Of Triplets, Texas, Tea Parties and Temper Tantrums

Being the father of triplets, I have plenty of experience with temper tantrums and what I see right now is the political right having a temper tantrum.

Take Rush Limbaugh’s daily tirades on the radio waves as an example. Repeatedly, this infotainer screams and yells, flapping his arms about the place in response to his imagined impending doom of western civilization, like Chicken Little without a head, shouting “The sky is falling!”.

Take Glen Beck’s recent temper tantrum in response to the report that only 70,000 people attended the Tea Bagger’s protest in DC on 9-12 as another example.

Take Texas Governor Rick Perry’s ignorant talk of secession at a time when our country is at war, when young Texans are risking and giving their lives for the good ol’ USA, as the foulest smelling of all temper tantrums yet expressed.

The common wisdom in dealing with a child that is throwing a temper tantrum is to simply ignore them. President Obama is doing just that.

In a recent conversation on Fox News, Chris Wallace and Bill O’Reilly complain that the President to whom they have both shown great disrespect has opted to chose a Spanish-language network ("Univision!") for a Sunday morning interview rather than Fox News. President Obama has opted to ignore the temper tantrum.

Bewildered by such news, Bill O’Reilly claims it is a huge mistake for the Obama administration, asserting that the “power of the media has shifted to Fox News and talk radio”.

No, Bill, the power of the media hasn’t shifted to Fox News. What has shifted to Fox News are the minority of Americans having a temper tantrum over loosing the last election combined with less agitated folk who’ve temporarily fallen for the fantasy fabrications like death panels, an impending dictatorship, the death of capitalism and a whole host of other delusional distortions.

Interestingly enough, and perhaps too little too late, during their conversation, both Chris Wallace and Bill O’Reilly contradict Glenn Beck’s claim that 1.7 million tea baggers attended the 9-12 Protest in Washington DC on Sept. 12th. They both cite 70,000 as the correct number.

Partial Transcript of Conversation:
Chris Wallace: "...when you have David Axelrod go on 'Face the Nation' last Sunday and denigrate the million or, I don't know, the hundred thousand – thousands and tens of thousands of people who came here in the streets here in Washington to protest..."
Bill O'Reilly: "Seventy thousand"
Chris Wallace: "...and, and, and basically says, you know, they're not representative. Well, they're representative of those seventy thousand; I think they're representative of a lot of people."

Maybe Fox News infotainers are beginning to get it: they are being ignored for their temper tantrum which they exhibit in such ways as misreporting facts like the size of the DC crowds on 9-12, reinforce irrational ideas like death panels, and make unfounded accusations of fascism and tyranny.

Perhaps Fox News is realizing that making mountains out of mole hills as they did when they began the anti-Czar drum beat against the Obama administration all the while failing to mention President Bush had 47 Czars over his eight years in office – perhaps they are realizing they will be ignored for it. Perhaps they will understand that there are those of us that remember their mantra during the Bush administration: you don’t criticize a sitting President during a time of war.

Perhaps it is time for the politicians on the right to stop confusing tyranny with loosing an election. Perhaps it is time for the politicians on the right to stop throwing their temper tantrum. Perhaps it is time to start working on resolving the real issues that face America with honesty, integrity and a sincere desire to work within the system rather than to subvert it with well-funded agitations of fringe elements dangerous to the well being of the union.

Fox News and company have made no secret of their desire to render the President impotent. It would appear they are in shock that there are consequences to such seditious intentions. This speaks volumes about the depth of their denial.

Perhaps this is the beginning of the end for the dry drunk radio hosts and cable news personalities. They act with impunity fostering fantasy fears in an effort to control and dominate the American political landscape, and who wish to subvert the will of the American people by overthrowing a dully elected President.

Sedition has a price.

Tick Tock…

Thanks for reading my blog. All comments welcomed.

References:

Chris Wallace & Bill O’Reilly Conversation on YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrWh8VVaz60

Beck Pushes 9/12 Rally Crowd Size to 1.7 Million - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOmtlfiJeLQ

© John E. Steele, 2009 – All Rights Reserved