Thursday, December 28, 2017

2017: The Year In Journalisming




The four most consistently promoted types of stories in the American political media this year show exactly how irreparably broken the American political media is.

First, OMFG can you believe what an unhinged, racist, con man President Stupid turned out to be? (from my local paper):
Michael Gerson: As the year ends, the moral authority of the presidency is in tatters
Second, OMFG can you believe how quickly and completely the entire Republican party has capitulated to this unhinged, racist, con man?  (From Brother Charlie Pierce):
The Republican Party Has Bowed, Completely, to the Mad King
They're now running interference in the Russia probe and kissing the Trumpian ring.
Third,  OMFG can you believe how completely the meathead Republican base have invested themselves in this unhinged, racist, con man?  How flatly and automatically they reject factual reality, causality and even their own past as "fake news"? (from Politico):
Trump voters: We'd do it again

Among those who voted for the president, there are few regrets. But there are questions about whether he'll even finish his four-year term.

One year after the 2016 presidential election, the vast majority of Donald Trump voters have no regrets.

According to a POLITICO/Morning Consult poll conducted on the eve of the first anniversary of Trump's historic election, 82 percent of those who say they supported Trump last year would vote for him again if they had to do it over...

And finally, fourth, OMFG, why do The Extremes On Both Sides refuse to compromise?

Yep.

Because despite the self-evident truth of items one, two and three -- despite the fact that it is ontologically and epistemologically impossible to simultaneously believe that the Right has gone completely mad and that the Left is somehow equally to blame because it won't meet madness halfway -- the Beltway will not stop flogging this long-dead horse.  Which is why any two-bit has-been with a lump of inedible prose to pimp can make it to the Big Time if they tart it up as scripture from the High and Holy Church of Both Sides Do It. 


Same mope, same book, asked back to the same network two and a half months later to be dry humped by Peggy Noonan and Mike Barnacle over the same Big Lie.


Rush transcript:
NOONAN:  When I was a little girl, I'll never forget about drinking reading about Daniel Webster.  The Great Compromiser.  That was a compliment.  His portrait is in the U. S. Senate gallery because we know to this day he was a great man.  He was a great man because he forced people who disagreed terribly to buy him cocktails before the Civil War to come together and keep the Union going.  Keep the nation going... 
MIKE BARNICLE:  A little more than 50 years ago we had life-altering culture changing legislation. Medicare, Medicaid, voting rights, civil rights. We all realize in reality none of that could happen today, but today in the Congress that you served in, how much of a negative influence, forget the extremes, how much of a negative influence with things like Twitter and Facebook?

JASON ALTMIRE:   I have a lot in the book about social media and the impact that that has had. It's had a positive impact for some in that you could have people who in the US Senate, in particular, would have been backbenchers for many years and have been able to promote themselves. Both parties have seen this. You also have the negativity and the worst of America, and the introduction to my book I talk about the pulse shooting in Orlando and the response. you saw the best of America with the first responders and the people lining up to give blood and giving more money than they were capable of giving. You also saw the worst in the response. in casting blame and pointing fingers and trying to gain political advantage and figuring out a way to use a tragedy to gain political advantage. Unfortunately, social media is where that plays out.

JOE SCARBOROUGH:   All right. Thank you so much for being with us. The book is "Dead Center".
Whoever is in charge if keeping Nooners out of the minibar until after the taping is over needs to up their game.  Hey Peggers, Henry Clay was the Great Compromiser.   Daniel Webster was the Great Orator.  

So, in addition to everything else we must do, it will be the job of the Left in 2018 to make Both Siderism like the Great Tosspot was hawking into a public joke.

To make it a shameful thing to have in your mouth.

To make Chuck Todd wince and gag on it every time Phil Griffin yanks on his leash, reminds him of what happened to David "I Haz a Podcast Now!" Gregory and whispers "Say it. Say it, goddamn it, or Hugh Fucking Hewitt will be in that chair next week" into his earpiece.

Because right now, the Big Lie of Both Sides Do It and its army well-heeled media evangelists is the only thing keeping the Right from keeling over dead:  once that lie falls, the Party of Trump falls with it.

Which is why job of the Left in 2018 must be to relentlessly challenge Both Siderism everywhere, all the time.

I'm up for it.

How about you?




Behold, a Tip Jar!



5 comments:

Anonymous said...

By the way, go see Darkest Hour. It shows Churchill as he probably was, flawed, scared and brilliant. I read someplace that after this speech Churchill was supposed to have followed up with "I'm not sure what we'll fight with, sticks, stones, beer cans." Of course that might be myth. This movie reminds us that our White Hats were not present to, or even promising help. You will feel something of his rage and despair when he talks to Roosevelt asking for the planes they had paid needed money for and were not going to get.

Also watch on MSNBC The Most Dangerous Man in America about Daniel Ellsberg. It is a huge reminder that we can all do something. I have a friend (also 80) who has never marched. She's marching Jan 21st for the first time.It is hard to stay focused on the prize and we need to.

dinthebeast said...

Yup. Tough times dead ahead, but in the service of better times still.
Kind of makes me remember a strategy I try to use, which is to appreciate the good times for what they are while they are happening, so as to avoid having to say "You know, in retrospect that was a really good time, why was I complaining about it so much?"

-Doug in Oakland

XtopherSD said...

You should start a "open" thread where we can each share ideas for quick and easy things to post to our various accounts. For example

Today's "Both Siderism is Poison" thought of the day:
Progressive fretted over whether Al Franken should lose his Senate seat over inappropriate behavior, but ultimately asked him to step down. Conservatives didn't give two sh*ts about credible allegations of underage sexual assault and voted for their guy in droves.
Both Sides are NOT equal.

Robt said...

Ever notice how both sides (their presidents) always fires the prosecutors investigating them?

How they spend more time golfing than working.

Ever notice when a democratic official gets investigated it has to be a republican to make sure honest scrutineer is applied.

But when a republican official needs to be investigated it needs to be a republican investigator to make sure the investigation is fair and not a witch hunt?

Iran Contra, investigated by republican John Tower.

Bill Clinton investigated by extreme republican Ken Starr.

GW Bush and 9/11. finally got investigation when Dems took majority control and that was a Bi Partisan independent commission.
Hillary Clinton Investigated by 7 government agencies, A republican Senate majority and a House republican majority.
Oh, There was that Select committee on Benghazi featuring Chairman Trey Gowdey. Never found anything but wanted any emails that could help GOP in up coming election against HRC. And that Republican FBI Director Comey. Who Chairman Trey Mao Gowdey pressured Comey to notify him of anything as Comey folds up HRC email investigation. Then found copies they had on Uma Aberdeen's PC. Nothing there but notified Gowdey. Chairman Gowdey immediately leaked a more sinister version of that notice to the press. To campaign against HRC from the floor of the House of Reps. With classified material from Comey.
Gowdey, Comey Republican. Republican majorities in the House and Senate. Non recuse republican DOJ appointed republican investigator.

Why doesn't both sides get to investigate?
If only a republican can investigate a republican to ensure fairness.

But a republican only can investigate a Democrat to ensure proper scrutiny.

Both siderism finger prints are all over this shit...............

Next week on Beat your meat With Schuck Toad.

Toad explores how both sides see some good NAZIs and Klansman at Charlottesville. All the PTSG the driver who ran over those people is going through. Shouldn't the Dems stand with the Cons on comforting the murderous white supremacist?

Unknown said...

At least Dame Peggy is good for comic relief. In my mind, I always picture her as a cartoon drunk with a little "hic" bubble over her head.