Insert a Trite Metaphor for a Corral #108

Posted on July 31, 2011 in Roundup

Money, pardon the expression, is like manure. It’s not worth a thing unless it’s spread around, encouraging young things to grow. — Hello Dolly

Letters from the front. I’m reminded of the letters and diary entries that survive from the Civil War. News of distant battles took time to reach people in the north. As the bad news — and the good news — filtered in, people would express their despair and their faith in the righteousness of the Cause of Union and freedom for the slaves.

When I look at Twitter or Facebook or Google+, I see that we’re still distant from the great battles that beset our nation. The media that covers it can at best be described as untrustworthy: who really knew the details of the president’s plan from watching Fox or even CNN? What can you say when the media announces that Reid’s plan is in trouble because 41 Republicans voted against it (but it still got 57 votes from a mix of Democrats and Republicans, meaning that it would have passed if the GOP hadn’t filibustered)?

Yet despite these distortions, some journalists get what is happening. They don’t reduce the issues to a sound byte. They explain. It is these that I seek out here. They come from all kinds of places. I avoid the panicky progressive and the cynical tea party minion. I strive to find what is accurate and provocative. That people are learning not to trust the news is a hopeful sign to me.

Then there was the tweet from a Democratic congressman that I saw yesterday. He described the silence that descended on the floor of the House after the squeaker win for Boehner’s poisoned deficit proposal. “#eerie” is how he tagged it. I am glad for him. I am glad for the others who go to demonstrations or Congress or write about the trials of their neighbors or their own sufferings. It means that the letters from the front with the facts are reaching us.

• Three ways Obama could bypass Congress — And each of them is legal. Even Paul Krugman thinks they deserve consideration.
• Why Democracy is Public: The American Dream beats the Nightmare — If you’ve been losing sleep, the Nightmare could be why.
• Smash the Ceiling — Where did the idea of the debt ceiling come from? Isn’t it stupid? Then read about these Republican debt hawks who are in serious personal debt.
• OMG! COLA! Cut! Duck, everyone! — The next time a panicky progressive tells you that Obama “gave it all away”, have her or him read this. Then send them: Earth to the Left: Obama Is Into You
• Axelrod claims Democrats passed 25 tax cuts last year without the help of Republicans — And Politifact rings “TRUE TRUE TRUE!” on this one as well as on this one!
• Why Anti-Abortion ≠ Pro-Life Also check this article on “The Fundamental problem with Fundamentalism“
• Privatization myths debunked — No, government costs are not going to go down if you hand services over to the private sector. Then check the statistics on who grew jobs and who didn’t.
• 12 Ways Rupert Murdoch’s Media Empire Has Made the World Worse
• How my message to Washington got taken over by the people — In less than 24 hours, the message went viral. I took part!
• Traveller’s Point — A neat way to plan and blog about your trips
• What do you do with old bumper cars? — Gosh, how I want one of these to tool around in. Someone send me the money!
• Bipolar patients show poor decision-making in all illness phases — Ah damn. I’m never gonna be any good.