April 26, 2012

SandBoxBlogs: Aspen Times/Melanie Sturm "Sex, lies and videotaped government scandals"

There are some great 'blogosphere' catch phrases that have risen to the top over this election cycle:

'fauxtrage'  (fake rage or fake outrage)

'manufactured outrage'  (good old fashioned yellow journalism ratcheted up to viral speeds)

FUD (Fear, Uncertainty and Disinformation)

FUDD (Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt and Disinformation)

YAACA (Yet Another Attempted Character Assassination)

Psycho Op (preferred methods of a power abuser)

EPAE (Executive Power Abuse Extravaganza)

I think the latter about sums up the HookerGate scandal down in Columbia.

Terrific take on the story.  From Melanie Sturm. Up on the Aspen Times.

Melanie Sturm:
"In other words, the onus is on us. Politicians will concern themselves with our interests only if they think we care. If we don't care that they've violated the law by refusing to adopt a budget, and that they've spent us $16 trillion into debt, what do we care about?

Demand accountability and restraint, and don't allow the word “trillion” to be normalized; after all, a trillion hours ago, dinosaurs roamed the earth! Don't wait for the right people to get elected; remember, Bluto became a U.S. senator despite his 0.0 GPA. It's a basic rule of life — If we tolerate out-of-control “Animal House” behavior and indifferent “Animal Farm” attitudes, we'll just get more of it.

Think Again. It's not only a fiscal imperative — it's a moral one...." (Read more?  Click title)

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

excellent column, as usual from her. They're always so well-argued and fact-based. She needs to run for office.

Anonymous said...

I enjoy the wait being over as each one comes out. the more I observe of the political environment we've somehow managed to explode into, the more I think that the really good ones who have great potential in politics, need to sit back and work harder at getting their voices heard. we need strong, respected voices to rise to the top and hold strong. especially the voices of women.

zgnative said...

Wonderful column. I agree that the current arena isn't really all that conducive to actually getting anything done. But to harnass the power of words that lead, direct and teach is an awesome force. She should look into syndication and more public speaking.

Anonymous said...

Is there no longer discretion within power? It is as though we have lost morality in the very places we need them the most. I certainly do not expect those we trust with our safety to be super-humans with no weaknesses, no frailties. But by God, I do expect the elected, the sworn and the entrusted to at least have the discretion to conduct themselves according to the oaths they take. Such a simple thing, keeping personal separate from public. Private separate from joint. Conduct becoming instead of conduct unbecoming. What Sturm is speaking of is happening on every level of local, regional and national levels. To say that the entirety of the problem is disturbing is to say the least of what it is. "Animal houses" and singular focus of just what one person wants or believes instead of just doing the job has done more to shatter the collective security of the average man than any war or act of nature could possibly do.

mandy said...

Sturm always puts out a good column and I think the idea of spreading that around she should really consider seriously.

What a shame it is that a handful of bad secret service agents have discredited all of them. I feel the same way about this as Rick Perry does about Obama and Holder.

Why didn't President Obama know? When the ones at the top don't know what's going on in their own house it's time for the ones at the top to go.