Another one comes crashing down...

NPR starts to implode. Well, it’s becoming another predictable sequence of events. All you need to do is read the headlines. First, Republican politicians demand that NPR lose its federal funding, on the basis that the government has no business subsidizing (left-wing socialist liberal) broadcasting (when Rupert Murdoch is doing such a great job of providing fair and balanced journalism to the citizens of this fine country).

Next, NPR pleads not to have the finding cut, arguing that if they were gone, Americans would not be able to freely support factual, intelligent journalism; and arguing that citizens need some help (a nanny state) to help protect their ability to really have a choice (yeah, like Michelle Obama wants to tell you what to eat).

Next, you know who shows up... That guy James O’Keefe, the anti-Michael Moore, the guy with the timeworn tactics of Allan Funt and the ethics of Bernie Madoff. He proceeds to set up another one of those absurdly improbable stings, in which some flunky of the target organization is cajoled (or "creatively" edited, as we found out later)into making embarrassing secretly recorded statements that allow the right-wing pundits to absolutely vilify the entire organization, thereby initiating the destruct sequence. They can fire the people involved, the CEO can resign, but you and I know when the writing is on the wall.

These guys do have talent, you have to admit. They seem to know exactly whom to pick on and when, to insure that the air is completely let out of an organization. They aren’t happy just pulling the funding plug. They are scorched earth warriors. They will disappear that organization.

And so another worthy but troubled public service organization bites the dust. Well, pledge drives can be so annoying anyway, right? At least Glenn Beck and “Celebrity Apprentice” should keep our thirst for enlightenment and diversion satisfied.

Next target, by my prediction: The AFL-CIO. Yeah! Americans don’t need some union thugs interfering with their Gawd-given right to spend their lives driving 60 miles each way on $5.00 gas, getting those great below-minimum-wage piecework jobs in the Wal-Mart warehouses in the far-flung suburbs.

These guys wouldn’t go after something like AFSCME; nah, that’s too small a target; and anyway Scott Walker is doing pretty well demonizing them without the Big Sting. These guys have bigger goals, like destroying the entire union presence in this country.

After that, privatizing Social Security will be a snap.