Public Address | Cafe | Hard News: Fox News: I know, right?

Matthew Littlewood

Tue, 25 Sep 2012 21:55:21 +1200

I've become increasingly in awe of Tom Tomorrow's (AKA Dan Perkins') ability to wring absurdist, jaw-dropping satirical humour out of US politics, when it's already plenty absurd and jaw-dropping as it is, but his latest cartoon riffing on Mitt's gaffes is just beyond fantastic.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/09/24/1134459/-Further-gaffes

Seriously, how does he make…

WH

Mon, 24 Sep 2012 11:34:42 +1200

The US is running a deficit because it is spending more than it earns.

Jon Stewart argued that preferential tax rates on investment income are a form of cross-subsidy as against wage and salary earners. I think that basically holds up.

We could just as easily claim that the failure…

Bart Janssen

Mon, 24 Sep 2012 09:41:45 +1200

The US is running a deficit because it is spending more than it earns. We could just as easily claim that the failure to raise taxes on poor people is causing it.

But the point you are casually ignoring, is that tax rates were reduced and the biggest benefactors of…

Brodie Davis

Mon, 24 Sep 2012 08:32:18 +1200

except that doesn't really work. The bottom 50% of Americas population only control 2.5% of the wealth. So you would need to take all of it to equal the tax take reduction of the high income tax cuts in America. That is not just take all of their income, but…

Keir Leslie

Mon, 24 Sep 2012 08:27:10 +1200

I think it makes sense to say the deficit was caused by the Bush tax cuts and the Bush war.

The reason we look at the status quo ante is that we want to attribute causation to a thing done by someone; in this case, the obvious thing is cuts,…

Graeme Edgeler

Mon, 24 Sep 2012 07:40:48 +1200

The US is running a huge deficit caused in large part by tax cuts on upper income earners. Before that stroke of genius there was as surplus.

The US is running a deficit because it is spending more than it earns. We could just as easily claim that the failure…

WH

Sun, 23 Sep 2012 23:51:28 +1200

Obama has come roaring out of the convention, there has been a big swing in the polls, especially for the Senate. That’s before the effect of Moocher-gate. The debates are Romney’s last chance. It's actually quite sad that I'm this excited.

There’s even been suggestions that the Republican leadership will…

Matthew Littlewood

Sat, 22 Sep 2012 19:44:53 +1200

There is a great piece on the finger pointing of both parties later in show that shows people’s willingness to spout the party line blindly.

Yeah. It's telling. Almost hard to watch.

And the way Jason Jones and John Oliver just let it speak for itself (to the point where…

Kumara Republic

Sat, 22 Sep 2012 14:09:41 +1200

But under-taxing the wealthy – and this is not a uniquely US problem – does exactly the same in reducing their contribution to shared obligations like social security, health and education which everone else then pays for a larger share of.

Unless you’re a pimply libertarian who believes society doesn’t…

Sacha

Sat, 22 Sep 2012 12:37:00 +1200

Our ETS scheme subsidises polluters more transparently perhaps – because taxpayers as a whole pick up the tab for our international obligations.

But under-taxing the wealthy – and this is not a uniquely US problem – does exactly the same in reducing their contribution to shared obligations like social security,…

mccx

Sat, 22 Sep 2012 11:56:42 +1200

I am not defending such a system. Call it wrong. Call it immoral. But don’t call it a subsidy.

If a subsidy is assistance paid from a government to a private interest then taxing someone less than their equitable share has the same effect as taxing equitably but then giving…

Graeme Edgeler

Sat, 22 Sep 2012 09:42:46 +1200

Defending such a system does you no credit.

I am not defending such a system. Call it wrong. Call it immoral. But don't call it a subsidy. Calling the taking of $3m from someone to pay for part of social security, and education and everything else, a "subsidy" because you…

Bart Janssen

Sat, 22 Sep 2012 09:05:09 +1200

Taxing someone at 15% instead of 35% is not a subsidy.

As a lawyer I would expect you to be technically accurate and of course you are.

But functionally for the purposes of what most folks see in the bank account after payday then arranging the tax code so that…

Craig Ranapia

Sat, 22 Sep 2012 08:34:41 +1200

Taxing someone at 15% instead of 35% is not a subsidy.

No it isn’t. But I’d like to join Mr Seaborn under the couch every time someone like Gov. Romney pretend to be shocked – and outraged – by the idea that someone who earns $400K a year as a…

Ian Dalziel

Sat, 22 Sep 2012 06:39:35 +1200

showtime...
I like how well the bunch-of-jokes-and-mockery
followed by analytical-rant format works.
I know, Parliament is almost there...
They need better joke writers though!
(and waaay more intelligent analysis....)

caught report...
spooky – I'd not heard of Crossfire before, but yesterday I pulled up behind a crossfire car, which I'd…

Graeme Edgeler

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 23:48:40 +1200

If you’re taxing high incomes at 15% and low incomes at 35% then it most certainly is. Or if you’re taxing income from activity A at 15% and income from activity B at 35% then it most certainly is.

I'm going to need a bit more than this to change…

Lucy Stewart

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 22:37:05 +1200

But I digress. If Romney had said there are plenty of "tribal" voters out there who'd never vote for him or any other Republican, I'd give him a cookie for stating the blindingly obvious. Obama could say the same without fear of contradiction from me.

There were some early initial…

mccx

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 22:17:09 +1200

Taxing someone at 15% instead of 35% is not a subsidy.

If you're taxing high incomes at 15% and low incomes at 35% then it most certainly is. Or if you're taxing income from activity A at 15% and income from activity B at 35% then it most certainly is.…

SteveH

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 21:38:25 +1200

First, I’m going to stipulate that I don’t believe for a moment Romney’s comments were “off the cuff” in any generally used use of the phrase. “Inconveniently candid, because I never thought they’d be made public” would be closer to the truth.
That's the impression I get.
It would also…

Graeme Edgeler

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 21:37:08 +1200

Taxing someone at 15% instead of 35% is not a subsidy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nzeJrXFttg

DexterX

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 21:35:56 +1200

Rommney – Turd Contaignment Crews – Classic – the whole thing is the truth through the filter of homour of stating hte bleeding obvious.

andin

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 20:56:24 +1200

If “Panderer-in-Chief’ is the best spin you can come up with, Angus, that’s Romney’s problem in a nutshell.

Im laughing my arse off at that one

Craig Ranapia

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 18:56:16 +1200

t seems clear to me that he’s talking about the campaign, not the presidency. And in that respect he’s right – his job is to convince the swing voters, not the entrenched democrats

If that's what he meant to say, he couldn't have fucked himself harder if he'd sat on…

SteveH

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 18:02:48 +1200

It's actually the "and so my job is not to worry about those people" line that blows me away – here's a man intending to be President who claims his job is not to worry about 47% of the population?!
It seems clear to me that he's talking about the…

Kumara Republic

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 17:51:40 +1200

And revelations have come to light that Fox News’ sister publication, the late and unlamented Spews of the World, outrightly employed Watergate-style burglary tactics.

Craig Ranapia

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 17:25:18 +1200

When a politician addresses a potential donor, what will the politician say?

A: the politician will say what he/she "really thinks".

B: the politician will say what he/she thinks the donor wants to hear.

So, the options are:

A. Romney is a hateful fuck-bag who thinks anyone who votes for…

Lyndon Hood

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 17:10:30 +1200

I like how well the bunch-of-jokes-and-mockery followed by analytical-rant format works.

Pete Sime

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 16:50:21 +1200

The forthcoming debate between Jon Stewart and Bill O'Reilly will be epic.

Gareth Ward

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 16:02:44 +1200

Fuckers.

This is an awfully depressing page: http://www.comedycentral.co.nz/shows/

Kiwiiano

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 16:00:18 +1200

He doesn't have to worry about the 47% who don't pay any taxes because it is his job to worry about the 1% who don't pay any taxes but do fund his campaigns.

Kyle Matthews

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 16:00:14 +1200

They are usually pretty civil as guests, but a formal debate should set Stewart loose. He is definitely no slouch intellectually.

Everyone has seen him on crossfire right? A PBS interview with him which aired on Radio NZ led me to this which led me to the daily show. Some…

Danielle

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 15:51:45 +1200

(f*&% knows why)

Because we all really, REALLY want to watch Benny Hill repeats, apparently.

Fuckers.

Russell Brown

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 15:31:09 +1200

I can’t find the Daily Show.

I’m assuming he means on The Daily Show website

Or by ... other means.

Gareth Ward

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 15:29:35 +1200

I can't find the Daily Show.

I'm assuming he means on The Daily Show website – the NZ Comedy Central channel doesn't run it anymore as far as I'm aware (f*&% knows why)

wendyf

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 15:15:21 +1200

Ahem. I'm a newish MySky subscriber (thanks to daughter) and loving being able to record stuff and whizz through the ads. I don't have all that's on offer, but I do have Comedy Central and I can't find the Daily Show. Help, please...

Michael Hogan

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 14:51:21 +1200

Love it. Comedy Central site has all his shows in entirety the day after they air. He is debating Fox's biggest mouthpiece, Bill O'Reilly in something called Rumble in the Air Conditioned Auditorium, which should be worth watching if only to gain a bit more insight to the right wing…

Russell Brown

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 14:37:40 +1200

The sad thing is that his core supporters will double down and back him more vehemently.

Unless they happen to be other Republicans in tough races. They're already running away as swiftly as possible.

It does seem that the past week has been a major turning point. It's not a…

Russell Brown

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 14:31:28 +1200

There is a great piece on the finger pointing of both parties later in show that shows people’s willingness to spout the party line blindly.

Yeah. It's telling. Almost hard to watch.

Bart Janssen

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 14:31:25 +1200

The thing that is most poignant is that the very people Romney is discarding as irrelevant to his campaign are the very people who will vote for him regardless of what he says.

Satire highlights the medium but it is the people who suffer from the Romney policies who deserve…

Daniel Wilton

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 14:18:57 +1200

The sad thing is that his core supporters will double down and back him more vehemently.

There is a great piece on the finger pointing of both parties later in show that shows people's willingness to spout the party line blindly.

We need to make we don't stray down this…

Russell Brown

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 13:22:44 +1200

Effective polemic for the converted. Three clips of bull pukky build to a sanctimonious condemnation of Team A by in-the-pocket Team B player.

Stewart will do the same thing to MSNBC sometimes, but it simply doesn't provide the constant, rich diet of material. Fox's all-hands-to-the-pump response to Romney's calamity was…

Sacha

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 13:07:49 +1200

those that can see it need to shout loud (very) and clear or the bullshit will win

this

Richard Aston

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 13:01:36 +1200

Great television and man Stewart is on fire !
Good lesson for NZ perhaps – with that level of bullshit going down those that can see it need to shout loud (very) and clear or the bullshit will win .

Angus Robertson

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 12:57:03 +1200

Effective polemic for the converted. Three clips of bull pukky build to a sanctimonious condemnation of Team A by in-the-pocket Team B player.

Paul Williams

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 12:48:43 +1200

Brilliant satire/commentary. The three clips build to the entirely reasonable righteousness of the last.

Steve Barnes

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 12:23:21 +1200

perhaps its about time the world was run by people who know what they are trying to achieve for the people rather than themselves. Oh hang on... that's Socialism and that is evil... apparently.

Kyle Matthews

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 12:14:36 +1200

Only managed to see the first and third ones there, but man Stewart gets fired up in that last one. Haven't seen him like that for a while..

It's actually something that he's done in the past couple of weeks that he hardly ever does – speaking direct to the…

Sacha

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 12:14:25 +1200

And Obama gracefully kicks his ass on that in the…

Steve Barnes

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 12:10:52 +1200

Is it me or is anyone else getting PAS in bold italics?
Has someone done the old strong tag again?

eta
Apparently it's just me... as you were, I shall reboot.

Angus Robertson

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 12:04:53 +1200

...or when the Republican candidate for the Presidency has his campaign hurled into crisis when a tape emerges of him saying what he really thinks.

When a politician addresses a potential donor, what will the politician say?

A: the politician will say what he/she "really thinks".

B: the politician will…

Ian MacKay

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 11:51:20 +1200

And the lesson therein is that the Media can be a vehicle for Political Bul---Err ...Spin

err .... Honest Information. Thank goodness NZ MSM is squeaky clean.

Gareth Ward

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 11:48:31 +1200

By the way, what surprises me with the Romney tape is the focus on his "47% entitlement" lines. It's actually the "and so my job is not to worry about those people" line that blows me away – here's a man intending to be President who claims his job is…

Gareth Ward

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 11:42:53 +1200

Only managed to see the first and third ones there, but man Stewart gets fired up in that last one. Haven't seen him like that for a while...

Cecelia

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 11:08:01 +1200

It beggars belief.

Russell Brown

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 11:04:07 +1200

Can’t see em. Are these Flash only?

Yes. That's the only embed code they give out.

Christiaan

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 10:54:57 +1200

Can't see em. Are these Flash only?

Public Address

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 10:54:57 +1200

Discussion from blog post.