Posted on 12/29/2011 3:56:11 AM PST by Kaslin
They're coming for your children! They're coming for the womenfolk! Then they're coming after you! Norman Lear, the famous television show producer, offered this hysterically paranoid assessment of the allegedly growing and presumably insidious power of "the right":
"I want to suggest that we lefties start laying claim to what we see as 'sacred' and serve it up proudly to the religious right -- to the James Dobson, Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Karl Rove ... hatemongers, sheathed in sanctity, and to the Koch brothers, the types that fund them and use them so effectively for their own political power-grabbing purposes. Over the past several decades, the power-grabbing right has built a powerful infrastructure -- radio and TV stations and networks. They've built think tanks, colleges and law schools."
How accurate is Lear's assessment of the supposed power and influence of the right? Is the right steadily forming a formidable alliance of academics, media outlets, websites, etc., that serve as a fourth column for the "right wing"? Even if this were true, what about the power of the left?
Let's look at the mainscream media. In "Left Turn: How Liberal Media Bias Distorts the American Mind," UCLA economist and political science professor Dr. Tim Groseclose uses three different methods to determine the SQ -- or slant quotient -- of the major media outlets. Of the 20 most prominent news outlets, including The Wall Street Journal, "Good Morning America" and Time magazine, he found only two that leaned to the right: The Washington Times and Fox News.
True, the network evening news shows no longer hold the market share of years past, but nearly 25 million Americans still turn to Diane Sawyer, Brian Williams and Scott Pelley each night. That means eight times as many viewers watch ABC/NBC/CBS as watch "The O'Reilly Factor," the top-rated cable news/talk program.
When people like Lear speak of the growing power of the right-wing cabal, they believe Fox leads the charge. And Bill O'Reilly is clearly the face of the Fox News network. But as hated as O'Reilly is by the left, how legitimate is their description of O'Reilly as a right-wing ideologue?
O'Reilly is not even a Republican. He is registered as an independent and opposes the death penalty. He supported -- at least initially -- the Senate's so-called "amnesty bill." His opposition to ObamaCare is based on cost rather than the Constitution. He believes that in "a system where everybody is guaranteed the same health care ... whether you have a lot of money or no money, you're gonna get the same health care. Now, in theory, that sounds good ... but in practice, we got a $14 trillion debt that we can't pay off, and this is gonna add to it, big-time." He wondered how a man can raise a family of four on minimum wage. In a recent interview with former President Bill Clinton, O'Reilly said, "I think I am paying my fair share (of taxes). Now, I didn't mind paying what you had me at. I didn't mind paying you that." Somewhere, anti-tax crusader Grover Norquist is having heartburn.
Now let's look at academia. Given the dominance of left-wingers in academia, that Lear can even say this with a straight face is astonishing. Let's look at who is teaching our college-level students. The American Enterprise Institute's magazine examined the political registrations of professors at 20 colleges and universities, representing a cross section of higher education -- public and private, big and small, in the North, South, East and West. The study divided the registrations into those belonging to a "party of the left" -- Democrats, Greens or some other liberal political party -- or a "party of the right" -- either Republican or Libertarian. Overwhelmingly, by a more than 13-1 margin, the profs were registered with a party of the left. Many departments had no professors from a right-wing party.
Let's look at Hollywood. Ben Shapiro, a recent Harvard Law School grad, wrote a book called "Primetime Propaganda: The True Hollywood Story of How the Left Took Over Your TV." He interviewed, on the record, over 100 industry bigwigs, including David Shore ("House"), Fred Silverman (former CBS programming vice president, ABC Entertainment president, and NBC president and CEO), Marta Kauffman ("Friends"), Larry Gelbart ("M-A-S-H") and Mark Burnett ("Survivor"). When asked whether there is a prevailing pro-left ideology, if not a left-wing agenda, several major players admitted that of course Hollywood leans left. Others bluntly bragged about their bias against conservatives and the extent of the left-wing messages inserted into their comedies and dramas.
Perhaps Lear might consider the advice the late Andy Rooney once offered to a CBS colleague: "There is just no question that I, among others, have a liberal bias. I mean, I'm consistently liberal in my opinions. And I think ... Dan (Rather) is transparently liberal. Now, he may not like to hear me say that. I always agree with him, too, but I think he should be more careful."
Given the left's dominance in the major media, academia and Hollywood, it is beyond insulting to hear influential Hollywood lefties like Mr. Lear whine about the supposed power of the right. Makes them sound like a, well, "Meathead."
OReilly is obviously intelligent. Perhaps his term at Camelot in Cambridge has smothered that gift. The Minimum Wage was never intended to support a family of four. Its true purpose was to set a floor on the wage scale for Entry Workers like myself fifty years ago.
There is an inverse relationship between employment and the Minimum Wage,driven by simple economics.
Coprorations and the Right don't scare me. An uncontrolled leftist government concerns me mightily.
I’m sorry I have to disagree.
Minimum wages laws were enacted to allow the unions to compete against the nonunion shops
Alzheimer's or maybe he is just nuts. I'll bet on the latter.
Each time the minimum wage is raised, some unions get a big raise since many of their contracts are based on the MW. It's the dirty secret no one will discuss. When you hear a dem demanding an increase in the MW, they are actually demanding a raise for their union buddies.
“... he found only two that leaned to the right: The Washington Times and Fox News. “
So, if you don’t lean left THAT equals leaning right?
Unlike the left, no one funds Rush et al. The sell their products on the open market and people buy them.
Hardcore lefties would make excellent members of the secret police. Think of how much fun they would have arresting all those pesky Christian clergymen.
IMHO
How does a man or woman work for the time it takes to get married, produce 2 children, and yet still make minimum wage. He or she must be a horrible worker to never succeed in getting a raise over the course of this time frame. No pity here.
Norman Lear needs to sell his mansions, boats, cars, clothes, and walk outside and view the world as the other 99% view it.
I so hate Hollyweird.
If the left could have all of their wishes about government and society come true, I suspect that they would be horrified at the kind of nation they’d then be forced to live in and would scratch their heads wondering where it all went wrong.
LLS
I guess we should be encourged that the Soviet propaganda machine is feeling threatened.
Exactly. He’s not paranoid, rather he’s inciting an unspecified ‘serving up’ against the left’s religous political opponents.
“I want to suggest that we lefties start laying claim to what we see as ‘sacred’ and serve it up proudly to the religious right.
And what if the targeted religious right reciprocates against religous members of the left? Where are we heading then Mr. Lear -ya friggin dumbass?
Responsible people do not attempt this. Don't breed'm if you can't feed'm.
Over the past several decades, the power-grabbing right has built a powerful infrastructure — radio and TV stations and networks. They’ve built think tanks, colleges and law schools.
Thats right Norman, and were coming after you and your castle in the Hollywood Hills.
Now Norman, tell us all how you fit in with the 99% ?
This clown has more BS than money
Republicans, “coming for your children” = Parents over Teachers Unions.
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