The proliferation of print and TV pundits may well have caused the

[KlatooBNikto]

quality of our discourse on any topic to decline. The incessant din of these pundits creates a momentum of its own debasing and demeaning thoughtful dialog on any topic. People like Rush Limbaugh, George Will, Krauthammer, Friedman are all agents provocateurs whose value to the organizations is measured in terms of their provocativeness quotient.The more outrgaeous and predictable their opinions become, the more they are able to reach their loyal readers or watchers.

The extreme examples of this mindless drivel-peddling are two columnists, Michelle Malkin and Michael Medved.Michelle is in a class by herself in calling for concentration camps for Muslims. Michael Medved is more of a smarmy sort, writing an autobiography when nobody would even know who he is, and what is worse, doesn't even care.

That our print and TV media deem it necessary to foist these people on us, day after day,and give them a sense of importance they do not deserve, says that the age of diminishing expectations has arrived in news consumption.It is destined to be accorded the same attention as World Championship Wrestling.

[Sanity Claws]

1. I can't stand them

They're plain rude. If anyone liked as they did in my presence, they would no longer be welcome in my home. They have contributed to the loss of civility in general, not only reasoned discourse.

[OneBlueSky]

2. stopped watching and listening long ago . . .

and I'm a better person for it . . . I get to form my own opinions based on the facts (as best I can determine them), rather than choosing between "competing" viewpoints that are both based on incomplete and/or inaccurate information . . . it's quite liberating . . . really . . .

[cry baby]

3. I agree with Jon Stewert, they are hurting America! nt