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Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is introduced during the CNN presidential debate at The Venetian Las Vegas on December 15, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Every time the mainstream media reveal another move by the Republican Party toward authoritarianism, they point out some superfluous fault in the Democratic Party in order to provide “balance.” It's nonsense. And it's dangerous.
You wouldn’t know if you relied solely on the mainstream media that Americans face an election on November 5 of this year in which one of the two likely candidates was engaged in an attempted coup and has given every indication of wanting to substitute neofascism for democracy.
Again and again, the mainstream media have drawn a false equivalence between Donald Trump and Joe Biden — asserting that Biden’s political handicap is his age, while Trump’s corresponding handicap is his criminal indictments.But Trump is almost as old as Biden, and Trump’s public remarks and posts are becoming ever more unhinged — suggesting that advancing age may be a bigger problem for Trump than for Biden.
Why isn’t the mainstream media reporting on Trump’s increasing senescence?
Similarly, every time the mainstream media reveal another move by the Republican Party toward authoritarianism, they point out some superfluous fault in the Democratic Party in order to provide “balance.”
So readers are left to assume all politics is rotten.
A recent Washington Post article was headlined: “In a swing Wisconsin county, everyone is tired of politics.”
“How do Americans feel about politics?” The New York Times asked recently, answering: “Disgust isn’t a strong enough word.”
But where is it reported that the mainstream media have contributed to making people tired and disgusted with politics?
And where is it acknowledged that this helps Trump and his Republican allies?
They want voters to be so turned off of politics that they’re unaware of Biden’s accomplishments, such as an economy that continues to generate a large number of new jobs, with real (adjusted for inflation) wages finally trending upward, inflation dropping, and no recession in sight.
Plus, billions of dollars pumped out to fix and improve the nation’s roads, ports, pipelines, and internet. Hundreds of billions allocated to combat climate change. Medicare now lowering the cost of prescription drugs. Billions in student debt canceled. Monopolies attacked. Workers’ rights to organize, defended.
One person interviewed by the Post admitted, “I can’t really speak to anything [Biden] has done because I’ve tuned it out, like a lot of people have. We’re so tired of the us-against-them politics.”
As if the “us-against-them politics” is the fault of Democrats as much as it is Republicans, when in fact the GOP is the party of dysfunctional politics.
Much of the GOP no longer accepts the rule of law, the norms of liberal democracy, the legitimacy of the opposing party, or the premise that governing requires negotiation and compromise.
Why isn’t this being reported?
Trump and his allies want Americans to feel so disgusted with politics that they believe the nation has become ungovernable. The worse things seem, the stronger Trump’s case for an authoritarian like him to take over: “I’d get it done in one day.” “I am your voice.” “Leave it all to me.”
By focusing on Trump’s rantings and ignoring Biden’s steady hand, the mainstream media are playing directly into Trump’s neofascist hands.
What can you do?
When you see the mainstream media commit these errors, write to the editors and point them out. Second, don’t rely exclusively on the mainstream media for your news. (I read The Guardian every day. Please offer us your suggestions for reliable sources of news and analyses.) Also: Boycott all advertisers on Fox News.
Other ideas welcome.
Dear Common Dreams reader, The U.S. is on a fast track to authoritarianism like nothing I've ever seen. Meanwhile, corporate news outlets are utterly capitulating to Trump, twisting their coverage to avoid drawing his ire while lining up to stuff cash in his pockets. That's why I believe that Common Dreams is doing the best and most consequential reporting that we've ever done. Our small but mighty team is a progressive reporting powerhouse, covering the news every day that the corporate media never will. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. And to ignite change for the common good. Now here's the key piece that I want all our readers to understand: None of this would be possible without your financial support. That's not just some fundraising cliche. It's the absolute and literal truth. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. Will you donate now to help power the nonprofit, independent reporting of Common Dreams? Thank you for being a vital member of our community. Together, we can keep independent journalism alive when it’s needed most. - Craig Brown, Co-founder |
You wouldn’t know if you relied solely on the mainstream media that Americans face an election on November 5 of this year in which one of the two likely candidates was engaged in an attempted coup and has given every indication of wanting to substitute neofascism for democracy.
Again and again, the mainstream media have drawn a false equivalence between Donald Trump and Joe Biden — asserting that Biden’s political handicap is his age, while Trump’s corresponding handicap is his criminal indictments.But Trump is almost as old as Biden, and Trump’s public remarks and posts are becoming ever more unhinged — suggesting that advancing age may be a bigger problem for Trump than for Biden.
Why isn’t the mainstream media reporting on Trump’s increasing senescence?
Similarly, every time the mainstream media reveal another move by the Republican Party toward authoritarianism, they point out some superfluous fault in the Democratic Party in order to provide “balance.”
So readers are left to assume all politics is rotten.
A recent Washington Post article was headlined: “In a swing Wisconsin county, everyone is tired of politics.”
“How do Americans feel about politics?” The New York Times asked recently, answering: “Disgust isn’t a strong enough word.”
But where is it reported that the mainstream media have contributed to making people tired and disgusted with politics?
And where is it acknowledged that this helps Trump and his Republican allies?
They want voters to be so turned off of politics that they’re unaware of Biden’s accomplishments, such as an economy that continues to generate a large number of new jobs, with real (adjusted for inflation) wages finally trending upward, inflation dropping, and no recession in sight.
Plus, billions of dollars pumped out to fix and improve the nation’s roads, ports, pipelines, and internet. Hundreds of billions allocated to combat climate change. Medicare now lowering the cost of prescription drugs. Billions in student debt canceled. Monopolies attacked. Workers’ rights to organize, defended.
One person interviewed by the Post admitted, “I can’t really speak to anything [Biden] has done because I’ve tuned it out, like a lot of people have. We’re so tired of the us-against-them politics.”
As if the “us-against-them politics” is the fault of Democrats as much as it is Republicans, when in fact the GOP is the party of dysfunctional politics.
Much of the GOP no longer accepts the rule of law, the norms of liberal democracy, the legitimacy of the opposing party, or the premise that governing requires negotiation and compromise.
Why isn’t this being reported?
Trump and his allies want Americans to feel so disgusted with politics that they believe the nation has become ungovernable. The worse things seem, the stronger Trump’s case for an authoritarian like him to take over: “I’d get it done in one day.” “I am your voice.” “Leave it all to me.”
By focusing on Trump’s rantings and ignoring Biden’s steady hand, the mainstream media are playing directly into Trump’s neofascist hands.
What can you do?
When you see the mainstream media commit these errors, write to the editors and point them out. Second, don’t rely exclusively on the mainstream media for your news. (I read The Guardian every day. Please offer us your suggestions for reliable sources of news and analyses.) Also: Boycott all advertisers on Fox News.
Other ideas welcome.
You wouldn’t know if you relied solely on the mainstream media that Americans face an election on November 5 of this year in which one of the two likely candidates was engaged in an attempted coup and has given every indication of wanting to substitute neofascism for democracy.
Again and again, the mainstream media have drawn a false equivalence between Donald Trump and Joe Biden — asserting that Biden’s political handicap is his age, while Trump’s corresponding handicap is his criminal indictments.But Trump is almost as old as Biden, and Trump’s public remarks and posts are becoming ever more unhinged — suggesting that advancing age may be a bigger problem for Trump than for Biden.
Why isn’t the mainstream media reporting on Trump’s increasing senescence?
Similarly, every time the mainstream media reveal another move by the Republican Party toward authoritarianism, they point out some superfluous fault in the Democratic Party in order to provide “balance.”
So readers are left to assume all politics is rotten.
A recent Washington Post article was headlined: “In a swing Wisconsin county, everyone is tired of politics.”
“How do Americans feel about politics?” The New York Times asked recently, answering: “Disgust isn’t a strong enough word.”
But where is it reported that the mainstream media have contributed to making people tired and disgusted with politics?
And where is it acknowledged that this helps Trump and his Republican allies?
They want voters to be so turned off of politics that they’re unaware of Biden’s accomplishments, such as an economy that continues to generate a large number of new jobs, with real (adjusted for inflation) wages finally trending upward, inflation dropping, and no recession in sight.
Plus, billions of dollars pumped out to fix and improve the nation’s roads, ports, pipelines, and internet. Hundreds of billions allocated to combat climate change. Medicare now lowering the cost of prescription drugs. Billions in student debt canceled. Monopolies attacked. Workers’ rights to organize, defended.
One person interviewed by the Post admitted, “I can’t really speak to anything [Biden] has done because I’ve tuned it out, like a lot of people have. We’re so tired of the us-against-them politics.”
As if the “us-against-them politics” is the fault of Democrats as much as it is Republicans, when in fact the GOP is the party of dysfunctional politics.
Much of the GOP no longer accepts the rule of law, the norms of liberal democracy, the legitimacy of the opposing party, or the premise that governing requires negotiation and compromise.
Why isn’t this being reported?
Trump and his allies want Americans to feel so disgusted with politics that they believe the nation has become ungovernable. The worse things seem, the stronger Trump’s case for an authoritarian like him to take over: “I’d get it done in one day.” “I am your voice.” “Leave it all to me.”
By focusing on Trump’s rantings and ignoring Biden’s steady hand, the mainstream media are playing directly into Trump’s neofascist hands.
What can you do?
When you see the mainstream media commit these errors, write to the editors and point them out. Second, don’t rely exclusively on the mainstream media for your news. (I read The Guardian every day. Please offer us your suggestions for reliable sources of news and analyses.) Also: Boycott all advertisers on Fox News.
Other ideas welcome.