On Friday I interviewed Steve Forbes. In a quick few minutes he claimed that people in England over 65 years of age could not receive dialysis, that Obama wanted single payer, and that Freedom Works displayed video of the almost violent Doggett town hall on their Web site so that politicians can "see what happens" when they lie about financial matters.
Forbes provided the praise of the video threat with an ample dose of lies and even some commentary on how an obscure Athenian aristocrat showed leadership by helping a group of Spartan mercenaries escape a lost mission. Of course Forbes sees the Athenian aristocrat as an outsider and an example of real leadership to be emulated today.
The moorings of conservative intellectuals having drifted off long ago (perhaps in search of its moral tethers) the conversation with this top one half of one percenter provides insight. The insight was not into health care reform, of which Forbes uttered not a single truth, but insight into the masterful delusions of the very powerful in their hopes to make sure the status quo continues uninterrupted.
While touting leadership and courage, one of the great beneficiaries of inherited wealth refused to name any of the Freedom Works corporate donors. During the interview he even refused to guess what percentage of Freedom Works' total budget came from corporations. This on a day when the "confusion" of who funds Freedom Works caused it's president, Dick Armey, to lose his day job.
Interestingly enough, further personal research showed me that the Athenian that Forbes praised was in fact a traitor to Athens, who supported the overthrow of democracy and the brutal "leadership" of the "Thirty Tyrants." When he said Xenophon was an "outsider" he failed to mention that he was an outsider to his countryman because they had thrown him... well ....outside into exile. Xenophon was, however, a kindred spirit to his country's enemies: the Spartan mercenaries he later saved. But those are "facts" and are not apparently necessary for the right wing any longer whether telling a historical account or describing current policy initiatives. Click here for the interview:
Mario Solis-Marich can be heard on Am760 in Denver and at www.GotoMario.com Monday through Friday from 4 PM to 7 PM MT.