The vanishing 4th Estate

Many sources for the commoner regarding international and national news are quickly disappearing in the media world and the lack of attention to it is bothersome. The list of remarkable newspapers evaporating before our evey eyes is too numerous to list here, but it is safe to say that is not a good day for America.
Without the Fourth Estate, whom amongst can watchdog the various governments? Without the print media how do we know for sure what is told to us by our national govt in regards to foreign powers, or state leaders, or even our lofty Congress or the Executive branch? Without a healthy Fourth Estate we end up with power-elite press that reports only what they want said. Want proof? Just look at the latest cartoon in the New York Post which depicts our president as a dead monkey after being shot by the police over the stimulus package. Yep, these are the same folks who claim to be "fair and balanced". Can you say the FOX network? So...with friends like FOX the death of the 4th Estate must be invigorating.

Spokesmen Rooting for our Nation's Failure

If ignorance is bliss than the leaders of the Republican Party must be ecstatic. They followed George Bush-the-pied-piper to the river of spending (for two wars and massive corporate bailouts) and said said nothing about oversight, greed, economic stability. Now that Obama is attempting to pump life into an otherwise sick capitalistic system they go back to their old role of negative response of it-won't-work theory; or even worse, the dreaded "It's Socialism" scream.

What would the repubs have this nation do? Where is their plan? The constant carping about the lack of bipartisan over the financial free fall rings hollow it that their refrain when they were brought to the table of compromise was "It grows the government".

While most of us worry about the breaking point of our nation's stress and strain, the repubs give the appearance of glee and hope that Obama's plan will fail. Need proof? Just ask their de facto leader Rush Linbaugh, he will tell anyone that listens that he is cheering for our nation's failure.

Shove more shovels toward S. Carolina

Have the hard core republicans no decency? Almost to a man/woman the Republicans in the U.S. Senate have done nothing but excoriate the ideals of the stimulus package. The constant refrain of "spend, spend, spend" were all over the airwaves by the Republicans saying that the program was just plain "stupid". Isn't it funny that this same group ran as fast as they could to approve Prez. Bush's recovery program before he exited the White House; it didn't matter that they simply approved a "giveaway" to the A.I.G. and a host of other elite companies with no oversight and no regulations.
Now some the Repubs (Senators, Governors, and Mayors) are playing hard ball with the lives of common workers by saying they will not accept the stimulus monies. Others from the same party say they will only accept some of the monies, while others are on-board the spending plan because they sense the tension of Damocles sword and just hope they are right.
The only real problem with all this lofty and sanctimonious attitude is that it is wasting precious time for both business and labor. It accomplishes nothing.
If the party's goal is to play "gotcha" with the prez and the rapid number of Americans who are out of work, then the reality is that they are not the compassionate persons they say they are; if the party's goal is to hope and pray that the prez's plan fails, then in truth, they hope America fails; and, if the party's goal is to reach out to the nation and say "We disapprove the stimulus package because it lacks fiscal soundness" then they hit a sour note with the citizens in the fact that they without doubt or gumption went merrily along with President Bush in approval of a war that lacked merit, cause, or fiscal responsibility.
Which brings us to S. Carolina. Can this state and others like it really place the lives of hundreds of thousands in jeapordy, who desperately need work, by taking a position that only speaks to the rarified and wealthy?