The show of paramilitary force at the national party conventions held since the 9/11 attacks has been nothing less than shocking, though the vast majority of America doesn’t know it because they weren’t there, or they simply don’t care.

The year 2011 marked a critical confluence of militarism and revolution, not only in places like Libya and Egypt, but also here at home, where massive demonstrations in cities and towns throughout the country were met with a well-oiled law enforcement machine deployed in camouflage and Kevlar, lobbing tear gas grenades and packing rifles with rubber bullets.

Anyone covering Capitol Hill knows that congressional hearings can be deadly — deadly boring and deadly predictable. -- Kelley B. Vlahos

All the updates and controversy on America's "liberal" media can be found here . 

LOLA's Kelley B. Vlahos is on the scene in DC.