MSNBC's UNWORKABLE RULE (or Why It is Silly to Sanction Scarborough)

MSNBC is trying to be impartial by suspending their morning headliner Joe Scarborough. Morning Joe gave a few dollars to candidates he supports. Joe's contributions were modest. Scarborough didn't do anything illegal. Scarborough didn't do anything unethical. Scarborough did the responsible thing, he put his money where his mouth is. It isn't important that Joe Scarborough gave modestly or that Keith Olbermann, whom MSNBC also suspended, gave larger amounts to those he supports. MSNBC is owned by General Electric and the ruling junta at General Electric/MSNBC is wrong to suspend good folks like Scarborough and Olbermann.

MSNBC wants to maintain high standards, they want to prevent their organization from spiraling out of control and becoming anything like the propaganda company masquerading as a journalism company, FOX News. Over at FOX News there are no firewalls separating fact from fiction, influence from arrogance, or propriety from wholesale manure spreading. MSNBC is right to avoid becoming anything like the delusional, fantasy based, and truth distorting journalistic circus which is FOX News. Mind you, I am not talking about the local affiliates bearing the FOX moniker, those stations are well run. I am talking about the "it would be funny if weren't true" cable operation called FOX News.

MSNBC should not have veto power over their on-air talent when it comes to their campaign donations. MSNBC has every right to maintain high standards when it comes to the appearance of impropriety. Their veto power doesn't get them where they want to go. If MSNBC says to Joe go ahead and make those contributions but tells Keith no you can't, then MSNBC has lost the prize they sought. In their earnest attempt to be impartial they lost their balance.

There's no confusion about Joe Scarborough or his conservative political leanings. You'd have to be deaf and blind not to figure out that Olbermann veers to the left in his civic thinking. Yet neither Scarborough, Olbermann, or anyone else at MSNBC have turned their shows into on-going infomercials for persons aspiring to political offices.

If the ruling junta at General Electric/MSNBC wants to preserve the appearance of propriety, then they can't be seen to tell Scarborough and Olbermann to whom they can or cannot give legal campaign contributions. MSNBC can adopt a rigid standard saying that none of their hosts or anchors or news personnel can make campaign contributions. The cost of being a star at MSNBC should be the strict adherence to the highest standards of journalism, not forbearance of a legal right.

The ruling junta at General Electric/MSNBC needs to extricate themselves from their self imposed field of quicksand. They have first rate folks working for them who do not look anything like propagandists spiraling out of control. MSNBC can start with trust. Trust the stars at MSNBC to be good at their jobs and behave like adults, something their people are already doing.

An Open Letter to Keith Olbermann upon the occaision of your suspension

Dear Keith Olbermann,

Apparently you are not permitted to both exercise your First Amendment rights at work and in your personal life. Apparently you should have given at the office. General Electric, the parent company of MSNBC, which suspended you for your less than maximum legal donations to Jack Conway, Raul Grijalva and Gabrielle Giffords.

General Electric Affiliates have been more than generous to political candidates this year and in years past. Mr. Olbermann, of all the money donated by GE Affiliates not a dime came from a corporate Political Action Committee. The money came from persons like you, employees. Here's the rundown for 2010.

CNBC gave Democrats $750.00

GE Aircraft Engines gave $2,750, $500 to Democrats, and $2,250 to Republicans

GE Appliances gave Democrats $2,400.

GE Asset Management gave $4,950, $3,950 to Democrats, and $1,000 to Republicans.

GE Aviation gave $12,750, $8,750 to Democrats, and $4,000 to Republicans.

GE Capital gave $93,328, $32,738 to Democrats, and $60,590 to Republicans.

GE Capital Aviation Services gave $1,000 to Republicans.

GE Commercial Finance gave $24,200, $12,300 to Democrats, and $11,900 to Republicans.

GE Financial Assurance gave $4,800 to Democrats.

GE Insurance gave $2,500 to Republicans.

GE Money gave $3,000, $1,000 to Democrats, and $2,000 to Republicans.

GE Plastics gave $1,000 to Democrats

GE Power Systems gave $3,400 to Republicans.

GE Security gave $2,900 to Democrats.

GE Transportation Systems gave $2,000 to Democrats.

General Electric Capital gave $250 to Republicans.

NBC gave $9,650, $5,750 to Democrats, and $3,900 to Republicans.

NBC Productions gave $400 to Democrats.

NBC Sports gave $500 to Democrats.

NBC Studios gave $250 to Democrats.

NBC Universal gave $72,300, $64,800 to Democrats, and $7,500 to Republicans.

Universal Orlando gave $3,385, $3,135 to Democrats, and $250 to Republicans.

Universal Pictures gave $5,400, $4,900 to Democrats, and $500 to Republicans.

Universal Studios gave $89,000, $87,000 to Democrats, and $2,000 to Republicans.

Sure, Mr. Olbermann, I know you're going to lament that you erred in being the only MSNBC employee to do the civic thing and give to candidates you think will best serve the nation. But come on Keith, that's only true of 2010. In 2008 someone at MSNBC Cable gave $2,250 to Democrats and someone at MSNBC.COM gave $3,000 to Democrats. So, since it has been done before, I am sure that MSNBC has a form somewhere that an employee must submit to get approval for making private political donations.

So how does that work anyway, you can only make campaign contributions when the ruling junta at NBC/General Electric says it is okay? If the ruling junta controls your ability to make the contribution, then shouldn't they disclose when permission is not granted?

I mean, it's not like you pulled a Juan Williams, and went on a nationally syndicated television show and made mention of your contributions. I'll still watch Rachel, Ed, Dylan, and Chris. I'll be waiting for you to return, either to MSNBC or another venue.

Oh, and I am guessing that the Phil Griffin that served notice on you is not the same Phil Griffin who gave $250 to the Republican Party of Virginia.

Respectfully,
Michael S. Box
Osawatomie, Kansas

p.s.  The Center for Responsive Politics' OpenSecrets.Org provided the data for this letter.