Gotcha Politics - Get This!

August 28, 2008

We have entered into the Golden, nano-second Era of Gotcha politics, where a shot of Obama not saluting the flag is actually not from the pledge of allegiance but the national anthem, and yet it’s deliberately misrepresented to make him look bad. And to make someone else look good by stomping on another’s head and heart.

Gotcha journalism is fat-belly, scratch your tummy, Monday morning QB sideline, couch potato, double cheese, overcooked potshot media that deserve to be called on their lazy disservice to journalism and the business of this country. It betrays the noble, even sacred goal of making this country more just and successful for all. It is for those who don’t want to take any time to look at the real issues which aren’t simple, are the most real and important, aren’t easy to solve and impact all of us.
Energy
Economy
Debt
Taxes
Foreign policy
Health care
Education
Housing
…You name it!

All require the difficult consensus and give and take and information gathering and “walking a mile in the other’s moccasins” from many entrenched groups with their own motives and agendas
All require sacrifice
All require imagination
All require putting the business of the greater good at some point above 100% self-interest
In other words, all are tough, hard work, and real interaction, and demand ethics that require fairness, honesty, transparency of one’s own motives, accountability and commitment to being part of the solution....even a national community. And who wants that? lol

Nick Lowery
(go to http://www.loweryspeaks.com/ for this blog and newspaper column)