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No Contest Politics
Fox, CNN, MSNBC, C-Span?
Or ESPN?
Politics v. Sports.
A friend of mine -- a life long political junkie -- told me recently that he used to watch more politics than sports.
Now, it's the opposite.
Now, he's given up on politics.
"No competition in politics anymore" he said.
Instead of Fox, CNN, C-Span and MSNBC -- he spends most of his time watching ESPN.
Where there are actually two sides fighting each other to come out on top.
Day in and day out.
Night in and night out.
Jan 06, 2011
Fox, CNN, MSNBC, C-Span?
Or ESPN?
Politics v. Sports.
A friend of mine -- a life long political junkie -- told me recently that he used to watch more politics than sports.
Now, it's the opposite.
Now, he's given up on politics.
"No competition in politics anymore" he said.
Instead of Fox, CNN, C-Span and MSNBC -- he spends most of his time watching ESPN.
Where there are actually two sides fighting each other to come out on top.
Day in and day out.
Night in and night out.
Why is sports more interesting than politics?
Slam dunk answer.
Increasingly, Americans are starting to realize that -- on hard core
economic issues -- both Republicans and Democrats are playing for the
same owner.
Break up the six big too big to fail banks? (Wells Fargo, JP Morgan
Chase, Bank of America, Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley.)
American people in favor.
Both parties opposed.
President Obama is reportedly now considering hiring Bill Daley as his new chief of staff.
Bill Daley -- for the last seven years, a senior executive for JP Morgan Chase -- one of the biggest banks in America.
And you are going to hear the White House advocate for breaking up the too big to fail banks?
No.
Get rid of the private health insurance corporations?
American people in favor.
Both parties opposed.
Tax the hyper rich?
American people in favor.
Both parties opposed.
Cut the bloated military budget?
American people in favor.
Both parties opposed.
End the war in Afghanistan?
American people in favor.
Both parties opposed. (With the Wall Street Journal reporting today
that President Obama is sending 1,400 more combat troops to
Afghanistan.)
So, the only competition is between the American people and the political establishment.
That's the real contest.
But the American people have no team in the playoffs.
We're not on ESPN.
Or Fox.
Or CNN.
Or MSNBC.
It's a rigged game in Washington.
Both teams are playing for the same owners.
Wall Street.
The big banks.
The insurance corporations.
The wealthiest one percent that owns as much as the bottom 90 percent of the American people.
The military industrial complex.
My friend is right.
There is no competition in American politics anymore.
Why watch?
We know the outcome before the kickoff.
So, this weekend, America is going to kick back the barcolounger.
Pop open a beer.
And turn on ESPN.
Politics v. Sports?
No contest.
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Dear Common Dreams reader, The U.S. is on a fast track to authoritarianism like nothing I've ever seen. Meanwhile, corporate news outlets are utterly capitulating to Trump, twisting their coverage to avoid drawing his ire while lining up to stuff cash in his pockets. That's why I believe that Common Dreams is doing the best and most consequential reporting that we've ever done. Our small but mighty team is a progressive reporting powerhouse, covering the news every day that the corporate media never will. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. And to ignite change for the common good. Now here's the key piece that I want all our readers to understand: None of this would be possible without your financial support. That's not just some fundraising cliche. It's the absolute and literal truth. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. Will you donate now to help power the nonprofit, independent reporting of Common Dreams? Thank you for being a vital member of our community. Together, we can keep independent journalism alive when it’s needed most. - Craig Brown, Co-founder |
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Russell Mokhiber
Russell Mokhiber is editor of the Washington, D.C.-based Corporate Crime Reporter. He is also founder of singlepayeraction.org, and editor of the website Morgan County USA.
Fox, CNN, MSNBC, C-Span?
Or ESPN?
Politics v. Sports.
A friend of mine -- a life long political junkie -- told me recently that he used to watch more politics than sports.
Now, it's the opposite.
Now, he's given up on politics.
"No competition in politics anymore" he said.
Instead of Fox, CNN, C-Span and MSNBC -- he spends most of his time watching ESPN.
Where there are actually two sides fighting each other to come out on top.
Day in and day out.
Night in and night out.
Why is sports more interesting than politics?
Slam dunk answer.
Increasingly, Americans are starting to realize that -- on hard core
economic issues -- both Republicans and Democrats are playing for the
same owner.
Break up the six big too big to fail banks? (Wells Fargo, JP Morgan
Chase, Bank of America, Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley.)
American people in favor.
Both parties opposed.
President Obama is reportedly now considering hiring Bill Daley as his new chief of staff.
Bill Daley -- for the last seven years, a senior executive for JP Morgan Chase -- one of the biggest banks in America.
And you are going to hear the White House advocate for breaking up the too big to fail banks?
No.
Get rid of the private health insurance corporations?
American people in favor.
Both parties opposed.
Tax the hyper rich?
American people in favor.
Both parties opposed.
Cut the bloated military budget?
American people in favor.
Both parties opposed.
End the war in Afghanistan?
American people in favor.
Both parties opposed. (With the Wall Street Journal reporting today
that President Obama is sending 1,400 more combat troops to
Afghanistan.)
So, the only competition is between the American people and the political establishment.
That's the real contest.
But the American people have no team in the playoffs.
We're not on ESPN.
Or Fox.
Or CNN.
Or MSNBC.
It's a rigged game in Washington.
Both teams are playing for the same owners.
Wall Street.
The big banks.
The insurance corporations.
The wealthiest one percent that owns as much as the bottom 90 percent of the American people.
The military industrial complex.
My friend is right.
There is no competition in American politics anymore.
Why watch?
We know the outcome before the kickoff.
So, this weekend, America is going to kick back the barcolounger.
Pop open a beer.
And turn on ESPN.
Politics v. Sports?
No contest.
Russell Mokhiber
Russell Mokhiber is editor of the Washington, D.C.-based Corporate Crime Reporter. He is also founder of singlepayeraction.org, and editor of the website Morgan County USA.
Fox, CNN, MSNBC, C-Span?
Or ESPN?
Politics v. Sports.
A friend of mine -- a life long political junkie -- told me recently that he used to watch more politics than sports.
Now, it's the opposite.
Now, he's given up on politics.
"No competition in politics anymore" he said.
Instead of Fox, CNN, C-Span and MSNBC -- he spends most of his time watching ESPN.
Where there are actually two sides fighting each other to come out on top.
Day in and day out.
Night in and night out.
Why is sports more interesting than politics?
Slam dunk answer.
Increasingly, Americans are starting to realize that -- on hard core
economic issues -- both Republicans and Democrats are playing for the
same owner.
Break up the six big too big to fail banks? (Wells Fargo, JP Morgan
Chase, Bank of America, Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley.)
American people in favor.
Both parties opposed.
President Obama is reportedly now considering hiring Bill Daley as his new chief of staff.
Bill Daley -- for the last seven years, a senior executive for JP Morgan Chase -- one of the biggest banks in America.
And you are going to hear the White House advocate for breaking up the too big to fail banks?
No.
Get rid of the private health insurance corporations?
American people in favor.
Both parties opposed.
Tax the hyper rich?
American people in favor.
Both parties opposed.
Cut the bloated military budget?
American people in favor.
Both parties opposed.
End the war in Afghanistan?
American people in favor.
Both parties opposed. (With the Wall Street Journal reporting today
that President Obama is sending 1,400 more combat troops to
Afghanistan.)
So, the only competition is between the American people and the political establishment.
That's the real contest.
But the American people have no team in the playoffs.
We're not on ESPN.
Or Fox.
Or CNN.
Or MSNBC.
It's a rigged game in Washington.
Both teams are playing for the same owners.
Wall Street.
The big banks.
The insurance corporations.
The wealthiest one percent that owns as much as the bottom 90 percent of the American people.
The military industrial complex.
My friend is right.
There is no competition in American politics anymore.
Why watch?
We know the outcome before the kickoff.
So, this weekend, America is going to kick back the barcolounger.
Pop open a beer.
And turn on ESPN.
Politics v. Sports?
No contest.
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