This was not just a good post, but a spot-on terrific read by Aaron Rupar It needs to be on the front-page of the NYT or The Post or read on MSNBC or CNN by Van Jones.
While the American media spotlight, ever enthralled by the sensationalism of the moment, remains fixated on Trump and his legal woes, other crucial and overlooked dangers continue to unfold in the United States. First, we have about half our country responding to Trump like zombies - brainwashed followers of the Republican Party (similar to members of the Jim Jones cult), who were unsuspectedly caught in coercive control techniques that Trump uses daily to influence his followers. Second, we have a presidential candidate who sold his soul and our country to the Russians at least ten years prior to sleeping in the White House after 2016. (proof is found in From Democracy to Democrazy by Graham) Third, the influence of Putin's strategies quietly attempts to reshape the trajectory of American politics and American lives. We see that happening NOW.
This current political race is not just between Democrats and Republicans, but between a decent, hard-working, public servant who has successfully served our country for almost 50 years. His constituents re-elected him year after year as a Senator (36 years as a Senator, 8 years as the VP, and 4 years as the President) - he must have been doing something right!!!
His opponent is a man who has been compromised by Russia, who is a convicted rapist and a serial sexual predator, also convicted of fraud with mounds of solid documented evidence and proof, and is now facing 91 criminal charges. His speeches are filled with revenge, hatred, defamation of others, and with no discernable ideology.
Americans were duped decades ago into believing that Russia is no longer our enemy and the world is living in peaceful coexistence. Yes, the Cold War did not die - a revelation for many Americans. We let our guard down, while Russia rebuilt their economy, their military, and their weaponry. Then in 2000, Putin became the second President of Russia. He instantly converted Russia from a communist-socialist government- a civilized form of government where people matter to a dictatorship where no one matters but Putin. He is a man who spent his entire life as a KGB spy, and blames the United States for the downfall of the USSR. He wants REVENGE.
Over the last quarter of a century, he has schemed and enacted his strategic plan. Based on the book called The Foundations of Geopolitics and published in Russia in 1997 - a carefully orchestrated and directed horror film has been produced. The movie theme is the destruction of the United States and the principal key actor is Donald Trump. It won't win any Oscars YET, because (1) this movie is still unrecognized by most Americans, and (2) the ill-informed Trumpers across our nation are the support cast. Trump's dangerous and many-sided destructiveness includes unprecedented ways to influence and control his followers - a form of brainwashing. Unbeknown to these followers, the person who's ideology they are following is not Trump, but Putin.
For the American public, our first source of information comes from our media - newspapers, TV, social media, and even movies. Since "Oppenheimer" was the Oscar winner in our 2024 Cinema history, it shows an awakening of the real dangers faced by Putin's threats of nuclear war. Putin's government also admitted to election interference in 2016 and 2020; they have said it will continue; AND Putin has "shouted from the nearest mountain-top" that Trump will win the 2024 election. What does he know that the American public does not? Has our media failed to do their research and inform the public of these dangers or are they continuing to focus on Trump's legal issues instead of the real danger facing America? Trump is NOT an ordinary political candidate - but a criminal and a traitor (From Democracy to Democrazy). Their broadcasts on sensationalism instead of reality is disconcerting.
I was at a book-signing event at a Barnes and Noble in Tucson, AZ. A middle-aged woman came up to me and said "I think Putin is a smart and great leader." I opened my mouth to respond, but nothing came out - I was shocked. These were the exact same works said by Trump only the prior week and in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. This my friends is BRAINWASHING.
The shadow cast by Putin over the landscape of American democracy, and his influence and control over Trump grows larger and darker by the moment. Our democracy hangs in the balance.
Great Article and ALL your points are spot on. I find it absurd the former president is covered like a “Normal” individual with redeeming social value. Where I come from, he is a Scumbag, user of people, disloyal, predator and rich boy who lies, ridicules and is in Awe of “strongmen” (which he is not) and would never be caught dead with most of his Maggette Followers.
But make sure the media balances all that against Biden’s Age !!!
real good, Stephen...would also argue it's time to find a different verb for what the political press mostly continues to do with Trump, move away from "struggling," bc it sounds like they're actively engaged in trying to figure it out. do we really think they're taking this seriously and doing the hard work of recognizing their failures and being willing to look inward (or at least around the newsroom) to figure out where they're deficient and how to course-correct? do they even see their remit as including alerting the people to the danger Trump poses? Sulzberger said last week...again...that "independent journalism" can't do that, it just presents information [without context apparently] and lets the readers make up their own minds—smugly assuming readers can do that without crucial information (Trump is abnormal and extremely dangerous).
Robert Hubbell has listed some headlines from the NYT that show a shift from the bias often shown:. I agree that they could do better.
"In a combative speech filled with insults, Trump mocks Biden’s stutter and vilifies migrants and others." "At a rally in Atlanta, Biden attacks Trump — this time by name." "In general-election mode, Trump and Biden escalate attacks in Georgia"
These at least show recognition of the end of sleepiness.
But one thing fascinates me: by harping for so long on Biden's age, his sudden showing of immense vitality has turned out to make that "newsworthy." Hey, something new.!! He's sharp and passionate!! (the suddenness , of course, as you point out, is just because up till now Biden has been doing the job we hired him to do. Now he has another legit job--campaigner).
Sometime recently, I wish I knew where, I saw a compilation of folks saying that Trump is "finally being Presidential." Always the "at last" addition. And of course, those comments spanned his entire tenure. Even in 2000 folks were saying "AT LAST trump shows he's grown up." The video compilation is devastating.
This is, by far, the best read about the complicit media.
However, and far more important, this is a crucial explanation of the two sides of the same coin story.
I couldn’t agree more on your assessment of “scripted” Trump v just Trump being so noticeable it’s hard not to notice yet that’s exactly what isn’t noticed. Most do not toggle between past and present let alone know how to discern disinformation.
The media knows. The MAGA cult, in Congress, knows, heck the world knows but those who don’t pay attention they get sucked into “scripted” Trump. They don’t know.
A keen read-between-the-lines ability isn’t necessary. An interest in truth would be a better attribute.
A non-complicit media is necessary to BLOCK people from accepting “scripted” Trump. MSM need to have actual real journalists who seek to help their readers understand the truth and report on that truth.
Thank you for this great article. It is an absolute must read!!
“At its best, politics is about bringing people into your cause, not turning them away. And our conservative cause badly needs more people."
No, no, it doesn't. The conservative cause is a lie. It's just one big lie after another and it is no accident that the biggest liar of them all is the leader of the 'conservative' political party in America.
The conservative cause has one purpose only. To pit Americans against each other so none of us-- with the exception of a very small few ultra rich guys--can afford nice things.
And the easiest way to get Americans to hate on each other is to keep them overwhelmed with lies and cynicism, so that they feel so disempowered and hopeless, they stay home.
Thank you all for your "likes" to my comments this morning. If there is one thing that gets my "writing juices" flowing, it is the media and their lack of accurate or important information coverage. Putin had a hand in the startup time for the Israel-Hamas war and his timing was right on target. The purpose was to refocus the American media from his horrific and murderous war in Ukraine so that Trump and the MAGA members of our Congress would deny the vitally needed weapons to Ukraine. Our media switched daily reporting from Ukraine to the mid-east and the result was a lack of essential support to Ukraine.
Our media needs to better understand the "real" danger of the Trump-Russian connection AND Fox news needs the plug pulled due to their deceitful and dishonest reporting.
Thank you again and I hope you get a chance to read: From Democracy to Democrazy if you wish to understand the truth about what is happening in our country.
This was not just a good post, but a spot-on terrific read by Aaron Rupar It needs to be on the front-page of the NYT or The Post or read on MSNBC or CNN by Van Jones.
While the American media spotlight, ever enthralled by the sensationalism of the moment, remains fixated on Trump and his legal woes, other crucial and overlooked dangers continue to unfold in the United States. First, we have about half our country responding to Trump like zombies - brainwashed followers of the Republican Party (similar to members of the Jim Jones cult), who were unsuspectedly caught in coercive control techniques that Trump uses daily to influence his followers. Second, we have a presidential candidate who sold his soul and our country to the Russians at least ten years prior to sleeping in the White House after 2016. (proof is found in From Democracy to Democrazy by Graham) Third, the influence of Putin's strategies quietly attempts to reshape the trajectory of American politics and American lives. We see that happening NOW.
This current political race is not just between Democrats and Republicans, but between a decent, hard-working, public servant who has successfully served our country for almost 50 years. His constituents re-elected him year after year as a Senator (36 years as a Senator, 8 years as the VP, and 4 years as the President) - he must have been doing something right!!!
His opponent is a man who has been compromised by Russia, who is a convicted rapist and a serial sexual predator, also convicted of fraud with mounds of solid documented evidence and proof, and is now facing 91 criminal charges. His speeches are filled with revenge, hatred, defamation of others, and with no discernable ideology.
Americans were duped decades ago into believing that Russia is no longer our enemy and the world is living in peaceful coexistence. Yes, the Cold War did not die - a revelation for many Americans. We let our guard down, while Russia rebuilt their economy, their military, and their weaponry. Then in 2000, Putin became the second President of Russia. He instantly converted Russia from a communist-socialist government- a civilized form of government where people matter to a dictatorship where no one matters but Putin. He is a man who spent his entire life as a KGB spy, and blames the United States for the downfall of the USSR. He wants REVENGE.
Over the last quarter of a century, he has schemed and enacted his strategic plan. Based on the book called The Foundations of Geopolitics and published in Russia in 1997 - a carefully orchestrated and directed horror film has been produced. The movie theme is the destruction of the United States and the principal key actor is Donald Trump. It won't win any Oscars YET, because (1) this movie is still unrecognized by most Americans, and (2) the ill-informed Trumpers across our nation are the support cast. Trump's dangerous and many-sided destructiveness includes unprecedented ways to influence and control his followers - a form of brainwashing. Unbeknown to these followers, the person who's ideology they are following is not Trump, but Putin.
For the American public, our first source of information comes from our media - newspapers, TV, social media, and even movies. Since "Oppenheimer" was the Oscar winner in our 2024 Cinema history, it shows an awakening of the real dangers faced by Putin's threats of nuclear war. Putin's government also admitted to election interference in 2016 and 2020; they have said it will continue; AND Putin has "shouted from the nearest mountain-top" that Trump will win the 2024 election. What does he know that the American public does not? Has our media failed to do their research and inform the public of these dangers or are they continuing to focus on Trump's legal issues instead of the real danger facing America? Trump is NOT an ordinary political candidate - but a criminal and a traitor (From Democracy to Democrazy). Their broadcasts on sensationalism instead of reality is disconcerting.
I was at a book-signing event at a Barnes and Noble in Tucson, AZ. A middle-aged woman came up to me and said "I think Putin is a smart and great leader." I opened my mouth to respond, but nothing came out - I was shocked. These were the exact same works said by Trump only the prior week and in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. This my friends is BRAINWASHING.
The shadow cast by Putin over the landscape of American democracy, and his influence and control over Trump grows larger and darker by the moment. Our democracy hangs in the balance.
Elizabeth, www.democrazy2020.org
Great Article and ALL your points are spot on. I find it absurd the former president is covered like a “Normal” individual with redeeming social value. Where I come from, he is a Scumbag, user of people, disloyal, predator and rich boy who lies, ridicules and is in Awe of “strongmen” (which he is not) and would never be caught dead with most of his Maggette Followers.
But make sure the media balances all that against Biden’s Age !!!
"Spoiled meat doesn't get better. It just continues to rot." Truer words never spoken.
real good, Stephen...would also argue it's time to find a different verb for what the political press mostly continues to do with Trump, move away from "struggling," bc it sounds like they're actively engaged in trying to figure it out. do we really think they're taking this seriously and doing the hard work of recognizing their failures and being willing to look inward (or at least around the newsroom) to figure out where they're deficient and how to course-correct? do they even see their remit as including alerting the people to the danger Trump poses? Sulzberger said last week...again...that "independent journalism" can't do that, it just presents information [without context apparently] and lets the readers make up their own minds—smugly assuming readers can do that without crucial information (Trump is abnormal and extremely dangerous).
Robert Hubbell has listed some headlines from the NYT that show a shift from the bias often shown:. I agree that they could do better.
"In a combative speech filled with insults, Trump mocks Biden’s stutter and vilifies migrants and others." "At a rally in Atlanta, Biden attacks Trump — this time by name." "In general-election mode, Trump and Biden escalate attacks in Georgia"
These at least show recognition of the end of sleepiness.
But one thing fascinates me: by harping for so long on Biden's age, his sudden showing of immense vitality has turned out to make that "newsworthy." Hey, something new.!! He's sharp and passionate!! (the suddenness , of course, as you point out, is just because up till now Biden has been doing the job we hired him to do. Now he has another legit job--campaigner).
Sometime recently, I wish I knew where, I saw a compilation of folks saying that Trump is "finally being Presidential." Always the "at last" addition. And of course, those comments spanned his entire tenure. Even in 2000 folks were saying "AT LAST trump shows he's grown up." The video compilation is devastating.
This is, by far, the best read about the complicit media.
However, and far more important, this is a crucial explanation of the two sides of the same coin story.
I couldn’t agree more on your assessment of “scripted” Trump v just Trump being so noticeable it’s hard not to notice yet that’s exactly what isn’t noticed. Most do not toggle between past and present let alone know how to discern disinformation.
The media knows. The MAGA cult, in Congress, knows, heck the world knows but those who don’t pay attention they get sucked into “scripted” Trump. They don’t know.
A keen read-between-the-lines ability isn’t necessary. An interest in truth would be a better attribute.
A non-complicit media is necessary to BLOCK people from accepting “scripted” Trump. MSM need to have actual real journalists who seek to help their readers understand the truth and report on that truth.
Thank you for this great article. It is an absolute must read!!
"Trump holds the football and the press runs up to kick it."
Let us all work to keep that OTHER "football" out of those grubby little fingers again, shall we?
Your post was terrific. Thanks to you.
Elizabeth www.democrazy2020.org
“At its best, politics is about bringing people into your cause, not turning them away. And our conservative cause badly needs more people."
No, no, it doesn't. The conservative cause is a lie. It's just one big lie after another and it is no accident that the biggest liar of them all is the leader of the 'conservative' political party in America.
The conservative cause has one purpose only. To pit Americans against each other so none of us-- with the exception of a very small few ultra rich guys--can afford nice things.
And the easiest way to get Americans to hate on each other is to keep them overwhelmed with lies and cynicism, so that they feel so disempowered and hopeless, they stay home.
Thank you all for your "likes" to my comments this morning. If there is one thing that gets my "writing juices" flowing, it is the media and their lack of accurate or important information coverage. Putin had a hand in the startup time for the Israel-Hamas war and his timing was right on target. The purpose was to refocus the American media from his horrific and murderous war in Ukraine so that Trump and the MAGA members of our Congress would deny the vitally needed weapons to Ukraine. Our media switched daily reporting from Ukraine to the mid-east and the result was a lack of essential support to Ukraine.
Our media needs to better understand the "real" danger of the Trump-Russian connection AND Fox news needs the plug pulled due to their deceitful and dishonest reporting.
Thank you again and I hope you get a chance to read: From Democracy to Democrazy if you wish to understand the truth about what is happening in our country.
Elizabeth www.democrazy2020.org
Shame, shame, shame.
“And I hope he does that." (earns votes)
Right there, she tells us who she endorses and for whom she will vote. She "hopes" he'll be president.