Here's a chilling thought:

First, since "Watergate," I believe most of our social and political life has been shaped by what the media tells us is important. And trust me, few of us understand how uninformed they are or what their motives are. I have spent enough time in front of the media to realize few grasp complex issues (though they willingly write or talk like they do) and most of them are looking past this story to the next one that will propel them into the next larger market. They are not the better informed warm individual that paints your world for you each day. That is stage persona. That's what got them in front of the camera.

Well, if you believe me that they are not as informed as you think and their motives are somewhat self serving, what is good for them? CONFLICT! Whether it be war, rape, or two neighbors fighting, that gives them a story and a chance for the "big story." They will paint the conflict as large as they can. Makes them important. You need them on TV to tell you about it.

Rahm Emmanuel tells a working group of his that funneling money toward ads castigating the "Blue Dogs" is retarded. It is. So naturally, the slang term of "retarded" has become a slur word denigrating (can you use that word?) mentally handicapped persons. A person at the meeting takes that to the media, he or she takes that to Sarah Palin, and Palin lets out one of her famous Facebook posts, Emanuel should be fired. You would think that was enough.

Week later, Limbaugh, unable to help himself (rather, he does that very well) he uses the "r" word. Media goes pack to Palin. What do you think about that, they ask. No one should use that word, she says. Here's the kicker! What's the story? PALIN SLAMS LIMBAUGH! Where did that come from? Out of the media person's desire to create great news.

I have little respect for Palin. I think she is nothing more than an opportunist. Rake in the money while the raking is good. That's Palin. But this is just a small example of what the media is doing to all of us.

What's my point? There is obviously an unprecedented conflict between Republicans and Democrats. There is conflict on so many levels between parties, within parties, between parties and independents. The media is having a field day. Its been so good for them that news stations devote 24 hours a day to it. (Any of you old enough to remember when the national news was 15 minutes long?) This is so large that bloggers have matured into another nearly respected news source.

I have had this fear that our nation is going to be overwhelmed by populists and that will be a very short step to fascism, i.e. we better all start thinking alike or we are the problem. I have this fear that the populists will sacrifice the rights of individual thinkers to get conformity to their thinly thought out logic.

Now here is my new concern. I truly hope I am just having a paranoid day or I'm just stupid. There are a lot of intelligent people out there that see the potential disaster of this populism. What if they preempt them? What if the Democrats see a populist movement growing on mis-information and sensationalism from the media? What if the Republican party sees power taken from them by populists pushing out establishment leaders? Could this lead to a government clamp down on the free press? Could we loose our access to information and the right to free speech in the name of saving our nation from fascism?

I know. Bizarre. Just having a bad day. Think about it. One thing I am sure about. Conflict is escalating every day. Escalate means increase. The most is physical conflict.