Please speak to the fact that Canada is not suffering the same finacial woes we are because they have stronger, more transparent financial regulations. Can we learn something from this?

I will never forget the hatred shown by some of the crowds around Ms McCain and (to a greater extent) Ms Palin; it reminded me of Lewis’ (Sinclair, not Clive, please) remark that Fascism would come to America holding a cross. I also won’t forget how some in the media relished playing the shill for the forces of theocracy and the dictatorship of the Market in painting Mr Obama as a wild-eyed radical, when he is fundamentally a boring left-centrist supported by not a few wealthy types who take their self-interest _enlightened_.

That was a good call about the absence of serious coverage of the arrests of reporters at the Republican convention. Sadly, it was followed by Tom’s temporizing. Yes, the media gave Obama a break, but it was a small break compared with the ones given to Bush during the run-up to the Iraq war, during the development of the White House’s illegal wiretapping. In fact, I think among the reasons for newspapers are going under has been their laggardly attitudes towards doing their job as gadflies. Their credibility has sagged along with their advertising revenues. When reporters are picked up by politicized law officers, the media should have gotten on the story and stayed on it. What did that Minn-St.Paul law enforcement actually consist of? What possible justification was there for arresting journalists doing their jobs?

I think that one thing that historians will remember about 2009 other than the obama victory is the beginning of the end of American consumerism and suburban sprawl as the main driver of the world economy.

As the events of 2008 settle like ashes into the collective consciousness I am reminded of lessons learned from Wiemar Germany.
As a schoolgirl, in the 1970s, I was taught that ordinary Germans were forced to bring a “wheelbarrow full of money” to buy a single loaf of bread because inflation was so out of control. In the late 2000’s Americans have had to bring a Titanic full of cash to buy a modest home for their families.

The fact that NOBODY actually had that cash to spend is the most unusual aspect of the current American economic depression. Every penny was borrowed from unscrupulous lenders who still sit high and dry above the debt-collection tsunami while the source of their stunning new wealth drowns in despair. The government bailouts doled out to these canny, usurious con men are an insult to the injured.

The lesson from the Weimar Republic: Economic hardship for the masses breeds fascism in politics and intolerance in normally civil communities. I fear that a groundswell of misplaced anger and hatred will be aimed at some scapegoated group of vulnerable Americans as a result of this man made capital disaster.

Not a good omen as we approach 2009 and go into the 20-teens, both broke and broken spirited.

The Bush administration has all but destroyed our countries government through cronyism. This has infected almost every corner of the government from our legal system to the EPA. Then there is Afghanistan, which is falling apart and now we are circling the wagons so to speak. On their watch the economy is now approaching the largest recession since the Great Depression.

This year is the culmination of the worse presidency in modern history.

It won’t be hard to remember 2008. For me, the beginning of the economic crisis will be what will stands out most, all the more so since I am not sure if and when it will end. Then Obama’s election both because of race and his extraordinary character which makes many of us feel we are in good hands whether we end up agreeing or disagreeing with his policies. I also dare to think that maybe this was a year during which many Americans began to realize just how globalized the world is… (well, hopefully). China’s slow assumption of a more leading role in the world is also fascinating. The humanization of the Chinese people at the time of the earthquake also will mark people’s views of China. Russia’s bumbling efforts to regain some kind of international influence through threats and its symbolic acts which aim to be scare the world without success. Finally, this was the year of the Mars landing. A most extraordinary scientific and technological achievement. And those I love in Houston (and those I don’t know) will never forget Hurricane Ike.
And, oh yes, bye Tim Russert who loved Buffalo and Studs Terkel who cared what each and everyone of us thought and felt.

ON POINT should do an annual “show” on how both media and citizens could be better at what we do, what we see, and be aware of those who may create, choose, or hide behind events to divert what little diligence left us.
e.g. AT THE 2008 OLYMPICS IN BEIJING (since you just the extremely and tight management in replacing the face of the girl who sang).
Did the world media turn a blind eye to an international distress signal? The upside down Chinese flag in little Lin Hoa’s hand was unmatched in continuous air time in the most world viewed segment of the Olympics. China had agreed, in being awarded the games, to allow for peaceful protest. Over 70 organizations did apply, none were granted and 37 groups arrested. Shame on all who allow this to go on under their watch. Lin Hoa, most probably unwittingly, the most successful, if not the only form of demonstration in a more than perfection ceremony and games. AND for all those who “protested” would someone let Speilberg know “the kids are all right”.
Also shame on actions taken by Russian troops in Ossetia, Abkhazia on the Black Sea and what further excesses in Darfur in Africa were obviously timed with the world’s pre-occupation with the Olympiad. Three decades ago the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan prompted an Olympic boycott and this time Putin did not even lose his seat. As such should International Olympic Committee could be deemed;
1. Blind or blinded so to create a distraction and a public hiding place for criminals.
2. Spineless
3. Fraudulent and unethical
4. Complicit
FINALLY In a conversation with Peter Arnett he agreed that there could be, for example, a book written on 1995 about what we missed and it would indeed be ‘news’.
I would embrace the opportunity to annually give praise for the mainstream news and America media who in the past so pre-occupied by O.J. and a stained blue dress to have seen what truly beset our nation and the world. To agian seek to be proactive vs reactive.

Why is it that “On POint’s” guest list for this hour favored aconservative agenda? Of all the media outlets available Tom Ashbrook could find only a voie from the Wall ST. Journal and the Moonie owned Washington Times?Why does “public” radio frame a look at the past year in a conservative context? IS this national public radio or national’publican radio?

Fair and balanced. Jack Beatty is not a conservative.

To Mike who thinks that Ms Palin was not treated ‘fairly’ by the media!!

Please please please, have an impartial look at the candidate and how she has answered any of the questions thrown at her as a VP Candidate.

I’m a conservative by my ideology however this candidate was completely ill prepared for a prestigious position as the VP for 2008. Its simple as that.

One of your callers claimed that McCain lost because he didn’t get enough news coverage. On come on, any more news coverage of McCain would have hurt him even more as more voters would have had a chance to see his angry scowl and hear his rhetoric on the failed policies in his platform.

McCain lost because Obama is the better choice.

In order to boost the economy the world needs to invest in renewable energies and efficiency.

The fact that renewable energies and efficiency reduce the dependence on foreign resources and the effects of global warming is just a secondary benefit.
More important is the proven fact, that investments in renewable energies and efficiency create valuable jobs rapidly and do help this economy.

What’s up with Jack Beatty? He really seems to go off on a tangent when he launches into one of his anti-capitalist rants. For instance, he makes Alan Greenspan out to be some kind of uber capitalist, free market zealot. Does Beatty not realize that Greenspan, in his capacity as Fed chairman, was the head of a quasi-governmental agency tasked with carrying out the delegated congressional power to “coin money and regulate the value thereof”. Greenspan created a bubble economy of unprecedented proportions using the government’s inflationary powers. This is the main cause of the current economic crises. Far from being a case of capitalist excess, this is a government failure on the grandest of scales. The elementary logic of this is self-evident yet it escapes this Guggenheim fellow and multi-award winning intellectual titan entirely.

Matt Singh makes a great point on the government failure. However, when you say “Far from being a case of capitalist excess…” I have to disagree. The government failure was two-fold: (1) monetary policy manipulation and (2) failure to regulate. By letting the market of poorly understood securities to turn into a Ponzi scheme the government overlooked and encouraged that “case of capitalist excess” against which you apparently argue. The mortgage backed securities, derivatives, swaps, etc., were bought and sold on the market with huge amounts of leverage. That is what brought the whole pyramid down. The lesson here is that the government has to watch what goes on the market.

Alex I agree with your assessment 100%.

When I look back at 2008,I see it as a point in time in my life where our nation takes another left turn. The first left turn was the early 70’s that the Vietnam comflict helped to fuel. This left turn was fueled inpart by the Iraq conflict and the “me” generation that rose during and after the first left turn. We have made great progress in many areas over these years, but our nation lost something very important when we made the first left turn. Many do not see it or do they understand it. I saw the tail end of it. Those of our nation who are in their late 70’s and older know what I am talking about, ask them.

This show is why I have been a loyal On Point-er since 2003 or 2004. A great review of 2008. Tom, Jack, and all — I am so excited to hear On Point dig into the hugely meaty stories to come in 2009.

Happy New Year to all!

Many do not see it or do they understand it. I saw the tail end of it. Those of our nation who are in their late 70’s and older know what I am talking about, ask them.

What is this supposed to mean? See what? understand what?
That unregulated greed and banking is going to destroy this country. That more and more people are hurting and hungry and lack proper health care.

What are you saying with this kind of statement, what’s your real agenda?

David – this country has taken plenty of right turns. We had a Republican president for 5 of the last 7 terms and largely Republican Congress from 1994 to 2006. I don’t know what David above means either. You have to be crazy to regret the demise of the right wing power.

Winston Churchill said, ” The one thing we learned from history is that we don’t learn from history.” Historians have well documented the rise and fall of nations/civilizations, etc. They have determined there are ten steps of decay that a nation will follow in its downward spiral. Civilizations usually last 200 years, we have pushed the limit,tho not escaped our downward spiral. We are at stage 8-9 of this 10. A nation will go from apathy to moral decay, from moral decay to govt. dependence. I cannot see anyone denying the fact that this year has proven a greater increase in govt. dependence. No one can deny the fact that moral decay in America can easily be proven by many statistical studies in various fields, decay of core family values, spousal abuse, child abuse, legalizing many behaviors that were taboo not many years ago, greed and corruption that has nearly brought this nation to its knees. To take a left turn, does not involve the political and economic system of our nation. In past examplies, the nations fell because the moral and spiritual fabric of its people died. Right turns have only kept us close to the center. Speak to the older generations, they will tell you that our country has made great leaps in areas, but we have lost something that once made our nation the envy of the world. Our nation once was spiritual and morally healthy, we have seemed to have forgotten those values. I hope we can get them back. “As the families go, so goes our nation.”

NEW YEAR IRRESOLUTION

Mark Twain as usual said it best

And it still applies in all climes:

“Stopping smoking’s an easy thing–

I’ve done it dozens of times.”