Would You Criticize the Media for Suggesting You Not Stick That Pen in Your Eye?

You hear a lot of criticism against the "mainstream media" in the United States for their supposedly biased reporting during the 2008 Presidential Campaign.

"How dare the television networks and major newspapers favor Barack Obama over another four years of Republican rule!" we heard from the right wing zealots.

However let's look at the facts:

There were no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. George W. Bush started a war in Iraq based on the opinion that there were gobs of long range missiles capable of hitting Duluth with pinpoint accuracy.

For years leading up to the 2008 presidential election President Bush's approval rating was more embarrassing than his inability to recite simple phrases.

We still haven't captured or killed Osama Bin Laden; though I heard he didn't sleep well the other night because he heard a plane fly overhead and thought it might be one of USA's finest.

Lack of regulation has brought America to the brink of depression.

America is hated around the world because we have chosen to impose our value system on those who think differently. (Hmm, isn't imposing their value system on others what conservatives criticize the media for doing?)

All of the things I just mentioned, and I could go on, are facts. They're not left wing spin that Republicans can claim as falsehoods.

Of course the right wing tried to argue that reporting the above information was, "being in the tank" for Democrat Barack Obama.

But let's just say the mainstream media did favor Barack Obama. Aren't journalists Americans first? According to most Republicans, patriotism is a vital thing to possess and those who lack it should be vilified. Why then would the GOP criticize the media for having enough patriotism to influence their fellow countrymen to act in the best interest of the United States of America?

And when it comes to gay marriage bans being approved by voters, Republicans say, "The people have spoken and they don't want gay marriage!" While when it comes to electing Barack Obama, Republicans say, "The people have spoken and they want Barack Obama – but only because the mainstream media made them think that's what they wanted - when they really wanted John McCain."

In other words, when elections go their way, it's the result of good people making good decisions. But when elections don't go their way, it's the result of ignorant people being led astray by the biased media.

Maybe Republicans will one day learn that failure leads to consequences.

I know, I doubt it too.

Bring Back the Fairness Doctrine!

If the 2008 election is as big a victory for the Democrats as the polls predict, there will be a lot of talk about bringing back the Fairness Doctrine, which is a law that states radio and television stations must give equal time to opposing political views.

Bring it back, I say! America has been without this important piece of legislation for far too long.

Of course the "radical right" has been trying to say that because left-winged radio stations, such as Air America, aren't able to stay in business on their own, liberal talk should be censored, while the likes of Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Michael Savage should be allowed to keep talking for as long as they want, about anything they want.

In a word: Hogwash.

Just because the American people don't realize listening to liberal radio is good for them, doesn't mean we should do away with it. I force my children to eat Broccoli because it benefits them in the long term. The American people should listen to liberal radio talkers for the same reason.

Or are you right-wingers afraid you'll discover what you've always believed is actually a crock of hooey?

You conservatives insist that you encourage debate - that you are so convinced your political philosophy is correct you welcome other points of view. Then what's your problem with liberal talk radio!? If what you believe is so "true," wouldn't stations "spewing" progressive viewpoints convince people that liberalism is wrong?

In other words, by your beliefs, listening to liberal talk radio for 24-hours a day would make people turn to conservatism in droves, because it would cause them to discover how ridiculous liberalism is.

If a Nazi station began to broadcast their hateful viewpoint, it wouldn't convince the masses that Nazism is their cup of tea; it would show them how ridiculous racism and bigotry are.

Conservatives think liberal positions of big government and not invading sovereign nations are ridiculous; wouldn't listening to hour after hour of that kind of talk simply make everyone aware that liberalism was an asinine ideology?

Me thinks you conservatives are afraid your stranglehold on talk radio is at an end, and your opposition to the Fairness Doctrine shows exactly how unsure you are as to how "right" your views are.

I Booed Sarah Palin's Seven-Year-Old!

Last weekend was great for the Doolittle family!

We were in Philadelphia to visit my in-laws, and because they're such avid sports fans, they took us to see the Philadelphia Flyers play hockey. It was a big deal to them because it was opening weekend for the NHL.

Of course hockey reminded me of Republican Vice Presidential Nominee Sarah Palin, a woman who fancies herself a "Hockey Mom."

From the get-go I thought calling herself a "Hockey Mom" was ridiculous. Why have a specific name for the type of Mother who doesn't refuse to drive her kids to sporting events.

Sarah Palin says: "Celebrate me because when my children ask for a ride to hockey practice I don't say 'Take the bus'!"

Well, wouldn't you know it, via some miraculous coincidence Sarah Palin was at the Flyers game to drop the puck with two of her many female offspring. Her oldest was there along with her seven-year-old daughter.

Of course as soon as she stepped onto the ice we booed so fervently we almost ran out of oxygen.

You should have seen the little seven-year-old waving to the crowd with this s*it eating grin on her face! It's like, "Get a clue, you little brat, we hate your Mommy!"

But there was no getting through to this girl! And the more we saw that the boos weren't phasing her, the louder we got. In fact, I started booing the seven-year-old instead of Sarah Palin; though there was probably no discernable way to tell the difference from ice level.

But of course, like a good little ditto-head, just kept on a wavin'!

When the game started I thought about how lucky I am to live in a country where I'm free to express my political views by mercilessly booing a woman and her seven-year-old daughter. It's most definitely what our forefathers envisioned while drafting the Constitution.

Of course I'm sure Republicans would like to take the right to boo children away from us – just like they'd like to take away the right to burn the American flag, the right to talk to our terrorist buddies on the phone about plots against the United States while not being spied on, and the right to inundate the comments sections of blogs written by conservatives with, "You're an Idiot."

God bless America!