First off let me say this. I have no interest in debating with those who are comfortable hanging out on Daily Kos as it is now. This diary is only for those who agree with me. People who turn daily to a page they used to enjoy and are now horrified. I believe that's a lot of people who are very much in need right now. Let me tell you what else I believe...
Daily Kos has jumped the shark. If I had to guess why that happened my guess (and I could be wrong) is that this happened for much the same reason as the tea party happened. Election 2008 was over. The vast majority of Americans went back to their lives and what was left was the politically addicted on both sides. Actually let me clarify that. What I'm saying is the politically addicted. What's important to note however is that the politically addicted aren't addicted to politics. What they are addicted to is anger. The cable networks all know this. That's why just about every segment on FOX or MSNBC (corrected) or CNN is designed to stimulate and feed that anger. If there's nothing to be angry about they'll just make something up or blow a small issue up into a big one. (see TSA screenings etc.)
This causes a problem very much like the one I deal with every day here in Hollywood. Very basically, the way it works is this. For the most part nobody over the age of 40 goes to the movies. The biggest population that goes is 15-25. Because of this we have a situation where 90% of all movies made are made for roughly 14% of the population and the other 86% gets scraps. I believe cable news is even worse. What we have is 90% of all news targeted at maybe 6% of the population that is angry and politically addicted. On the right that's the tea party crowd. On the left my guess is-- well actually I won't even guess because it's ultimately a pointless exercise.
Honestly, I think this has a lot to do with the challenges the president faces right now. The right has a huge media machine to broadcast to their anger addicted. The left has a much smaller but very much present machine to broadcast to their much smaller (but no less angry)addicted. Who's left over then to broadcast news to those that aren't addicted? To those who prefer a reasoned approach and don't always see things only in black and white and realize that truth usually comes in a pretty but complicated shade of gray?
Let me be clear so there is no misunderstanding. The people I'm talking about are the people that avoid knee jerk reactions like the plague. People who look at major pieces of legislation and can say to themselves offhand that this is what I like on first read, this is what I don't think I like and this is what I'd like to hear what a wide variety of experts have to say before forming an opinion. What these people don't do is 5 minutes after news is released scream things like socialized medicine! Cat food commission! President gimmick! Corporate tool!
Sane, rational, people like our president. What is there for them? I'm not worried about the president, I'm pretty sure he'll be fine. But what about the rest of us? The sane majority? Those that realize that this nation has tremendous problems that will never be solved by analytical process of children? Those that believe that was so screwed up that believing it could be fixed in 22 months isn't rational? Those who know that a thought is something that comes into our heads and THINKING is being willing to challenge those thoughts? I mean it's a pretty crazy country we live in isn't it? Where the angry right thinks we elected Hugo Chavez and the angry left thinks we elected Gordon Gekko?
So what do we do? Where do we turn to now that a website we used to count on has jumped the shark? Let's use this as a forum for discussion. Who are the people out there on the web or TV that we feel are above the fray? Who looks at problems rationally and provide reasoned analysis and insight? Who doesn't have an noticeable agenda other than trying to do what's right? I believe that NPR does a very good job of presenting balanced news and opinion but that's radio. Who else?
UPDATE - The rec list? Really? I got to say the whole process of writing this diary was a real eye opener. To press publish and see the immediate wave of naysayers comment in less time than it would take take to read the whole thing was more than a little traumatic but just to know there are others out there feeling the same thing is very gratifying.
Still do wish the diary would do more though. Recently a list was written of political hacks. How about an alternative list? Called the politically reasonable? I know this may be controversial but I'd like to start it off with Andrew Sullivan. I don't always agree with him but at least he always presents in such a way that makes you think he thought it through.