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Thread: Political Opposite

  1. #1
    Yppej
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    Political Opposite

    Who do you enjoy hearing from, even though they are on the other side of the political spectrum?

    An example is I find Peggy Noonan articulate and insightful although I lean left.

  2. #2
    Senior Member JaneV2.0's Avatar
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    Steve Schmidt, Nicole Wallace, Michael Steele, William Kristol, David Frum, George Will...
    I'm sure there are others.

  3. #3
    Senior Member jp1's Avatar
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    Peter Wehner. Admittedly I had not heard of this guy until 5 minutes ago when this article popped up on my facebook feed, but he's a lifelong republican and encapsulates quite well in this article my feelings about the current state of the republican party.

    https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/ar...PKwFqhdJ4wS7Pg

    What makes the Trump era so unusual isn’t partisanship and political tribalism, which have been around for much of human existence. It is the degree to which the transgressive nature of Trump—his willingness to go places no other president has gone, to say and do things that no president before him has done—has exposed the Republican Party. There is hardly a pretense anymore regarding what the party, and the right-wing media complex, are doing. They are driven by a single, all-consuming commitment: Defend Donald Trump at all costs. That is the end they seek, and they will pursue virtually any means necessary to achieve it. This from the party that once said it stood for objective truth, for honor and integrity, and against moral relativism.

  4. #4
    Senior Member iris lilies's Avatar
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    Pretty much anytime I listen to NPR.

    A few years ago, for one brief shining moment, NPR had a host who was a “classical liberal” which means in the world of red and blue, he liked Libertarian ideas. This guy filled in for Tom Ashbrook who was the host of On Point. (Tom Ashbrook did wonderful reviews and he was clearly a politically lefty because once in a while he would become apoplectic about certain dearly held liberal ideas, but nonetheless I still liked him: his delivery personality his style.)

    But that Libertarian guy only lasted a few weeks of course. Because it is NPR.

    Now you have motivated me to find out who that guy is to see if he has his own radio show.

    Edited to add: as I looked into this I learned that Tom Ashbrook did not retire as it turns out, he was booted out for creating a hostile work environment. Oops. And the classical liberal guy is I’m pretty sure David Rubin.

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    If you only enjoy hearing from someone on the "opposite end of the political spectrum" when they agree with you do you really enjoy hearing from someone on the "opposite end of the political spectrum" at all? I think not. So if you only enjoy hearing from Republicans when they are attacking Trump, that's partisanship, that's not actually enjoying hearing a different perspective.

    OF COURSE Trump is bad. And I don't apologize if I am partisan (though less partisan than principled ). I'm not pretending toward fair and balanced, like I believe in nothing at all. I don't care what party someone is if they are speaking out against unnecessary wars (pretty much all of them).

    NPR, I give it a listen to it sometimes, but it's way too neoliberal for me much of the time (gah another defense of globalization, really? Ever gonna see the damage global neoliberal captialism has done?). Well there's always Pacifica, but I gotta say most of the time I'm listening to music, and on public radio because it's the only decent music radio around.
    Trees don't grow on money

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    Senior Member jp1's Avatar
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    There are only two types of republicans. Those that are attacking trump and those that are defending trump. I suppose there are also those that are just staying quiet because they are afraid to point out all that's wrong with him for fear of retaliation and bullying. But that group aren't saying anything, so there's nothing to listen to. I undoubtedly would disagree with any number of policy ideas that Peter Wehner might discuss, but he at least appears to be a man of integrity. Any republican who is defending trump at this point is not, and won't get my respect.

  7. #7
    Senior Member JaneV2.0's Avatar
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    I liked Michael Steele and Steve Schmidt before Trump darkened the skyline, so I'm happy they're "Never Trumpers."

  8. #8
    Senior Member iris lilies's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ApatheticNoMore View Post
    ...

    . I don't care what party someone is if they are speaking out against unnecessary wars (pretty much all of them).
    Here’s a funny:


    The discussion on this thread let me to David Rubin, which led me to one of his podcast where he interviewed Donald Trump Junior just a couple days ago. Don Junior mentioned his father’s goal to get us out of all these foreign wars when he was elected.

  9. #9
    Simpleton Alan's Avatar
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    I read everyone who cares to share an opinion on politics, regardless of their indoctrination. Where I diverge from that is in my televised newscasts. Since retiring I've started watching MSNBC for several hours each day because I think it's important to see what the other side is saying over and over and over again. So, after about 15 months of that (and still being accused of getting my opinions from Fox News, as if I was unable to think for myself) I've determined that there's not an opinion there worthy of a responsible citizen's time. But after 15 or so years of political discussions here they do all seem like old friends.
    "Things should be made as simple as possible, but not one bit simpler." ~ Albert Einstein

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by iris lilies View Post
    Here’s a funny:


    The discussion on this thread let me to David Rubin, which led me to one of his podcast where he interviewed Donald Trump Junior just a couple days ago. Don Junior mentioned his father’s goal to get us out of all these foreign wars when he was elected.
    Only hoping there was no inference.... "and into a civil war".

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