My Angst

Why oh why are we letting a tiny little group of ignorant, uninformed  people dictate our nation's policies? 

Give. Me. A. Break.

CNN's Personal No Fly Zone

Being the news and political junkie that I am, I have spent many hours glued to the television these last few weeks.  First it was Wisconsin and Egypt, then Japan and Libya.  From the beginning of the Libyan rebellion, when Muammar Qaddafi’s military started firing on civilians, broadcast media asked frequently and  fervently, " What  about a no fly zone?" and  "Some say that a o fly one is necessary for the Libyan people  (blah blah blah ). . ."   CNN  reporters and anchors were almost hysterical in their angst over the no fly zone, wanting, no, needing the president to establish the no fly zone.   I got so tired of hearing about it.  When UN announced the no fly zone, the press then started with the "too little, too late" questions.  It was irritating to hear them ask, "Why did it take so long?" and "Why didn't they do this last week?"   Hmmm . . . Let's give that one some thought.  Maybe they had to convince the other countries on the UN Security Council (China and Russia) to abstain rather than vote no to avoid a  possible subsequent Security Council veto?   Okay, perhaps the people asking these questions had never heard of the UN  or felt that the questions had to be asked.  (Although I note for the record, that the press asked Bush & Company NO Questions during the run-up to and prosecution of the Iraq war.)   

Then came the typical, "What is our exit strategy" questions. (Again, not asked by the mainstream media of Bush & Co. . . I'm just sayin'. )   The reporters and anchors appeared genuinely confused, as did the Republican politicians they interviewed, as to why the US was involved in the conflict.  They demanded to know if it is to protect the Libyan people or to get rid of Muammar Qaddafi?  Don't you think that's kind of a no brainer?  We're there for both reasons and we will be done when Qaddafi is done!  The president cannot just come out and say that because there are world-wide political consequences.  So CNN, keep your pants on.  Remember, you asked for this no fly zone.  Don't act so stupid when it happens. 

                                                                                                        

Most Americans Against Spending Cuts to Social Programs

Pew Poll: Majority Sentiment Clear, "Leave Our Social Programs Alone!"

The Lowest Common Denominator

 I think it is fascinating that Joe the plumber, intellectual pea brain, was the keynote speaker at the tea party anti-union rally in Madison, Wisconsin on Saturday.  What does that say about this group?  What is up with that anyway?  Why would a group of political activists pick such a pea brain for their inspiration?  Let’s think about that for a moment.  Well, it is the same group that picked a self-proclaimed witch who told three separate lies about colleges she went to; candidates who believe that Dearborn, Michigan is governed by Shari'a Law; that Mexican drug cartels were beheading people in the Arizona desert; and who, while criticizing an opponent for opposing the teaching of creationism in the schools, did not know that the establishment clause is in the constitution.  These are the same people who insist on carrying guns to presidential campaign rallies and into the local statehouses, just to prove they can.  These are the same people who, despite all of the evidence to the contrary, believe that the president was not born in this country.  This is the lowest common denominator approach to politics.  Instead of electing the best and brightest to solve our nation’s problems and steer us into the future, tea partiers gravitate toward the least experienced, least intelligent, least educated, least talented candidate.  They are impressed by the candidate's ordinariness and average to below average abilities.  It is important to tea partiers that they  would feel comfortable having a cup of coffee with their candidate and that they can identify with the candidate.  They want someone just like them.  Someone they can relate to.  

A Movement

Reuters reports that the 55,000 people attended the protest rally against the governor's attempt to destroy the public employee unions Saturday in Madison, Wisconsin and that of those 55,000 attendees, only 5000 were tea partiers, who were brought in on 10 buses to protest the protesters.  (Bussed in, hmmm . . . kind of reminds me of November 2000 Bush Gore election when protesters were being boarded onto buses in Atlanta, bound for Florida to intimidate election officials down there.)  On Friday, 30,000 people were present in Madison to protest the governor’s plan.  I recall all the media attention that the tea partiers received  in their early days when only 17, 25, 60, but never more than 100 people, would show up at tea party rallies.  Despite the small crowds, the media dubbed it a movement, and became so obsessed with it that their coverage actually created a movement.  Without the obsessive media coverage, none of those people would have bothered to attend those rallies.

So, why hasn’t the media declared this a revolution, revolt or populist uprising?