CanWest, FauxNews, et al. are destroying healthy journalism by forcing us to consume politically modified (PM) news just as Monsanto and other toxic companies are destroying agriculture with genetically modified (GM) crops.

"With right-wing Republicans running the White House for 20 of the last 28 years, maybe the downplaying of the importance of the presidency has become a kind of coping mechanism for some progressives. Accustomed to a status quo that grows increasingly dire, we've settled into an uncomfortable "comfort zone" as familiar as it is macabre. At the same time, the cascading effects of right-wing control over most of the federal government have been cumulative and devastating."

"With Obama and Biden now beginning a post-convention campaign tour, attention turns to the Republican convention which began on Monday in Minneapolis. It will be as orchestrated and charged affair as the Democrats' event, as the Republicans will work to reintroduce their candidates to the nation. Like the Democrats, they will seek to define the differences between the two Parties, inspire their faithful, present their agenda and inspire their base."

"Some Iraqi Americans spoke of the horror they experienced seeing the devastation of their country and its growing political fragmentation. They expressed their desire for an American withdrawal while at the same time noting their fears of what the future might hold for Iraq. And some Palestinians noted that eight years of neglect had resulted in a Middle East where, despite the consensus on the two-state solution, such a solution is now more difficult to achieve than ever."

"In assessing both candidates, one observer noted that McCain's position could be seen as being "in line with the moral clarity and American exceptionalism projected by President George W. Bush's first term" - i.e., hard-line neo-conservative and confrontational. Obama, on the other hand, has taken a position, on this crisis, more in line with the current occupant of the White House (the "kinder, gentler" George W. Bush) with his newfound appreciation for diplomacy."

"If we are to advance as a nation in the important work of including all of our citizens in the political process, we must not allow a return to "the bad old days." And if we are to take advantage of the incredible resources provided by the Arab American and American Muslim communities, then we must include them - not only because it is the right thing to do, but because our inclusion of them and their involvement in all aspects of our society and politics is so critically important in our efforts to engage the world in which we live."

A human rights hearing into allegations of editorial misconduct represents a threat to The Lobby’s ability to defame without shame. Not surprisingly, Maclean’s enthusiastically endorses political efforts to strip commissions of the power to investigate and rule on free speech issues.

"For generations, millions have been inspired by our great nation and its values. As we acknowledge the damage that has been done, we must remain cognizant of the responsibility that has fallen on our shoulders to restore that hope."