Reading time – 74 seconds . . .
In what some are calling a bold move, President Obama held a press conference today and declared, “Political silly season is officially over. No more of it. Not on my watch.” Then he grounded all Republican extremists in Congress, mandating that they report to detention hall every day from 4:00 – 7:00PM. “That should help to reduce the number of dumb things they say on cable news while standing in the Rotuda, acting as though they are saying something intelligent,” President Obama explained.
He further said that the detentions are to be enforced in perpetuity or until an detention inmate writes one thousand times, “I will never again promote extremist propaganda, not even on Fox News, and I will say ‘I’m sorry’ to every American I’ve offended.” After that, if they go back to their former ways, the President said he will invoke his executive authority to re-start the entire process, but that he will double the penalty to two thousand written apologies and two consecutive lifetime sentences in detention hall.
Interviewed by Sean Hannity on his Fox News program, Sarah Palin was wild-eyed and speaking at a pitch audible only to dogs. She said that she was devastated by this news, exclaiming, “Who will I play with after school?”
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) looked particularly vexed after hearing the President’s announcement. Fresh from the recent Iowa “Look At Me” event sponsored by self-promoter Steve “calves like cantaloupes” King (R-IA), Cruz made the letter Z with each of his eyebrows in perfect mirror image of one another and announced that he was going to tell on the President. Said Cruz,”The President is gonna be sorry.”
Question by CNN’s Wolf Blitzer if his objection to the President’s actions was just the standard Republican opposition to everything the President favors or if it was possibly racially motivated, Cruz responded, “This is America and we believe all presidents should be born in this country, not in Kenya.” Blitzer apparently thought the segment was over, but was heard to say, “Huh?”
After lurching for his bottle of water, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) reached over and patted Cruz on the back, congratulating him for his comment, all the while staying in front of the camera. Rubio cautioned that he is, ” . . . not a scientist, but if 97% of political scientists say that political stupid stuff is man made and is on the rise, there might be something to that.” He cautioned, though, that, “Such things require more study but we shouldn’t divert federal funds into that sinkhole while the needs of large banks are going wanting.” He also said, “Diplomatic recognition of Cuba was . . . ” His voice trailed off and became nearly inaudible as he was looking over his shoulder and saw that President Obama was watching him and mouthing the words, “I see everything you do.”
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Ed. note: There is much in America that needs fixing and we are on a path to continually fail to make things better. It is my goal to make a difference – perhaps to be a catalyst for things to get better. That is the reason for these posts. To accomplish the goal requires reaching many thousands of people and a robust dialogue. Please help by offering your comments, as well as by passing this along and encouraging others to subscribe and do the same. Thanks. JA
Copyright 2024 by Jack Altschuler
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4 Responses to Breaking News
dominick January 30, 2015
Do you ever wonder why so many of our government leaders are buffoons and despicable people who get elected over and over again? The answer is political propaganda indoctrination (PPI), a method of using deceptive language to present misleading or false information relating to political ideas. This distorted method of communication effects even our most intelligent and educated citizens. It leads them to act against their own interests, and support the election of politicians who are hazardous to their health, safety and financial welfare.
Many political organizations and their followers suffer from PPI. They include a very wide range of people who describe themselves as Republicans, Democrats, conservatives or liberals. Their political ideology is not relevant. Unfortunately, one insidious symptom of PPI is the lack of awareness of it in its victims. I estimate that over 95% of American voters have some degree of this form of indoctrination. Unlike the victims of brainwashing, the victims of PPI readily accept false information from people they believe to be trustworthy. The next three paragraphs will explain further and enable you to self-diagnose your own level of PPI.
Over the past several years, I have become aware of how PPI had been influencing my own judgment. I did this by examining common linguistic assumptions presented in political rhetoric. Essentially, these assumptions resemble the language patterns used by con artists to gain trust from others. They include ideas that appear truthful, but have no factual or logical evidence to support them. Below are just two of these misleading ideas that the vast number of voting age Americans believe and should give you some idea if your judgment has been under the influence of PPI.
1. That the enormous amounts of money made available by corporations, wealthy individuals and special interest groups has influenced the decisions of our politicians. Now consider the fact that no one is holding a gun to the heads of our politicians to take money from anyone! They willfully solicit and willingly accept money, even from people who do not even live in their voting districts. Therefore, the availability of money is irrelevant – who is taking the money and what they are doing for it is not. Is this not a problem of moral character? If you know of anyone giving out money and wants nothing in return, please let me know!
2. That our democratic republic is a form of government that provides citizens with elected officials to represent their interests. There is absolutely no evidence that our “representatives” even listen to their constituents. They do not conduct town hall meetings during their terms of office. They provide no constituent forums on their web sites to discuss issues. So how in hell can they claim to represent their constituents? Keep in mind that the people who elect them to office often represent less than 10% of their constituents. However, their Constitutional obligation is to represent everyone who lives in their voting district, including those that voted for someone else, as well as those who cannot vote.
This is the sad and disgraceful state of our political system in America today. Politicians willingly taking money, yet unashamedly claiming it has no influence over their decisions. Then, giving no evidence that they listen to the people they are supposed to represent. I have yet to find any other political organization that addresses these obvious issues of personal integrity and lack of accountability head on. This includes many well-meaning people who are actively engaged in political and civic organizations. This is why I have devoted the past several years in creating a two-part plan of action.
This plan includes an article that shows voters how to identify misleading and deceptive political language. It will identify both incumbent and aspiring politicians as irrefutably dishonest, or it will provide a way for them to become true public servants with honor and integrity. It will eliminate money as an influence in our democracy and create the one source of political power that should be the only source of power in a democracy – the citizens who live in it! It introduces the concept of a direct voting democracy that requires no changes in any law. Instead, it demands that politicians conduct polls of their constituents, before they make decisions about laws and other matters that affect their lives. Only when we have honest and responsive representatives can we hope to repair the massive damage done by the many self-serving political toadies who now occupy positions of power in all of our levels of American government.
I am seeking people who want to develop these ideas further. I want to create an organization of educators to conduct interactive presentations that engage audiences to question their beliefs about our political system. Lecturing and suggesting contacting one’s representatives only confirms the reality that we have absolutely no control over any politician’s conduct as soon as they occupy their office. The only option available to citizens today is to beg and plead with those elected to do the right thing.
Your satire, Jack, reveals a deep level of the lack of moral character that few people want to admit in our executive branch of government. Our Presidents, Governors, and Mayors, both Republican and Democrats alike, have all become corporate bootlickers like everyone else in our legislatures. Can you think of another reason why Obama sits in his office, while members of Congress act like tantrum throwing two-year-olds who have yet to develop a moral conscience?
If anyone is interested in these ideas, please give me a call at 773-338-5906 or contact me by email ([email protected])
JaxPolitix January 30, 2015
Well said, Dominick.
The Big Lie is alive and well, like President Bush and VP Cheney telling us they kept us safe, while over 3,000 people died on 9/11 due to an attack about which the President and Vice-President were repeatedly warned.
The Big Stupid is alive and well, as legislators continue to deny climate warming.
The Big Misleading Propaganda is in control, as Ted Cruz, Sarah Palin, Rand Paul and others denounce President Obama as flaunting the Constitution.
Frank Luntz is the master conjuror of twisted language designed to manipulate public opinion and if any of us pays attention to what we say we will find ourselves describing events with Luntz’s manipulatives.
All of that distorts our democracy and even negates it. We The People better wise up.
Frank Levy January 29, 2015
Brilliant!! Oh, if only it could be true!
Sharon Sanders January 28, 2015
Here’s what I think: 1) Congress no longer governs–they dismantle social programs–then run for office–ranting and raving on their corporate-owned media; 2) the Kochs are the ones who own and control our country–the politicians and SCOTUS are their puppets; 3) the American people have been lulled into apathy and stupidity (not all, but too many), and 4) the president says one thing in his speeches and then goes back and negotiates with his corporate buddies.