Ever since there was a government, governments have lied to their people.   I am sure that Vespasian told his people that the Roman Coliseum would be built it one year and only cost 200,000 Denarii’s.  (just a guess).   The fact that he knew it would most likely take 10 years and 1 million Denarii’s was never challenged by the Roman Press.  With an emperor, should the press dare challenge his word, it only happened one time.  We can find comfort in two places; that we will not be executed for exposing a government lie (most likely), and that our government almost 2000 years later, is still lying. 

The question is not whether government lies, but whether the press and the populace will hold that government accountable.  In the past few years the American press has not held government accountable.  The constitution guarantees a freedom of the press.  If the press never challenges the party line then it both is not free and does not need constitutional protection.  Every time the press fails to uphold the constitution and their responsibility they tacitly approve of the government’s behavior and they lose credibility.  That loss of credibility becomes impotence.  In time they will have no power, and no influence and those that dare to speak up will be persecuted.  Below are some examples.

When the President said, “If you like your like your insurance you can keep it.” 

            Where was the press?

  When border agents are killed with guns provide to the drug dealers by our federal government:

            Where was the press?

When IRS agents are caught persecuting the political enemies of the democrats:

            Where is the press?

These three scandals are still going on yet the press does not step up and investigate nor do they shout from the rooftops that our government can’t be trusted.  All three of the above issues violate the protections provided by the constitution for an individual to have a right to their life, liberty or pursuit of happiness.   A dead border agent loses his life because the federal government wants to make owning guns look bad. (Not to mention what a warped idea that was.)  His rights are violated and the press just lets that fact slip by. When it becomes one of their lives it will be too late for them to stand up. 

The destructions of people’s health insurance plans could have been predicted and prevented had the press done its job.  Some of these folks have lost their coverage after believing the lies told.  Nevertheless, the plan that stole their health security is still in place.  If the press did their job then that wrong would have been made right.   Next are death panels.  By then the press will be completely powerless to stop the wrongs.

The IRS pursued non-profits with conservative political views. The press continues to let the IRS do this as no one has been held accountable for this.  Of course, that is just a start, OSHA, and the ATF have also been used to threaten and investigate those with conservative views.  Perhaps the press thinks its ok when it is the Tea Party, but in 6 months when investigations are turned on those who don’t like NSA spying, what will they do.  In time anyone who disagrees with the government will be subject to unjustified investigation and persecution.  By not standing up for the principles of truth and by not holding up parts of the constitution the press is sewing its own destruction.

An impotent press, a cowardly press does not need freedom of the press.  The more the press sides unquestioningly with the government the less freedom we all have.  In the long run, there won’t be any press, only propaganda.  We are largely there now.  It is a shame.  Perhaps reporters should register with the government and we can use the constitution as a fish wrapper.  Our government already does that.