Tony, I will agree with you up to the point that there probably is a slightly 'liberal' bias in most of the mainstream media, including the cable channels. I don't believe, however, that there is the kind of hate-mongering and extremism that we have seen on the Right since the election of President Obama. Have you listened to guys like Micheal Savage recently? Have you listened to the responses of the people who listen to these guys? They are as extreme (and dangerous) as anyone walking the streets of Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, or Afghanistan. What Fox does is give people like Glen Beck a platform with little or no restraints. Their audiences are relatively small but still significant. The people who blow up federal buildings, murder doctors who legally provide abortion services, and show up at presidential political rallies armed with AK47's, come from these ranks. True, this is the lunatic fringe, but look at who they align themselves with.

I don't believe the problem is with fiscal conservatives; I think the problem (the one we all pretend doesn't exist) lies with so-called social conservatives. These are the people who would have us turn the clock back 50 years when ...........well, you know when.

Still, I think this is, or has the potential to be, the greatest country in the world. I base this on it's generosity (which, admittedly sometimes comes with a price), it's ingenuity and creativity in science and technology, it's willingness to 'step up to the plate' (sometimes taking longer than we'd like) on the great moral issues of the day; in other words, when push comes to shove, we can usually depend on the MAJORITY of Americans to 'do the right thing'. Oh, did I mention religious freedom. It ain't perfect but I'd rather be here than anyplace else. I'm sure others feel the same about their respective countries. The image of the 'ugly American' (some of it well deserved) has caused us much grief in recent years, but I truly think we're making progress in learning to respect other countries and other cultures. Of course, some of us are slower to learn than others.

chas

chas, well said, although I'm not sure if we have a so called Liberal Mainstream Media.

Tony,

I believe Scott was referring to Fox NEWS, a completly different animal than the Fox Broadcasting Company that aired the Super Bowl.

A fair and balanced news broadcast? BBC America. No cute blond talking heads, just the news.

Curious sidebar question...is it true MSNBC has been removed from the British TV Broadcast lineup

I've been enjoying Al Jezeera - English lately...

Seriously...

chas ... I am basically conservative in my thinking, my views, and somewhat in how I live my life ... I do not listen to extremists on either side, and when it comes time to vote, I just try to find individuals who think at least somewhat along the same lines as I do - regardless of party affiliation ...
While I do not believe in the TOTAL banning of private ownership of guns, I do believe there should be STRICT laws concerning the purchase of guns and ammo, requiring extensive background checks and time limits for availability ... I also believe that there is NO need for a private citizen to own any automatic weapon, let alone anything like an AK47 ... there should also be strict limits on the type of ammo a private citizen can purchase ...

I think you would have to admit to there being more than just a slight bias in mainstream media ... from the newscasts, to the late night comics, anti-conservatism runs rampant ...
As for extremists, let's not forget how some people were screaming for Bush to be assassinated when he was in office ... so the loud extremist voices come from those who oppose whomever is in office ...

There are some things I feel we are in total agreement on, such as the fact that this IS a great country - otherwise why are there more people trying to get IN than there are trying to get OUT - and that we have the ability to once again be the most respected country in the world ...

PLUS, we also agree on JAZZ !!!

My 'go to' television news programs for objective (fair and balanced) coverage are:

PBS News Hour and BBC World News.

Tony, that said, which television news show(s) do you watch for objective (fair and balanced) coverage?

Tony, I like you and we probably agree on more things than we disagree on.....BUT, I have to say.....people lose credibility with me when they try to point to a handful of leftist nutcases and try to pretend that the 24/7 barrage of hate speech (much of it from politicians and PAC's), the LEVEL of disrespect for Obama (and even his wife and children - heretofore unprecedented), the highest level of (presidential) death threats in history, the 100% block voting against every piece of proposed legislation out of the White House, the stated PRIMARY mission (as articulated my Mitch McConnell) of making sure Obama does not get reelected as opposed to doing the work of congress in the service of the people, and so many other things, from the threat of secession to a proposal to mandate arming every citizen in the state, to official pleas to parents to pull their children out of school rather than have them 'exposed' to an address by the president to school children on the value of staying in school. No, I don't believe the rhetoric on the left even begins to approach the vitriol coming from all quadrants of the right. As I said before, I have no problem with reasonable fiscal conservatism, but I have a BIG problem with what now passes for SOCIAL conservatism. I grew up in the 'good ol' days' that social conservatives would have us return to. Those days of unequal pay, unequal education, discrimination, and White privilege. No thanks, I'll pass. Been there, done that. Obviously we see the world through different cultural filters and I realize that what you may remember as the days of innocence, I may well remember as the days of repression and lost opportunity. The word 'Conservatism' has taken on a new meaning in recent years, a meaning that even old time traditional conservatives are uncomfortable with. Getting a little sleepy now so I have to cut this off, but I wish we had an opportunity to sit around a table and discuss these types of issues. I'm sure we could learn a lot from each other's life experiences.

chas

In my opinion Obama is the most intelligent president there has been since Carter. It is sad that he gets blocked from getting the job done for political reasons. The country needs him to succeed ... it just doesn't realize it. Previous leaders got the USA in the mess it is in now but people just won't admit it. As it is Obama pulled the country back from total economic disaster.

I totally agree with your Nigel.

Chas..

I love your explaination of how this President has undergone such scrutiny from day one. I think the Bill O'Reilly interview and the reading of the constitution was just another example of right side propaganda.

I like to think that I don't lean to the left or right, I just want to see progress. The Republicans have hindered every single idea & agenda the Obama administration has introduced.

It blew my mind to read the article about the federal tax being the lowest in 50 years. What more does the right want ?

Isn't the speaker of the house the guy who called him a liar in the State of the Union ?

No, actually that was Republican representative Joe Wilson from S.C. However, NO member of the Republican leadership would publicly reprimand or rebuke him for it. Also, it was during an address to the joint session of Congress on the Health Bill. No matter, never in history had there been a precedent for this, and clearly shows the lack of respect not only for the President but for the office of president. This 'act' triggered a massive fund raising effort for Wilson in the weeks following the incident.

Although I was very much opposed to Bush policy, it made my blood boil to hear some of the extreme rhetoric coming from the left and the personal attacks on Bush. Why? Because I believe in the sanctity of 'respect for the OFFICE' and by extension, the person who occupies it. To NOT do so undermines the whole concept of democracy, as the person occupying that office was duly elected by the people. Don't like him, vote his out next election. That's supposed to be 'the American way'.

chas

Long live AL FRANKEN (LOL)!

Seriously, like the guy, as a broadcaster, on SNL and as a politico.

How's that for right wing bias?

"Liberal" Russ