by John Nevola

Created on: October 25, 2006   Last Updated: January 19, 2009

It's hard to believe how people's opinions and subsequent beliefs are so profoundly affected by the slanted reporting of the national mainstream news media. And once those opinions harden and become reflected in various opinion polls, the party out of power perceives a weakness and therefore an opportunity to unseat the incumbents. Then let the negative attacks and the political games begin. But on issues of safety and survival, do these polls really reflect the nature of a nation?

When some news writer's sound bite is repeated and repeated often enough, it sounds like national policy to the great unwashed. For example, where does the characterization "Bush's war on terror" come from? I thought it was America's war on terror! Pardon my naivet but I distinctly recall being attacked both abroad and at home and for our own protection and the safety of our children, you and I declared war on the terrorists! Suddenly, when things begin to go badly, it becomes "Bush's war on terror"? Give me a break!

So, whom will we send to represent us in Congress in November? Will it be those who want to weaken or repeal the Patriot Act, focus on condemning our treatment of enemy combatants, expose and criticize our surveillance methods and encourage the enemy with their public criticisms of our conduct and progress in Iraq and Afghanistan? Can anyone say "timetable to leave Iraq"?

It's not that all of these positions are entirely without some merit. There is certainly a grain of substance in every one of them, but I would rather have someone in charge that is actually serious about fighting and winning this war on terrorism than appeasing a misguided segment of the electorate. We can still solve those issues and problems while we try to actually win this battle in the war on terror.

The recurrent theme of many of the challengers' current ubiquitous campaign ads is to associate their opponent with "Bush's failed war in Iraq." This is another sound bite that the media loves to propagate. First of all, Congress authorized the President to conduct this war. Some elected officials would like to change their vote and many others weasel out of their vote with excuses and rationalizations. Reality check! The truth is the truth. It's not just Bush's war in Iraq!

Secondly, the majority of the American people re-elected this President in 2004 despite the efforts of the media to over-report polls to the contrary. And finally, since when do we call the outcome of a war while it is still being

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• Next Page >>