Democracy Has Prevailed.

September 6, 2011

More Tribbing For A Tuesday Morning

Follow the money. That's what the man said.

Funny what you'll find when you follow the Scaife money around the pages of the Tribune-Review.

First something from this weekend:
Some FBI secrets are secrets no more -- thanks to Ronald Kessler, award-winning Newsmax.com chief Washington correspondent and best-selling author.

In "The Secrets of the FBI" (Crown), he discusses many FBI triumphs and tribulations, including J. Edgar Hoover's personal life; FBI involvement with Marilyn Monroe, Robert Kennedy, organized crime, major spy cases and the Ruby Ridge and Waco fiascoes; and its post-9/11 anti-terrorism orientation. Revelations give unprecedented insight, and Kessler says the book project enhanced his opinion of the bureau. Following are excerpts from the Trib's phone conversation with him.
How does it feel knowing you just read an advertisement that's only impersonating an interview? Why do I say this?

Look at where Kessler works: Newsmax.

Richard Mellon Scaife owns 40% of Newsmax.

Then there's this - where the Media Research Center covers for war criminal Dick Cheney. The author of the piece, Kyle Drennen, seems to be complaining about the "hostile" interview Matt Lauer conducted with Cheney. There's even a jab at a sign held in front of the camera at the end of the interview.


All of which is true, by the way. Waterboarding is toture and torture is a war crime and Dick Cheney should be prosecuted for it.

The Media Research Center obviously doesn't think so.

And the Richard Mellon Scaife controlled foundations (Carthage and Sarah Scaife) have given about $3.5 million to the MRC over the years.

Good to know where they stand on torture.

22 comments:

Winding down said...
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EdHeath said...

Hmm, Dayvoe's post was about the specific behavior of the editorial page of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Winding down, your "perspective" was a general indictment of the Democratic party over time. I would suggest it is a rather one-sided perspective as well.

And its funny, the Tea Party says in its own Declaration of Independence that they are independent of both parties. I guess Republicans only listen to what the Tea Party says when it suits the Republicans.

I mean, yes, the history of the Democratic party is a complicated one. Before the Civil War, Southern Democrats were a pro-slavery wing of the party, and because the Republican Party (formed in 1854) is (was?) the party of Lincoln, the South became largely Democrat after the war. Now, it was Democrats who proposed the 1964 Civil Rights Act, but Republicans (the party of Lincoln) voted for it in large number. That caused a fair number of elected Southern Democrats to defect the the Republican party (the Republicans actively courted them), which helped pull the Republican party away from its own civil rights roots to where it is today.

Here is a different, perhaps more balanced sort of perspective.

And anyway, does accusing Democrats of misdeeds mean that Republicans have license to commit whatever misdeeds they wish? Where's the Republican jobs program?

Winding down said...
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EdHeath said...

Winding down, I said nothing about guarantee of equal outcomes, or even that life should be fair.

But you know what, income inequity has increased since 1950. Sure, tell us life is unfair. Exactly what the rich want us to believe.

And sure, government does nothing (any separating you from your money to transfer it to the rich is purely in your imagination).

Winding down said...
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Winding down said...
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Winding down said...
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Anonymous said...

Ed, "Winding down" seems more like a sock puppet, than a living person thinking and posting.

Just my opinion, of course.

Winding down said...
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EdHeath said...

Winding down, obviously I have a personality defect and therefore nothing I have to say makes any difference. I am motivated by petty envy, whilst your motives are entirely pure. Of course small government with low taxes (especially zero estate and capital gains taxes, and a flat income tax) and no anti-poverty programs has no benefits (or costs) for any particular economic groups, everybody exactly equally.

Clearly I want to see the rich separated some additional tens of thousands of dollars, a thing that will infuriate them (even though it will dimenish their lifestyle not at all). Of course, I will see no money from anti-poverty programs, nor would I take any pleasure in seeing the poor (including the unemployed) get some small additional help. I certainly don't think that the starting point in life (in terms of education and quality of life for children) should be changed from top 10% = 75% of wealth to top 10% = 74%.

Clearly I am a violent revolutionary who should be hunted down and killed. Or perhaps waterboarded. Just because we signed some silly Geneva convention doesn't mean we should give up this highly effective technique. I am sure you could tell me exactly when, where and how waterboarding saved lives, specifically. You wouldn't just say waterboarding say was so effective unless you had exact evidence of that.

Winding down said...
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Winding down said...
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Winding down said...
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Dayvoe said...

WD;

Don't need no stinkin' "Geneva Conventions" now.

United States Code Title 18, §2340(2)defines "torture" as:an act committed by a person acting under the color of law specifically intended to inflict severe physical or mental pain or suffering (other than pain or suffering incidental to lawful sanctions) upon another person within his custody or physical control;

and

“severe mental pain or suffering” means the prolonged mental harm caused by or resulting from...the intentional infliction or threatened infliction of severe physical pain or suffering;

That's US LAW.

What part of that don't you understand?

EdHeath said...

Winding down, not every Bush official agrees that the water boarding of Abu Zubaydah, and in fact apparently Zubaydah provided no information that lead to the capture of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. And the other instances you mentioned were not, in fact, actually specific. And by the way, one factor in "unlawful combatants" and "detainees" falling through cracks in the Geneva convention/protocols is that we simply invented new names for prisoners of war. Or are we not engaged in a "war on terror". Are we really engaged in a police action, as John Kerry suggested. But whatever, you obviously don't care about reality.

For example, I bring up income inequity, and you accuse me of class envy (which is to say class warfare). Apparently you are telling me I am low class, and therefore can be dismissed. In your world, only wealthy white men say interesting things.

Winding down said...
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Winding down said...
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Winding down said...
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Winding down said...
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Winding down said...
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EdHeath said...

Winding down, you are saying things, but they seem at best only tangentially related to the original topic or subsequent topics you have raised.

As far as I can tell, you wish to insult us. certainly you are not interested in discussion.

Winding down said...
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