Maddow rants against Huffington Post, beltway media

[NorthCarolina]

RAWSTORY: By Kase Wickman

Rachel Maddow had a few sharp-tongued words to say to her colleagues in the press about their coverage of the current budget debacle, and an especially cutting aside reserved for news site The Huffington Post.

In 2009, coverage of local so-called town hall meetings about health care reform was rampant, chronicling the angry conservatives. Now that members of Congress are back home and the budget is the big issue, no coverage, even from “the Huffington Post, which used to be liberal, but who knows anymore,” as Maddow said.

<SNIP>

If you did not catch the Rachel Maddow show last night, you missed an excellent piece in which she discussed the merits of the budget proposal submitted by the CPC, and yet was completely ignored by the beltway media.

The video is at the link, I hope you'll take a moment to watch it if you haven't done so already. If you have seen it, your views would be appreciated. Given recent polls taken on the budget, the CPC proposal seems to be 100% in accordance with the desires of roughly 80% of Americans regardless of party affiliation. How can we get Obama and Congress to give a serious look at this proposal? If you believe we shouldn't try...then please explain why.

Lastly, please keep this bumped so folks have an opportunity to view this segment of the Rachel Maddow Show.

Peace.

Link: http://www.rawstory.com/rawreplay/2011/04/maddow-rants-against-huffington-post-beltway-media/

[northoftheborder]

1. K&R

:kick: :kick: :kick:

[shraby]

2. K & R

[Ninjaneer]

3. rec'd nt.

[tavalon]

4. kicked

[baldingrockwarlord2]

5. Huffington and her "Post"

Zsa-Zsa, I mean Ariana, I never suspect really left the Republican Party. And I'm with Rachel on this one-I don't consider HuffPo a friend of liberals/dems-especially the direction they have taken in the last year or so.

[mountainlion55]

6. Agree 100%

Huff Post is terrible in my opinion:smoke:

[texshelters]

18. Huff Po was once okay

but I go there less and less. Her right turn is a win for the other, better sites, like Crooks and Liars, Truth Dig, etc as far as I am concerned.

Peace,
Tex Shelters

[PopeRatzo]

32. I wish Huffpo the worst

I'm not sure Huffington Post was ever "OK". There was always a streak of corporate-style "fair and balanced" BS over there. I participated because I feel it's important to get progressive ideas on all sorts of sites, but there was always a certain hostility to any serious progressive thought that wasn't from one of the "celebrity liberals".

I hope the new deal with AOL goes south and they all end up losing money. They've really turned to the dark side in the way they're twisting the narrative now.

[texshelters]

75. True, but

they did have some of the best progressive writers featured over there. And is was better than most mainstream outlets.

Peace,
Tex Shelters

[axollot]

61. I go there much less now since Aohell took over. They've done

some rubbish to the site - and have made trolls pundits! LOL. (Anyone remember the name AnnfromCa? she's nuts but her posts are considered "pundit" now. So I've left)

Cheers
Sandy
Agree Epic win for real sites with real information. Less gossip more facts.

[Jazzgirl]

65. AnnfromCa is a "pundit"?

I always thought she was a major nutcase. BTW, I left HuffPo too since it has turned into a total shithole.

[axollot]

70. Yep lmao! She sure is - that told me all I needed to know about what that site is now. n/t

[BrklynLiberal]

68. Yep. The "AOHELL" takeover was NOT a good thing for the public.

[texshelters]

76. So that's it

I never paid attention, I just go their when connected by a search and it's a writer I like.

Peace,
Tex Shelters

[bullwinkle428]

7. The math was incredibly illuminating. BOTH the Ryan and Obama plans

added several trillion to the national debt, while the CPC plan DID NOT.

Yet, the CPC plan seems destined to remain buried miles below the surface, thanks to our wonderful media.

[NorthCarolina]

9. Is it just the media keeping a lid on the CPC budget proposal? I don't recall Obama

ever mentioning it either.

[swilton]

57. Link to Rachel's discussion of the progressive budget

proposed by the Progressive Caucus.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x576713

[texshelters]

77. I would also like to add

our politicians and corporations that like the debt for the largess they receive.

Peace,
Tex Shelters

[90-percent]

8. Inside the Beltway vs. America

Rachel's point is magnificent. The DC MSM is almost completely oblivious to the values of most of America.

America is a left of center country. We don't want war, we don't want jobs shipped overseas, and on and on. All we want is fairness and an opportunity to achieve some happiness. What is going on in DC media has very little to do with the concerns and hopes of average Americans.

All our institutions are failing us because all our institutions are run by greedy sociopaths.

Elites creating wars because it's good for their bottom lines? Craven politicians giving even more tax breaks to the already wealthy that don't need it.

The Powers That Be are fucking stuff up so bad that all of us in America, well off or not, are in complete fear of their future and their jobs and losing everything they've ever worked for and their kid's futures. We don't want a police state and we don't want Corporate Pravda bullshit for our news.

Look at the Japan disaster - the remedy is still in the hands of TEPCO, that enthusiastically practices the Homer Simpson School of Management Decision Making. In a rational world, world governments would have gotten together at the onset and fixed this fucker with the best Scientists and Military's and Technologies available on earth. Within days after it happened. Why it's till up to TEPCO is all the proof you need to understand that all governments of the world bow to multi-national corporations.

-90% Jimmy

[Enthusiast]

53. Damn nice post, Jimmy.

I agree completely. Even in the face of overwhelming propaganda, ever greater numbers of Americans are waking up. Unfortunately we are up against an alliance of the greatest force the world has ever known, or better -not known.

[PonyJon]

60. Yeah!

90% Jimmy - I can think like you but I sure can't post it like you! Succinctly yours, Ponyjon.

[axollot]

62. Excellent post Jimmy! Good seeing you! n/t

[90-percent]

71. Gee thanks

Nice to see you too, axollot.

We're all on the same side and I have recently come to realize the only way we are going to fulfill the dreams of our forefathers is to work COLLECTIVELY.

There are 98% of us and 2% of them. You never know what's going to resonate or catch on, but one of the basis for my beliefs is that you have to keep trying. Never give up.

For example, my hero Frank Zappa was pretty consistent over the years about censorship and government oppression. He did not know until well after it happened that his early works were part of the basis for the overthrowing of totalitarian governments in Eastern Europe in the 80's and 90's. You could go to jail for having Zappa records and it helped to galvanize the movement to freedom there.

I like to write. Most of it is at DU, and the balance is car and machine shop sites. I heard it in my German company of long ago - anybody can design a complex machine, but it's an art to design a simple machine that offers the same function. That's my target in writing, to make irrefutable points in a succinct and understandable manner. I'm not very good at it, but I keep plugging away. Zappa was good at it. George Carlin was VERY GOOD AT IT.

For example:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acLW1vFO-2Q

Carlin's 3:15 monologue could become the basis for the bottom 98% of America to right the course of this country and restore some dusty and quaint truths that we hold to be self evident; the opportunity for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness*

-90% Jimmy

*not that the Founders were infallible. Slavery, women's rights, and other stuff was hypocritical and missed the mark. Washington was flawed, but it was magnificent that he was offered the position of King and turned it down. I like people with principals!

And if you want more where this came from:

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/90-percent

PS - as you all know, it takes a lot of posts to get one that reverberates with fellow DU'ers. The hundreds it takes to compose that one that resonates is worth it!

[Imajika]

10. Dunno what Maddow expects...

It wasn't like the CPC budget even had much support among Democrats. Why would Huffpo give it much coverage? More Democrats voted against it than for it. I think the CPC budget was crushed and got only something like 77 votes total (with even 108 Democrats voting against).

You can't expect media to seriously cover a progressive budget proposal that doesn't even have much support among Democrats.

If the CPC budget could at least get majority support amongst House Democrats I could see the complaint, but as of now it's just not particularly relevant.

[NorthCarolina]

11. Imagine, a budget proposal that reflects a supermajority of public will is rejected by 108 Dems.

What does that tell us?

[Imajika]

15. It tells us that people aren't single issue voters...

If we could run ONLY on taxing the wealthy at a higher rate we'd run the table. Period. Progressive candidates would sweep through our primaries and be the majority caucus of the majority party in both the House and Senate for years to come. The problem is a candidate has to have positions on a whole basket of issues, and the policy positions of the progressive caucus are a liability in most districts in the United States. "Moderate" democrats, conservadems and Republicans simply seize on those other less popular positions and beat out progressives. Until a broader range of progressive views are accepted nationwide, it is going to be difficult to elect enough progressive congresscritters to pass a budget like this.

Take my area of teabagger Virginia. A progressive candidate proposing asking the wealthy to pay their fair share would be enormously popular on that issue - and if that were the only issue they would win. Unfortunately, what will destroy them is that as a progressive, they may also support things like gun control, cap and trade, marriage equality, pro union legislation such as the Employee Free Choice Act, etc, etc, etc. Moderate Dems, conservdems and Republicans seize on those numerous issues and smash progressive candidates. So what do you have left? Progressives that would vote for a solid budget like this can mostly only be elected in districts where the people support far more of the progressive agenda - not just the tax hikes on the rich piece of it.

This is why the great polling you see on a more progressive tax system doesn't lead to more people in office willing to push such an agenda.

[NorthCarolina]

22. There was much more to the CPC Budget Proposal than just taxing the rich. nt

[axollot]

64. I keep hearing that from status quo folks - that it's about taxing the

wealthy - ONLY. Thanks for the post again and keep on reminding folks what *IS* in the budget and why on earth is Ryan's budget gaining any support from Democrats?

Cheers
Sandy

[Enthusiast]

55. This is the reason we

hear so much noise in the media about abortion, guns and cap and trade.

[Duval]

27. What indeed! btw, did you get any calls

today or the last week for donations to NC Dems? WE are a tad pod with them, but did commit to $25.00. :( And, while you are at it, WHERE in NC are you? I'm in south Durham...really close to Chapel Hill. just wondering'. :)

[NorthCarolina]

30. No

we didn't receive any calls from NC Dems last week, although it is quite possible we were not at home if they did call. We are in the Charlotte area.:hi:

[Enthusiast]

54. That is the really sickening part.

It is an indication of the level of true representation. It doesn't matter what we want, at all. All TPTB need do is label something far fringe leftist or liberal then they can totally ignore it.

[TheKentuckian]

67. and why did so many Democrats vote against it?

It wasn't because many of them would be in any danger of losing their seat over the vote, few would. The endangered Democrats in reactionary districts are about wiped out.

My Congressman could have voted for it, he voted for cap in trade in Kentucky, he can vote for a moderate budget.

The reason for most of the no votes is because the President and leadership wanted it that way. They are going to use that Ryan farce and the cover of another gang or two to get us herded into a more Catfood like direction.

[cliffordu]

12. K&R!

[DCKit]

13. 100%, and they didn't even go far enough.

Tariffs, offshore tax havens..... there's so much out there.

[butterfly77]

14. K&R..

[DonCoquixote]

16. Good, for multiple reasons

One, it shows Rachel being herself.
Two: it shows she is willing to skewer Huffpo, something that many here have a hard time doing.

[texshelters]

17. We keep writing about the budget

but it keeps being ignored. What's a little blogger to do. KEEP POSTING this and keep promoting this.

Peace,
Tex Shelters

[SalviaBlue]

19. K & R

[Skidmore]

20. HuffPo has become what it once railed against--a corporation.

[upi402]

21. Rachel is right on - as usual.

Keep our fellow liberals from selling out, or call them on it.

[WA98296]

23. Spot on Rachel

[rasputin1952]

24. I saw it last night, it was most excellent...

Rachel as almost always, was spot on...:kick:

[harmonicon]

25. One celebrity quasi-journalist criticizes another? Wow! how exciting... nt.

[Vinnie From Indy]

26. Fuck the Huffington Post!

I have lost a bit of respect for anyone that stayed on there.

Rachel is simply the best!

[louslobbs]

28. K&R

Lou

[Poboy]

29. r'd

[florida08]

31. Kick and Recommend

:dem:

[Name removed]

33. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[annabanana]

34. Congressional Progressive Caucas. . Rachel said the Beltway covers liberals

as Anthropology.. You know tagged and released back into the liberal wild or something.

[NorthCarolina]

37. Sorry, but DU's mission statement

indicates

"Democratic Underground (DU) was founded ... to provide a resource for the exchange and dissemination of liberal and progressive ideas."

So, naturally I figured that most, if not all, of DU's members...being liberals and progressives themselves...would automatically know what CPC stood for. Guess I was wrong.

So, not to keep you in the dark any longer, here you go:

(From Wikipedia) The Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) is the largest caucus within the Democratic caucus in the United States Congress with 83 declared members, and works to advance progressive issues and positions.<1>

The CPC was founded in 1991 and now has more than 80 members. The Caucus is co-chaired by Representatives Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ) and Keith Ellison (D-MN). Of the 20 standing committees of the House in the 111th Congress, 10 were chaired by members of the CPC. Those chairmen were replaced when the Republicans took control of the House in the 112th Congress.

The CPC's founding statement of purpose states that it was "organized around the principles of social and economic justice, a non-discriminatory society, and national priorities which represent the interests of all people, not just the wealthy and powerful". The founding members underscored that the Cold War was over, and that the nation's budget and overall priorities should show that. They called for cuts in outdated and unnecessary military spending, a more progressive tax system which places a larger portion of the tax burden on corporations and those with higher earnings, a substantial increase in federal funding for social programs designed to meet the needs of low and middle-income American families, and trade policies that increase the exports of more American products and encourage the creation of well-paying jobs and sound investment in America. They also expressed their belief that those policy goals could be achieved in concert with a commitment to long-term fiscal responsibility.

[axollot]

63. I wouldnt sweat it. Great OP. Great retort to a chitty comment to you. n/t <--OMG!!

[NorthCarolina]

72. Thanks so much for the comment.

I admit that I had to scratch my head in wonder over a prolific poster at Democratic Underground (DU) that has well over 1000 posts (actually over 7000 for this particular poster), and yet he/she draws a total blank over the acronym "CPC".

When I first read the post I was like :wtf: I would assume they didn't take the time to follow the link or watch the video either....just a gut feeling of course though.

[arikara]

41. Thank you for that

I hate these acronyms too. One time I asked what one was and wasn't even given the definition just told to google it. Fat f'ng chance of that ever happening. I'm series too.

[watajob]

35. K & R

:)

[Bozita]

36. but, but, but ... the MSM 's busy with packing and travel to London.

There will be no news in the USA next week.

[HankyDubs]

38. rants? really?

I know this was the title of the article from rawstory, but Rachel rarely if ever does anything resembling ranting.

[SoapBox]

48. Ditto.

[FormerDittoHead]

59. Same here. It was a passing comment at best. n/t

[walerosco]

39. K & R

[Firebrand Gary]

40. I am no longer supporting Huffington Post. I stopped weeks ago.

With the new slant and BS direction of the post, I just cannot do it.

I thought they were extremely light on the Union bashing protest for one. Two, their refusal to cover the budget protest is the last straw.

I love Oprah, she is one of my hero's. However I do not give a shit if she has chosen not to save the Soap Opera's. That's the BS I saw thread thru Facebook via Huff Po. We need to nip this in the bud. Its time we support a progressive media upstart and take our following away from sources that do not cover the news in it's organic fashion.

[gateley]

42. K&R -- and thanks for the link. nt

[patrice]

43. K&R

[proReality]

44. K&R

[rhett o rick]

45. R&K

[Kurovski]

46. K&R

[SoapBox]

47. I was BANNED from the HP just a few weeks ago...

And why?

For my repeated questioning of why the site had SO many Palin and Palin family articles on it's front page...sometimes up to 5 or 6. Oh the posts never showed up in the threads because they went to and then were deleted by some moderator. All Palin stories are fully moderated...always.

I was told by some moderator girl that I seemed to "have a thing" about Palin and the Right...and she banned me. Sure, I could have done a new user name, etc. but why bother.

And my "thing" about the Right...Damn straight I've got a "thing!

SO...I will never, EVER look at that site again and if I see old "what's her Huffing name" on the TV machine I will turn her OFF...she's lost my respect forever.

[axollot]

66. It's now AOHell. Used to work for them was massively screwed over

by them. They are pure right wing extreme and Huffpo has lifted up lame comments from known RW trolls and calling it "punditry" as for Huffington herself - she shafted the folks that made her. She could have easily paid her bloggers w/ad revenue. Heck I know folks that do 50/50 splits w/it's contributors (not blogs).

Support sites like Truthout, Alternet, Crooks and Liars to name a few.

Cheers
Sandy

[PBass]

49. Logged in just to say that the HuffPost sucks...

it's like the People Magazine of political/news websites. Just very little substance there, and a lot of crap.

Lately, I look at some of their reporting, or photos they choose to run, and I have to wonder "did Andrew Breitbart decide to run that?"

However, who couldn't get excited about having Howard Fineman on staff????? (SARCASM)

Arianna wants to be another TIME or NEWSWEEK... who cares?

[bluestateboomer]

50. K&R

[Roci]

51. Biggest non-problem "story" of the week so far

So, the problem is.. what? I'm an "irregular" commenter on HuffPo, and to be as honest as Rachel Maddow was, sometimes I can't tell which way the wind blows over there. As for what she's said about the Beltway media, these are the folks that have a public "snog-fest" going with Paul Ryan, which gives that crackpot a platform to spew about his "budget." You know the one. The one that has had members of the party of NO practically masturbating in public over the last few weeks or so?

So is the "problem" here is that she's right?

I think we have bigger problems than this, honestly.

[Enthusiast]

74. No

Subverting the media and controlling the message by these corporations is the MAIN reason we are facing all the problems we have as a nation.

Rachel is the only place you will hear about this. If democracy is to survive the media has to become unencumbered by corporate scrutiny and control.

[Enthusiast]

52. This should have hundreds of RECS.

This segment by Rachel only reinforces what so many of us have been saying for years. Most of DU can now see through the illusion of freedom. If the entire media is gone so is the nation.

[NorthCarolina]

73. Given 168 recs after 3634 views, I guess Maddows effort only touches about 5% of DU'ers. nt

[Bucky]

56. A&P

approved and promoted

[Slit Skirt]

58. k&r

:kick:

[BrklynLiberal]

69. K & R

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

78. And she's fucking right! The so-called Teabagger Movement was a farce.

Paid for my corporate interests. Now we have *authentic* town halls--not sponsored and paid for--and nary a word from the M$M. It's not by accident!!

K&R!!!!!