Cliches in the News

 

by Pa Rock

Citizen Journalist

One definition of a cliche that I pulled down from the internet is:  "A phrase or opinion that is overused and betrays a lack of original thought."  There have been two fine examples of cliches used in the news this week, and both have been used over and over and over - to the point that it has become downright annoying.

The first one that has been grating on my nerves is "dead on arrival."  I first heard it about a week ago when that great thinker, Congresswoman Marge Green of Georgia, said that the highly anticipated border security bill that was soon to be released by a senate committee would be "dead on arrival" when it reached the House.   A worn out cliche like that could be expected from Marge, who gets much of her news from Facebook (Jewish space lasers, anyone?), and is not exactly known for original thinking, but the easy-to-remember catchphrase was soon picked up by House Speaker Mike Johnson.   Now all manner of press-credentialed nincompoops are running around talking about the bill being "dead on arrival."

Boring.

Damn, people, mix it up a little!  If you're too lazy or intellectually limited to come up with something original, then at least stir in a few other tired old cliches to fight the monotony.  How about, "The bill will be deader than a doornail when it reaches the House."?   Or, "When the bill gets to the House it will be pushing up daisies."?  

Yesterday another cliche started making the news rounds, and it, too, is already sounding like (excuse the cliche) a stuck record.  Donald Trump is apparently sending out signals that he is dissatisfied with the performance of his personal bootlicker and the chair of the Republican National Committee, Ronna Romney McDaniel, and the story quickly morphed into Trump is preparing to "throw Ronna under the bus."

He's not going to push her off of a cliff, or send her packing, or punch her ticket, or terminate her with extreme prejudice, or even make her his running mate - no, oh no.  Trump's way of dealing with the shameless sycophant who even changed her name to make him happy, is to "throw her under the bus."  It's graphic, easy to remember and repeat, and boring - very, very boring.

So boring, in fact, that it is dead on arrival as far as I'm concerned.