i applaud the Times’ courage and would argue against capitualting in the face of tyranny.

nevertheless, i think billmon should still post more often and also take comments.

though i wouldn’t presume to take billmon’s considerations lightly, i believe that what the NYT did in publishing the swift article was correct from the perspective of journalistic ethics—something the (grim and) grey lady desperately needs—i will consider billmon’s after-the-fact idea of withholding the piece, fwiw.

but, imo, if billmon wants to help turn the tide in this monstrous game of political brinkmanship, i for one think that he should post more regularly AND take comments (more) occasionally.

the respect that i have seen attested towards billmon and his ususally very well-considered views leads me to think that the whiskey bar could once AGAIN become a vortex of despair for the rovians and his rabidly vile excrement-flinging zombies—-formerly known as republicans.

billmon to the rescue!

Yeah. Commerce is like their manhood, at least in the neo-con world. It’s the real source of their power, the corporatist chakra. If we hit them in the commerce, it’ll crush them.

Remember the Dubai Ports deal? (yeah, Dubai now owns the ports gang…hold that thought.) That REALLY rocked their world because it was the commerce and the corporatist folks who were pissed off about it. Non-stop wall-to-wall coverage on CNBC. If it got the same coverage AGAIN on CNBC, it would do some serious damage.

See my comment above about NYT and strategy. I think this is has possibilities. NYT being a port-town paper and the one that many commerce/corporatists read, I think we could press them for follow-up coverage.

I think we could also tell Schumer he can redeem himself if he follows up and puts the screws on this story again.

And I think we slip them the shiv by asking CNBC and [can’t think of his name] WSJ reporter to follow up on this as well.

Billmon’s correct about the need for a strategy; it’s hard to argue with success and that’s exactly what it was that brought progressives to this place in history, successful media strategy on the part of the right. They had a strategy as well as an infrastructure and it’s been working for them for decades now.

We’re finally building an infrastructure, but we have no strategy; a few people are trying to do what is the equivalent of herding cats to move the oceanliner that is Progressive Blogdom, but without the effect we need as a whole. We need something more in the way of strategy.

We must also acknowledge we do both beta and full product release in tandem; we have no room for a pilot project, must release as we develop on the fly. But the stakes are too damned high not to do so.

I agree whole-heartedly with Jane about the NYT; they’ve proven themselves unreliable and easily manipulated. Could we manipulate them to our needs is the question, keeping in mind that they are very much in the right’s tool box? Doubtful — but perhaps we get ourselves organized and assign a crack squad to keep them occupied while trying to manipulate them.

The biggest challenge I think we have is organizing an open source media in concert with an open source think tank and open source tactical team — while remaining below radar. We would be running thin to count on speed alone; flying undetected must be considered a part of the arsenal.

Relatedly, I found a post at WorldChanging today about bloggers and media, about the release of an online book: Reporters without Borders: Handbook for Bloggers and Cyber-dissidents. Maybe Jay Rosen would be willing to come and participate in a book chat about this?

I came face-to-face with The Truth in 1961 on my very first day at Communist Martyrs High (aka. The High School of Music and Art in New York City.) As the overwhelming majority of my classmates were “Red Diaper Babies” the school was under police surveillance at all times. Our favorte sport was freakign out the cops from the “Red Squad” in the cars they had parked in front of the school to watch our every move. The noodnicks thought they were being discreet but we could spot them in a nanosecond. We’d walk up to the car and they’d floor it and drive away.

Later when I joined the anti-war movement, at the same time I was a member of media committee of the Gay Activists Alliance, my phone was tapped I used to say all sorts of things to freak them out.

We must develop a cheap alternative and commit to using it. Bush co wants to keep us pacified in our big cars. They will use whatever method works. These are their golden years. As the oil runs thinner, they make their biggest profits. They don’t want us to get upset enough that we do something drastic like stop using their oil. They will (like a good drug dealer) slowly raise the price. Not too fast. Just fast enough. They will block any legislation that threatens these last golden years.

The solution is a solution to the oil crises…it is the only way to get our democracy back…we must stop needing them. This is without a doubt the solution to the alcoholic relationship…we are the codependents folks!!

Establishment Media

http://mydd.com/story/2006/7/2/122645/5623#25