If you have something to say...
Say it on the Huffington Post
If you have something to say...
Say it on the Huffington Post
This week, Norway's peace was shattered by homegrown terror; the Murdochs dodged inquiries -- and a pie -- in Parliament; and Michele Bachmann's migraines gave her campaign a splitting headache. In Washington, the "Grand Bargain" on the debt ceiling fell apart, leading President Obama to lament being "left at the altar" and John Boehner to blame the failure on "different visions for our country." But, in truth, neither side is addressing the simple mathematical reality that we will never be able to reduce the deficit unless we prioritize growth. Trying to eliminate our debt by spending cuts that will reduce consumer demand and tax revenues, and prolong the recession, is like deciding to remove the gas tank from a stalled car and hope for the best instead of restarting it with jumper cables. Elsewhere, today is the first day gays can marry in New York so, unlike the "left at the altar" president, same-sex couples will finally be able to tie the knot. Congratulations, newlyweds!
Murdoch's job goes far beyond keeping track of the scoops and scandals of his employees. He is the CEO, the man at the top responsible for setting the tone and culture that drives the conduct of everyone in the organization.
As more leads indicate that crimes were committed on U.S. soil, the likelihood increases that this scandal will create heat for the Murdochs on this side of the Atlantic.
For a tough character like Murdoch, the busting loose of the News of the World Scandal did not trigger an immediate demand for investigations at every other paper worldwide.
This country could still slip into default, leading to the worst possible scenario imaginable -- we have to move back in with England. You think it's embarrassing slinking home after graduating college, try waiting 235 years.
I find the saga in England absorbing. As a former press secretary to two U.S. senators and a press aide to Bobby Kennedy in the presidential campaign of '68, media are a significant part of my life.
As a starting place, I place side by side the two extremes of Murdoch's exaggerated influence on our lives, our politics and our self-awareness.
The scandal facing the Murdoch empire that has dominated media news has certainly been riveting. But has it taught us anything we didn't already know? Well, yes and no.
Entertainment and mockery aside, Wendi's "ruthless opportunist" way and "naked ambition" reflect a looming Western fear of China and of a new world order.
Nauseating is what comes to mind watching the Murdochs disclaim any and all knowledge and responsibility for their unethical behavior. The culture of...
To get a professional and season perspective on the Murdoch pie attack, I spoke with Aron Kay, once known affectionately throughout the pasty heaving world as "The Pie Man."
The idea that Murdoch would have so little knowledge of the problems facing News of World is preposterous on its face given facts readily available to anyone with access to Google.
The Murdochs were indeed grief-stricken about something -- they were caught. Were their expressions of grief and disgust about hacking, and their sympathies for the targets, credible?
The problem today is not the tyranny of government, but rather the concentration of money, and hence power, in Wall Street and in the largest corporations. And it is clear that enough money can buy political power.
The latest news about Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. in not only a reminder of the importance of maintaining strong anti-bribery legislation, but also casts serious doubts on the efforts of some in Washington to weaken those laws.
Will we take Murdochgate as a case study of today's top power brokers in action and do the work required to understand and challenge them? Or will the ability to hold them to account end with nothing more than a close shave?
