Monday, March 01, 2010

Think About It: John Davis Doesn't Think

Radio Kenai's five stations dominate the local commercial airwaves. John Davis, the radio media magnate, has infused right-wing propaganda through most of the syndicated shows that he broadcasts. John, and his partner in opine, Joe Nicks, offer their own profundities in the Think About It series. At best, their ideas are insipid, but more often they are, in the satirical way Rush uses the word, retarded.

Let's look at a sampler of what they want you to think about.

Joe wants to keep anyone over 60 from running for political office. They're too out of touch with the youngsters. So no Bush I, Reagan, Ford, Eisenhower or Truman. I think we all would have preferred the old George over the youngster W.

He also wants to give one-time tax credits for those who quit smoking or enroll in weight-loss programs. Simple...or maybe just simple minded. Ok, so you quit smoking, take your tax write-off, and celebrate by lighting up? Is the gub'mint going to put their spies out to make sure you really quit? The same for weight loss credits. Does he want the Feds to come and weigh you to make sure? And if you gain the weight back, do you pay the credit back? If not, what's the point? This is how you propose we solve the health care issue? How about we give those ideas at least a couple minutes more thought Joe?

But it is Mr. Davis who really demonstrates what little thought he is capable of. John gussies his platitudes with faux-folksy tales of his past and equates old-time parental discipline as a sure way of getting the Feds back in line. Well, he's a little short on specifics, but those might confuse him. The government has chipped away at gun rights over the last 100 years. Well, we can't own atomic bombs, so I guess he's right. John, what specific laws are you talking about?

He also rails against the Patriot Act, just one of the many doublespeak laws passed in W's watch, but there are no specifics, just his cutesy musing wondering what type of soap the government will use on those who speak out. I don't think the government should do warrant-less phone taps on citizens, force librarians to turn over the titles of books that citizens check out and etc., but why does he complain now and why did he remain silent when some of those laws were passed and why the silence when W's justice department violated the existing rules on wiretapping and torture?

I did get a big laugh over his delineation of liberals and conservatives. A liberal vegetarian wants to outlaw meat. A liberal wants to surrender gracefully to Osama Bin Ladin. An atheistic liberal only wants to promote 'foreign' religions. A liberal person of color only sees himself as a victim.

John, if you need to believe all of this to feel good about your ignorance, that is your right. But if you call that thinking,maybe you should think again.

9 comments:

rantingravenlunatic said...

This is so right on the money. Why do people feel the need to advertise their stupidity?? I prefer to keep mine to myself!

I have to wonder though - I quit smoking but then I gained weight. What do I get??

Wolfe Tone said...

Soul,
Dead on target, as usual.
Thanks for a great post!

jim said...

I solved my problem with John years ago - I quit listening to his stations. There is a great one that broadcasts out of Homer & several in Anchorage.

anon. said...

Yes, John Davis supports right wing extremism, but then again, it's not unlikely that you and your readers help John spread that message.

When you shop at John's advertisers, you help fund the extremism.

If everyone went to John's advertisers and told them that as long as they continue to buy the ads on John's stations that broadcast extremism, hate and lies, they shouldn't expect you to be able to shop at their businesses.

It's not enough to just stop shopping at John's advertiser's businesses, you need to go into those businesses and tell the owners exactly why you won't be able to shop there anymore.

As long as broadcasting extremism, hate and lies makes John money, that's what John will do.

You're not going to get John to change his support for that kind of thing, but you could make it unprofitable and that might force John to change his programming.

Ishmael said...

"...old-time parental discipline..." What did that get John? An estranged gay son that he refuses to talk to? And how about his driving out a long-time and level-headed news director who decided another gender might be a better fit?

John's a petty old man who will be out of our hair sooner rather than later. Too bad he keeps reneging on selling his stations to a certain young lady who sadly shot herself in the foot by really making some money with the stations....

Unknown said...

Anonymous. At one time I had thought it would be great to listen to something like Michael Savage and grab a few quotes and the advertisers and then go visit the latter with the former and ask if that is really what they want to promote. I confess that I couldn't make it through 10 minutes of the show. But the challenge is that there is no where else to advertise. People running for office find that out. It's utter irony that one gives advertising money to a place that beats you up on your money.

anon. said...

So, rather than having the strength to follow through on your convictions,

you gave up and didn't follow through.

that's not irony, that's apathy.

Unknown said...

to anon:I think apathy may be the former but the latter qualifies as irony. It was a confession, not a brag. 'You having a bad day?

anon. said...

nope, and I'm not apathetic either.


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