They have seriously damaged this country with the constant barrage of distortions, misrepresentations, and outright lies of all kinds. Just leads to a distressingly dumbed-down population. They're disgracefully and pitifully uninformed.

Rachel Maddow pointed out something that really stuck in my mind. It was another one of her many shrewd and illuminating illustrations. While debating the concept of equal time for all, in the media, mainstream and otherwise, and the merits of offering equal time to points of view that might not be deserving of it, she offered (paraphrasing) - "every time we have a report based on a NASA advancement, must we dutifully offer equal time to the Flat Earth Society?"

I find that a more and more compelling argument every day. And I find THAT troubling, too - that I sometimes entertain those those reactions. OF COURSE everyone and anyone has a right to free speech, and to agree or disagree with any point or person. Of course I honor, recognize, and support the First Amendment. Heck, it was part of what I did for a living. But what's to be done about the deliberate revisionist, utterly reckless, and toxic media crop-dusting that's suffocating so many Americans' brains and ability to reason? Independent, discerning, analytical, and well-informed thought seems like a rare commodity sometimes. But then again, why should the likes of o'reilly and that-guy-whose-name-rhymes-with-Vanity be allowed to spew such wanton crap - crap that doesn't stand the test of truth and reality; crap that encourages and incites racism, hatred, prejudice, resentment, anger, and often, violence.

I suppose it would then turn into - "who decides?"

Just another big problem that can't be solved in one evening. And it directly funnels into the whole overriding question - "who's yer daddy?" ALWAYS, there's money to be made whenever an agenda is advanced. So that really governs everything. Remember when dubya said "money trumps peace"? The advertisers still come, don't they?

The Bob Woodward appearance was part of it.

So these numbers are a little misleading and do not tell the whole story.
The type of people that watch these type of shows and fox channel are not going to change overnight if ever.
Hate takes breaks but they are not going anywhere.

Unfortunately it will take a generation or two to erase the baggage they have planted in the minds of the American people. The people who really believe their pitch are unable to change once it becomes part of their local world and family. It's not like they're integrated with the "other" side.

demographic? They are still around and will be for decades. The only group that I know of that are actually asking questions are the 20's and under. Of course, I'm talking about those who watch the stuff and have taken the hook. But don't forget, the conservatives that are in their 50's and 60's were the wild and open love children, hippies, anarchists and freaks of the 1960's and 70's. Look what happened to them. And those 70 year olds now were pretty crazy in the 1950's too.

It could all happen again if the 20's and under are as gullible in their 30's and 40's as those upper demographics you are talking about were.

I was one... and I didn't change except I'm probably more liberal now than I was even then. It was a generalization.

The right wing claims that we all turned conservative as we got older. I know one who did, a whole lot who didn't.
In the one case I think it is a medical condition that makes him more prone to believe the tee vee.

What caused the former freaks of your acquaintance to drink the kool aide?

Of course we were right all along.

I moved somewhat leftward.
Used to think that the robber barons couldn't be as evil as Chomsky said they were until they went and proved it.

I don't know what happened to the people I used to know, but most are on the dark side now. Some are WAY out to the right including 3 out of 4 of my siblings. I have a brother that is living the life of Jesus, guns and government conspiracy, sent his kids (9) to jesus paramilitary camps and had his daughter's marriages arranged... it's as ugly as it gets. I really don't know of anyone from my past that is not some flavor of RW crazy. And here I am, an atheist and for most practical purposes a socialist.

I know a couple of actual ex-flower children in their 60's. She's got butterfly tattoos going up her legs and you can tell from the artwork it's from the psychedelic era. He gets a kick out of calling her his old lady.

Conservatives claim people are Liberal until they get to a certain age and then become Conservative after they gain experience. It's just another of their pompous "we are the grown ups" claims and it turns out it's just another lie.

There have been Conservatives who switched into becoming Liberals when they learned a few facts though. For some, it hits them like a ton of bricks that they have been living a lie.

My experience is like in my post just above. I know stories from both angles but most are crazy kids to extreme conservatives. As I think about it, many I know who went right had guilt trips from religious roots that crept up on them. I don't really know, but their lives seem to give that impression. Gullibility, social ties, and guilt.

It may be lies if told by right wing mouths, but it's not a lie from my "very" leftist view and experience.

When they had kids of their own, some of them became their parents.

What's funny is when you find someone in their mid 40's who doesn't want to show you their drivers license because you will find out their first name is something dreamed up by people who had too much Orange Sunshine.

since their numbers are down. I don't understand why so many people advertise for them.