theuptake.org :: TheUpTake

savory

Malta, IL
Posts: 1

My take: anyone who says he is a journalist IS a journalist. We have become defensive in the face of fearful authorities bearing weapons and judges staring menacingly down upon us from their artificial podiums of power.

Any campaign that takes any public money or uses a public forum cannot bar people based on some double secret vetting process.

By believing that we must submit to a vetting process in order to become "credentialed" in the eyes of the authorities is admitting that we do not have rights -- that those in power can decide who gets to use their rights.

1 Posted: Oct 10, 2008 8:07:57 PM, Views: 13

tompoeiowa

Charles City, Iowa
Posts: 1

My take: anyone who says he is a journalist IS a journalist. We have become defensive in the face of fearful authorities bearing weapons and judges staring menacingly down upon us from their artificial podiums of power.

Any campaign that takes any public money or uses a public forum cannot bar people based on some double secret vetting process.

By believing that we must submit to a vetting process in order to become "credentialed" in the eyes of the authorities is admitting that we do not have rights -- that those in power can decide who gets to use their rights.

Excellent points. It's high time the public is given the same status to ask questions as is the media. The so-called press conference needs to be replaced with public conference. When our elected officials balk, they need to be reminded that their audience is the public, not the press of yesteryear.

I really hate the idea that an elected official still clings to the old excuse of not answering anyone except her constituents. They deal with issues that affect the entire country. They need to be accountable to the entire country.

2 Posted: Jan 8, 2009 5:42:41 PM, Views: 9

bestvalve

Urbandale, Iowa
Posts: 1

My take: anyone who says he is a journalist IS a journalist. We have become defensive in the face of fearful authorities bearing weapons and judges staring menacingly down upon us from their artificial podiums of power.

Any campaign that takes any public money or uses a public forum cannot bar people based on some double secret vetting process.

By believing that we must submit to a vetting process in order to become &quot;credentialed&quot; in the eyes of the authorities is admitting that we do not have rights -- that those in power can decide who gets to use their rights.

Excellent points. It's high time the public is given the same status to ask questions as is the media. The so-called press conference needs to be replaced with public conference. When our elected officials balk, they need to be reminded that their audience is the public, not the press of yesteryear.

I really hate the idea that an elected official still clings to the old excuse of not answering anyone except her constituents. They deal with issues that affect the entire country. They need to be accountable to the entire country.

That would force nearly every politician to think on their feet, be confronted by their bosses(their voters), and expose themselves as phonies who only care about getting re-elected. It would expose their lack of courage and leadership. Qualities that were abundant in our founding fathers.

The only way we will see these Public Conferences(which is a great idea) is to take away their "throne" by enacting term limits. Take away the need to get re-elected, you take away the need to answer to lobbyists with cash. Term limits now, term limits forever!

3 Posted: Jan 11, 2009 1:01:48 PM, Views: 8