Right-wing talk already killed radio

8/8/2007

An Aug. 1 letter writer voiced concern that equal time for liberals could kill talk radio. The writer need not worry. Right-wing talk killed radio a long time ago.

One company, Clear Channel, owns most of the major stations in the nation. The result is that only corporate propaganda gets air time from corporate lackeys like Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck, et al. Fox s Rupert Murdoch has been attempting the same tactic with television for years.

The writer wonders why others with differing views don t go on these shows. Fox News isn t called tabloid journalism for nothing. It has been well known for years that the debates on these shows are edited, scripted with half-truths, and the audiences are carefully selected. If those spin tactics don t work, the guest gets shouted at, insulted, or called names by Ann Coulter or one of her clones. That s sham journalism right-wing style.

This style is not as popular as the writer suggests. Polls show that most of the country agrees with progressive agendas. Broadcast owners can put whatever they want on the air. Their choice of right-wing talk programs serves only themselves.

A few corrupted owners should not be left to choose what America sees and hears every day, whether right or left. That s why a fairness in broadcasting law is preferable to today s airwave owners monopoly.

If the owners of radio and television stations continue to favor only one viewpoint, it will be the demise not only of broadcasting, but also of our democracy.

Paul Szymanowski

Curtice, Ohio

Area has classical, NPR radio offerings

Regarding the July 20 Readers Forum contributor who wrote about radio for those over 60 years old, she must have an electrical, antenna, or interference problem in her home, radio, or neighborhood. I can t fix that for her, and I am sorry that she is missing out on the excellent and diverse radio offerings in the Toledo metropolitan area.

In the Toledo radio market we have an excellent NPR and classical music station (WGTE 91.3 FM), as well as country, religious, and nostalgia stations. These might be of interest to her.

We also are near Detroit and Ann Arbor, which boast NPR stations and many other radio formats. These stations are easily received in Toledo and surrounding communities. WDET 101.9 FM and WUOM 91.7 FM (both NPR-affiliated) have a day full of progressive, liberal, and anti-Rush Limbaugh programming, some of which is also offered on WGTE.

Internet Radio offers a world of choices, including sites such as Radioleft.com. Air America, a liberal/progressive network, has radio stations in Detroit and Ann Arbor as well.

If nothing else, read The Blade for news and purchase compact discs for one s favorite music.

David Tinker

Oak Harbor

Democrat posturing won t fool voters

The Blade s July 22 reprint of a Washington Post article evaluating the options and potential consequences for withdrawing from Iraq serves to highlight how shallow and politically motivated the Democrats current position is regarding Iraq. The article not only pointed out the significant risks for a unilateral withdrawal, including the possibility of a power vacuum in the region, it also clearly provided options for a phased withdrawal that could minimize this risk.

Does the Democratic position allow any room for such nuances? Not if you watch the evening news and read the paper. It s get out now, regardless of the consequences. Interestingly, the Democrats don t possess the political courage to actually make this a reality, which they could easily force on President Bush by defunding the war. No, they want to posture and undermine the President s position for one reason: They think it will help them win the White House in the upcoming election.

One of the best aspects of the political system in America is that despite all the noise and excess spending on political campaigns, the American people are pretty good at sorting through the BS, spotting phoniness, and making decisions based on the best interests of the country. Iraq is sure to be a major campaign issue and, when it comes down to the final tally, Americans will not be fooled by the cheap political posturing Democrats are now engaged in.

As Abraham Lincoln said, You can fool all of the people some of the time and some of the people all of the time. Let s just hope that the number of people who can be fooled all the time do not constitute a voting majority come election time.

Tim Hoffman

Fredelia Drive

Bring troops home to protect America

Stop the massacres in Iraq. Send the troops home to help protect America from within. Use the misplaced funds where they will do the most good, at home. Guard our borders, harbors, shipping, airports, bridges, highways, public utilities, and other vital government services and industries.

If our objective for invading Iraq was to topple a ruthless dictator, then we have already achieved our purpose. We cannot win the war in Iraq by forcing our way of governing on another country. Let the world know we believe in democracy so much that we are willing to let it run its own course. Pulling our troops out of Iraq now doesn t mean we are abandoning the Iraqis. We have completed our mission and now it is time to take care of our own.

Stop illegal immigration by requiring employers to hire American citizens. Use the money now being used for fences, barriers, and costly border patrols to subsidize employers to pay wages that will attract American workers. Migration will stop when work is no longer available to immigrants.

Arthur Schuster

Heatherwood Drive

Leaders in Congress pursue own agenda

One definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, expecting a different result. An example might be continuing to introduce legislation that has no hope of passing. Some might argue that this is not stupid if it draws a clear distinction with opponents and helps you get elected.

The role of Congress, however, is not to get re-elected, but to get things done. Sometimes congressmen are creative about it: Since hate-crime legislation won t pass by itself, it s put into an Iraq funding bill. Sometimes they are just pushing a rope, continuing to introduce bills to pull troops out of Iraq or promoting embryonic stem-cell research when they know they won t pass or President Bush will veto them. They ve been doing it for months.

At least the public is not being fooled. As low as the President s ratings are, Congress are far lower. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi: How about spending time trying to make us safer or solving problems, instead of beating a dead horse? Not likely. The Democratic leadership has an agenda, and they are sticking to it no matter what it costs the rest of us.

I wonder if a Democratic president would do the same?

Robert Tuttle

Springboro, Ohio

President can t evade power of the purse

Speaking of half-truths, Adam Cohen s July 2 column, Founding Fathers on side of Congress, is perfect example. Mr. Cohen does have the constitutional part very close. Article 2, Section 2 of the Constitution defines the president as commander in chief of the Army and Navy, while Article 1, Section 8 definitely gives Congress power of the purse.

After that, Mr. Cohen gets lost very fast.

What he leaves out is what Alexander Hamilton said in Federalist 24 through Federalist 26. Hamilton wrote of restraining the legislative branch in regard to the common defense. In Federalist 24 he says, it vested in the executive branch the whole power of levying troops, without subjecting his discretion, in any shape, to the control of the legislature. He goes on to say that the legislative check against executive power is funding.

Congress can cut funding any time it wants, and the executive branch can do nothing about it.

Bob Thrasher

Carskaddon Avenue

With John Irish as chairman of the Charter Review Commission, does it follow that Dominic Montalto will be in charge of entertainment at meetings?

Jim Richard

Sylvania