The Nerve of Some People

Howard Cosell was a sportscaster who made the phrase, "Telling It Like It Is" popular and it certainly helped his reputation as being controversial and improved his ratings.

Americans like people who cut through the BS and "tell it like it is".

It helps if the "like it is" is in fact real.

We like a certain controversy in our public figures and to some extent it adds a certain spice to our everyday lives.  Its the same reason most people (certain fans and gamblers are the exception) like upsets, it adds an element of the unexpected.

Now, our last election featured a loud mouth who claimed he was telling it like it is and who ultimately pulled off a major upset.  You would think his popularity would be high, except it isn't.

The problem is the "like it is" bit isn't really "like it is" at all.  Also more and more Americans are realizing that the upset was on them, they were the ones who lost. 

There is a group that because of our primary and electoral process has gained influence way beyond what the actual public opinions are.  The anarchistic conservatives who want to have a Government that somehow does almost nothing for the people as long as they pay less taxes.

They long for the period of the Robber Barons who were able to do almost anything in pursuit of profit with no oversight.

Of course the wonderful days of child labor, sweat shops, company towns, crippling accidents, factory fires and cheap labor are the stuff they dream of.

It was great for the few, not so great for the many.  Now, in those wonderful days we had contagious diseases that reduced the need for providing any pensions and since you had to work until you were about to drop dead we had no pension financing issues.

They are fighting hard to gut the safety net because why are we helping those undeserving people?  Who were they to get sick, disabled, fired or laid off.  Can't they just have the decency to die already and stop demanding health care, clean air, safe working conditions and a chance at retirement?

The nerve of some people!