Fortunately there is an underground/alternate media speaking out on what I deem to be a correct identification of the real big problem, in the form of the internet/podcast with Dan Carlin and Cenk Uygur and his Young Turks as well as journalists who actually do their job like Glenn Greenwald and Matt Taibbi. These characters consistently address these issues that mainstream media ignores or else condemns. There are probably others that I have not discovered yet, and I do not even get into any bloggers who may be noteworthy. I tend not to pay much attention to the blogosphere. .....

Unfortunately, though these folks are in the underground and do not register much with the national consciousness, but at least they are out there. Wikipedia claims that The Young Turks network gets 1 million hits per day on You Tube. There is a political figurehead of this movement in Ron Paul, and some one like Jon Stewart, I think, seems to get it, but he may be too comfortable in his position in the mainstream to really make a real fuss.

So what do I propose?

Well, I am not even sure how this would work, but what I would propose is some kind of United Front by the "Underground Media". Much in the same way that the Underground Railroad worked to deliver slaves to freedom.

I know I have heard Dan and Cenk cross reference Greenwald and Tiabi, for example, but not each other, as far as I can tell, though I may have missed it, to be sure. I discovered The Young Turks network through another web forum I visit. A quick forum search here does not bring up much on "The Young Turks" in general or this media outlet specifically and I have no way of knowing how well the audience of Common Sense might be familiar with The Young Turks programming. There is vast potential for audience expansion, in my opinion if Dan and Cenk were to, for example, forge some kind of media alliance. Dan, that means more money for you, my friend.

Taking it a step further, some kind of "Common Sense" political conference, or gathering, of the sort that has really blossomed within the Skeptical Community would be of great benefit for the movement, where right minded folks like Dan and Cenk and Greenwald and Tiabi could present their ideas front and center.

I do not know if these ideas are good ideas, per se, but they are something I have been thinking about for some time and are worth, in my mind, putting out there for discussion.

In any case, the PR machine of this movement really needs to be ramped up. From what I can tell, there is a real and tangible fertile breeding ground within the American population that is screaming for this kind of movement.

Cheers,

An Amerikan Expat.

Regarding my idea, let me put it another way...It is not my belief that the great minds - the movers and shakers - of the revolutions in 18th century France and Colonial America were not communicating with each other. I am fairly certain that the historical facts support that they were.

I further believe that it would be of great benefit if there were more communication, and not less, between the great minds and would be movers and shakers of the 21st century. This benefit would extend both to the Dan Carlin business enterprise, as well as the ideas which are focused on in the Common Sense podcast.

But perhaps a national or even regional conference or meet up is a bit too ambitious from the get go.

Another idea, which I will freely admit I have taken from the Skeptical Community - Skeptics in The Pub - could easily be reshapen in the Common Sense mold. Common Sense in the Pub. Or local Common Sense Societies, if you will. I would not be surprised if there were a few of these out there somewhere already. But this would be a potentially great way for interest to be fostered locally.

Enquiring minds want to know...what do you all think of such things?

Best Regards,

William.