So many myths and fear stories, so little time.

Even with the right's penchant for fear mongering, manipulating of the ignorant followers and fact that all the republicans know how to do anymore is rant and hyperventilate, that people believe all of these myths and more.

I guess when you've had your brain stoked on fear for the past 2 decades, you have a hard time knowing reality and truth.

And for many rightwingers, I think they are addicted to the rush they get from being afraid of everything.

Sure seems like conservatives are critical that Franken was in show biz before embarking on politics. hmmmmmmmm.

But, the fact that the mainstream media picked up the vitriol by the rightwing about Franken and have decided it is fact is not surprise. The media long ago became stenographers for the rightwing and promote their lunatic talking points as if written in stone.

I am a student of history and have read books on the depression, the 30s and FDR for over 20 years. FDR is my hero.

It makes me shake my head to see so many on my side of the fence fall into the trap that we can recreate the new deal, find a new FDR and all will be well with the world.

The same kind of fantasy thinking that befuddles the republicans with Reagan thinking.

How does anyone think FDR would do today with 24 hr cable news? Pundits opining their pop logic all day long. a television network dedicated to demonizing and wanting to defeat the president?

How well FDR and his spending and new programs would do in today's climate! As if.

You have a media still wired to republican talking points, that are obsessed with the shallow and silly, that blather all day and night over what this president is doing wrong at this moment and even going so far as to create controversies when things are not hot enough to amuse them.

You have a republican party controlled by it's wingnut base and praying for the president to fail. A party that puts party, self and greed before the country at all times.

An ill informed and uncurious population that is still jittery over democrats and ready to bolt gop if they don't think they can follow thru on letting the democrats finally fix the mess.

FDR and the New Deal would never be possible today.

Seems that the traditional media goes into swoons over even some mild criticism of the right or about issues and treats democrats like they are all far left fringies.

But, the kind of extreme and scary vitriol coming from the rightwing gets a collective yawn from the same media.

They treat the far rightwing like they are mainstream and are just average Americans voicing displeasure.

There is a double standard for both sides. The right wing has far more leeway and gets away some of the most dangerous and ugly hatemongering in public without anyone raising an eyebrow.

However, democrats are suspect with even voicing somewhat centrist opinion.

You, Joan, are in that world. You need to voice this to your media friends,ect. and tell them it's going too far and it's time for them to start to come down on the hate spewing. And it's time for them to hold the right to at least some of the harsh standards they hold the left.

It's also time to dump the 'both sides' bs and he said/she said lunacy and start to call out the facts.

It's time for them to go back to basics and to throw off the fear they have of the right.

Everyone seems to expect him to write the damn bill and keep wondering why he has congress doing this.

Well, congress is a co-equal branch.

It seems much of what falls on congress's duties, ect., they are not being criticized over not doing because everyone on the left seems to think Obama is suppose to do all of it.

It is congress who writes the bills and makes it law. Obama signs it.

He gives what he wants in a bill but, it is their job to write it and fight over and for it.

As a constitutional law professor the man is trying to make congress take responsibility and for the public to stop seeing the presidency as a quasi dictatorial role instead of on par with congress.

This holds with so much of what the left keeps complaining about. They want Obama to fullfill 30 years of a wish list overnight - right this minute! - and bitch about him not doing this or that. In actuality much of it is congress's job and they are responsible for these things but, have not been getting the complaints, the left's anger and demands because it seems this country either has not learned or has forgotten how this country is suppose to run.