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Do the American People Pay Attention to News During Football Season?

Do the American people pay attention to news during football season?
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Football season has started in America, which means that most men will be glued to the tv for the next few months, not paying attention to news. However, scandals have rocked the US Census Bureau, two US Air Marshalls are accused of having group sex on duty, and the debt ceiling will come back into vogue at the end of November.

So, the second week of the NFL is almost upon us and as most people in America know, Sunday means game day. Of course, there is also Monday night football, which means that Tuesday and Wednesday are review-the-tape days, while Thursday and Friday are left to discuss upcoming match-ups or even who is playing whom in college ball on Saturday. Which reminds us of that old joke — “Hey Gladys,” says the husband, “do you have anything to say to me before football season starts?” Because, for most people in the US, football is in the fall and life in the fall is all about football.

Of course, there are some other things on TV, like the GOP candidate debates, but as Jimmy Kimmel, the late night comedian demonstrated in a recent episode, “…Americans have no idea who is running for President.” In the clip, “People on the street of Hollywood Boulevard were shown three faces, and then had to guess which one of them was the Republican candidate running for president.” Not one person got it right. What does that say about the state of America today?

For instance, did anyone notice the story about the fraud and corruption taking place at the U.S. Census Bureau? The Washington Examiner ran a story that noted that — “Dozens of government employees at the U.S. Census Bureau have been billing taxpayers for time they never actually worked, wasting millions.” In that story, the newspaper revealed how — “…40 officials were supposed to be performing background checks on the census personnel who walk door-to-door throughout the country to collect information about Americans.

Instead, they "engaged in pervasive misconduct over several years.” That’s right. The people that were supposed to be finding out who exactly certain people were because those candidates might be questionable were themselves defrauding the government. What does that say about the people they okayed? Or didn’t okay? Furthermore, the investigation also revealed that — “at least one employee in the Census Bureau's employment office who used his official position as a personal hiring vehicle for friends and their families.” That’s right. Nepotism! But that is not all, the paper further alleges — “That employee was involved in a sexual relationship with a contractor he personally interviewed, hired and supervised.” So, it seems as if this guy was hiring his kin and kith and having sex with a person he awarded a contract.

Speaking of sex, another story to emerge over the week was about two federal air marshals that allegedly using their government phones to film and share their sex acts with a prostitute while on assignment in Europe. That’s right. American taxpayers paid for two feds to have group sex while on duty. The Intercept reported that — “The two air marshals, based in Chicago, allegedly used their government-issued phones to record their own sexual encounters with a prostitute in Europe and then shared them using their personal email accounts, which they had connected to their work phones.” Of course, there are a few similarities here with the Hillary Clinton email story. She too used a government phone and used private email to conduct her “business”, although she has been able to claim immunity and innocence, at least so far. Not so much for these two lowly air cops. They are up for a hearing and will more than likely be found guilty. In the best case scenario- reprimanded, and in the worst case — fired. Because at this level, everyone is crystal clear that what they did was wrong. Their mistake, it appears, is that they weren’t high enough in rank to start pulling these kind of shenanigans. Someone, somewhere, should have taught them the golden rule, as in — “He, (or in Hillary’s case) She who has the gold, makes the rules”.

When it comes to gold, is the average man on the street aware that Obamacare premiums are set to rise by 23% next year? Probably not. It’s football season, remember? And that won’t happen till around Superbowl. But, you know what happens before Superbowl? Even before Christmas? The return of the debt ceiling! That’s right! The sequel is back and it is bigger and badder than ever. CNN Money reported back in March that — “…the Treasury Department is deploying so-called "extraordinary measures" to keep the country paying its bills. Democrats and Republicans are now aiming to change the new shutdown date from Oct.1 to mid-November, which is almost exactly when the Treasury Department is expected to run out of "extraordinary" measures to stave off the need to raise the debt ceiling.” And that time has come! or nearly so- Politico is reporting that — «With the nation's borrowing authority set to lapse as early as November, and money to keep the federal government and road construction projects funded increasingly likely to run dry around the same time, the end of 2015 increasingly has the makings of a very unhappy holiday season for Washington.” And what has the US government been doing with all of this time and money? Balancing its checkbook and figuring out ways to cut costs and become fiscally responsible?

Where has that money gone anyway?

According to Foreign Policy, a “$500 million train and equip program was sold to Congress in late 2014 and was aimed at producing about 5,400 Syrian fighters by the end of 2015.” That’s right, American taxpayer dollars were spent in more “regime change” in foreign land that most people across the nation couldn’t find on a map. This past week the results were presented before congressional members and the Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Christine Wormuth noted that those numbers will not be met. In fact, there are — “only about “four or five” U.S.-trained Syrian rebels remain on the battlefield to take on the Islamic State.” That’s right. Four OR five. That’s because there were 60 or so, but as soon as they crossed the border back in July, there were immediately captured or killed. And immediate as in, within 30 minutes of crossing the border. But back to the Hill and as FP noted — “Under repeated questioning about the current size of the program, Wormuth said there are “between 100 and 120” additional fighters being trained in Turkey. So, there you have it, 500 million dollars to train less than 200 people. In fact, upon hearing this, Sen. Kelly Ayotte said — “Let’s not kid ourselves, that’s a joke.”  Sen. Claire McCaskill said — “So, we’re counting on our fingers and toes, where we envisioned 5,400 by the end of this year.” Now, using rough math, it seems as if President Obama has spent nearly 2.5 million dollars to train ONE “so-called freedom fighter”.

Of course, it is Barak Obama, and as many have noted throughout his career, he is untouchable. Although that facade might be starting to crack as another story this week noted that — “The former director of Norway’s Nobel Institute revealed that he regrets the committee’s decision to give the 2009 Nobel Peace award to President Obama”.

So, what do you think dear listeners? “Do the American people pay attention to news during football season?”

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