Bill O'Reilly

Bill O'Reilly is one of the more well-known Fox News opinion pundits.  As he nightly brays, his show is seen by more than all others in his time slot combined.  My question is: "Why?"  He is transparently fake: "the spin stops here; we're looking out for you, the folks" and more such drivel.

Rarely have I grown to dislike someone as much as he.  A bully, boor and just plain obnoxious know-little, he makes Newt Gingrich appear humble.  No guest is allowed to speak without interruption, often people aren't allowed to finish a sentence.  Regular contributors take this guff because of the money and exposure but, frankly, I'd rather be poor.

The last straw was O'Reilly's analysis of the recent gasoline price increases and his proposed solution.  First, his 'analysis'.  Prices are rising because American producers are shipping product internationally thus reducing domestic supply and increasing domestic prices.  Assume that's true.  Does O'Reilly have a solution?  You betcha' and it's a doozie.  Here goes.

Oil is found in the ground and off-shore.  That's the people's resource; government issues permits to drill on the people's land.  The President should call in the oil company CEOs and tell them that a certain percentage of domestically produced oil must be sold here.  If they refuse, the President slaps an export tax on their shipments and, maybe, shuts down their oilfields.  That's the defender of capitalism, knight of the free marketeers talking.  He actually trumpeted that proposal as the lead-in to his show.  It was surreal.

It is hard to believe that 12 million people tune in to him every week-night, just plain hard to believe.  I have a harder time trying to understand why they would be interested.