MSM News is tearing America apart
The first thing to consider is that our mainstream media is no longer free or independent.
Decades ago (in the 70s) there were hundreds of individual outlets none beholden to the other. Today there are but five 'institutions' that control everything you see or read in MSM News.
In conjunction with this consolidation of information control, confidence in the media to report news fairly, accurately and fully has gotten lower over the decades and is rapidly getting worse.
That isn't just my assessment, a recent Gallop Poll determined this, The political polarization is reflected by the partisan views of the media. In short, to state simply, Democrats believe in the media and Republicans do not.
Gallop reported the following: “For Democrats, a near record high 73% have a great deal or ‘fair’ amount of trust in the media. For Republicans, an all-time low of 10% trust radio, T.V. and newspapers. Just 3% of Republicans have a ‘great deal’ of trust.
Breaking it down further, only 9% of Americans trust mass media a ‘great deal’ while 31% trust it a limited but fair amount. 27% have ‘not very much’ trust and 33% ‘none at all’.
And, a whopping 58% of Republicans have ‘none at all’.
With these results, we do not need Russia, China or any foreign source to divide or make America polarized our MSM news is doing that work for them.
What do you think?This is what I think, Ken
When a plurality to a majority of Republicans said that Obama was a secret Muslim and not born in the US (2015), after Obama caved in to stupid GOP demands and provided proof of his U.S. origin, I have cause to wonder.
And when over 70 percent of Republicans said that the election was fraudulent compared with Democrats expressing the same in single digits without any real evidence supporting this...
And when the Republicans give traction to cult organizations like QAnon...
I come to the conclusions that Republicans simply diss any media source that report news and opinion that they don't want to hear.
Consequently, I could not care less about any Republican opinion about anything. Perhaps it is not so much China or Russian news sources that are the problem, perhaps it is Republicans themselves?A majority of Democrats felt that Trump was a member of the KKK, more evil than Hitler, and was going to declare martial law and create a Dictatorship.
How does that compare to a majority of Republicans questioning Obama's religious background (he did have a Islamic background at a young age) or that he was born in the U.S.?
You can clearly see the questionable beliefs of one spectrum, but not the other?
Credence, you have so bought into the political propaganda being spewed today, a messaging that preys on all your fears as well as your experiences when young, when the nation was truly racist and divided at the establishment level, that you don't realize your "side" is even more guilty of falsehoods and fabrication than the "opposition".
As for Qanon, don't know, don't care, no more or less part of our world than Antifa or BLM, but likely just as polarizing and filled with extremist members... again you earnestly villainize Republicans by associating them with Qanon, but don't do the same with regards to Democrats and Antifa and BLM.Well, Ken, you did ask for opinions.
"Credence, you have so bought into the political propaganda being spewed today, a messaging that preys on all your fears as well as your experiences when young, when the nation was truly racist and divided at the establishment level, that you don't realize your "side" is even more guilty of falsehoods and fabrication than the "opposition".
Experiences that we are still seeing today in differing forms. No, I don't realize nor agree that my opposition is any more truthful than you indicate
my advocates to be. What you say is ancient history is not so ancient and still remains. But, since you don't wear the shoes, it would be presumptuous of me to believe that you really know anything about this outside of what you pick up from rightwing media.
You make a good point in which sides condemns who, "6 of one or half dozen of the other. Either way it does not warm me up to political Right and not see them as an ever present threat.
BTW, Where are your stats to show that Democrats in overwhelming numbers stated that Trump was a member of the KKK?Credence,
I feel it to be unfortunate that over the years of our debates you appear to have become more entrenched in your more extreme perspectives.
As I have often said, I appreciate our discussions.
They have become a barometer of sorts for myself. And while it appears you are rooted more firmly in your position, mine has clearly drifted well beyond where it was a few years back.
At heart I am a realist, I try to see what is there, where things are going, and not get caught up in the "politics" of it. Not so years ago.
I don't watch MSM news, other than snippets on Youtube when I have the urge, and even then, I recognize it is nothing more than messaging intent on making you believe a certain perspective.
In my efforts to understand trading and investing, real estate markets and interest rates, corporations and financing, I have developed a view of the world that has little interest in politics other than which companies and which countries will benefit based on whatever politics is being pushed.
Biden's election was the death knell for the oil industry within America, that in turn meant foreign interests in oil and gas would do better. Biden's election will mean a reversal on lowering of corporate taxes made by Trump, it means the trade war with China is over.
I don't care Biden did away with Trump's transgender military ban.
I don't care that Biden re-instituted a slew of Obama-era regulations that Trump had rescinded. Other than how it impacts companies and the economy.
I don't care that he put America back in the Paris Accord Agreement, I only care about what it means for certain companies. So that I am not investing in the wrong ones.
I did not have the ability to stay above the fray a few years ago, I do now, and I am thankful for that.I would like to think that I have a broader view of life outside that of my own personal well being. Recognizing that things that do not directly affect me can become things that do, either indirectly now, or directly later. There really isn't anywhere to hide.
I am in "the fray" whether I like it or not. We all try to see "whats there", but we do not all see things the same.
Again, it all depends from which side of the looking glass that you sit upon.
MSM news is geared to divide America, pit black against white, rich against poor. They do nothing but run down America, and have become remanence of the Obama period, the great I am sorry world for how bad we are... We need to account for all the bad we have unleashed on the world...
You have summed it up well --- we do not need Russia or China to divide us. They need only sit and laugh as they watch American's scratch and claw at one another.
I agree Ken, Russia and China just need to sit back, relax and wait. At the rate we are going, the wait won’t be long, unless Americans decide they’ve had their fill of the destructive left. They have their grubby hands all over everything, including media and that is being broadcast... loud and clear!
They aren’t on America’s side, whose side are they on?In total 15 billionaires and five corporations own most of the U.S. media outlets. So they are going to reflect the politics and interests of those 15 billionaires and five corporations, which just like the Social Media platform giants, often work in conjunction to ensure similar messaging gets out across the board.
Of the "news" considered to be American that is not beholden to those 5 institutions you have:
TheAtlantic.com
BostonGlobe.com (owned by a billionaire that also owns the Red Sox)
Breitbart.com (backed by the Mercers)
TheEpochTimes,com
TheHill.com
Newsday.com
Newsweek.com
NYTimes.com (owned by a foreign billionaire)
Politico.com
Reuters.com (international independent news)
SeattleTimes.com
Slate.com
StarTribune.com
SunTimes.com
TampaBay.com
USNews.com (owned by a foreign billionaire)
So you see, the news is owned by a select few, even the "independent" sources answer to billionaire owners.I guess the Democrat control of social media is also working with MSN and others to promote the liberal viewpoint. This is especially harming our nation as free speech is being limited in many ways.
I think what is far more dangerous is the 'dumbing down' being done.
No one in America knows what the Global Compact on Migration is, despite it being championed by President Obama at its conception.
Despite being around for decades now, hardly any Americans understand NAFTA and how it has impacted jobs, how H1B and H2B visas are used by major corporations (IE Disney) to bypass employing Americans is never discussed in our news.
How funding the IMF with billions if not trillions of dollars in the next couple of years will help disrupt our own economy, or how Biden shutting down oil and gas lease sales from the nation's vast public lands and waters in his first days in office has negatively impacted recovery chances for our economy.
What drives an economy more than anything?
Answer: Cheap Energy and Cheap Resources
What does shutting down oil and gas production do to prices?
Answer: Drives them up and costs people their jobs.
Who benefits from America's inability to provide its own cheap Energy?
Answer: Foreign nations and suppliers.
I could go on and on about the things that matter that our "news" does NOT focus Americans on, instead, they often work hard to ensure Americans know nothing at all about the important issues being decided by corrupt politicians... propaganda meant to keep people clueless.Mike,
I think it would benefit you greatly to try and take it out of the "Liberal" or "Left" vs. "Right" or Republican mindset.
What is Left & Right... is really just the "Establishment".
Overall, the political entity in DC is firmly moving the nation in a particular direction, there are enough on both sides of the aisle willing to go along with the transition we are living through.
That transition can be simply put as the "Downsizing of America".
Just like the UK transitioned from global leader to side-kick as the USA stepped to the forefront after WWII, today it is America that is transitioning from being the global leader to just one of the pack.
This is spelled out in a great many UN, WTO, IMF policies and agendas.
Trump was if nothing else, a monkey-wrench thrown into these changes, and now the Biden Administration will undue the changes Trump made and get America back on track with the Paris Accord Agreement, the Global Compact on Migration, the shifting of the world off the US Dollar as its reserve, and most all, will back off the hardline stance Trump was taking with China (Biden may talk the talk, but he will not walk the walk).
Breaking things down to Liberal vs. Conservative seems so pointless at this stage, what difference does it make, how many sexes there are or if transgenders can get EO protection, when the whole nation is being sold out?
The Republicans in Congress did the bare minimum to keep up appearances of being different from the Democrats during Trump's four years.
They squandered away the two years they had control of Congress, they failed to accomplish anything that would last beyond a couple of years, they didn't repeal the ACA, they didn't make any serious tax law changes that would last beyond a potential 8 years of Trump, they did very little.Hard to accept that viewpoint when we see the large majority of votes in Congress go straight down party lines.
Really?
Did it go right down Party lines when it was time to rescind the ACA?
Did it go right down Party lines when they had the opportunity to make the tax changes more than temporary (Trump timeframe) ones?
Was it Party motivated decision making that had the most seats abdicated in history by the Republicans in 2018?
Politics, the division you see between Republicans and Democrats in DC is nothing more than a show, a farce.
Throughout 20 years, despite campaigning and railing against it, was anything done to NAFTA (until Trump)?
Was anything done to address the draining of wealth, businesses and technological advances to China (until Trump)?
What the American people have been fed, is a line of BS from one politician after another, Democrat and Republican, as they have marched the Nation down the same path no matter who had control.
Until Trump, and now he is gone, and the powers that be will ensure there never is another hiccup like that in our lifetimes. Bet on it.
"They squandered away the two years they had control of Congress, they failed to accomplish anything that would last beyond a couple of years, they didn't repeal the ACA, they didn't make any serious tax law changes that would last beyond a potential 8 years of Trump, they did very little."
You are correct, but President Donald Trump was able to accomplish many other things. Everything from moving the US embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, to tax cuts, to improving the military, to resolving the border crisis and more. Maybe you should take some time and learn about the many things that were accomplished.
Are you trying to say there is no distinct difference between a liberal view of government and a conservative view of government? If that is the case, I would vehemently disagree with you.
Or
Are you saying that it doesn't matter who is elected to office because both liberal and conservatives join the Washington DC elite once elected and work to save their jobs as an elected official no matter what?
To that I would say, there are now and always have been RINOs (Republicans in Name ONLY). Many of them retired and ran like cockroaches facing an overhead kitchen light when President Donald Trump was elected. Nothing has ever been perfect especially in politics.
So, yes, I view things as liberal and conservative because I believe those are the two dominant and opposing views of government. I liken the liberal viewpoint to those of hardcore socialists and communists. They must be stopped. They either do not know, understand or realize the way the United States was intended to be governed. I'm sure liberals may think the same of my viewpoint, hence, the discussions.That is pretty close to it.
Trump was an aberration, an outsider, he was disliked by the GOP when he ran as a Republican, never forget they wasted billions trying to keep him from being the Nominee, he had few supporters from within the Party and none from within the DC entrenched establishment.
The Republicans then sat on their hands for two years, retired in a mass amount in 2018, a historic level of Republicans giving up their seats, helping to ensure they lost enough seats in Congress to give the Democrats the numbers they needed.
There is no true difference between Republican and Democrat in DC, its a farce, the system has long been broken and their reactions to Trump proved it, one has to be blind to think the Republicans in DC ever truly supported him... they waited it out, and the majority was glad to be rid of him, they will just never say it, there is no political advantage for them to do so.Okay, you've identified the problem, but have provided no solution?
"There is no true difference between Republican and Democrat in DC, its a farce, the system has long been broken"
To this I say..is it really any different than it has been for decades?
What is your solution? Give up? Become despondent and cynical? Constantly complain how things are not as they should be?
I know you were a ranger. When I was in the Army, I heard more than one time from a ranger during training, "Rangers Lead the Way."
So, do you have a solution?
I refuse to give up. I refuse to ignore the good things that happened under President Donald Trump. He gave us hope. It happened once, it can happen again. I still have faith in the United States because I have faith in Americans. There is nothing we could accomplish once we are focused on it.
I don't care if liberals and conservatives are the same in Washington DC, in my world, and in the world of many others, there are significant differences and we must never give up when it comes to trying to take our country back from the liberal/communists that exist in our country.
So, it's down to discussions, elections, and never giving up.What exactly did Trump accomplish that was not undone by Biden in his first 100 days?
What or who exactly are you fighting for?
Are you trying to stand against the march of globalism, the onset of the world truly being dictated to by a central authority, one which will be founded upon entities like the UN, WTO, WHO, WB and IMF?
When the "World Leaders" have G20 meetings, or set goals like Agenda 2030, the most powerful forces in the world are deciding on the policies that will be enacted globally... whether the American voter likes it or not.
I think Trump is a prime example of just how limited one person, even a billionaire and President can be to shifting the direction we are headed.
I believe the changes you want to fight for, needed to be made long ago, to turn the tide, perhaps in JFK's day, or soon thereafter.
The fight is already over, what is to come will come.My common sense tells me your sentiment is very true. Is it not ironic how easy American's were taken down the path? I mean many of us realized what was happening. This did not happen overnight.
It would well seem generally Americans have been so apathetic to what the Government is doing. they can just about do anything without being accountable to the people. Biden is a good example, he is working daily on a drastic agenda that will severely hurt America. Yet the media and most of the American people concentrate on social problems, and COVID.
It would seem so many citizens are brainwashed, walking around in a daze. Most obsessed by the fear of COVID."The fight is already over, what is to come will come."
Well, I can tell you when facing some tough stuff...the fight is never over until you let it be over. In order to survive, you can never let it be over.
You see, biden can't undo ALL the good things President Donald Trump did before the fraudulent election. Here is just a sample of some of the things President Donald Trump accomplished.
"Signed an Executive Order on Modernizing the Regulatory Framework for Agricultural Biotechnology Products, which is bringing innovative new technologies to market in American farming and agriculture.
Strengthened America’s rural economy by investing over $1.3 billion through the Agriculture Department’s ReConnect Program to bring high-speed broadband infrastructure to rural America.
Ended the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and replaced it with the brand new United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
The USMCA contains powerful new protections for American manufacturers, auto-makers, farmers, dairy producers, and workers.
The USMCA is expected to generate over $68 billion in economic activity and potentially create over 550,000 new jobs over ten years.
Trump's most lasting impact on the country will be the reshaping of the federal judiciary.
Trump installed three Supreme Court justices and 226 judges overall to the federal bench — all for lifetime appointments. Amy Coney Barrett became Trump's third Supreme Court justice on October 26, barely a week before Election Day.
By December 2019, Trump nominees made up roughly 25% of all US circuit court judges, according to an analysis by The Washington Post.
In just four years, Trump appointed 54 judges on the 13 US circuit courts. To put this in perspective, former President Barack Obama appointed 55 circuit judges in his two terms in the White House.
The courts get the final say in US politics, setting precedents that can shape the country for years to come.
Even though Trump was not reelected in 2020, his presidency will continue to have an influence on the direction of the US because of the sheer number of conservative federal judges he's installed.
In signing a $738 billion defense spending bill just a few days before Christmas, Trump officially established the sixth branch of the US Armed Forces — the Space Force.
The Space Force is the first new military service since the US Air Force was created in 1947.
Despite its name, the new branch has not been established to protect the planet from extraterrestrial threats, but is tasked with protecting the US military's assets in space.
Trump signed the First Step Act into law in December 2018, marking the first legislative victory in years for advocates seeking to reform the criminal justice system.
The bill passed with overwhelming bipartisan support in Congress. It offered relatively modest changes to the federal prison system, but was praised as an important step forward by groups and activists seeking to end mass incarceration.
Business Insider's Michelle Mark summarized the key aspects of the legislation after it passed in the Senate:
The passage of the bill ... marked the first major legislative win in decades to address mass incarceration at the federal level.
The bill overhauls certain federal sentencing laws, reducing mandatory minimum sentences for drug felonies and expanding early-release programs.
The bill also makes retroactive a 2010 federal sentencing law reducing the sentencing disparity between crack and powder cocaine offenses.
The bill also aims to lower recidivism by offering more rehabilitation and job-training opportunities, and it includes provisions intended to treat prisoners humanely — banning the shackling of pregnant inmates, halting the use of solitary confinement for most juvenile inmates, and mandating that prisoners be placed in facilities within 500 miles from their families.
"The Abraham Accords are a stunning achievement. When Trump took office, just two Arab nations, Egypt and Jordan, had treaties with Israel, a situation that had existed without change since 1994. There are now six regional nations with diplomatic relations with the Jewish state.
Of course, there was nothing easy about adding the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan to the list of those recognizing Israel’s right to exist and opening trade and tourism routes, which should give an economic boost to all of the participants. Had it been easy, the deals could have been signed anytime in the last 75 years.
That they were signed with Trump in the White House was a direct result of his policies. Foremost among them was his position on two fundamental issues: He would move America closer to Israel, and treat Iran as the dangerous pariah it is. "
https://nypost.com/2020/12/29/middle-ea … e-goodwin/
So what now, how do we fight this type of war?
I have no intention of fighting it, nor would I suggest anyone else do so.
I would advocate that people recognize this reality, and best situate themselves so that they can get by in life as best they can.
I would suggest people educate themselves on what is going on, and instead of complaining about how wrong they think it is, understand how to best position themselves economically to either benefit, or at least be able to survive the coming changes.
But that's me, my fighting days are over, except where fighting for my families best interests are involved.
That's who I am thinking of; my children, my grandchildren....I am not ready to talk about the U.S. in the past tense, by telling them that we once had something special here, but a certain generation gave up and gave in....but that's me!
Someone has to slap that Kool-aid out of trusting hands and minds!
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