(Readers: The blog centers around the author’s prediction that the US will experience a 5^th revolution by 2020-2025.  Some early vignettes precede the revolution; later vignettes follow the revolution.  Many characters appear regularly.  More about the blog and the author.)

Scene: Jordan runs into former work colleague at coffee shop near office.

Jordan:  “Sandy, great to see you.  What brings you to Washington?”

Sandy:  “Not here by choice.  You know how I hate this place.  And, yes, nice to see you, too, Jordan.”

Jordan:  “Well, why are you here?  Gun show?”

Sandy:  “You’re funny.  Or at least you attempt to be funny sometimes.  You know there are no gun shows in DC.  Would make it too easy to wipe out stupid legislators.  I’m here to testify why a new drilling technique for oil and gas is not harmful to the environment.”

Jordan:  “Sounds like fun to me.  You’re the right guy to be testifying.”

Sandy:  “Testifying will be about as much fun as going to the dentist.  Remember when I had two root canals and a bunch of other work done?”

Jordan:  “How can I forget?  You were not a happy camper.”

Sandy:  “Think I would rather go back to the dentist than testify.  Most of the people in Washington are idiots…at least the dentist is reasonably smart.”

Jordan:  “Glad to see you haven’t lightened up, even after the Revenge Revolution.”

Sandy:  “Another smartass comment.  Well, these people are idiots.  Most of them have no idea what they’re talking about.”

Jordan:  “OK, I agree many legislators are not well versed on some key topics but give me some of your examples.”

Sandy:  “Let’s start with the budget. Why does the Federal budget always have to be in the red?  The budget should be balanced, just my household budget is balanced…or our company budget is balanced.”

Jordan:  “What else?”

Sandy:  “Why can the government print money without any backing?  US currency is like vaporware – nothing there.”

Jordan:  “One more.”

Sandy:  “Only one?  I could go on for weeks.  Why do we still have Obamacare?  The Democrats rammed that down our throats.”

Jordan:  “Alright, let’s start with Obamacare.  You realize that Obamacare…really the Affordable Care Act…was designed by and implemented first by Republicans.”

Sandy:  “What?  Obamacare was designed by Republicans?  And implemented where by Republicans?”

Jordan:  “Designed by Republicans to ensure private insurance companies continued to receive premiums and continued to operate.  The Republicans plan was implemented by Mitt Romney when he was governor of Massachusetts.”

Sandy:  “Really?  I did not know that.”  (BTW, actual quote.)

Jordan:  “Sandy, you’re a smart guy.  I can’t believe you did not know that.  Where are you getting your information?  Fox News and the internet?”

Sandy:  “Both sources, but mostly the web.”

Jordan:  “If you are still looking at some of those sites you used to send me links to, I suggest you rethink your sources.  You need more credible information.”

Sandy:  “Like that liberal rag you read, the New York Times?”

Jordan:  “Sandy, Sandy, such venom.  You might not like some of the Times’ editorials…if you’ve ever read any…but unlike some of your sources, the NYT has a clear separation between reporting and editorials.”

Sandy:  “It’s all the same to me.”

Jordan:  “And I think not understanding or appreciating the distinction is a major problem.  People seem to have a hard time…or maybe refuse to separate reporting and editorial comments.”

Sandy:  “What’s really the difference?  I know that might sound stupid but no one ever explained the difference to me.”

Jordan:  “Good question.  For many years I thought everyone understood the difference…but obviously not.”

Sandy:  “Ok, so tell me.”

Jordan:  “The staff reporting the news is separated from the editorial staff.  In large papers…New York Times, for example…the management of the news reporting is completely separate from the editorial side.  Really two separate organizations.  The editorial board has no control over what is reported in the news section.”

Sandy:  “As simple as this sounds, you’re saying the news is reported by, well, reporters.  What about the articles on the editorial page?  Don’t the reporters write those?”

Jordan:  “Reporters do not write stories on the editorial page or the Op-Ed page…you know, the page opposite editorials.  Many of those articles are written by what you might call free-lance writers.”

Sandy:  “You mean like that Paul Krugman guy?  He’s a reporter for the NYT, right?”

Jordan:  “No, Paul Krugman he is a professor of economics.  In fact he was a graduate student at MIT when I was there.  He then taught at Princeton.  By the way, he also won the Nobel Prize in economics.”

Sandy:  “You listen to too many of those Northeast liberals.  Those guys are all alike.  No wonder you’re so screwed up.  I need a refill.”