Blast Off! Radio today at 4:00 pm EDT: Why do wingnuts still control American discourse?

September 21, 2009 by Kenneth

Considering that the United States is pretty clearly split more or less evenly on ideological grounds, while polls repeatedly show that Americans — even many right-of-center ones — favor health care reform, same-sex marriage, and other so-called “liberal” ideas, it’s somewhat puzzling to me that the Radical Right still controls so much of what we see and hear on a daily basis. In the past — the ever-more-distant past — the minority would be able to state their positions, but more often than not a pat on the head and a “that’s nice, dear” would be about the only response needed. In 2009, though, the minority controls nearly every major media outlet and their often-insane rantings (against ACORN, gay rights, and the Scary Black Man in the White House, among others) not only are given credibility, but indeed they get their way far more often than they should (why the President is even giving them the time of day on ACORN is beyond me — so much for socialism).

So, today on Blast Off! Radio, we’ll take another look at the right-wing noise machine, locally and nationally, and talk about how they have turned what once might have been reasonable debate into the hate-and-fear-mongering prevalent today. In a saner time, there wouldn’t be any dispute about the constitutionality of a court order banning organized prayer in public schools — today, it’s not only disputed, but the Christianist side is winning. In a saner time, people wouldn’t shout in the faces of members of Congress on the issue of providing health care to the less fortunate among us — today, it’s encouraged. In a saner time, nutjob fringe radicals like Glenn Beck would be writing for some underground fascist rag — today, he’s the face of a major cable news network and the cover story in Time magazine. In a saner time, wingnut douchebags (self-loathing and otherwise) who ought to be in jail end up on reality TV game shows or with their own radio talk shows.

I really want to hear your thoughts on this today. Tell me your thoughts and whether or not you think sanity ever can be restored to political discourse in America.

It’s very easy to be a part of the show. Here are the details:

So, please get your thoughts together, on this or anything else that’s on your mind, and I’ll catch you this afternoon on Blast Off! Radio.

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