As you can read at FreePress.net, the Senate appropriations subcommittee has provided $420 million in advance funding to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting for FY 2010. Mirroring its House counterpart, this represents the first increase to this critical line-item in four years. The subcommittee also provided level funding of $29.7…
Are they looking for someone with a conscience who will lead a team that will speak with passion and conscience? Are they looking for someone who bases his or her writing on deep principles, letting the chips fall where they may? Keep in mind that this is the modern version of the Post-Dispatch…
At Salon.com, Glen Greenwald describes it like this: If even our Beltway media -- rather, especially them -- argues that criminality by government officials should not be punished, and that light should not be shined on what they do, then pervasive government corruption and deceit are inevitable. That is just…
At the National Conference for Media Reform in January, FCC Commissioner Michael J. Copps challenged the thousands of people attending to enact a new “American Media Contract.” I think he did a good job of summing up the problems with big media. He proposed replacing the “bad old bargain that past…
After reading Erich’s post, I thought I’d put this up. I wrote it–most of it–some time ago, for a different venue, but I’ve added to it since, and, well, along with Erich’s it might add more flavors to the stew of memory. So.
I have friends who thought it was a great thing when Reagan became president, who now reject any such accusation, and refuse to believe it when I remind them that they said encouraging things about him when he took office. One quote, during a ceremony broadcast on television, that I’ll never forget: “He just looks like a real president!”
Time passes, policy comes to the fore, and most of those people no longer recall these initial bouts of near-patriotic enthusiasm. They have conveniently forgotten.
I didn’t like Reagan’s policies. I’m sure I would have liked him. Everybody who met him seems to say the same thing. When Donna Brazille can say she thought he was a decent man, despite the complete polarization of their politics, you have to admit something was going on with Reagan which is all too often more telling about politics and history than the facts attached to a particular era.
Reagan was presidential. He had Presence.
I listen now to the talk about putting his face on the ten dollar bill with some amusement. Reagan already has at least one airport, a couple of highways, no doubt many streets, parks, a library named in his honor. He may be the most honored president …
