I often wonder if reporters, editors and their enabling public ever cringe about the obvious and provable lies their push and publicize. Nah, I don't wonder anymore. Their lies have become a whole new genre in fiction and humor, but they think people are laughing with them.
How Paul Ryan Won the Recess
Over the last week while in NY I had little time to watch the news except for on the run and in airports. It became apparent to me that the Tea Party, Republicans and conservatives had fallen fast into a vast canyon of despair of their own making. Each broadcast told of impending meltdowns, wavering support and Republican congressmen being pummeled by constituents. I was surprised there wasn't a list of suicides committed or pending.
A delightful, but delusional relative recounted with bated breath of her nemesis, Paul Ryan, being booed and attacked by angry constituents, especially older constituents. I was reminded of the violent outbursts and actions of "Pee Party" (as in Depends) over the last few years and how turn around is fair play. She had actually printed out articles for me! I listened earnestly as she quoted articles from AFSME, SEIU, the socialist Militant newspaper, Think Progress, Democratic Underground, the New York Times and many more.
It all reminded me of when I first became a researcher and found that all was not as the main street media said it was. In fact, that all wasn't really connected to reality because political agendas had become so ingrained in journalism that journalism was no longer a career that involved actual reporting. One angry man who once was the town crank became a movement. One child who had the bad luck to do what they knew they shouldn't became a cause
célèbre. It reminded me of the misattributed quote (to Josef Stalin) that
"Death of one man is a tragedy. Death of a million is a statistic."
The meme has grown to a few paid thugs stationed at a few political events being held up as proof that the public is completing yet another 180 and now understand that progressive and foolhardy policy is actually what they want. It's deja vu all over again. Only without FDR, LBJ and WJC.