Let's not kid ourselves: MSNBC is only the "liberal" network because the executives thought it was a good market niche. But if they're going to sell themselves as such, it's time that viewers got a little more demanding about what the cable network actually delivers.

So I was thinking about this: When Ed Rendell appears on MSNBC to shill for Fix The Debt, he gets paid -- as an MSNBC contributor. Let's presume he's also getting paid by the Pete Peterson front (either directly or through other career-related benefits) and the Greenhill & Co. investment bank, while also serving as special counsel to Ballard Spahr, a law firm specializing in public/private partnerships (i.e. privatization of public assets).

Ed loves to present himself as just an "aw shucks", down-to-earth kinda guy, but he's not. He's not even a real Democrat anymore, let alone a liberal. He's nothing but a member of the 1%, and that's whose interests he serves.

Now, I'm not going to go after Ed for selling out. We always knew he would, it's not a surprise. It's MSNBC who muddies the ethical lines here, by bringing on a salesman and then paying him as if he's an honest broker! Why, hello there, massive conflicts of journalistic interest!

Look, we know the corporate ownership of NBC/Kabletown is actually in full agreement with the agenda pushed by Fast Eddie. But we can at least make them follow the rules.

And the next time he appears on Hardball, or Rachel Maddow, you might want to let MSNBC know that you're not happy about it.