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Edited on Wed May-06-09 12:47 PM by Beam Me Up
I really respect Rachel and the way she approaches her guests. It doesn't go unnoticed when she allows her guest to respond to her introductory remarks. AND, she really allows them to do that. No interrupting or talking over the guest. That is SO refreshing and puts all the wing-nut talking heads to SHAME. She presents her POV and then allows her guest to present theirs. So, just in general terms this is how I want to see interviews done.
I think this is a very important interview in many respects. My experience is there can be dialogue between "right and left," between "conservative and liberal," and this has been intentionally PREVENTED most of my life. I think the elite don't want people in this country who identify with either 'side' to get together and realize they have far more in common than they have differences. That would be a big problem for them. Are there right/left differences? Of course -- but are they all irreconcilable? I don't think so. Some may be irreconcilable for some people but not for everyone. The problem is the public "debate" (more like a yelling match in most instances) is largely distorted within the media so what you don't get is precisely what you have here with Rachel and Paul: A sensible, easy to understand discussion of ideas without a lot of hand waving, accusations, name calling, dissembling and worse.
Ron Paul DOES appeal to a lot of young voters as does Obama. Ron Paul is right, there is a large segment of the American people on both the right and the left that want real, meaningful change. I think this already is THE central issue because the powers that be, the established structures of political and economic power, do not want real change. So long as both parties are beholding to these monied interests, BOTH parties are put in a very difficult situation. They have to appear to the public as representing their interests while actually defending the interests of the power elite. If you take a strongly populist position, as both Paul and Kucinich have for example, the consequence is you are marginalized by both parties and the media. Your message doesn't get out -- or, if it does get out, it has to circumnavigate the establishment media, punditry and press.
I think it is very interesting that the Republican party establishment has attempted to hijack the Ron Paul populism in the form of the tea-bagging "revolution". They would like to co-opt this primarily (but not exclusively) conservative movement, manipulate it using my motto: "The best way to thwart a revolution is to lead it." They make the mistake of believing that this thread of dissatisfaction with government can be manipulated and controlled by rhetoric and showmanship alone. They may be right but I'm not so sure of that. Of course it will have some success because the dissatisfaction does exist and they will try to portray that as being bigger and more influential than it is. But it seems to me something is happening in America that we've not seen before -- at least not in my lifetime. Along with a general sense of dissatisfaction some are crossing the old, well established and maintained divides. Just as Rachel and Ron Paul are able to have a conversation where each listens respectfully to the other and looks for a common ground of understanding, I think this is now happening among a lot of citizens, regardless of party affiliations or political leanings. Again, obviously this isn't true in all cases. There are some who still insist on making the "identification" (whether one identifies as an R or a D or a C or an L) more important than the issues under discussion. That is not helpful. That isn't going to help us move forward and solve the problems. Ultimately this isn't going to help either Rs or Ds to win elections -- and that is the real point.
Obama has brought something into the social consciousness that has been missing for the past eight years and longer: Integrity. Obama appeals precisely because he is not only charismatic and says things his constituency wants to hear but also because he listens. He listens to both sides. He shows respect for those who have differing opinions and then exercises his right to formulate policy based on his understanding of what is needed. Given what we've all just lived through this is not only refreshing, it is 'revolutionary'.
By contrast, the Republican party is unraveling because they are the party of lies, disinformation, dissembling, 'we know better than you'. This has worked for them for a long, long time. Suddenly, these old tactics aren't working any more. They look at Obama and are appalled at his ability to lead. They look at someone like Ron Paul and are envious. They want his "revolution" in name only. Meanwhile they're trying to find some way to recapture the average citizen's imagination and trust again -- something they've lost with everyone except the extreme of their base.
It is going to be very interesting to see how all this shapes up in the coming months and years.
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- But it seems that her erudition and intelligence is lost on some people.....
