Fox News and the criminalization of politics
In response to the recent deluge of Republicans getting themselves into legal hot water, Fox News has coined a new term: "the criminalization of politics." Apparently, the talking heads at Fox believe that the Republicans have done nothing wrong; the Democrats are just sore losers so they're manipulating the justice system in a pathetic attempt to gain some power. Anyway, this is America; one is innocent until proven guilty. People like Tom DeLay should get to keep his job until he's found guilty.
Well, that's all wine and candy, but what Faux News is really trying to do is shift the debate, or rather, to re-frame it as something undebatable: that politics is not a crime. Well, of COURSE politics is not a crime, but that doesn't mean politicians don't occasionally COMMIT crimes, or that we should look the other way when they do. And yes, of course we shouldn't prejudge guilt (or innocence), but when so many politicians in one party are attracting so much negative attention at the same time, it's hard not to feel like maybe, perhaps, possibly something is up - ethically, if not legally.
Perhaps what's really going on here is not a criminalization of politics, but a politicization of crime.
To see a funny/not funny video compilation of Fox News hosts saying "the criminalization of politics," go to http://streaming.american
progress.org/ThinkProgress/2005/Criminalization-Politics.320.240.mov.html
Well, that's all wine and candy, but what Faux News is really trying to do is shift the debate, or rather, to re-frame it as something undebatable: that politics is not a crime. Well, of COURSE politics is not a crime, but that doesn't mean politicians don't occasionally COMMIT crimes, or that we should look the other way when they do. And yes, of course we shouldn't prejudge guilt (or innocence), but when so many politicians in one party are attracting so much negative attention at the same time, it's hard not to feel like maybe, perhaps, possibly something is up - ethically, if not legally.
Perhaps what's really going on here is not a criminalization of politics, but a politicization of crime.
To see a funny/not funny video compilation of Fox News hosts saying "the criminalization of politics," go to http://streaming.american
progress.org/ThinkProgress/2005/Criminalization-Politics.320.240.mov.html
posted by Editor at Large at 4:40 PM
2 Comments:
They are so pathetic... and Rush was talking about how interesting some color schemes on NFL jersies this season are. What can they do, and how can they spin this? That's the million dollar (ratings) question.
The conservative blogosphere is pretty funny too. Desperate times call for desperate measures.
Hey Crall,
Yeah, "conservatives" are getting pretty desperate, aren't they? They will turn just about ANYthing into a talking point, just to avoid the real issues. Sometimes it's just plain baffling trying to understand where they're coming from. They sure must be blissful, because they sure are ignorant...
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