Media notes on: “Third Way”

In the non-existent wake of the non-existent excitement over the non-existent clamor for a Bloomberg candidacy comes this piece of news about the equally-deluded numbskulls at the too-hopefully-named “Third Way.”
Truthout.org reports:

A think tank with close ties to the telecommunication industry has been working with a key Democrat in the Senate on a domestic surveillance bill that would provide telecommunications companies with retroactive immunity for possibly violating federal law by spying on American citizens at the behest of the Bush administration.

Third Way, a non-profit “progressive” think tank that is funded and controlled by hedge fund managers, corporate lawyers and business executives has advised Sen. Jay Rockefeller on a domestic surveillance bill that includes immunity for telecommunications companies with which Third Way board members have close ties.

[...]

“We have advised Senator Rockefeller on messaging and have talked to his staff regarding FISA,” Matt Bennett, vice president of Third Way said. “We believe there should be immunity and have been cooperating with [Rockefeller's staff].”

[...]

“I told him that we thought it would be helpful for [Rockefeller] to talk about the reasons for providing immunity to the telecoms,” Bennett said. “We thought it would be a bad idea to allow these companies to be held legally liable for cooperating with the government … you want to encourage the cooperation of not just the telecom industry, but all other industries in the future.”

Here’s the deal, Mr. and Ms. Media, if you ever find yourself forced to cover Third Way: There is no third way. Especially not on a legislative issue like this one. There is “aye.” There is “nay.” And that’s all.

The mythical “third way” is just a second excuse for voting for one of the first two ways.

Observe:

• One group of Senators wishes to grant retroactive amnesty to the telecom companies who spied on Americans on George Bush’s say-so.
• One group of Senators does not wish to grant that retroactive amnesty to the telecom companies who spied on Americans on George Bush’s say-so.
• “Third Way” would like to grant retroactive amnesty to the telecom companies who spied on Americans on George Bush’s say-so.

See? That’s not a third way. It’s the first way.

Get it? Easy as pie. I know you can do this!

Yes, they have a flag motif in their logo. Yes, they cater luncheons and hand out binders with attractively printed covers bearing that flag motif logo. And that’s got to seem really, really serious. It looks like all the other stuff you’ve seen that actually is serious, right? But, really. There is no third way.

You can continue to enjoy their free lunches, I suppose. Or not. It’s up to you. I don’t begrudge anyone a free lunch now and again. In fact, if you have trouble remembering this lesson, think of it in terms of the lunches. You can either eat them or not eat them. But there’s no third option.

Easy.

There. Is. No. Third. Way.

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