I actively avoid retrospectives each year. That is not going to stop me from writing my own. As I look back over the last year, it seems we have fallen completely into the land of unintended consequences. Maybe fallen isn't the proper word. Maybe we have been manipulated and misled into this land. Here are the top manipulations of 2012, in no particular order:
1. Rick Santorum. Mr. Santorum was a great presidential candidate. He won or came within a few votes of winning many primaries. He had little money and less support from the Republican machine. He ran a race based on real principles, and won his caucuses and primaries the old fashioned way. He met voters, told them what he believed, and they liked it.
The fact that he was relegated to the half-off-stage-behind-the-curtain-in-the-poorest-light area during every debate, and asked as few questions as possible, demonstrated the collusion between Republican king-makers and media manipulators. When Romney was pitted against Obama's "It's all about abortion and contraception" democrats, we could see why Santorum had to be silenced. Rick would win against the abortion machine. But he wasn't given a chance.
2. Grocery and gas prices. The phrase sticker-shock didn't really cover it as I watched the cost of basics rise by leaps and bounds last year. But the real manipulation came when the prices took a steep dip just in time for the election. Half-way through October, gas prices dropped, milk prices went down, even on the all important chocolate milk, bread, eggs, cheese, everything became less expensive. And then Obama was re-elected and they rose again.
3. Employment numbers on 18-20 somethings rose in September for the first time in decades. Normally the employment numbers for this age group go down in September as the kids go back to college. Not this year. It was historic! It was amazing! And it was just in time for the election! What a coinkidink!
4. Benghazi. Our President could have watched in real time as our CIA safe-house was attacked on 9/11 by organized Libyan Al-Qaeda members with short range missiles they had been given by an arms deal gone bad with Turkey. Instead Obama went to bed early to be fresh for a campaign stop in Las Vegas. The current question is if Hillary Clinton is the latest American murdered by this administration's misinformation campaign. Since Hillary is now out of the hospital, the American public, and our representatives, must have completely moved on from Benghazi to cliff diving. It is far more important that we know Boehner told off Reid in the most unimaginative way possible. than who answered the please for help from dead Americans, and told them to die quietly.
5. Obama received more than 100% of the vote in several counties across the country. That's right, in these heavily populated, urban, diverse, multicultural areas, not one person voted for Mitt Romney. It was an epic win. (Of course I'm using 'epic' in the sense of a horrible tragedy that robs a people of it's last vestiges of freedom.)
6. The HHS mandate. Some friends of ours are giving up on health insurance for their children. They can't afford it. Wasn't Obamacare supposed to fix that? Apparently not. It is far more important that Obamacare cover contraception and abortion than provide inexpensive coverage for working families with live children. After all, the federal and state governments must fund Planned Parenthood, so that Planned Parenthood can turn around and donate those dollars to the candidates who fund them. The phrase vicious-circle was created to describe Obamacare.
I think I'll stop at six. It is the number of the anti-Christ. It seems appropriate.
Update: After writing this, My sister sent me this. It seems Mark Mallett and I are thinking the same thing, but he's much better at expressing it than I am.
1. Rick Santorum. Mr. Santorum was a great presidential candidate. He won or came within a few votes of winning many primaries. He had little money and less support from the Republican machine. He ran a race based on real principles, and won his caucuses and primaries the old fashioned way. He met voters, told them what he believed, and they liked it.
The fact that he was relegated to the half-off-stage-behind-the-curtain-in-the-poorest-light area during every debate, and asked as few questions as possible, demonstrated the collusion between Republican king-makers and media manipulators. When Romney was pitted against Obama's "It's all about abortion and contraception" democrats, we could see why Santorum had to be silenced. Rick would win against the abortion machine. But he wasn't given a chance.
2. Grocery and gas prices. The phrase sticker-shock didn't really cover it as I watched the cost of basics rise by leaps and bounds last year. But the real manipulation came when the prices took a steep dip just in time for the election. Half-way through October, gas prices dropped, milk prices went down, even on the all important chocolate milk, bread, eggs, cheese, everything became less expensive. And then Obama was re-elected and they rose again.
3. Employment numbers on 18-20 somethings rose in September for the first time in decades. Normally the employment numbers for this age group go down in September as the kids go back to college. Not this year. It was historic! It was amazing! And it was just in time for the election! What a coinkidink!
4. Benghazi. Our President could have watched in real time as our CIA safe-house was attacked on 9/11 by organized Libyan Al-Qaeda members with short range missiles they had been given by an arms deal gone bad with Turkey. Instead Obama went to bed early to be fresh for a campaign stop in Las Vegas. The current question is
5. Obama received more than 100% of the vote in several counties across the country. That's right, in these heavily populated, urban, diverse, multicultural areas, not one person voted for Mitt Romney. It was an epic win. (Of course I'm using 'epic' in the sense of a horrible tragedy that robs a people of it's last vestiges of freedom.)
6. The HHS mandate. Some friends of ours are giving up on health insurance for their children. They can't afford it. Wasn't Obamacare supposed to fix that? Apparently not. It is far more important that Obamacare cover contraception and abortion than provide inexpensive coverage for working families with live children. After all, the federal and state governments must fund Planned Parenthood, so that Planned Parenthood can turn around and donate those dollars to the candidates who fund them. The phrase vicious-circle was created to describe Obamacare.
I think I'll stop at six. It is the number of the anti-Christ. It seems appropriate.
Update: After writing this, My sister sent me this. It seems Mark Mallett and I are thinking the same thing, but he's much better at expressing it than I am.
