Political Opposite

[Yppej]

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.

[JaneV2.0]

Steve Schmidt, Nicole Wallace, Michael Steele, William Kristol, David Frum, George Will...
I'm sure there are others.

[jp1]

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/archive/2019/11/trumps-republican-party-built-lies/601990/?fbclid=IwAR22tTEExQMxIeg3PvLuxai3o9d58lgRTFSHbsFB QDv8FPKwFqhdJ4wS7Pg


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.

[iris lilies]

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.

[ApatheticNoMore]

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.

[jp1]

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.

[JaneV2.0]

I liked Michael Steele and Steve Schmidt before Trump darkened the skyline, so I'm happy they're "Never Trumpers."

[iris lilies]

...

. 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.

[Alan]

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. ;)

[ToomuchStuff]

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".

[razz]

Funny to me how the term 'political opposite' is so readily understood. I just want "good responsible government". I suppose it is all in the details of what that means.

[LDAHL]

There is some good writing yet to be found in the New Republic. I think that used to be true at the New York Times and the Atlantic maybe ten years ago, but relentless ideological purging over the years has rendered most of their stuff formulaic and predictable.

You used to see some interesting things at Slate, but apparently they now limit hiring to junior varsity troll types. Maybe it’s a financial thing.

NPR and PBS political reporting and commentary currently strike me as not so much left-biased as reflexively politically correct. They seem terrified of offending their liberal, relatively affluent core audience. There is an almost tragic smugness about it. Although I do like some of the non political content.

[LDAHL]

Funny to me how the term 'political opposite' is so readily understood. I just want "good responsible government". I suppose it is all in the details of what that means.

I think you’re right there. Penetrate the crust of Trumpblindness, and you will see significant similarities between Trump and say, Sanders on immigration and economic issues. I don’t think definable “poles” really exist in politics, at least in general terms.

I think perhaps that people trying to postulate ideological taxonomies, like Orwell’s hedgehog, are trapped by “one big idea” and fail to grasp the true complexity.

[Rogar]

This has always hit me as close, but not perfect.

3026

[Yppej]

Interesting graphic Rogar.