Lessons from the Media

'Lesson's From the Media's Campaign Failures'

  Op Ed piece by Nicholas Kristoff

 New York Times  January 1st

   As Nicholas Kristoff pondered the past President Election. 

  My impressions is kind of light re: Nicholas Kristoff, a global editorialist with humanist courage to dig into things on a personal level. I don't have too strong a memory of where he is lately on the state of global evolution, western civilization etc. I would say that he wishes to carry the torch of liberal democracy across the planet and that sounds good to me. Particularly if we allow 'liberal democracy' to be an overarching term that allows citizens to choose between diverse philosophical approaches as they express their democratic rights. Liberal Democracy should by it's use of Liberal express an openness to points of view. That a Liberal Democracy is still a Liberal Democracy even when it has elected Dwight Eisenhower, or Richard Nixon or George HW Bush or young George Bush or even Donald Trump.

   The Headline of the piece… 'Lessons from the Media's Campaign Failures'

 The implication is pretty strong the media failed to convince America that Donald Trump was a worthless _____   go ahead and fill in the blanks with the intense language that makes you feel satisfied.

   So we watched the campaign, and the Media attempted to do it's job. It's job of guiding Americans to vote for the candidate that they know represents 'good', and doing everything in it's power to cast doubt on the now sitting President. So be it…

It goes on though. There job of knowing what's good for you. Everyday. The media OK let's just say the NY Times, can not say one thing positive about the new administration without couching it with all the reasons it is not really positive.

  'It didn't help that the national media isn't very diverse --- not just in racial or ethnic terms, but also socioeconomically and geographically. We don't have many national journalists with working class or evangelical roots, so our coverage of Trump voters was often shallow or condescending, and we largely missed the fury and the despair that Trump rode to victory.'

   I suggest to Nicholas that they not only miss the fury and despair, but also the roots of the fury and despair. What the heck are these people pissed about, why do they see the emptiness of an American Dream. Where is the 'Liberal Vision' taking us? A torturously overcrowded America full of people trumpeting their cultural pride, but the lost pride of American Communities and American culture. No that must be racist. Can't foster that.

   Nicholas goes on to say that 'We will soon have as commander in chief the most evasive, ignorant and puerile a national politician I have ever met. and while there are many factors behind his election,  I think we in the media contributed by skimping on due diligence.'

   ending with… Partly because of that lapse ( media covering celebrity not substance) , the country needs a robust fourth estate more than ever. We should be  infused with a renewed sense of mission. So, for  a renewed sense of mission let's try harder to be watchdogs not lapdogs.'

 Anyways can't complain with that ending note. Except it does seem pretty obvious that the full press takedown of the President through the Media goes on. There may be some destruction in a blind deconstruction of American Federal power yet still how can we get the Balance of Federalism and Anti-Federalism. Let's keep an eye on what good we can do without the Federal Government. At 19 Trillion dollars in debt, the Too big to fail Federal Government, needs some shrinking… How far off the mark is President Trump? Good to examine it closely. 

  The Media celebrated the defeat of the Republican's alternative to the Affordable Care Act. 'A STUNNING DEFEAT' rang headlines. The Mayor of San Anselmo celebrated that with 'Tromp More Trump Ass' on his free speech banner that is out again after an 8 year sabbatical.

  This from Saturday March 25 NYTimes. 

'  …. Mr. Trump, in a telephone interview moments after the bill was pulled, tried to most flattering light on it. "The best thing that could happen is exactly what happened --- watch," he said

  

  "Obamacare unfortunately at some point will explode," Mr. Trump said later. It's going to have a very bad year" At some point he said after another round of big premium increases, "Democrats will come to us and say, 'Look, let's get together and get a great health care bill or plan that's really great for the people of our country.' 

  Interesting how in that early paragraph, the Times does not describe the circumstances of the telephone interview. was it a group interview? was it a NY Times exclusive interview? Forgive them for some sloppy edit there 'tried to most flattering light' probably meant 'tried to shed most flattering light'. With that sentence you get the implication that the reporters know this is spin, wink, Hey folks President Trump doesn't really mean this, for all the good readers, who need our the NY Times, help interpreting news.

  Sounds to me like he President Trump was putting out an invitation to Democrats, and maybe he even would even like to see something 'great' for the American people. 

   Of course the Democrats were in no mood to see anything remotely positive in anything the Trump administration does and so threatened to filibuster the moderate Conservative Supreme Court Justice Gorsuch, because after all you wouldn't have Merrick Garland Appointed, because you wouldn't, no because you wouldn't, no because you wouldn't, no because you wouldn't and on and on. So now we get rid of the filibuster.. great step for a Democracy I don't care for it.

   and on and on. Dammit how many minutes of not picking up the guitar has pased.   Trying to right this … boat.. I mean write this piece.