Disqus - Latest Comments for SW_Anderson

Re: Air America Talk Show Host Randi Rhodes Suspension And The Vulgarization Of American Politics

SW_Anderson — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 00:35:32 -0000

Joe, I generally enjoy and think well of Ed Schultz, also. If you listen to her, I think you'll find Air America's Rachel Maddow holds to a high standard, does her homework and although definitely partisan, does a particularly good job of presenting news and facts straight, then giving her take on them. IOW, not mixing fact and opinions so listeners can't be sure where one ends and the other begins.

Thinking of Maddow and Schultz, my own comment above was more of a blanket condemnation than the medium deserves. There are exceptions.

Re: Air America Talk Show Host Randi Rhodes Suspension And The Vulgarization Of American Politics

SW_Anderson — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 22:52:46 -0000

I won't defend Rhodes on this. She typically rides the edge and this time she went way over it. I don't blame Air America for suspending her.

That said, I read your blanket condemnation and thought about the many times I've listened to Rhodes when it was obvious she had done her homework, when she presented a detailed, factual, reasoned argument easily on par with what you might hear from an attorney or member of Congress. I remembered hearing Rhodes conduct interviews intelligently, skillfully and courteously.

Finally, I remembered many times when Rhodes has blasted Democrats.

Is that Rhodes all the time, every time? No. I've also heard her carry on like a nagging fishwife.

My point is that Rhodes isn't the one-dimensional bash-and-trash artist you make her out to be. Capable of going too far, of being offensive in a mean-spirited way? Sadly, yes. But there's more to her and her work than that.

I agree Rhodes deserves criticism and suspension for the specific incident cited. The rest is lumping her with the worst from Limbaugh, Hannity, O'Reilly, Savage and others of their ilk, which is not accurate or fair.

On the overall point about the low level of broadcast political discourse, I agree. Unfortunately, political talk radio is a mass-market, lowest-common-denominator medium where most listeners seem to tune in to stoke their own resentment.

Re: A Latte Big Changes In Store At Starbucks

SW_Anderson — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 02:07:43 -0000

So, you write at Starbucks, drinking coffee concoctions. No wonder you produce so many interesting posts.

Espresso doesn't do it for me. I'm a brew-of the-day, regular coffee guy. I love Starbuck's various rich, full-bodied and freshly brewed coffee blends, black with sugar only. t have always found Starbucks' places pleasant, if somewhat cramped. I don't think any has struck me as corporate.

Starbuck's would do well to get its prices down a bit. While IMO its in a class by itself for always serving the finest coffee, its drinks and shops operate in a fiercely competitive, wide-open arena with many kinds of fast food, hot drinks and confection places.

Re: President Bush & Cuba: The Angry Lone Rider…

SW_Anderson — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 17:39:55 -0000

Daveinboca wrote:

"overlooks the oppressive police state which Castro clamped down on Cuba upon imposing his totalitarian state. With help from the Russians and other Commie regimes."

You don't think Poland, Hungary, Czechoslavakia and East Germany had repressive police-state regimes? Same goes for several Latin American nations that have become genuine, functioning democracies after overthrowing brutal dictators and oligarchies. You'd do well to go back and read some history.

I did not overlook the fact Fidel Castro operated in typical dictator fashion at home or in adventures abroad. The fact remains, most Cubans accepted and supported him as their leader, faults, follies, bluster and all. They identify with him and to this day have considerable affection for him.

You and I might think Cubans are wrong for feeling that way; Bush certainly does. But the fact remains it's their country and choice to make. And, they have made that choice. The facts speak for themselves. What you're doing is parroting Bush-grade nonsense.

Re: President Bush & Cuba: The Angry Lone Rider…

SW_Anderson — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 04:00:57 -0000

President Bush doesn't much care what the rest of the world thinks or whether other countries support his policies, as seven-plus years of his misleadership have made clear.

U.S. policy toward Cuba can be summed up as a 49-year-old failure. Bush's policy has been to intensify the policy, thereby intensifying the failure.

Most other countries look on, as they have for decades, and wonder about a country that keeps doing the same thing expecting a different result. They know that's a fool's game.

The proof is in the pudding. If Fidel Castro's leadership and their government was thoroughly unacceptable to them, the Cubans would do what American colonists did in the 18th century and what the Hungarians and Poles did in the 20th century. They would try to overthrow the government. In fact, imperfect as their leader and government are, Cubans seem willing to accept what they've got. That is their decision, and we should respect it, whether we like their government and leader or not.

The proof is also in the pudding regarding U.S. policy. It hasn't caused the slightest change in Cuban policy, in its leadership or in Castro's popularity with his people. If anything, U.S. policy has helped Castro link resisting U.S. bullying of a small and poor country, their homeland, with his leadership and government. Which is to say, U.S. policy has backfired.

Bush neither knows nor cares about the facts. He wants to be seen as someone who is opposed to the dictator Castro, whether its Fidel or Raul. If Bush could get away with it, he would probably like to invade Cuba and bestow on the Cubans the same dubious blessings of Bush administration incompetence he has treated the Iraqis to.

Americans and Cubans alike shouldn't bemoan the lack of support from the international community for Bush's nonsense, they should celebrate it.