For years now, I have been told -- by both sides of the political spectrum – that the media is supposed to be the one entity that can be above politics.  The ones who can report the news as it happens.  Well, I say, “phooey,” to that.  Last time I looked, media outlets were all owned by people.  And I challenge you to name one person you have met that didn’t have an opinion about something or other.  Really… how egotistical of anyone to say they are above the fray. 

Each of the different major news outlets claims independence -- Fox, NBC, ABC, CNN.  All of them claim to deliver fair and balanced information.  But as I said before, that’s a load of hogwash.  Now that the obvious has been stated, let me pose my question.  Why shouldn’t they be biased?  I would much prefer a news outlet that fully proclaims its standing as being to the left or to the right.  At least that way I could choose which point of view I would like to read or hear. 

Now I must admit, media hasn’t always been totally biased; as far as I can tell, during the 50’s and 60’s, media was to the point, lacking the typical bloviating of today’s news.  Before then, I have noted that there seemed to be a sense of competition in the news, and two papers would slander each other.  One would endorse one candidate, and the other would endorse their opponent.  And each would dig up as much dirt as they could on both persons running for elected office.  This was a good thing.  It kept elected officials honest.  (Or, well… more honest, at least.)  It helped make government accountable to the public which it was created to serve.

I once read a couple of amazing quotes by Thomas Jefferson:

                “Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter."  He also went on to say, “Advertisements contain the only truths to be relied on in a newspaper.  I do not take a single newspaper, nor read one a month, and I feel myself infinitely the happier for it.  The man who reads nothing at all is better educated than the man who reads nothing but newspapers.”  I believe these statements by our 3^rd President truly speak to the utterly biased nature of the media, even as it was observed in the late 18^th and early 19^th centuries.

Today, media has warped into a new entity all together.  They no longer report the news as it happens;  they have succumb to opinion politics, turning the Op Ed page into The Gospel According to the New York Times, all based on the sole purpose of selling advertisement space.  No longer do they endorse the candidate they believe is best for this country, but they push the one who will sell more papers, or draw more viewers.  Of course, they won’t come right out and admit it.

So media, please don’t tell us you’re fair and balanced; everyone has an opinion which inevitably affects the way they present facts.  Please don’t tell me you’re above the fray, and are here to tell us mere humans what happens in today’s world.  I don’t believe media is dead, as Fox News host Sean Hannity does, but I do believe that it has hidden its true identity under the guise of unbiased journalism.  The real media now exists in the blogosphere, where people write on the basis of conscience, and not on the prospect of a paycheck, or at the command of their advertisers.

Thanks to the wonder of the internet, capitalism has taken hold, and bloggers have entered the media market as budding competitors.  Now, if NBC or Fox refuses to air a politician’s dirty laundry, bloggers feel no guilt over performing full exploratory surgery.  The funniest thing I’ve seen in years has been the interesting articles of today’s media, not based on their own research, but on individual blog sites, or second-rate tabloids like the National Inquirer.  Well, I suppose it’s only natural for a gossip paper to scoop the nationally-syndicated news media on love affairs.  Sorry, John Edwards; we’ll see you in 2012 for your next run for office.

So I say to both sides of the political spectrum, stop crying, “foul” when it comes to media bias, as it has been around since before the newsreaders of the Roman forums.    Instead, just go write a blog.

Everywhere I go these days, whether it’s to Wal-Mart, or off to work, I am surrounded by people that are fascinated by this year’s Presidential election.  And as my wife can tell you, I am not an exception.  It seems everyone has a personal stake in today’s politics.  With gas prices through the roof, food prices out of control, and the housing market falling out from below our feet, people want change, and they want it now.

First, what is change all about?  I’ve been hearing Obama preach “change” for 19 months, and I am as confused about what he wants to do now as I was 19 months ago.  What change can I expect one man to deliver me?  But it seems to be catching on, as every politician I hear is selling change, even those who have been in office for 20+ years.  Well, I personally like America as it is, thank you very much!  But I digress; this is about King and Country, and not about the consistency of change, which sounds like a good title for another blog.

The Constitution of this Great Nation describes the three powers of government.  In Article 1, Congress is described in 10 sections; Article 2 describes the President’s powers in 4 small sections; and finally, Article 3 describes the lowly status of the Supreme Court in 3 simple sections.  And nowhere in the Constitution does it say there shall be created 3 separate but equal powers.  Nowhere…  So what, right?  What does this have to do with anything?  Well, I’ll tell you.  In the last 19 months, I have seen men and women alike fighting for the highest single position in the world -- the Presidency.  I have seen hours, days, weeks, and months of coverage about nothing else.  I have not, however, seen more than a 30 second plug about any of the 35 Senate seats that are up for grab, or the 435 House seats.  The Congress, as set by the Constitution, is the most powerful entity; they hold every power within their hands.  Our current President has a 38% approval rating; Congress has a 9% approval rating.  Where have our priorities gone?

I can’t say that I am a Republican, however I have voted for nothing but Republicans for the 7 years I have been allowed to vote.  I consider myself a staunch Conservative, with a little lower case “liberal”, and a dash of lower case “libertarian”.  I will vote for whichever party will protect me and my rights the best.  So, to those Republicans who keep complaining about judges who legislate from the bench, I say this:  Stop legislating from the White House.  Of course, that goes for Democrats, as well.

The second thing that I have noticed is the absolute idolatry of our President, or Presidential candidates.  In debates, they are expected to know the name of the Prime Minister of Zambezi, or the best economic strategy for a group of citizens whom they have never met.   I half expect a news anchor to ask either candidate at the next debate what the air speed of a swallow is, and everyone will expect the candidate to reply, “Well… Is it a laden, or un-laden swallow?”  Come on… What Senator knows where Zambezi is, or for that matter who cares?  I then get to hear the two candidates talk about their extensive knowledge of not only political affairs, but also on the economy, the housing market, religion, family affairs, energy, astrophysics, and falconry, the last two an obvious exaggeration.  How pompous do you have to be to think you are the expert on every subject that burdens Americans?     

I want my President to be an honest person, who solemnly swears (or affirms) to faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of his/her Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.  That’s it… I don’t want someone to determine crop growth or educational curriculum.  And I certainly don’t want any candidate to look at me, and offer me “change”.  Protect the damn Constitution, shut the hell up, and let Congress perform its duty and legislate.

Ooh… that felt good.  Do you ever get so angry that you start to shake a little, and it almost feels good?  I guess now I know how Liberals feel 24 hours a day.  Anyway, as I see it, my ancestors started off as British citizens, minding their own business, hanging out, having a grand ol’ time.  Then King George forced his will on the people of America, telling them what to sell, how to sell it, imposing taxes on goods and services (albeit far below the current tax rates of contemporary American society), and corrupting the judicial system of the American colonies, sending our citizens overseas to be condemned.  And by the blood of hundreds of thousands of my countrymen, the United States Constitution was created to ensure that we, the American people, shall never again have to endure the tyranny of an oppressive government, allowing us freedoms such as have never been enjoyed by any other civilization in history. 

According to our Constitution, we are to be governed by 535 men and women who come from among our ranks to represent us.  This year, we have 470 seats up for grabs to control the most powerful entity in the world, and all I hear is, “Is he the ONE?”  It would seem that today, 222 years after gaining our hard-fought independence, Americans want a King again.