Does the Country Matter?

You all need to see "Game Changer" on HBO. Even conservatives need to see it; although parts of it will probably enrage you.

The myths of our current age, produced a near catastrophe for the country. Sarah Palin, who you feel very sorry for during the film, is thrust into the meat grounder of national politics far before she is ready. The results are, to put it lightly, sad, ugly and troubling.

The myths:

1. What we say versus what we do, or have done, matters more.

The media makes news of everything. The mike is turned on 24-7, everything a person does is fair game. This contrasts with FDR for example; and the fact that many Americans did not know he was paralyzed when he was President. You may disagree with FDR, but he did not have to fend off endless questions about his health. What did were what the news media covered. His personal health and personal life for that matter were not covered. This was because the press did not have the electronic media of today, the 24 hour Internet and Cable T.V. exposure. So actions not sensationalism mattered. Policy not propaganda counted. The fireside chats were words to be sure, but the mike was turned off the rest of the week. Actions counted!

2. Appearance counts, actions and words do not count.

Lincoln, by all accounts, was a homely man. FDR, as I have said, was in a wheelchair most of the time. Truman cussed (a lot), behind closed doors. Eisenhower, was balding, not a very good speaker, and played golf a lot. But, for all these leaders, appearance, make-up; etc., were not what mattered. What they DID, what they said in speeches, and how they managed and worked with Congress mattered. Actions and words mattered.

3. Character does not matter, it's all in the game! Just win baby!

Sarah Palin is assaulted by the media. Her pregnant daughter is fair game, her clothes are fair game, everything is fair game. Her marriage is investigated. Meanwhile her character and political abilities are ignored.

This deficit comes out in interviews and in the everyday workings of the campaign, but the media is more interested in her clothes' selection. Meanwhile, she has serious problems with world problems, domestic issues, and with the truth. The media misses this, which could be critical had she been elected.

Not to bash Palin, she actually is a product of the media circus, and revels in it to this day (she has made a fortune off of it), but as a stateswoman, she would have been a disaster. She also appears to be vindictive and has integrity issues. She lies a lot!

4. The Political System is so broken it doesn't matter if we elect an idiot to the Presidency.

Now, both parties think the other side's candidate is an idiot. But, we all, for the past 200 years, have secretly known that the campaign, gathering of delegates, the primaries, have been a vetting system for our Presidents.

The campaign tests their mettle, their intelligence, tests their endurance, and yes, tests their political character. The film shows that this may be changing. Candidates are recruited for their "rock star" ability. Palin is an entertainer. Obama a great speaker, but inexperienced. McCain is covered by the media as dull, boring; although has much more experience.

Are we now electing entertainers not Presidents? We did that about 30 years ago, with Ronald Reagan. California did it just a few years ago with Arnold.....? Do you have to be a media star to get elected?

Sarah Palin was a close call. She was absolutely not qualified to be Vice President of the United States. President Obama, conservatives would say, was the same.

In the film, this premise regarding Obama is qualified however, when one of McCain's staffers says Palin could not even name one Supreme Court Case, but was a rock star like Obama. Another staffer then reminds him that Obama was a Constitutional Law Professor and a Harvard graduate.

There is a huge difference. Obama was and is a rock star, and a very smart guy, his resume by any standard qualifies him to be President. Whether it qualifies him to be an effective President is open to debate.

5. Finally, the "liberal media" has ruined politics, and is unfair to conservatives, so it is okay to manipulate and lie to them, because they are after all the enemy.

There is no liberal media. The media is run by corporations, who by nature are not particularly friendly to liberals; especially liberals who raise their taxes. Fox News Corporation, is the strongest media outlet in the United States, and nobody calls them liberal.

Politicians who use this, like Palin did and does, to justify actions and statements that stretch the truth are doing great harm to the Republic. Integrity does matter, especially in matters of essential public policy. For example, for liberals or conservatives to blame the President for high gas prices is nonsense; there are multiple reasons. To suggest one person can control gas prices, or to claim a particular party if elected President will immediately cure our energy problems, is absurd!

The plain truth is America uses almost 40% of the gasoline the earth produces everyday, far more than anybody else, and the world is running out of gas! President Obama has told us that, and the media slams him. Reality is that fact must be dealt with sooner, not later, or we are in for a disaster.

The stakes are too high to continue these myths. We need to force the media to grow up. We need to start demanding that they do, by turning the damn T.V. and computer off! Try reading!

(Especially this blog)...Pun intended?

I would suggest this is finally happening with Rush Limbaugh, who has crossed the line of decency so much, and is finally being reigned in. Apparently his ratings were beginning to dwindle before his sexual accusations outburst. Mike Huckabee, no liberal for sure, it taking a rival time slot to Limbaugh, and promising more "reasoned" commentary. Rush, who as much as anybody is responsible for the myths listed above, may finally be in trouble.

This has to happen with all the media, and the only people to do it are us. We need to stop playing the gotcha game, stop encouraging negative politics, and start demanding performance and policies that help our country over hyperbole and bullshit...

The country does matter!