On Being Liberal, Even in Oklahoma

I've had an e-mail newsletter exchange with the editor of a local small-town (just over the river in Oklahoma) shopper newspaper (circ 3,400). I wanted to respond to some statements he made about how he wanted to provide balanced, factual articles for his readers. I knew he was a liberal before I was finished with the first paragraph, but he is so typical of the liberal (he prefers progressive) mind-set that I wanted to share some of his ideas.

To this gentleman, bias means a right-wing slant, and he invited fact-based commentary, which didn't mean conservatives, but he back-tracked on that a bit.

I prefer to be thought of as a Progressive. I am just a pundit with a long and varied life of studies and interesting experiences. I research, paraphrase and quote from a variety of valid sources. Yes, it is my intention to persuade people to my views. I believe well-meaning people who label themselves Right Wing Conservative have been misled into supporting disastrous governmental policy that has negatively impacted the world. As I have stated in each issue… I welcome opposing points of view. You are welcome to express your views in The Texoman.

I asked him what he used for sources for his opinions.

I do read Harper’s, The Washington Spectator, The Hightower Lowdown, Mother Jones, The Nation and an assortment of online publications and research sites. Except for The Herald Democrat, KTEN and KXII, I do not read any other right wing publications. Most of what I do hear from the Right comes from the likes of Limbaugh, Gingrich, Perry, Hall, Colter, Paul and of course, Steve Taylor. And I only need listen to the conservatives in Washington to conclude, ‘we ain’t in Kansas anymore Dorothy.’ I feel wisdom, understanding and direction are as important as allegedly unbiased journalism.

On taxes, he's typically liberal: The wealthy don't pay their fair share, taxes redistributed downward will create jobs and stimulate the workplace, etc...and he's very anti-corporate. Those evil corporations, you know.

He's still convinced, like most liberals, that FDR had it right, and to this day he doesn't even realize what caused our current recession:

FDR enacted regulations on the financial markets and taxes on the rich that while thought by some to weaken the economy were necessary to redistribute revenue downward and rebuild a financial system founded on the broader base of the majority. Regulations and much of 1930’s taxation if left in place by subsequent administrations would have prevented our current economic problems. The gutting of the Glass Steagall financial regulations act by the Reagan administration and Phil Graham and tax cuts by anyone seeking re-election and needing big money laid the ground work for our current recession.

I asked him to view the video at http://www.bornagainamerican.org, but alas, no luck here either:

My warm fuzzy proud to be an American feelings died in Viet Nam along with several of my childhood friends and the senseless murder of countless men, women and children I could not help and all the wealthy American industrial corporate executives I did.

But this guy, at least, welcomes opposing opinions (unlike so much of his liberal friends).

It has never been my intention to make The Texoman the exclusive property of the Left. I encourage everyone of every persuasion to address the issues of the day here. You don’t even have to be polite, well-read or logical. You only need to write.

I do not put his comments here to mock him, or make fun of his ideas. The purpose here is to point out how different our ideas are. To him, and his liberal friends, everything is logical, factual, and the only way to make things better.

It seems we both want things to be better. We just disagree on how to get there.