14 Characteristics of Fascism - #6 begins

[packman]

6. Controlled Mass Media - Sometimes the media is directly controlled by the government, but in other cases, the media is indirectly controlled by government regulation, or sympathetic media spokespeople and executives. Censorship, especially in war time, is very common.



"Newt Gingrich, a prominent supporter of President-elect Donald Trump and a Fox News contributor, would like to shatter the influence of an “adversarial” press. And he thinks Trump’s press conference confrontation with CNN reporter Jim Acosta has given the incoming administration the opportunity to dramatically reshape White House press interactions to favor journalists who will treat the president-elect more favorably."

Newt goes on to lay out a plan to harness the press - 60 days of banishment, reshaping the White House Press Corp, etc.
http://mediamatters.org/blog/2017/01/13/newt-gingrich-trump-should-use-cnn-confrontation-excuse-break-press/215012

[guillaumeb]

1. Recommended.

As Noam Chomsky has pointed out, it is far better that the media self-regulate. That way, certain questions will simply not be asked because they are outside the boundaries of acceptable thought.

The schools have their place in establishing what is acceptable thought, as do politicians, and much of the media exists to reinforce those boundaries.

[2naSalit]

2. Never let that clip disappear! K&R

[Delphinus]

3. Wow.

...

[shraby]

4. I hope the investigation asks this lizard a few questions.

[Loge23]

5. Funny how that "small government" thing works

An alternate political party centered around fiscal conservatism would be fine. We could all work with that, however much we disagree about policy. The problem is, the republican part isn't that party. They are the party of authoritarianism, mega-corporations, and control of the message (propaganda).
Their supporters are largely racist, misogynists, isolationists (ironic isn't it), and faux moralists who have given up on trying to understand civics and economics in favor of appealing to their most basic instincts.
So we get no fiscal conservatism and no "small government". Indeed, it is usually the task of the Dems to come in after the train wreck administrations of the R's and restore the economy and get rid of useless restrictive laws.
Too bad the Americans can't see through the myth of the republicans.

[Angry Dragon]

7. it is just a lot of Americans can not see it ...... you do

[Loge23]

8. That's true...

I should add that it's not all Americans - in fact, it's a decided minority of them.
The dumb part II comes when the rest of us don't fight back.

[Angry Dragon]

6. When is Trump going to grow a mustache??