Distractions, distractions

Weiner’s weiner, Bachman’s bumblings, Charlie Sheen’s shenannigans, Palin’s pussyfooting wherever another Republican wants to announce a run for the Presidency …

These are all you hear about on the “news” lately. Even MSNBC had wall-to-wall coverage of Rep. Anthony Weiner’s indescressions.

Meanwhile, the Democrats are about to negotiate permanent tax cuts for the wealthy and huge cuts to Medicare and Medicaid just to get the Republicans to agree to raise the debt ceiling.

Anybody heard about that?

Not if you’re relying on the mainstream media.

This week, Sen. Joe Lieberman and Sen. Tom Clyburn unveiled their plan to slash Medicare, and although it got a pretty cool reception, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said it would be a good negotiating point in the battle to raise the debt ceiling.

The Republicans in Washington would rather see our nation’s economy utterly destroyed than to raise taxes on the wealthy or the super-huge corporations that pay to keep them in office. And if the debt ceiling isn’t raised — and soon — believe me, our economy will collapse. Then they can point the finger at the Denocrats and insist they’re the ones who wouldn’t play ball.

In reality, it’s the policies of these Tea Party darlings that will bring us down. When we have to default on our debts because the ceiling isn’t raised, China can call its loans due. The we’re done. No one will lend money to us, government programs will close. We won’t even have money to pay our representatives in Congress (most of whom don’t need the money, anyway).

All to make the Democrats look bad.

Our national economy and our national security are nothing to be playing a game of Chicken with.

And what do I hear on the mainstream news?

Well, Newsweek has on its cover a computer-generated photo of what Princess Diana would like on her 50th birthday that some are calling ghoulish. Why, she’s still stunning. I wonder if she’s had work done. Apparently, the photo is sparking a HUGE controversy over whether the photoshopped cover is respectful enough of the late princess.

We’re all held rapt by the Casey Anthony trial. Did she drown her daughter?  According to ABC news, Caylee’s grandfather attempted suicide to be reunited with the child, and he said Casey was the last one to see Caylee alive. Screw the debt-ceiling talks; I need to know more about this.

CBS News has that story in its top headlines too, plus a prediction by Andrew Breitbart that Sarah Palin will run for President, as though his opinion about it matters. CBS also has a confession from Charlie Sheen that he used steroids while he was filming “Major League.”

NBC has a heartwarming story about how two British tourists braved a train wreck, tornado and an insect invasion before their wedding.

These stories are taking up valuable time and space that would be used to explain why the debt ceiling needs to be raised, why we’re still fighting in Afghanistan, how Big Oil has twisted the facts to deny global warming, the real harm still being caused by the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and how much radiation is escaping the Fukashima Nuclear Plant (thye US has stopped monitoring the radiation from the plant).

And CNN is asking the question: “Can you follow Ayn Rand and Jesus?” My answer would be no.

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