We're all Pundits Now

You have to admit that a certain level of cognitive dissonance sets in when the newest addition to your compliment of physicians is an ex-Clinton PR hack now serving in the medical field...in a remote Canadian city in the middle of nowhere. He is a wonderfully kind man and a very skilled doctor, but given his readiness to regurgitate all of the left-leaning beltway's latest talking points (the supposed Obama - Bush second term similarities) you have to be a little thankful that the man has chosen to graze in greener pastures.

When you begin to believe your own spin ("Cheney-Rumsfeld were the Machiavellian architects - they're even admitting it - I saw it on TV!") it's time to move on - or stay moved on as this fellow's case may be.

Speaking of the media's bizarre new fondness of drawing similarities between President Bush's second term, and President Obama's current stewardship (often mistakenly referred to as the Messiah's "first term" - was he already elected again?), let's examine that claim.

I don't seem to recall President Bush signing a massive new stem cell initiative, trying to close down Gitmo, pushing for federally funded socialized health care, enacting legislation that allows for tax payer funded abortions overseas, and lifting restrictions on abortions laws at home. Did President Bush call for a massive stimulus bill and share similar feelings on immigration? Absolutely - but the minute of how they wanted these things accomplished could not be more starkly different. President Bush did not envision the renewal of a massive FDR-style welfare state ruled by Supreme Court Justices who would use foreign court rulings and "empathy" as the guiding principals of their decisions.

The media and political spinsters seem to live in a bizarre little cocoon where the politics of celebrity and misread tealeaves are the order of the day. They speak of "the realities" of governing versus think tank chatter on the campaign trail as if they were all ardent proponents of H. Stuart Hughes' brand of conservatism. I guess everyone's a pundit these days...even me.

Cordially

Joe