Is Common Dreams a good source for progressive news?

[LittleClarkie]

Opinions.

[GreenPartyVoter]

1. Yes, I love them. But you can get other stories from other sources that

may not show up on Common Dreams.

[SHRED]

2. Of course they are

Great articles there.
http://www.commondreams.org/

[LittleClarkie]

9. And some not so great, I'm discovering

It's still bugging me that they consider themselves progressive, and yet consider the Boston Herald a viable source for their news because they happen to agree on Kerry.

And then there was the editor's response when someone here wrote them to ask about it:

"Smear Kerry?

Even a broken clock is right twice a day.

Kerry said "I am going to raise the issue" of Downing Street Memo then he went typically silent.

I know him. He's a fucking wimp. Right wing rag or not.

And you are an enabler of fucking wimpiness."

So after all that, I thought I'd wander over there and see what they had to say about some other Dem leaders.

On Dean:
http://www.commondreams.org/views03/0226-04.htm
Howard Dean: Hawk in Dove’s Clothing?
by Stephen Zunes

On Clark:
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0126-05.htm
Democracy Now! Exclusive: Wesley Clark Admits Targeting Civilians In Yugoslavia

On Harry Reid:
http://www.commondreams.org/views04/1120-31.htm
Selection of Reid as Senate Leader Shows Democrats Continued Willingness to Back Bush’s Foreign Policy Agenda

http://www.commondreams.org/views04/1119-27.htm
Anti-Choice Dem Leader Cut from Republican Cloth

Their perspective seems rather skewed to me. And their choice of sources struck me as hypocritical, as the Boston Herald wouldn't be a viable source for them otherwise. And since the article I'm talking about expoused the same talking points I'd heard on Rush just the day before, I am doubly suspicious.

If the broken clock was right about Kerry, then I'm tempted to see if Common Dreams and the Boston Herald also agree on Dean, Clark or Reid. Would that then make citing them as a source palatable.

I just don't like the idea of using a source that you would call a lying liar at any other time because you happen to like that flavor of koolade, you know?

[starroute]

3. Not so good for breaking news

Commentary and opinions are their strongest suit. They're wonderful for that.

[Mass]

4. A site where you can find all sorts of editorials published in

other papers. Nothing you cannot read elsewhere.

All sorts of things. You have to sort thru that.

I prefer tompaine.com.

[EVDebs]

5. Loved their Warren Buffett artlicle on raising corporate taxes

www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0306-01.htm

"Corporate income taxes in fiscal 2003 accounted for 7.4% of all federal tax receipts, down from a post-war peak of 32% in 1952. With one exception (1983), last year’s percentage is the lowest recorded since data was first published in 1934. Even so, tax breaks for corporations (and their investors, particularly large ones) were a major part of the Administration’s 2002 and 2003 initiatives. If class warfare is being waged in America, my class is clearly winning"

That about says it all, now, doesn't it ?

[Mass]

6. NOt their article

This comes from reuters.

[EVDebs]

23. ....and Common Dreams reprinted Reuters newsservice article

when they didn't have to. Just like UPI print articles, you'll find the slant at the Washington Times/UPI going a certain rightwing way, they won't print certain views. This is why Helen Thomas left UPI.

Reuters can create an article, but will it see the light of day ? Once it makes the public domain, it becomes "OUR" article. Do you see this now ? But someone with a large distribution must first pick up the article from the newsservice.

[Mass]

24. Absolutely. except that common Dreams is not the only one to do so

I had read this article at least three times before it reached Common Dreams.

This said, this is another source of information, so great. All sources of info are good to take.

[EVDebs]

25. So, you've answered 'affirmative' to the original poster's question eom

[Clark2008]

7. I don't think so because they hate anything military.

I liked that they picked up Scott Ritter's column, but, mostly, if anyone has ever served in the military, they label them as neo-cons, whether they are or not.

[IndianaGreen]

8. Can you spell G-U-L-A-G?

Our military has been forever stained by the war crimes committed in Iraq and Afghanistan! It is no accident that the ones that blew the whistle on the torture and killings at Abu Ghraib and Bagram, to name only two, were old-style soldiers (as opposed to the Jesus warriors) that believed in the rule of law and were outraged by what their comrades in arms were doing.

[Clark2008]

10. True, but I look at the individual and not the group.

Hell, there are even a couple of Republicans I like! :)

[LittleClarkie]

11. There are some truly ugly Clark articles on that site

It's like looking at all the negative, primary-warish things that are said about Kerry, Dean and Clark on this site collected into one tidy little package. All the talking points and half-truth that drive some of us nuts here for each of those men are there for the picking.

Among last year's candidates, they liked Kucinich, that was about it.

[KoKo]

18. If you didn't like the site why did you come and ask about it?

:P

[LittleClarkie]

19. To see what others thought

But as the thread progressed and I used their search function over there, I discovered they are very Counterpunch-like. Some sites strike me as the Newmax of the left. Counterpunch is one, and I'm close to saying that Common Dreams is another.

At the least, I thought their response to PaulK's inquiry about their posting of a Boston Herald article was quite unprofessional and rather rude. But perhaps that's just one editor.

[burrowowl]

21. Kerry cannot really be called

a Progressive like Bernie Sanders. Kerry though, is not a DLCer, thank god.

[LittleClarkie]

22. Agreed

He is more progressive than folks give him credit for. So it bugs me when I see cartoons that equate him with Leiberman. God knows that's unfair.

Thank you for acknowledging that he is indeed not DLC.

[eridani]

12. They are mainly a mirror site for opinion pieces

You won't find breaking news there. The opinion pieces are usually available elsewhere, but I've found out that their links will still be good after 2 or 3 years, a serious consideration for anyone interested in archiving info.

[LittleClarkie]

13. I take it the editor of the site

picks and chooses what he wants though, so that it is a reflection of his view on the world. Or is it a group effort?

[Don1]

16. I am guessing here.

They have a list of three or so people, so I think it is a group effort.

I agree that they are more or less a mirror site, but they also take submissions.

I emailed them an article that I wrote and it never got printed, though, and I never heard back from them. My article was referenced very well, which is better than what I typically see there.

I also posted the article here at DU:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1832524

[ladjf]

14. Yes. It features some outstanding writing and thinking. I read it

daily.

[jonnyblitz]

15. delete

i was thinking of another site. my error.

[Don1]

17. Are you sure?

Deleted.

[burrowowl]

20. Also on the right hand side

quick links to Senate, Supreme Court, House, etc. Plus on left-hand side world desk is great for going to newspapera around the world.
Further down link to Zmag, not to mention the Onion, Ironic Times, etc.
It is my home page.