News to me

           Long ago, in a galaxy far, far away, the world made sense. Political debates raged, passionate speeches were made and the facts were all generally accepted. No more. So in light of this change, The Boys take a look at modern political "discourse." - The Copy Desk



          "It says here that OsamaCare gives you herpes," Warren said, looking up from his Coke Mothers' Monthly magazine. "And it also makes you fat, impotent and after you get old and sick, they send you to the death star."
          Marty shrugged. He has been telling Warren for years now that the facts, for some, are flexible. It seems that just the mindless repetition of misinformation, and peoples' unwillingness to actually think, has created a nation of people willing to vote against their own interests. "I can't even listen to the news anymore," Marty said. "They debate things that were settled decades ago, block everyday normal actions out of spite  . . .  putting party above patriotism. It actually makes me feel sick at times."
          Putting on the hot water for tea, Marty contemplated the changes, ciphering in the changes in the media landscape, the demise of the gatekeepers, the rise of money and the fact that money seems to equal speech, and decided to shrug off his malaise and look for a way through this thicket of troubles.
          The tea, ginger and lemon, would help with the sickening feeling that the deliberate lies, distortions and willful ignorance causes in his stomach. "Why is it so many people believe this stuff?" he thought. "Are they really so incurious as to think that not thinking is the best way to make policy, to ignore facts will get you to the truth, that making stuff up will fool most of the people most of the time?"
         "The biggest issues," Marty said, "Are that most people have no sense of proportion and they totally lack any historical perspective."
         "Give me some examples," Warren said.
          "Oh where do I start. It could be light bulbs, immigration, climate change, the deficit or any of the recent fake scandals," Marty said.
           "Light bulbs? You're going back to the thing about lumens?" Warren said. "Please don't shout at me again."

Marty stays informed with one of his favorite magazines.

            "Not this time," Marty said. "But the whole "government wants to take away my incandescent light bulbs" distortion is epic. The law was passed 8 or 10 years ago and it requires that incandescent bulbs become more efficient. It doesn't ban them. But the people who actually sponsored and voted for the law took to jumping in front of cameras to shout about the arrogance of the administration. Prompting normal people to buy a lifetime supply of less efficient bulbs. When in fact it was their party and their president who passed the law."
         "How do you remember all this stuff," Warren asked.
         "Like you half-brother," Marty said, "It's a gift and a curse."