Speaking of Fascism

[kpete]

Speaking of Fascism

CNN brings Bill Bennett on many mornings, with a camera in his radio studio, to give us a sense of what his listeners are saying. There's no liberal counterpart, and he's often simply described as a radio host and CNN contributor, with no indication that he's as conservative. Here's what he had to say on Friday:

BENNETT: Yes; the question as posed by one of our listeners was this -- here's the government. Now, we know the government may overclassify. We know the government keeps secrets it shouldn't, but this is a government that we've elected. They are responsible and accountable to us. And they are our first line of defense, through the military and through intelligence operations, in the war on terror. They said the "New York Times" cloaks itself in the First Amendment, but it's a profit-making media behemoth which is out to make headlines and make profits. And the government is entitled to have its views respected over that of the editors of the "New York Times."

http://atrios.blogspot.com/2006_06_25_atrios_archive.html#115125926237351545

[Swamp Rat]

1. ... neither is he a 'conservative'.

'He' is something else entirely.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

2. And they always say "listeners."

No, the "listeners" aren't saying that, the "CALLERS" are! Do all of his listeners call in, or is he psychic?

And in that way he (and his ilk) can get away with saying ridiculous things because that's not what HE says, that's what THEY say.

Right.

[tridim]

3. And I suppose he believes BushCo isn't..

A "profit-making behemoth which is out to make headlines"?

I guess we have to redefine "behemoth" to describe BushCo's massive profits via theft of our tax dollars.

[Eric J in MN]

4. When the public is in the dark, then

the government ISN'T "accountable to us."

That is why we need to fight secrecy.

Democracy and secrecy don't mix. The public needs to be informed to respond and hold the government accountable.

[flordehinojos]

5. let me count the fallacies in the caller's statement:

Fallacy #1; "this is a government that we've elected." HELL NO. WE DID NOT ELECT THIS GOVERNMENT. THIS GOVERNMENT MERELY IMPOSED ITSELF ON US. THAT IS NEITHER AN ELECTED GOVERNMENT NOR A DEMOCRACY. IT IS A DICTATORSHIP.


Fallacy #2: "They are responsible and accountable to us." TELL THAT TO THE BUSHBOY. HE THINKS HE IS NEITHER RESPONSIBLE NOR ACCOUNTABLE TO ANYONE OF US. HE BELIEVES HE SHOULD DO WHATEVER HE DAMN WELL PLEASES. AND HE PRACTICES THAT.

Fallacy #3: "And they are our first line of defense, through the military and through intelligence operations, in the war on terror. "

Fallacy #4: "They said the "New York Times" cloaks itself in the First Amendment, but it's a profit-making media behemoth which is out to make headlines and make profits. " THERE AGAIN, A FREE PRESS IS YOUR FIRST PROTECTION (AND MINE) AGAINST ANY TYRANNIES, ESPECIALLY, IN THIS CASE, AGAINST ANY TYRANNIES PERPETRATED BY ANY OF THE BUSHES WHOSE TYRANNICAL SOULS CANNOT KEEP THEMSELVES FROM REPRESSING US JUST AS MUCH AS THEY CANNOT REPRESS THEMSELVES FROM TELLING LIES AND FROM IMBIBING ALCOHOL...SO PLEASE UNDERSTAND, ON THIS STORY OF THE FINANCIAL MARKETS,THE NEW YORK TIMES IS ON YOUR SIDE AND MINE...NOT BUSH'S.

Fallacy #5: the government is entitled to have its views respected over that of the editors of the "New York Times." BULL CRAP DEAR FELLOW AMERICAN. YOU HAVE JUST VOTED IN FAVOR OF THE BUSHES LIES, THEIR TYRANNY, THEIR REPRESSIVE GOVERNMENT AGAINST YOU AND ME, THEIR DICTATORSHIP.

It seems there at least five fallacies in the caller's statement.


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