The Root Cause of the mess we are in today?

[kentuck]

...is right-wing media, of all stripes, from local to national.

They hyped and incited every single conspiracy theory espoused by the Trump supporters and the mob that attacked our Capitol. (It is not 'their house'. We did not vote for them or what they stand for. They are undemocratic and un-American)

The right-wing media pushed the Big Lie about election fraud and are more responsible than anyone for where we are today.

There are too many to name. From local talk radio to Sean Hannity and FOX News propaganda to One News Network to NewsMax to Wall St Journal to Mark Levin to Laura Ingraham to Lou Dobbs to....infinity.

The problem is with right-wing media and their lies.

[tblue37]

1. Simple fact: propaganda works.

[DownriverDem]

31. Yep

It started in the 1980s. Remember the Rush lunch rooms? The right bought many radio stations.

[StClone]

43. Media yes but who is behind the Con Media

Without some rich backers FOX, Limpwad, and the rest of the blowtorch of propaganda would not have had the reach.

[theneworiginal]

58. Read Blinded by the Right. prophetic

Talks about how the RW's plan is to get a hold of the media first to sell/spin the message, then the judicial branch to fend off any challenges and re-engineer the process (gerrymandering, super PACs, etc.), and then the executive branch.

Working like a charm.

[magicarpet]

2. Bingo.....

[Rorey]

3. The problem is that there are no consequences

There are no consequences when these entertainment organizations masquerading as news organizations tell blatant lies.

[TryLogic]

33. Agree !!!

[RKP5637]

4. Well said!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! n/t

[Cobalt Violet]

5. The way they've demonized liberals for decades has to end.

There is no chance of unity while they continue to demonize people. Demonizing the other is pretty much all they're about.

[RazzleCat]

61. I have pondered this for a long time, here is my time line

1. Newt Gingrich, start here. He was angry and pushed the Republican Party to more extremes. He gained traction, he began the new revolt in the party. You can lay the Clinton Impeachment at his feet, an impeachment that was extremely partisan, one that he himself was guilty of, a massive push to us vs them.

2. 911, this was the golden opportunity to use the flag of patriotism to create a huge government overreach and the beginning of active wars.

3. The control of language (started under Newt). The Republican Party became very good at naming everything. They are "pro-life", they sponsored the Clear Skies Act (to roll back environmental standards), you see what's going on, name it what its not, who can be against such nice sounding things.

4. Tea Party, at first sort of a quaint group, but then the big money came it, it too gained traction and pushed the republicans to even more extremes. The Tea Party was a mixed bag of people who felt over taxed, under represented, raciest and extremist. Most important, they got media attention, hence political attention.

5. Economic collapse, this was a huge shock to the entire country, the majority of us suffered, or had friends and family who were in a tail spin, of lost jobs, houses, stock value etc.

6. Sara Palin, yes not a real sharp person, but she became a totem for extremist, again like changing the language, she could change the look of extremism. She was attractive, witty, quick (remember her first speech, it was good, real good), yes she flamed out fast due to her incompetence, but still she drew in more people who were ready for any sort of change.

7. Obama, not his fault, but a Black Man becoming president, exploded a whole lot of raciest minds, even people who did not think of themselves as raciest, became enraged that a Black man was President, even worse, he was competent.

8. Trump, he was the reaction to Obama, the opposite of him in every way, but remember via the use of the language of lies he had been opposed on everything, with the rhetoric turned up to a 10, the populace who had not recovered economically (or racists, sexists etc) or again felt that they were not being represented by their elected officials were ready to blow it all up. They had been primed via the use of division, refusal to compromise, crazy rhetoric removed from truth.

this is not in perfect order, but I think these are some of the major point on the road to total division in our country

[mtnsnake]

6. That's right but the feeder root cause is right wing money that gets funneled their way. nt

[applegrove]

7. GOP destroying good union jobs.

[Pobeka]

8. This is the *huge* elephant in the room.

How do we ever find common ground, and unify, when 30-50% of GOP doesn't even see media that questions their own leaders, and continues a propaganda war?

[tenderfoot]

9. A great article about this topic... WHO POISONED TALK RADIO?

Last edited Sun Jan 17, 2021, 08:13 PM - Edit history (1)

WHO POISONED TALK RADIO?
Behind the secretive network that convinced Americans they cannot trust East Coast “elites.” An interview with investigative journalist Anne Nelson.

ANNE NELSON IS a child of Stillwater, Okla. Though she left home to attend Yale University, traveled as a reporter to Central America in the 1980s, and has lived in New York City for four decades, Nelson stays connected to her hometown.

In 2004, while visiting family back in Oklahoma, she noticed something about the conversations on talk radio as she drove across town. People in Oklahoma were not simply processing the news through different filters than her neighbors in New York City. They were getting different news—a whole different story about what was supposedly really happening in America. A good reporter, Nelson wanted to know why.

Her research led her to a group called the Council for National Policy. Founded in 1981 by extreme conservatives who cut their teeth in right-wing politics and the struggle for power within the Southern Baptist Convention in the 1970s, this little-known network brought together Republican political operatives and preachers of the new Religious Right with independent radio and media companies. In the words of Richard DeVos, a longtime member, the CNP became a coordinating committee for the “donors and the doers” of reactionary right-wing politics. A strange conversation on talk radio led Nelson into the inner workings of an elite network that has labored for four decades to convince everyday Americans in the heartland that they cannot trust East Coast “elites.”

https://sojo.net/magazine/may-2020/who-poisoned-talk-radio

[underpants]

11. ✅ 👆This 👆

Great read.

[Celerity]

28. +1000

[Kid Berwyn]

56. Should be an OP

Thank you!

[Blue Owl]

10. K&R

[Boomerproud]

12. This was as much a strategy as the Southern Strategy

and just as effective.

[Chainfire]

13. It has been an operation that began with buying up media outlets years ago.

The people behind this have been in it for the long run. I began with Rush Limbaugh in the 90s and has grown, flowered and gone to seed. It will be a hell of a tangle to try to straighten out. The biggest problem is that Democrats can not undo the hard right thinking, and now Republican are losing the ability to do so too. The First Amendment, which is close to my heart, works against our ability to deal with the problem through government action.

What we can do, within the law, and what we should do, is go after the advertisers with publicity and boycott. You have seen, already, how many big businesses have threatened to, or have removed funding from the hard core because of the negative publicity over 1/6. DU would be a heck of a good forum to begin develop a program of shaming right wing program advertisers. We need to compile names of advertisers, contact them, and stop buying their products. We do not need to be financing the overthrow of our government.

Make the advertisers figure out if they can sustain their business without progressive buyers. The only pain corporations feel is in the accounting department. We have to use the power of spending to make change. Lets make them squeal.

[DENVERPOPS]

51. Regretfully,

I tend to disagree with the last parts of your commentary......

Yes, there was a time, two or three decades ago that you could have boycotted a Corporation and maybe had an influence.

At this stage, I would have to think that if you looked at all the major corporations in the U.S., you would find it difficult to find many that aren't major contributors to the Right Wing Republican Party and it's Politicians.....Seriously. At this point, you would have a hard time buying anything from a corporation that DOESN'T support the Right Wing RepubliCON Party and It's Politicians....

And why shouldn't the corporations support the RepubliCONs? That party has successfully over the past decades reduced their taxes, and the taxes on the upper class, from a fair amount to an amount that is a Joke. Warren Buffet, a billionaire, even bragged about the fact that he pays less in taxes than his secretary....

Every time there is an uproar over some corporation, and a corresponding dent in their Revenue, the Corporation knows that all they have to do is wait for a few news cycles, (typically three days) and Revenue/Profits will go back to normal.....LOL
Sure, there are a few trivial exceptions, but they are normally small corporations, not having a large market share in their industry.

There were many of us that were bitching our heads off starting in the second month of the "so called Reagan Administration", (actually the HWBush/Cheney/Rumsfeld administration.) And how the RepubliCONs had corruptly stolen the election, through committing treason by the way, from Carter. And that the changes they were making would not only cause the destruction of the middle class then, but for decades to come....(Taxes, Fairness Doctrine, Social Security, Corporate Welfare, Busting Unions, Trickle Down Economics, massive increases in Defense spending,.... to name just a few)

The RepubliCONs and even the "Reagan Democrats" came after us as being way out in Left Field crazy.

All that you are talking about in this entire article and comments section, was begun during THAT administration, and continued with a frenzy after the RepubliCONs figured out that they had just succeeded in putting one over on the massive middle class voters.

That.Was.Forty.Years.Ago.

If the perfect title for a book about this hadn't already been used years ago, the title of a book about the last forty+ years would be:

**WHILE THE NATION SLEPT.**.........

On January 6th, the RepubliCONs damn near turned the *United States of America*, into the *Corporate Fascist Tyranny of America*

[Chainfire]

59. We will have to agree to disagree ;)

What have we got to lose?

Boycotts would be directed at advertisers on right-wing entertainment shows that present themselves as "news." Companies spend billions of dollars on advertising. You could think of focused targeting of specific products as "anti-advertising." Publicly linking the product to the false message. The underlying theme is that if you support liars about their politics, how are we to believe the quality of your products in particular, and your company in general. If millions of progressives contacted companies and politely told them they are finished with products advertised on X show, and then did so, I believe it would get their attention. With big business, the bottom line is always the bottom line. Hurt the bottom line, change policies.

This is a situation where the government is hamstrung from shutting down false narratives. If you have another, suggestion how to fight the false right-wing narrative I would love to hear it. I do not see as continuing as we have been going as a viable option if we want to retain our nation.

[DENVERPOPS]

60. I respect you're disagreeing.........

I suggest you start your project with WALL MART, and/or maybe HOME DEPOT ??????????
AND, remember, most importantly, that people need to have an alternative source to use for their purchases.........

And, even better yet, how about people abandoning their FACEBOOK or TWITTER accounts, which have been some of *THE* MAJOR contributors to this fiasco as well....

And given our current and future situation re: Covid, and Massive un-employment, I can't help but think of my favorite quote since the 80's, (of course that was before Trump and the RepubliCONs re-defined "swamp&quot

"It is hard to remember your that your primary objective was to drain the swamp, when you are up to your ass in alligators".....

[Chainfire]

62. Fair enough

I live in rural county, the only place left to shop after the stores on the courthouse square all folded, it the Wal-Mart ten miles from my house. I have not been in the store in over ten years over an issue with a return of a rotten whole chicken......

I didn't say that the effort would be painless.

What he meant was that he was draining the swamp into the White House. I know a little about alligators, an alligator would not associate with a Trump.

[hunter]

14. Television made Trump.

It needs to die.

[littlemissmartypants]

36. I recommend explosives. In controlled circumstances of course.

It's hard to mend an exploded television and the noise creates an significant emotional reaction that signals the seriousness of the deed.

Just unplugged isn't enough and giving it to goodwill just passes the evil on to someone else.

Otherwise, use a sledgehammer with proper PPE. Go for full catharsis.

❤ lmsp

[William769]

15. The problem starts with white men and ends with white men. nt

[littlemissmartypants]

37. And the women that love them. nt

[Yeehah]

16. Stupidity and propaganda

Fox "News," Limbaugh, etc. have done a great job of inciting discord, hate and violence in the USA.

Something must be done. OUR CAPITOL WAS OVERRUN BY THESE KOOKS!

[GigiLeigh]

17. EVEN IF YOU NEVER WATCH FOX NEWS YOU'RE FUNDING THEIR PROGRAMMING

Pay for cable or satellite TV? You’re subsidizing Fox News whether you watch it or not.

Your cable or satellite TV provider pays a subscriber fee to carry Fox News. That cost is passed directly on to YOU.

Every network charges cable and satellite providers a small fee per subscriber; the one for Fox News is extraordinarily high. A typical household pays Fox News almost $2 per month—about $20 per year— via their cable or satellite provider, regardless of whether they actually watch the channel.

In 2020 and 2021, a wave of big contracts between Fox News and TV providers for subscriber fees are set to expire. These contracts make up about 65% if Fox News’ subscriber fee revenue. If we want to stop paying the Fox News “tax,” now is the time to act.



A typical household pays Fox News almost $2 per month—about $20 per year— via their cable or satellite provider, regardless of whether they actually watch the channel.

HIDDEN FEES FUELFOX NEWS’ BUSINESS
Fox News makes approximately $1.8 billion per year from hidden subscriber fees–twice as much as CNN and three times as much as MSNBC.

The network's extra-high fees, which make up most of its revenue, protect Fox News from the advertisers that are quickly abandoning it.

• Put pressure on your cable or satellite provider to stop using your money to subsidize Fox News on your dime. And you can let your cable or satellite company know you’re going to switch—unless they make a change.

• Cut the cord. You can now get your TV from streaming services that do not include Fox News. (Thanks, internet!)

• We’ll keep you updated on Fox News’ negotiations with cable and satellite providers and let you know if they’re trying to raise the price of subscriber fees in your area.



We’ll help you fight back against Fox News by depriving the network of the thing it values most of all: your money.


https://www.unfoxmycablebox.com/

[Hermit-The-Prog]

53. This is part of what happens when the FCC works for GOP instead of the public.

[Dustlawyer]

18. +1! Add in our campaign finance (bribery) system and you have at least 99% of our problems covered.

[TryLogic]

34. Add in gerrymandering which creates and protects radical congress persons.

[Ohioboy]

19. It all started when they did away with the Fairness Doctrine

There was a time when broadcast stations were required to allow equal time to opposing views. You couldn't just be a "right" or "left" radio station. You had to allow the other side to at least give their side on your airwaves if they asked.


Also, back in the day, opinion was labeled as opinion, and stations could be responsible for what content. Remember the old disclaimer that said "The views and opinions expressed are not necessarily those of sponsors or management"? That was a type of subtle warning to let people know they were about to hear opinion and not news, that there were other views out there. Nowadays blowhards spout opinion and confuse it with news all day long without any responsibility.

The Fairness Doctrine served to let the broadcasters know their content could be challenged, and it kept them more honest.

Bringing back the Fairness Doctrine would be a good step in curbing some of the misinformation, and they can't call it censorship! It literally would give more free speech.

[PatrickforO]

23. Sorry. Didn't see yours before I posted mine immediately below. Absolutely, we need a new

Fairness Doctrine.

[Ohioboy]

32. You added more information with your link, no problem from me

[c-rational]

27. +1,000,000

[PatrickforO]

20. One of the first things Congress ought to do is enact a new Fairness Doctrine, one

for the 21st century that takes social media and talk radio into account. Here is Wiki's explanation of what it was. If you read it, you will realize why we need it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FCC_fairness_doctrine#:~:text=The%20fairness%20doctrine%20of%20the,honest%2C%20equitable%2C%20and%20balanced.

[BobTheSubgenius]

21. Story checks out.

Obviously, in a system as vast and complex as modern American society, there cannot be one single answer.

But this is as close as you could get.

[Initech]

22. And don't forget podcasts!

There's tons of podcasts out there to suit every flavor of the far right. Whether you prefer racism (Wayne Dupree), sexism (Ben Shapiro), homophobia (Joe Rogan), or flat out batshit (Alex Jones), there's something for everyone!

[kimbutgar]

24. I have Dish network and found a channel where I can watch Fox, Msnbc and CNN

At the same time. Just watching it on mute was fascinating. I rarely if ever watch fox. But this multi view with cnn and msnbc talking about the riots and then fox saying Biden will be governing as a socialist was awful. No mention of the attack on our capitol, it’s as if it never happens in their universe.

This is what we are up against and alternate news universe that has no accountability. We definitely need a fairness doctrine and look at media ownership rules. And Sinclair needs to be broken up.

We have a poison in our country and it’s the right wing media. It poisons peoples minds and makes them hateful. We have to find a way to deprogrammed them.

[Swamp Country Po Boy]

25. No: SOCIAL Media

The ultimate contradiction in terms!

[hibbing]

26. 24/7 on a lot of 50,000 watt blowtorches n/t

[OneGrassRoot]

29. The bigger problem is that they have a willing audience...

Yes, all of right-wing media and social media have been horrifically influential, but as long as there is an audience biased toward white supremacy and authoritarianism, nasty people will offer it to them.

I'd like to dig deeper to the root cause of WHY such a huge audience exists and deal with that, though it will take a generation or two.

Edit to add the obvious that this has ALWAYS been a problem. We've just never dealt with it.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

54. The audience is micro-analyzed to determine what can motivate them for the oligarchs.

[OneGrassRoot]

55. And there has always been about 1/3...

who have a white supremacist, authoritarian worldview...long before detailed analytics entered the picture...and have been manipulated using those views.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

57. Yeah, that bunch doesn't need to be programmed, just steered.

[Septua]

30. Right wind media perpetuate...

..the propaganda but the people who watch right wing media don't want to hear anything else.

Congress is the only entity with Constitutional authority to rein in a dysfunctional President and their own dysfunctional members. Mitch and Company could have prevented the current situation but didn't...it's party and position first, then country for them.

[MRDAWG]

35. They have preached "hate the government" for over 40 years**

*

[hkp11]

38. and RW donors

and RW repukes in congress, and RW radio

[flying_wahini]

39. FCC needs to be pulling licenses on some of the hate stations.

[littlemissmartypants]

40. Starts as basic sloganeering and quickly becomes propaganda.

Always beware of the sloganeering. It's a gateway to hell.

❤ lmsp

[Spider Jerusalem]

41. Nope

the root cause of the mess we're in today is America's original sin of white supremacy. That is why they support Trump and are eager to discount the votes of black Americans in Atlanta and Detroit and Philadelphia as "fraudulent".

[OneGrassRoot]

47. Yep. n/t

[badboy67]

42. Cannot be overstated: rightwing media broadcasts its propaganda for the most part 100% uncontested.

[bucolic_frolic]

44. Right wing rabble rousing

There's no distinction between Trump and RW media. One is a lightning rod for the other.

But the root of it all may be money. Since Reagan, with only minor pullbacks, Congress has approved laws to pass money UP the income scale, and then those folks lobby for more favorable tax treatment. It may in some instances be an engine of growth companies, but mostly it's just advertise and brainwash the public into buying more products, which gets passed UP the income scale which is where we started. That's how you make oligarchs, monied fascists. You allow them to focus only on their own greed instead of patriotism, because they create jobs and growth.

I don't pass money up the income scale much at all, though some people would say I'm not really living, and few would be happy with it.

[JT45242]

45. Rupert murdoch should never have been given fcc license

This all starts with murdoch getting a license.

The overabundance of gate radio would not be as big a factor as most people consume radio primarily in the car for much less time than tv.

[Rebl2]

46. Newt Gingrich

And right wing media

[Kablooie]

48. and they are STILL pushing the lie!

Spewing lies about everything constantly is death for a Democracy.
Unless someone figures out a way to shut them up we will remain in danger because decisions aren't being made on reality.

[lonely bird]

49. Well, yes and no

The media, Newt Gingrich, the Neocons, trickle down economics etc are all symptomatic. They are not the root cause.

The root cause can be traced back centuries. This country has never been The UNITED States. Except for a handful of times it has been torn apart internally by a host of factions North, South, Midwest, and far West. The document allegedly created to form a "more perfect union" in point of opinion actually did the opposite. It created a government that was purposefully anti-democracy and which sought to protect the interests of wealth. The potential catastrophe of the electoral college overturning the election of Biden was actually supported by, at least in theory, by Federalist 68. Hamilton saw the electoral college as preventing the election of someone unfit for office. Yet that very mechanism could have been used to overturn Biden's election.

No, there is far more at work here in terms of "the problem". Grappling with why we are what we are as well as disabusing ourselves of any notion of exceptionalism is required.

I will not hold my breath waiting for such action to occur.

[RainCaster]

50. Don't forget RW Religion!

Bozos like Franklin Graham, Joel Osteen, and pastor Swimming Pool Boy. They all had a very big role in this doodoo.

[bluehoo]

52. No, the right-wing media is a symptom

The root cause is a system, party by design and partly by happenstance, that allows a minority party to exert power well beyond its numbers. The political system does not represent the way Americans vote.

The Democratic Party is the majority, big tent party. It is made up of many factions - blue collar labor unions, white suburban liberals, Blacks, Hispanics, young people, etc. These groups often have massive differences. To win, Democrats need to form a coalition of these groups and it prevents them from going too far to any extreme.

The Republicans don’t need a majority of votes. They have significant structural advantages in the structure of the Senate, House, and Presidency. So they just need their base that is older, whiter, and more male than most of the population. The social conservatives and wealthy class have formed an alliance that basically gets the job done.

This is why there is no liberal equivalent of Rush Limbaugh, Fox News, or Breibart. Sure, there are liberal commentators, but not with the wide of an audience. The Democratic Party is far too fractured for this to happen. And that’s a good thing - a democracy should be about compromise and big tent politics. The problem is they system allows a minority party to have too much power which does by moving to the extremes and without compromise.

[BComplex]

63. Right wing media is pure PROPAGANDA, not news. We have 2 sets of reality in this country,

and 1/2 of the population has no critical thinking skills.

When the republican party took control of all the local school boards, and then when they got in power nationally, they cut out civics and social studies/government classes. They planned this for YEARS. Democrats need to take control now.

[peggysue2]

64. The propaganda stokes the underlying embers

I'd argue that at the bottom of the fire pit is the fear of changing demographics across white America which very easily sparks resentment and racial animosity. In fact, the propaganda is meant to do just that--work people into a lather, have them react on emotion alone and create the sort of chaos we've been witnessing.

All these right-wing propagandists have done their best to ratchet up the outrage, fear and hate.

I don't think it's a coincidence that news reports have switched to the 'horde' of immigrants marching toward our southern border.

Be afraid. Be very afraid.

We've been under assault from domestic and foreign propaganda. For the last 4 years, the White House has amplified, even initiated the messaging: Don't trust your lying eyes and ears. Certainly don't trust your instincts about right and wrong. Believe only, Dear Leader when he says . . .

Getting rid of Trump is the first step. Then we need--as consumers--to pivot our attention to the Purveyors of Deceit and Mayhem. Who are their sponsors? Where's the money coming from.

It's always follow the money