Tom Desrosier
Much of what we believe about ourselves, our world and our politics, we learned from someone else.
Sometimes, years later, we still cling to this stufff, long after its proven wrong.
Go figure...
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Fair is fair; opinion generally is not.
This just in… While not off trying to save the planet by ensuring gas prices stay sky high, The US House of Representatives has decided to focus its noble energies on re-instituting the Fairness Doctrine. Here’s the link to the story link.
I know, the whole blogosphere is spinning on this one.
Its all based on the picture below of course. Let’s face it. Liberal radio content has a tough time making a profit. In fact in many areas in the country, its impossible.
Picture from thinkprogress.org
Thus, the fairness doctrine says, even though a communications outlet is making money by broadcasting an opinion people want to pay attention to and will suffer through advertising to enjoy, this same broadcasting company must present the opposing view in a fair and balanced way, even though this view adds no value to their bottom line.
And incumbent on Government, and not the broadcaster, will be the day to day decisions about what’s fair and balanced, and what’s not.
Government… And by that I mean, the party in power. And soon that will be Democrats - the very party pushing for this despicable bill.
Yes, the fairness doctrine will allow Democrats to more thoroughly control media. They won’t consider it unfair when fawning, doting reporters chant, “Obama, Obama, Obama”, then broadcast it on the three television networks as news, at the same time as McCain steps onto an empty tarmac in New Hampshire. But they will censure the ilk of Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Mark Levin.
Because they alone will decide what’s unfair.
Chilling.
But what of the Web and its promise of free speech, unfettered by government control? Will little ole’ me, with few resources, be forced to finance an opposing view for my blog, less I be arrested for law-breaking? Or worse, be denied opportunity to blog because I have a different opinion than the party in power?
And what other laws will need to be passed to ensure compliance with this government imposed fairness? Will G-men in dark suits and grim faces come into my home in the middle of the night and seize my laptop, simply because they can?
And so I give you the “Let’s make sure we don’t say anything bad about Democrats” Doctrine.
One final thought…
How do you take away personal freedoms from a democracy? In the same way you eat an elephant: one bite at a time.
Tom
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We start with the premise…
Lately, I’ve been disillusioned by politics, especially Congress. The economy is worsening, the war lingers on, we still can’t drill for oil, national debt is still being ignored… On and on, problems, problems, problems, and things just don’t seem to be getting fixed. Our politicians seem to be pre-occupied with other things we don’t care about, and when confronted about it, lie and blame others.
And so I sat down the other night and watched that famous 1939 movie with James Stewart, “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington”. I wanted to feel good about democracy again; I wanted to travel back to a time (before I was born) and experience true leadership, true democracy, politics when politicians cared.
You can watch it for free on Google. Here’s the link.
If you’ve never seen the movie, its about how an honest man, who was appointed to Congress on a whim, and quickly becomes just so much red meat for the circling sharks. He wins at the end, through extra-ordinary effort and unwavering commitment to his ideals.
Ah, the good guy can still win.
But as happy as I was about Mr. Smith winning his epic battle battle against evil, it occurred to me that even in 1939, Americans started with the premise that although they were fortunate enough to elect their leaders, they knew that such leaders could not be trusted to tell the truth, nor necessarily do what was in the country’s best interests.
Ever.
Thus a movie such as this in 1939, where politicians cow-towed to those with money, and lied and schemed whenever it was in their own best interests.
Quite a testament to America, mankind’s flagship of democracy. Leaders, chosen among ourselves, but not expected to lead by example, but by subterfuge, lies and misdirection.
In fact, this is what was bothering me about today’s politics. Yes, such blatant, bold-faced untruth… Just as a carpenter uses trusty hammer and saw; just as a plumber a pipe wrench, a doctor, the stethoscope; so our politicians, use “spin”, or “wagging the dog”, to misdirect, refocus, clarify - to shape our opinions and thus manage, the all important message.
Yes, this is the state of leadership in America… Savvy weavers of lies and deception, delivering poll tested talking points with that just-so mix of folksy, lovable charm.
Because we allow it.
And we would perpetuate this behavior by re-electing, and re-electing even the most scandal-prone among them.
And now comes this latest video from Reuters yesterday about a big U. S. Government cover-up about UFOs and Roswell. This by an Moon Walking Astronaut, Edgar Mitchell.
I know, what do UFOs have to do with corrupt politics?
Maybe nothing, maybe everything.
I was just musing about what kind of government our politicians have wrought behind the scenes, behind the rhetoric, behind the mask of patriotism and statesmanship. Would they create such a UFO cover-up? Would they allow people to be taken from their homes in the middle of the night for questioning? Would they tamper with evidence? Would they swear people to secrecy under pain of imprisonment? Would they annex huge tracks of land in the New Mexico dessert, and guard it with deadly force?
Tell me. Would you believe it possible that your politicians have created, or at least are perpetuating, a government within a government, away from prying eyes?
In this youtube video, Richard Dolan makes the claim that not only is this the ominous case, but is very well funded. Dolan even cites a 2001 congressional hearing where Donald Rumsfeld reported 2.1 Trillion Dollars in “black funding”.
That’s 2.1 Trillion Dollars that democracy does not control. That’s $2.1 Trillion paid to someone to do what?
Anything.
No, its not about UFOs, but what government is becoming behind the scenes. Ignoble, dishonest, and constitution-defying; I wonder what’s so important that we, American citizens, cannot be allowed to know?
And when each of us votes in November, remember this number before deciding to vote for that familiar, time tested politician whose listed first on the ballot:
$2.1 Trillion.
That’s the price for maintaining a government in secret. And your congressman knows.
Tom
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Belief comes from hearing…
Belief comes from hearing…
The same message, the same idea, the same name chanted over and over: Obama, Obama, Obama! And good marketers know, for a message to reach the subconscious and bubble up unawares to become comfortable, familiar, indeed, part of our daily thoughts and opinions, simply requires repetition.
Thus the press assembles around their chosen new leader - a fate of accompli; Barrack Obama. And they repeat his mantra of inevitability incessantly.
Obama, Obama, Obama.
Belief comes from seeing…
Pictures from: Katie Couric, Brian Williams, Charles Gibson
America’s top three network anchors traveled with Barrack Obama on a political tour of Europe and the Middle East this week. And at 6:30PM, each night, we are deluged with the sights of Obama. They will present him as a worldly, stately, accomplished politician, ready to assume the presidency. As Bernie Goldberg opined last night on Fox New’s the O’Reilly Factor, nothing Barrack will say on this trip will matter - only the images will be remembered… Images of Obama shaking hands with world leaders, riding on military helicopters, giving speeches in front of the Pillars of Hercules.
This is what we’ll remember - certainly not Katie Couric’s question to Obama about whether he thought the Surge was working.
40 seats on Obama’s plane were provided to journalists and reporters. 200 had asked to go.
Believing is seeing; and seeing, the compelling sights, the majestic panorama, of an inevitable Obama presidency.
Meanwhile, Senator McCain, the other presidential candidate, deplaned in New Hampshire Yesterday. On hand to report on this auspicious event, a single reporter and photographer. Here’s the story from Drudgereport.com
And finally, belief comes from reading…
Big stink over the past few days… Last week, The New York Times published Barrack Obama’s opinion on Iraq in their Editorial Section. Two days ago, they refused John McCain’s submitted rebutal.
Belief…
And so I muse rather pensively. Where is the objectivity, the scrutiny, the critical analysis humanity needs? And why has the press decided to elect our next president for us?
Moreover, what else have they shaped and cajoled America’s opinion on? Iraq? Global Warming? Terrorism?
And the longer I think about it…
Has the press always done such nefarious work, and we just never noticed? Indeed, was the ilk of Walter Cronkite just the mouth piece of the deepest, darkest conspiracy the world has ever known?
Picture from unknown source.
Who knows.
But of one thing I am certain - legacy media cannot be trusted. Not with our beliefs, not with our hearts and minds. Not with humanity’s story.
Tom
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