OT- Bush's approval rate

[tone.def]

Having said that, the mainstream US media (CNN, ABC, NBC and especially CBS) like Canada's, does lean pretty left in my opinion - I find it amusing that some Cdns think the Cdn media is very (and carefully) neutral in political views -with the exception of our US Fox News (which leans right) there is not much voice for the right and if there is a CANADIAN-sourced voice for the right out there - I'd love to hear about it because to date, I haven't found any!

I'd say try the CanWest Media Group. Global in Toronto. It's Asper family founders love the Conservatives! Global news in Toronto even treated Stephen Harper to a helicopter ride on them to get him to an engagement on time!

If you haven't found it, you're not looking hard enough! Are you saying you watch Canadian television and listening to Canadian radio all the time? Can you watch it on your cable? Are you monitoring it? Have you checked out the A Channel news coverage in western Canada? Do you watch CHUM? CTV? Can you tell the difference? If I showed you a news story from
CBC, CTV, CHUM, Global, A Channel all on the same topic, could you pick out the different reporting styles?

Something for you to keep in mind - ABC is owned and operated by Disney, which is... funding Republican's campaigns... you have to understand that ratings drive your news broadcasts, when things are reported that people don't like to watch or don't want to watch, the ratings do down, advertisers do not want to spend money with that broadcaster and so there's an overhaul to report what the viewers want to watch. If there is a trend right now with "left" reporting styles, then the conclusion to be drawn... well, I'll let you figure it out. I don't deny that CBS leans left, but CNN is a great fear monger, and fear mongering leads people into thinking that they need the man who can protect them and because Bushie had no fear in invading Afghanistan and Iraq, he was re-elected. I'll never forget one Sunday morning last spring, it was probably end of February when there was an elevated terror alert - I think up to orange and Betty Ngyuen was doing a poll about whether this was changing your plans for spring break. She said it was better safe than sorry and to avoid flying, stay close to home she said. Fear Monger.

There's a documentary I think you need to watch - produced by Europeans called US Media Blues. While you're at it, I also think you need to see Control Room, directed by an Arab-American, produced by a Dutch film producion company. If the attitude you carry is a consensus of those around you, I think that you, as in you in general in the United States really need to be enlightened about your news media sources.

And yes, I watch your news. I also watch the BBC and Al-Jazeera (by router at work late at night).


Not to hijack the thread - but back to Bush... here's a question, when he stated that Harriet Miers was the best person for the job and that Congress should vote for her because of her religious views (she's an evangelical Christian like Bush), does that mean that all the talk in Iraq about seperating Mosque and State (church and State to us) should go out the window? Why should he force this change on Iraq and try to push the opposite in the States? Should he not practice what he preaches?

 

[Yzma and Kronk]

As far as not "judging the country based on one magazine's cover" - that's the central point - I thought Macleans' would have higher editorial standards than to so blatantly rule that Cdns favor Kerry & the Democrats - which is effectively what they did with that cover. And this is the leading newsmagazine of the country?? - insofar as they have influence on the market that they serve - it seemed terribly irresponsible of them and clearly they "crossed the line" of impartiality.

Interesting perspective on this cover. ITA! I kept up my subscription to Macleans and received this particular issue in my mailbox down in Georgia.
When this issued arrived, I was appalled and embarrased by it....mostly because I am Canadian. I hoped that my mailman didn't see this cover!

It angered me so much that I immediately wrote a letter to the editor, and let my subscription lapse.

Don't get me wrong - it is everyone's right to have an opinion, but as JS said this one really crossed the line. Plus the article was so one sided it looked as if all Canadians agreed with this stance.

Hopefully as nerdy_grrl_t posted, "Maclean's is going the way of the National Post... " and I may give it another look.

 

[Yzma and Kronk]

As for "Bush bashing" - it baffles me why Americans have become so afraid of criticising their own government... hell, we do it to ours all the time...

Absolutely not true. It happens all the time.

Remember, Americans have a very strong distrust of government. Especially the Republicans who are generally against "big government". They simply do not like when government gets too involved in their day to day lives.....unlike us Canadians!

Many on "the other side" cannot understand that a lot of American's like Bush and stand by how he is running his administration.

 

[nerdy_grrl_t]

Absolutely not true. It happens all the time.

Remember, Americans have a very strong distrust of government. Especially the Republicans who are generally against "big government". They simply do not like when government gets too involved in their day to day lives.....unlike us Canadians!

Many on "the other side" cannot understand that a lot of American's like Bush and stand by how he is running his administration.

Okay... maybe I should qualify that, I didn't mean that *all* Americans are afraid of criticising Bush... but there is an almost religious reverance for the President that simply doesn't exist here for the PM and there is also a real defensiveness on the part of some people when you say *anything* about Bush...

Put it this way, if an American said to me "I hate Paul Martin" I'd say that's interesting, and likely get into a friendly debate about Martin and the Liberal government. But if I were to say "I hate George Bush" I would immediately be reviled by some parts of the American population as being a treasonous, American-hating, Bush-bashing, out of touch liberal... and honestly I just don't get it. What happened to freedom of speech and open debate? Before 9/11 Bush was cannon fodder for the US media and now he's the great "untouchable". It's bizarre... that's all I can say!

 

[Yzma and Kronk]

Put it this way, if an American said to me "I hate Paul Martin" I'd say that's interesting, and likely get into a friendly debate about Martin and the Liberal government. But if I were to say "I hate George Bush" I would immediately be reviled by some parts of the American population as being a treasonous, American-hating, Bush-bashing, out of touch liberal... and honestly I just don't get it. What happened to freedom of speech and open debate? Before 9/11 Bush was cannon fodder for the US media and now he's the great "untouchable". It's bizarre... that's all I can say!

Can I ask you a friendly question?

Can you explain further when you say, "...if I were to say "I hate George Bush" I would immediately be reviled by some parts of the American population as being a treasonous, American-hating.....(etc.)..."

Has this happened to you personally? Or were you confronted on another message board or similar? What parts of the American population?

Because I lived in the US. I really don't think that would happen 99% of the time. You may get unlucky and run into a Bush fantatic, but I'm really not sure that unless provoked you would actually get that reaction.

I think this is perpetuated by the media.

I disagree with you in that I don't think there are very many who would stand up like you say for Bush. They may have voted for him, may like some of his policies and generally support him, but I doubt to the extent you say.
I think it is the other way around.
You tell a democrat that you like Bush and the vermon comes spewing out. This stands to reason because he is in power and the other side wanted/wants their guy in. Take a look at Michael Moore, or Al Frankin - they would be the other side I refer to. As far as the "great untouchable"....no.

Freedom of speech and open debate is very much alive and well and living in the US. Stands to reason with all the passionate debate we constantly hear about, and get involved in!

Let's get some passion in our politics.....that I'd like to see!

 

[nerdy_grrl_t]

I'm not stating categorically that there isn't open debate in the US, BUT I have also had this happen to me personally numerous times. Mostly in online political debates regarding Bush's policies. When you attempt to debate the *issues* you get shut down or become the target of personal insults because you've offended people by criticizing "their president". And no, in those instances I didn't provoke the reactions (I never used profane language, never made personally offensive statements about Bush or mocked him, etc. Actually I never even said "I hate Bush"...)

As to what "parts" of the US population well obviously that's hard to say... I don't know what makes people react the way they do. A lot of these people were from the south, but some weren't... I'd assume they were Republicans, but that could be wrong as well...

In any case... my point was simply that there is a reverance for the President in the US that doesn't exist here with regards to the PM. This obviously has to do with nationalism, patriotism and how the roles of leaders are portrayed in the media. It could be a positive thing in some instances but when it does shut down debate because people are unwilling to listen to the "other side" (whether they are Republicans or Democrats) I think it's really very unhealthy.

 

[Yzma and Kronk]

Thanks nerdy. I appreciate the discussion as I too am always interested in both sides. Your words were very strong, that is why I asked for the clarification.

I thought it might have been on a message board. I'm sure you have visited the DIS CB boards, and as you know there a quite a few who are extreme right or extreme left and get very nasty. I believe the "passion" comes across when you can remain anonymous. I doubt that very many would say those things to you face to face.

ITA with your last paragraph. One of my family members is exactly a one-sided debator, as you refer to. He was making fun of the fact that I had books from Sean Hannity and Ann Coulter at my home, but he failed to see I also have Michael Moore. All his criticisms were very familiar to me - he was quoting without knowing it "spew" from the left that I already heard before. It's too bad some don't take the time to see both sides.

As far as reverance for our PM - it's because we are nice Canadians
But as I said before, it makes for really interesting politics!

 

[CharlesTD]

Can I ask you a friendly question?

Can you explain further when you say, "...if I were to say "I hate George Bush" I would immediately be reviled by some parts of the American population as being a treasonous, American-hating.....(etc.)..."

Has this happened to you personally? Or were you confronted on another message board or similar? What parts of the American population?

Because I lived in the US. I really don't think that would happen 99% of the time. You may get unlucky and run into a Bush fantatic, but I'm really not sure that unless provoked you would actually get that reaction.

I think this is perpetuated by the media.

I disagree with you in that I don't think there are very many who would stand up like you say for Bush. They may have voted for him, may like some of his policies and generally support him, but I doubt to the extent you say.
I think it is the other way around.
You tell a democrat that you like Bush and the vermon comes spewing out. This stands to reason because he is in power and the other side wanted/wants their guy in. Take a look at Michael Moore, or Al Frankin - they would be the other side I refer to. As far as the "great untouchable"....no.

Freedom of speech and open debate is very much alive and well and living in the US. Stands to reason with all the passionate debate we constantly hear about, and get involved in!

Let's get some passion in our politics.....that I'd like to see!

Actually it does happen just look at teh CB on here and a few other boards I tend to spend time if you even mention something about Bush you get called countless names and told where to go especially being from another country and then the derogatory remarks about Canada come out it is quite funny actually.

 

[Yzma and Kronk]

I wonder if anyone over there is looking over here........nah, no flaming or derogatory comments.....yet!

 

[tone.def]

I'm still waiting for Jersey Shark to come back and enter the discussion on media... or his views on church and state and the lack of separation right now in the US... Maybe he's catching up on reading the National Post and watching Control Room as I write this...

 

[damo]

Actually it does happen just look at teh CB on here and a few other boards I tend to spend time if you even mention something about Bush you get called countless names and told where to go especially being from another country and then the derogatory remarks about Canada come out it is quite funny actually.

Although the tides have really turned on the CB board in the last few months, politics wise.

 

[CharlesTD]

Although the tides have really turned on the CB board in the last few months, politics wise.

I agree I was just reading a post about how dissalusioned even Republican supporters have become with the big W and his habitual lies and dissention etc. I kinda agree with them from our side of things in Canada.

 

[damo]

I agree I was just reading a post about how dissalusioned even Republican supporters have become with the big W and his habitual lies and dissention etc. I kinda agree with them from our side of things in Canada.

I thought it was very interesting when one American poster complained that the US government couldn't even get along with Canada anymore. Usually, it is the Canadian government that gets bashed for not going along with everything that the US does.