Will "big government" complainers accept its help in the face of two natural disasters?

Rev. Al Sharpton, MSNBC

I watched Rev. Al Sharpton on MSNBC last night. He talked about politics, Hurricane Irene (August 21, 21, 2011), how government will automatically step in and help states hit by the hurricane. He reported about a recent earthquake that originated in Virginia, home of "no more big government" politician Eric Cantor.

Sharpton said Republicans are already plotting to play politics with people's lives, using these two natural disasters to extort concessions from President Obama, when Congress convenes on Monday, at which time the president will reveal his jobs plan to Congress and America.

Many residents hit by the earthquake, and those expected to be hit by the Hurricane Irene, are the main citizens complaining that government is "too big."  It spends money that it does not have, they say. It has become somewhat fashionable for these residents to claim they want "big government" out of their lives.

I have become cynical in my attitude about these "help me but diss everybody else" complainers.  I wondered if they will complain about "big government" when they find themselves in desperate need big government to come to their rescue. When FEMA and the Red Cross come to help, will they refuse?  Will they say, "stay out of our life?" It will be interested to see their reaction to offers of help from "big government."

 Sharpton concluded his show with another insightful quote: "I want a government that's big enough to protect us, but weak enough to let us live our lives".

A versatile personality: Is TV hosting Rev. Sharpton's next career move?

Rev. Al Sharpton

 “For the past two weeks civil rights activists  Rev. Al Sharpton has been sitting in on MSNBC’s 6 p.m. time slot for the network’s regular host, Cenk Uyger, who has been on an extended vacation.  He is scheduled to come back next Monday. But the Rev has been a natural on the show.

 Cenk Uyger

He’s had years of TV experience, albeit as a  presidential candidate, leading marching, preaching about injustice.  The Rev. is no stranger to TV. Love him or hate him, you have to admit he knows how to play to TV better than anyone else around.”  (indieWIRE  blog network)
 
I love it!  Sharpton is not letting politicians and TV savvy guests get away with answering questions he did not ask. He always veer back to the question he asked. I think the other MSNBC hosts should observe him, and learn more about the art of the interview, as conducted by the so-called "amateur, the new kid on the block."

According to a couple of articles I’ve read his ratings are already shooting upwards. Sharpton is coming in behind FOX and CNN, and that ain’t bad! It’s better than the host he is substituting for.

It's so funny to watch guests and pundits get exasperated, trying to retain their cool when Sharpton backs them into a  corner. The majority of the regulars on these shows are used to spouting misinformation about the president and politics. One pundits who agrees with whoever the host is on any given show, refuses to agree with Sharpton, no matter what he say. This pundit has been very critical of Sharpton in his editorials.

I love to watch Sharpton pull his critics back into the fold, letting them know he has done his homework. Unlike some  hosts on MSNBC, Sharpton does not go on the attack with those he disagrees with. Many of his guests formed personal opinions about him long ago, and they come on the show ready to confront him.  They do not understand that the civil rights activist has the intelligence to step out of that suit, and into another when the cameras start rolling. They to think he does not deserve to a TV show. I believe they like the "other" Sharpton;  the one they have long since labeled him an angry fraud, race baiter and race hustler. Wait! That's what Daivd Brooks, columnist for the Washington Post--said about President Obama two years ago!

I hope MSNBC will keep Sharpton on to host the show. As  expected the media are not willing to give him credit for doing a good job. I read today that Cenk Uygur said he voluntarily quit the show. He said he was offered an earlier time slot. On Thursday he is supposed to hold a press conference to explain his departure. That should be interesting to watch.

In its July 20 edition New York Times wrote: "Mr. Uygur, who by most accounts was well liked within MSNBC, said in an interview that he turned down the new contract because he felt Mr. Griffin had been the recipient of political pressure. In April he said Mr. Griffin 'called me into his office and said that he’d been talking to people in Washington, and that they did not like my tone.'

"He said he guessed Mr. Griffin was referring to White House officials, though he had no evidence for the assertion. He also said that Mr. Griffin said the channel was part of the establishment, and that you need to act like it.  MSNBC is home to many hosts who criticize President Obama and other Democrats from a progressive point of view, but at times Mr. Uygur could be especially harsh."

Al Sharpton with his mentor, role model and friend the late James Brown, the hardest working man in show business. They had a long friendship until Brown's death. Sharpton, when he first met Brown, admired his hair so much he began wearing his hair in the same style.

Making unpopular decisions gains no praise among critics and the media

President Barack Obama

Nothing President Obama does is good enough. The media finds fault with him and pass its disagreements onto the public. When the president made public his decision about temporarily extending tax breaks for the rich, Ed Schultz of MSNBC lost it on TV. Agitated, he forcefully disagreed with his guests whose view was opposite to his. He said President Obama caved to Republicans.

I wondered if he listened to the same message that I heard.

President Obama said sternly, "I know there's some people in my own party, and in the other party who would rather prolong this battle, even if we can't reach a compromise. But I'm not willing to let working families across this country become collateral damage for political warfare here in Washington. And I'm not willing to let our economy slip backwards just as we're pulling ourselves out of this devastating recession."

I read some threads in online papers. Their sentiments were in line with Schultz. Lawrence O'Donnell, The Last Word, MSNBC, had a guest on his show--a Democratic senator--explaining who would suffer the most had the president not acted, working out a deal with Republicans, despite their animosity towards him. The senator said the poor and middle class would suffer the most, and IRS would find itself in a huge paper mess had the tax breaks expired.

The truth: Had President Obama not acted sensibly, extending the tax breaks, millions of unemployed Americans would suffer a greater fate than rich people. The economy would reel on its heels. The crew of newly unemployed would be up a creek without a paddle. This didn't concern Republicans, who had to repay lobbyists and big business for their financial support in November.

President Obama played the hand he had to play. Republicans held him and the unemployed hostage for their own gain. I agree with the President that the tax fight would have been long fought by Republicans. They broadcast that they are not going to bulge if the rich do not get the continued Bush tax break.

The media, for lack of a better description that show imagination, repeats the tripe: "President Obama appears weak." This is nothing new. These remarks were uttered when he was campaigning. Everybody in the media acted as though they had a seat at the negotiating table when the tax breaks were discussed. And because they were not there, they speculate and find fault.

As for President Obama appearing weak, I have found that intelligence looks like a shadowy figure in the presence of sound bites and unintelligible shouting. Some columnists and pundits have said Plain is more intelligent than President Obama.  People relate to her.  Go figure the comparison. I'll take President Obama any day of the week. I am not looking for a daddy or best friend in the White House. I want Obama to be presidential and make applicable decisions for the whole country.