Russ Feingold-Jim Webb would be THE best ticket ever. I mean.... ever.

[luciazephyr]

I know, I just posted, but this is a totally different subject.

I'm getting really pissed at Tom Brokaw for... various reasons. Mostly because he's an asshole, but that's neither here nor there. See, he keeps bringing up China-

omg, Russ Feingold and Jim Webb! IT IS LIKE MSNBC IS APOLOGIZING FOR DOING DUMB THINGS. TO ME. PERSONALLY. I ACCEPT YOUR APOLOGY, MSNBC. ILU. ♥

Anyway. Brokaw keeps bringing up China and how they are a rising power. The subject of America losing dominance has appeared several times. Here's what I don't get. Why, exactly, do we need to be dominant? Why do we need to excel in everything from exports to military to wotever else we're competing in? I mean, I honestly don't get it. Heck, wouldn't we be safer and more liked in the world community if we stopped being stuck up and competitive like this? Couldn't we focus on our domestic issue and help our people more? I mean, look at Canada or the UK. They aren't vying for dominance in this global pissing contest and they seem to be much more liked. Haven't several of the attacks on the UK in recent years come from their support of America? So, as I understand it, America fighting for title of "best country ever" against other people is actually hurting our allies.

Have I got this wrong? Because I'd rather be in a less dominant that is spending more money on its people than in a more dominant one that has to spend it on defense.

Just a thought.

-Luce

PS: I forgive Keith for being a jerk to Joe. This is inexcusable, Mr. Scarborough, you fucking asshat.

Where is my Joey? What happened to the one and only Republican who was smart and took everyone to task and was able to respect the views of others? Did he die and get replaced by this shoddy knockoff?

I really miss my Joey.

ETA: This fandom secret is fucking awesome. OBAMA = THE MASTER, Y/N?

Comments

[aelora.livejournal.com]

I think all of the MSNBC anchors are kind of losing their grip on reality lately... Maybe Rachel will bring some sanity back to the network???

In other news, I am a little bit in love with the idea so many keep pushing of Dan taking Joe's place in the mornings...

[lucia-tanaka.livejournal.com]

Well, there have been rumors of Joey being really resentful of MSNBC recreating itself after Countdown's success. That's been happening for a year now. I kind of think that Joey learning the Dr. Maddow, someone he's hidden none of his contempt for, is getting his old time slot... I think that's made all the tension even worse. I think he sees the Boys' Club atmosphere of the network changing and he can't handle that and everyone knows it so it's kind of Joey against the rest of the network.

That's my thought anyway.


I'd be thrilled to see Dan host the morning show. OMG, can Dan and Tucker do it together? Tucker is a moderate conservative, Dan is... well, Dan. They'd be perfect!

[aelora.livejournal.com]

Your theory on Joe makes sense to me. Any idea when his contract is up? I can't imagine him wanting to stick around if he is that disgruntled with the network's direction.

Someone at HuffPo brought up the idea of Dan and Tucker having a show together. I think it would be awesome. I could wake up to them every morning without a single complaint! :P They don't always agree so there'd still be some nice little arguments going but they're usually really considerate of one another when they do disagree.

Man, that is such a winning combo there. Though, early mornings would totally cut into Dan's drunken nightlife. ;P

[lucia-tanaka.livejournal.com]

No idea. I'd imagine this Morning Joe gig means he's got a five year contract for that. So.... about four years, I'd imagine?

Plus, Dan and Tucker have very similar, wacky senses of humor from what I recall of Tucker's show. Now that I'm thinking about it, this would be the funniest, most heated, awesome show on MSNBC. Rach would still be my fave, but I would so watch the Dan and Tuck Show. :D

First thing I thought of there was imprefectkris's fic describing Dan and Rachel as "two alcoholic children". Because, really. :D

[orbitaldiamonds.livejournal.com]

I am a little bit in love with the idea so many keep pushing of Dan taking Joe's place in the mornings...

That would be awesome, as long as they keep Mika and Willie.

[msp-hacker.livejournal.com]

The importance of American dominace is easily illustrated by this election cycle. There are lots of people overseas following this election, not because they're politcal junkies, but because the US has so much sway over the rest of the world. Someone has to be at the top of the heap, and it might as well be us.

There's also some distaste that the people viying for the prize are the Chinese, for historical/cultural/racial reasons. And the fact that there's been ill-well between the US and China since Mao took over, and that there's the knee-jerk reaction that anything that has to do with Communisim is bad.

[lucia-tanaka.livejournal.com]

Someone has to be at the top of the heap, and it might as well be us.

That really irritates me. I don't get where we have the highground on anything, we're so socially backwards.

I dunno. I think if we worked together with other countries (instead of ignoring the problem) and helped China with their human rights problems, they'd be a decent leader. vOv

[msp-hacker.livejournal.com]

The problem with China is that it's not just their human rights issues. The human rights issues are the symptom of their real issue, is that everything is controlled by the government. Comapred to the Cultural Revolution, it's paridise, but it stil sucks compared to everywhere else that isn't having a war being held inside their borders ( or North Korea ). I just think that China's goverment is a big pile of totalitarian fail, and that most of their problems are either symptoms of government fail or trying to pack 150 years of industrialization into 30.

We don't really have the high ground on anything right now, but after World War II there was a massive power vaccum. Europe's power was pretty much gone, so they let their empire's colapse into independent states. South America has been slowly dominated by the US for decades. So as World Powers went, the only two that were in position of World Power was the Soviet Union and the US. This binary of powers really hasn't happened since Portugal and Spain divided the world between themselves.

So, enter the Cold War. And when you get into the question "Who's better, Stalin or Truman?" it's not much of a contest. No one really wanted to get between the two of them, so most countires either went for one side or another. After the Soviet Union colapsed, the US was the only one left standing, and got crowned Ms World Power 1991.

In short: The US got to where it is because after 55 years of war it had the biggest stick. We still have the biggest stick, and spend $100 billion more on the military then the rest of the world combined (http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/spending.htm).

[orbitaldiamonds.livejournal.com]

Why, exactly, do we need to be dominant?

Shh, shh! The Thought Police will arrest you!

I mean, look at Canada or the UK.

Yeah! I mean, when's the last time terrorists attacked Canada?

*watches Joe and David S*

What manner of asshattery was that? Poor David wasn't on Crossfire, he was trying to slog through Scarborough Country!

[msp-hacker.livejournal.com]

In the recent terrorist attacks that happened in the UK since 2001"

Four out of the five were by Islamists. Two were done by the same two people, two Doctor's from India. The motives are randomly thrown from "new prime minsiter took office" to "the next day there was to be the UK's biggest Gay Pride event" to "this guy could have known this al-Queada operative." Those two attacks only killed one person, the bomber. Another attack also injured the only bomber, who was man with the mental age of ten. The last of the them were the 7/7 bombings.

The last was a guy who sent letter bombs to illustrate the rise in the UK surveillance society.

So, yes, there was a terrorist attack in revenge of UK foreign policy in Afghanistan and Iraq. But since the UK were the people who partitioned Palestine into Israel and Palestine, and had control of most of the Middle East for some time. There's quite a bit for Islamists to be pissed off about.