Why am I not seeing more coverage of these anti-democratic efforts in the MSM? Are they that lazy? Maybe they should hire Professor Richardson to help them figure out where to focus their resources. Anyway, this is why I subscribe to this Substack.
Why am I not seeing more coverage of these anti-democratic efforts in the MSM? Are they that lazy? Maybe they should hire Professor Richardson to help them figure out where to focus their resources. Anyway, this is why I subscribe to this Substack.
"We are dominated by the relatively small number of persons who understand the mental processes and social patterns of masses. It is they who pull the wires which control the public mind" (Edward Berney)
Almost every mainstream media, with the exception of a few of them if am not wrong, no longer cover news worthy of your time. Traditional media has lost its soul of informing and instead taken hostage by the party alignment. When mainstream media are owned by billionaires with interests in politics, they won't prioritize any truth. Truth is relegated to the periphery of the mainstream media and only introduce as a trivial matter because it doesn't inject much profit.
Also, parties buy headlines to prevent the dissemination of anti-democratic efforts to the people. Only news that paint their opponents in bad light are released and given much airtime. While mostly Rs rely on Fox News, most Ds trusts CNN. Each mainstream media is jostling for audience whom they can serenade with their favorite content.
However, I find Fox news as mostly extreme as its intention is to spread fake news and misinformation about Ds.
"the intersection of a burgeoning traditional media ecosystem and a factionalized public has transformed precisely the type of content that so concerns the persecution profiteers: propaganda. Propaganda is information with an agenda, delivered to susceptible audiences to serve the objectives of the media"
"the average audience member of The New York Post sits very close to the party and ideology of the average U.S. adult. The average audience member of Breitbart, the Sean Hannity radio show and Rush Limbaugh’s radio program sit further to the right, as they tend to be more conservative and Republican"
In Kenya, politicians have established their own TV stations and radio to consolidate their power and protect their "good image" despite glaring corruption scandals. In Uganda, almost all TV stations do not intend to cover opposition lest the government shuts them down. Tanzania has as well mauled traditional media and it is intended to cover only Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM). Only few dare to give airtime to CHADEMA.
In summary, mainstream media not only in the US, but across the world is polarising and doesn't inform as much as you would like to know about your country. It is controlled and no longer healthy for the society to grow. It has its own target audience.
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You nailed it, Edwin. The media in the US has given up reporting the real news in favor of entertainment which the republican clowns supply in abundance. Greed, money and power win out over truth every time. Sorry you have the same problems in Kenya and Uganda. Among all the failures of colonialism, was the deliberate failure to provide universal education. They were so sure, in their blind racism, that people of color couldn't learn, they decided to force their religious beliefs on Africans instead. How cruel they were. I sincerely hope that people like you, can convince the African Union Countries that education, health care, and public transportation are the three most important areas to bring recognition to all African countries. Far more important than weapons and military.
I respectfully disagree. Reading a variety of sources, including those HCR uses, can give us a wider view. AP (begun in 1846), Reuters (1851), NYT (1851), NPR (1971), and PBS (1969) would not still be with us if they didn't provide reliable reporting. I've heard so many republicans claim they don't trust or read any news any more. That is dangerous and leads to an uninformed electorate.
I would add the BBC to your list of news sources. Their news coverage of the USA is better than than many here in the United States. They also cover the relationship of US to rest of the world that is so under reported here.
For the most part from my view the BBC doesn't do this both sides are equal bullshit. The have some of the best interviewers also in my opinion. I read the Guardian too, they dig deep on many stories. As to conservative I also read and will continue to read the Economist. They many be conservative -- but they are data driven, for sure there I things I don't agree with them on but they are not flinging BS.
Patricia, add to that, the numbers of people who get their news from Facebook or Instagram (and X). We used to worry about the 'low information voter'; now we have the 'no information voter'! It hasn't helped that so many local and regional newspapers have folded (no pun intended).
In the beginning....of literature, and most recently, television...those who wrote for them were the educated....clever and creative. As time went on it was discovered, by those who would profit, that the majority of the population is not very smart....leaders of media and of whole countries have figured out how to capture and control the majority of the public.
We, who subscribe to NPR, PBS, quality news sources and Heather are in the minority.
Good post Patricia. A trump follower recently stated "Because he's fun" , when asked why she supported him. Please refer to Neil Postman's book, "WE Are Entertaining Ourselves To Death". Enterainment sells ! It is the fabulous Female Brains which will lift us out of this stall humankind is mired down in. Too much for here, but, know that certain adaptations her brain is capable of, and not ours nearly as much, renders her far more likely to continue life on a path of learning, whereas we men tend more toward stasis. Neurosynaptic pruning. Meanwhile, Tom Tumorfilled continues to drive their Titanic-like brand into the grave. I'm guessing some military folks in Alabama regret that vote for him.
What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one. Orwell feared those who would deprive us of information. Huxley feared those who would give us so much that we would be reduced to passivity and egoism. Orwell feared that the truth would be concealed from us. Huxley feared the truth would be drowned in a sea of irrelevance. Orwell feared we would become a captive culture. Huxley feared we would become a trivial culture, preoccupied with some equivalent of the feelies, the orgy porgy, and the centrifugal bumblepuppy.
As Huxley remarked in Brave New World Revisited, the civil libertarians and rationalists who are ever on the alert to oppose tyranny "failed to take into account man's almost infinite appetite for distractions."
"In 1984", Huxley added, "people are controlled by inflicting pain. In Brave New World, they are controlled by inflicting pleasure."
In short, Orwell feared that what we hate will ruin us. Huxley feared that what we love will ruin us. ~Neil Postman
Becky estill, so is another way of saying it: we don't really want the truth because it might hurt us, so we avoid it by wallowing in distractions which will kill us/ cause greater suffering because knowing truths are necessary for our survival /well being?
Fahrenheit 451 basically said that books were not needed-burn them. You can't have this book because it has violence, this book has risque behavior, mentions blacks, LGBT people. By the time you censor everything, why have books?
You don't mince words, Jim. Your "because he's fun" reasoning reminded me of a hairdresser's comment before the 2020 election. The stylist giggled and said she'd vote for trump because he "made her laugh." Now that justifies having responsibility for the nation's nuclear codes right there. Thanks for the Postman book recommendation. I'm currently reading "Humanly Possible" by Sarah Bakewell. I find it uplifting and hopeful.
Because he's fun is, I suspect, the reason that at least 30% of the followers of the orange sadist vote for him. They are the people who never read a book, or a newspaper, and only watch FOX. They loved his trashy TV show and his carny-barker/salesman style -- and they are dragging our country down the drain with their intellectual stupidity/laziness.
This is so true. NPR needs financial support along with PBS, The Guardian and BBC. Our local NPR station has lost outstanding employees due to lack of financial support.
I am big time into banned books. Unlike those women who want to ban books which they have never read, I have read almost all the books on my shirt and a few more on another list from the American Librarians Association. No one will say to me, "Well have you even read these books?" I will say," Yes I have and more. What about you?"
I canceled my subscription to the NYT two days ago. I've had it with them! Sticking with the WaPo + MSNBC (and sometimes CNN) + NPR + PBS + The Guardian + Reuters+ 7 substacks (including Joyce Vance, Steve Schmidt, Timothy Snyder, among others).
So true. Same in Australia, homeland of Murdoch. (His mother, Lady Murdoch, was a cultivated, dignified humanist. One of the Melbourne concert halls is named after her. She was the widow of Sir Keith Murdoch, a fine newspaperman. Rupert wasn't their fault.)
Ditto! Imagine Rupert would have been a great disappointment—don’t know if she lived long enough to know that. Kinda reminds me of a cartoon I saw years ago….a couple of hippie parents sitting on the couch were looking at their young grade school age son standing in front of them….he was in a suit and tie, holding a briefcase. The cartoon caption was “Where did we go wrong?”. Such is life….
Well, I'm afraid I have to tell you that she did know, and I'm even more afraid to tell you that she lived to 103. He's got time for another couple of glamorous short-term wives, and who knows what else. I quote from an article written on the occasion of her funeral: "Dame Elisabeth not only disapproved, but expressed shame at the methods her only son had employed in making himself an international pariah. "
(Yes, she was a Dame - the late Queen conferred the honour on her years ago, and she had quite a string of letters after her name as well.)
Damn, gives me the big sadz for her. I can only imagine, but posit she must have been heartbroken while still loving her son…a heavy load to carry methinks.
Knew a kid in 9th grade who called his step mother, "step monster." He was right. I had a lot of sympathy for some problem Freshmen boys until they turned into clones of parents before graduation. All parents make mistakes, some are a mistake. Watch out for their kids, especially when they protect them from any consequences. Then, there are those who deny obvious problems that the kids have and just punish, punish, punish. Takes all kinds... BTW, my parents were flawed but had a modicum of common sense.
Aliens, who live off you. I tell young people to stick to dogs and cats. If they don't work out, you can have them put them down. Try that with a kid; the police will show up at your door.
I agree, the newsrooms report on events in a fashion that pleases their corporate masters. Profit is the main goal , not journalism that gets to reveal the truth. Facts don’t seem to get high ratings these days.
We are stuck here in Oregon's capital, with a Gannett rag and we used to have two newspapers. Gannett also now owns the Eugene Register Guard and has ruined that paper as well. We take an on-line version of the Salem rag, mainly to read obits. And they have one person writing for both newspapers in some instances. We do have some local news and analysis from a few online only entities. If you want to see how ill informed people are, you need only look at Next Door which is full of rumor and innuendo. We also have a Facebook page which announces accidents and other problems and the person in charge of the page has recently had to tell people not to be nasty. I wonder what trolls did before the advent of the internet. A usual question around our house is what the hell is wrong with people.
I read the Gannett-owned Palm Beach Post daily, and I don't think you can find a more anti-Trump, anti-DeSantis paper in the State. Gannett has cut their op/ed pages down to five days a week, but does not mess with their editorial policy and the columnists they carry, Apparently that is not true in Oregon.
Jack, as a consumer of the Register Guard (Eugene's once award-winning paper) I can tell you that they dropped their op-ed page this year saying that it was because that was the reason people gave for cancelling their subscriptions. I no longer take the paper as a paper ($35 per month) but do take the on-line version. The paper is 1/4 the size it used to be, and is almost utter garbage.
The Ellsworth American still has an editorial page but the local editors never talk about politicians outside of Maine. And rarely do they cover Collins, King, Golden or Pingree. Mostly their editorials are about local towns and how they have dealt with local issues.
One of the biggest local concerns is the cruise ships that arrive almost daily in the summer and dump their waste overboard. And the ships dump as many as 1500 passengers on a downtown which can't handle that many people at once.
The next biggest issue is the ever expanding attendance at Acadia National Park. The past 2 seasons attendance has grown to around 4 million a year.
The letters to the editor are about 50//50 local and national but coastal Maine is pretty liberal.
Almost every year the paper wins the award for best weekly paper in New England. I have no idea how stiff the competition is though.
But like almost every newspaper, they are struggling financially.
This is absolutely not true here. They have no editorial page and haven't for a very long time. When I look at it every day, that part has something about Elizabeth II's death. They don't publish a paper on Saturday which means we don't get a NYT on Saturday because they deliver that paper. I am glad to know that your paper has an editorial page five times a week. Be very thankful. Also glad to know that it is anti death star and Stumpy Boots DeSatan.
As an example of their independent editorial policy, they editorialized today about President Biden's bill which included an increase in FEMA funds along with continued financing of arms for Ukraine, even though they didn't like his including both issues in the same legislative package. Despite that, they concluded by urging support of the bill because of its importance in providing disaster aid, and recommened getting back to the question of support for Ukraine as a separate matter later on. It is unfortunate that most voters don't read a daily newspaper.
Joe Rogan and Bill Maher are both wrong. Yes, tRump is a stupid, crazy criminal. But trying to make Biden seem equivalent to tRump is disingenuous, to say the least. What kind of person who holds the office of president will not approve a disaster declaration for Washington state communities devastated by wildfires because that state has a Democratic governor? Biden had to approve that emergency declaration. tRump is a mob boss, pure and simple.
Jenn you are exactly correct. Regardless of the States party affiliation the President has the duty to to approve an emergency declaration. That's their job.
Yes, emergency declarations are a duty but as Bush and Trump demonstrated the level of response depends on the amount of character of any practitioner.
The Biden's show up and demonstrate intense concern.
The O’Jays singin’ about money in the early 70’s…rings true today…. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXE_n2q08Yw Some folks will do anything to make a buck….personally I like the saying about making money “to make a living, not a killing”.
From the article,. Leslie Moonves in 2016: “Man, who would have expected the ride we’re all having right now? … The money’s rolling in and this is fun,” he said.
And I guess that says it all about our media. Thank you, JL, for providing that link.
And remember how Les Moonves ended up. Hostage to his own sense of male superiority, convinced he was bulletproof and could get away with the most egregious behavior, had the LAPD in his back pocket as long as he returned those juicy profits back to the corporation.
And then one day, he found himself stripped naked (not literally, of course because eww) in public, disgraced, forced to return 10s of millions of dollars and cashiered.
Arrogance brought lower than low. It was a beautiful thing to see.
Will have to look that up thanks. I faintly remember something along that line. I think to survive I have to let the memory of some of this crap die. So many bow down to the Almighty 💰💰
And yet, while such an outcome may be "justice," no one is actually made whole. Getting "stripped naked...disgraced, forced to return...dollars" doesn't nearly remove the harm he did. The two events sit separately, sadly.
One more reason that I feel “ righteous” about cutting cable. For most of our adults lives reading everything..holding to the idea that the “devil you know….”. No more!!
CNN was no longer a trusted source for Anyone after the head of CNN publicly, and rather gleefully, stated publicly that "Trump might be bad for the nation, but he's GREAT for CNN" during the 2016 presidential election.
Help elect a Mussolini-like President? Sure--anything/everything that gooses ratings.
Yep; and it is what it is. I need "meat", not entertainment. I've also found that multitasking, be it me, broadcast outlets, etc., is nothing but a 'fools errand.' Stay in your own lane.
I enjoy reading your comments Edwin, but I think you’re a little off on this. The New York Post is solidly right wing. I also think you do a disservice re: CNN and Fox. Both of these I classify as infotainment and so prefer serious sources of information, of which there is a healthy amount.
Gail Adams Fla/Va. - "The New York Post is solidly right wing."
Well maybe not "solidly" but definitely not unbiased:
Overall, we rate the New York Post on the far end of Right-Center Biased due to story selection that typically favors the Right and Mixed (borderline questionable) for factual reporting based on several failed fact checks.
Nice info 'data' Ron, but I'm in the same camp as Gail Adams on that opinion of New York Post: Decidedly right wing infotainment, near the same as the others she cites with the exception of more entertainment added owing to humor. Data is what data is; there is much more that convinces humans than raw data.
Janineb9, ahhh yes, thinking for ourselves. ---- I think that's what you call it, seems so rare in many places. I agreee! And when I feel like they are trying to manipulate me/us (which they are), I'm disgusted. For watching domestic and world news, I reliably trust PBS. i would go mad without it.
Edwin, sometime after reading this LFAA’s comments, including yours, late this evening on the Pacific coast of far northern California, I happened upon this YouTube version of the song “Africa”… a unique chorale rendition and thought to share it with you….the only reason, really, was because of the title of the song…perhaps you will enjoy it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-c9-poC5HGw&t=392s
Barbara, I am sure you meant well but it is a song about Africa written by white men after watching a documentary sung by an all white American group and covered by an almost blindingly white chorus. Popular here, yes, haunting, possibly.
What are the big African issues in the last week is Republicans trying to cut the PEPFAR funding for the HIV relief program that has saved the lives of over 25,000,000 people, many in Africa, and the wave of coupes that are destabilizing the continent.
Edwin's to the point comments on the devolution of the press into entertainment and away from public service has not just led to polarization between poltical factions, it has narrowed our tunnel vision even further to exclude any examination of what is happening elsewhere in the world. with a few exceptions
I am of Ukrainian extraction and the war is covered in incredible depth on a almost minute by minute basis, every death of a civilian counted. Meanwhile Millions of people are starving in Africa, forced from the land by climate change and weather disasters, ethnic and religious conflict and political instability. And it is NOT news here. It is buried in the links on the world news header and you have to search to find coverage.
And I also looked at Beau of the Fifth Column's video on what it's like to be a black person in America. I learned a lot from my black students when I taught high school but Beau's video is a striking summary.
Georgia, if you saw Barbara's link to 'Africa - Angel City Chorale', surely, I think that she offered us a wonderful performance. I have a booked day ahead and must hurry along. I look forward to watching the video you linked either tonight or tomorrow. Thank you.
Georgia, I don't know why you connected Beau's deeply inciteful 'conversation' with the viewers about White people knowing/understanding Black Peoples' lives in America with the wonderful performance of 'Africa - Angel City Chorale', for which Barbara provided a link, in a patronizing tone towards Barbara. These two viewing experiences are quite different, and I felt both to be very worthwhile.
Georgia, love Beau’s commentaries—he is so spot-on with so many of the issues he covers. I had not seen this one from 4 yrs ago, tho’ I do follow him. I must admit I am confused about how his perceptive commentary on the loss of cultural identity/history of peoples who were stolen from their homelands and had their histories and culture erased exactly relates to this song and/or this performance. What is it in the lyrics or presentation that is specifically troublesome for you? As I posted in response to another commenter, I looked into the origin story of the song just today and still don’t perceive malice or denigration there (however factually unaware the songwriter was of the continent of Africa and the countries/cultures therein, he states that watching the documentary he was heartsick…and yet, for me, I would not intuit that from the song/lyrics; I read he did say he was concerned about the drought & brought him the thoughts of rain to ease it, hence the lyric). As an aside, I DVR/watch Finding Your Roots w/ Henry Luis Gates on PBS and it is so very rare that he is able for those participants who’s ancestors were known to have been slaves to actually be able to ferret out their ancestors’ country of origin—usually the trail runs cold scant generations back. When he/his colleagues are able to, the look of joy and surprise on the persons face is evident; when the trail runs cold, the look is more one of resignation and acknowledgment.
Georgia, you are exactly right--I watch the BBC for news that is NEWSWORTHY. Many times, topics that are difficult to watch: currently, they are doing a series on child sex trafficking that’s extremely hard to watch.
Someone wrote here in the Comments that they liked how the BBC rotates their news “presenters” and I couldn’t agree more!
Georgia, you are right that no offense was intended…actually I had a moment when hesitated posting it not knowing how it might “land” or be interpreted, perhaps be politicized, or trigger someone, but (I very vaguely remember the original song from some time ago, but had no clue to the origin/writer/singer or why he wrote it, etc), watching the chorale PERFORMANCE (was posted in a “good news” compilation email that I get that usually features heartwarming stories of various types)—very unique, particularly the rain/thunder sounds done with hands and stomping—is what “got” me. I did not think they were making any kind of political statement in the singing of the song, at least that’s my take. And yes, like many locations in the world the African continent—to me there is no “one” Africa, except the continent, as it’s comprised of so many countries—and all the complexity that comes with it. Edwin writes “The Startup from Africa” Substack, which I read, enjoy and appreciate his perspective on American, African and world events…which he sometimes ties together. [Not knowing any of the backstory to the song written in the early 80’s, I did a wee bit of looking into it just now. My take: Appears to be a well intentioned response to someone who’d never been to Africa and who watching a documentary (as you point out) was concerned and saddened by much of what he saw happening in what he thought of as a beautiful country, and it haunted him and he wrote a song about it…admittedly from “not knowing much at all about Africa” knowledge.]
You sent a Black African a song about how white people, who have never even been there in person, see the experience he lives. Wouldn't it be more respectful, if the song evoked a response in you, as the documentary did in the song writers, to ask and learn about his real experience?
If you just met a Frenchman who was commenting on this platform, would you send him a clip from the movie CanCan because you though he would find it interesting?
I grew up in a lily white neighborhood in NYC in the 50s and 60s. I did not have any black kids in my school until high school. As a high school teacher in the 2000s I had a black student who taught me a great deal about how he perceived me and white privilege in America. Beau says we cannot know what it's like to be black in America, and it is even harder to know what it is like for a Black African. I think Beau is correct, but that thought does force me to think about what deeply ingrained assumptions I make every day. I can only pass on what has impacted me and what I was taught by my student and my friends who know Africa well. I don't have answers but I am trying to formulate the questions.
Rush is dead. I think CNN lost some ground with the trump rally they broadcasted. At that moment they sunk to the level of FOX. I know nothing about those things, but I could have much better. You do not put a sweet young woman to go up against trump. It should have been a man like one of the late night guys with the very quick wit and probably not afraid to interrupt him. "Do you mind if I finish?" Yes I do.
Well, all the media you complain about is far from any description of the MSM I have ever heard. No wonder you have concerns.
I’m somewhat concerned with the news on CBS, ABC, and NBC. But Reuters and several papers in this country are actually pretty solid. They have not soft-pedaled Trumps crimes. I personally don’t waste my time on Breibart or The National Enquirer for that matter.
We would all like MSM to do the Dem campaigns’ jobs for them, I suppose, but then they would be no better than Fox.
Instead of pearl clutching, let’s all use today’s media, which puts “one to many” communication in the hands of everyone of us to get the Dem story out.
'US military leaders say Tuberville is aiding US adversaries with hold on military nominations'
'The three US military service secretaries went on the offensive against Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville over his ongoing hold on senior military nominations in an interview with CNN on Tuesday, saying he is aiding communist and autocratic regimes, and being used by adversaries like China against the US.'
“Our potential adversaries are paying attention,” Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall told CNN’s Jake Tapper alongside Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro and Army Secretary Christine Wormuth in an exclusive joint interview for “The Lead.” “It is affecting how they view the United States and our military capabilities and support for the military. This needs to stop.”
'Kendall said that at an embassy event in Washington, DC, an Air Force general officer was “taunted” by a Chinese colonel “about the way our democracy was working.”
'Del Toro echoed the same concerns, saying that as someone “born in a communist country, I would have never imagined one of our own senators would actually be aiding and abetting a communist and other autocratic regimes around the world.”
“This is having a real negative impact and will continue to have an impact on our combat readiness,” said Del Toro, who was born in Cuba. “That is what the American people truly need to understand.”
“It is just unprecedented to be attacking apolitical general officers and flag officers in this way. It is taking our apolitical military … and eroding its foundations,” Wormuth added. (CNN) See link below.
“Today for the first time in the history of the Department of Defense, two of our services will be operating without Senate confirmed leadership,” the cabinet secretary explained.’
‘That number is now three. Navy Admiral Mike Gilday, a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, received a clap-out exit on Friday as he left the Pentagon for the last time.’
‘The scope of the problem continues to metastasize: The Washington Post reported that the Alabama Republican’s anti-abortion tantrum is currently affecting 301 high-level positions in his own country’s military, but in the coming months, that number will more than double to 650.’
‘Peter Feaver, a professor who studies civil-military relations at Duke University, told the Post that he was struck by the number of “warfighting” positions affected by Tuberville’s antics, most notably in the Pacific, where the United States now lacks a confirmed chief leading the Indo-Pacific Command.’
“This is a gift to China, and it’s a gift that keeps giving day in and day out,” Feaver said, referring to the results of the GOP senator’s efforts.’
‘Complicating matters, the Post published a separate report highlighting the fact that the Redstone Arsenal in Alabama — the state Tuberville represents — has been especially adversely affected by his radical tactics.’
‘For his part, the far-right senator has repeatedly suggested that he has broad support for his antics, but there’s growing evidence to the contrary. AL.com reported last week:
A majority of Alabama voters say Sen. Tommy Tuberville should end his months-long hold on military nominations over new Department of Defense policies concerning abortion, according to a poll exclusively released Wednesday to AL.com.’
‘VoteVets, a prominent veterans organization with a progressive agenda, commissioned Public Policy Polling to conduct the survey, and the results should be of interest to the senator:
• By a 58%-to-29% margin, Alabama voters think Tuberville “has made his point” and should now drop his hold on military promotions.
• 55% agree that senior positions going unfilled by confirmed promotions hurts national security.
• By a 72%-to-14%, Alabamans said military promotions should not be politicized.
• As a result of Tuberville’s radical tactics, the poll found 45% of Alabamans now see the coach-turned-politician less favorably.’
‘A related report from Navigator Polling found similar results at the national level, where a majority of Americans oppose what the senator is doing.’ (msnbc) See link below.
Tuberville was a popular football coach, nothing more. The only "qualification" he had in the deep red state of Alabama was that he was and is a loyal supporter of the criminal that was the former president...he is nothing more than a crackpot who doesn't even live in Alabama. How does that work?
Doug Jones was elected because Alabama voters were briefly shocked by the amazing criminality of Roy Moore, which was revealed right before the election. Since then, Alabama voters have worked mightily to increase their tolerance for ideologues and criminals in office, preparing for 2024.
Apparently, its working well for the obstructionists. They flaunt any law that gets in their way and they take advantage of Senate Procedural rules that allow this Tuberville- ish hostage taking
Ms. McBride: It is beyond my understanding how a dullard like Senator Tommy Tuberville can legally hold the entire US military hostage, but it is my sincere hope that the voters within the ranks of the military, who tend to lean right, will not miss this latest Republican outrage. I have no doubt that Tuberville has broad Republican support in the Senate, else the situation wouldn’t have been allowed to persist for so long. Hopefully military voters will see this ploy for what it is: stupid, short sighted churlishness.
Heather & Fern, Thank you for focusing our attention onto the decisions and behavior of two elected Republican "so called leaders" who are part of a group who are working to destroy our freedom, our government which is supposed to include all of us NOT a selected few.
I totally agree with you.I have said it before-There are no good Rs left in Congress.If they are still members of this party after all that has happened then their allegiance is not to the American people.
T is bringing the whole country down the Tubes with him. Senator from elsewhere living in Florida? Does the Constitution say anything about treason for "aiding and abetting"? Thanks again Fern for your brilliant additions to brilliant HCR.
Let us not forget the Republicans in the Senate are not intervening--they are "standing back, and standing by."
Tuberville is a traitor now by the Constitutions definition--he is giving aid and comfort to the enemy. But his fellow Senate Republicans are giving aid and comfort to Tuberville.
This is hilarious: I just flipped over to FB, and staring me in the face is a HUGE news item:
"JOE JONAS FILES FOR DIVORCE FROM SOPHIE TURNER!"
Who the hell is Joe Jonas? Who the hell is Sophie Turner? Why do I need to know who they are, or whether they are getting married, or divorced, or a new puppy?
What’s happening with the artist formerly named “Kanye”? How’re all those Kardashians doing? I hear Taylor Swift sold out all her concerts in 20 seconds. And lastly, Nike is introducing a limited edition of some sort of basketball shoe. Get’em while their hot!
I was paying attention to the Nike shoe. It is the first shoe that is designed as a unisex shoe, and features NY Liberty (and former U of O star) Sabrina Ionescu.
Depends on the news sources you choose. The best way to build a reliable list of news sources I've found is to check out HCR's links everyday and bookmark the ones I like the best. The list can grow unmanageably long so occasional pruning is necessary to keep from falling down a bottomless rabbit hole. ;-)
Don't you find it refreshing and encouraging to be reading the opinions of reborn conservatives? Gives me hope there will be a better future as we all mature and learn to get along by not just copping out to "agree to disagree" but forging common ground. It's how we elevate human behavior which is woefully behind the rise in human technology. It's not just conservatives doing this, it's true for liberals also.
If change was easy, everyone would be doing it. Gotta start somewhere.
BlueRootsRadio, yes agree! "Be the change" is really hard for us humans. But then, I think of others who have done it. Dr. King and those who courageously moved and spoke with non-violence, did so becauseit it was moral and strategic, but mostly because they could. Not all of us can, but maybe this is the call to action for those of us who can. Glory to all the peacemakers who move us forward to being more just. ------ by being more just.
Yes, I liked the approach that MSM needs to stop normalising what isn't. Reminds me of Dan Rather's blog post, in the week following the nightmare election: "Folks, this isn't normal."
Thank goodness we have Dr. Richardson and other substack writers who are doing an end-run around the main stream media. The Bulwark just published a special project entitled The Corruption of Lindsey Graham. I can't figure out how to link it here. It's a chilling expose of Graham's (and other politicians') capitulation to Trump.
I was able to read it without paying for a subscription, but ended up becoming a paid subscriber. The journalism is solid, and I want to support that.
I'd love to read that Lindsey Graham project, and I like the Bulwark newsletters; but they have allowance for free articles. $10/month adds up quickly for my addiction
I get it. I feel like if you Google around you can find a way to read it. It's breathtaking and so enlightening about how an autocrat/authoritarian pulls people into his orbit.
I am deeply grateful to Dr. Richardson for her timely insight on so many topics. By the way, what does MSM refer to? I looked it up and I found it refers to an “anti-inflammatory drug.” If that is the case, I think that all MAGA Republicans should be required to take it daily.
While I applaud some skepticism of the very broad category of MSM, and the critical thinking that is used to scrutinize what is true, false or debatable, and also what news sources are credible/not credible, we should be careful not to lump all news or even all MSM into the same bucket.
I take your point that MSM in general can be misdirected in its focus on one distraction at the expense of the bigger issue(s). But it should also be noted that you have to give credible news sources in the MSM credit when they are regularly doing their job.
And when they are lying, especially when there is evidence that they are lying (in recent court cases for example), they live in their own category of misinformers & liars.
WRT cable news (& their online counterparts) up to this point, the Fox Network, OANN, & Newsmax continue to show themselves to be not credible. They've been sued for repeatedly lying for over a year, in 6 court cases, 2 separate defamation cases each (Smartmatic & DVS). In 1 of 6 of these cases (other 5 are still pending as I understand it), Fox settled out of court for $787.5M. And the evidence in court made public should settle the argument that the Fox Network, among some who decided to lie, are not credible yet I keep hearing the unconvincing excuse that 'both sides do it' and both sides don't do it (lie/misinform).
Misinformation & disinformation is not limited to just these 3 outlets but they are clear examples that have been called out for lying and pushing disinformation for years and yet the waters continue to get muddied with bad excuses.
The obvious (to me) liars and misinformers muddy the waters with false claims that 'both sides' misinform/lie. I don't buy into that idea. That puts the liars and the journalists that are doing their jobs in the same category.
There's a tendency to overlook credible news and focus on the 'both sides' fallacy, or perceived bias for that matter, which has nothing to do with what is true or credible.
I say all this to point out that the bigger issue, the issue that requires the most focus, IMHO, is the misinformation, disinformation, & lack of credibility of some MSM versus the focus on distractions and less impactful issues covered by other MSM.
Starting in about the 1980s, the MSM news outlets faced stiff competition from emerging cable channels. In order to compete, "serious 'just the facts' news channels" like CBS, ABC, NBC even PBS were forced to become more entertainment focused in order to keep their audiences. That meant shorter, breezier stories and the end of "boring" stories about that the US Senate was doing (or not doing).
We've now reached the point where the news media universe has completely fractured into non-overlapping galaxies, with one galaxy focus on news based on facts, evidence, logic and reason while the other galaxy is focused on amplifying the prejudices of its highly conservative viewers. Both galaxies of news must still be entertainment oriented, so "hard news" gets largely ignored. This is one of the ways democracy in the US is dying.
Boy do i agree with you. The media is focused on drama. And I wonder if they ate missing the seriousness and long term impact of their handling of what this cult is doing to our democracy. I stopped watching the PBS Newshour and Week In Review as I would get frustrated watching these pundits and journalists discussing what is going on as if it were a high school debate. And the smiles and laughter?
Maybe you don't see it because nobody wants to defend it?
Why in the hell are soldiers being taught leftist woke propaganda? Miley claimed he didn't know about it. Yet Congress cited examples of training videos about a soldier having pride in 'two moms", extensive equity & inclusion course work, and climate change curriculum.
Our military has one job - protect our nation - by becoming a lethal killing machine.
Its job is not to produce lifelong Democrat voters.
Why am I not seeing more coverage of these anti-democratic efforts in the MSM? Are they that lazy? Maybe they should hire Professor Richardson to help them figure out where to focus their resources. Anyway, this is why I subscribe to this Substack.
"We are dominated by the relatively small number of persons who understand the mental processes and social patterns of masses. It is they who pull the wires which control the public mind" (Edward Berney)
Almost every mainstream media, with the exception of a few of them if am not wrong, no longer cover news worthy of your time. Traditional media has lost its soul of informing and instead taken hostage by the party alignment. When mainstream media are owned by billionaires with interests in politics, they won't prioritize any truth. Truth is relegated to the periphery of the mainstream media and only introduce as a trivial matter because it doesn't inject much profit.
Also, parties buy headlines to prevent the dissemination of anti-democratic efforts to the people. Only news that paint their opponents in bad light are released and given much airtime. While mostly Rs rely on Fox News, most Ds trusts CNN. Each mainstream media is jostling for audience whom they can serenade with their favorite content.
However, I find Fox news as mostly extreme as its intention is to spread fake news and misinformation about Ds.
"the intersection of a burgeoning traditional media ecosystem and a factionalized public has transformed precisely the type of content that so concerns the persecution profiteers: propaganda. Propaganda is information with an agenda, delivered to susceptible audiences to serve the objectives of the media"
"the average audience member of The New York Post sits very close to the party and ideology of the average U.S. adult. The average audience member of Breitbart, the Sean Hannity radio show and Rush Limbaugh’s radio program sit further to the right, as they tend to be more conservative and Republican"
In Kenya, politicians have established their own TV stations and radio to consolidate their power and protect their "good image" despite glaring corruption scandals. In Uganda, almost all TV stations do not intend to cover opposition lest the government shuts them down. Tanzania has as well mauled traditional media and it is intended to cover only Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM). Only few dare to give airtime to CHADEMA.
In summary, mainstream media not only in the US, but across the world is polarising and doesn't inform as much as you would like to know about your country. It is controlled and no longer healthy for the society to grow. It has its own target audience.
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You nailed it, Edwin. The media in the US has given up reporting the real news in favor of entertainment which the republican clowns supply in abundance. Greed, money and power win out over truth every time. Sorry you have the same problems in Kenya and Uganda. Among all the failures of colonialism, was the deliberate failure to provide universal education. They were so sure, in their blind racism, that people of color couldn't learn, they decided to force their religious beliefs on Africans instead. How cruel they were. I sincerely hope that people like you, can convince the African Union Countries that education, health care, and public transportation are the three most important areas to bring recognition to all African countries. Far more important than weapons and military.
I respectfully disagree. Reading a variety of sources, including those HCR uses, can give us a wider view. AP (begun in 1846), Reuters (1851), NYT (1851), NPR (1971), and PBS (1969) would not still be with us if they didn't provide reliable reporting. I've heard so many republicans claim they don't trust or read any news any more. That is dangerous and leads to an uninformed electorate.
I would add the BBC to your list of news sources. Their news coverage of the USA is better than than many here in the United States. They also cover the relationship of US to rest of the world that is so under reported here.
Absolutely, Dave. Also "The Guardian." They seem to cover topics ignored by other big media.
Also DW News as well as, to some extent, Al Jazeera. All provide perspectives beyond that of U.S. media, especially international news.
BBC is conservative.
Try the Guardian and substack?
For the most part from my view the BBC doesn't do this both sides are equal bullshit. The have some of the best interviewers also in my opinion. I read the Guardian too, they dig deep on many stories. As to conservative I also read and will continue to read the Economist. They many be conservative -- but they are data driven, for sure there I things I don't agree with them on but they are not flinging BS.
Patricia, add to that, the numbers of people who get their news from Facebook or Instagram (and X). We used to worry about the 'low information voter'; now we have the 'no information voter'! It hasn't helped that so many local and regional newspapers have folded (no pun intended).
In the beginning....of literature, and most recently, television...those who wrote for them were the educated....clever and creative. As time went on it was discovered, by those who would profit, that the majority of the population is not very smart....leaders of media and of whole countries have figured out how to capture and control the majority of the public.
We, who subscribe to NPR, PBS, quality news sources and Heather are in the minority.
........Sad state of affairs.
Good post Patricia. A trump follower recently stated "Because he's fun" , when asked why she supported him. Please refer to Neil Postman's book, "WE Are Entertaining Ourselves To Death". Enterainment sells ! It is the fabulous Female Brains which will lift us out of this stall humankind is mired down in. Too much for here, but, know that certain adaptations her brain is capable of, and not ours nearly as much, renders her far more likely to continue life on a path of learning, whereas we men tend more toward stasis. Neurosynaptic pruning. Meanwhile, Tom Tumorfilled continues to drive their Titanic-like brand into the grave. I'm guessing some military folks in Alabama regret that vote for him.
What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one. Orwell feared those who would deprive us of information. Huxley feared those who would give us so much that we would be reduced to passivity and egoism. Orwell feared that the truth would be concealed from us. Huxley feared the truth would be drowned in a sea of irrelevance. Orwell feared we would become a captive culture. Huxley feared we would become a trivial culture, preoccupied with some equivalent of the feelies, the orgy porgy, and the centrifugal bumblepuppy.
As Huxley remarked in Brave New World Revisited, the civil libertarians and rationalists who are ever on the alert to oppose tyranny "failed to take into account man's almost infinite appetite for distractions."
"In 1984", Huxley added, "people are controlled by inflicting pain. In Brave New World, they are controlled by inflicting pleasure."
In short, Orwell feared that what we hate will ruin us. Huxley feared that what we love will ruin us. ~Neil Postman
(Book: Amusing Ourselves to Death https://amzn.to/3OTfAfr)
Becky estill, so is another way of saying it: we don't really want the truth because it might hurt us, so we avoid it by wallowing in distractions which will kill us/ cause greater suffering because knowing truths are necessary for our survival /well being?
Yes indeed Becky. Thank you 🙏
Fahrenheit 451 basically said that books were not needed-burn them. You can't have this book because it has violence, this book has risque behavior, mentions blacks, LGBT people. By the time you censor everything, why have books?
Brilliant post
You don't mince words, Jim. Your "because he's fun" reasoning reminded me of a hairdresser's comment before the 2020 election. The stylist giggled and said she'd vote for trump because he "made her laugh." Now that justifies having responsibility for the nation's nuclear codes right there. Thanks for the Postman book recommendation. I'm currently reading "Humanly Possible" by Sarah Bakewell. I find it uplifting and hopeful.
Trump makes ME puke.
Because he's fun is, I suspect, the reason that at least 30% of the followers of the orange sadist vote for him. They are the people who never read a book, or a newspaper, and only watch FOX. They loved his trashy TV show and his carny-barker/salesman style -- and they are dragging our country down the drain with their intellectual stupidity/laziness.
Yes BUT why are they so dumb?
Everyone (nearly) took their 'eyes of the ball' while you were having fun/shopping and not watching your politics disintegrate.
Education in the USA has been AWFUL for years..
This is so true. NPR needs financial support along with PBS, The Guardian and BBC. Our local NPR station has lost outstanding employees due to lack of financial support.
I support The Guardian every month. I pay only $5/month, but hope that every penny helps.
NO. Not the BBC
Yes, I must add that I draw much heated threats and mocks when I post NYTime's WAPOst and Guardian articles in FB.
Especially race and climate news.
Agreed. I get mocked for sharing articles on book bans in libraries and why teachers aren't indoctrinators as well.
I am big time into banned books. Unlike those women who want to ban books which they have never read, I have read almost all the books on my shirt and a few more on another list from the American Librarians Association. No one will say to me, "Well have you even read these books?" I will say," Yes I have and more. What about you?"
can't you dump those mockers?
Suggest you take a look at Substack.
I guess my friends are (almost) all Democrats/Progressives. My posts usually get widely shared.
Yes I will and thank you Fay Reid. I have focused on that in my next newsletter.
I canceled my subscription to the NYT two days ago. I've had it with them! Sticking with the WaPo + MSNBC (and sometimes CNN) + NPR + PBS + The Guardian + Reuters+ 7 substacks (including Joyce Vance, Steve Schmidt, Timothy Snyder, among others).
Substack is great.
Yes if you get the right people to watch.
So true. Same in Australia, homeland of Murdoch. (His mother, Lady Murdoch, was a cultivated, dignified humanist. One of the Melbourne concert halls is named after her. She was the widow of Sir Keith Murdoch, a fine newspaperman. Rupert wasn't their fault.)
Great info Anne; I never knew any of that.
Ditto! Imagine Rupert would have been a great disappointment—don’t know if she lived long enough to know that. Kinda reminds me of a cartoon I saw years ago….a couple of hippie parents sitting on the couch were looking at their young grade school age son standing in front of them….he was in a suit and tie, holding a briefcase. The cartoon caption was “Where did we go wrong?”. Such is life….
Well, I'm afraid I have to tell you that she did know, and I'm even more afraid to tell you that she lived to 103. He's got time for another couple of glamorous short-term wives, and who knows what else. I quote from an article written on the occasion of her funeral: "Dame Elisabeth not only disapproved, but expressed shame at the methods her only son had employed in making himself an international pariah. "
(Yes, she was a Dame - the late Queen conferred the honour on her years ago, and she had quite a string of letters after her name as well.)
Damn, gives me the big sadz for her. I can only imagine, but posit she must have been heartbroken while still loving her son…a heavy load to carry methinks.
Whoa.... that poor dear.
WOW!!!
She lived to age 103. https://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/06/business/media/dame-elisabeth-murdoch-matriarch-of-journalism-family-dies-at-103.html?unlocked_article_code=vHZA2Wah34d3E8Lv0RzKs0x069Kct4aeOHuQN56Ig2tTWZRVf0GDsZAJ9kzq8Ct_AWfX5chfSqHGwFTwAsMKwfhW8LAcy5jHKfop_VEN17g-nuDFMgGEAJJ1ZzMCAFuF50E-SKrQ5_nmJQBiUzq2a6rSjHXDCuzou8MYdwxf8Kd7ZHGpUYQvDWxJYv4hV99TKo8Vtuo4Cx4AzufffpLmMzLmoynwnzUUwj_ZPkscmC30QeWQaOw_t7OokNxCklQNjVfvUaI0VwNBbRlmU76SF6XcrshzBBBBgROIIxa0ia2FYyVNcxzL3NfPP2eRJCVKa-KmsumcTCYO5yg3x4l61BlcuzMkW0RowzIxBbsEfi7bGtbGzE5MyZoH3NOCPcY8chIkGV6WbPMiChbbjMRNVlsE&smid=url-share
If I can't blame the parents, life itself has lost its meaning...
Parents can influence. Parents can teach. Parents can be role models. But parents start losing control as soon as the kid starts to walk.
Every morning when any human wakes up, that animal has an intellect and a choice. "Should I be selfish or benevolent?" or "Should I help or hurt?"
Rupert defied his mom. It happens all the time. He is his own monster.
Knew a kid in 9th grade who called his step mother, "step monster." He was right. I had a lot of sympathy for some problem Freshmen boys until they turned into clones of parents before graduation. All parents make mistakes, some are a mistake. Watch out for their kids, especially when they protect them from any consequences. Then, there are those who deny obvious problems that the kids have and just punish, punish, punish. Takes all kinds... BTW, my parents were flawed but had a modicum of common sense.
Bill,
Maybe Rupert's Mom is not to blame?
Maybe Rupert's vision of good is just associated with eliminating Democracy?
Right? Not everyone thinks Democracy is the best governmental system.
In fact, until like 1965, much of the USA was NOT a democracy.
Bern -- "If I can't blame the parents, life itself has lost its meaning..."
Great quote... however
"𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘯...𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘺𝘰𝘶." --Kahlil Gibran (https://www.facebook.com/Raffi.Cavoukian/photos/kahlil-gibran-on-children-your-children-are-not-your-childrenthey-come-through-y/1007046109357880/?paipv=0&eav=AfY02eZzTjelX-tKFhz8aRzbuNsbMzdczISsDKzeGehu0lHkdwz61UtPzPi9yIgmxHU&_rdr)
"𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩." --Kahlil Gibran
I tend to think of it more as, "Children are the strangers you invite into your home to live for twenty years" -- Dirk Addertongue
Great quote!
Aliens, who live off you. I tell young people to stick to dogs and cats. If they don't work out, you can have them put them down. Try that with a kid; the police will show up at your door.
I actually used that from Gibran for the birth announcement of our first born, a daughter. What a wonderful adult and pride she has become.
Whose fault is he.
$ & more $.
Edwin you may get some additional insights into America by listening to Beau of the Fifth Column youtube channel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1_ttWZPvTg
I absolutely LOVE Beau's channel!! He is a marvel and a treasure.
I will. Thank you
I agree, the newsrooms report on events in a fashion that pleases their corporate masters. Profit is the main goal , not journalism that gets to reveal the truth. Facts don’t seem to get high ratings these days.
We are stuck here in Oregon's capital, with a Gannett rag and we used to have two newspapers. Gannett also now owns the Eugene Register Guard and has ruined that paper as well. We take an on-line version of the Salem rag, mainly to read obits. And they have one person writing for both newspapers in some instances. We do have some local news and analysis from a few online only entities. If you want to see how ill informed people are, you need only look at Next Door which is full of rumor and innuendo. We also have a Facebook page which announces accidents and other problems and the person in charge of the page has recently had to tell people not to be nasty. I wonder what trolls did before the advent of the internet. A usual question around our house is what the hell is wrong with people.
I read the Gannett-owned Palm Beach Post daily, and I don't think you can find a more anti-Trump, anti-DeSantis paper in the State. Gannett has cut their op/ed pages down to five days a week, but does not mess with their editorial policy and the columnists they carry, Apparently that is not true in Oregon.
Jack, as a consumer of the Register Guard (Eugene's once award-winning paper) I can tell you that they dropped their op-ed page this year saying that it was because that was the reason people gave for cancelling their subscriptions. I no longer take the paper as a paper ($35 per month) but do take the on-line version. The paper is 1/4 the size it used to be, and is almost utter garbage.
The Ellsworth American still has an editorial page but the local editors never talk about politicians outside of Maine. And rarely do they cover Collins, King, Golden or Pingree. Mostly their editorials are about local towns and how they have dealt with local issues.
One of the biggest local concerns is the cruise ships that arrive almost daily in the summer and dump their waste overboard. And the ships dump as many as 1500 passengers on a downtown which can't handle that many people at once.
The next biggest issue is the ever expanding attendance at Acadia National Park. The past 2 seasons attendance has grown to around 4 million a year.
The letters to the editor are about 50//50 local and national but coastal Maine is pretty liberal.
Almost every year the paper wins the award for best weekly paper in New England. I have no idea how stiff the competition is though.
But like almost every newspaper, they are struggling financially.
The same as our local paper!
This is absolutely not true here. They have no editorial page and haven't for a very long time. When I look at it every day, that part has something about Elizabeth II's death. They don't publish a paper on Saturday which means we don't get a NYT on Saturday because they deliver that paper. I am glad to know that your paper has an editorial page five times a week. Be very thankful. Also glad to know that it is anti death star and Stumpy Boots DeSatan.
As an example of their independent editorial policy, they editorialized today about President Biden's bill which included an increase in FEMA funds along with continued financing of arms for Ukraine, even though they didn't like his including both issues in the same legislative package. Despite that, they concluded by urging support of the bill because of its importance in providing disaster aid, and recommened getting back to the question of support for Ukraine as a separate matter later on. It is unfortunate that most voters don't read a daily newspaper.
I thought these remarks revealed a lot about the current 4th Estate.
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/leslie-moonves-donald-trump-may-871464/
Joe Rogan and Bill Maher are both wrong. Yes, tRump is a stupid, crazy criminal. But trying to make Biden seem equivalent to tRump is disingenuous, to say the least. What kind of person who holds the office of president will not approve a disaster declaration for Washington state communities devastated by wildfires because that state has a Democratic governor? Biden had to approve that emergency declaration. tRump is a mob boss, pure and simple.
Jenn you are exactly correct. Regardless of the States party affiliation the President has the duty to to approve an emergency declaration. That's their job.
Yes, emergency declarations are a duty but as Bush and Trump demonstrated the level of response depends on the amount of character of any practitioner.
The Biden's show up and demonstrate intense concern.
The blobs send messages or manage revenge.
Art, I completely agree. President Biden had an immediate and genuine response to those in need. He did his job, and did it well.
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2021/jan/16/trump-is-blocking-aid-to-malden-pine-city-fire-vic/?fbclid=IwAR3GuGpKImCSfJWUprMtfntuMhS96Aw9Rz_ygAHF-2un6MtMNfMKalBbsNU_aem_ATe8UTRyaWPnpcp_BJKe54hyMcjz8bPIYUg5lUFIRnvuaDvM4zL95DSth-v29dJPjZY&mibextid=S66gvF
The O’Jays singin’ about money in the early 70’s…rings true today…. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXE_n2q08Yw Some folks will do anything to make a buck….personally I like the saying about making money “to make a living, not a killing”.
Barbara Keating Writes Barbara’s Substack - "The O’Jays singin’ about money in the early 70’s"
Or "Money (that's all I want)" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_awAH-JJx1k
Or more to the point: "The Magic Christian"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRI4KeWGGc0
Loved the Magic Christian…thanks for the link, haven’t seen it in ages!
From the article,. Leslie Moonves in 2016: “Man, who would have expected the ride we’re all having right now? … The money’s rolling in and this is fun,” he said.
And I guess that says it all about our media. Thank you, JL, for providing that link.
And remember how Les Moonves ended up. Hostage to his own sense of male superiority, convinced he was bulletproof and could get away with the most egregious behavior, had the LAPD in his back pocket as long as he returned those juicy profits back to the corporation.
And then one day, he found himself stripped naked (not literally, of course because eww) in public, disgraced, forced to return 10s of millions of dollars and cashiered.
Arrogance brought lower than low. It was a beautiful thing to see.
Will have to look that up thanks. I faintly remember something along that line. I think to survive I have to let the memory of some of this crap die. So many bow down to the Almighty 💰💰
And yet, while such an outcome may be "justice," no one is actually made whole. Getting "stripped naked...disgraced, forced to return...dollars" doesn't nearly remove the harm he did. The two events sit separately, sadly.
A very well-said reminder -- thanks Marla.
Have to wonder if Leslie Moonves is haunted at all by the ghosts of democracy
One more reason that I feel “ righteous” about cutting cable. For most of our adults lives reading everything..holding to the idea that the “devil you know….”. No more!!
I will check. You have recently given me crucial links JL Graham that I mostly liked 👍. Very educative
CNN is no longer a “trusted” source for Democrats. It revealed itself as a clickbait reptile soon after Biden won the 2020 election
CNN was no longer a trusted source for Anyone after the head of CNN publicly, and rather gleefully, stated publicly that "Trump might be bad for the nation, but he's GREAT for CNN" during the 2016 presidential election.
Help elect a Mussolini-like President? Sure--anything/everything that gooses ratings.
Yep; and it is what it is. I need "meat", not entertainment. I've also found that multitasking, be it me, broadcast outlets, etc., is nothing but a 'fools errand.' Stay in your own lane.
I enjoy reading your comments Edwin, but I think you’re a little off on this. The New York Post is solidly right wing. I also think you do a disservice re: CNN and Fox. Both of these I classify as infotainment and so prefer serious sources of information, of which there is a healthy amount.
Gail Adams Fla/Va. - "The New York Post is solidly right wing."
Well maybe not "solidly" but definitely not unbiased:
Overall, we rate the New York Post on the far end of Right-Center Biased due to story selection that typically favors the Right and Mixed (borderline questionable) for factual reporting based on several failed fact checks.
Detailed Report
Bias Rating: RIGHT-CENTER
Factual Reporting: MIXED
Country: USA
Press Freedom Rank: MOSTLY FREE
Media Type: Newspaper
Traffic/Popularity: High Traffic
MBFC Credibility Rating: MEDIUM CREDIBILITY
https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/new-york-post/
Nice info 'data' Ron, but I'm in the same camp as Gail Adams on that opinion of New York Post: Decidedly right wing infotainment, near the same as the others she cites with the exception of more entertainment added owing to humor. Data is what data is; there is much more that convinces humans than raw data.
Agree, on all points Gail.
I agree... The “News” has turned to Sensationalism or Sentimentality. I can listen to it anymore...
For one thing, it’s like they are authoritarian parents trying to tell you what to do!
Give us material to ponder & question ... & decide for ourselves... That’s what is on these pages... Thank God.
Janineb9, ahhh yes, thinking for ourselves. ---- I think that's what you call it, seems so rare in many places. I agreee! And when I feel like they are trying to manipulate me/us (which they are), I'm disgusted. For watching domestic and world news, I reliably trust PBS. i would go mad without it.
Only News I watch… in the rare times I tune in. I’d rather hear from Dr. Richardson & other select podcasts.
Edwin, sometime after reading this LFAA’s comments, including yours, late this evening on the Pacific coast of far northern California, I happened upon this YouTube version of the song “Africa”… a unique chorale rendition and thought to share it with you….the only reason, really, was because of the title of the song…perhaps you will enjoy it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-c9-poC5HGw&t=392s
Barbara, I am sure you meant well but it is a song about Africa written by white men after watching a documentary sung by an all white American group and covered by an almost blindingly white chorus. Popular here, yes, haunting, possibly.
What are the big African issues in the last week is Republicans trying to cut the PEPFAR funding for the HIV relief program that has saved the lives of over 25,000,000 people, many in Africa, and the wave of coupes that are destabilizing the continent.
Edwin's to the point comments on the devolution of the press into entertainment and away from public service has not just led to polarization between poltical factions, it has narrowed our tunnel vision even further to exclude any examination of what is happening elsewhere in the world. with a few exceptions
I am of Ukrainian extraction and the war is covered in incredible depth on a almost minute by minute basis, every death of a civilian counted. Meanwhile Millions of people are starving in Africa, forced from the land by climate change and weather disasters, ethnic and religious conflict and political instability. And it is NOT news here. It is buried in the links on the world news header and you have to search to find coverage.
Take a look, Georgia. It is a beautiful experience to hear the song with a wonderful and mixed chorus. Rousing!
Of course I looked at it before I replied.
And I also looked at Beau of the Fifth Column's video on what it's like to be a black person in America. I learned a lot from my black students when I taught high school but Beau's video is a striking summary.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WD8mWq0Hdcw&list=PLZOMlO2_17fvnK-zrVpJAv33trky368CW
Then please let me know what you think.
Georgia, if you saw Barbara's link to 'Africa - Angel City Chorale', surely, I think that she offered us a wonderful performance. I have a booked day ahead and must hurry along. I look forward to watching the video you linked either tonight or tomorrow. Thank you.
Georgia, I don't know why you connected Beau's deeply inciteful 'conversation' with the viewers about White people knowing/understanding Black Peoples' lives in America with the wonderful performance of 'Africa - Angel City Chorale', for which Barbara provided a link, in a patronizing tone towards Barbara. These two viewing experiences are quite different, and I felt both to be very worthwhile.
Georgia, love Beau’s commentaries—he is so spot-on with so many of the issues he covers. I had not seen this one from 4 yrs ago, tho’ I do follow him. I must admit I am confused about how his perceptive commentary on the loss of cultural identity/history of peoples who were stolen from their homelands and had their histories and culture erased exactly relates to this song and/or this performance. What is it in the lyrics or presentation that is specifically troublesome for you? As I posted in response to another commenter, I looked into the origin story of the song just today and still don’t perceive malice or denigration there (however factually unaware the songwriter was of the continent of Africa and the countries/cultures therein, he states that watching the documentary he was heartsick…and yet, for me, I would not intuit that from the song/lyrics; I read he did say he was concerned about the drought & brought him the thoughts of rain to ease it, hence the lyric). As an aside, I DVR/watch Finding Your Roots w/ Henry Luis Gates on PBS and it is so very rare that he is able for those participants who’s ancestors were known to have been slaves to actually be able to ferret out their ancestors’ country of origin—usually the trail runs cold scant generations back. When he/his colleagues are able to, the look of joy and surprise on the persons face is evident; when the trail runs cold, the look is more one of resignation and acknowledgment.
FERN, I love rousing 🎶 song 🎶 but, I like sizzlers too.
Andy Borowitz Today:
"Proud Boy to Be in Prison Until He is Elderly Boy".
I saw Borowitz's tune, Bryan, and will post it tomorrow. Thank you and Cheers!
Georgia, you are exactly right--I watch the BBC for news that is NEWSWORTHY. Many times, topics that are difficult to watch: currently, they are doing a series on child sex trafficking that’s extremely hard to watch.
Someone wrote here in the Comments that they liked how the BBC rotates their news “presenters” and I couldn’t agree more!
Georgia, you are right that no offense was intended…actually I had a moment when hesitated posting it not knowing how it might “land” or be interpreted, perhaps be politicized, or trigger someone, but (I very vaguely remember the original song from some time ago, but had no clue to the origin/writer/singer or why he wrote it, etc), watching the chorale PERFORMANCE (was posted in a “good news” compilation email that I get that usually features heartwarming stories of various types)—very unique, particularly the rain/thunder sounds done with hands and stomping—is what “got” me. I did not think they were making any kind of political statement in the singing of the song, at least that’s my take. And yes, like many locations in the world the African continent—to me there is no “one” Africa, except the continent, as it’s comprised of so many countries—and all the complexity that comes with it. Edwin writes “The Startup from Africa” Substack, which I read, enjoy and appreciate his perspective on American, African and world events…which he sometimes ties together. [Not knowing any of the backstory to the song written in the early 80’s, I did a wee bit of looking into it just now. My take: Appears to be a well intentioned response to someone who’d never been to Africa and who watching a documentary (as you point out) was concerned and saddened by much of what he saw happening in what he thought of as a beautiful country, and it haunted him and he wrote a song about it…admittedly from “not knowing much at all about Africa” knowledge.]
You sent a Black African a song about how white people, who have never even been there in person, see the experience he lives. Wouldn't it be more respectful, if the song evoked a response in you, as the documentary did in the song writers, to ask and learn about his real experience?
If you just met a Frenchman who was commenting on this platform, would you send him a clip from the movie CanCan because you though he would find it interesting?
I grew up in a lily white neighborhood in NYC in the 50s and 60s. I did not have any black kids in my school until high school. As a high school teacher in the 2000s I had a black student who taught me a great deal about how he perceived me and white privilege in America. Beau says we cannot know what it's like to be black in America, and it is even harder to know what it is like for a Black African. I think Beau is correct, but that thought does force me to think about what deeply ingrained assumptions I make every day. I can only pass on what has impacted me and what I was taught by my student and my friends who know Africa well. I don't have answers but I am trying to formulate the questions.
Let me watch it. Thanks
Edwin you are a very clever dude. Right to the top of the comment stack - again.
Indeed.
"Propaganda is information with an agenda," This is the best, most concise, definition of propaganda I've seen lately. Thank you, Edwin.
Rush is dead. I think CNN lost some ground with the trump rally they broadcasted. At that moment they sunk to the level of FOX. I know nothing about those things, but I could have much better. You do not put a sweet young woman to go up against trump. It should have been a man like one of the late night guys with the very quick wit and probably not afraid to interrupt him. "Do you mind if I finish?" Yes I do.
Well, all the media you complain about is far from any description of the MSM I have ever heard. No wonder you have concerns.
I’m somewhat concerned with the news on CBS, ABC, and NBC. But Reuters and several papers in this country are actually pretty solid. They have not soft-pedaled Trumps crimes. I personally don’t waste my time on Breibart or The National Enquirer for that matter.
We would all like MSM to do the Dem campaigns’ jobs for them, I suppose, but then they would be no better than Fox.
Instead of pearl clutching, let’s all use today’s media, which puts “one to many” communication in the hands of everyone of us to get the Dem story out.
Look at substack. You will find a voice there.
Forget 'mainstream' media.
Edwin Kiptoo Ngetich Writes THE STARTUP from AFRICA - ... the public mind" (Edward Berney)
Are you referring to Edward Bernays?
https://www.google.com/search?q=edward+bernays&oq=Edward+Berney&aqs=edge.1.69i57j0i10i131i433i512l2j0i10i512l6.19351j0j1&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
Yes, he wrote the book "Propaganda"
Edwin
i really dislike your ongoing advertisements for your work here. makes me want to skip your comments.
'US military leaders say Tuberville is aiding US adversaries with hold on military nominations'
'The three US military service secretaries went on the offensive against Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville over his ongoing hold on senior military nominations in an interview with CNN on Tuesday, saying he is aiding communist and autocratic regimes, and being used by adversaries like China against the US.'
“Our potential adversaries are paying attention,” Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall told CNN’s Jake Tapper alongside Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro and Army Secretary Christine Wormuth in an exclusive joint interview for “The Lead.” “It is affecting how they view the United States and our military capabilities and support for the military. This needs to stop.”
'Kendall said that at an embassy event in Washington, DC, an Air Force general officer was “taunted” by a Chinese colonel “about the way our democracy was working.”
'Del Toro echoed the same concerns, saying that as someone “born in a communist country, I would have never imagined one of our own senators would actually be aiding and abetting a communist and other autocratic regimes around the world.”
“This is having a real negative impact and will continue to have an impact on our combat readiness,” said Del Toro, who was born in Cuba. “That is what the American people truly need to understand.”
“It is just unprecedented to be attacking apolitical general officers and flag officers in this way. It is taking our apolitical military … and eroding its foundations,” Wormuth added. (CNN) See link below.
https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/05/politics/military-leaders-tuberville-promotion-hold-washington-post/index.html
“Today for the first time in the history of the Department of Defense, two of our services will be operating without Senate confirmed leadership,” the cabinet secretary explained.’
‘That number is now three. Navy Admiral Mike Gilday, a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, received a clap-out exit on Friday as he left the Pentagon for the last time.’
‘The scope of the problem continues to metastasize: The Washington Post reported that the Alabama Republican’s anti-abortion tantrum is currently affecting 301 high-level positions in his own country’s military, but in the coming months, that number will more than double to 650.’
‘Peter Feaver, a professor who studies civil-military relations at Duke University, told the Post that he was struck by the number of “warfighting” positions affected by Tuberville’s antics, most notably in the Pacific, where the United States now lacks a confirmed chief leading the Indo-Pacific Command.’
“This is a gift to China, and it’s a gift that keeps giving day in and day out,” Feaver said, referring to the results of the GOP senator’s efforts.’
‘Complicating matters, the Post published a separate report highlighting the fact that the Redstone Arsenal in Alabama — the state Tuberville represents — has been especially adversely affected by his radical tactics.’
‘For his part, the far-right senator has repeatedly suggested that he has broad support for his antics, but there’s growing evidence to the contrary. AL.com reported last week:
A majority of Alabama voters say Sen. Tommy Tuberville should end his months-long hold on military nominations over new Department of Defense policies concerning abortion, according to a poll exclusively released Wednesday to AL.com.’
‘VoteVets, a prominent veterans organization with a progressive agenda, commissioned Public Policy Polling to conduct the survey, and the results should be of interest to the senator:
• By a 58%-to-29% margin, Alabama voters think Tuberville “has made his point” and should now drop his hold on military promotions.
• 55% agree that senior positions going unfilled by confirmed promotions hurts national security.
• By a 72%-to-14%, Alabamans said military promotions should not be politicized.
• As a result of Tuberville’s radical tactics, the poll found 45% of Alabamans now see the coach-turned-politician less favorably.’
‘A related report from Navigator Polling found similar results at the national level, where a majority of Americans oppose what the senator is doing.’ (msnbc) See link below.
https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/polls-show-tubervilles-blockade-faring-poorly-public-rcna99746
Tuberville was a popular football coach, nothing more. The only "qualification" he had in the deep red state of Alabama was that he was and is a loyal supporter of the criminal that was the former president...he is nothing more than a crackpot who doesn't even live in Alabama. How does that work?
And what really boggles the mind is that the Alabamans had a very good Senator in Doug Jones, and chose this blockhead Tuberville instead.
Doug Jones was elected because Alabama voters were briefly shocked by the amazing criminality of Roy Moore, which was revealed right before the election. Since then, Alabama voters have worked mightily to increase their tolerance for ideologues and criminals in office, preparing for 2024.
So sad. No ability to critically think about anything.
Because the blockhead was a football coach. In 'Bama, that's the #1 qualification for any elected or executive position.
Apparently, its working well for the obstructionists. They flaunt any law that gets in their way and they take advantage of Senate Procedural rules that allow this Tuberville- ish hostage taking
So true and so evil!
He's not just a crackpot, he's a fairly photogenic crackpot in a rather desiccated kind of way...
Ms. McBride: It is beyond my understanding how a dullard like Senator Tommy Tuberville can legally hold the entire US military hostage, but it is my sincere hope that the voters within the ranks of the military, who tend to lean right, will not miss this latest Republican outrage. I have no doubt that Tuberville has broad Republican support in the Senate, else the situation wouldn’t have been allowed to persist for so long. Hopefully military voters will see this ploy for what it is: stupid, short sighted churlishness.
It does boggle the mind that the GOP senators--supposedly highly supportive of the military--allow Tuberville to continue his petty vendetta.
Key word “supposedly”
Doing and saying nothing is not supposedly. They are highly supportive, or would've intervened by now.
May we overcome him, LeMoine Surlamont.
Heather & Fern, Thank you for focusing our attention onto the decisions and behavior of two elected Republican "so called leaders" who are part of a group who are working to destroy our freedom, our government which is supposed to include all of us NOT a selected few.
Thank you for following the story, Emily.
No conduct is beneath the dignity of modern Republicans because those that had any have died, left, or been cast out.
I totally agree with you.I have said it before-There are no good Rs left in Congress.If they are still members of this party after all that has happened then their allegiance is not to the American people.
JL Graham, your words felt as poetry of this wretched time; bad, bad, and you shined your light on their deaths and on ours,
Well said, JL. Cast out indeed in lieu of the Klown Kar Kawkus.
Well, rejoice, because thanks to Project 2025 that's all going to change!
Read, and tremble.
T is bringing the whole country down the Tubes with him. Senator from elsewhere living in Florida? Does the Constitution say anything about treason for "aiding and abetting"? Thanks again Fern for your brilliant additions to brilliant HCR.
Thank you, Sander Zulauf. I am honored by your attention. Salud.
Fern, I'm trying to follow this but I don't understand why if Dems have a majority in the Senate that one Senator can cause so much damage.
Chaplain, I hope that this article in AP will answer your question. If you don't mind, please share it with bruce klassen.
'Why a single senator is blocking US military promotions and what it means for the Pentagon'
https://apnews.com/article/tuberville-military-holds-senate-officers-
You and I Chaplain!
Let us not forget the Republicans in the Senate are not intervening--they are "standing back, and standing by."
Tuberville is a traitor now by the Constitutions definition--he is giving aid and comfort to the enemy. But his fellow Senate Republicans are giving aid and comfort to Tuberville.
This is hilarious: I just flipped over to FB, and staring me in the face is a HUGE news item:
"JOE JONAS FILES FOR DIVORCE FROM SOPHIE TURNER!"
Who the hell is Joe Jonas? Who the hell is Sophie Turner? Why do I need to know who they are, or whether they are getting married, or divorced, or a new puppy?
MSM for you.
Like the coverage of the Smashmouth singer’s death. I was like, “who?” and then there were 3 more articles.
What’s happening with the artist formerly named “Kanye”? How’re all those Kardashians doing? I hear Taylor Swift sold out all her concerts in 20 seconds. And lastly, Nike is introducing a limited edition of some sort of basketball shoe. Get’em while their hot!
I was paying attention to the Nike shoe. It is the first shoe that is designed as a unisex shoe, and features NY Liberty (and former U of O star) Sabrina Ionescu.
Keeps you alive, doesn't it! But Taylor Swift doesn't do "he" concerts, does she?
<<Embarrassing, in this forum, I know, but I happen to know who those characters are. However, they are not headline worthy>>
Only embarrassing if you don't know any of the important stuff. I know about half of them!
Depends on the news sources you choose. The best way to build a reliable list of news sources I've found is to check out HCR's links everyday and bookmark the ones I like the best. The list can grow unmanageably long so occasional pruning is necessary to keep from falling down a bottomless rabbit hole. ;-)
Like Alice, wondering which door to open.
It's exactly like that sometimes a deadened and sometimes a treasure trove.
Jennifer Rubin, WA Post columnist, has been taking on this subject as well as the subject of the media slacking off. Pretty Direct.
Don't you find it refreshing and encouraging to be reading the opinions of reborn conservatives? Gives me hope there will be a better future as we all mature and learn to get along by not just copping out to "agree to disagree" but forging common ground. It's how we elevate human behavior which is woefully behind the rise in human technology. It's not just conservatives doing this, it's true for liberals also.
If change was easy, everyone would be doing it. Gotta start somewhere.
BlueRootsRadio, yes agree! "Be the change" is really hard for us humans. But then, I think of others who have done it. Dr. King and those who courageously moved and spoke with non-violence, did so becauseit it was moral and strategic, but mostly because they could. Not all of us can, but maybe this is the call to action for those of us who can. Glory to all the peacemakers who move us forward to being more just. ------ by being more just.
Did anyone read Bret Stephens opinion piece in the NYT this morning? I hope there is a counter piece.
Yes, I liked the approach that MSM needs to stop normalising what isn't. Reminds me of Dan Rather's blog post, in the week following the nightmare election: "Folks, this isn't normal."
Also Steve Schmidt has been taking up the subject of media coverage.
Thank goodness we have Dr. Richardson and other substack writers who are doing an end-run around the main stream media. The Bulwark just published a special project entitled The Corruption of Lindsey Graham. I can't figure out how to link it here. It's a chilling expose of Graham's (and other politicians') capitulation to Trump.
I was able to read it without paying for a subscription, but ended up becoming a paid subscriber. The journalism is solid, and I want to support that.
I'd love to read that Lindsey Graham project, and I like the Bulwark newsletters; but they have allowance for free articles. $10/month adds up quickly for my addiction
I get it. I feel like if you Google around you can find a way to read it. It's breathtaking and so enlightening about how an autocrat/authoritarian pulls people into his orbit.
Will Saletan investigated and wrote the piece. Maybe you can find it under his name.
I am deeply grateful to Dr. Richardson for her timely insight on so many topics. By the way, what does MSM refer to? I looked it up and I found it refers to an “anti-inflammatory drug.” If that is the case, I think that all MAGA Republicans should be required to take it daily.
MSM=Mainstream media.
🤣🤣🤣 like you, I have a problem with acronyms. Your solution is priceless. MSM is “mainstream media” as I understand it.
While I applaud some skepticism of the very broad category of MSM, and the critical thinking that is used to scrutinize what is true, false or debatable, and also what news sources are credible/not credible, we should be careful not to lump all news or even all MSM into the same bucket.
I take your point that MSM in general can be misdirected in its focus on one distraction at the expense of the bigger issue(s). But it should also be noted that you have to give credible news sources in the MSM credit when they are regularly doing their job.
And when they are lying, especially when there is evidence that they are lying (in recent court cases for example), they live in their own category of misinformers & liars.
WRT cable news (& their online counterparts) up to this point, the Fox Network, OANN, & Newsmax continue to show themselves to be not credible. They've been sued for repeatedly lying for over a year, in 6 court cases, 2 separate defamation cases each (Smartmatic & DVS). In 1 of 6 of these cases (other 5 are still pending as I understand it), Fox settled out of court for $787.5M. And the evidence in court made public should settle the argument that the Fox Network, among some who decided to lie, are not credible yet I keep hearing the unconvincing excuse that 'both sides do it' and both sides don't do it (lie/misinform).
Misinformation & disinformation is not limited to just these 3 outlets but they are clear examples that have been called out for lying and pushing disinformation for years and yet the waters continue to get muddied with bad excuses.
The obvious (to me) liars and misinformers muddy the waters with false claims that 'both sides' misinform/lie. I don't buy into that idea. That puts the liars and the journalists that are doing their jobs in the same category.
There's a tendency to overlook credible news and focus on the 'both sides' fallacy, or perceived bias for that matter, which has nothing to do with what is true or credible.
I say all this to point out that the bigger issue, the issue that requires the most focus, IMHO, is the misinformation, disinformation, & lack of credibility of some MSM versus the focus on distractions and less impactful issues covered by other MSM.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (part of the USA Today network) and The Texas Tribune offer excellent information.
Starting in about the 1980s, the MSM news outlets faced stiff competition from emerging cable channels. In order to compete, "serious 'just the facts' news channels" like CBS, ABC, NBC even PBS were forced to become more entertainment focused in order to keep their audiences. That meant shorter, breezier stories and the end of "boring" stories about that the US Senate was doing (or not doing).
We've now reached the point where the news media universe has completely fractured into non-overlapping galaxies, with one galaxy focus on news based on facts, evidence, logic and reason while the other galaxy is focused on amplifying the prejudices of its highly conservative viewers. Both galaxies of news must still be entertainment oriented, so "hard news" gets largely ignored. This is one of the ways democracy in the US is dying.
Rupert said in his deposition that what Fox airs is based on revenue dollars.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/02/27/business/media/dominion-fox-news.html
Lazy? No. Greed wins.
Exactly.
Mainstream media owned by big money.
Looks like the States are doing their jobs which it seems Congress can't do.
Boy do i agree with you. The media is focused on drama. And I wonder if they ate missing the seriousness and long term impact of their handling of what this cult is doing to our democracy. I stopped watching the PBS Newshour and Week In Review as I would get frustrated watching these pundits and journalists discussing what is going on as if it were a high school debate. And the smiles and laughter?
Me too!
Maybe you don't see it because nobody wants to defend it?
Why in the hell are soldiers being taught leftist woke propaganda? Miley claimed he didn't know about it. Yet Congress cited examples of training videos about a soldier having pride in 'two moms", extensive equity & inclusion course work, and climate change curriculum.
Our military has one job - protect our nation - by becoming a lethal killing machine.
Its job is not to produce lifelong Democrat voters.
The military's job is also to recruit sufficient numbers of US residents/citizens into active service. That requires a broad appeal, not narrow focus.
What does that have to do with socially engineering our soldiers.
So you are okay with the military holding classes on religion, the bible, the importance of
conservative families, the great legacy of Republican presidents, the benefit of low taxation,
why COVID was a scam, et cetera?