And America is insane. Not because of teabaggers, birthers, and the rest of the right-wing clown show. We know they’re insane but they are a relatively small group.
No. America is insane because the mainstream media and the vast public that consumes their drivel still listen to the same people who nearly destroyed this country during the Bush years.
Very early in the Bush Administration liberals had very serious doubts about the Iraq War, the global war on terror, Bush Administration surveillance policies, homeland security, etc. Yet liberals were ignored and marginalized by the press who were too busy cheerleading for the war and bowing to chimpy because he was so manly.
Today we know our worst fears were true. The Bush Administration was every bit as bad as we thought. The revelations from Tom Ridge that the terror alerts from 2004 were motivated by politics not actual threats are just another example.
Yet, the same people who were so wrong for so long are all over the TV pontificating on health care, Iran, Israel, and all the other issues of the day.
And of course the mainstream media and the conservative politicians they worship were wrong not only about the Iraq War but the economy as well.
Few of those people have lost their jobs or their influence. In newspapers and cable new shows everyday, we are still treated to the opinions of people who should of had their credibility destroyed.
Glenn Greenwald has a post lamenting the fact that those who were right for 8 years are still looked on as cranks, even when we are proven to be right by subsequent events.
After eight years of incompetence and dishonesty, and despite the fact the American public threw conservatives out of office, nothing much has changed in the conventional wisdom.
If the left is to be revived, the discourse in Washington will have to change. But that discourse seems impervious to the influence of events.
Change will occur only if we stop watching.
