Failure of the Fourth Estate -- who is looking out for us?

We live in strange times -- the press bias for liberal thought has moved from denial to outright acceptance. I remember in the late 1980's to early 1990's when conservative claims of press bias was reacted to as radical by the main stream media (MSM). Back then (boy do I feel old with that statement), the MSM denied the bias even though some 9 out of 10 journalists voted for and contributed to democrat/liberal candidates.

With the Barack Obama campaign we have achieved a new low. Journalism has died and may never return. MSM "journalists" (quotes intentional) felt tingling feelings in the leg when Barack Obama spoke, cheered at the democrat convention, and otherwise made fools of themselves.

We conservatives are no longer surprised and many of us have achieved a level of indifference. We have long moved from the bitter unfairness feeling to numbness. It is what it is...

...but....

Let's step back and really understand what all this means. The press has first amendment protection. Not 2nd, 3rd, or 10th...FIRST amendment protection. Here is the first amendment if you haven't read it in a while...

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

We forget so easily the import of this wisdom. The founding fathers recognized and experienced the power of government. Giving power to a few over the many is fraught with danger without appropriate controls and oversight. The wisdom of the first amendment is that press would be protected to provide the insight necessary for free people to remain free. Look at the first thing that usually happens in a country without these protections. When a dictator or otherwise authoritarian comes to power, the press and television stations are taken over or closed. The first amendment prevents this in the United States -- it is sometimes referred to as the fourth estate. Fourth after the judicial, legislative, and executive branches of government. The press is a final check and balance.

(Yes, I know this is the US version of fourth estate definition. Originally the first three estates were the clergy, the nobles, and the commoners.)

So what happens when the fourth estate voluntarily advocates, supports, and otherwise elect a particular candidate? We don't know...it is uncharted territory.

The abdication of journalism by the MSM is not good and is dangerous. Who will look out for the interest of the people? If you voted for Barack Obama, you may not think this to be an issue given the glow of victory that is surely clouding your senses. But think hard about this point.

Who will ask the hard questions so we know what the power players are doing? If the MSM doesn't ask the questions, will they get out of the way to allow the new media to ask the questions?

We provide a great amount of power to a few...republican or democrat...we need to know what they are up to...we need the Fourth Estate to do their jobs...or...stop pretending like they are...

I have the solution!

I wish I had thought about this during the election season!


Like many conservatives, I have been baffled with the popularity of Barack Obama and liberal thought in general. I still believe most people in this country live their lives in a conversative manner. But many still vote liberal. Go figure. So I seek to understand.


During the election season, I had many conversations with non-conservatives, that is, liberals. In all the back and forth about which candidate is better then the other, one thing that I heard consistently goes something like this: "oh we are doing fine financially, but you know, a mother-in-law of a friend of a cousin in Tennessee just lost her job".


Guilt.


This guilt is prevalent at all times whether the economy is doing well or not. It defies logic and ignores facts. It leads to underlying emotional-based thoughts and retorts such as:

• "aren't you concerned about the greater good?"
• "the poor are getting poorer"
• "the gap between the poor and rich is getting larger"
• "we must be more human"
• "we must do something about the poor...there are just so many of them"

All this combined with the media created myth that Republicans are cold, heartless brutes that will take away school lunches leads to voter support for "feel good" liberal Democrats.


So what is the solution?


Modify the IRS Form 1040. This may sound like Charlie Brown's parents to you non-tax paying readers (about 40% of the population). IRS Form 1040 is what we the remaining 60% use to determine how much we owe in taxes each year. Line 76 of the Form 1040 is:

AMOUNT YOU OWE.


You are itching to know my solution, huh?


Well, I propose that we add line 76a to Form 1040. This line shall be called:

AMOUNT I WANT TAKEN

There will be enough space to write an amount as large as a taxpaper would like to contribute to the federal government. It will allow anyone to contribute additional money to the federal government. If we can get more communities organized, we can make this change at the state level as well (anyone know a number for ACORN?).


Just think, liberals will be able to wash away the guilt and feel good about the money they are providing to solve world peace and be more human. It would leave the rest of us alone and we'll all be able to get along...California post riot lingo...

From this time forward, you will service us. You must comply.

You Trekkie's out there will remember the line from which the title is derived. For you non-Trekkie's, a quick explanation and then I'll get to my point. The title phrase comes from Captain Jean-Luc Picard after he succumbed to the Borg. It was his challenge to humanity. The Borg is a cyborg collective organization in which individuality, liberty, freedom is replaced with a social and collective consciousness. The full line is:

"Your culture shall adapt to service ours. Resistance is futile...... Your defensive capabilities are unable to withstand us. Your life, as it has been, is over. From this time forward, you will service us. You must comply"

That sums up the ascendency of Barack Obama as the US president. The American experiment is over. So, in addition to the oceans finally lowering and Earth finally beginning to heal we have started the process of lowering the greatness of this country to the mediocrity of most of Western Europe. Socialism, taxes, and the population of the "give me" generation has and will have increased sufficiently to dilute conservative thought and direction.

Too over the top you say? What evidence do you have that we have not shifted to the left and started the path towards the largest and strongest central government? How do you know? One thing is certain, Obama is a mystery to all...even his supporters. Another thing is certain, change is here...

...the impact of which will be felt negatively in about a decade or so...stay tuned...