Merrily we roll along

Glenn Greenwald goes back and forth with Matt Yglesias about whether Obama is curtailing civil liberties because of public opinion, Glenn saying (rightly) no.

Many good points are made refuting the argument, but I think he misses the biggest one, that the administration has deliberately used the press to generate public opinion that favors curtailing civil liberties. Though perhaps used is not the right word, rather Obama and the press have skipped their way down the merry lane to fascism hand in hand, officials leaking a constant drip of cherry picked information, and the press Oh-ing and Ah-ing breathlessly at each drop.

The act is, by now, so well rehearsed and polished that its almost predictable. Each network has their own style in presenting the facts, but to my mind, the worst is PBS with their panel of 'experts', usually interviewed by the odious Judy Woodruff.

That they're able to make this work with only the ITMC (Incompetent Terrorist of the Month Club) is a testament to the addle-brained US public. If they were any smarter, there might have to be real attacks.