Hepkitty's Litter Box

Bush 'planted fake news stories on American TV'


"Federal authorities are actively investigating dozens of American television stations for broadcasting items produced by the Bush administration and major corporations, and passing them off as normal news. Some of the fake news segments talked up success in the war in Iraq, or promoted the companies' products."

This has been going on for quite some time. In fact Tomkitty & myself as well as other bloggers have been writing about it for a few years. The fact that it's resurfacing again as pro-war and pro-corporate propaganda rather than just bush administration policy promotion isn't shocking-messed up to be sure-but not a shock. Still, it serves as a reminder of the kind of government we live under in today's America. Remember kids to seek out your independent and overseas news sources if you want to know what's actually going on.

Dear Washington Democrats:

Ok, here's your problem, you have no idea who you are anymore, and neither does anyone else. You spend all your time and strategy and money giving non committal "policy" speeches, and trying to appeal to disillusioned Republicans by telling everyone you're just like them. You seem to think this will win you votes as you go forward.

It won't.

Ya' know why? Because you're not going forward. In fact you have no idea where you're going. Americans don't want to put a bunch of wussies who give us easy answers and tell us what we want to hear into leadership positions. We want actual leadership you morons. We want to elect idealistic patriots who stand for something. We even get that we may not always agree with what that something is, but we respect people who actually have the balls to stand for it in the first place. We respect leaders who actually ask us to fulfill our patriotic duty as Americans. And I, as a lifelong 3rd generation Democrat, respect leaders in my party who actually stand for the Democratic (and yes, often liberal) ideals that I was raised to believe can make this country great.

In fact-and I know this seems crazy-if our politicians were to actually stand for things again we would be a much stronger and better informed nation. The kind you always say you wish we still had. The kind of nation you can speak openly to about the problems of our country and our world. Guess what assholes-we are that nation, and we're sick and tired of being treated like a bunch of simpering, lazy rabble who don't know what's best for them. The reason there's no national debate in this country is that you refuse to introduce any. You don't give the general population credit for being smart enough to be involved in a national debate. And if you don't think we sense and despise that level of condescention on your part then you're dumber than you think we are. The truth is there is a national debate, you just can't or won't listen to it.

We care about things. Issues beyond the kitchen table and the gas pump. We care about the environment, and America's place in making the entire world a better place. We care about the fact that our country is being governed by corporate interests and rampant corruption. We also care about the fact that jobs are disappearing, and a whole generation is being maimed and killed in a war that we really don't know the reason for, and that nobody will tell us about because it's easier to treat the entire nation as if it should sit at the kids table, and let the media distract us with pablum about Brangelina's baby.

But you don't care that we care. I've run for office as a democrat. I've been to the DCCC campaign training seminar. "You've got to win if you want to govern." Well, that's great. Just stop thinking that in order to win you have to treat the electorate like idiots who can be easily distracted with candy or shiny objects. Stop playing defense againt the media and call them to the carpet for being complicit in dumbing down the debate. In fact a little re-regulation and anti-trust legislation against the handful of corporate interests who own and control all the news would be a great service to this country.

And in the end that's all we as voters really want-great service to this country. It's not too much to ask-you just have to ask yourselves if it's too much for you to really give. We as voters have to ask ourselves if it's too much to expect. And if so I can rapidly see the time approaching when Democrats and Republicans alike will be as distant a memory as the dinosaurs and the real grown ups take this country back. That would be a great shining moment indeed.