Mainstream is a joke

I am SOOOOO sick of the mainstream media marginalizing the "lower tier" candidates.

It isn't new this year; it's been happening through at least the last 8 election cycles. And there are three reasons this has been happening.

1. The Washington Press Corps believes it is the "elite" reporting mass. No one in the nation knows more, has more access, or writes better than they do. That is a load of BS. They report Buzz and Spin. They swallow what Bush, Cheney and Snow feed them, and regurgitate it back to the American public, who in turn are such a load of sheep that they'd believe Martians landed on the Mall if the WPC told them so. These reporters have become political hacks; there are less than a handful of true journalists among them.
Why? Because an appointment to the WPR is just as political as a Senate seat. It is a coveted prize, and they are thoroughly hashed for the "priveledge". Don't think that just anyone can become part of the Bush WPR. They are vetted not only by security background, but also by political background. They will do anything to hold onto that position, including raping the mission of the Fourth Estate.

2. Candidates are rated by their candidate coffers. It is no coincidence that the top 3 fund-raisers are also the "top tier" candidates. And that is sickening, because

3. These candidates are owned by the donations they have solicited. This is American Fascism at its worst; when corporations and multi-billionaires can buy the candidates.
Don't think I'm surprised by this; it's been going on almost as long as there have been political contests. But it got worse when TV hit its stride in the political arena; suddenly there was a premium on time for the candidates, and as the years progressed, and ad campaigning became more important than Congress, or Presidential campaigning for an increasingly short-attention-span audience, this premium became more and more expensive. Now we are at the height of influence-peddling, made stark reality by a Democratic candidate arrogantly proclaiming that she will not stop taking lobbyists contributions. Money and corporate influence now drives our electoral process; it has become the mainstream process that the mainstream media will not address.

If there was ever a time when we need to blow off the mainstream and knock over the conventional, it is with this 2008 election cycle.

Don't let the mainstream media limit your view of the possibilities. Learn to think for yourself.

Either that, or get the hell out of the way and let the rest of us do the work that needs to be done.

Peace