So, do Rush and the other wingnut ranters just have carte blanche to say ANYTHING on their daily

[Atticus]

broadcasts?

I listened to about 5 minutes worth of Limbaugh's daily vomitus this afternoon. He was explaining to all his dittoheads why he had said he wanted Obama to fail. And, of course, he reeled off one lie after another to demonstrate what President Obama had either done or failed to do.

I'm not talking about differences of opinion; I'm talking about Limbaugh lying repeatedly about things which can be independently checked. I could not begin to list them, but there were several statements he attributed to President Obama that were just total fiction. These "quotes" were convenient to Limbaugh's anti-Obama fairy tale, but were just---lies.

This offends me. It is not only immoral, it is unpatriotic to an extent that often verges on sedition and outright treason. Further, Rush and Beck and O'Reilly and Hannity and their wannabes occasionally seem to intentionally incite their listeners or viewers to use violence to demonstrate their disapproval of all things Obama.

Is the fact that millions of droolers listen or watch religiously, thereby making OBSCENE amounts of money for these "personalities" and the stations that give them air or mike time, the ONLY justification necessary for their being allowed to continue broadcasting their disgusting and hateful propaganda?

If lots of people would tune in to watch six week old beagle puppies skinned alive and doused with acid, would Fox broadcast it?

If unsubstantiated and graphic speculation about the sexual practices of Republican politicians would attract loads of
listeners, would Premiere Radio Networks beam it into our cars, restaurants and waiting rooms?

If there is some limit as to what can and cannot be disseminated over radio and TV, is anyone in authority listening to these yahoos?

[LiberalLoner]

1. Rush Limbaugh is broadcast over Armed Forces Radio Network too - gotta

make sure all our soldiers are indoctrinated into becoming ditto heads you know so they will obey when the military coup takes place overthrowing President Obama....

[Andy823]

3. Yes and that makes me sick!

He should be pulled off of AFR and never allowed back on it. I know the right would have a cow and scream their heads off, but if anyone had said these lies when Bush was in office and allowed to say them to our troops, the same idiots would have been screaming to take them off AFR and most likely, prosecute them for aiding the terrorists! Why he is still on the AFR is beyond me. I have written to my two congress women, but never did hear back from them, both are democrats! It's simply insane to allow him to say these things to our men in uniform!

[Enthusiast]

11. It looks like treason to me.

For AFR to broadcast a steady stream of lies and exaggerations aimed at undermining the integrity and questioning the validity of the Commander in Chief. It makes no sense to allow this to continue. You are right, of course, this would never have been allowed when Bush was in office.

[lpbk2713]

8. I have no problem with AFRS airing opposing viewpoints.

In fact that is probably a good thing.

But the fact that Limbaugh lies and makes shit up
to support his hatemongering should disqualify him.

[AnArmyVeteran]

12. Yes, I think our soldiers should be forced to listen to 12 hours of Bin Laden each day too!

[lpbk2713]

13. That might be very hard to get done.

Seeing as how he only makes one two minute tape every six months. Unless of
course you want to play the same two minute tape for 12 hours at a time.


:shrug:

[jdlh8894]

2. Grains of salt and a sigh. n/t

[wiggs]

4. Lincoln: "The basis of a democracy is a well informed public." It is no less than

un-democratic and irresponsible to so thoroughly and deliberately misinform the public. Whether it's attempts to de-legitimize Obama or extoll the brainpower of Bush, pundits with large audiences who pretend to know truth but feed lies shouldn't be allowed on public airwaves. It's not opinion. it's not that they have valid viewpoints. It's propaganda. It's creating storylines out of whole cloth.

9 of every 10 talk radio hours is this kind of conservative crap. This is one reason why Tea Partiers can't really explain what they're for or against without spouting a slogan or empty talking point. It's about belief and about polarization into camps where you either believe in the shallow doctrine or you're out.

It's cult-ish.

I tell my RW friends that these guys aren't lying to ME...I'm not their audience. They are creating a tight knit group of dittoheads and lying to THEM.

[wiggs]

5. case in point...another DU thread

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8281671

Logic, facts, honesty, proof don't matter. The doctrine and the script and loyalty matter.

[Zorra]

10. "The basis of a corporatocracy is a well-deceived public."

Hmmm. Has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?

[political_Dem]

6. From the RNC book of fascism: once a lie gets repeated ad nauseum it turns into the truth.

They don't study fascist regimes for nothing. That's how they keep their army of "Christian" soldiers in line from the Teabaggers on up.

[kelly1mm]

7. Up to the point of instigating immediate violence per Brandenburg v. Ohio,

yes, basically they can say whatever they want without GOVERNMENT intrusion. See 1st Amendment, U.S. Constitution and Supreme Court holdings regarding same.

However, that does not mean one could not boycott stations, advertisers etc....

[melm00se]

16. Ditto

if he doesn't violate the provisions defined in the Sullivan (libel/slander) and Miller (obscenity) decisions, the government can't regulate him out of existence. Same applies to any other media outlet with which you happen to disagree.

[Kablooie]

9. It is part of the fallout of freedom. Just like Nazis are allowed to celebrate Nazism.

But I wonder when it falls to the level of crying "fire" in a crowded theater.

[bluethruandthru]

14. It's not just Rush.

All the right wing whacko radio and tv nuts get their marching orders from the RNC/Heritage Foundation or wherever the right wing team of propagandists resides. They all have the same talking points which are almost always flat out lies.

I long for the days when people could have differing political viewpoints. Issues could be discussed with each side trying to come up with the best solution.

That pretty much ended with Lee Atwater and Newt Gingrich.

[olegramps]

17. Lee Atwater had a big change of heart when he faced death.

But for me it was too late. He was responsible for creating much of the hatred that is a legacy of that period and which continues to pollute politics. He is responsible for legitimizing Rove, Limbaugh, Hannity, O'Reilly, Beck, Palin, etc. and their dominance of the media. It is only rarely that any credible news source will contradict these New Age Fascist lying bastards with the facts.

The greatest threat to our Republic is not from without, but the lack of responsible journalists that will challenge the right wing propagandists. They could be silenced by a massive boycott of their sponsors if the progressives had the determination.

[mmonk]

15. Yes. The US did away with equal time for other views.