From a Facebook Comment
The following is a comment I made on a FB thread that started with speculation about the Comcast merger being the reason for Kieth Olbermann leaving or whatever. It moved into a discussion about tone in politics. Here was my 300 cents worth.
I'll toss in one of my faves... From Adlai Stevenson: "As soon as the Republicans stop telling lies about us, we'll stop telling the truth about them." While I agree that the overall tone of political discourse has become increasingly rancorous, I believe that it stems from a classic interaction that plays itself out from childhood onward. You have a group of bullies who stomp and beat people (verbally in this case) but when the victimized party finally has enough and starts yelling back, everyone turns on them because nobody noticed the bullying. Is it a lie to point out that the 'fiscally conservative' Right was a willing party to the mushrooming national debt when their buddies were spending us INTO this hole? Where were they when Bush insisted on TARP? I certainly won't say I agreed with Mr. Olbermann 100% and didn't always approve of his tone, his popularity was because he gave a voice to the passions of a significant portion of Americans. He cared about truth, justice and the idea that government is a powerful tool that could be wielded for good as well as ill. In the Preamble of the U.S. constitution the framers gave a statement about the purpose of government, goals and ideals. From that: "... establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty..." Ask yourself if, say, Grover Norquist believes that. Or Glenn Beck, Michelle Bachman, Sarah Palin. I know Mr. Olbermann does. I know I do.
Edit: fix spelling.
I'll toss in one of my faves... From Adlai Stevenson: "As soon as the Republicans stop telling lies about us, we'll stop telling the truth about them." While I agree that the overall tone of political discourse has become increasingly rancorous, I believe that it stems from a classic interaction that plays itself out from childhood onward. You have a group of bullies who stomp and beat people (verbally in this case) but when the victimized party finally has enough and starts yelling back, everyone turns on them because nobody noticed the bullying. Is it a lie to point out that the 'fiscally conservative' Right was a willing party to the mushrooming national debt when their buddies were spending us INTO this hole? Where were they when Bush insisted on TARP? I certainly won't say I agreed with Mr. Olbermann 100% and didn't always approve of his tone, his popularity was because he gave a voice to the passions of a significant portion of Americans. He cared about truth, justice and the idea that government is a powerful tool that could be wielded for good as well as ill. In the Preamble of the U.S. constitution the framers gave a statement about the purpose of government, goals and ideals. From that: "... establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty..." Ask yourself if, say, Grover Norquist believes that. Or Glenn Beck, Michelle Bachman, Sarah Palin. I know Mr. Olbermann does. I know I do.
Edit: fix spelling.