This is Where the Internet Comes In Mighty Handy

Today, you're not going to get any news from cable networks. Just Tiger's apology. Gotta get your news from the web all day.

There's Something Happening Here...

It looks like the media's waking up and deciding to start telling...the truth.

I KNOW. It's really bizarre, but look at the proof. Yesterday, USA Today called for the killing of the filibuster in this terse editorial which includes:

The filibuster is a Faustian bargain that undermines the will of voters. The promise of change that swept Barack Obama into the presidency and padded Democratic majorities in the House and Senate last year has been largely derailed by the Senate's Republican minority, which has kept a broad array of legislation from coming to a vote.

More than outrageous, this legislative tyranny holds hostage our democracy to the whims of a political party that was on the losing end of an election cycle. The voters who gave Democrats control of Congress and the White House in the recent elections expect results, not inaction. They expect Congress to bring bills to a vote, not allow a mean-spirited minority to filibuster them to death.

If Democrats won't use the majority voters gave them to end this bad practice, then they deserve to suffer their wrath in November's elections.

"Legislative tyranny holds hostage our democracy..." That's today's GOP. We knew it. Our friends knew it. Now the nation knows it (we hope). Here's a recap of yesterday's filibuster news from Rachel Maddow.

Today, we get an assessment on how successful last year's much-derided stimulus program was. Apparently, it could not have worked any better than it has - and (shocker!) it HAS WORKED.

Imagine if, one year ago, Congress had passed a stimulus bill that really worked.

Let’s say this bill had started spending money within a matter of weeks and had rapidly helped the economy. Let’s also imagine it was large enough to have had a huge impact on jobs — employing something like two million people who would otherwise be unemployed right now.

If that had happened, what would the economy look like today?

Well, it would look almost exactly as it does now. Because those nice descriptions of the stimulus that I just gave aren’t hypothetical. They are descriptions of the actual bill.

Perhaps the best-known economic research firms are IHS Global Insight, Macroeconomic Advisers and Moody’s Economy.com. They all estimate that the bill has added 1.6 million to 1.8 million jobs so far and that its ultimate impact will be roughly 2.5 million jobs. The Congressional Budget Office, an independent agency, considers these estimates to be conservative.

Word is getting out: The GOP has been spoon-feeding its constituents and the media enough bullshit that it's being thrown up back in their faces. See? Journalism is possible in these days of the Fox News business model.

FoxNews.com Gets Anti-Freeped!

LOVE THIS.

A Drinking Game You Can Play Watching Stewart on O'Reilly

Every time there's an edit in the middle of a Jon Stewart point, take a drink. You'll be on the floor before you even see the second clip.

They're Just Not Even Trying Any More

Fox News' marketing at least used to give off the impression of being non-aligned with any party. All bets (if there ever were any) are now off. Moreover, the GOP is seeking knowledge and enlightenment from this guy with a radio show. Yipes.

Fox News anchor Sean Hannity will deliver the keynote address at the National Republican Congressional Committee fundraising dinner next month. Officials said the television star would offer them insight into their quest to win back the House of Representatives this fall.

NRCC Chairman Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX) hailed Hannity as fighting for conservative values when announcing his speaking slot for the March 23 dinner at the National Building Museum in Washington.

"As a best-selling author who reaches millions of viewers and listeners on a daily basis, Sean Hannity fights for conservative values and serves as an important voice for our party," Sessions said in a statement.

"Well there you have it, a rather long answer to a question about health care from a recovering cancer patient."

Holy schnike, Fox did it again. They broke away from an Obama town hall on health care to get back to the narrative. Or as Jon Stewart would say, "CUT THE FEED! CUT THE FEED!"

Air America Closes Its Doors

It was fun up until about three or so years ago. The Maddow/Franken/Rhodes era long gone, the well-intentioned but poorly executed radio network finally puts itself out of its misery. Radio Online:

Air America Media to Shut Down, Files Chapter 7

Liberal radio network Air America Media, which launched in April, 2004, is ceasing its live programming operations as of Thursday afternoon and will file Chapter 7 bankruptcy to carry out an orderly winding-down of the business. Chairman Charlie Kireker said in a memo that this past year has seen a "perfect storm" in the media industry generally.

"National and local advertising revenues have fallen drastically, causing many media companies nationwide to fold or seek bankruptcy protection. From large to small, recent bankruptcies like Citadel Broadcasting and closures like that of the industry's long-time trade publication Radio and Records have signaled that these are very difficult and rapidly changing times," said Kireker.

He continued, "Those companies that remain are facing audience fragmentation as a result of new media technologies, are often saddled with crushing debt, and have generally found it difficult to obtain operating or investment capital from traditional sources of funding. In this climate, our painstaking search for new investors has come close several times right up into this week, but ultimately fell short of success.

Air America, which currently has some 100 radio outlets nationwide, will begin a "rapid, orderly closure over the next few days." All current employees will be paid through January 21. A severance package will be offered Friday to full-time current employees with more than six months of tenure.

Kireker also said that Air America "will strive to assist affiliates and partners in achieving a smooth transition." Starting at 6pm Thursday, the network will begin airing encore programming.

Just as well. Most of their talent went on to greener pastures. Maddow, of course, was on Air America in name only since her MSNBC gig - Rhodes is now part of the massive Premiere/Clear Channel family - and Franken made a career change of some sort from what I hear.

Their affiliates took very little Air America programming over the last few years anyway. Ed Schultz, Stephanie Miller, Bill Press and Thom Hartmann all work for Dial Global. Mike Malloy syndicates himself. About the only thing that got clearance was Ron Reagan, and as always, he'll land on his feet.

Publicity Hog Interviews Bigger Publicity Hog: Vacations Are Sooo Not Fun

They've been spending most of their adult lives trying to get noticed, then they bitch about it when they are.

Hollywood elitists? Prima donna celebs? Close. O'Reilly and Palin.

Headline of the Decade (Yes, Already)

Scott Brown Wins Mass. Race, Giving GOP 41-59 Majority in the Senate

-The Village Voice

Limbaugh Throws Himself Into Backpedal Mode

He now says he wasn't discouraging listeners from making donations to Haiti when he said, "We've already donated to Haiti. It's called the income tax."

Um. Okay. So you were encouraging them, Rush? We're sure the words "out of context" will come out of his yap today.

Here's the Damned DIfference

Harry Reid was offhandedly making an observation.

Trent Lott was wholeheartedly making an endorsement.

Simplify, people. Lott loudly and proudly wished for an America under Thurmond's segregationist beliefs in front of a national audience at a televised event (Thurmond's 100th birthday). Reid had absolutely no such desire in his quote, which was said in private.

I swear to God, the back-and-forth on this is more clumsy than the comment itself.

Limbaugh Put His Life in Union Workers' Hands

How 'bout that. They all did their job to a "T" and none of them had horns and pitchforks.

What Limbaugh didn't realize, SEIU's blog points out, is that the Hawaiian health care system is one of America's most progressive. So progressive, in fact, that Hawaii has been exempted from some of the terms of the Senate health care bill because the current system's requirements go above and beyond the ones federal legislation would mandate.

Furthermore, Limbaugh's saviors at the Queen's Medical Center are represented by the Hawaii Nurse's Associations, which, according to SEIU, offers benefits and protections similar to those of a labor union. The anti-reform talk show host is working to deny more people the same type of "confidence-inspiring" medical attention that made him "thankful to be an American."

Imus, FBN Go Off the Reservation

So they DO have fact-checking ability in the Fox Compound. Imus and pals go after Brit Hume's idiotic assessment of Tiger Woods yesterday.

WaPo to Cheney, et al: Back Off the Obama Slams

Yeah. Tough to believe that headline, but it's true. Dick must be grabbing his pills right now.

Being a Journalist on Fox Means Trying to Talk a Buddhist Into Converting to Christianity

Oh. Sorry. This is analysis. As if Fox News viewers know the difference anymore.

Brit Hume to Tiger Woods this morning: Dump Buddhism, Accept Christianity. Yikes.

So...Does Rush Have Health Care Coverage or Does He Pay Cash?

I'm guessing he can afford both, though cash is untraceable. I also found this interesting:

Limbaugh, 58, was sitting in a chair in his ninth-floor hotel room at the Kahala when emergency crews arrived, sources said. He told medical crews that he was taking medication for a back problem, sources said.

After he played a round of golf that morning, by the way. We do wish him well, healthwise. Chest pains can be frightening. We're going to guess his diet isn't the most pristine, so maybe the boy CAN change something in his life.

Fox Defines "News" and "Opinion" Hours...

...and thankfully, Jon Stewart and TDS' staff shine a spotlight on that claim. MUST WATCH.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
For Fox Sake!
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Crisis

FOX Makes MSNBC a Playa

Isn't it odd how FOX marginalizes MSNBC - unless they're arguing that the White House gives MSNBC a free pass while they criticize FOX?

Then suddenly MSNBC becomes a force to be reckoned with. If I had FOX's ratings, I'd sit back and shut up. Fortunately, that's not their style.

The Boss Hogg News Network

Great side effect: The White House's criticism and dismissal of FOX News is making them even more strident, blustery and a whole lot more irritating.

The more them Duke boys tweak Boss Hogg, the redder his fat face gets.

The Overwhelming Evidence Against FOX "News"

Media Matters doesn't screw around when it comes to presenting FOX's self-inflicted wounds to their own credibility. Today, they're almost having a hard time keeping up with everything FOX has fabricated in the last 24 hours. Some examples:

Fox News' Rhetoric Echoes Ailes' Long History Of Race-Baiting

Boehlert: 30 Reasons Why Fox News Is Not Legit

Fox Misleads On Public Option Opt-Out

News Or Editorial? Fox News Uses Luntz-Approved Term "Govt Option"

Bogus "Fox Fact": U.S. Chamber of Commerce, under attack from Obama, represents "3 million businesses"

Beck says administration "modeled themselves ... after Al Capone. You take these guys on, and they will bash your brains out"

Carlson declares that "the name" of the public option "should technically be" "government-run health care"

Seriously, now - is Gretchen Carlson an anchor or a pundit? She's got to be the epitome of the news/opinion blur over there.

The head spins - ironic for a "no spin zone."

Shep's "Playground"

He now has a new reservation from which he can wander off. Shepard Smith's new web page. He vows to keep it running until he gets bored with it.

Ponderance

With this new wave of marginalizing, FOX News is heading toward Talon News territory. Just with a lot of hair spray.

UPDATE: Well. How 'bout this. I just checked the new Talon News site. It sure as hell ain't Jeff Gannon's Talon News anymore.

UPDATE AGAIN: Even JeffGannon.com isn't Jeff Gannon's JeffGannon.com anymore. How bad is it when you can't even spring the $9.95 a year to keep your domain? And why do my ponderances always launch a zillion more levels of ponderousness?

Maddow: Why FOX News Isn't News

Simply, it's because real news organizations don't sponsor, overtly condone and even organize demonstrations against the government. A government, we might add, which FOX News feels has been picking on them in the past couple of weeks. FOX has been rallying the troops against the White House since January 21st.

Rachel does a magnificent job in breaking it down. Pay attention, Jake Tapper.

Also last Friday, Lawrence O'Donnell, with the help of Media Matters, showed in vivid and almost frightening detail FOX News' rampage against the Obama presidency since Day One.

Stop Playing Nice

...unless you like getting your balls kicked in anyway. Greg Sargent:

Beck continues to deride the news orgs as administration flunkies who won’t defend their journalistic colleagues at Fox, even as Tapper and liberal pundits (and now Kurtz) step up and … defend Fox! Look, no matter what figures at the news orgs say on Fox’s behalf, Beck and company will still trash them for being in the White House’s pocket. Defending Fox is such a great idea…

Getting a Little Defensive There, FOX News?

The network of cheap shots suddenly becomes the network of hubris when the tables are turned. Watch a very petulant Gregg Jarrett lose it when Rep. Rob Andrew (D-NJ) questions their fairness and balance. Wow. Tensions are running high over there.

You can hear the call made during the break. "Did I do good, Mr. Ailes?"