I have a pair of excellent videos for you today. In the first, Rachel Maddow and Chris Hayes nail Susan Collins and other GOP Senators for their lies about the handling of the underpants bomber:
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What we see here is GOP desperation. For years they have hoodwinked Americans into believing that they are the national security party, even though the second worst national security disaster (after Pearl Harbor) in US history occurred through incompetence on their watch. They insisted that EITs (torture) were necessary to get the intelligence needed to keep America safe, even though most experts on interrogation agree that EITs produce faulty intelligence. They belittled claims by Democrats that following the law is the best way to proceed and called us weak on terrorism. Now that the bomber is singing like a canary, the proof that the Democrats were right is staring them in the face, and they are besides themselves. So they are lying.
In the second, Keith exposes the Frank Luntz memo, instructing Republicans to lie about finance reform.
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Why do Republicans lie so much? I was thinking about that as I commented on another blog yesterday, and the answer came to me. It’s simple. If Republicans told the truth, nobody in their right mind would vote for them.
13 Responses to “Rachel Maddow and Keith Olbermann Expose More GOP Lies”
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Can you believe the utter shit coming from Collins?? She should hang her head in shame. I love your last paragraph, "If rethugs told the truth nobody would vote for them" Priceless and so true its actually funny!
If Obama cured every disease known to man, personally captured Osama bin Laden, turned the economy round, talked Wall Street into apologizing to the country and submitted itself to strict regulation, ended the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the Republican Party started telling the truth and threw it's support behind Health Reform, 10s of millions of voters would still be calling Obama a Muslim, still demanding to see his birth certificate and still wanting their country back. Republican politicians lie because it's what they do best, but the mob would vote for them regardless.
It's because they have Republican mental OCD lying syndrome. It's in the psychiatry books -look it up.
They have a Chaplain in the Senate and another in the House…why the hell do they not have a psychiatrist?
My Trophy Wife and I watch the newz at different times, so the voice of this Bitch Snow, slurring her words like a drunk, were endured twice last night. (I apologize for offending any one unnecessarily with my choice of words.)
No need to apologize Vig, I think you meant Collins and said Snow, but yes she is a bitch and listening to her talk is like hearing fingernails go down a chalkboard! UGH!!!
Yeah, you're right, Sue! And thanks for cutting me some slack here!
Call me a conspiracy theorist-and I suppose I am.
The Fruit of the Loom bomber was a patsy set up in a false flag operation trial balloon.
Now the balloon is going up again with all the coloured warnings.
We can't let the Bushy CIA do it again
Why is there so much political dissembling these days? The answer may be more complex than simply calling people "Liars."
First, one must recognize that our news media is now partitioned along partisan lines: Fox on the right, MSNBC on the left. People do not get the same news anymore, as it was during the days of Walter Cronkite. Those on the right only watch news and opinion that confirm and validate their views. Same for the left.
The result is the Balkinization of public opinion along party lines. With no more "objective" and partisan-neutral news, opposing sides become more extreme in their perceptions, and more intolerant. They find each other incomprehensible, talking past, no longer connecting.
Another aspect of political dissembling. If you follow classical political theory starting with Plato (Allegory of a Cave), there are concepts known as "noble lies and pious deceptions" and forms of political discourse known as "exoteric" and esoteric" texts.
Exoteric is meant for the masses; esoteric is meant for the inner circle. Consider the slogan, "Compassionate Conservative." "Compassionate" is meant to assuage the masses; "conservative" targets the base. This is an example of exoteric and esoteric framing.
How do Republicans manage to turn the worst policy failures into election victories? Study the use of framing, messaging, and metaphors. Liberals don't understand these strategies and, as a consequence, have no antidote.
"one must recognize that our news media is now partitioned along partisan lines: Fox on the right, MSNBC on the left."
Allow me to embellish this point. What good is "fact checking" and "keeping them honest" when consumers of news are partitioned? The Fox viewer is highly unlikely to crossover and watch MSNBC or CNN. Thus, they insulate themselves from another reality which polarizes the body politic into more extreme camps.
Tribal affiliation and groupthink are powerful psychological forces … not to be dismissed.
Last, the news media is ill-equipped to parse "exoteric" and "esoteric" representations. We ignore these phenomena at our peril.
A moment in hell: getting stuck on an elevator with Collins and having to listen to that voice.
Isn't is sad, Sue, that most good humor has its roots in unhappy truth?
Holte, the Republicans have honored the most vile aspects of human nature, broadcasting thoughts that used to remain hidden behind shame.
Lisa, that may well be, but I'm not sure. The lies that spew from GOP leaders and their propaganda outlet seem more coldly calculated and less compulsive.
LOL, Mark! Wonderful idea. The only problem I see is that a House or Senate psychiatrist would likely suicide after two or three days from extreme stress.
Wrong bitch, Vig. (No disparagement of same females intended.)
Sue, you beat me to it. So true.
Ivan, I've read several conspiracy theories to that end. However, I have found none that were not wholly circumstantial.
Octo, a most interesting comment. However a recent poll indicates that the majority of viewers who claim MSNBC, CNN or one of the networks as their favorite TV news source also watch all the others and Faux Noise too. Typically, they moderately trust most of the outlets almost equally. Conversely, the viewers who claim Faux Noise as their favorite overwhelmingly watch Faux and nothing else. They absolutely trust Faux and trust the rest not at all. So crossover is likely for the MSNBC, CNN or network viewer, but not for the Faux Noise viewer.
Sorry I missed you Tnlib. LOL! A lifetime of hell: Life without possibility of parole for what you did in the elevator. 😉