Bob Wrongsberry

During morning drive time in Utah I have often listened to the Bob Lonsberry Show on 570 KNRS AM. I've been a steady listener for the past five years. Lonsberry is a self-professed conservative and a member of the LDS Church. About a week ago I decided that I had enough of this guy's bellyaching and have decided to look elsewhere for true local and conservative opinion. I don't blame Lonsberry for my current dissatisfaction with his program. He like everyone else is entitled to his opinion. However, here are the things that finally pushed me over the edge and away from him:

1) He is based out of New York yet proclaims to be a local host. Bob rarely reveals that his show is broadcasted out of upstate New York. He hosts another local (truly local) show for the Buffalo market and makes his home there. That is fine and dandy, but I have a hard time with a guy who tells me and my locally elected officials what's best for the State of Utah when he doesn't live here. It kind of reminds me of city administrators who work in one city but live in another and the residents of that community find out the guy who has a lot of clout in their community won't be directly affected by the opinions/decision he makes. In Lonsberry's case it was him point out that Utah should take control of federally controlled land. "Yeah, thanks for the advice Bob." I'll listen to you when you start paying the same taxes I do as a full-time resident of the State of Utah.

Side note: I'll blog later why this conservative is against the idea of this state taking control of what the federal government currently manages.

Bob claims to be a conservative, but that is only true as far as family values go. Well, kind of. I’m finding that Lonsberry is bashing more and more on business, one example is the short-term loan industry. A basic tenant of conservatism is the idea of less, not more regulations. Laisse-faire ideals should be espoused by those claiming to be conservatives. Society has a wonderful way of 1) improving business based on customer pressures and 2) abandoning businesses that hurt consumers. (Read John Stossel's book: Give Me a Break)

I've noticed that when he doesn't agree with a group he incites the morality of the LDS church (i.e. "That person should be ashamed to be a Mormon and be associated with that" or "If you are involved with this belief you should repent")

If Bob believes in the basics of the LDS faith, why wouldn't he leave calling people and groups to repentance to those authorized to do so? (Bishops and Missionaries come to mind). Since Bob does hold either of these positions he should simmer down and use logic, not religion to lambast people.

On a side note, his religious overtones bug me because he's been excommunicated from the LDS church. Were he has had such a serious falling out with the teaching of the Mormon faith; it surprises me that he would us its tenants to besmirch others.

There are other things that bug me (i.e. The whining, the constant talk of his kids, trying to model himself after Glenn Beck (who is awesome!) the snide comments, etc.) But those items will have to be discussed another time.

While I won't turn to Dough Left at KSL for "more stimulating" talk I will definitely move away from the increasingly superficial conservative Bob Wrongsberry in the morning. After listening to Wrongsberry for so many years, maybe NPR won't be a such bad choice. At least I won't be disappointed.