copied from a friend on myspace...
Al Franken wins Democratic nomination for US Senate
Yes, the man who wrote "Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot," "Lies and the Lying Liars who Tell Them," and "The Truth, with Jokes" has won the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in Minnesota.
Hot damn.
If you aren't familiar with the books listed above the titles may strike you as crass and you may question the value of what lies between the covers. Allow me to offer an opinion.
Although Franken is indeed a satirist and his humor ranges from the very subtle to the (admittedly) crass and over-the-top, his political writing and analysis are pure genius and whereas an Ann Coulter may publish a book of creepy, hate-filled ideology supported by "facts" pulled from her ass (resulting in very, very poor quality works of bigoted fiction) Franken goes to great lengths to document his sources with extensive footnotes and bibliographies. In other words, if you doubt the veracity of his claims (i.e. the neo-con myth that taxes were consistently lowered for the poorer working-class and consistently raised for the top 5% of wealthy families and individuals during the Reagan era is an unmitigated lie) you can check his numbers easily enough. You don't have to take Al's word for it and that counts for a great deal to me.
I *never* take anyone's "facts" for granted even if I consider their views in line with my own. Truth is truth and when it doesn't coincide with what "my guy" says I don't abandon the truth like some thick-headed demagogue, I re-assess my faith in and opinion of "my guy."
Yes, there are thick-headed demagogues on both sides of the political fence and I can't accept propaganda from my people and my party any more than I can accept propaganda from the "other" people and the "other" party. In fact I genuinely have far less tolerance for propaganda that supports the issues I believe in because a) Propaganda negates credibility and b) The truth always comes out eventually. How unfortunate though that people in general seem to have a very short memory where the truth is concerned. I lived through the Reagan era and am dumbfounded and astounded by the reverence visited upon that particular ex-president. I was there, I remember, and the heroics and brilliant politics attributed to the B-grade actor are fiction.
But I didn't sit down to compose a rant praising neo-cons for their brazen and temararious re-writing of recent history. I was merely making a point about truth in politics and further suggesting that *any* political pundit worth a damn will take the pains that Franken has to cite their sources. Any political pundit failing to do so is either hideously lazy or talking out of their ass.
So whether you care for Franken the humorist or not, whether you think he's funny or not, you ought to respect Franken the politico who doesn't leave you with an insulting, "It's true 'cause I said it" but rather goes to the time and trouble to follow genuine journalistic procedure, giving you the reputable and impartial sources for his facts (i.e. the U.S. Census bureau, the U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. Bureau of Labor, etc.) and doesn't merely cite sources, but specifically says where and when the information cited can be found (if he has said it, you can fact check it...)
So, an honest and credible politician? Absolutely.
Perhaps the tide is genuinely turning in U.S. politics, perhaps change IS in the air.
It's about time.
I only wish I were a citizen of Minnesota so that I could proudly cast a vote for Al Franken.
...and to the imminent schism within the Democratic party (disappointed Clinton supporters, ecstatic Obama supporters) I will offer up that tired old maxim of unity espoused by a fledgling nation so long ago, "United we stand, divided we fall."
Political grudges MUST be set aside and the party MUST unify for it's own sake and for the sake of the country and if we cannot achieve cooperation and unification in our party then we do not deserve to win in the fall.
Yes, the man who wrote "Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot," "Lies and the Lying Liars who Tell Them," and "The Truth, with Jokes" has won the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in Minnesota.
Hot damn.
If you aren't familiar with the books listed above the titles may strike you as crass and you may question the value of what lies between the covers. Allow me to offer an opinion.
Although Franken is indeed a satirist and his humor ranges from the very subtle to the (admittedly) crass and over-the-top, his political writing and analysis are pure genius and whereas an Ann Coulter may publish a book of creepy, hate-filled ideology supported by "facts" pulled from her ass (resulting in very, very poor quality works of bigoted fiction) Franken goes to great lengths to document his sources with extensive footnotes and bibliographies. In other words, if you doubt the veracity of his claims (i.e. the neo-con myth that taxes were consistently lowered for the poorer working-class and consistently raised for the top 5% of wealthy families and individuals during the Reagan era is an unmitigated lie) you can check his numbers easily enough. You don't have to take Al's word for it and that counts for a great deal to me.
I *never* take anyone's "facts" for granted even if I consider their views in line with my own. Truth is truth and when it doesn't coincide with what "my guy" says I don't abandon the truth like some thick-headed demagogue, I re-assess my faith in and opinion of "my guy."
Yes, there are thick-headed demagogues on both sides of the political fence and I can't accept propaganda from my people and my party any more than I can accept propaganda from the "other" people and the "other" party. In fact I genuinely have far less tolerance for propaganda that supports the issues I believe in because a) Propaganda negates credibility and b) The truth always comes out eventually. How unfortunate though that people in general seem to have a very short memory where the truth is concerned. I lived through the Reagan era and am dumbfounded and astounded by the reverence visited upon that particular ex-president. I was there, I remember, and the heroics and brilliant politics attributed to the B-grade actor are fiction.
But I didn't sit down to compose a rant praising neo-cons for their brazen and temararious re-writing of recent history. I was merely making a point about truth in politics and further suggesting that *any* political pundit worth a damn will take the pains that Franken has to cite their sources. Any political pundit failing to do so is either hideously lazy or talking out of their ass.
So whether you care for Franken the humorist or not, whether you think he's funny or not, you ought to respect Franken the politico who doesn't leave you with an insulting, "It's true 'cause I said it" but rather goes to the time and trouble to follow genuine journalistic procedure, giving you the reputable and impartial sources for his facts (i.e. the U.S. Census bureau, the U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. Bureau of Labor, etc.) and doesn't merely cite sources, but specifically says where and when the information cited can be found (if he has said it, you can fact check it...)
So, an honest and credible politician? Absolutely.
Perhaps the tide is genuinely turning in U.S. politics, perhaps change IS in the air.
It's about time.
I only wish I were a citizen of Minnesota so that I could proudly cast a vote for Al Franken.
...and to the imminent schism within the Democratic party (disappointed Clinton supporters, ecstatic Obama supporters) I will offer up that tired old maxim of unity espoused by a fledgling nation so long ago, "United we stand, divided we fall."
Political grudges MUST be set aside and the party MUST unify for it's own sake and for the sake of the country and if we cannot achieve cooperation and unification in our party then we do not deserve to win in the fall.