A digression

Plodding along

The week has moved along-- I cannot say a rapid pace, because it has been hard work. I still struggle with the sense that I am missing "real" news as I tip toe through all that FOX has had to offer. I know I will have to get more agressive in my FOX viewing next week, and really try to sample all that they have to offer. I have stayed pretty focused on the morning show, and the opinionators like Bill O'Reilly and Glenn Beck. I find them-- especially Glenn Beck-- fascinating, and plan on writing a little more about them tomorrow.

But first...

A friend of mine suggested that I take the time, before I get too deep into the experiment, list my thoughts on issues that typically divide the right and left. Given that he was one of the first editors I worked with, I would be a good idea. So, off the top of my head, here is what I believe:


• I believe access to affordable health care should be a right given to every man, woman and child in the richest nation in the world. It is embarrassing, bordering on evil, that this is even a discussion.

• I believe that any member of congress opposed to health care reform should have to give up their own health care benefits.

• I believe the Far Right too often gets to steer national debate while claiming that the media has a “liberal bias”.

• I believe that the Democrats have made many mistakes. BIG mistakes.

• I believe one of their chief, and current, mistakes is calling for HEALTH CARE reform. We need Health INSURANCE reform and Health CARE for everyone.

• I am Pro-Choice. I am NOT Pro-Abortion.

• I will support the death penalty the day the judicial system becomes infallible.

• I believe in government regulation and oversight. Someone has to do it—and no one did for 8 years. How did that work out?

• I believe the term “entitlement” is misleading. Entitlement is when you give tax breaks to the richest in the country, and forget the rest.

• I believe in the separation of church and state. Religion has no place in government, and the government has no place in religion.

• I believe many people use the cloak of Christianity to hide some very un-Christian thoughts, actions and political policies.

• I believe one can be moral without being a Christian.

• I believe torture does not work, is a criminal act, and diminishes our standing as a leader in the world community.

• I believe the actions of our country, and how we are perceived, matter.

• I believe in full and equal rights for all people.

• I am not threatened by gays in the military, gay marriage, or gay people in general. Though, I was once threatened by a girl named Gay Rose when I was 9 years old. She said she would tell my mommy if I didn’t stop teasing her. I stopped.

• I believe I am overusing the phrase “I believe” in this list.

• I believe that the Republican Party appeals to the far right base of their party by focusing on hot-button topics, and distracts their constituency into believing those are most important issue.

• I believe that the Republican Party has done little for the lower and middle classes in many years, and does not deserve their votes.

• I believe the terms “liberal” and “conservative” are misused.

• I believe many politicians who represent themselves as “conservative” are anything but.

• I believe you can be “liberal minded” without following in lock-step with the supposed liberal party.

• I believe fear-mongering is a danger to the health, safety and governance of our country.

• I believe politicians who use fear-mongering as a campaign theme should not be elected.

• I believe television personalities who use fear-mongering as entertainment should not be watched.

• I believe politicians misuse the term “war”. A war on drugs, poverty, and even terrorism…leads us to believe these things can be beaten through sheer force. Wars kill people, destroy buildings, and soemthings even cripple economies. I haven't seen any evidence of them addressing the problems caused by drugs, pvoerty and terrorism.

• I believe the war in Iraq, the lives lost, and the trillions spent was a mistake.

• I believe in gun CONTROL. I have no problem with gun ownership, but also have no problem with waiting periods, records, and restrictions. No one needs a fully automatic weapon to hunt deer, or for home protection.

• I believe in campaign finance reform.

• I sometimes believe we had a third choice on election ballots. Not a third party, but a lever that says, “None of the above”

• I believe the Supreme Court got the campaign spending ruling wrong.

• I believe citizens should have as much equal access to our representatives as highly paid lobbyists.

• I believe the two party system is broken. It does not lead to a truly representative government.

• I believe politicians often forget they are supposed to be representatives, and are not there just to get re-elected.

• I believe Sarah Palin is just a doofus.


It will remain interesting to see if a month in the FOX trenches change any of my viewpoints. So far I am not sensing any movement, but next week I intend to crank it up. I am even toying with a 24 hour FOX news day to wrap it up.

Wish me luck.

Tomorrow: The typical day in my first week with FOX.