Can America be educated ?

[kentuck]

The Democrats say one thing. The Republicans say something else. The media tells us what the Democrats said. Then they tell us what the Republicans said. Intentional or not, they tend to give more credence to Republican comments. Sometimes it is with a look of unbelievability or a mocking comment. Is it any wonder the people do not know the facts about so many important issues?

The Republicans and their commentators point out that Barack Obama inherited an economy that had 6-7% unemployment and he has run our economy into the ground. The unemployment rate is now at 10%. Also, he has run up more debt than any President in history, they say. This is the largest deficit in history.

That may be true but it is not put into context by the media. So the people wander around dumb. The only information they get is from right-wing radio or FOX News. They never learn the full story or the facts.

For example, Sarah Palin says that Barack Obama would take your guns if he could. The facts are that Barack Obama has done nothing to indicate he would take guns from average citizens. In fact, he expanded the laws to permit guns in national parks. Yet, many people believe this and they are told no different by the media.

Is there anything that can be done to educate the people, Democrats and Republicans, on the facts, rather than the political mileage of a story?

[LWolf]

1. Only if they want to be. nt

[Rabrrrrrr]

2. It can, but the majority of it doesn't want to.

Once we get the religious fucknuts and the Republicans and Teabaggers and freepers out of the country/shut up/shamed to speak, then America can be educated again.

[Catshrink]

3. Not with the M$M being complicit in the deception

and actively promoting controversy rather than conversation. Fareek Zakaria excepted - I think he may be the only real journalist left.

[RKP5637]

5. I think this is VERY true, "Fareek Zakaria ... may be the only real journalist left." n/t

[Cartoonist]

6. Dem complicity

With the exception of Alan Grayson, the dems refuse to speak out, thereby letting the repubs have the first, middle, and last word. Name one dem who has called Sarah out on her ridiculous statement.

[Andy823]

11. Actually it makes more sense

To NOT respond to that idiot. If they do respond then the media makes it the number one story for days, even weeks. No let the rant, let her spout off, let her lead her crazy followers down the path while she fills her bank account with their money! The woman is a nobody, but when the left responds to her, they set her up to get more attention.

[Andy823]

12. Well...

As long as they listen to Fox news, Limbaugh, and Beck, they will never learn, they will continue to be idiots when it comes to seeing the truth, and they will end up in some cult group where Glen Beck runs around in his Hitler costume ranting and raving about nothing, but working them up so they become even more crazy than they are now! I say give them all an island way out in the ocean and let them all go insane away from humanity! :evilgrin:

[Cartoonist]

14. All in

Actually, they should go all in on Palin. Tel the nation that she is the spokesperson and leader of the GOP. Make the 2010 election all about Sarah and her roguishness, and how her positions reflect the hopes and dreams of the republican party. Air her saying "Drill, Baby, Drill!" superimposed over the Gulf. Air her saying, "How's that hopey, changey thing working out for you?" over graphs showing reduced taxes and job growth.

[bobbolink]

16. There is no denying that we have a corrupt media.

But ignoring our *own* complicity compounds the problem.

So many posts right here on DU rage about the "stupid people". *WE* have some responsibility for that.

[TampaAnimus2010]

4. Thats why the internet is so important...

Let there be a million smaller news organizations instead of the big 3 or 5. Trying to shut one side down or the other isn't the answer, its bringing more voices to the table.

[RKP5637]

10. I agree with you on this so much. Right now, many just flick the TV on IMO and

get the propaganda of the day. Often I wish there were a simultaneous fact filter running akin to http://www.snopes.com for some of the garbage broadcast as news.

There is one downside to the internet IMO... those looking for far RW news/info., etc. can get that exclusively... so if one wants biased info. they can easily live in a world of deception reinforcing their twisted views. I have no idea now to get around that... as another poster said they have to want to get factual news.

All that said, the quicker we can eliminate the stranglehold on news/info. by the five or so media conglomerates the better we will be...

[JitterbugPerfume]

7. Not against their will, Kentuck.

a large segment of Americans are proud of their ignorance

[G_j]

8. not really

seems to be too late for that.

[bobbolink]

9. We won't know until we try, will we?

[treestar]

13. They could easily, since so much information is available to them

It's getting them to want to be informed.

[damntexdem]

15. The issue isn't whether America can be educated, it's ...

whether America can educate any more.

[ThomWV]

17. Yes you can

The trick, to the extent there is a trick, is to find out where their keenest interest lies, not what they tell you they care most about, but the one subject they keep coming back to. Educate them on just that one thing, show them where they have been lied to on that one issue, give them bullet-proof facts. Let them gape in amazement when they have discovered what has been done to their pet issue and how the truth of it has been distorted, and then you've got them to the point where they can see other things with eyes newly opened. Once they have seen the opposition to be liars about a subject they care about they begin to see it everywhere, the lies and distortions.

[donheld]

18. Maybe if you can get them to pay attention.