Here we are again! The beginning of the latest semester....
As the blogging assignments continue to evolve - please remember that the basic premise is for all blogs to contribute to the work you are doing for the major assignments. I always encourage each of you to focus all of your work on a specific problem or issue - be professional by being complete! Become conversant about your area of work. Work toward a specific goal. Let me know how I can help - I look forward to our semester!
Dr. Ron
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Friday, March 9, 2012
Rush Limbaugh and the Baiting of the Deep-Red Base
By now, we've all heard what famous blowhard Rush Limbaugh said about Georgetown Law Student Sandra Fluke (rhymes with "look" by the way). And certainly, we've also heard the outrage raining down upon those who would still dare to use Limbaugh's popular radio show to advertise their products. Of course, there has been "the apology" and then the "second apology" and the "questioning of the sincerity of the apology." To paraphrase Louis from Casablanca, "I'm shocked... SHOCKED to find out there are insincere public apologies going on here."
Obama's campaign? Well, you might think they would be sitting back and enjoying watching this conservative pundit get his "just desserts" for saying such offensive things. But let us consider the political landscape with a bit more of a fine-toothed comb...
Consider, first, the consequences of this main-stream-media blitz upon Mr. Limbaugh. Has it endangered his career? Despite what Lawrence O'Donnell might hope, no... it has not. And some analysis has already demonstrated that attacks on Rush result in a more popular Rush - at least with the deep-red base. So, if you want to make the deep-red base buzz with anger, what better way to do it than to attack Mr. Limbaugh? Now why, we might ask, would Obama's people wish to make the deep-red base buzz with anger?
Consider, second, that Mr. Limbaugh does not support the presumed Republican nominee. Rush may be, as famous comedian and politician Al Franken says, "a big fat idiot," but he is also an important cultural spokesman for the right. When Rush speaks, millions listen, and it matters. Perhaps Rush is not quite the "kingmaker" he would want to be, but his criticism of Mr. Romney is certainly one of the reasons why Mr. Santorum is enjoying his current popularity.
Consider, finally, how those first two points intersect - and the consequences for the presumed Republican nominee. The deep-red base has no love for Mr. Romney. He is very rich. He embodies the 1% that the deep-red base mistrusts. He is a patrician elitist. The deep-red base doesn't like those elites. And when they are buzzing, they are usually railing about those elites. That only galvanizes their mistrust of the presumed Republican nominee. So, ipso facto, attack Rush and fire up the base, they will listen to Rush (who attacks Romney as a phoney), and poof! attacking Rush becomes a perfect shadow-tactic to turn the deep-red base against the presumed Republican nominee.
Why even Bill Maher, the beloved Lefty pundit who called Sarah Palin a "cu**" on HBO (and no, I don't remember the outrage about that either), might call that sneaky politics...
Obama's campaign? Well, you might think they would be sitting back and enjoying watching this conservative pundit get his "just desserts" for saying such offensive things. But let us consider the political landscape with a bit more of a fine-toothed comb...
Consider, first, the consequences of this main-stream-media blitz upon Mr. Limbaugh. Has it endangered his career? Despite what Lawrence O'Donnell might hope, no... it has not. And some analysis has already demonstrated that attacks on Rush result in a more popular Rush - at least with the deep-red base. So, if you want to make the deep-red base buzz with anger, what better way to do it than to attack Mr. Limbaugh? Now why, we might ask, would Obama's people wish to make the deep-red base buzz with anger?
Consider, second, that Mr. Limbaugh does not support the presumed Republican nominee. Rush may be, as famous comedian and politician Al Franken says, "a big fat idiot," but he is also an important cultural spokesman for the right. When Rush speaks, millions listen, and it matters. Perhaps Rush is not quite the "kingmaker" he would want to be, but his criticism of Mr. Romney is certainly one of the reasons why Mr. Santorum is enjoying his current popularity.
Consider, finally, how those first two points intersect - and the consequences for the presumed Republican nominee. The deep-red base has no love for Mr. Romney. He is very rich. He embodies the 1% that the deep-red base mistrusts. He is a patrician elitist. The deep-red base doesn't like those elites. And when they are buzzing, they are usually railing about those elites. That only galvanizes their mistrust of the presumed Republican nominee. So, ipso facto, attack Rush and fire up the base, they will listen to Rush (who attacks Romney as a phoney), and poof! attacking Rush becomes a perfect shadow-tactic to turn the deep-red base against the presumed Republican nominee.
Why even Bill Maher, the beloved Lefty pundit who called Sarah Palin a "cu**" on HBO (and no, I don't remember the outrage about that either), might call that sneaky politics...
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Welcome!
Hi Everybody! Welcome to the Spring 2012 semester! There will be so much to discuss in the coming months. I hope everyone is anxious to get to work!
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Welcome!!
Hi Everyone! Welcome to the Fall 2011 semester!
This semester, we will BLOG! We will utilize this forum to discuss progress in class, issues in our society, and subject matter from our course. Please remember that blogging is activity in the public sphere. The audience for your posts will be your classmates and your instructor, but your blog will be accessible by the general public as well. Be sure that your online persona is consistent with your public persona. Your blog is NOT your facebook!
Each post must be at least 250 words in length. Please treat each post as a short essay, with proper consideration to structure, form, grammar, and syntax. You might use your blogposts to discuss material from class, or as a means to make progress on your term paper. Each post will be graded, and each is worth up to 10 points. There are nine (9) required entries - which means that your blog will be the central contributor to your overall grade. Don't forget your blog!!
See you soon!
This semester, we will BLOG! We will utilize this forum to discuss progress in class, issues in our society, and subject matter from our course. Please remember that blogging is activity in the public sphere. The audience for your posts will be your classmates and your instructor, but your blog will be accessible by the general public as well. Be sure that your online persona is consistent with your public persona. Your blog is NOT your facebook!
Each post must be at least 250 words in length. Please treat each post as a short essay, with proper consideration to structure, form, grammar, and syntax. You might use your blogposts to discuss material from class, or as a means to make progress on your term paper. Each post will be graded, and each is worth up to 10 points. There are nine (9) required entries - which means that your blog will be the central contributor to your overall grade. Don't forget your blog!!
See you soon!
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