On Friday, MSNBC announced that it has suspended prime-time host Keith Olbermann indefinitely and without pay for making political contributions to the campaigns of three Democratic candidates. What is most curious about this, as Jonah Goldberg has pointed out, is that the network is doing this under the guise of ethics. Did anyone think that MSNBC had ethics to begin with? Does anyone really buy that network president Phil Griffin gives a damn about the appearance of bias and integrity? This is the same network that ran ads weeks before the last election with all its major players standing in front of an Obama style banner that read "The Network of Change."
Olby's temporary replacement, Chris Hayes of The Nation, also gave close to $2000 to various Democratic candidates - a violation of the same rule that was used to kick Olbermann to the curb.
So what's really going on?
MSNBC is a sinking ship. It is hemorrhaging money, and while that ass monkey Olbermann hosted the network's only popular program, his salary is probably more than the station makes in advertising revenue in a year.
But most of all, Olbermann is known to be an insufferable boor. He has repeatedly belittled and terrorized staffers and interns. He throws legendary temper tantrums at anyone who dares look at him sideways, and has even come close to starting on-air fist fights with colleagues like Chris Matthews during the 2008 elections coverage. Olbermann's ego has gone from being an annoyance to an open sore that's oozing puss.
AHHHH - but the schadenfreude! Olbermann's suspension is the icing on the cake after the GOP literally and figuratively cleaned "House." Even after holding almost absolute power in every branch of government, the Democrats still had to fight and bend the rules to pass every piece of legislation they rammed down the public's throat - and, like Olbermann, they got the boot.
America has opened the first page in a new chapter of a very old book called market driven constitutional republicanism. The supposed "racist" Tea Party movement managed to elect the most ethnically diverse candidates in the nation's history, and they have a lot of work to do. Reversing the damage done in 2 short years of reckless big government taxing and spending will be a daunting task.
Reports today indicate that instead of helping seniors, Obamacare has increased their out of pocket expenses by up to 8%, and companies such as John Deere have reported that co-pays will rise by 40%, increasing their expenditures by millions. The President's stimulus bill has created an unemployment rate just shy of 10%, and in September, almost 4 million Americans joined the ranks of the poor. How are you liking that "change?"
There will be no overnight magic, and Republicans would be well served to be cautious in promising too much. Over the summer I asked Jonah Goldberg if a Silent Cal, hands-off President would be what the nation needed. Goldberg confided that even under the most optimistic of conditions, the GOP would have to do some degree of legislating for at least 8 years to begin to reverse the damage the boy president has caused.
Republicans have been gracious in their victory, and they must never forget that they have not been given a mandate to return to business as usual - they have been given another chance to restore order and good government to the greatest nation on earth. The Tea Partiers should remain vigilant to ensure the folks up on the hill keep their noses out of the pork barrel, and their hands out of the pockets of hard working Americans.
Thank you all for your patience while we dealt with a very personal loss. It's good to be back.
Cordially
Joe
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