Every time I go away for a week, I find myself trying to find time to stay in touch with current news cycles and it was no different during this past week while I was in Salt Lake City, Utah working as a Reader for the Educational Testing Service/College Board. While I was away, we learned from the Pew Research Center that more and more Americans see those not sharing their political beliefs as being "dangerous for America" (instead of viewing them as having a different, yet legitimate perspective on matters). Just yesterday, someone I was having lunch quipped that "there are two political parties in America, one that wants to take everything away from you and give it to others and one where they believe in hard work and individual success." With this simplistic and truly biased view of the existing mainstream political parties, it is no wonder that we as Americans are more divided than ever (ignoring the reality that both political parties are deeply engaged in selling out America to the highest special interest bidders). See http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/06/12/7-things-to-know-about-polarization-in-america/.
We also learned this past week that the ring leader of the Benghazi tragedy was captured and virtually all of Lois Lerner's IRS emails disappeared. Knowing I had very little time available to review the "breaking news" of these events, my roommate at the Reading tuned into Fox News daily for his "alerts." I know, you all have heard it time and time again, but no one can accuse me of not paying attention to Right Wing Media. In fact, I have not tuned into Left Wing Media in quite some time (unless you truly believe the New York Times is nothing more than a "Liberal Rag" and instead boast that Glenn Beck's The Blaze, Newsmax and Fox News are the only "neutral" sources of "real news"). Clearly, they are not.
But back to my point. After months and months of GOP investigations into Benghazi, the Far Right seems intent to constantly bang the drum that Obama is a "liar" (again and again) not because we "left the Ambassador to die without military protection" (the CIA was there to quell the attack, albeit too late to save lives), but because Obama's White House initially called the attack a response to an Anti-Islam film. While scoffing at the mere notion of the statement, GOP opponents latched their entire investigation onto the statement, as if it was covering up a failure to respond in some "Hollywood Rambo" type manner. In reality, most Americans have become so confused by the Media (they believe the attack in Benghazi was an attack on our embassy where much more security resides) rather than on a consulate (where there is inherently less security). But instead of investigating what really happened, the GOP engaged in determining whether Obama's Administration lied about the cause of the attack. With 20-20 hindsight, instead of leaning on finding ways to improve embassy and consulate security, the investigation targets who said what, when did they say it and why did the Administration call it one thing when it appears to be something otherwise? Except, the Obama White House has not changed their story. Not even once. Obama labeled the attack on Benghazi as an act of terror, but initially reports indicated the attack was caused by local bands of militants inflamed by the incendiary video (as claimed by the Obama folks). So, the entire "investigation" into the Obama White House and Benghazi is really focused only on the continued belief that Obama lied about the cause of the attack in order to defeat Mitt Romney, the GOP's 2012 nominee for president (most folks recall the exchange between Romney and Obama during the presidential debates).
Okay Rubin, we know Obama lied. We know he is a liar. We know this because the Media has been telling us this since 2008 (and before he was even elected as president). He needs to be stopped and stopped now before he ruins America. Except since 2008, the wealthy have become wealthier and the stock markets have reached all-time highs. The economy (albeit slowly) is recovering and the annual growth in deficits has slowed. Unemployment is as low as it was when Obama took office and the ACA is now operational where more than half of the participants are receiving health care insurance for the first time (see; http://kff.org/uninsured/). But Obama remains the "Liar in Chief" because the Ideologically Oriented For-Profit Media says so! So what's your point then?
Despite the fact that talking points and narratives have created a context that Obama cannot be trusted (remember, he's after all of your guns too), real facts have emerged proving the initial belief the attack on Benghazi was in fact stirred up from the anti-Islam video. According to The New York Times, the ringleader of the attack (recently captured in Libya...Obama is so weak, he couldn't bring the folks in Benghazi to justice..err, never mind) "On the day of the attack, Islamists in Cairo had staged a demonstration outside the United States Embassy there to protest an American-made online video mocking Islam, and the protest culminated in a breach of the embassy’s walls — images that flashed through news coverage around the Arab world. As the attack in Benghazi was unfolding a few hours later, Mr. Abu Khattala told fellow Islamist fighters and others that the assault was retaliation for the same insulting video, according to people who heard him." Hmm, if the entire Benghazi "Scandal" is based upon a planned misrepresentation of the video as the cause for the tragedy to avoid embarrassment by Romney and the GOP just before the election, imagine what impact an admission by the ring-leader of the attacks might bring to the "Scandal" that the video was the spark for the attack? Just Imagine! Like anything else these days, the Media has already concluded Obama is a Liar and cannot be trusted, just look at the IRS scandal then (cue political pivot)! As we learn more and more about the truth, society (driven by media and their ideologically oriented talking points and narratives), cannot wait to move onto the next shiny object of "Scandal" instead of hashing out the truth for us all. Where is the overwhelming coverage that the actual ring leader of the attacks states the video was the cause for the unrest to become a full fledged attack on the consulate? Why should real facts get in the way of a real good story, embellished to excite and titillate the viewing public?
Just this past week, it was learned that former IRS Commissioner Lois Lerner's emails have "gone missing" and how suspicious this is considering the House of Representatives are demanding to know everything surrounding the investigation of conservative groups seeking non-profit Super PAC status (ignoring the fact that ALL such groups, conservative and liberal were being investigated). While watching Fox News this past week as the lost emails became "breaking news" I learned that the emails first went missing in 2011, close to two years before the House IRS investigation. More importantly, Fox News provided a copy of emails from Lois Lerner herself desperately asking the IRS Information Technology staff to find her missing emails and to safeguard them. Seems Lerner (a G.W. Bush appointee) was irate her emails had disappeared and demanded they not only be found, but also safeguarded from any further losses of data. Hmm, for me I thought Fox had finally done something appropriate. They revealed information that clearly evidenced Ms. Lerner was engaged in demanding that her emails be recovered and be safeguarded. But that was not enough! Nope. They then dedicated the remaining 45 minutes of the show by painting the worst picture of the Administration and Lerner possible. They spent the remainder of the show by starting every sentence with "IF".... "If Lerner destroyed the emails herself." "If Obama told Lerner to destroy the emails." "If the IRS purposely destroyed the emails to avoid Congressional inquiry (two years later) than Obama should be impeached!" Ah, the moment of truth. Providing evidence that there is absolutely no wrongdoing, but then speculating that had things been different, THEN we would have a "real scandal" on our hands. Except, there IS a real scandal here. The scandal is not that Lerner intentionally dumped her emails to avoid investigation. The real scandal is the fact that the IRS utilizes archaic technologies that are prone to dumping data and emails. Shouldn't there be an investigation into how it is even remotely possible the IRS could sustain such a sloppy record keeping system? For the critics of the government's failure to successfully roll out ACA last Fall, how can they now be so reluctant to accept the fact that many government computer systems are archaic and are prone to failures? If someone can criticize and revel in the computer failures of the ACA rollout, then why can't they seem more concerned about it happening with the IRS (instead of building conspiracy theories that always result in another Obama "Scandal")? See http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-05-16/the-irs-scandal-tempest-and-the-tea-party.
With the 2014 Midterm elections staring us in the face, with the 2016 Presidential elections rapidly approaching, wouldn't it make more sense to begin focussing on solutions that American desperately needs, like re-uniting a heavily divided nation? Like upgrading our government's computer systems and infrastructure? Like allocating funds to rebuilt America's electric, highway, rail and internet infrastructure? Like dealing with immigration with compassion and reality? Like recognizing true threats to our national security? Like providing higher education to all without forcing many into eventual bankruptcy? Isn't it time for the Media to be honest with Americans and hold themselves to the standard they demand of others? To tell the truth without bias? To educate and inform without seeking to rile up the ignorant and gullible? To prove the reality that both mainstream political parties continue to maneuver in ways to maintain their stronghold on authority in government. As President Thomas Jefferson once wrote; "Educate and inform the whole mass of the people... They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty." America has a long way to go when it comes to informing the masses, but the Media sure could make that route shorter! Have a great week!
We also learned this past week that the ring leader of the Benghazi tragedy was captured and virtually all of Lois Lerner's IRS emails disappeared. Knowing I had very little time available to review the "breaking news" of these events, my roommate at the Reading tuned into Fox News daily for his "alerts." I know, you all have heard it time and time again, but no one can accuse me of not paying attention to Right Wing Media. In fact, I have not tuned into Left Wing Media in quite some time (unless you truly believe the New York Times is nothing more than a "Liberal Rag" and instead boast that Glenn Beck's The Blaze, Newsmax and Fox News are the only "neutral" sources of "real news"). Clearly, they are not.
But back to my point. After months and months of GOP investigations into Benghazi, the Far Right seems intent to constantly bang the drum that Obama is a "liar" (again and again) not because we "left the Ambassador to die without military protection" (the CIA was there to quell the attack, albeit too late to save lives), but because Obama's White House initially called the attack a response to an Anti-Islam film. While scoffing at the mere notion of the statement, GOP opponents latched their entire investigation onto the statement, as if it was covering up a failure to respond in some "Hollywood Rambo" type manner. In reality, most Americans have become so confused by the Media (they believe the attack in Benghazi was an attack on our embassy where much more security resides) rather than on a consulate (where there is inherently less security). But instead of investigating what really happened, the GOP engaged in determining whether Obama's Administration lied about the cause of the attack. With 20-20 hindsight, instead of leaning on finding ways to improve embassy and consulate security, the investigation targets who said what, when did they say it and why did the Administration call it one thing when it appears to be something otherwise? Except, the Obama White House has not changed their story. Not even once. Obama labeled the attack on Benghazi as an act of terror, but initially reports indicated the attack was caused by local bands of militants inflamed by the incendiary video (as claimed by the Obama folks). So, the entire "investigation" into the Obama White House and Benghazi is really focused only on the continued belief that Obama lied about the cause of the attack in order to defeat Mitt Romney, the GOP's 2012 nominee for president (most folks recall the exchange between Romney and Obama during the presidential debates).
Okay Rubin, we know Obama lied. We know he is a liar. We know this because the Media has been telling us this since 2008 (and before he was even elected as president). He needs to be stopped and stopped now before he ruins America. Except since 2008, the wealthy have become wealthier and the stock markets have reached all-time highs. The economy (albeit slowly) is recovering and the annual growth in deficits has slowed. Unemployment is as low as it was when Obama took office and the ACA is now operational where more than half of the participants are receiving health care insurance for the first time (see; http://kff.org/uninsured/). But Obama remains the "Liar in Chief" because the Ideologically Oriented For-Profit Media says so! So what's your point then?
Despite the fact that talking points and narratives have created a context that Obama cannot be trusted (remember, he's after all of your guns too), real facts have emerged proving the initial belief the attack on Benghazi was in fact stirred up from the anti-Islam video. According to The New York Times, the ringleader of the attack (recently captured in Libya...Obama is so weak, he couldn't bring the folks in Benghazi to justice..err, never mind) "On the day of the attack, Islamists in Cairo had staged a demonstration outside the United States Embassy there to protest an American-made online video mocking Islam, and the protest culminated in a breach of the embassy’s walls — images that flashed through news coverage around the Arab world. As the attack in Benghazi was unfolding a few hours later, Mr. Abu Khattala told fellow Islamist fighters and others that the assault was retaliation for the same insulting video, according to people who heard him." Hmm, if the entire Benghazi "Scandal" is based upon a planned misrepresentation of the video as the cause for the tragedy to avoid embarrassment by Romney and the GOP just before the election, imagine what impact an admission by the ring-leader of the attacks might bring to the "Scandal" that the video was the spark for the attack? Just Imagine! Like anything else these days, the Media has already concluded Obama is a Liar and cannot be trusted, just look at the IRS scandal then (cue political pivot)! As we learn more and more about the truth, society (driven by media and their ideologically oriented talking points and narratives), cannot wait to move onto the next shiny object of "Scandal" instead of hashing out the truth for us all. Where is the overwhelming coverage that the actual ring leader of the attacks states the video was the cause for the unrest to become a full fledged attack on the consulate? Why should real facts get in the way of a real good story, embellished to excite and titillate the viewing public?
Just this past week, it was learned that former IRS Commissioner Lois Lerner's emails have "gone missing" and how suspicious this is considering the House of Representatives are demanding to know everything surrounding the investigation of conservative groups seeking non-profit Super PAC status (ignoring the fact that ALL such groups, conservative and liberal were being investigated). While watching Fox News this past week as the lost emails became "breaking news" I learned that the emails first went missing in 2011, close to two years before the House IRS investigation. More importantly, Fox News provided a copy of emails from Lois Lerner herself desperately asking the IRS Information Technology staff to find her missing emails and to safeguard them. Seems Lerner (a G.W. Bush appointee) was irate her emails had disappeared and demanded they not only be found, but also safeguarded from any further losses of data. Hmm, for me I thought Fox had finally done something appropriate. They revealed information that clearly evidenced Ms. Lerner was engaged in demanding that her emails be recovered and be safeguarded. But that was not enough! Nope. They then dedicated the remaining 45 minutes of the show by painting the worst picture of the Administration and Lerner possible. They spent the remainder of the show by starting every sentence with "IF".... "If Lerner destroyed the emails herself." "If Obama told Lerner to destroy the emails." "If the IRS purposely destroyed the emails to avoid Congressional inquiry (two years later) than Obama should be impeached!" Ah, the moment of truth. Providing evidence that there is absolutely no wrongdoing, but then speculating that had things been different, THEN we would have a "real scandal" on our hands. Except, there IS a real scandal here. The scandal is not that Lerner intentionally dumped her emails to avoid investigation. The real scandal is the fact that the IRS utilizes archaic technologies that are prone to dumping data and emails. Shouldn't there be an investigation into how it is even remotely possible the IRS could sustain such a sloppy record keeping system? For the critics of the government's failure to successfully roll out ACA last Fall, how can they now be so reluctant to accept the fact that many government computer systems are archaic and are prone to failures? If someone can criticize and revel in the computer failures of the ACA rollout, then why can't they seem more concerned about it happening with the IRS (instead of building conspiracy theories that always result in another Obama "Scandal")? See http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-05-16/the-irs-scandal-tempest-and-the-tea-party.
With the 2014 Midterm elections staring us in the face, with the 2016 Presidential elections rapidly approaching, wouldn't it make more sense to begin focussing on solutions that American desperately needs, like re-uniting a heavily divided nation? Like upgrading our government's computer systems and infrastructure? Like allocating funds to rebuilt America's electric, highway, rail and internet infrastructure? Like dealing with immigration with compassion and reality? Like recognizing true threats to our national security? Like providing higher education to all without forcing many into eventual bankruptcy? Isn't it time for the Media to be honest with Americans and hold themselves to the standard they demand of others? To tell the truth without bias? To educate and inform without seeking to rile up the ignorant and gullible? To prove the reality that both mainstream political parties continue to maneuver in ways to maintain their stronghold on authority in government. As President Thomas Jefferson once wrote; "Educate and inform the whole mass of the people... They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty." America has a long way to go when it comes to informing the masses, but the Media sure could make that route shorter! Have a great week!
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