411 Politics Fact or Fiction: Week 53

Posted by Brandon Crow on 07.30.2007

Is there life for Fact or Fiction after the awesomeness that is Ryan Latimer? Of CROWse there is!

Good Monday, folks! Welcome to Week 53 of Fact or Fiction in the Politics Zone. This is the first time in about 30+ weeks that F or F comes to you without the man you've come to know and love…Mr. Jason Easley…

Ok, ok, I kid. I'm sure the former host, Ryan Latimer is having a jolly old time in Florida. I'll bet he's laying poolside, letting sunrays and the deft fingers of Mickey Mouse massage the Michigan out of him.

Let's take a moment to remember the good times with Ryan Latimer. If you would all direct your attention to the Titantron… Please bow your heads for the ten-bell salute. Are we ready for the collective weep?

SOB!

And…life moves on.

Let's get to this week's questions. I'm your new host, Brandon Crow. What's that old saying again…something old, something new, blah, blah, blah…. This week, as we look towards the future, I bring you two "ghostly" voices from 411 Politics' past: the incomparable Mark Radulich and everyone's favorite white guy, Josh White.

Ding, Ding!

1) The House Judiciary Committee (HJC) continues to pursue the matter of the "fired US attorneys." Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, who is at the center of this storm, has vowed yet again to stay in his job and right the Justice Department. Given that President Bush has swiftly invoked executive privilege, ordered top aides not to cooperate with the investigation, and seemingly welcomes a Constitutional showdown, it is best for all involved if the HJC decided to drop the issue and leave Gonzales alone.

Mark Radulich: FACT. The Democrats fight every battle like it's the whole war. They tend to look very petty and obstructive when they do this sort of thing. Once the President decides he's going to flex his muscle, albeit at weird times, then the battle is over. There are so many other issues they can attack this administration on where he's a sitting duck, this one is a waste of time at this juncture.

Josh White: FACT. This whole thing is going nowhere. Not only is it unclear if Albie G actually did anything legally wrong, but if what Crow here says is right, then President Bush isn't exactly helping in the fight to out Gonzalez. Nothing is going to come out of this. Further, we only have a year and a half left of the Bush administration. Isn't it time that the left give up on trying to take down his "regime"? Good Lord, let it go.

1 for 1. Really? Both guys feel that the Gonzales issue should be dropped? Even in light of the latest developments on Thursday and Friday last week where Gonzales' testimony has been directly contradicted by a few different ranking officials? We're now looking at perjury, the same ‘crime' they impeached Clinton and sent Libby to jail for. This agreement caught me off guard.

2) In light of the Chris Benoit tragedy, it has been reported that Congress will begin looking into the "rampant drug culture" of professional wrestling. Congress should in fact insinuate itself into the industry, and frankly, it's about damn time.

Mark Radulich: FICTION. Are they going to do the same with music and movies as well? When the wrestlers are getting the drugs directly from McMahon himself, fine, do an investigation. However, the culture is not exclusive to wrestling - it's a culture that finds a home in many walks of life. People get high and take short cuts. It's terrible but it happens. When you fix the mechanism in the human brain that likes being high then the drug war will be over because that desire will be gone. However, until then, what makes anyone think Bobby Lashley is any different than Lindsey Lohan...have fun with that comparison folks : )

Josh White: FICTION. Don't get me wrong. The whole Benoit situation, while great for letting us see "where they are now" (Steve Blackman looks the same...Chris Jericho looks even cooler!), is not really where Congress should not be focusing it's time and energy on the wrestling industry. Let's play an old school Sesame Street Game. Let's play "One Of These Things Doesn't Belong" (Hum the tune to yourself.) War in Iraq. Tax increases/decreases. Social Security issues. Professional wrestlers on steroids. Clearly our elected representatives have better issues to tackle.

2 for 2. For what it's worth, I think Congress should get involved. And yes, they should insinuate themselves into football, basketball, cycling, etc. It's becoming too much of an epidemic in this country.

3) The YouTube and CNN co-sponsored debate with Democratic contenders this past Monday signaled the arrival of the internet as a major player in the world of presidential politics and will have a bigger effect on campaigns than either the traditional debates or the town halls.

Mark Radulich: FACT. It's about time too. People do not have the time or the patience to get out do stuff. We have kids, jobs, and stuff to do. However, if I can spend an hour on the computer and be involved in politics as if I got off my butt and went out physically, well then, now I've save money, time and space. It's the perfect solution. Virtual Patriotism. Rush Limbaugh is a yutz.

Josh White: FICTION. The YouTube debates didn't signal anything but how lame of a "debate" CNN can hold. If anything "signaled" the arrival of the internet as an important medium of conducting politics it was the fact that candidates announced online. Every candidate has a website, a Myspace page, and a stinkin' blog! Every candidate is using the net. The very disastrous YouTube debates didn't herald in anything new.

2 for 3. Finally! Their first disagreement! Yay! Ryan Latimer's gonna be soooo proud of me!

4) The fact that there has not been an abundance of public protests and demonstrations of both the latest Harry Potter movie (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix), and the release of the seventh and final book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows shows that the far right Christian groups have learned and resigned to the fact that popular culture loves Harry Potter and there's nothing these groups can do publicly to alter that, except maybe to indirectly boost sales.

Mark Radulich: FACT. Have you seen the movie, it's not even worth protesting...It stinks! But seriously folks, sci-fi and fantasy are the least of our cultural meltdown problems and it's high time the evangelicals have learned that. If they really want to do some good, try cleaning up MTV and BET and be happy the kids are reading at all.

Josh White: FICTION. I think that the hard-core Christians haven't resigned to anything. While it is true that they haven't protested as much this time around, that doesn't mean that they still don't have a hate for literature of the devil. However, I do think it is possible that they are focusing their energies on other issues and no longer consider their time to be used well in showing their dislike of the war between the Death Eaters and the Order of the Phoenix. (That's right, I'm a fan.)

2 for 4. Well, Ryan's only 50% proud right now. Ryan, I promise to create more discord next week as my homage to your F or F legacy!

Next week, I hope to put on two readers to debate in our Politics Fact or Fiction. If you'd like to participate, please email me at [e-mail]. Till next Monday, tah tah.