Thursday, January 21, 2010

Massachusetts' Message of Stupid

By Robert Parry
January 21, 2010

Having grown up in Massachusetts, I never bought into the idea that the state was that much more liberal than most others. The dominant media there is not the center-left Boston Globe but the right and far-right talk radio shows that pervade the Bay State as they do the rest of the country.

Read on.
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15 comments:

Greg said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Thu Jan 21, 04:36:00 PM 2010
Greg said...

Unfortunately, I just deleted a long comment that I didn't proofread before posting it. I thought I'd copied the text before doing so, but when I tried to paste it and edit the comment, I found that I had not successfully copied it (must not have pressed "Ctrl" firmly enough, or something). Does the comment I posted still exist anywhere, so I can edit it and repost it?

Thu Jan 21, 04:39:00 PM 2010
ETSpoon said...

Robert, are you the only journalist in the nation who gets it?

Mike Judge's biting satire "Idiocracy" is almost too close to reality to be considered fiction any longer.

Thu Jan 21, 04:45:00 PM 2010
Unknown said...

My sentiments exactly! I live in western Mass. and I'm disgusted, but not surprised by the outcome. Corporate media has dumbed this country down probably to the point of no return. I agree with your assessment of the entertainment value of Brown's campaign. People are more concerned with who wins the super bowl or american idol than prosecuting war crimes and Wall St. bank criminals. Progressives may have to consider leaving this country if we can't jolt the population into confronting reality soon.

Thu Jan 21, 04:52:00 PM 2010
Unknown said...

My sentiments exactly! I live in western Mass. and I'm disgusted, but not surprised by the outcome. Corporate media has dumbed this country down probably to the point of no return. I agree with your assessment of the entertainment value of Brown's campaign. People are more concerned with who wins the super bowl or american idol than prosecuting war crimes and Wall St. bank criminals. Progressives may have to consider leaving this country if we can't jolt the population into confronting reality soon.

Thu Jan 21, 04:52:00 PM 2010
Anonymous said...

In the movie Training Day, Denzel Washington's character - Alonzo - uttered the catch phrase BOOM! after making a point.

This article - BOOM!

Thu Jan 21, 04:56:00 PM 2010
Anonymous said...

From America's Conservitive side...CAN YOU HEAR US NOW??

Thu Jan 21, 05:46:00 PM 2010
Anonymous said...

As long as people like you consider those that have any opposition to your "enlightened" views regarding our country and classify them as "stupid" are guiding the left, I feel great about the chances of winning elections for a very long time. Keep going on with that arrogant thought process, because that is exactly how the Bush presidency failed in the second term, arrogance.

Scott Brown voters are not stupid, we want to keep our hard earned money, donate it to the charities we believe can distribute assistance better than the Gov't can, protect our homes and families with our weapons, have more rights than undocumented citizens, among a whole host of things.

The true archaic way of thinking is that of full power to Government officials, much like the Romans had. So thus, I think your article is stupid...but please keep writing, it is helping us "stupid" people get exactly what we want.

Thu Jan 21, 05:55:00 PM 2010
priscianus jr said...

Robert, this may just be the best piece I have ever read by you. I agree with every word.

Thu Jan 21, 08:29:00 PM 2010
bob said...

The Democratic health care bill mirrors what they already have in Massachusetts. Mass residents must buy private health insurance or face a fine.

I don't want this legislation to pass. If I still lived in Mass I would have voted for Brown to help prevent it from passing. My guess is Brown got more than a few votes due to the familiarity Mass voters already have regarding the virtues of mandated insurance. I don't consider that stupid. If you don't like the health care bill, a vote for Brown (or anyone with an 'R' next to their name) was pragmatic.

So while condemning Mass voters as drooling apes gorging on Howie Carr probably feels good, it's hardly adequate to explain the election result. It also absolves Coakley, the Democratic Party, and Obama of any responsibility for the defeat.

The Democrats were given every opportunity to fix the health care mess. If they had instituted a system similar to what citizens in other industrial countries enjoy, they would have won the love of the voters and the Republican Party would be in deep doo-doo. Instead they used the opportunity to craft a bill only an insurance company could love. No wonder they lost the election!

The only rationale for voting Democratic that Mr. Parry seems to offer is that it is not the party of Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh, Howie Carr and assorted other loudmouthed Bush-like idiots. I'm afraid that is far from enough though, and the election in Mass underscored that.

Thu Jan 21, 08:53:00 PM 2010
Morton Kurzweil said...

Robert, don't you get it? The right to a job, the right to an education. the right to a home, the right to health were expressed by Franklin D. Roosevelt in his last fireside chat one month before the end of WWII.
The man was Democrat, fer Chris-sakes. He started the war. Social Security was bad enough but this was communism.
The people have a right to be led, a right to believe what they want, a right to speak and a right to make their beliefs into law for the sake of those who don't know better.

Thu Jan 21, 08:57:00 PM 2010
penguinsonarock said...

Don't get me wrong, I'm glad the voters in Mass. got who they wanted. The problem here is there are only 2 candidates for election. The net result is pretty much the same.

If you think the big boys care about who got elected think again.
Real change will come when the sea
levels rise and when a head of lettuce costs 5 dollars. All this
conservative/liberal nonsense only
keeps the status quo in place. If
you're out of work, neither Dem. or Repub. will save you. They can't. They're not in control.

As far as Anonymous wanting his guns to protect his family. Good
luck. When the banks come for your
house, good luck. Until we all care about the betterment of our "whole" society we're still
unevolved.

Thu Jan 21, 09:05:00 PM 2010
RichardKanePA said...

I think you have succumbed to avoiding the real problem. Scott Brown was hammering away at her opposition to military tribunals, capital punishment and troops in Afghanistan. He is a neocon or thinks it is a handy strategy to sound like one, either way bad news. The right-wing conspiracy you talked about in the past is well on the way of doing to Obama what it did to Carter,
http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2010/01/brown_criticize.html
http://seminal.firedoglake.com/diary/25690
RichardKanePA.blogspot.com

Fri Jan 22, 09:30:00 AM 2010
RichardKanePA said...

Robert Parry, I would like to call your attention to some of what you discovered in the past. Both bin Laden and the neocons are interested in somewhat permanent strive and don’t mind using each other for that purpose

http://www.consortiumnews.com/2009/082209a.html
http://consortiumblog.blogspot.com/2008/10/logic-of-al-qaedas-mccain-choice.html?showComment=12252 53700000#c7899683072517641995

RichardKane

Fri Jan 22, 10:04:00 AM 2010
Anonymous said...

this is a great point that some European newspaper mentioned as well. Americans are going suicidal,especially for voting any Republican in a public office. this is the link for the European article: hope you enjoy it. http://www.newropeans-magazine.org/content/view/10634/1/ -I can leave my name because I am not an American citizen and that might be very dangerous for me, but I love America and American people and do not like to see them voting against America and what it stands for. Please keep Republicans out of all public offices. They are the biggest enemies of American people. Please respect Mr. Parry and help him keep writing.

Sun Jan 24, 11:42:00 PM 2010

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