A new survey commissioned by the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, Democracy for America, and Credo Action finds that a majority of Minnesotans — 56 percent — are embarrassed by Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN). Only 29 percent answered that they were “proud” of her, and 15 percent were “not sure.”  How is it that the crackpots get all the publicity and the really good and competent legislators doing the people's work, like Keith Ellison, also of Minnesota, are rarely in the news?  It's really a rhetorical question - the reason is because we no longer have news in America, we have celebrity-based infotainment.  Bachmann and Palin are the political equivalent of Paris Hilton - famous for being famous - which is a large part of the reason why so-called "independent voters" - really, low-information voters - so easily swing their political preferences.  The corporate powers in this country have a huge interest in keeping us dumb, and keeping our average voters focused on the entertainment show instead of the real issues.