After September 11th everyone wanted to get the bad guys - but even though we know and have always known who the perpetrators of 9/11 were - they are still free and out there --

We took out eye off the ball and went to Iraq. 

The media and the administration at the time used the rightful rage of the American people and mixed them up as to what was the truth. We had Judy Miller put a story she was spoon fed by Scooter Libby on the editorial page of the NYTimes. And then Vice President Cheney would go on "Meet the Press" and say -- "did you read the NYTimes this morning?"

And so on -

If was a big game using and motivating the rage of the American people to distraction. And here we are @30,000 dead and injured Americans and hundreds of thousands of dead and injured Iraqi citizens later -- 

And here we are again --

The war now is worldwide. It is a war on the economic stability not only of the United States but in these times - a war on the world economy. And what have been the two prominent story lines in the US media this week -

the outrage over the AIG bonuses and the faux outrage of an off handed line made by our President on a late night TV Show.

As Christopher Buckley wrote today - this is the "Bonfire of the Inanities". Are some executives at AIG getting a bonus worthy of rage?  Conceptually - yes. BUT and a HUGE BIG BUT -- maybe some of these people actually earned the money/ and maybe although called a bonus the money was in fat part of a compensation package/ and maybe, no definitely - do we need some of these people who understand these complicated financial instruments to help get us out of this mess?

Since when is life fair?

There is a culprit a AIG - the Bernie Madoff of AIG is Joseph Caffano and I for one hope they get him and his $300 million profit and fry him. But short of this, the best thing we can hope for is for AIG to break itself up into smaller profitable pieces and get the tax payer money back. And for that, AIG needs talented money managers.

So with the absolutely disgusting display of many congress people this week and their insane faux outrage and comments - is this helping?

NOPE - this is once again channeling rage to take our eye off the ball.

Thank goodness we have a President right now who is trying to keep his eye on the big picture. Maybe the media and the people can help in honoring President Obama's request to not make decision (aka govern) from "anger".

We don't need more anger.

We need the taxpayer money paid back.

We need the economy to get back on its feet.

We need the big culprits found and punished through the rule of law.

Not a mob mentality that has AIG workers lives being threatened. 

There is even a bus tour of homes of AIG executives.

And we do not need the media and selected members of Congress repeating the mistake after 9/11 and leading the people down the wrong path.

Maybe there should be a special olympics for Congress - but that would really be an insult to the Special Olympics.

In the meantime - let's give the administration a few more days to fix the world.

And when they do - will the media admit it?