If one looks around they might see we are not in the same place as 233 years ago. If one chooses to not look around one should hope to not be in the same place we were 233 years ago.

There are similarities, alas, they're not of the wisdom we give our founding fathers so much credit for.

Having finished Glenn Beck's Common Sense, in which he's inspired by Thomas Paine, several things strike home.

Mr. Beck derides people for using the same scare techniques he employs. The book is written in a very simple manner, which allows him to reach the widest audience.

He at once rallies people to the flag with keywords and chastises those in disagreement with negative words.

If I were to write a book attempting to influence American's I would refer or name things I liked with inspirational patriotic themed names.

The Patriot Act is a perfect example. It was billed as "for our own protection". What it amounted to was: loss of freedom with big brother as peeping tom. But rah-rah, it's the Patriot Act, cue Star Spangled Banner.

Notice all the red, white and blue in the sets of the TV blowhards? Flags waving as they spew their anti-American rhetoric.

One could waste time deriding the TV bobble-heads (and I will), but that would let the true culprits off the hook. The One's behind the curtain of red, white and blue, telling us what they want us to hear.

GE, Disney, News Corp, Time-Warner, Viacom, CBS. Six companies... six people at the head.

Rush Limblower spewing fire and brimstone in the same rhythm as an    evangelical preacher. Bill O'Viley barking down dissenting views.

People follow blindly, because they are draped in the flag and we're into quick battles, not of wits, but of he who carries the biggest stick. In this case the blowhards wield their voices as clubs, pummeling their opponents with a dizzying array of stupidity. Witness the bellowing, drowning opposition in corporate approved rhetoric.  

The calm opposition awaits a turn that will not come, as the steroid sized head calls "time-up", declares victory and cuts their opponents picture from your TV.

The opponents think this is equal time, fair and balanced. It's not, it's guerilla TV entertainment, masquerading as news. It's reality TV with "news" in the graphics.

And the masses go "woo-hoo, what an ass kicking" and move further into the darkness.

Dragging the rest of us with them.

In the midst of their patriotic rally they slip things in like: "We can't afford healthcare or roads and bridges and stuph like edycation. We'd like to give people everything really we would" (but we're busy giving ourselves and the really rich people stuff). "God Bless America" (she'll have to after we're done fucking her).

Although I'm part of the angry American crowd, I'm going to limit my complaints to one an article unless I'm really angry, then I may drape myself in the flag and spew out a few in my big Rush Limblower voice.

Todays topic:

PRIORITIES: The people we elect need to be accountable to us. This is a problem. They are not.

If we the people deem certain things priorities, they should listen. And when they don't we should ask why?

If we can't afford edycation or infrastructure or healthcare... why? Where have you spent our money?

Where has our money gone? Why are we paying you? Or are WE paying you?

Where are term limits? Where is campaign finance reform? Where is all the lobbyist money going? Why are you accepting it?

233 years later...oppression comes from within.  

Wrap yourself in the flag and you can say anything (if you word it right):

"Today only several hundred people died in bridge collapses. We're really getting a handle on this."

"If we'd have had national healthcare more people would be alive today, starving. Thankfully we've cut back on starvation."

"Today test scores were lowered so low we now have an entire nation qualified to be plasma physicists. No child left behind is a success! As an added plus, the biggest job opening in the future will be for those that can read street signs and get the plasma physicists to work. There is a worry we will have to farm these jobs out to overseas or intergalactic lifeforms. "

"Our elderly were old and fuck parkinson's disease all that shakin', bakin' and fakin'."

Oh, that's right it already happened... thanks Rush.