The CNN Debacle 23/04/2009

After CNN came under fire for Susan Roesgen’s shameful treatment of the Chicago Tea Party patriots, the network has put her on vacation, removed the video of her journalistic meltdown, and, when that failed to stop the rising tide of anti-Roesgen complaints, removed the video from YouTube.

CNN is now threatening people who re-post its video with copyright infringement. Patterico’s call to arms asks bloggers to re-post the video to thwart CNN’s cover-up. He also links to Ben Sheffer, who says that posting the video, given the facts that he is aware of, is an “easy” case: it definitely falls under the “fair use” exception to the Copyright Act. So here’s a link to Patterico’s own YouTube copy of the video.

Although this blogger would be happy to be a co-defendant in a copyright infringement case, brought by CNN against those who have the temerity to criticise them, she does not think that it will come to that. CNN may have a rogue reporter (perhaps one goaded on by her organisation), but it cannot afford to anger the 51% of Americans who support the Tea Parties.

Meanwhile, Eric Odom is calling for a boycott of CNN’s sponsors. Obviously, many Tea Party attendees and sympathizers do not watch the channel, so a boycott of it would be ineffective; however, a boycott of its sponsors and advertisers would demonstrate that the American people will not abide a media that treats citizens as a hostile enemy.

The Only Failure That Could Be Rewarding 28/03/2009

The Obama administration and its effect on America, international affairs, and freedom.

Real Clear Politics has a great article about one of Obama’s blind spots: his lack of understanding of the conservative position, after having spent his entire life among radical liberals. From his perspective, his agenda is moderate, and his mode of governing is bipartisan.  However, in a country that remains deeply conservative and distrustful of aggregations of state power and socialism, Obama’s policies are wrongheaded.  While this may not give much perspective on his rhetoric, it is enlightening and helpful to counteract the assertions of our fellow citizens who believe that Washington is acting in a bipartisan and centrist manner.

Patterico praises Fred Thompson for his response to the Obama administration: wanting that which will be harmful to fail, and that which will be helpful to succeed.  This differs in style but not in substance from Rush Limbaugh’s remarks, and, more importantly, fails to communicate the horrific situation awaiting America if we continue down this path.  Great civilisations the world over have fallen; when the Roman Empire fell, it took most of the world with it for a millennium.  America – for all its wealth, innovation, and intellectual firepower – is not immune from the fate that has eventually met every once-great country.

Speaking of Patterico’s: Scott Jacobs of The Jury Talks Back has a more fiery post about the effect of  Tim Geithner’s rhetorical missteps on the American economy.  This blogger is shocked to find that Mr. Jacobs failed to liken the effects of erstwhile Treasury Secretary to a WMD, or even a Republican at a swanky Manhattan cocktail party, to make his point.

It’s not just gun sales that are on the rise: the latest economic news has apparently stimulated another branch of the economy.  It’s good news, especially for those in sticky situations. (With this, yours truly will stop making all sorts of double entendres.)

France, Germany, and New Zealand have rejected calls to spend their way to prosperity. When socialist countries act more capitalistic than we do, we may want to assume that they’ve tried our newfangled ideas and found them lacking.

Nevertheless, what works in compact countries like New Zealand may be comically ineffective in America – a vast, sprawling expanse of suburbs, rural farmland, and cities where the average commuting time is 90  minutes and the average commuting distance is six miles.  Somehow, this blogger doubts that any amount of money or technology can get an American to say, “Road trip!  Split the electric bill?”