Defending the 1 % can be sooo rewarding.

Nice to see that Adam Davidson is being rewarded for blacklisting Elizabeth Warren from on air and reciting GOP Right Wing Free Market talking points with nice soft job at the NYT.
Here's his first "he said, she said" nothing burger column of recyeled cliches:
The Wild West of Finance - NYTimes.com

As Dean Bank has repeatedly demonstrated, Planet Money can't be clueless, it pro-corporate GOP bias is clearly a feature not a bug.:


Adam Davidson's done quite will for producing one-side shallow economic illiterate pieces of pro-corporate propaganda.

Membership in the 1% Club has it privileges. But watch out Adam, Karma is a bitch.

Be still my restless heart, . . .

Are Mara Liasson’s Days Numbered At Fox News? | Media Matters for America:

"As for Liasson, in 2009, NPR bosses reportedly approached her and urged that she reconsider her regular Fox News appearances, given how openly partisan the cable channel had become. She declined, insisting she appeared on Fox news programs (Special Report and Fox News Sunday), and not on commentary ones, and that she had not noticed any change in Fox News’ programming since Obama had been inaugurated.

But Liasson regularly appears on Fox as part round table discussions whose entire point is punditry. And most often she appears opposite conservative pundits, such as Stephen Hayes and Bill Kristol. Meaning, on Fox News Liasson is seen as giving the ‘liberal’ perspective on the political events of the day, even though she’s paid to be a straight news reporter on NPR. Liasson’s role on the Fox shows also works to reinforce the conservative mantra that NPR is a left-leaning news organization."

I hope and pray that she makes more money from her FOX gig and Rupert offers her a job (FOX would be a perfect fit for her), then she'll no longer infect the NPR airways with her FOX talking points.

NPR Style Book

When the US Government does it NPR it's called "harsh interrogation."

But when another country, like Chile, does the same thing NPR call's it "torture":

Ship Brings Peace, And Chile's Grim History, To Port : NPR:

"Chile's Truth and Reconciliation Commission and Amnesty International have documented more than 100 cases of torture aboard the Esmeralda.

The victims recounted beatings, death threats and electric shocks to their genitals.

Alex Taylor, Amnesty International's Chile expert, says it is high time for the Navy to admit what it did."

Another day, another example of NPR's selective moral outrage.

NPR's View From No Where, . . .

is intellectually dishonest and corrupts journalism, while normalizing extremism.

Who Really Runs NPR—Liberals? Right-Wingers? Dollar Signs? | The Philly Post:

"If you listen carefully to Spiegel’s report, you can detect the bias—in favor of sanity. The bulk of the report is a sharp rebuke to conversion therapy, including an interview with a therapist who calls the practice “distorted at its core.” This accords with Spiegel’s accomplished mental health reporting throughout the years. She is an experienced writer and reporter who has done superb work. There is little possibility that she believes, personally, that conversion therapy is legitimate. But she appears to be hamstrung by “balance.”"

Reviews are in. Not good for "the Juan".

Juan Williams' victory lap: On the Media - latimes.com: James Rainey, LA Times media critic, points out that Williams career at nPR was in a death spiral well before he was fired:

"Williams had already become an ineffective and diminished figure at NPR well before the firing — a fact that got lost in all the hoo-hah last year. He would blame that on executives who thwarted him mostly, in his opinion, because of their displeasure that he had gone to work as a commentator for the conservative standard-bearer, Fox. He argues in 'Muzzled' that NPR's news bosses demanded liberal orthodoxy and wouldn't tolerate dissent.

But many of his co-workers at the radio network had been displeased with Williams for some time. There were editors and reporters who didn't like to work with him, because they felt he often wasn't adequately prepared for the subjects of the day. Williams wanted to be more pundit than reporter, they believed, desiring to bring something like the wide-open rat-a-tat-tat of the cable bazaar to the staid academy that is public radio."

A reminder, . . .

NPR's top Washington reporter has been working for FOX News for more than eleven years now, . . .

The Firing of Juan Williams: NPR Got It Right | CPB Ombudsman Report:

"I have commented here before that one of the questions frequently asked of me as CPB's Ombudsman is why NPR allows Juan Williams and Mara Liaison to appear regularly on Fox News. I have never had a good answer for that, but always believed that the credibility they bring to Fox was acquired and paid for by the regular reporting and research they do for NPR."

Same As It Ever was, . . .

NPR's policy of "No Right Wing Talking Point Left Behind" since 2000, continues. Per Dean Banker at CEPR:

Tell NPR, It's a Debt Ceiling Crisis, Not a Debt Crisis | Beat the Press

"NPR misrepresented the nature of the crisis in a comment introducing a Morning Edition segment on the pending default of Jefferson County, Alabama. It referred to the country suffering a debt crisis. This is not accurate.

The problem is one of Congress refusing to raise the debt ceiling. This would be comparable to someone losing their checkbook even if they had still had $20,000 in their account. They may face a problem getting money out of their account until they get more checks (or learn on-line banking), but there is no problem of a lack of a funds."

Former nPR Ombudsman waits until she left nPR to do her job.

Over at Poynert.org nPR's former (not an)Ombudsman, Alicia Shepard, writes about her former emplyer: Former NPR Ombud fact checks new Juan Williams book, ‘Muzzled’ | Poynter.: "NPR selectively used its ethics code with him."

It curious, and sad, that Ms. Shepard waits until after she is no longer on the nPR payroll, to act like an Ombudsman:

"Sometimes I was told that because he was a contractor, NPR’s ethics code didn’t apply. Other times, I was told he had more leeway with the ethics code because he was a senior news analyst."

"NPR selectively used its ethics code with him. "

These two facts where never shared by Ms. Shepard with any of nPR's listners. While the "listeners' representative" to nPR she steadfastly defended nPR's management, with the exception of minor mistakes and ignored listeners' repeated inquiries about Mr. Williams' unprofessional behavior. I know, I was one of the listeners she ignored.

I wrote to Ms. Shepard repeatedly asking for an explanation of why Mr. Williams was permitted violate nPR's Code of Ethics and never got anything but a form email back. Numerous times, I formally requested on her blog an explanation citing the specific sections that Williams (and Mara Liasson) were clearly violating.

Perhaps in her next column she can explain why she defended nPR's Management unprofessional and unethical treatment of Harry Shearer? While also ignoring Mr. Shearer's direct questions:

http://www.npr.org/templates/community/persona.php?uid=5935964

I guess the most important thing you learn after "thirty years of journalism" is keep management happy.

I won't be torturing, er "harshly interrogating" myself waiting for an answer.

Yum, . . .

I wonder why nPR didn't broadcast this story? Were they worried that their agribusiness underwriters (Cargill, Conagra, et al) would get upset?

Got Enhanced Meat? USDA Rule May Make It Easier To Tell : Shots - Health Blog : NPR

"About 30 percent of poultry, 15 percent of beef, and 90 percent of pork are injected with some kind of liquid enhancement before sale, USDA says, and it's usually something high in sodium. Yet consumers are often unaware that a solution has been added."

Who would have guessed, . . .

that a news organization run by Rupert Murdoch would engage in unethical, criminal behavior?

November 16, 2007

"In the latest twist in a long-running New York story, publisher Judith Regan says she was pressured to lie about former lover Bernard Kerik (the former police commissioner) by executives at News Corp. — the owner of Fox News and the HarperCollins publishing house — who are intent on protecting the political viability of former mayor Rudolph Giuliani."

"Kerik was indicted this month on criminal federal charges of conspiracy, tax fraud and making false statements. The story raises questions about Giuliani's judgment when it comes to his calling card, national security. But it's also a headache for Fox News and NewsCorp. A NewsCorp spokeswoman did not return messages seeking comment."

Publisher Regan Says News Corp. Urged Her to Lie : NPR

Heh, . . .

When the National Catholic Report says you suck, you really, really suck.

"When was the last time you heard anything except the most pedestrian conventional wisdom issue from Juan Williams? He shouldn't have been fired from NPR because he said something impolitic. I do think he should have been offered the chance to quit Fox or quit NPR. But, I also have no idea why he was hired in the first place and paid for all those years when his commentary is so stale and boring. And, why would anyone buy his book?"

Juan Williams: Muzzle Him Some More | National Catholic Reporter: "It was a mistake for NPR to fire Juan Williams because of something he said while serving as a commentator on Fox News. It was a bigger mistake to hire Williams in the first place."

Le Affair O' Keefe: Good stuff from around the web about NPR's cowardice:

They Brought a Tote Bag to a Knife Fight: The Resignation of NPR’s CEO, Vivian Schiller. by Jay Rosen, at Jay Rosen’s Press Think:

“To give in to that panic is to cooperate in your own demise. Which is exactly what the NPR board did by demanding that Schiller–a visionary leader who knew where NPR had to go in the digital age–resign immediately, and without a fight. This was a stupid and cowardly act, . . .”

NPR Flubs Response to Schiller Controversy: Another “scandal,” another rash reaction by Joel Meares at the Columbia Journalism Review

“It’s to NPR’s discredit that they took O’Keefe’s bait. Even the least cynical of scandal-watchers would struggle to believe that the NPR board is surprised by the sentiments Ron Schiller expressed. It’s not as if he came out in favor of infanticide, or expressed a lifelong admiration of Pol Pot. He offered the same lazy liberal nostrums common at Washington cocktail parties and presumably very familiar to NPR staffers at all levels.”

DEATH BECOMES HER?

Yesterday on NPR’s Morning Edition, Mara Liasson gives Palin a nice wet kiss, today turns the FOX dial at NPR up to 11. In her report she recites GOP distortion and smears without any attempt at balance. Nice so see Mara is now a "deather" promoting the false smear the health care reform will kill you. Could it be because black is more slimming?

I didn't even have to have my second cup of coffee to go from zero to full rant in 20 seconds.

Too busy? Lazy? Don’t care? Or don’t have to provide someone who’s isn’ opposed to health care reform? Nope, my guess just the usual procedures that Mara has learned during her ten years of picking up a FOX News paycheck.

Here's reporting that follows the FOX News’ template:

1. Introduce the piece by framing it with GOP/Right Wing dishonest talking points.
2. Sting together a series of GOP pols quotes reciting their misrepresentations.
3. NO NOT interview or quote anyone from the other side or cite facts that disprove the distortion (oh, like 44 million uninsured HAVE NO ACCESS to healthcare therefore can't get mammograms).
4. Interview an Obama offical restate the GOP talking points, because their true.
5. Provide no opinion to counter the GOP talking points.
6. Conclude the story reciting the talking point again.

That’s the way they do it a FOX! Right Mara?


Again, 44 million Americans already suffer from health care rationing; it's called no cash no care. Maybe if NPR hadn't black listed the recent Harvard Study, Mara might know that 44,000 Americans die each year from lack of health care (you know Mara, RATIONING?)

Another day, another typical NPR pro-GOP commercial by a FOX News employee celebrating her eleventh year of service to Rupert:

Mara Liasson, doing FOX proud.

Some Elections Are More Equal Than Others

Yesterday a state referendum was held on a state's domestic partnership law, it passed by slim margin.

No, Grumpy is not confused or drinking early in the morning, in addition to Maine, where Gay Marriage lost, there was a referendum in Washington State (Who knew?). Not NPR' s Morning Edition.

"Washington's Referendum 71 -- which asked the state's voters to weigh in on the state's domestic partnership law -- was approved by a narrow 51-49 margin -- meaning same-sex couples get to keep state-granted rights otherwise given only to married couples. That's with 100 percent of the vote counted."

If you listened to NPR's Morning Edition this morning you would have heard numerous reports about the Maine referendum, also that 30 states have rejected Gay Marriage.

Number of time the Washington State vote was mentioned by NPR?

Never.

Yeah right, no agenda there.

Scatter shooting while trying to think of something to post, . . .

NEW FEATURE "NPR.ORG COMMENT OF THE DAY"

(because Grumby's to lazy to think of anything original to post).

This one's by Nate Bowman (NickErbacher) in response to the NPR (Not an) Ombudsman's defense of Mara Liasson's late's FOX New faux pau FOX New faux pau calling "the Cash for Clunkers is like a mini-Katrina here" reinforcing the FOX fake meme that its a failed government program (WTF? I know!) the discussion turns into NPR's relationship with FOX, and of course Juan Williams. Here's Nate:

on the Juan Williams post, cont'd

wherein you also say:
"NPR rarely identifies him as Fox News contributor."

Don't you think we have the right to know that EVERY TIME he appears?

Mr. Williams called the issue a "faux controversy" when he was just practicing "pure political analysis" based on two citations he never mentioned. What a mea culpa!

Again, from the NPR Code:
"We should feel free to guide ourselves by offering suggestions to our peers to help them comply with their obligations under this Code, and NPR journalists should welcome any such suggestions and discuss the issues with professionalism and respect."

Mr. Williams must cease tarnishing NPR's image by saying things elsewhere that he would not say on NPR; and then dismissing the objection. If you insist that Mr. Williams is not subject to the Code (with which I disagree) then either get him to agree to abide by the Code or terminate his contract. Either way, he must stop the denigration of NPR's image. Not to mention journalistic standards. Fri Aug 7 00:33:39 2009

Well played Nick! If you're registered at NPR.org give Nate Bowman (NickErbacher) 's comment a recommendation!

A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT

NPR JULY 31, 2006 PRESS RELEASE

"Scott Hensley, founding editor of and former contributor to The Wall Street Journal’s Health Blog, joins National Public Radio on Monday as part of its expanded health coverage.

Vikki Valentine, NPR’s supervising science editor for digital news, says Hensley is one of two additions to the Web health staff. The other is producer Kathleen Masterson, who will develop and coordinate special projects.

Hensley will blog about the news of the day and develop a tone and strategy for NPR’s health blog, as well as build a following. Eventually he will work on longer format stories for use on the site and on the air. Valentine says she expects the rest of the health staff will contribute more to the blog."

NPR has a Health Care Blog? Yep.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/

As a public service for Mr. Hensley and to welcome him to NPR, I've had our staff here at Grumpy Industries International prepare some tips from NPR's style book based on NPR's reporting the past year. This should get you up to speed:

-Single payer is black listed, you can't interview any advocates, doctors, or journalist that support this position, because it's "not on the table*". No stories, no columns, no mention, ever.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106969104

-Never, ever, ever, mention campaign donations or think tank funding when reporting on the GOP and the industry. See: Memory Hole.

-The uninsured cannot be interviewed, profiled or otherwise acknowledge, as well as effective Government health care programs like Medicare, VA, etc.

-No stories are permitted about woman's reproductive rights, Planned Parenthood, NARAL, and similar groups are black listed. Also, doctors that perform legal, ethical, medical procedures are to called "Abortion Doctors" even thought this is not a professional title or industry term. Anti-birth control pro-lifers are to always be portrayed as main stream and treated with the utmost respect, even if they've been convicted of attempting to bomb a clinic.

http://www.npr.org/search/index.php?searchinput=operation+rescue&dateId=0&prgId=0&topicId=0

-Remember to report on only what's "on the table" check FOX and the GOP they set the table for NPR. When in doubt remember: WWPD (What Would Pharma Do?)

-If you happen to know the definition of torture please share it with NPR's Ombudsman, Alicia Shepard. Really, she doesn't know the meaning of the word.

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/07/02/npr/index.html

-The accepted ratio of interviewees is that for every progressive or Democrat, you should interview no less that Six Republicans, AEI members, NRO writers, or industry lobbyists. See NPR's coverage of the Economic stimulus earlier this year as good example:

http://nprcheck.blogspot.com/2009/02/are-we-stimulated-yet.html

-Bipartisanship: NPR defines as doing what the GOP wants, especially when the GOP loses the election.

Good luck Scott, you'll need it.

Juan & Steve's teachable moment.

This AM on NPR's Morning Edition. Steve Inskeep cackles with FOX News' Juan Williams about "The Affair de Gates" as a "teachable moment".

Teachable moment?

Juan Williams, a ten year employee of FOX: "We Distort You Decide" the epicenter for "Birther" smears, yeah that Juan, complains that Obama ignores the facts. Then he claims that Obama injected himself in the Gates issue which is demonstratively false. Obama was asked by a reporter at a press conference a question, does Juan know the meaning of inject?

Juan complaining about getting facts wrong? Since when has Juan ever concerned himself with the facts? Here's a just a small sample of Mr. Williams demonstrating his concern for facts:

Juan for months has engaged in slandering President Obama and his wife. Juan Williams says Michelle Obama "sometimes uses" a "kind of militant anger".

Juan defended Bill O'Reilly racist comment it's unusual for blacks in a Harlem to restaurant can behave civilly .

He works for FOX, no black anchors and just in the past week two anchors caught trafficking in racist statements and has a long history in race baiting.

Don't just take Grumpy's word for it, the Ombudsman for cpb agrees, he's said Juan Williams behavior at FOX is an "the embarrassment" .

Yes the "FOX News Happy Negro thinks this was a teachable moment. It was, but not the way Inskeep and NPR thinks.

If Juan Williams is the teacher, I would recommend cutting class.

NPR & Liasson: The Death of Irony

Pardon me, Ms. Liasson: Have you looked in a mirror lately?

Oh God Kill me now, Maria "The FOX" Liasson’s report on political language today on NPR's Morning Edition don't know weather to laugh or cry, so I think I'll rant.

NPR, now a temple of FOX Orwellian newspeak, pot calls the Washington kettle black.


This is hilarious, Mara Liasson, a full time FOX News employee for more than ten years, is reporting and complaining about the misuse of words by politicians? Every Sunday Mara sits down with her buddies at FOX who have called Obama "Baby Killer", "Marxist", "Fascist", "Communist" and worse.

Also, there's that silly little fact the Ms. Liasson and NPR won't call water boarding torture, it a “harsh interrogation technique”. Despite, the U.N.’s High Commissioner for Human Rights says that water boarding is torture. The International Committee of the Red Cross have called what the U.S. did “torture.” Water boarding is unambiguously in violation of the International Convention on Torture, which has been ratified by 140-some countries. Yet NPR’s official editorial policy is that NPR doesn’t know the definition of the word torture.

Ms. Lasson and NPR's uncial embracing of GOP/FOX talking points for the past six years has done much more damage to political discourse in this country than any politician has done. Politicians obfuscated for cemeteries, that’s nothing new there, but what’s NPR's excuse for "aggressively interrogating" our language when it reports the news?


NPR, just like FOX de void of any self-awareness or sense of irony.

[Even more snarky aside, Mr. Liasson's bio at FOXNews.com reports she joined FOX in 1997, it also lists her numerous awards and accolades. Guess when the last time she won an award for her reporting? 1997. I wonder if there's a correlation between working for FOX and lack of professional recognition?]

THE NPR'S OMBUDSMAN SPEAKS

NPR's GLOBAL WAR ON NOUNS

From the consistently well produced and thoughtful WNYC's On The Media , actual program transcript from the June 26, 2009 . Host Bob Garfield interviews Alicia Shepard, NPR Ombudsman, about her logic on defending why NPR is not calling torture "torture".

BOB GARFIELD: The U.N.’s High Commissioner for Human Rights says that waterboarding is torture. The International Committee of the Red Cross have called what the U.S. did “torture.” Waterboarding is unambiguously in violation of the International Convention on Torture, which has been ratified by 140-some countries.

It seems to me that the only people who think it’s a debate are the Bush Administration, who are the culprits. So how does that constituent a debate?

ALICIA SHEPARD: Well, there are two sides to the issue. And I'm not sure, why is it so important to call something torture?

Grumpy adjusts his glasses:

"I'm not sure, why is it so important to call something torture?"

"I'M NOT SURE, WHY IT IT SO IMPORTANT TO CALL SOMETHING TORTURE" ?

"I'M NOT SURE, WHY IT IT SO IMPORTANT TO CALL SOMETHING TORTURE"?

WTF? EXPLETIVE DELETED, OMG, EXPLETIVE DELETED,EXPLETIVE DELETED, EXPLETIVE DELETED, OMG! EXPLETIVE DELETED, EXPLETIVE DELETED, EXPLETIVE DELETED, EXPLETIVE DELETED, EXPLETIVE DELETED, OMG, EXPLETIVE DELETED, HOLY CRAP! (homage to Peter Boyle) WTF? EXPLETIVE DELETED, EXPLETIVE DELETED, OMG! EXPLETIVE DELETED, EXPLETIVE DELETED, EXPLETIVE DELETED, EXPLETIVE DELETED, . . . (a half hour passes) ."

Ahem, well at least the host doesn't let Ms. Shepard off the hook, in fact he gets her to admit the NPR's euphemisms for torture reflect a pro-Bush bias:

BOB GARFIELD: I put it to you that embracing a euphemism for torture validates a political position. You’re trying to be apolitical but, in fact, to embrace terms like “harsh interrogation tactics” instead of calling a thing by its name, in effect, gives credence to the Bush Administration’s argument, does it not?

ALICIA SHEPARD: Yes, I think it does. I think using terms like “harsh interrogation tactics” or “enhanced interrogation techniques” does validate the Bush Administration. So that’s why I said why not just describe it. I think when you detail something and explain specifically what it is, then the public can decide.

BOB GARFIELD: NPR certainly has no difficulty calling murder “murder.” It doesn't call it “enhanced argumentation technique.” The terrorists call themselves “freedom fighters” but NPR calls acts of terror “acts of terror.”

ALICIA SHEPARD: Right.

BOB GARFIELD: In other respects, NPR hasn't taken a position against, you know, nouns. Why this one, in particular?

It goes down hill from there for Ms. Shepard. Like a good Beltway Village, Mr. Garfield's logic bounces off her like bullets against superman. Believe it or not, she attempts to create a (false) moral equivalency in NPR's coverage of abortion (a legal medically ethical procedure) to torture (illegal medically unethical).

Here's her closing statement, remember, she is an actual journalism professor:

And so in my opinion, as somebody with almost 30 years of journalism experience, it’s not the role of the media to take on characterizing things.

Believe it or not words escape me, so I'll let some else contradict Ms. Shepard's argument:

As someone who studies the media, writes about it and believes in it, I can easily say that Jon Stewart may profess to be a comedian but he is also one of the best journalists in the country.

He holds people in power accountable on a daily basis. he provides context and he does it all in a way that is totally enjoyable to watch
-Alicia Shepard, commenting on Planet Money blog, re: Jon Stewart vs Jim Crammer 03/13/09

I wonder what changed Ms. Shepard's mind about what constitutes good journalism in less than three months?

NPR versus Patrick Henry

Rights?
We doon need no stinkin' rights.

Gen. Juan Peron: A template?

On today’s Morning Edition the "Proposal Offers Specifics On Preventive Detention" by Ari Shapiro was beyond the usual NPR FOX-lite hackery, it represented a full assault on the founding principals of the American Constitution.

Ari fawningly, interviews Benjamin Wittes, but he fails to mention the Mr. Wittes is fellow at the Hoover Institue, noooo he's from the Brookings Institute and one of those special “serious people” that the Beltway reveres. Mr. Wittes also has contempt for the fundamental principles of our Constitution.

"Effectively, Wittes concedes, someone could be locked up forever as long as a court approves of the detention twice a year." -Ari Shapiro, NPR

Shorter Wittes: Because Bush has already suspended the Bill of Rights and ignored domestic and international law with his chain of secret prisons and instituted torture as policy, then its OK, so let’s write laws documenting these policies, that will put a nice patina of legality on classic authoritarian techniques. Wouldn't that argument justify the legalization of the Japanese American interment, Jim Crow, the Trail of Tears?

Mr. Wittes you see, has written that he believes "the absurdity of the Eighth Amendment" for you kids out there, the Eighth Amendment (Amendment VIII) to the United States Constitution is the part of the United States Bill of Rights which prohibits the federal government from imposing excessive bail, excessive fines or cruel and unusual punishments. The phrases employed are taken from the English Bill of Rights of 1689. Yep, limiting cruel and unusual punishment, is absurd.

Now that NPR has succeeded in normalizing torture as US foreign and domestic policy, it’s proceeding to the next logical step: promoting the FOX/Right Wing meme that fundamental human rights make America weak and must be eliminated.

Wittes is adovcating an authoritarian chief executive that can suspend habeas corpus with the approve of a secret Star Chamber court system: What could possible go wrong? NPR isn’t concerned about a President that's reading the mail of their political opponents, since it ignored this story so what’s a little indefinite imprisonment without charges or trial based on hearsay evidence between friends?

While growing up attending the Grumpy Consolidated Independent School Districts, in Grumpyville, Illinois I was taught that the American government was comprised of three co-equal branches of government (Executive, Legislative, and Judicial) that provided checks and balances to each branch. Apparently my teachers were wrong, according to Wittes when we're afraid, we only have one branch of government, the Executive.

Thanks to NPR and this think-thank genius, I’ve learned that our government is really a Unitary Benevolent Authoritarian Strong Man who can revoke anyone’s rights at his or her whim (nice template see: Chile under Pinochet, Argentina under Peron, Cuba under Fidel). I guess we weren’t endowed by the Creator with inalienable rights after all. It’s not like anything could go wrong.

Patrick Henry: Give me liberty or give me death.

NPR and the Right: We’re afraid of death, take our liberties.

US Citizen, enjoying Wittes' proposed law.

Has anyone (reporter, editor, clerk, intern) at NPR ever bothered to read the Constitution or Declaration of Independence? Based on Mr. Shapio’s cheer leading, er “reporting” during the Bush/Cheney regime and this report, it’s clear he hasn’t. As a public service, I would suggest Ari start with this document , something that he and his colleagues seem to have no passing familiarity with.

NPR and Ari Shapiro when it comes to the Bill of Rights, not smarter that a fifth grader.

Mr. Shapiro, NPR's legal correspondent who over looked (missed? ignored?) the DOJ scandal (yeah which one?) report has numerous other problems. The least of all is that Shapiro claims, with out any evidence, the Mr. Wittes' gutting of the Bill of Rights is getting "serious consideration" by the White House. Yet based on Wittes' Hoover Institute bio, he's neither a lawyer or has attended law school.