Who You Callin Broken?

Perhaps the most quoted bit of wisdom is the adage, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” (Yes there are more grammatically correct versions, but I just don’t think they have as much impact …)

You hear this in corporate offices, sitcoms, newsrooms, etc.

I think I learned the phrase from my football coach. Back in the day … very much an era of smashmouth football … “three-yards and a cloud of dust” … and all that. My coach would tell us to run the same play over … and over … and over .. until the other team stopped the play or died of old age … or went insane from the monotony … or whatever.

“If it ain’t broke …”

This comes to mind because of all the stuff that is broke or broken right now.

Have you seen the political ads and heard all of the talking heads proclaiming “Washington is broken”?

When I hear that something “is broken,” it also makes me think that someone has no understanding of the problem … and certainly no earthly idea of how to fix it … but that they are happy to repeat what everyone is saying. Sort of a mob mentality. No shortage of mobs or flashmobs in these social media crazed days.

For the record, I am trying to determine when the term “broken” first went south in my eyes. Probably this: “broken,” as far back as I can recall, has always been a telltale sign that someone has no idea about what makes an automobile move, or stop, for that matter.

Traditionally, if a mechanic — sexist though it may be — heard a woman say that her car “is broken,” he immediately knew he could invent any outlandish diagnosis and charge whatever he wanted for the imaginary parts and repairs.

I suppose in the interest of political correctness, the same mechanic would probably swindle any tofu-eating male driver who self diagnosed that his “motor is broken.”

I digress …

Anyway … lots and lots of political ads are telling me that Washington is broken. That scares me … it is still broken? Good honk … we are seeing the biggest “repair bills”  — called stimulus — in the history of the planet … and still it is broken?

Then in the last week, broken really hit home.

Despite the fact that my car runs perfectly — better than any I have ever owned — I learned that everyone is saying it and all other Toyotas apparently “are broken” … I mean, if you put any faith in the national media propaganda machines these days.

Could this “Toyota Is Broken” mob mentality be a safety issue totally blown out of proportion?  There probably is a problem, just like every other auto manufacturer has expereienced.  But … man … I have never seen so much hype.   Let’s see, who would think of launching a safety smear campaign against the most successful auto company in the world? Maybe one of the underachieving competitors?

Oh … and speaking of broken … who is it that now has a controlling interest in General Motors? (There are some others starting to question this … so it isn’t just me.)

And then … in a stroke of brilliance, our lawmakers pretty much demand that Mr. Toyota himself testify.  Let’s see, he barely speaks English.  How well will he play to the propaganda cameras.  Excellent ploy.

Any connection, you think?  I’m just asking …

Know what I sayin?