I wanted to update the post below with some thoughts based on the Zogby poll and an interesting discussion I had with a liberal over the holidays.  I just let him ramble with his pro-liberal, pro-Obama, anti-business rant for a while. 

Instead of pointing out the flaws in his facts and logic, which history demonstrates he would have ignored, I just asked a simple question: How much conservative media do you view or listen to?

His answer?   “None.”  It spoke volumes, and he knew it.

I calmly pointed out what I had mentioned in the post below, namely that I consume plenty of liberal media: My Yahoo feed is from Reuters and I update it many times each day, I read the very liberal Houston Chronicle, etc.

Does that make me right?  No, but it proved beyond all doubt that only one of us takes the time to listen to both sides.

That response saved me a lot of time and frustration.  I hope it planted a seed with him as well.  If he has any intellectual honesty he’ll realize that if he only consumes liberal media then his views are likely to mirror their output.  Brainwashing and indoctrination, anyone?  Any critical thinking going on? 

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I am always a bit amused when someone accuses me of imbalance on my political reading / viewing habits.  I have heard it from strangers on this blog and from friends and relatives.  But who is really unbalanced here?

I refresh my Yahoo page countless times per day and scan the news headlines and articles.  The source is Reuters, hardly a conservative outlet.  I read the Houston Chronicle, which leans heavily left (they are strong supporters of Planned Parenthood, for example, and their religious section has lots of fluff pieces on pro-gay theology and such).  I read pro and con editorials.  I also read some liberal blogs, though they are virtually indistinguishable from the MSM views – e.g., 90+% pro-legalized abortion.

So while I read plenty of conservative blogs and sites, I get plenty of balance.  I am familiar with the issues on both sides. 

What is ironic is that those who accuse me of imbalance rarely read anything of a conservative nature.  They are just mimicking what the media tells them.