Posted on 06/15/2008 4:57:26 AM PDT by ThePythonicCow
There's an axiom in Recovery (as in from addiction) circles which asserts that addictions are but symptoms of deeper emotional or psychological problems. Leaving aside the debate as to whether this holds water, I submit that the tremendous success of Democrat presidential nominee Barack Obama is but a symptom of the broader disease: The establishment media (which includes broadcast news and print sources as well as the entertainment media) has finally subverted enough of the collective mind of America to usher in the era of socialism toward which the far Left has been maneuvering us for the last 40 years.
Like the seizure that alerted Sen. Ted Kennedy's doctors that he was suffering from a grave condition, it is just a symptom — albeit a very nasty one.
"A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky, dangerous animals..."
- "Agent K," from the film Men in Black
Being convinced that the Republican Party is to blame for taking us to places we would rather not and shouldn't have gone, and that the George W. Bush presidency was a mistake that never should have happened, Americans are now shambling, glassy-eyed and drooling toward "Change," too transfixed by the captivating ultraviolet glow to hear the crackle of those who burst into nothingness in line ahead of them.
They have no idea what they've bought into, of course, the magnitude of the lies and the peril which awaits. They do not fathom that they are accepting a fundamental change in the paradigm of our social system from one in which the industrious and principled prosper versus one in which the indolent and capricious prosper.
As regards the political continuum in modern America, over the past 40 years the Democrat Party leadership transmogrified from elitist liberals into socialists. In the last 20, the Republican Party leadership became liberals, and the media has been a prime mover in this transformation. Having themselves been manipulated by those in the press to heed them rather than their constituents and conservative elements within the party leadership (which had brought past success), eunuchs in the GOP, driven by fear for their image and personal self-interest, sold America out to deviant parasites.
The walking mediocrities among the far Left (politically-active ideologues) and duped middle class voters believe the playing field will be "leveled" for them and "the downtrodden" once the faceless "rich" are brought under their leaders' sway. There is nothing in the historical record that indicates that they will have anything to look forward to but misery, abuse and pain, but logic is immaterial. By design, the power brokers of the far Left appealed to their emotions, not their intellect.
The power brokers and their operatives (such as those in the press, for example) believe that they will be among the unassailable elite. Once again, despite the historical record, they don't believe they will ever be counted among those who, in a fit of melancholy, climb into the trunk of an automobile and shoot themselves repeatedly in the head, as so many prominent figures in far Left regimes wind up doing.
Just a few of the dangerously dishonest representations in which the press has engaged over the last eight years:
For better or worse, we have this thing called the First Amendment to the Constitution, which prohibits government infringement upon the activities of the press. Little did the founders of our nation know that it would one day face a universally treasonous press that would, hell-bent on societal suicide, focus its energies toward bringing America to ruin.
Were the extent of the media's manipulation of information to the political gain of the far Left in America known, it might well lead to the storming of news bureaus across the country. A conservative individual with, say, George Soros's resources could take care of America's "press problems" fairly handily. This columnist has intellectually considered certain initiatives; unfortunately, addressing them here would be imprudent.
Although it does bear mentioning that the First Amendment only applies to the government abridging the freedom of the press — not the people...
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I don’t agree with the premise of the author that the George W. Bush presidency is a “mistake that never should have happened.”
Even though George W. has his faults, I’d rather have him than Albert “ozone man” Gore Jr. or John “do you know I served in Vietnam” Kerry.
Agreed! - the first target in the War on Terror should have been Fleet street.
Even though George W. has his faults
Let’s see, I don’t think either one of his opponents could have outspent George on domestic spending. No CONSERVATIVE choice on either side in the last two elections, IMHO.
George took us into Iraq without telling us WHY (truth) we invaded Iraq, so again (IMHO) he’s no different than a liberal Democrat.
The ONLY difference I see is that George attacked a terrorist sponsoring nation where a Democrat would have been more likely to ignore terrorist attacks like Clinton did in the entire time he was President.
would be cool if people started talking solutions.
I think you misread the author's point there. I think he is talking about how the press has managed to manipulate the public's image of Bush. That's how I read it.
I agree with this column's premise, and the way it finishes. I never would have believed the founders wanted an unassailable press, just that government couldn't do it.
“The establishment media (which includes broadcast news and print sources as well as the entertainment media)”
I call this the media-industrial complex. It also includes hip academia and various auxiliary and affiliated entities, notably do-gooder NGOs and the environmental movement. The latter is entirely a symbiote of the MI complex: The eco-orgs supply a steady supply of sound-bite friendly scare stories and rebel-without-a-cause protest video and, in return, the media supply free propaganda and enough public confusion to provide shielding from legal consequence. Without media complicity, the eco-terrorist gangs and their affiliated NGOs would be stamped out in a matter of weeks.
A crucial point: The media-industrial complex is NOT the free press of the Founding Fathers. It is in fact an unelected, unaccountable shadow government whose objectives are driven by unbridled greed and the narcissistic personalities and depraved values of its leading figures.
They do not fathom that they are accepting a fundamental change in the paradigm of our social system from one in which the industrious and principled prosper versus one in which the indolent and capricious prosper.
That statement is the authors' use of irony in order to make a point. The funnier use of irony is the statement whereby good liberals climb into car trunks and shoot themselves in the head, repeatedly....
Neither statement indicates any belief by the author.
Thr Dinosaur Media Deathwatch proceeds apace since on Monday the Kansas City Star is having a 10% reduction in force. Their stock has dropped from @ $40 to @$8 per share in the past 18 months and their corporate owners see no other recourse than to cut staff payroll.
The concept of increasing sales by changing the papers format is not an option. Publishing a spanish language insert, an afro-centric inner city insert like the "Kansas City Call" is not an option. The Star already publishes inserts for regions like "Johnson County" (The Kansas Side), Platte County edition and Clay County edition.
The newspaper corporate buckaroos would rather ride the company into the ground than publish wordage that isn't in sync with the liberal agenda....
I don’t thinkt he author is saying George Bush is a mistake that should never happen. He is saying that the media spread that lie.
“I don’t agree with the premise of the author that the George W. Bush presidency is a “mistake that never should have happened.””
I don’t think the author meant that as his view, I think he meant that is the left and the Press’s view.
The American Republic will endure, until politicians realize they can bribe the people with their own money - Alexis de Tocqueville
Exactly!
—bflr—
Sigh. Certainly Bush should have vetoed numerous spending bills in his first term and certainly Gore or Kerry would not have gone after the terrorists on their home turf, but the “Bush lied, soldiers died” line in total bull@#$%.
WT?
mark
“Being convinced that the Republican Party is to blame for taking us to places we would rather not and shouldn’t have gone, and that the George W. Bush presidency was a mistake that never should have happened, Americans are now shambling, glassy-eyed and drooling toward “Change,” too transfixed by the captivating ultraviolet glow to hear the crackle of those who burst into nothingness in line ahead of them.”
The author is trying to say that the MEDIA has convinced most of America that the above is true. I agree.
We must call the “disease” what it is: Marxism and Communism!
The Marxists and their Useful Idiots who have controlled our government K-12 schools, colleges, and universities, have finally graduated enough indoctrinated citizens. The Marxists and their Useful Idiots now control every government bureaucracy except for the military, the media, the arts, the film industry, and the Marxists sitting in our legislatures is approaching critical mass.
MARXISM - COMMUNISM IS OUR NATION'S ***MOST** SERIOUS THREAT!!!!!! ( Yes, I am shouting!) When is America going to wake up and smell the smoke? Schools are their most important weapon. Yet...conservatives sit and DO nothing!
*Every day conservatives send their kids off to the god-less government K-12 indoctrination camps.
* Every day youth from conservative homes nod in agreement with their university professors on college campuses, or are too unprepared or intimidated to defend their faith, the Constitution, and free markets.
* Every election cycle conservatives elect representatives who are more than willing to feed the Marxist government K-12 schools, colleges, and universities more and more money.
* When conservatives **could** (if they had the imagination and will) set up private voucher foundations that would award private vouchers to **conservative** private schools, they don't.
* Our nation's ministers who should be preaching the gospel are putting on shows. Ministers who should be setting up gospel based schools are afraid of the government teachers and other government school parasites in their pews who put money in the collection plate.
Islamo-fascism is NOT America's most serious threat. The Marxists, communists, and Useful Idiots that live next door ARE!
One more thing:
The talk radio Talking Pumpkins Heads make me sick! What weenies! They don't use the words Marxism and communism because they are afraid those hiding under the label “liberal” will say they are calling names!
What is this? Is this like the Harry Potter character? The “He Who Must Not Be Named” **is**: MARXISM COMMUNISM. They are MARXISTS, COMMUNISTS, and USEFUL IDIOTS! Shame on the Three Ichabods: Rush, Hannity, and O Reilly!
( Yes, I am shouting!) I am utterly and completely exasperated with our “conservative” talk show hosts who refuse to call the enemy by name.
I am exasperated with conservatives who continue to use government schools.
I am exasperated with conservatives who refuse to work to shut these indoctrination camps down,
I am exasperated with conservatives who refuse to set up the private voucher foundations that would rescue our children and our nation.
I am disgusted with conservatives who sit like frogs sitting in a pot of slowly warming water.
I am disgusted with wet noddle ministers who don't preach the Gospel, who are more interested in their popularity, and aren't setting up the free parochial schools that should be saving the souls of our youth, Constitution, and free markets.
bump for later read
The “Press” has been doing these things for the past 30 years or more.
And their ultimate demise will be well deserved…
And heck ... this doesn't make him no different than a liberal Democrat ... there's far worse that they do.
Oh, brother - are they ever going to get a surprise.
Our elected and unelected elites - turning the US into Mexico day by day.
NO MORE!
George W. Bush was, and is, President of the United States. He's not a ribbon clerk or a paper boy.
It took FDR nine days (not counting the half-day of 12/7) to impose press censorship by Executive Order. It only took a little longer to set up a 24/7 propaganda operation, again by executive order. His Justice Department prosecuted antiwar activists for sedition right up until 1944, when the tide turned.
It is an absurd LIE that George W. Bush is incapable of effective and forceful executive action "because of the media".
He's incapable because he is.
I knew that Bush had it all wrong when he called Islam a ‘religion of peace’ - 1400 years of mass murder, cultural genocide and atrocity notwithstanding.
His failure to acknowledge the cultural imperatives of Islam and the re-emergence of jihad were a guarantee that he would not - and did not - take the steps necessary to send the Islamic world the only message that they can understand: threaten our civilization and yours is forfeit.
Throw in the local ACLU offices and certain centers of academia and you'd have the makings of a real revolution.
Nice article Jim.
Similarly it is not a lie to say that I am incapable of scoring a basket when being guarded by of the Los Angeles Lakers (a first year guard). Certainly Kobe Bryant can score on Farmar at will, so it's obviously possible.
There are two meanings of "can not." There is "no human could", and there is "that person can not." It would be fair to be angry at Bush for not being strong enough in this regard (though given the circumstances, it's not clear that we are able anymore to elect a President who is strong enough.) But calling it a lie to point this out is abusing the messenger by insisting on taking the clearly inappropriate meaning of "can not."
Certainly your FDR example is one that is no counter example, given that his leftist, near Marxist, orders were traveling with the prevailing leftist media as a tailwind, not into the face of a media headwind.
OK......
My head is still hurting after reading Gore Vidal’s thread about it taking 100 years for America to recover from George W. Bush.
Thanks for the reminder about that “Religion of Peace” statement. I shake my head whenever I hear those words.
Just a day after the 9/11 attacks, Bush was calling for a Palestinian state. He made this statement just one day after thousands of Palestinians danced in the street after the Twin Towers collapsed.
Still, if Al Gore had been in office, he would have worried about the environmental impact of bombing the Taliban.
You can understand my confusion.....the media, at least the mainstream media, is just an extension of the democrat party. They barely hide their bias anymore.
The crux of the problem is that we had a choice between AlGore and Bush - and neither were practitioners of the sort of leadership this country requires. Not a whole heck of a lot different than the choices we face today.
We’re in for a world of hurt. The days of this Republic are numbered, and the numbers are not big ones.
I couldn’t agree more. With over 300 million people, we should have much better choices than Barack Obama and John McCain. But here we are, with two lackluster choices.
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