Fox News Is Nothing If Not Impressive.

Trends In Circulation And Advertising - The Rise Of The Internet, Which Has Made The Daily Newspaper Look Slow And Unresponsive; The Advent Of Craigslist, Which Is Wiping Out Classified Advertising-have Created A Palpable Sense Of Doom.

But Particularly When The Media Profess To Strive Toward Objectivity, Gatekeepers Play A Crucial Role In Helping People Navigate The News To Make Educated Political Decisions.

Ever Since Richard Nixon Walloped George Mcgovern In The Presidential Election Of 1972, Political Pundits Have Treated As A Truism The Proposition That Liberals Are Out Of Step With The Rest Of The Nation, And Therefore All But Unelectable Outside The Precincts Of The Northeast -- Give Or Take A College Town Here Or A Ski Resort There. During The Course Of Every Presidential Election For The Past Forty Years Now, Republicans Have Sought To Wield The Word Liberal As If It Were A Six-gauge Shotgun.

The Ability Of The 1 Percent To Buy Politicians And Regulators Is Nothing New In American Politics - Just As Inequality Has Been A Permanent Part Of Our Economic System. This Is True Of Virtually All Political And Economic Systems.

Whether One Agrees Or Disagrees With The Tactics Of The Occupy Wall Street Movement, It's Easy To Understand The Inspiration For Its Anger As Well As Its Impatience.