Physicians of Diseased Minds, 3 November 2012 In war, truth is the first casualty.

. Words are the physicians of a diseased mind. Noted Greek tragedian Aeschylus, 525 456 BC/BCE Governor Romneys ever-changing words and positions give me whiplash. Its like trying to keep up in a debate with the infamous Sybil and her multiple personalities asserting themselves all at once. Blithely and obsessively wringing the 8th commandment into ragged sackcloth, the former Mormon Bishops campaign manager said it plainly we will not have our campaign dictated by fact checkers, which evidently meant there would be SO many lies, one following the other in rapid-fire succession, he would overwhelm the system that currently exists. One good example was his stance on the Mississippi ballet personhood amendment. Not soon after electoral defeat, it was the news media that misconstrued his position on it. MittvMitt.com is devoted to previous and current fabrications that in another dimension used to be opposition research; a means by which the electorate could peer into the character of the candidate. I guess what only matters now is an expensive haircut, a Brook Brothers suit, power tie and a Cayman Island old ruse blind trust account. His canned goods campaign for hurricane relief proven a fraud; his running mate washing empty (and clean pots) in homeless shelter kitchens, all for photo ops. Proving the proverb the apple doesnt fall too far from the tree. His previous statements in the republican primary regarding defunding FEMA, he refused to comment on post the current deluge. Not one, but TWO automotive corporations Chrysler and General Motors called out his fantasy charge that Jeep was shipping jobs to China. Romney didnt just [not] correct the record he DOUBLED DOWN, and told the lie once again on radio and television with earnest. It begs a question: what is truth, now? After a biblical late season hurricane-noreaster-blizzard-tornado named Sandy, there are still climate change skeptics with unbiased opinions, i.e. paid for by oil and gas conglomerates. Candy Crowley lauded for moderating and on-site fact-checking the second presidential debate opted not to ask one question about climate change submitted. Like practical gun control protecting the 2nd Amendment Rights of owners and the 4th Amendment Rights of citizens well post the theater shootings in Aurora, Colorado: crickets.

Fights breaking out over the now scarce liquid resource in New York and New Jersey has resulted in police presence to direct traffic and arrest desperate, confused citizens. Many of those same residents swarm like Twitter and Facebook-directed locusts on gas stations. Regular and midgrade runs out as a barge brings more supplies in Newburgh harbor. Six hundred car long lines reported to me from someone that drove up to Fishkillfrom Queens. He almost got into a fight and at the time was not buying gas. Strength of presence coupled with magical thinking (the markets will just get better when I am president) will not solve this. Caveat emptor: I can see high school debating teams using the Willard Obfuscation Strategy (WOS) as a valid tactic. Convincing anyone with logic and facts will become meaningless when American Idol style points will win the day. I also see the a poor teacher (name the subject) trying to ensure the integrity of the educational process by failing a student caught cheating on a test; said teacher and the district will then be sued for violating that students First Amendment Rights. Free speech; fibbing: goes together, successfully used by presidential candidates and climate change deniers. This will somehow along with tax cuts for the 1% and tax exempt Creation Museums bring us in parity with the rest of the world that is so obviously an involved part of the reality-based community based on our OECD international scholastic rankings. We are a joke. Billy Graham ministries after many years of demonization have officially removed Mormonism from its list of cults, assuming that the next republican candidate that happens to be Wiccan will also gain the churchs acceptance. Meanwhile back at [a very inane] ranch, Franklin the younger questioned the presidents religiosity on Morning Joe, (and initially Mr. Romneys) even though he and Rick Warren are in violation of the Constitution (i.e. no religious tests) and its Founding Fathers Deists (Jefferson), Masons (Washington) and Hellfire Club members (Franklin) apotheosized as perfections of bringing the Kingdom of God to the earth, defining slavery (and assuming rape during and after) as His will. A quote from the last chapter of Bad Religion: How We Became a Nation of Heretics by Ross Gregory Douthat sums up our present dilemma: The present danger to our democracy isnt that Christianity has gained too much power and influence over our politics. Rather, its that the heresy of nationalisms co-option of Christian faith has left the faith too weak to play the kind of positive role it has played in our public life. It begs a question: what is truth, now? And once lost: will we ever regain it? Proverbs 19:5 A false witness will not go unpunished, and [he who] speaks lies will not escape.