I thought things had changed.

[Atticus]

For eight long years---longer actually---all the conservatives had to do to "catapult the propaganda" was to announce it. Their spokesmen simply made things up as was thought necessary or convenient from time to time and the Republican "echo chamber"---sometimes called the "main stream media"---repeated it on the radio, the TV, the blogs and in print---until many deemed it true simply because "everyone" said so.

In this fashion, we were taught that Saddam Hussein was responsible for 9-11, Iraq possessed "Weapons of Mass Destruction" and that our conquest of Iraq would be a "cakewalk", with grateful Iraqis greeting our troops with smiles, songs and sweets.

That was then.

Now, we're being told that Obama has failed. Not "Is experiencing some difficulty". Not "Hasn't yet accomplished all he'd hoped". No, the word is "failed". Just as Rush and the rest of the neo-con cheerleaders had hoped, "failure" is the albatross that is now being hung as an accomplished fact around Barack Obama's neck.

The Health Care legislation is a "failure".

All actions taken to shore up the economy have "failed".

And, now, President Obama has "failed" to plug the leak in the Gulf and is "failing" to clean up all the crude oil washing up on our beaches and killing our marshes.

No need to substantiate anything. No need for corroboration or---what are those things called?---"facts". No, just say it. Launch it into the 24 hour news cycle and let the bought-and-paid-for "journalists" ping pong it back and forth across the airwaves: "As reported on Fox News---"; "Matt Drudge has a story that---"; "Glen Beck today announced that---".

If we as a nation continue to allow this slow-acting poison to be distributed without remedy or antidote to virtually every citizen on a daily basis, are we really going to claim to be surprised when democracy and decency and liberty perish?

[MindandSoul]

1. You are so right!. . .I just received a very agitated and angry mail

from a good old friend in CA. He is a realtor and has successfully helped us to purchase and sell several properties over the last 10 years.

His e-mail was frantic. . .warning all his friends (many who are also realtors) of the impending disasters that the cap and trade energy bill passed by the House (last year, actually, but he thought it was this last month!) would afflict on every homeowner and. . .therefore. . .on every real estate agent!

The article attached to his mail described how the cap and trade bill would force every homeowner to go through an energy inspection and energy "licensing" for their property PRIOR to being allowed to sell it. . .and if the energy inspection revealed that it didn't meet the new very high standard of energy saving imposed by the cap and trade bill. . .the owner would have the choice to be stuck with his house (unable to sell it without the "legal" license) or spend a fortune upgrading the house to the new (very high) standard of energy saving!

It took me all of 3 minutes to do a quick search on factcheck.org and snope to read the REAL story on that energy bill. . .which obviously NEVER intended to impose the higher standard of energy on OLD houses, but stated that the new standard of energy conservation would impact ONLY NEW CONSTRUCTION being built AFTER the bill was signed into law!
I obviously sent that "corrected" story back to my friend the realtor and his friends!

But there is so much CRAP being spun around (this one originated with Boehner and Limbaugh in May/June 2009. . .but was being recycled through the web!)

[caledesi]

2. Facts!! well said. nt

[jotsy]

3. I feel like a kid learning there is no Santa Claus.

I think this thread should be flaming, climbing, and appreciated. I am happy to recommend it.

Is no one who possesses a voice of reason allowed to be free of unrec fairies?

I thought I knew this place better.

[Atticus]

5. Thank you for appreciating it. nt.

[Karenina]

4. . .

[spanone]

6. the media hasn't changed one iota....

[stray cat]

7. McCain and Palin could have showed what a real lack of change looks like

we certainly want things to be different but just because its not the full change you want doesn't mean its Bush.

[Atticus]

8. I agree with your post. Not sure you understood mine. Maybe I wasn't clear enough.

My OP was meant to point out that the MSM is unfairly (as usual) criticizing this Democratic president. And, yes, THANK GOD we're rid of Bush!

[Subdivisions]

9. '...we were taught that Saddam Hussein was responsible for 9-11,

Iraq possessed "Weapons of Mass Destruction" and that our conquest of Iraq would be a "cakewalk", with grateful Iraqis greeting our troops with smiles, songs and sweets.'

And yet, because I don't believe the "official story" of 9/11, I am ridiculed. I am derisively and contemptuously accused of being a "Troofer".

That shit pisses me off.