The modern media seems to have a morbid fascination with the rising death toll in Iraq. It is paraded about in headlines and stories as if that is the only news worth reporting from the entire conflict. Even The Tribune, San Luis Obispo’s very own newspaper, continually updates a running death tally.

The Republican Party suffered a convincing defeat in this year’s midterm election. Losing control of both the House and the Senate will likely leave these institutions in the untested hands of Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid.

During the past two years, these leaders worked together to implement a strictly enforced form of party unity.

Yesterday, Americans voted into office many new legislators who will shape American domestic and foreign policy for the next few years. Since this column is written before the election results have been finalized, it will not contain any specific reactions to the outcomes of particular races or potential power shifts in either house of Congress.

This isn’t going to be one of those bitter tirades against Wal-Mart. If you’re looking for angry rants about the evils of corporate America, then pick up almost any newspaper or magazine on any given day. Cities and towns across the nation constantly make headlines by attempting to prevent the building of another Wal-Mart.

If all the headlines are correct, America is headed downhill, fast. We have been blasted with news that our economy is terrible, we are losing the war on terror and the Democrats are going to retake control of the House. I include that last headline not because it is one political party or another, but because of the method by which that particular party is trying to gain power.

Scientists have been trying to warn Americans about the impending doom of climate change since the late 1800s. The paradox is that they cannot decide whether the earth is cooling off or warming up.

An article titled “Fire and Ice,” published by the Business and Media Institute, outlines four major swings in media hysteria concerning global climate change.

North Korea announced late Sunday night that it had completed its first successful test of a nuclear weapon. Combined with their July 5th test of long-range offensive missiles, they have just become the world’s newest nuclear threat.

How did it come to this? How could we have let this happen? Sadly, this is the result of a policy of sanctions, concessions and appeasement.