"West Wing" –Are You Too Dumb?

The genius-wannabes running NBC looked at the critics’ acclaim, the public’s reception, the quality of the only reason to watch the network and? Canceled “West Wing.” Why?

Early on the wannabe bean-counters –wanting to make a contribution: Told “West Wing” creator Aaron Sorkin –‘write faster’ – to speed up production –to save money. Clever boys. Creator? He stepped off. Gosh we’re lucky –Adams, Jefferson, Franklin, Paine and that crowd didn’t have NBC genius-wannabes breathing down their necks to ‘hurry on up’ with Bill o’ Rights, Constitution stuff, what with all their revisions. So why did they cancel “West Wing”? Decided –you’re too dumb to get it?

Genius bean-counters axed –the brilliant language, the intricacies –the rare look behind the scene –the deft occasional Biblical –Shakespearian -Dickensian references, among others –the deft occasional humor –the philosophical, moral, ethical push-pull that was each riveting episode why? Cuz. . .you are –after all these seasons –suddenly –dimmer than an old light bulb?

Why did the groupies of creativity decide –you’re not smart enough –can’t get your brain cranked high enough –to ‘get it’ any more? Uh, You ARE ‘smart enough’ to rent cars –buy lower-priced clothing –ask your doctor –about all the drugs flogged non-stop –for the sponsors who shelled out serious money to get time on the last show. –You’re “smart” enough –for NBC to promote itself and whatever junk is coming down the airshaft next September, non-stop. So when, how did you get so dumb? Would that be at the point where bosses of the ‘geniuses’ decided –pay-back time –to their Patron?

Once Upon a Time, Thanks to, uhm, Washington weenies: once-superb NBC network was sold –to an arms dealer. Naw, not that kind, the “good” kind. –You didn’t know there were ‘good’ weapons –dealers? Oh, ya, there are –the kind that makes weapons that kill –for our side; the kind that go BOOM for the Pentagon boys. The BOOM boys, smothered in Wall Street-layered respectability, swallowed up NBC, since nobody who mattered, like American voters, had a way to object to the buy-up. Then one day the BOOM boys clicked on one of their other products, light bulbs, and decided they wanted: More. Mooore! The ‘more’? They and others just like them, mega-money missionaries, wanted firewall between radio-TV-newspapers-Internet in a single market –ripped down; own what they wanted, as much of it as they wanted –without any whining –to “maximize” the money. AKA: spread money on owners of their stock to shut them up and pour the rest over their own heads. Now the annoying, for them, part: laws all over the place stamped ‘Nope’ –can’t swallow all the media in one town.

BOOM boys sidled up oh-so-quietly to oh-so-respectable Congress members to cut deals to get what they wanted. BOOM boys rode into Washington with a ton of dough, and found –familiar faces –warm reception –and a lover of dough –perched, waiting. What A Coincidence. Then they went over to the building where Colin Powell, who used to have the job looking out for the interests of the Whole country, Secretary of State, had his kid, Mickey, working –how lucky was that! his kid had a job at Federal Communications Commission, FCC. Now even though the Public –Americans –you -us –we own the airwaves, Mickey got to decide who could ‘rent’ those airwaves –at bargain prices. Mickey Powell, like his daddy, learned ya gotta go-along to get along, so he wasn’t about to make splish-splash. Mickey –even though a federal judge said he screwed up, told the country: some people wanted to offer Americans “more” –by consolidating all the media –under one roof, theirs –in each town. ‘Somehow’: It would be “Better.”

Plenty –didn’t think Less owners of more –was going to Be “More” –so they asked Mickey Powell NOT to let the BOOM dough-spreading boys get more. National Rifle Association –owners of not-profitable small newspapers –whacky union members –golfers –university presidents, knitters, radio station owners, parents, intellectuals, housewives, clergy, small business owners, mayors, PTAs, governors, college coeds, this author –lovers of music, investigative journalism, independence –all manner of ‘goofy’ folks wanted coverage –control –independence in their small/medium/large communities, towns, cities in every little part of the US. –Hunters –artists –ACLU –Bleeding-heart ‘commies’ and right-wing whackos –on the same side??? Two Million plus asked, wrote, begged Mickey –Not to rip down laws that have protected democracy since this country’s inception; So many: FCC’s website, receptionists, fax machines –crashed.

Result?
You forgot what he decided? As he stepped on a plane headed to Nothing important in Europe, the occupant expected press to follow –his every meaningless move thataway –to distract the kiddies at home, while Mickey Powell held the Vote thisaway. . . .

Then they and all their kind all went along with getting inserted inside tanks, seeing, understanding, explaining –Examining Absolutely NOTHING as fish-eye-view embeds of war, when Oval Office desk jockey decided to go after another country’s oil –to supply/Save you –from …something. . . .

After the BOOM boys got all the Best Dough Can Buy, NBC –deep investigative coverage –of moviedom airheads’ –every twitch. Journalist, with a reporter’s career, anchor Tom Brokaw: replaced with a person who began his “journalism” career typing copy –into a TelePrompTer, written by others. Giggle factor, emotion-slathered “news” and shoe showings soared –on once-superb “Today” show. Superb Jane Pauley got shoved. “Dateline” sucks up oxygen with worm’s-eye view of underwear and old murder cases, illuminating precisely NOTHING, as firewall of hard news and fluff get slimed. Nightly newish news –skips over details, facts, depth. Jay Leans-a-lot helps Republicans get elected, can’t find room on his couch for opposition candidates or fairness or anything remotely amusing. Red-headed bore slotted into later considers his hair obsession and jumping the same as wit, humor. Just the promos for ‘Law. . .Indecent Crimes’ instills desire for a shower, how much lower can they go. “ER” past its sell-by date, since they neither any more hire quality writers or give a damn. It's easy to see why Katie would flee; if you have any connection to intervention company: try to hire for excellent Meredith Vierra, who now needs it. Their Idea of comedy: “Joey.” Oy –Can Anybody say: “N-B-C W-H-I-T-E P-A-P-E-R”?

Just the One
So there was One island of quality in untreated sewage run-off still standing…“West Wing”…with characters portraying what Smart government would be like –if we were lucky enough, if we demanded –government that functioned by angling to get the Most of the good, for the most good, weaving Around the junk. Suddenly –show ‘costs too much’ –make-up, hair people hired at apparently bargain-basement rates, to get hair styles so bad suddenly: everybody looked like dyed pompadour parodies –slathered in over-sized lips, giant eyebrows, bright cheek circles. Suddenly: the Possible, shown week after week, was inching up –next national election in November, the one in which majority-in-charge could get neutered.

Did the mega-media BOOM boys cancel “West Wing” –to benefit their benefactor(s)? Is there –a mole somewhere, to say the BOOM boys pulled the plug ‘just in time’ –favor for Mickey –carrying Oval Office’s “water” –allowing BOOM boys to own more media? Nope, at least, none has spoken –yet…maybe: we’ll get somebody’s memoir in a decade –some connected somebody, saying somebody dropped two quarters on the fat-cat BOOM boys –told them it was time, to pull electrical cord on “West Wing.” –The right time, While: you’re busy seeing still-squashed houses in Gulf Coast, water rising against ancient infrastructure in the East. . .the (still?) First Pal Kenny IN the dock for looting Enron-source of life-style. . . while the un-polished get shoved in front of cameras to get fired, at bargain day-rate, others “dazzle” with greedy box-lid flipping ‘deals/no deals’ for money. . .while you are whip-sawed with punctured wallet –levitating cost to get into work, swamped with the illegal-swamping, the dwindling prospects. . . while Mystic Moochers insert themselves into politics…to benefit their own tithe plates….

Maybe you suddenly got ‘dumb’ –Maybe you’re so dumb you Don’t mind having your phone tapped –to “protect” you. . .But maybe: you DON’T need to have an “Identity” card so that incompetent spy agencies –can spy –on you, while your own government yanks your rights, your privacy, your ability to prosper, serves you up to corporations. . . . Can’t we all just –have Life Imitate TV?

What is the Remedy –to slithering Bill-Given Rights? It’s hard to be healthy, disease-free, happy –while living with/in fear of one’s own government –eroding rights, quality, democracy.

Remedy
How much more floating-in-sewage. . . current Oval Office occupant, majority-party don’t give a damn about non-oil, non-donors
You DON’T need latest tech toy, new shoes –bank debt to eat out –plus thirty years of interest; that's not the way to look out for yourself

-You need to realize: Save –twenty-five to thirty percent of every dollar you see –IF you are to survive what’s coming

-Your employer offers 401k, any pension plan?
Find out, employer’s contribution amount –demand as much percentage as you can get, sign up –this week.

-If No Employer-Pension plan: get a ROTH, through a bank, if you qualify

–Get additional savings account, whatever’s possible
Save Save Save

Remedy –for disappearing democracy
Drop some quarters to buy a newspaper, big, small, both at least once a week. They’re looking out for us, pay them back. Read news on-line? Give ‘em a click, any relevant product, service to you. If they don’t get financial support, they won’t be around to look out for us.

Remedy
Organize a petition –demand: local TV do more/better local political coverage, of local government, of local issues, of local elections –minus the celebrity crap. Engage co-workers –with PTA, sports parents, singles group, poker pals –That’s your legacy, to the next generation, those people are chewing up, spitting out all over your community.

Those airwaves media giants using belong to us –you don’t protest how they are being used, don’t whine when media giants go on another spending spree –like oil companies did, till there is no competition, like Big Six oil. If giant media allowed to buy up competition: they DON'T have to care what you, your community wants, what coverage "boring" local politics, government gets. Bosom buddy of the occupant: owns more than one thousand radio stations, playing canned elevator music –by remote control, no person in the booth to cut in to give emergency warning notices of anything; just pabulum 24/7. How Much Money is Enough for those people?

Remedy –for BOOM boys of NBC?
Reward NBC with a >click –DELETE key on the remote –you won’t miss anything, they won’t mind, hell, they don’t mind now.

American returned, covered in strips: 2,476
“Approval” –Oval Office resident: 26%

sewage removal. . . remove remove remove . . .