Media Goofiness...

It's been awfully frustrating to watch the criticism of President Obama's reaction to the oil spill.  Right-wing talk radio has been pushing the "Obama's Katrina" meme for 6 weeks now, but I really don't resent that any more than I do any of their other stupidity.  Jim Quinn for example, is a birther and a conspiracy fantasist so nutty that he was one of those claiming that GM franchises were being closed because they were owned by Republican campaign contributors.  His co-host was warning us that the health-care bill was evidence that the Rapture was imminent, back when the debate was at its height.  So they needed a new schtick to distract their listeners from the fact that Jesus didn't return and prevent passage of the bill they were promising would be defeated.

(image from catholic-resources.org)

Limbaugh and Beck both took a run at blaming Obama for the spill, but have been less persistent on the topic.  Beck is using every available second of his show to flog "his" new novel (apparently he used a ghost-writer, or co-author or something) and so has less time.  Limbaugh pushed it harder for at least a couple of days, but seems to have dropped it recently. He may have started up again, without my knowing it.  (I can only take so much of these guys).

(image from wordpress.com)

Less forgivable is money-honey Maria Bartiromo.  This morning, I aspirated coffee as this shameless Wall Street apologist asserted that the Gulf oil spill was the fault of the government.  Asked if BP bore any of the responsibility, she replied "If the government can't prevent this, then why am I paying taxes?"

Such a question calls for so many replies it's hard to get them out in any coherent fashion, but here's my best shot....

in the first place, you DON'T pay your taxes.  You shelter income, you employ people who's only function in life is to minimize your tax obligation, and those employees deliberately obfuscate, mislead and misinterpret the law so as to minimize the taxes you pay.  This country has given you everything you have, and you repay it by ripping it off of every penny you dare.  You're a rotten citizen.  And whiney.

In the second place, you and your ilk WROTE the laws which which prevented government from adequately regulating your rapacious buddies.  You CANNOT advocate reduced government regulation and then bitch about the inadequacy of regulation.  Okay, I guess you can do that, but doing so makes it absolutely clear that you have no intellectual credibility, and that every word that leaves your mouth is nothing more than the dishonest squirming of a crook whose crimes have led to catastrophe.  You're a lousy American.

(image from clipartof.com)

I feel better now...

it's been instructive to watch those critics of Obama's handling of the spill who aren't being paid to lie and slander.  When cornered with the question, "What is it you think he should do that he's not doing?", they're reduced to faulting Obama's "lack of emotion", or "failure to lead".  And then, they call him unpresidential for using a variation of the term "kick ass".  (NPR on 6/9)

They've got short memories.  We HAD a president who placed a premium on  image over substance.  He was prone to saying macho emotional bullshit like "Bring it on!" and "Lock and load!"  He was also the single worst president since James Buchanan.   I didn't vote for Obama because I wanted him to play the role of president in a melodrama.  I voted for him because he advocated sensible public policies which are likely to serve the country's long term interests.  

What kind of childish expectations does Chris Matthews have of our President?  Does he want to sieze BP's assets?  Why is he so obsessed with Obama phoning Tony Hayward?  What would that accomplish?  Would it clean off one additional pelican?  Would it result in a faster payment of damages by BP?

 

 (image from aug.edu)

There ARE things the administration could be doing better.  I'd like the National Guard to be issued orders that they are not to prevent journalists from photographing damage. (I suspect Bobby Jindal's behind their orders to hinder journalists)  I'd like to see the Feds repair all that boom lying uselessly on the beach, and then bill BP for the costs.

But the idea that this catastrophe is ANYTHING other than the inevitable result of the obsequious pandering to big oil advocated by the "drill baby drill" crowd is nothing more than a politically motivated attempt to create a false equivalency between the current president and the hapless, clueless amateur who preceded him.  The "liberal" media needs to quit buying their bullshit.