story and consume more...

Now you're talking about how to change the sociology of the consumer.
If I knew how to do that, the oil industry would be making me a very rich man...

 

[volinbham]

Now you're talking about how to change the sociology of the consumer.

Yes and no. I would still argue that the media in general tends to be conditioned in some ways to tell certain stories and tell them in certain ways.

The growth in popularity of more conservative outlets indicates its not entirely based on consumer sociology.

 

[orange+white=heaven]

The growth in popularity of more conservative outlets indicates its not entirely based on consumer sociology.

The more conservative outlets you refer to do not approach the style of their reporting any differently. Those "flourishes" I was speaking of earlier are still there. They are merely pointed in a different direction.

 

[OrangeEmpire]

the president that brings that BS empire should be taken out and shot for treason

What BS would you be referring?

 

[OrangeEmpire]

I was commenting more on the effects -- it almost appears to be a self-sustaining issue. People want to read about the bad, the media emphasizes the bad, we believe it and consider it the whole story and consume more...

Democrats need victims and pessimists to get elected.

When and if the Democrats ever start campaigning on the American dream watch out America, NAMBLA will have an office in every school...................

*It is worth noting that the above is a shock post like smokedog would post. I just wanted to be a little off center.........Love ya smokedog! :air_kiss:

 

[OrangeEmpire]

Not yet, give it another year or two though.

OWB, lets see in 2000 what was it? Oh yeah, Bush was going to repeal the rights of the African-Americans and reinstitute slavery.

Democrats were going to be rounded up and put into concentration camps.

Bush is going to crown himself dictator for life.

Bush is going to establish a theocracy.

Yeah another year or two and nothing will have changed.

Embrace Bush, he is the best social democrat since LBJ.

What will be the excuse when democrats do not take back control of congress?

Republicans run on fear and intimidation?

It is the same old thing.......... :banghead:

 

[OWB]

OWB, lets see in 2000 what was it? Oh yeah, Bush was going to repeal the rights of the African-Americans and reinstitute slavery.

Democrats were going to be rounded up and put into concentration camps.

Bush is going to crown himself dictator for life.

Bush is going to establish a theocracy.

Yeah another year or two and nothing will have changed.

Embrace Bush, he is the best social democrat since LBJ.

What will be the excuse when democrats do not take back control of congress?

Republicans run on fear and intimidation?

It is the same old thing.......... :banghead:

You're right. When I think of great Presidents, I think George W. Bush. The man is a genius. The world is a much better and safer place since he has been in office. Our country is a well oiled machine my friend. :rock:

 

[smokedog#3]

You're right. When I think of great Presidents, I think George W. Bush. The man is a genius. The world is a much better and safer place since he has been in office. Our country is a well oiled machine my friend. :rock:

maybe a well oiled tool. :tease2: :tease2: :tease2: :tease2:

 

[OWB]

maybe a well oiled tool. :tease2: :tease2: :tease2: :tease2:

I smell a Democrat.. :question:

GET HIM!!!! :chair:

Bush is a man amongst women.

 

[OrangeEmpire]

You're right. When I think of great Presidents, I think George W. Bush. The man is a genius. The world is a much better and safer place since he has been in office. Our country is a well oiled machine my friend.

Yeah, I am quite sure that G.W. Bush will be remembered as a good president.

Why do you think that all Republicans bow down and worship G.W. Bush, it could be fun to like Bush because Democrats hate him. It is fun seeing a liberal having their panties in a bind. :air_kiss:

You don't have to post sarcasm, who honestly believes that the man is a genius. Just because you hate him and or greatly dislike him does not make those things said about him true.

Out of all the accuasations that have levied against him, how many have been true?

When has our country ever been a well oiled machine other than World War II era?

 

[OWB]

who honestly believes that the man is a genius. Just because you hate him and or greatly dislike him does not make those things said about him true.

You're sounding like a Democrat. Suck it up. W is a great man that will be remembered as a great leader for years to come. Long live Bush. :superman:

 

[smokedog#3]

no what it comes down to is how many can you prove. rove is very good at covering W's butt. it still doesn't change the fact that the man is a liar and a joke of a president. his approval rating is showing not to many people believe him anymore, not even former sec of state powell.

 

[OWB]

no what it comes down to is how many can you prove. rove is very good at covering W's butt. it still doesn't change the fact that the man is a liar and a joke of a president. his approval rating is showing not to many people believe him anymore, not even former sec of state powell.

That's just unAmerican smoke. Every politician lies to you, W just isn't as good at it as the others and he does it more. His strong morals and beliefs make up for that though. God is on his side, which means he's not on your side. Watch out for lightning bolts my friend. ost-20645-1119625378:

 

[GAVol]

Is it possible to have a political thread that doesn't go in this direction?

 

[OWB]

Is it possible to have a political thread that doesn't go in this direction?

In what direction? :search:

 

[smokedog#3]

true i've been watching all these bad storms come toward tennessee in prior weeks thinking about that. W put a curse on me i tell ya. are you going to watch the liar on monday night about immigration. i think i won't be at home regardless we won't hear any truth. i just can't watch him and his dumb smirks it is really annoying. i think he does that everytime he lies, which mean 30 times every speech.

 

[GAVol]

In what direction? :search:

...a discussion about whether Bush hung the moon or completely sucks.

 

[smokedog#3]

i'm not sure. when you mention W the first thing that comes to mind is sucks. that is going to be a hard one. i'll give it a try though.

 

[volinbham]

The more conservative outlets you refer to do not approach the style of their reporting any differently. Those "flourishes" I was speaking of earlier are still there. They are merely pointed in a different direction.

Again, yes and no. I wasn't referring to the Rush Limbaugh style that use the same methods of attack. I don't consider this to be news.

I would refer to Fox as more of an example, the show with Britt Hume in particular. They do devote some of the program to tell the otherside of some stories that are generally presented with the power is bad; weak is good slant.

I'm not denying "flourishes" but I was talking about the liberal leaning flourish that is seen in much of the mainstream media.

This statement from Tom Brokaw sums it up perfectly IMHO:

“I don’t think it’s a liberal agenda. It happens that journalism will always be spending more time on issues that seem to be liberal to some people: the problem of the downtrodden, the problem of civil rights and human rights, the problem of those people who don’t have a place at the table with the powerful.”
– NBC anchor Tom Brokaw on MSNBC’s Donahue when asked about the claim of liberal media bias, July 25.

 

[OWB]

...a discussion about whether Bush hung the moon or completely sucks.

Sorry GaVol, I have seen the light my friend. From now on, I throw my support to Bush and his administration and all of the clever Republicans. I'm not saying that Bush hung the moon (mostly because he's not sure if it really exists or not), but he's not far from something like that.

I have come to realize that certain things like the stated below just aren't that big of a deal when you think about all the positives that we have now.

Using the NSA to spy on Americans, which is in clear violation of the law? Nope, big deal. Like everyone else has said, haven't you used a credit card? :crazy:

Karl Rove might be indicted for lying in the Leakergate investigation and I'm sure that he's innocent. He's Bush's right hand man, how could he be guilty of anything?

So there are secret overseas prisons for suspected terrorists, no biggie, everyone does that.

That whole Jack Abramoff leading a cabal to undertake a (super-sized) Indian Gambling Scandal is not a big deal by any means. Gambling is good for the soul.

Torturing prisoners in Abu Ghraib is a good thing. They deserved it and didn't have anything better to do anyway.

Delay being troubled for his money laundering and conspiracy is a load of bollocks. Let a man live a little.

Saddam did have WMD's. Ever heard of mustard gas? That stuff can mess you up man. Definitely a HUGE threat to the U.S.

I like a President who jokes about bombing news companies such as Al Jazeera. Anything other than Fox news should be destroyed anyway.

So what if most of the positive stories you read about Iraq have been contracted and published by the Defense Department. Creative writing is GOOD thing.

Bill Frist? Two words.....Great Man. Big deal, he participated in conflict-of-interest stock transactions from (non)blind trusts and laundered money through charities. After all the great things he has done for us, I for one think that he deserves a little slack. Free Bill Frist is what I say.

The Bush Administration isn't afraid to do what they have to do. Remember when they made illegal payments to the press (Armstrong Williams) and produced the bogus news videos? That was in clear violation of laws prohibiting the use of federal money for propaganda, but they did it anyway. How can you not love an administration like that? That's just balls my friend.

Bush doesn't put responsible, well deserving, competent people in office, he puts those wild cards in there. I support that, the administrations of the past have become way too brittle and dry. I say Spice things up. Mike Brown was a super choice. There are a bunch of people in Louisiana who feel the same way, so I'm not alone.

Drinking while hunting is normal and shooting lawyers in the face is something that every American dreams of. Cheney is a man's man who has lived the American dream. That makes up for his connection to Enron and Haliburton BIG TIME in my book.

Every country hates us. Isn't that the way we want it? I mean, America is number one baby! We don't need the support of all those countries. We can do whatever we want and nobody can stop us.......they can hate us, but they can't stop us. Shoot, there are a lot of countries out there that can't defend themselves, let's go get them!!! :rock:

 

[smokedog#3]

Sorry GaVol, I have seen the light my friend. From now on, I throw my support to Bush and his administration and all of the clever Republicans. I'm not saying that Bush hung the moon (mostly because he's not sure if it really exists or not), but he's not far from something like that.

I have come to realize that certain things like the stated below just aren't that big of a deal when you think about all the positives that we have now.

Using the NSA to spy on Americans, which is in clear violation of the law? Nope, big deal. Like everyone else has said, haven't you used a credit card? :crazy:

Karl Rove might be indicted for lying in the Leakergate investigation and I'm sure that he innocent. He's Bush's right hand man, how could he be guilty of anything?

So there are secret overseas prisons for suspected terrorists, no biggie, everyone does that.

That whole Jack Abramoff leading a cabal to undertake a (super-sized) Indian Gambling Scandal is not a big deal by any means. Gambling is good for the soul.

Torturing prisoners in Abu Ghraib is a good thing. They deserved it and didn't have anything better to do anyway.

Delay being troubled for his money laundering and conspiracy is a load of bollocks. Let a man live a little.

Saddam did have WMD's. Ever heard of mustard gas? That stuff can mess you up man. Definitely a HUGE threat to the U.S.

I like a President who jokes about bombing news companies such as Al Jazeera. Anything other than Fox news should be destroyed anyway.

So what if most of the positive stories you read about Iraq have been contracted and published by the Defense Department. Creative writing is GOOD thing.

Bill Frist? Two words.....Great Man. Big deal, he participated in conflict-of-interest stock transactions from (non)blind trusts and laundered money through charities. After all the great things he has done for us, I for one think that he deserves a little slack. Free Bill Frist is what I say.

The Bush Administration isn't afraid to do what they have to do. Remember when they made illegal payments to the press (Armstrong Williams) and produced the bogus news videos? That was in clear violation of laws prohibiting the use of federal money for propaganda, but they did it anyway. How can you not love an administration like that? That's just balls my friend.

Bush doesn't put responsible, well deserving, competent people in office, he puts those wild cards in there. I support that, the administrations of the past have become way too brittle and dry. I say Spice things up. Mike Brown was a super choice. There are a bunch of people in Louisiana who feel the same way, so I'm not alone.

Drinking while hunting is normal and shooting lawyers in the face is something that every American dreams of. Cheney is a man's man who has lived the American dream. That makes up for his connection to Enron and Haliburton BIG TIME in my book.

Every country hates us. Isn't that the way we want it? I mean, America is number one baby! We don't need the support of all those countries. We can do whatever we want and nobody can stop us.......they can hate us, but they can't stop us. Shoot, there are a lot of countries out there that can't defend themselves, let's go get them!!! :rock:

i love it. :lolabove: :lolabove: :lolabove: :lolabove: don't forget about that $500,000 that frist forgot about, man i wish i had that problem :rock: :rock: :rock: