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Originally Posted by Willravel
The unfortunate reality with presidents is that you have to wait and see. When I even made the suggestion that a candidate be under oath about their intended policies, I was nearly laughed out of the forum.
I'm concerned about a lot of what Obama may or amy not do. Obama has yet to say he opposes invading Iran. He voted to continue funding the Iraq War. He has yet to talk about the IRS or Fed. He has mentioned legalizing pot, but what about retroactively so we can get some room in prisons? What about the entire prison system?
We'll have to wait and see.
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Great points....about forcing campaign promises to be sworn on an oath....and force is the right word, and about the prison system....I overlooked it, I am ashamed to say...
That's just it:
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Originally Posted by willravel
We'll have to wait and see.
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That is only true if we settle for that. We need to make demands on both candidates....force them out, on the record.
If the press was not dysfunctional....attending BBQ weekends at McCain's "cabin", providing "the best venue" for a despised, war criminal vice-president, as Russert was believed by Cheney's former press secretary, to provide for Cheney.....we might have already pinned Obama down on many issues:
Again, I come back to the eulogizing of Mr. Russert. It's bullshit:
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http://www.portlandtribune.com/sport...61319350520000
Pixels or paper, truth doesn’t care
On Sports
By dwight jaynes
The Portland Tribune, Jun 5, 2008, Updated Jun 5, 2008
...My guideline for years was that, as a beat reporter or a columnist, I would get to know my sources as best I could. I would be there constantly, in their face. I always felt I was impartial enough to write the truth no matter what. And my core values included being there the day after I wrote something negative about someone I covered -- so they'd have their shot at me, their fair chance to confront me.
But along the way, at some point, the whole thing kind of went south. The problem with all that, I've come to realize, is that I got too close to the people I covered.
In the case of a beat reporter, you almost have to have a degree of that in order to come up with the constant flood of stories you need if you’re covering a beat like the Trail Blazers.
Over time, you realize that in spite of all your attempts to know athletes and public figures, what you usually end up writing about them is the cover story -- the half-true piece of semifiction that those people want the public to see. You begin to realize you're usually getting played. And you sold your soul to get it.
Oh, when you get close to sources, you get access. You get inside information. At least you think you do. You get close enough to players and coaches that it's a fan's dream. Sources become something very close to friends, and, I confess, I've been down that road.
But I also know that when that happens, you're probably not going to do your job as well as you should. Yes, I'm old school, and I think it's the job of a columnist or a beat reporter to always tell the truth and be critical when merited, even about the revered home team.
But if you're critical, you risk your access. Forget about the friendships -- you often lose your sources if you offend them.....
....Lately, I don't have time to schmooz them at shootarounds and after practice. I can't get on the phone and shoot the breeze with them.
Once in a while, it costs me a story. But you know what? As a columnist, I don't feel I need their information or their admiration. And I certainly don’t need to worry about making them happy. . . .
The point to all this is simple. What I've done, I think, is become a blogger in columnist's clothing. The secret to the blogosphere is that bloggers usually don’t have that proximity to coaches and athletes. They aren’t hindered by a need to get along or kiss up to the people they write about.
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...And this is "mainstream"....coming from the adopted son of a former president.....but discussing the need for radical confrontation, ala Huey Long, with the controlling corporate interests in this country, is verboten!
Quote:
http://archive.newsmax.com/archives/...5/234519.shtml
Monday, Dec. 5, 2005 11:43 p.m. EST
Michael Reagan: Dean 'Should Be Hung'
Michael Reagan, son of the late President Ronald Reagan, is blasting Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean for declaring that the U.S. won't be able to win the war in Iraq, saying Dean ought to be "hung for treason."
"Howard Dean should be arrested and hung for treason or put in a hole until the end of the Iraq war!" Reagan told his Radio America audience on Monday....
http://digg.com/politics/Michael_Rea..._9_11_truthers
Michael Reagan threatened life of Mark Dice & 9/11 truthers
the-peoples-forum.com — HOW TO PROPERLY FILE AN OFFICIAL FCC COMPLAINT AGAINST MICHAEL REAGAN FOR THE DEATH THREATS OF MARK DICE AND 9/11 TRUTHERS
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