Asleep at the Switch

The watchdogs of America are apparently all dead or asleep at the wheel. For evidence, you don't need to look any further than today's headlines:

The New York Times: "Obama, Breaking 'From a Troubled Past,' Seeks Budget to Reshape U.S. Priorities."

The Washington Post: "Ambitious Blueprint a Big Risk the President Is Willing to Take."

The Los Angeles Times: "Obama's Budget: Details and Analysis."

OK, you might be saying to yourself — besides a lack of imagination at The L.A. Times — what's wrong?

Well, let me go through some recent stories that didn't make headlines, but I'm going to make just one teeny-weeny little change. You tell me if the media would've reacted the same way or if The New York Times would've been cranking out special editions to cover this stuff:

"Today, President George W. Bush nominated another tax cheat for his Cabinet"

"In an unprecedented move, President Bush has asked to move control over the census to the White House; it will now be run by Karl Rove"

"President Bush quietly OKs a massive troop surge in Afghanistan, sending 17,000 additional troops; refusing to hold a news conference or answer any questions"

"President Bush has said he will leave up to 50,000 troops in Iraq, after months of promising drawdown."

"The night after George W. Bush proclaimed we all have to make economic sacrifices, he introduced an unprecedented $3.6 trillion budget."

"Bush raises taxes by a trillion dollars to cover out-of-control spending."

"Bush takes first big step toward bank nationalization, buying a 36 percent share in Citigroup."

Now, substitute "Obama" for "Bush" and those stories go from the front page to page E-12.

Why?

How many times did the media crucify Bush over the troop surge, say it would never work and we must leave Iraq immediately? In fact, here's a quote from a New York Times editorial, written just as our troops were surging into Iraq: "It is time for the United States to leave Iraq, without any more delay than the Pentagon needs to organize an orderly exit… whatever (Bush's) cause was, it is lost."

Wow, I'm glad we don't run wars based on op-eds in The Times. But it sure would be nice to have some accountability or at least a level playing field.

May I add one more point: The press also made it look like we did not win in Iraq, establishing peace and giving Iraqis back the control of their lives. Let this member of the media say: Thanks, U.S. military for your service. Welcome home, soldier!

The watchdogs have basically become a part of the executive branch. So who's left to watch them? Who's left to provide the checks and balances we need to keep our leaders in line? No one except you.

We are the watchdogs of our own liberty and we must rely on ourselves to guard our freedom. And we must not do what they did: play dead or fall asleep.

What do you think? Send your comments to: glennbeck@foxnews.com

— Watch "Glenn Beck" weekdays at 5 p.m. ET on FOX News Channel