The power of the shouted word

If you are reading this posting then you are most likely politically aware, civicly involved, tax challenged or just very bored. I would hope that it is a combination of the first three rather than the later.

The question I am posing is, who or what do you listen to, when trying to develop a considered opinion about the issues that affect us.

The news today is rarely 'news'. It is usually some oblique description of what or who is making news, framed in a headline designed to generate ratings or circulation.

Is the Seattle Times a conservative outlet and the Seattle PI a liberal rag? How do you make that judgement? Do you base it on the news stories reported or the by the editorial page, the political cartoon, or what 'letters to the editor' are selected for print.

Do you watch TV News? Local, national or both? Do you believe that CNBC and Fox News are news reporting agencies (like the AP, Reuters, and UPI) or are they agenda based ratings generators that look for stories to support the position they hope to engender? Is local news an actual news source or just hype headlines to get people to watch their soft, public interest stories and commercials?

If you listen to news radio, who do you listen to? Do you listen to a station that is all 'conservative', all 'hype' or one that provides a balance of opinions. If you pick a station that provides a balance of positions do you pick and choose the host that most closely mirrors your opinions, or do you listen to those of differing opinions? Do you listen critically to the opinions and the facts that are presented? If it is a host that you align with, or one you disagree with, do you attempt to verify what you have heard.

The truth is that most people that want to tell you something, count on the fact that very few of us take the time and effort required to make a truly informed decision. Most of us, even if we are informed and involved, only follow the news that supports our preconceived political bent. If you are a die-hard Republican do you listen to the Democratic debates, and vica versa?

To our great misfortune, those politicians and policy makers that we have charged with the responsiblilty of making decisions for us, are reduced to soundbites. The average person never has a chance to go to a town-hall meeting, a caucus, or grange meeting, and actually listen to or make comments to those that represent us. If the representative is for a local office, the only contact we might have is through a community newspaper (most of which have dissappeared in the last year or so). If the politician is a state politioian we receive updates occasionally, touting their voting records, all produced by the party committee to which they are beholding.

The process of being an office holder has been reduced to running for election against an incumbent, and if lucky campaigning as an incumbent from their election day to remain an incumbent. The day of politicians running for office, to represent the public good, has been relegated to those secure and rich enough to run for 'public acknowledgement' rather than public service.

It is for that reason, I believe, that politicians, and their decisions, are so open to public critisism by the cheap-shot artists that have become the commentors of our public reporting outlets.

The result, in the Seattle-King/Pierce County-Washington areas, is that we have allowed special interests to completely dominate the political arena. We are no longer governed by City councils, County commissioners, and Stete legislators. We are being governed by single issue Initiative genererators.

What I am truly tired of, are all those that use the power of the media (their 'bully pulpit' to shout their opinions, use derogatory names, and selfish and hollow arguments to advance their agenda. In this area the shouters are the Tim Eyman (professional intiative writer), Dori Monson (KIRO radio), John Carlson (KOMO Radio) and Rush Limbaugh (sydicated) and politicians such as Dino Rossi. They all choose venues where they control the discussion and avoid the opportunity to interview or include others, with contrasting opinions, in a discussion of the issues.

I am no less critical of politicians such as Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, King County Executive Ron Sims, or the whole of the Port of Seattle commissioners. They are of the catagory that serve for public acknowledgement rather than public service. Their positions on the issues wash in and out like the rain clouds that maintain the reputation of rainy Seattle and PC politeness.