How Did We Get Here?  "Absolute power corrupts absolutely" arose as part of a quotation by the expansively named John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton, first Baron Acton (1834–1902).   "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men."  I am afraid that the Obama administration, like a few before it, has become a poster child for Mr. Acton’s theory.

As pathetically impotent and biased as they have become, the sad truth is that the press is essentially the only firewall between the common man and absolute political corruption.  Consider the overwhelming media in today’s real-time, 24/7 news cycle world, couple that with the rapid increase in low-to-no information voters, and you have a formula for what we witnessed in the last election cycle.  By any objective standard, Mitt Romney was one of the most qualified presidential candidates in history.  Given his qualifications and resume, given the challenges that currently beset this nation, he was indeed the perfect man for our times.  But for whatever reason, the press determined early on in the process that Obama would be re-elected; and as part of that decision, they abdicated their power and responsibility in order to secure that determination.  Shame on them; the chickens are now coming home to roost.

As we saw with Nixon, a President who becomes drunk with power quickly loses sight of any moral or ethical obligation to transparency.  With his minions following his every word in lockstep, and going about their self-preserving missions independently, this Administration has decided to maintain control at all costs.  Any action, regardless of ethical, moral, or even (perhaps?) legal implications, was deemed appropriate to keep The Hand on the lever of power and push the agenda that was divine beyond question.

As this harvest of shame continues and the press finally begins to unravel this pitiful tapestry, I would hope that they will take a moment or two along the way to reflect on their massive and unforgiveable failure to be the non-partisan and objective guardians that they should be…and should have been.  We should not expect the press to be perfect; but is it too much to expect them to be honest?  The absolute corruption that Mr. Acton referred to has, in this case, not only applied to the Obama administration; it has equally applied to the press who has checked out on their important role in this nation and drank the kool-aid so generously furnished by the One.