Drudge Report (c) 2013
At some point, don't people have to give up and realize that Washington is broken and we need to use the power we possess to make necessary changes? I mean, thanks to the Ideologically Oriented For-Profit Media, as a country we are almost as divided as a nation as we were in the late 1850's (and we know how that turned out)! Just today, GOP House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) published a letter to his caucus outlining the Leaderships' objectives for the remainder of the year. Included in his letter? A 40th attempt to repeal The Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act! I know the old "If you fail try. try again" but 40 straight times? Even after the President, using the Act as a referendum on his Presidency, was re-elected? Even though the Democratic controlled Senate will never even entertain such a measure? How many more attempts to repeal Obamacare will be enough?
According to Politico, Cantor is pressing a legislative agenda designed specifically to assist Republicans seeking re-election in the 2014 Mid-Term Elections. Really? I am so shocked, NOT! How long has it been since either political party thought about the Country first and the Party last? Been awhile, hasn't it?
To top this off, Republican Senator Pat Toomey (PA), co-sponsor of the Manchin-Toomey Universal Background Check Bill, admitted Republicans voted against the bill, not because of intense lobbying by the NRA (and there was intense NRA lobbying), but because, "In the end, it didn't pass because we're so politicized. There were some on my side who did not want to be seen helping the president do something he wanted to get done, just because the president wanted to do it." (See http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/05/01/toomey-on-gun-laws-gop-didnt-want-to-be-seen-helping-obama/comment-page-10/).
Even though all polls indicated that 90% of Americans supported the gun Bill, Republicans voted against it because it might appear as a victory for Obama. Defeating the President is more important for the Republican Party than doing what American citizens expect their Congressional representatives do - represent Americans. There is good reason to think this sounds like deja vu all over again. GOP Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, along with other Republican leaders vowed the first day of Obama's first term to obstruct, derail, obscure and defeat him. Even though Mr. Obama was re-elected, the game has not changed. Politics is in total play. Representing the American people is no longer in the back seat of American politics, it isn't even in the vehicle!
To add to this nonsense, the Ideologically Oriented For-Profit Media continues to publicize stories as fact even though they have been proven to be fabricated out of whole cloth. The latest is the claim by Darrell Issa (R-CA) that Hilary Clinton, while serving as Secretary of State was involved in a decision to deny additional security for the consulate in Benghazi. As you may recall, Clinton denied being involved in such a decision. What does Issa now present as evidence that she was in fact involved? A memo bearing her name and signature from the State Department stating the additional security was denied. But by rule, all cables and emails communicated by the State Department bear the Secretary of State's name and signature. It is normal protocol. Without any additional evidence, Issa is making serious allegations calculated to inflame the GOP base and its oriented Media. Does it work? Of course it does! Fox News have gone so far as to label Clinton a "Liar" for testifying in January that she had no direct knowledge of the security request. And you know GOP Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) is up for re-election when he claims that "I haven't forgotten about Benghazi, Hillary Clinton got away with murder!" Really? Anyone not agree that these statements are a bit inflammatory in light of the fact there has been no evidence she was involved in the Benghazi tragedy? Aren't these folks and the Right Wing Media Machine amping up this story to start nurturing their negative talking points and narratives that Clinton is "unfit" to serve as President? Geesh, Election 2016 has already started!
Do you remember efforts by GOP Senators Cruz and Inhofe to push false allegations during Chuck Hagel's (R-Nebraska) confirmation hearings about alleged ties to terrorist groups like "Friends of Hamas?" It was later proven that the existence of the group was a total fabrication, but that did not stop it from being publicized by the Drudge Report and later repeated (over and over) on Fox News. But it was not true. But who needs the truth when the media can manipulate their audiences with the equivalent of "political red meat?"
And just today, Politico reports that The Drudge Report fell for another hoax claiming that a pizza joint in New York refused to serve Mayor Bloomberg a second slice of pizza based on his public position against obesity. Except the source of the story with the headline, "NO PIZZA FOR YOU" was The Daily Currant, a satirical website. It was not true, but the Right Wing Media Machine, while again looking for anything to smear their political opponents, jumped all over the story and publicized it as true. Although Drudge pulled their story as soon as they learned it was fake, it still illustrates how quick some members of the media act when a chance to attack a political opponent seemingly arises. And the credibility for these media outlets are...? Folks still watch, listen, and read their stories with full faith they would never be misled by their "sources" of "Fair and Balanced" news! Many continue to argue about the stories, even after they have been prove to be untrue. Why? Because Americans have become so conditioned that someone is "out to get them" they no longer think for themselves. And that is exactly where the politicians want Americans to be - clueless and unable to discern rhetoric from fact or lies from truth. Why else would so many seemingly enjoy seeing the House of Representatives present 40 futile attempts to repeal Obamacare? Or vote against Universal Background Checks for gun purchasers? Or continue to obstruct Obama? He is after all, the duly elected and current President of the United States.
When it comes to today's Republican Party, perhaps it is best to be reminded of words spoken by President Harry S. Truman, "A bureaucrat is a Democrat who holds some office that a Republican wants." As long as the GOP continues playing games in Washington, it may be a long time before we see one again living in the White House. Have a great weekend.
According to Politico, Cantor is pressing a legislative agenda designed specifically to assist Republicans seeking re-election in the 2014 Mid-Term Elections. Really? I am so shocked, NOT! How long has it been since either political party thought about the Country first and the Party last? Been awhile, hasn't it?
To top this off, Republican Senator Pat Toomey (PA), co-sponsor of the Manchin-Toomey Universal Background Check Bill, admitted Republicans voted against the bill, not because of intense lobbying by the NRA (and there was intense NRA lobbying), but because, "In the end, it didn't pass because we're so politicized. There were some on my side who did not want to be seen helping the president do something he wanted to get done, just because the president wanted to do it." (See http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/05/01/toomey-on-gun-laws-gop-didnt-want-to-be-seen-helping-obama/comment-page-10/).
Even though all polls indicated that 90% of Americans supported the gun Bill, Republicans voted against it because it might appear as a victory for Obama. Defeating the President is more important for the Republican Party than doing what American citizens expect their Congressional representatives do - represent Americans. There is good reason to think this sounds like deja vu all over again. GOP Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, along with other Republican leaders vowed the first day of Obama's first term to obstruct, derail, obscure and defeat him. Even though Mr. Obama was re-elected, the game has not changed. Politics is in total play. Representing the American people is no longer in the back seat of American politics, it isn't even in the vehicle!
To add to this nonsense, the Ideologically Oriented For-Profit Media continues to publicize stories as fact even though they have been proven to be fabricated out of whole cloth. The latest is the claim by Darrell Issa (R-CA) that Hilary Clinton, while serving as Secretary of State was involved in a decision to deny additional security for the consulate in Benghazi. As you may recall, Clinton denied being involved in such a decision. What does Issa now present as evidence that she was in fact involved? A memo bearing her name and signature from the State Department stating the additional security was denied. But by rule, all cables and emails communicated by the State Department bear the Secretary of State's name and signature. It is normal protocol. Without any additional evidence, Issa is making serious allegations calculated to inflame the GOP base and its oriented Media. Does it work? Of course it does! Fox News have gone so far as to label Clinton a "Liar" for testifying in January that she had no direct knowledge of the security request. And you know GOP Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) is up for re-election when he claims that "I haven't forgotten about Benghazi, Hillary Clinton got away with murder!" Really? Anyone not agree that these statements are a bit inflammatory in light of the fact there has been no evidence she was involved in the Benghazi tragedy? Aren't these folks and the Right Wing Media Machine amping up this story to start nurturing their negative talking points and narratives that Clinton is "unfit" to serve as President? Geesh, Election 2016 has already started!
Do you remember efforts by GOP Senators Cruz and Inhofe to push false allegations during Chuck Hagel's (R-Nebraska) confirmation hearings about alleged ties to terrorist groups like "Friends of Hamas?" It was later proven that the existence of the group was a total fabrication, but that did not stop it from being publicized by the Drudge Report and later repeated (over and over) on Fox News. But it was not true. But who needs the truth when the media can manipulate their audiences with the equivalent of "political red meat?"
And just today, Politico reports that The Drudge Report fell for another hoax claiming that a pizza joint in New York refused to serve Mayor Bloomberg a second slice of pizza based on his public position against obesity. Except the source of the story with the headline, "NO PIZZA FOR YOU" was The Daily Currant, a satirical website. It was not true, but the Right Wing Media Machine, while again looking for anything to smear their political opponents, jumped all over the story and publicized it as true. Although Drudge pulled their story as soon as they learned it was fake, it still illustrates how quick some members of the media act when a chance to attack a political opponent seemingly arises. And the credibility for these media outlets are...? Folks still watch, listen, and read their stories with full faith they would never be misled by their "sources" of "Fair and Balanced" news! Many continue to argue about the stories, even after they have been prove to be untrue. Why? Because Americans have become so conditioned that someone is "out to get them" they no longer think for themselves. And that is exactly where the politicians want Americans to be - clueless and unable to discern rhetoric from fact or lies from truth. Why else would so many seemingly enjoy seeing the House of Representatives present 40 futile attempts to repeal Obamacare? Or vote against Universal Background Checks for gun purchasers? Or continue to obstruct Obama? He is after all, the duly elected and current President of the United States.
When it comes to today's Republican Party, perhaps it is best to be reminded of words spoken by President Harry S. Truman, "A bureaucrat is a Democrat who holds some office that a Republican wants." As long as the GOP continues playing games in Washington, it may be a long time before we see one again living in the White House. Have a great weekend.
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