It was good to see Rupert Murdoch publically flogging himself yesterday for the phone hacking scandal that is currently blowing up into armageddon for him and his blow-hard media empire. Frankly, other than NPR, it would be good to watch any of the current owners of a media empire get a public spanking, so culpable are they for the sorry state of “news” – at least in this country. But to have the leading light of the relentlessly anti-government yet shamelessly pseudo-patriotic republican cheerleaders at Faux News getting what for every time he steps out into the public eye does my heart good. I haven’t kept up on how his brain-dead band of “personalities” and “commentators” is reporting this dust up but it must be pretty funny. I would watch in the name of research but my gag reflex just won’t relax enough when I see those garish sets and smiling Obama-haters so I am not sure I can do it. But word has it that they have managed to basically ignore it, giving lie to the notion that they are even a rumor of a legitimate news organization – more like the republican politburo.
Speaking of my gag reflex, there was an entirely predictable response from the republican poo-bahs after Obama once again explained his position on the debt ceiling debate/ pissing match/slap fight earlier yesterday. John Boner actually had the gall to say – and I am paraphrasing – “we are not going to sit back and let the president increase taxes on job creators.” Ha! Good one, John – job creators; I get it. But that always begs the question; if they haven’t had their tax increased yet – or anytime recently, really – where are the jobs? They’ve had these tax breaks for years and jobs are disappearing and nowhere on the horizon. If we cut three trillion in spending, and ask for 1 trillion in increased revenue, that’s not enough for you guys? Why don’t you come right out and say that you don’t give a shit about the poor and the weak and the doomed middle class?
For its part, the majority of the national media – obsessed with ratings and not really given to exploring much of anything in depth – doesn’t seem to remember that one time Tea party pin up Paul Ryan’s budget also would require an increase in the debt ceiling. Michelle Bachman – when confronted with the seeming disconnect between supporting a plan that increases the deficit while demonizing any attempt to raise the debt ceiling – momentarily had an epiphany and was reported to reply, “Christ, I don’t know what the hell I’m talking about most of the time – why should this be any different?” Instead the new clones breathlessly report – every god damned day – that “there was no progress on the negotiations to raise the debt ceiling and prevent a government default”. Hey fellas – how about delving into why there was no progress? Instead their reporting is about as useful as the insights gleaned from one of those gortex-wearing bimbos who stick their microphones into a football coach’s face as he’s leaving the field at halftime and ask, “What do you think happened there in that first half, coach?” It always amazes me that the guy who’s losing doesn’t go completely over the edge and suggest some anatomically difficult gymnastic moves to these twits.
Finally, I would be remiss not to mention the nationwide opening of the Sarah Palin docu-comedy, The Undefeated, not to be confused with the 1969 film about post civil war cavalry man and notorious Hollywood party boy, Rock Hudson, a guy ill-suited to play the role of a heroic man on a horse. But I digress. Sarah’s relentless publicity machine enthusiastically spread the word about the film through the ubiquitous “social media” and its opening night crowds of listless teen aged girls thinking it was a new Justin Bieber music video and horny republican guys wearing their dress- camo suits were sure to raise the specter of the moosey Palin entering the republican race and injecting it with her own brand of inspired lunacy, non-sequitar-laced campaign rhetoric and historical nonsense. And it would make the next debate actually must-see TV. Keep your fingers crossed…
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