The more confused and uncertain people are, the easier it becomes to manipulate them. Thus we are treated to spectacles like Rep. Lamar Smith of Texas - who is ironically head of the House science and technology committee - suggesting on the floor of Congress that people should ignore the media and get their news directly from the President.

It seems almost every day now I hear politicians saying things that I'd edit out from the script if I were writing a dystopian movie because they were too cheesy and crude to be good characterizations.