Dylan Ratigan, a FRAUD?

[polichick]

Yesterday, Timothy Noah was a guest on Ratigan's show. He is doing a series of articles for SLATE about the growing inequality in America. The interview was very interesting and going along great until Noah pointed out that most Americans do much better under Democratic control, while the top does better under Republican control (and the very top does well no matter who is in power).

As soon as the words left his mouth, Ratigan shut him down. He didn't want to look at parties, he said, and then blabbed on and on incoherently until he ran out the clock. Noah wasn't given even two seconds for a final word.

That's the last time I watch the show. Ratigan's gig is to rail about economic issues and corruption because it gives him a reason to be on the air - but he doesn't give a shit about what is really going on. I'll bet he votes Republicorp every time.

Fuck the Rat, but Noah's series is definitely worth a look.

http://www.slate.com/id/2266025/entry/2266026

[tsuki]

1. Ratigan's thing is that he wants to look at the issues, not the politics.

[jeff47]

6. That's not possible

The issues are inherently political.

[tsuki]

41. No, movements are not necessarily. Women's sufferage is one.

Teddy Roosevelt, a Republican, was for it, and Woodrow Wilson, a Democrat, was against it. Civil rights is another. I have noticed that when he wants to discuss issues, he doesn't want politics, he wants issues. He has shut down Republicons also.

[vaberella]

11. Hardly---and no issue is without politics. That just doesn't make sense.

That's why I get involved. I'm Pro-life (personally)----but because I"m a woman and a Black woman at that---I am inherently politicized in this nation and this is why I am Pro-Choice when the government is involved.

So to say---just look at the issues--then there is no discussion. All of these issues when they are being discussed are politics.

[JustAnotherGen]

18. Very very

Well said!

[LiberalFighter]

27. Let me get this clear.

You are saying that personally you are Pro-life meaning no abortion for yourself.

But, as far as the government is concerned you don't want the government to make that decision for you.

I thought that was what Pro-Choice was all about. It is up to the person to make that personal decision. There are probably many women that are Pro-Choice but when it came down to them they would more than likely have the baby. But that decision may change when it comes to medical or other very legitimate reasons. And they would generally have the baby because they utilize birth control methods so that when they were ready for a family it was planned.

[vaberella]

28. It's more so...

I am pro-life, when I speak to friends who are planning on having an abortion and when they ask me what decision they should follow--I will strongly advocate for pro-life actions and not abortion. Basically, I should have been more clear and said I'm against abortion. However, I do believe in women's choice, but even more than that, I believe that women should have a safe option in regards to abortion. Not because I like it, or want it around, but because I think it's horrible to lose two lives---especially if and when these women would like the option to have children around or just to live---than to have taken from them and they're forced into dangerous situations.

I hope that's a bit more clear. When government makes abortion legal--then that opens the doors for safer procedures and advanced medical care. Overall, I agree with you. I'm saying however, that I find that many Pro-Choice women(which I have will definitely say is a wide umbrella---so this is not 100%) for all, would not even say that they believe abortion is not an option. When friends speak to me...I will tell them that I believe abortion to NOT be an option. If they decide to go through with it, that is not my advice nor something I would EVER suggest or advocate. But I want the choice available if they come up with that on their own. So I would say then it's more that I am Anti-abortion period; but Pro-Choice if that clarifies my position better.

[LawnLover]

42. Aren't most people pro life

except perhaps for those who drag us into war?

[polichick]

14. His agenda seems to include keeping voters from knowing which party...

...is behind which policies.

[Cosmocat]

17. I like Ratigan a good bit, but he is an R water carrier ...

he speaks to the issues pretty fairly, and hits on areas that are third rails for most "journalists" in the MSM, but he either is an R or he knows the rules of the game - marginalize Ds whenever possible and at the bare minumum cover the Rs with the false equivilency of "both parties are the same." He also fawns over Rs on his show while having the usual contempt for most of the Ds he has - again, something good MSMers know they have to do ...

[Peacetrain]

2. He is a self admitted conservative..~video attached~

Who takes every opportunity he can to attack anyone on the left.. center to far.. He belongs on FOX

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/14/dylan-ratigan-i-consider-_n_716296.html

[flamingdem]

36. Would be nice to sic Lawrence self-admitted socialist O'Donnell on him nt

[dkf]

3. He has never claimed to be a Democrat if that is what you are suggesting.

His gig isn't to laud the Democratic philosophy over Republican philosophy but to give a critique of how both are failing to give us a clean and fair system.

[earthside]

4. I like his show.

And I like that he is not running a partisan show.

Ratigan identifies the big problems in our economy and asks for remedies -- regardless of party. Nevertheless, his guests tend to be populist and progressive.

If you listen to the economic themes Ratigan articulates: "free" trade is killing us; the bankers are looting us; outsourcing is impoverishing us; corporations are too powerful -- you'll appreciate what he is doing on his show.

Everything doesn't have to be seen through a partisan lens, you know.

[Donnachaidh]

5. oh fer fuck's sake

"Ratigan's gig is to rail about economic issues and corruption" -- yeah, and he's never been *political* in that respect. Oh boo frigging hoo -- so he doesn't put a *D* spin on it.

Until *we* start looking at the ISSUES rather than the party *sweater* we're never going to FIX the problem that BOTH parties have put us in. Yeah, you heard me -- BOTH parties. :sarcasm:

Ratigan points out the problems. Sorry if it isn't clothed in the *appropriate cloth* of party purity. :eyes:

[vaberella]

13. Well it wouldn't matter---his jive would always lean to the right. Anyway.

He himself said so.

[Donnachaidh]

33. So?

Isn't this administration leaning to the right in all it's reforms? Healthcare *reform* that wasn't reform of *care*, but a big gift to the insurance industrial complex? Mandated insurance laws is NOT healthCARE reform - no matter how much lipstick you put on that pig. :sarcasm:

Wall Street *reform* that did NOTHING to address the actual bank practices that caused the meltdown?

Oh wait, the middle class got a tiny gift of *reform* on charge cards already in play. So the banks answer that by issuing new cards that don't fall under the protections clause. So much for that little *gift* to consumers, huh? :sarcasm:

Again -- the problems aren't going to be addressed when people allow themselves to be blinded by *sides*. And Ratigan speaks truth to power - even if he doesn't have the *appropriate sweater*.

[polichick]

22. To try to paint the two parties as equally responsible is manipulative. nt

[Donnachaidh]

31. and to totally dismiss the actions of one of those parties is, too.

NAFTA anyone? I'm sure THAT little nugget, along with welfare reform, has helped along the complete destruction of the middle class. But hey, the Big Dog was cool with it, huh? :sarcasm:

[polichick]

32. Well, nobody would ever accuse me of letting the Dems off easy. nt

[FrenchieCat]

7. Ratigan is a loud ass that talks a whole lot on Television,

and it is always negative, and 100% down on Democrats, period.

His job is to make you hate government.....
without offering any alternatives.

Some folks like that, cause they are the same way.

[golfguru]

8. Ratigan knows economic issues better than any one of TeeVee

but that is JMO.

[KoKo]

46. Yes...he was a Financial Writer then host of CNBC's "Fast Money" until he couldn't take

the spin of what he was doing anymore and had a big dust up with his producers. He actually created that show and another for CNBC.

He had Russ Baker on refuting Bush's Biography...and he let Baker put out all the dirt on Bush that we here already know but has gone down the memory hole in the past few years.

"Family of Secrets"...the Bush Family by Russ Baker...Video and Description of Book HERE:

http://russbaker.com/

[vaberella]

9. How do you define Ratigan. Hasn't he even said, on his show, he's a Conservative or Libertarian?

And everyone knew that. I don't know what you call him a fraud...made no qualms about who he is, nor did his interviews ever lean left or even liberal. The man is a straight up conservative dishwad. If libertarian was a viable party---he would be touting them indefinitely.

[PBS Poll-435]

10. LOL

Who knew?




:eyes:



MSNBC should be disbanded.

[vaberella]

12. To the OP---Here is the thread where Dylan Ratigan clearly stated he's a CONSERVATIVE!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x448815

So, uh, he's not a fraud...if anything. Although I still don't know what you mean by fraud.

[polichick]

15. CLARIFICATION: The RAT is a FRAUD because you can't claim to care about corrupt practices...

...and then try to keep voters from knowing which party is largely responsible for them.

As this election proved, Americans keep voting against themselves because they are manipulated.

[JamesA1102]

21. Very well said! nt

[vaberella]

29. Not a fraud, that's his agenda from day one. As I stated--he leans Conservative and said so.

You should recognize that as their MO.

[flamingdem]

37. Yes exactly, which party did what certainly matters nt

[burning rain]

16. You can also gauge D-Rat's sincerity by how he fawns over Sen Tom Coburn.

.

[Spazito]

19. In a word, Yes...

he is a fraud pretending to have left his repub roots behind while continuing to push the repub line.

[JamesA1102]

20. Ratigan is a con man

He's playing the role of populist but he is really a conservative who tries to mitigate the responsiblity of conservatives by declaring both sides are the same.

[polichick]

23. Exactly! nt

[Kind of Blue]

30. +1000 couldn't have said it better. n/t

[Armstead]

24. Not a fraud -- He makes good points. But he is obnoxious in the Cable Host Way.

I don't agree with him when he says both parties are the same. The D's are far better than the R's on many levels. It is false and dangerous to make a false equivalence between the two parties.

HOWEVER, the D's are bad, in their own way. For far too many years they supported and enabled the values and policies that have ruined the nation's economy. There are some noble exceptions, but mainstream Dems are also in bed with the corporate oligarchs....Clinton presided over a huge spree of deregulation and privatization. Mainstreanm Democrats NEVER oppose monopolistic mega-mergers....Obama turned to Wall St. insiders for his economic team.....Too many Dems would not fight for any expansion of Medicare or a public option....etc.etc.

I do think Ratigan is doing something important by relentlessly pointing out what a corrupt and dysfunctional system we have.

His biggest failing, IMO, is that he has the Cable TV Host Syndrome when interviewing. It's not a political thing. It's a mix oif show-biz and ego. Just like Tweety and Ed Schultz and many of the CONservative Fox hosts, he is more interested in hearing himself speak than his guests. He rattlers off long-winded questions, and interrupts guests because he is either trying to make his own points or browbeating the guest.

Partisanship aside, we really need more hosts like Bill Moyers, who actually engage guests in an informative exchange that goes beyond talking points.

[hulka38]

34. Agreed.

Good post.

[Uzybone]

25. Um...Ratigan has said he is a conservative

amazing how people delude themselves to thinking that anyone who rails against "banksters" is on our side.

Even Rin Paul is against banksets.

[ellenfl]

26. i tape ratigan daily so i don't have to watch tweety, who does us more harm, imo. eom.

[flamingdem]

35. He shut up guest today who said that Obama IS EFFECTIVE he quickly said oh that is not the subject

but he looked very irritated because it was the content that he did not want his guest to express.

So, what's up with this guy?

[JamesA1102]

39. Like Joey Scar in the morning

He shuts down any guest who doesn't support the narrative he's trying to push.

[polichick]

45. I don't watch that asshole anymore either. nt

[polichick]

44. Same thing he did yesterday, and then he blabbed incoherently...

...while the guest looked on, wondering wtf?

Ratigan is a fraud because he wants to rant about problems but tries to hide info about who's trying to fix them.

[zulchzulu]

38. Ratigan has admitted he's a conservative many times

He occasionally dons a hat where he blames it on the Republicans, but not for long. He then would have some Tea Bagger blabbing about stopping "the government" with zero specifics.

He isn't a fraud. He's just annoying and fairly unwatchable.

[JI7]

40. i always laugh when people bring him up as a liberal

never liked him, can't believe he has his own show and they fired shuster

[Jennicut]

43. I think the real problem is Ratigan is more libertarian then anything else.

He is not a liberal in any way shape of form and I have no idea where people get that from.

[AtomicKitten]

47. He really can be a douchebag sometimes. I stopped watching him quite a while ago. nt