dr. elsewhere here
Tentatively, hopefully, it is worth adding to wishes for a festive weekend some interesting data that might actually give your Spirit of '76 in '06 a bit of a lift.
Some time ago, I encouraged folks to consider what it might mean that Bush's poll numbers are consistently and relentlessly swirling down the toilet (a toilet stuck around 35%, but a toilet), despite a lapdog media that spins and shills a pseudo-reality designed to keep the public happy and ignorant. The public ain't happy, but how ignorant is it, really? If they aren't buying the MSM designer news, then where are they going?
Well, US Politics Today took a look at the current popularity levels of the rightwingnut websites that for so long have supported the W, and wouldja believe it? They're all down! And not just a little down; rushlimbaugh.com, is down 18%, drudgereport.com is down 21%, townhall.com is down 24%, and - get this - billoreilly.com is down 40%!! Among others, so you might want to read this link, just to make your day.
These same folks at UPD who reported this wondered if it might be no more than an indication that folks have simply soured on the whole web news idea, and have stopped visiting sites. But they also found that traffice at moveon.org has increased by 13%!
Looking at these delicious numbers made shakespearessister very curious, so she looked further to see if any other forward leaning, progressive, liberal sites were faring better, and - shock of shocks! - there really ARE! Or, at least most of them. crooksandliars.com is up 17%, Center for American Progress is up 17%, and thinkprogress.org is up 41%!! For what it's worth, both eschaton and dailykos.com have suffered some decline, perhaps due to more cutting edge liberal sites opening up. Still, she also found that Michelle Malkin's site is down by 30%!
Who knows? But it is encouraging to know that the American people are not entirely the dumb dolts our government would seem to reflect and yet appears to believe us to be.
Which should make us realize upon learning all this - how the web may be at least contributing to a turning tide - just how crucual is this net neutrality debate.
Keep on your Congressional representatives about this, and even hound the big eCompanies, like google and ebay and amazon, to pointedly post information about this important issue prominently on the interface pages of their web sites (as Joseph has so sagely suggested).
Meanwhile, let these numbers add a smile to your cookouts and fireworks this holiday.
2 comments:
Well, Cannonfire may be one of the second- or third-level progressive blogs...but out stats have slightly improved. Not that I'm in this for the numbers.
I've for some time thought that the latest tactic for republicans is to have the candidates make some verbal moves toward the left. Verbal only of course. This would act as a fishnet of sorts to reign in the "wandering". Wouldn't it be darned funny if the constituents bought the talk AND THEN walked the walk!?
Miss P.
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