My father will be 100 years old in four months and has been a deep red-blooded Republican all those years. Humorously, in 1981 when Barbara Mandrell sang her classic “I was county when country wasn’t cool,” my father joked that he hated the media before hating the media was cool. I remember that whenever I agree with him about the media . . . like today!

This week, the Consumer Sentiment Index dropped to a six month low, based on concerns about inflation, the debt ceiling and “floating anxieties” – whatever that is?

We know that viewers are less likely to change channels when they are worried or scared – ask Fox – maybe they should post a warning “Do not watch this channel unless you’re in a good mood!” Bad news is good protection for the First Amendment . . . you know, Freedom of the Press.

Thank goodness for the Fox/CNN Pessimism Complex, which likely caused a 9% drop in consumer sentiment, despite a slowing of inflation and another healthy increase in jobs created. Is that “fair and balanced” or just good for business?