Cognitive dissonance

So on this Sunday, after sharing my breakfast of oatmeal and yoghurt with a hungry 3 year old, I settled in to catch up on what passes for journalism in the current age. Setting for CNN.com, I was intrigued by the ticker: Palin: Take back our country.

Not really being one to ignore a good call to patriotism, imagine my dismay when I read the following:

"encouraging disgruntled Americans to "take back our country" while attacking what she called the "Obama-Pelosi-Reid spending spree.""

Oh. If you could see the disappointment on my face, you'd know what I am about to say.

So here, the resigned Governor of Alaska is inciting Americans to take back America from... who exactly? Are other Americans really the Great Evil here? Who is she really saying is the problem here? Because surely, Bush 43 embodied all that was great and important about the modern Conservative? Are we really about to have the statement-furore-apology-but-not-really cycle about questioning other American citizens' patriotism because they don't agree with some claptrap from the Tea Partiers? When do the purges in their ranks begin, David Frum?

This brings me to my second point, one of which I have made numerous times to people in my office. Pop quiz: name the two greatest non-healthcare contributors to the debt? If you said the stimulus, you fail epically and should be probably calling into Rush or Levin or whoever to complain bitterly about the entitlements you already receive being under attack.

The two greatest non-healthcare contributors to the nation's debt are:

1) Iraq and Afghanistan;
2) Unfunded 01/03 tax cuts.

Don't believe me? Hit the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
and check out their Budget - Federal section. It's all there.

This brings me to my ultimate question: Does Former Gov. Palin really think I'm not paying attention to this drivel? If you cannot articulate directly who your enemy is and you can't accurately depict the true factors behind long term debt, then how am I supposed to take you seriously?

Wait wait, maybe that's it! Maybe we've completely gone on the wrong track: The Tea Party Express is a comedy tour, deep with irony, and that she's really just doing a stand-up routine?