Who are the "high ratings" liberal commentators?

[Starlight]

I don't know. It seems like much more than just a personal fascination. It looks vitriolic to me. Like a deep seeded disgust or hate. Not like someone who is just fascinated by politics in general.

Sure, there's definitely strong moral outrage on my part, I guess in a similar way to how reading a detailed account of the Holocaust might make your blood boil, or watching 12 Years a Slave might get you angry about the institution of slavery.

As someone who's passionate about seeing the world be improved so that people's lives are better and happier, the amount of suffering and evil caused by policies coming out of the US religious right is something that gets me quite angry... whether it be starting unjustified wars, torturing people, oppressing the poor, taking away healthcare, taking away foodstamps, giving free rein to banks to wreck the economy, destroying the environment, refusing to take action to address climate change issues, oppressing and discriminating against gay people, etc. And all that's just in the present day. Go back a little in history and you can add to that all sorts of kinds of oppression of black people, from segregation, to the KKK, to Jim Crow, to slavery. Other groups in history that have caused such massive human suffering on such a large scale, such as Nazis and Communism for example, are largely relics of history now - Islam really being the only major exception, and a few individual dictators of countries causing somewhat more localized suffering.

Because he has been doing a political comedy show for 16 years doesn't really mean he knows anymore than your average shifty hobo. I would bet he knows less.

That's just a dumb thing to say.

Cow Poke, I was thinking a bit more about this, could it also be that maybe talk radio has just always been more conservative?

I've heard that in the early days of radio in the US, conspiracy theorists and other extremists found the radio to be a useful medium for their message - it allowed anyone with something to say to have a platform to get the word out to people who wanted to hear their non-mainstream message - I guess in much the same way blogs today might serve a similar function. Over time, I guess the mainstream spotted the popularity of, and commercial potential of, these sort of people and began to take them mainstream. That could be a possible explanation I guess. Although, talk radio in other countries often tends to be conservative too, from what I can tell... so maybe it's simply that radio listeners are more likely to be conservatives, while liberals are more likely to have adopted newer technologies?

[Cow Poke]

From all I've heard Hannity is a great person.

The polarization of liberal/conservative in America had become ridiculous. Both Hannity and Colmes appear to say what they're expected to say. This is the case in debate matches. Each opponent is given a viewpoint to defend. A really good debater can make a positive case for Hitler or Stalin and be convincing.

That being said, I think most political entertainers believe what they say.

K54

There were two guys years ago - a liberal and a conservative - who were often pitted against each other on talk shows --- I'm trying to remember their names -- but they were best friends in real life, so their online disagreements were never shoutfests - always respectful, and quite informative. Bob Novak and.... ? naw... I'll think of it. I can picture them in my mind....

[Cow Poke]

But back to the topic. Cow Poke, I was thinking a bit more about this, could it also be that maybe talk radio has just always been more conservative? I don't have any proof of this. Just a thought. If indeed talk radio has more of a conservative history, I can see why it would stay that way more than television.

Or maybe things just got more polarized. I remember when the Democratic Party used to be the "God and Country" party, before they got hijacked by their extreme elements. Who would ever have imagined, back then, that they would eventually have a hard time even allowing 'God' as part of their 'platform'?

[Cow Poke]

Or maybe things just got more polarized. I remember when the Democratic Party used to be the "God and Country" party, before they got hijacked by their extreme elements. Who would ever have imagined, back then, that they would eventually have a hard time even allowing 'God' as part of their 'platform'?

I remembered!!!! The BELTWAY BOYS!!!! Mort Kondracke and Fred Barnes. They never yelled over each other, and OFTEN would say, "well, yeah, you have a point...." or some other concession instead of just yelling louder.

It was SO much more helpful in understanding both sides of an issue, because it wasn't a couple of fanatics trying to prove they were right. And the fact that they were good friends in real life often showed through.

Beltwayboys.jpg

[Joel]

...the amount of suffering and evil caused by policies coming out of the US religious right is something that gets me quite angry... whether it be ...taking away healthcare...

There's so much nonsense in Starlight's posts, one can hardly address it all (and one wonders whether it's worth addressing any of it). But I can't let these worst offenders slip by.

No one wants to "take away healthcare." That's ridiculous.

And all that's just in the present day. Go back a little in history and you can add to that all sorts of kinds of oppression of black people, from segregation, to the KKK, to Jim Crow, to slavery.

You do know that it was the Republican Party that abolished slavery and the Democratic Party that defended slavery, right?
Originally the KKK directed violence against black and white Republicans. It was the Democrats who were segregationist following the Civil War, and passed the Jim Crow laws, and suppressed black voters.
Woodrow Wilson (Democrat, hero of the Progressive Era, who brought us the Income Tax and the Federal Reserve, and got the U.S. unnecessarily involved in the first World War) introduced segregation in federal offices.

[Cow Poke]

No one wants to "take away healthcare." That's ridiculous.

Perhaps Starlight is worried about mental health, as well he should be.

[Jesse]

Sure, there's definitely strong moral outrage on my part, I guess in a similar way to how reading a detailed account of the Holocaust might make your blood boil, or watching 12 Years a Slave might get you angry about the institution of slavery.

And that is why it doesn't make any sense to me. You are going to equate the feelings that you get were the Holocaust and slavery are concerned, with your disagreement on banking? This is why I don't think you really believe what you say. It's too hyperbolic and cartoonish to be real.

That's just a dumb thing to say.

Of course it's a dumb thing to say. Just like thinking because a guy has 16 years behind a comedy news desk he has any real insights is a dumb thing to believe.

I've heard that in the early days of radio in the US, conspiracy theorists and other extremists found the radio to be a useful medium for their message - it allowed anyone with something to say to have a platform to get the word out to people who wanted to hear their non-mainstream message - I guess in much the same way blogs today might serve a similar function. Over time, I guess the mainstream spotted the popularity of, and commercial potential of, these sort of people and began to take them mainstream. That could be a possible explanation I guess. Although, talk radio in other countries often tends to be conservative too, from what I can tell... so maybe it's simply that radio listeners are more likely to be conservatives, while liberals are more likely to have adopted newer technologies?

That is an interesting take. But why are not those types of shows still on top? They are still there, but it seems only one that might fit that example is in the top five of talk radio audiences. I wonder if there is more to it.

[Jesse]

Or maybe things just got more polarized. I remember when the Democratic Party used to be the "God and Country" party, before they got hijacked by their extreme elements. Who would ever have imagined, back then, that they would eventually have a hard time even allowing 'God' as part of their 'platform'?

Possibly. I am trying to see if there was any polarization within the early beginnings of talk radio, or if it has a consistency. It will be interesting to see if these elements are becoming more extreme over time.

[Jesse]

A bit off topic, but this is what I have found. The person that many believe to have started talk radio was Barry Gray in the 1950's. He see seems to have been a liberal of the time. Then there was Long John Nebel that started in 1956. His show was of the more paranormal variety. But I can't find much on his political leanings. And last we have Joe Pyne. He is the first one to do the confrontational gimmick (also in the 1950's). He was seen as mostly conservative and the influence for what is now called "right-wing radio".

To me this doesn't give much evidence as to why talk radio is more conservative. We can't even know if these were their real personalities. For instance, John Nebel was seen as a consummate salesman. So his on-air opinions might not have been genuine. I guess all in all, I didn't really find much lol.

[KingsGambit]

My personal theory is that conservatives as a demographic tend to trend older than liberals, and younger people are more likely to be listening to music.

[Cow Poke]

My personal theory is that conservatives as a demographic tend to trend older than liberals, and younger people are more likely to be listening to music.

If you're younger than 30 and aren't a liberal, you don't have a heart - if you're older than 30 and aren't a conservative, you don't have a brain.

[Jesse]

If you're younger than 30 and aren't a liberal, you don't have a heart - if you're older than 30 and aren't a conservative, you don't have a brain.

I'm 37 and neither. I have no idea what that says about me...

[Cow Poke]

I'm 37 and neither. I have no idea what that says about me...

Maybe you're NORMAL!

[Jesse]

Maybe you're NORMAL!

Nah man. That is just pure flattery on your part .

[Cow Poke]

Nah man. That is just pure flattery on your part .

Normal is WAY overrated.