"Nyahh Nah, Nyahh Nah, Nyahhhhh Nah!"

Although the three major news networks are still out there shilling for President O's "insurance reform" and the naysayers are invariably colored as angry right-wing nutbars, the current temperature of the public's support for incipient health care reform proposals is way below 98.6 degrees... slipping into hypothermia, as a matter of fact.

Of course, you wouldn't know that if all you watch is network news, including "in depth" reporting on Sunday morning or prime time news special features, and if all you read are mainstream media publications.

The bias doesn't always show itself through the vocabulary used in the networks' reporting, it isn't necessarily the video where righteous conservatives are shouting a little too much for comfort, it isn't always the skewed poll numbers. I find it most obvious in the 20-second wrap up at the end of a segment -- the closing sentence that is ALWAYS opinion, not a summary of fact, and ALWAYS accompanied by the knowing, condescending, snotty, sneary little twist of the mouth that says, "anyone who isn't on the liberal Democratic bandwagon (our side, the good guys' side, the smartypants' side) is just too stupid to live, doncha know."

If, however, you spend 30 minutes of your daily websurfing time reading a conservative blog or two, or if you select news reporting from reasonably objective sources, a clearer picture begins to emerge.

Independent bloggers are now providing the objectivity so pathetically and dangerously lacking in the mainstream media. Sure, a lot of it is opinion -- (although openly frank opinion, not reportage couched in opinion as on the Big Three and cable networks or in many liberal newspapers) -- but it's also actual, factual NEWS reporting that somehow never shows up in prime time or front page.

Doesn't it seem weirdly wrong that Drudge, Ace of Spades HQ, or Real Clear Politics are far more reliable and much timlier sources of FACTS than the alphabet soup networks?

Isn't it questionable to the point of outrageous that "one side fits all" is the theme of the mainstream media -- and where far too often the "other side" is never heard from, except to be ridiculed?

Last year, during the runup to the presidential campaign and throughout the campaign itself, I was still hanging around an authors' chat room -- where the acknowledged balance of political party affiliation was about 90% liberal. Woe betide the brave soul who dared to voice the above opinions -- the Puritans' pillory had nothing on the punishment visited upon the independent or conservative chatter. It was the liberal Democratic attitude in microcosm -- the intelligentsia who believe they are superior and independent thinkers, except that they march in lockstep along the party line -- and who could never admit there can be two valid opinions on political matters.

I came to the conclusion then that I've voiced often and strongly in this blog, my very own platform, that as long as the media reporting is aligned with one's own thinking, no bias is perceived and therefore is impossible to be acknowledged. It is a right-wing extremist lie and don't, for God's sake, confuse us with any facts to support the premise.

During the campaign the conservatives got the word out that the mainstream media was "in the tank for Obama" -- something that was patently obvious to those of us who simply wanted more information about this community organizer/senator-who-voted-present-and-did-nothing-more/completely inexperienced yet articulate leftie with questionable ties to homegrown terrorists/master-at-getting-elected-but-nothing-much-else/relative unknown and charming newcomer.

The mainstream media even picked up the mantra and made good fun of being "in the tank" -- and weren't they cute and good sports for poking fun at themselves -- wink, wink, of course we're not, we're oh so objective. Oh - and if you don't go along with our support of the Cheery O, you're a racist (even though this campaign has NOTHING TO DO WITH RACE.)

The result, however, isn't fun or cute. Because there was no -NO- serious investigative reporting, no critical eye focused on the man, the moneyed supporters, the ideologies, the pie-in-the-sky plans and schemes, Obama was portrayed as the Savior who would redeem us all with hopey and changey ideals. He was sold to the public -- who went along for the ride, wanted all that sky pie and didn't demand a closer look -- and here we are -- in the midst of a hugely expensive mess and certainly in line for a bigger, more expensive mess.

I can't help but think that those of us who resisted the media's package and had deep concerns during the campaign -- and since the election - have the right to be be standing now on the sidelines, waving at the Obama train and chanting, nyah nah, nyah nah, nyahhhh nah -- we knew better, we expected this, we predicted it. We just didn't have the votes to prevent it, and the responsibility and guilt for that lie at the media's fungused little toes.

My only hope is that it will be but a one-term disaster and that the far-left crazies will be stopped before they do too much damage. Depending on your news sources, the tide is turning in the public's love affair for President O and for the screwballs in Congress who support him.
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