So for the next couple days I am staying with my parents, who have graciously opened their home to me. I appreciate it. However, there is one thing about staying back home with the parents that is difficult for me. Every day the television is set to Fox News for hours and hours. It is difficult to listen to any single network for hours on end, day after day, but the fact that it is a network that so utterly misrepresents facts to push an ideological slant on to everything they broadcast makes it even more troubling. It pains me to listen to the falsification of facts for the purposes of pushing an agenda. It breaks my heart to think that thousands of Americans think they are getting accurate information there.
Today I listened to fifteen minutes of a discussion that offers a great example. I think one voice was Glenn Beck, but I was not watching so I don’t know for sure. Each of the “news” pundits explained that less government creates a better America and used several examples, but primarily the 1920s, to prove their argument. They stated that Presidents Harding and Coolidge oversaw a prosperous and quite era by limiting the federal government; conversely, eras dominated by liberal presidents like FDR, LBJ and Obama are characterized by economic instability, social disorder (riots, strikes, terrorism, etc.), and war. They asked, “how can Americans not see this obvious trend?”
Well, Fox “news” pundits, let me answer the question. That pattern exists only in your erroneous revisionist history. Let me explain.
The peace and prosperity brought about in eras of conservative presidents generally led to economic crisis and social upheaval, at which point Americans elected a liberal president to fix it. It is not fair to charge FDR, LBJ, and Obama with the economic crisis or social tensions created under the previous presidents. The hands-off government approach is what led to the Great Depression (remember it began under Republican Pres. Hoover), created strikes, and caused Americans to elect FDR. You cannot blame him for the crisis created by the preceding Republican rule. As per war, well, it is not FDR’s fault that the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. Likewise, you cannot accuse Obama of creating an economic mess that predates his presidency. Likewise, you cannot blame Obama for starting the war when in fact it was the preceding Republican president (Bush) who sent the troops into Iraq and Afghanistan. As per the LBJ example, well, economics were pretty good before he was elected and the nation at peace. Still, it was the Cold War, caused by both liberal and conservative predecessors, that created points of conflict, one leading to the Vietnam War. And the Vietnam War is really what broke the bank and caused economic problems. In my opinion, his programs and federal regulation would have been affordable if we were not caught in war at the same time.
So, in the example of the three periods the “news” pundits selected, two of the three trouble-making liberal presidents (FDR & Obama) were elected to solve the problems actually created under the presidency of the preceding Republican president. If there is a pattern to be seen, it is that Republican presidents create under-managed economic growth that generally ends in terrible economic crisis (a natural consequence of deregulating and minimizing government). In response, Americans swing the other way to elect a liberal pro-government president to fix the problems created (or perceived to be created) by the conservative anti-government president.
The load of lies perpetuated by Fox News is not even revisionist history--it is outright deception. These Fox News shows completely fabricate the past to fit their political ideology. Please, don’t get your history lessons from Fox News.
After learning time we went to a potluck luncheon at the Church and had good food and fun. I was able to practice with my good friend Carly since we are doing an oboe/piano duet on Sunday. I absolutely love to play with Carly. Abby ran and ran with her friends. This evening we enjoyed time with our good friends Carric and Jenny. They invited us over for dinner and we had so much fun. Here is Abby with Carric and Jenny.
Abby loves to wash dishes and so she washed their dishes
This shows Abby eating dinner which was very yummy.
Abby helped wash dishes after dinner and ended up convincing Carric to wash her hair in the sink. What a funny girl! 
We really appreciate our friends and how much they love Abby. Thanks Carric and Jenny for a wonderful evening! 
