“A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.”
- Mark Twain

The 2008 election was an historic moment - the first black president of the United States was chosen by a majority of the voting public. At the same time, the House and Senate were given over to the Democrats with solid majorities. The messages from the campaigns struck the right notes in the ears of Americans, and the they went to the polls to vote for hope, but more importantly: change.

But of course, some things never change. The players in charge of disseminating the smears and lies about Obama and the Democrats (Limbaugh, FAUX News, ... you know who they are) have not only kept up the propaganda, they've ramped it up. The problem with this is that there is a small percentage of the population that eats this up as truth because it reinforces what they already believe and feel.

The BIGGER problem is when this small percentage talks to other people, who consider them to be reliable sources of information. I was reminded of this while working at my part-time job the other night. There is a person who works there that claims to be a Libertarian. Every day she comes in with yet another talking point (an assumption on my part, but certainly every day I am working). She spews it out sardonically and with an air of certainty, and I cringe as I see people (other coworkers and customers) that would be more comfortable in a progressive camp eat it up and get angry about yet another blow against common sense and their personal liberties.

The most recent one involved the energy bill. She claimed that people would need to seal up their fireplaces, and would have to get their houses "up to code" before they could sell them. Surprise, surprise, that's what FAUX News is claiming as well:

I've looked at the bill. What it says is that for homes (and home appliances) to be labeled as energy efficient, they would need to meet certain codes. At a certain point, houses labeled as such are going to be easier to sell and command a higher price. If this means that traditional fireplaces would preclude the label, then people with houses that have them would have to make a choice. Also included in the bill is funding to help people make those retrofits, as well as tax credits.

What this shows is that with each iteration and interpretation, you get further and further from the truth.

It also shows that vigilance is still necessary. After this last time, I am no longer going to sit idly by while she regurgitates yet another talking point. I will call "bullshit" and ask her for her source. I can guarantee it will be "FAUX News" or "Neal Boortz", at which time I will discredit it. We have to take steps to prevent the poisoning of the waters (uncomfortable as it might be), even if it is our coworkers, friends, or family.

The problem of course is providing the truth when you don't have access to the internet to show them, or you get blindsided by some bizarre claim (as I did) and you don't have the facts at your fingertips. I will certainly try to be more prepared, checking in at Media Matters and perhaps (*gulp*) listening to right-wing radio and/or TV to see what nonsense they're trotting out, so I can lookup the facts and be prepared.

Taking our country back wasn't the end of the battle - it was the beginning. Now is not the time to sit back and relax, because those who would derail the progress we seek are charging ahead with all pistons firing.

Vigilance!