TV News LIES

I know a guy who listens to Rush Limbaugh every day, and watches FOX News every night. And he’s been doing this for years.

I have to deal with this guy regularly. And almost all of the time what we have to talk about has nothing to do with politics. But every once in awhile we “go there.” And an amazing transformation takes place. He becomes a Rush Limbaugh - FOX News - talking points regurgitator.

Late on election night, there are plenty of things everyone would really rather not think about -- not after such a long, grinding, 4-year campaign.  And that's probably a good indication that we should think of them.  Now.  Even if we get queasy.

I dunno about you, but my own private version of Nightmare on Pennsylvania Avenue managed to leak out and stain my innermost thoughts, even now, fully tired, and my guard down.

After brushing aside all the shouts of Peanuts! Popcorn! Hot Dogs! Cold Drinks! and ducking around vendors and crowds, I found myself standing alone, under a huge banner, overhead:  Step Right Up and Make a Prediction for the Big Day (TM).

On one side, a hope-and-change machine started up, despite signs of sputtering, stuttering, and stalling out from time to time.  But, it always responded well to CPR, then would get right back on track, going down the center of the road.

On the other side, a blockade machine was built.  It swerved hard right all the time, otherwise working flawlessly, halting all forward progress with random exclamations of "NO!" and "One term only or else!" and "Over our dead body!"

That was four years ago.  Feels more like forty.

There's really nothing for it, not at this stage.  Propaganda, marketing, and psychological operations have done all they can.

Voters who remain undecided should seek professional assistance as soon as possible to prevent injury from overwrought hand-wringing, or other long-term damage. The rest of us will struggle on and try to do what we think best.

* * * * *

Many will see today as the last full-spectrum day of candidate drum-beating, tambourine-shaking, and stump-smoldering speechifying.  There may be a regretful tear at this realization and news.

Everything you ever wanted to know about the world's most expensive election but were afraid to ask:  Here's the tale of the single-most psychotic leadership-selection method, and in the world's most heavily-armed nation -- a country totally unafraid to randomly flex its military and financial might, whimsically, this way or that -- and it can be found right here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-20163081

It provides a crisp, clear 3-minute view of the infernal inferno of an election process we bright Americans have created for ourselves and then rapidly, placidly accepted -- if we dare look, and if we dare see.

There's nothing like going to another country to get news about your own.  At least the internet / internets / internest / interwebz / internexus -- whatever you choose to call it -- makes dashing out for an electronic paper tons easier than before, boarding an international flight every morning in your PJs.

There are at least three advantages that come to mind.  First, the United States no longer has a press corps interested in journalism -- they have become professional softball lobbers and the current culture's fluff-and-product-placement pimps.