Hannity show tonight

[jazyd]

He has recent college grads on, half democrats, alf republicans. You can see the problem we face, these kids on the democrat side are brain washed terribly and basically smart asses

[CitizenBBN]

Much of conservatism, at least economic conservatism, is based largely in common sense and empirical experience. It's very difficult to write long papers with big words saying things that are common sense, so common sense isn't very popular in academia for that reason. It's also why it's not popular in big government or big business, other places where how knowledgeable you SOUND is often more important than how knowledgeable you ARE.

I can say this b/c I was pretty successful writing lots of long papers with big words, but I found it much easier to write leftist stuff than Libertarian stuff b/c when you write Libertarian stuff you want to say "DUH" every few sentences b/c you feel like you're explaining the obvious. Once you cede that man basically acts in his own self interest, that he is homo economicus, the rest is pretty straightforward. You don't get As for "straight forward" papers. You get them for clever, and common sense is the opposite of "clever" in that context.

I don't really fault the students. I fault the colleges who hire and retain some complete idiots for professors, and the general confusion that having an advanced degree means you know a damned thing or are right about anything you say. Degrees largely measure your ability to regurgitate information, they haven't developed very good ways of testing if you really learned anything or not. You can go to school and learn a lot, or go and get the same degree and learn little or nothing.

I once devised the start of a course in "common sense". We'd do a lot of work with incentives and choices, see if people could begin to get their mind around how behavior changes when you change incentives. Maybe if we could get folks to understand that you tax things you want to minimize and subsidize things you want more of, we could at least get a start on people understanding how they're wrecking the nation's economy.

[BigBlueBrock]

I didn't realize people watched the Hannity show, or anything else presented by Faux News, for any purpose other than a good laugh.

[CitizenBBN]

I don't watch any of them. It helped my blood pressure immensely.

I realized one day I had lived long enough to see the full circle. Syria and chemical weapons use? we had this debate when Saddam used them in the 80s, have had it dozens of times in the same basic form. The facts and the consequences haven't changed, the nature of people hasn't changed, there's simply nothing new about the situation we haven't learned many times over once we get the basic facts down.

Besides, I know the ending to our national tale, and I don't like it, so I'm trying to ignore it.

[Doc]

I didn't realize people watched the Hannity show, or anything else presented by Faux News, for any purpose other than a good laugh.

Such a sad comment. No wonder so many folks don't take liberalism as serious because of points such as this. Good thing the left has such iconic mouthpieces like Al Sharpton, Chris Mathews, Rachelle Maddow and Jessie Jackson to keep us morally and ethically straight.

[Doc]

I don't watch any of them. It helped my blood pressure immensely.

I realized one day I had lived long enough to see the full circle. Syria and chemical weapons use? we had this debate when Saddam used them in the 80s, have had it dozens of times in the same basic form. The facts and the consequences haven't changed, the nature of people hasn't changed, there's simply nothing new about the situation we haven't learned many times over once we get the basic facts down.

Besides, I know the ending to our national tale, and I don't like it, so I'm trying to ignore it.

Except then we had moral icon like Obama and Kerry telling how war should be avoided at all costs. We had liberals wanting Bush labelled a war criminal. But I'm sure this is different

[Catonahottinroof]

Fox is like any other news outlet. You have to sort through the chaff and spin to get to the truth, just as you do with CNN, MSNBC, CBS, NBC, ABC.

They all have an agenda.

[bigsky]

Fox is like any other news outlet. You have to sort through the chaff and spin to get to the truth, just as you do with CNN, MSNBC, CBS, NBC, ABC.

They all have an agenda.

I think those outlets are all chaff and spin

[BigBlueBrock]

Such a sad comment. No wonder so many folks don't take liberalism as serious because of points such as this. Good thing the left has such iconic mouthpieces like Al Sharpton, Chris Mathews, Rachelle Maddow and Jessie Jackson to keep us morally and ethically straight.

All cable news is categorically awful.

[Catonahottinroof]

I like to watch RT. it can have a progressive bend with one host in particular, but they do skewer many sacred cows the mainstream won't touch.

Keep in mind Putin does pays the bill however.

[jazyd]

Citizen, funny you write this because that is exactly how each side answered the questions. The liberal kids used well memorized statistics and big words, acted very high and mighty....smart asses...but really could not explain their positions in common sense.

Simple question, how much of every dollar earned at your job should you be able to keep after taxes? Liberals couldn't answer, basically said they didn't care, government could take what they wanted to take care of everyone else. Conservative kids would give definite answers in %. Liberals would argue that Hannity was wrong in how much taxes are taken from working tax paying individuals. They couldn't seem to comprehend they will pay fed taxes, SS tax, state income tax, Medicare tax, fuel tax, sales tax, property tax etc. when Hannity said a total of 60% total is taken from him one of the liberals called him a liar. When Hannity said almost 50% of the people pay no federal income tax the most arrogant of the liberals called him a liar.

This little twits have no idea of the real world. Hannity should have told them that in many states they live in that if they made $100.000 a year, they would have only $40,000 left to pay all their bills.

You could really see the effect of brainwashing from college profs in the Ivy leagues. They really buy into the take from the producers and give to the non producers

Citizen I would love to ignore it because much of it won't affect me but with 2 grand children I can't ignore the world they are growing up to



Much of conservatism, at least economic conservatism, is based largely in common sense and empirical experience. It's very difficult to write long papers with big words saying things that are common sense, so common sense isn't very popular in academia for that reason. It's also why it's not popular in big government or big business, other places where how knowledgeable you SOUND is often more important than how knowledgeable you ARE.

I can say this b/c I was pretty successful writing lots of long papers with big words, but I found it much easier to write leftist stuff than Libertarian stuff b/c when you write Libertarian stuff you want to say "DUH" every few sentences b/c you feel like you're explaining the obvious. Once you cede that man basically acts in his own self interest, that he is homo economicus, the rest is pretty straightforward. You don't get As for "straight forward" papers. You get them for clever, and common sense is the opposite of "clever" in that context.

I don't really fault the students. I fault the colleges who hire and retain some complete idiots for professors, and the general confusion that having an advanced degree means you know a damned thing or are right about anything you say. Degrees largely measure your ability to regurgitate information, they haven't developed very good ways of testing if you really learned anything or not. You can go to school and learn a lot, or go and get the same degree and learn little or nothing.

I once devised the start of a course in "common sense". We'd do a lot of work with incentives and choices, see if people could begin to get their mind around how behavior changes when you change incentives. Maybe if we could get folks to understand that you tax things you want to minimize and subsidize things you want more of, we could at least get a start on people understanding how they're wrecking the nation's economy.

[Doc]

All cable news is categorically awful.

Not just cable but also network.

No doubt Fox leans conservative but it counters the left leaning CNN, MSNBC, etc... Personally I'll occasionally watch CNN and others but find I disagree more and more. Rarely do to they have true conservatives to voice the other side. At least Fox presents a liberal side with the likes of Beckel (who I actually enjoy), Combs (who I gives me the creeps), Juan Williams, Kristen Powers etc.... While Hannity definately caters to conservatives, his show is hardly a comedy designed to garner laughs. Thats the problem with many liberals and many conservatives, they fail to see the other side as reasonable. Instead they want to ridicule and put down their views. Its a shame that you see it that way.

[jazyd]

Doc, like you I enjoy hearing the other side. Becker I disagree with often but I enjoy his humor and like Powers is not Fraid to criticize democrats unlike Combs. Howard Deans former campaign mgr also isn't afraid to criticize his side. Conservatives will also criticize republicans and often do.

And one cannt argue when any fox host shows footage of democrats and what they say, such as Obamas redline statement.

With Fox I know they are conservative and admit it but they do give the liberals equal time in discussions. The other networks pretend they are neutral when it is far from true

QUOTE=Doc;108045]Not just cable but also network.

No doubt Fox leans conservative but it counters the left leaning CNN, MSNBC, etc... Personally I'll occasionally watch CNN and others but find I disagree more and more. Rarely do to they have true conservatives to voice the other side. At least Fox presents a liberal side with the likes of Beckel (who I actually enjoy), Combs (who I gives me the creeps), Juan Williams, Kristen Powers etc.... While Hannity definately caters to conservatives, his show is hardly a comedy designed to garner laughs. Thats the problem with many liberals and many conservatives, they fail to see the other side as reasonable. Instead they want to ridicule and put down their views. Its a shame that you see it that way.[/QUOTE]

[KeithKSR]

Fox News garners the highest ratings among all cable news networks.

Fox tends to have analysts that will skewer either side, other network and cable news shows only want to cater to the extreme left, and no dissenting views are allowed.

[CattyWampus]

With Fox I know they are conservative and admit it but they do give the liberals equal time in discussions. The other networks pretend they are neutral when it is far from true


Fox leans right, but they are NOT conservative. Fox is solidly in the Bush camp. They pushed Christie. They pushed Romney in the primaries. They pushed Rubio. How many times a day must they have Rove on to bloviate? Fox rarely gives time for those who actually speak for conservatives.

I used to watch Fox a lot. Now, I rarely tune into Fox on purpose. I made it a point to watch Hannity's various shows where he has had a large group to discuss the issues, but I tuned out. Those shows are useless. There are too many individuals who might have something worthwhile to say, but are limited to 10-15 second soundbytes because someone is always interrupting. In a one hour show, there is about 40-44 minutes of air time. Hannity will easily take up half that time with his comments, at least 10 minutes are wasted by people overtalking others, and that leaves about 10 minutes for two dozen people to comment. For me, it doesn't work.

[bigsky]

I've been on Fox and CNN. Fox treated me far more honestly.

[Catonahottinroof]

Fox is conservative to a point, when it suits Roger Ailes. The support of Bush who had an enormous spending problem, who yielded to the intelligence apparatus and brought us the surveillance state inducing Patriot act was the end for me taking them seriously as a balanced news outlet. They have an agenda like all the others. You have to find the relevant news in between the rah rah or gloomy indignation in presentation.

[CGWildcat]

Very interesting. Anything you can elaborate on?


I've been on Fox and CNN. Fox treated me far more honestly.

[KeithKSR]

The difference between Fox and the other networks is that all the other networks pump you full of the liberal agenda like you are hooked up to an IV. Nothing else gets in, which is the way they want it.

[bigsky]

Very interesting. Anything you can elaborate on?



Sure. Fox had me on F&F live, (4 or 5 am or so mst) but let me talk, asked questions and let me answer. CNN chopped and juxtaposed to make their story say whatever they wanted.

[Doc]

Sure. Fox had me on F&F live, (4 or 5 am or so mst) but let me talk, asked questions and let me answer. CNN chopped and juxtaposed to make their story say whatever they wanted.

You should have gone on THE FACTOR. Then you would have been interrupted every time you spoke unless you just regurgitated O'Reilly's point of view.