blueevent47

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-14179390

The recent scandal involving the hacking of computers and mobile phones, the spying on and targeting of individuals including policemen investigating Newscorp has resulted in Murdoch being forced to shut down the best selling British newspaper, News of the World. Is such activity only limited to Rebekah Brooks, CEO of News International, or are these standard operating policies of all Newscorp organizations, including Roger Ailes' management of FOX?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11195407

Already this year (not to mention in past Presidential cycles), there have been a number of individuals who have been toying with a run at the Presidency, but are more often out there trying to get publicity for something: a new book, a tv show, a business venture of some sort. Democrats as well as Republicans like to engage in these fake runs for Chief Executive.

Any thoughts on how to curtail blatant opportunism of this kind?

I find it interesting that both those on the left and especially the right seem to ask questions that are directly related to whatever their favorite talking head is ranting about at the moment. Today, for example, I've noticed a spate of questions about President Obama's birth certificate. Are these individuals incapable of formulating and asking more original questions?

I hear this from my fellow Americans every day. But I never hear exactly why they think it so. On what do they base this statement? Have they lived in other countries or spent extensive time overseas for comparative purposes? Are there those who disagree? I don't want sarcastic or mindless answers, please.

The Black Panthers conjure up the image of black men with guns, black berets, and a belligerent attitude. Huey Newton, Eldridge Cleaver et al. scared middle-class white America in a way that transcended the much more viable and long-lasting Nation of Islam.

So are conservative, predominantly white media types fanning the flame of racial fear? If so, why? If not, then why are they focusing so heavily on a group that has had no real power or even visibility in almost 40 years?

Cheers.

I must say that this seems at variance with both the understanding of why we have taxes and the historical American attitude towards taxes. American revolutionaries were not opposed to taxation, but rather taxation that was imposed arbitrarily and without their input (no taxation without representation). Do conservatives now think all taxation is equivalent to socialism or is it merely some taxes? If the latter, which taxes do they feel are socialistic?

Cheers.

The number and variety of disparaging remarks leveled at President Obama seem to be something new in recent American politics. Certainly calling Presidents names is nothing new (I still like the pundit who called John Adams "his rotundity"). But the sheer number of different names he is called is dizzying: Socialist, Communist, Nazi, Muslim, Thug, Gangsta, Raghead, etc. The more "humorous" names have included "Obama the Magic N*gro" by the redoubtable Rush Limbaugh.

It all raises the question as to whether such individuals who resort to name calling are doing so because they can't call him what they really want to...

It seems that the term "common sense" is the new "in" term for political gadflies, especially on the right (by no means just on the right, however). Is this a meaningless, ephemeral way of saying "my opinion", which has the rhetorical flavor of (sort of) sounding like a Founding Father?

Cheers.

This is not an invitation to bash the policies of one President or another; or one party or another. It is an opportunity to offer your solutions to the current economic problems facing the United States and by extension, the wider world.

Cheers.

This is not an invitation to slam other (potential) candidates. Who do you see as being best suited to lead your party in the next presidential elections? Why do you think so? Do you think that he/she can garner the support of the party voters or is this someone you'd simply think best?

Cheers.

I hear this from my fellow Americans every day. But I never hear exactly why they think it so. On what do they base this statement? Have they lived in other countries or spent extensive time overseas for comparative purposes? Are there those who disagree? I don't want sarcastic or mindless answers, please.

Posters of all political persuasions accuse one another of hypocrisy, as if there can be no worse crime. Yet, to quote my Christians friends, they are saved, not perfect.

So how does accusing somebody of hypocrisy forward one's political beliefs or argue for the merit of those beliefs? If I were to accuse of Larry Craig for being a hypocrite about gay rights, would that mean that his perspective is therefore wrong and mine right? Conversely, if I were to accuse Nancy Pelosi of the same strong arm tactics she complained of when Republicans ruled the Congressional roost, would that mean that everything I advocate is correct?

Serious answers only please.

Cheers.