we, the electorate, are the panderees; blame the hooker, blame the john.

A lively discussion today amongst those fun loving men and women over at CNBC - I'm definitely not part of their desired demographic but it's a great place to either get really angry or convulsed with laughter - sparked by Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's suggestion that banks might give a thought to reducing the principle on loans in danger of foreclosure.  Never doubt that I will weigh in on that later today - according to James Pethokoukis of U.S. News & World Report, the big government bailout train is at the station taking on coal.  Queried about the long term consequences of increasing the public debt, further devaluing the dollar and encouraging irresponsible behavior on the parts of buyers and lenders, he responded: "This is a political year, these are politicians, that's a little esoteric for them.  All they're concerned with is getting elected."

Ah, yes, media cynicism over the political process; the world weary journalist bemoaning the pandering pol.  Trouble is if a politician were to say, "Hey, home buyers, you weren't too bright; unless you can prove fraud - and by fraud I don't mean that you didn't read your closing docs - then you're stuck with the pony, pick up a shovel", she/he would be living off her/his government retirement the day after the next inaugural.  The American people - by and large - don't want to hear the hard truth about the foreclosure crisis, Iraq, Social Security, Medicare, aging infrastructure, failing schools, trade - you name it, we don't want to hear it.

Tell us we can fix our mortgages and the value of our houses.  Tell us we'll be out of Iraq the day after tomorrow. Load future generations with debt to pay for any and all programs.  Let the bridges fall down, our children fall behind.  Keep spinning myths about how manufacturing will return and hey, if it doesn't, those low paying service jobs are just as good.  Above all, blame the politicians for not telling the truth because they want to get elected, just don't remind us that we're the ones who elected them.