NPI Radio Alert
I'm scheduled to appear on KISW 99.9 FM (Seattle) later this morning, on the BJ Shea Morning Experience at 8:10 AM or so to debate I-920 sponsor Dennis Falk. (I-920 is the right wing initiative to repeal the estate tax).
You can listen live here.
UPDATE: Well, um...that was fun. I didn't even spend hardly any time debating Dennis Falk because the host (his name was Steve, if I recall correctly) was so rabidly in favor of repealing the estate tax, and I thought, a conservative as well (though he claims he's not of any ideological persuasion), throwing just about everything in the conservative handbook at me that he could muster. I was called "ignorant", a "joke", a "socialist", and "on a liberal high horse".
I fought back, of course, but it's more difficult to come across clearly when the host has a studio mic, and you're on the phone, and the show can decide how loud everybody is. So, basically the environment was stacked against me.
Nevertheless, I did try hard to get my point across - that this is really about equality, fairness, and opportunity, though the host disagreed vehemently, obviously. The oddest part came at the end of our exchange, when he said this:
You can listen live here.
UPDATE: Well, um...that was fun. I didn't even spend hardly any time debating Dennis Falk because the host (his name was Steve, if I recall correctly) was so rabidly in favor of repealing the estate tax, and I thought, a conservative as well (though he claims he's not of any ideological persuasion), throwing just about everything in the conservative handbook at me that he could muster. I was called "ignorant", a "joke", a "socialist", and "on a liberal high horse".
I fought back, of course, but it's more difficult to come across clearly when the host has a studio mic, and you're on the phone, and the show can decide how loud everybody is. So, basically the environment was stacked against me.
Nevertheless, I did try hard to get my point across - that this is really about equality, fairness, and opportunity, though the host disagreed vehemently, obviously. The oddest part came at the end of our exchange, when he said this:
Host: Well the bottom line is this: First of all, I think the reason the public schools system is the way it is is because we encourage people to continue to have babies ridiculously without any control - I would like to see something -Yeah, tell me that last bit there isn't a conservative worldview - strict father, bedrock right wing philosophy. It was completely absurd - but not to a right winger. It fits perfectly into their frame. From a different perspective - a progressive frame, a nurturant parent worldview - this argument sounds unbelievably stupid.
Me: How does that factor in here? (Host tries to talk over me)
Host: Listen my friend - you know what, our population base is coming from idiots who just think they can pop out a baby without being ready to have a baby - which pretty much is almost every case that's out there, Hispanic or not.
Me: Really.
Host: Oh yes!
Me:: That's a gross mischaracterization.
Host: Not at all. We have more single mothers in the state of Washington per capita than any other place in the country, there genius. And you know why? Because women think they can pop out kids any time they want, and they're a drain on our system. Let's be honest here. You wanna - if you wanna really shrink school sizes, then teaching people how to have families responsibly is the way you go. Not taking money from the rich - again, to fund organizations and governmental agencies that will reward people for being idiots and not being responsible. Which is what you're doing.
