Beachchick's Comments (213)

“He is a U.S. citizen (naturalized). And yes, he had to become a U.S. citizen to own and broadcast from the United States. The media were regulated for a reason.”

“This is an excellent analysis Arianna. Let Murdoch take his ball and go home. The world would be a better place without his gutter politics and fake news.”

“Reform has to start with the first step. I firmly believe the most important reform and the foundation for all other reforms is media. People can’t make democratic decisions without information grounded in facts and reality. It is increasingly hard for people to discern what is and isn’t real in today’s corporate controlled media environment. Until there is media reform, nothing else will change.

Americans deserve and need a democratic free press that represents them not corporate interests.

To quote John Adams, “a popular government without popular information or the means of acquiring it, is but a prologue to a farce, or a tragedy, or perhaps both.””

“Then why do corporations and the wealthiest 1/100 of 1 percent want the government to take care of them? Americans work and pay taxes. Those taxes are supposed to serve the public, the democratic institutions that once made this a great country.

Public money is not meant to profit private corporations and those who already own most of the nation's wealth, which is exactly what is happening now and will soon bankrupt this country both financially and morally.”

“Thank you, Dr. Angell. Health care reform that includes universal access should not be this hard. It is the moral and fiscally responsible thing to do for the American people. An elected government that truly cared about the populace and the economic future of this country would have already passed legislation.”

“Richmond was the capitol of the Confederacy. Virginia is culturally and geographically the South.”

“Why? Your side tried to destroy Clinton when he was president. Despite Clinton's short comings, he belongs to the Democratic Party. He is ours -- find your own candidate in rightwing land.”

“The President needs to pass real reform and good policy. The American people need to know someone in the government is on their side. A flagrantly fraudulent health insurance industry needs to be crushed not rewarded. It is obscene to force Americans to buy insurance from for profit insurance firms that do not deliver access or provide financial protection.

In the President's defense, the deplorable corporate media are not performing their duty to the American public. They do not even deliver basic facts, crucial information or dispel myths, so it's not surprising that there is no investigative journalism or human interest stories. It's all politics and spin all the time.

If corporations are allowed to continue to disseminate misinformation under the guise of news, nothing will change in our deeply divided and impoverished society. How can a democracy function when the citizens can't distinguish fact from fiction. Not only has the absurd, loud, and chaotic rightwing assault on reform been inappropriate, irrational and frightening, it has been fueled by Fox News, a blatant lobby arm for rightwing economic policies and the Republican Party.

More than any other time in history, Americans need strong leadership. We're in serious trouble and the President needs to have the courage to make serious changes despite the media assault or what the crazy rightwing calls him. Health care reform and then media reform because the corporate media are the greatest threat to our democracy.”

“The people of Vermont are lucky to have you Senator Sanders. I wish there were ninety-nine more senators like you.

Thank you for working diligently on behalf of the American people.”

“Thank you Mr. Brenner. I really thought the Democrats would come through for us.

Frankly, there is no excuse for the lack of courage and character shown by Democratic leaders on this issue. This is when we need strong leaders the most, leaders willing to stand up for the American people. True health care reform is a moral and economic imperative, refusing to properly fix it is unforgivable.

Someone needs to take control of this sinking ship. It's pretty clear we are watching a complete breakdown of our government and our society. The banks are fine; it's the American people who are in free fall, but I guess we aren't too big to fail.

Don't forget to include the disastrous media's role in all of this mayhem. They only cause social division, chaos and reinforce misinformation . It is true insanity.”

“Bush protesters were allocated to free speech zones miles away from whatever event they came to protest. And there was usually a media blackout of anti-Bush sentiment.”

“The problem is they do and Beck has a platform on a network marketed as news.”

“Fox is run by lobbyists and is an adjunct of the Republican Party. A twenty-four hour advertisement for policy that benefits corporate interests masquerading as news shouldn't be allowed in a free democratic society. It is not okay to intentionally deceive the public.”

“It's not about public service television; it is about a lack of public service news media.”

“We'll keep you Jan ;-)”

“Done”

“The news -- the free press -- has a social responsibility to the public. People need to be able to discern fact from fiction and reality from fantasy. We deserve it as a society. We need it to maintain democracy.

Advocate for media reform.”

“Beck is free to say whatever he wants and as a civilized society we are free to marginalize it.”

“This about the so called free press -- news--not individual free speech.”

“Exactly! Beck can rant but he doesn't deserve a prime time platform.”

“Exactly!”

“I know -- it happens to all of us.”

“Let's get something strait. No one wants to silence Beck -- he is free to exercise his First Amendment rights and blather his insanity by creating a website, writing a book, posting online etc. I just don't want Beck and his ilk on prime time news deliberately misleading the public with outlandish lies that appeal to the lowest human instincts and drives: barbarism, zealotry, bigotry, ignorance and egoism.”

“Let's get something strait. No one wants to silence Beck -- he is free to blather his insanity by creating a website, writing a book, posting online, etc. I just don't want Beck and his ilk on prime time news deliberately misleading the public with outlandish lies that appeal to the lowest human instincts and drives: barbarism, zealotry, b!gotry, ignorance and egoism.”

“Beck is not contributing to the marketplace of ideas or opinions. He is a toxin to civil society and should be removed.”