why is frank rich, ostensibly a media and culture columnist, so much more interested in fact-finding than the rest of the new york times? on an immediate level, i know it's a media and culture issue when bush & co. use the news media to disseminate propaganda -- especially when said propaganda has no basis in fact and the media don't seem to care. but the machiavellian media activities of the administration, far from being simple puff pieces, are designed to shut down actual debate on some very dubious policies: the prescription drug "benefit;" no child left behind; the war in iraq; the list goes on. the fact that federal funds were used for this purpose is a fundamental violation of the rules of the democratic game. so why doesn't anybody (outside of the wonderful mr. rich) really seem to care?