The only apparent competence that unindicted co-conspirator and would-be dictator Donald "Rump" Trump possesses is the ability to distract the public and media with shiny objects. It worked extremely well during the 2016 campaign, where he and his lackeys succeeded in making national security flaws all about Secretary Clinton while he was receiving support from Moscow. It's working now, as he's been able to implement destructive policies while the focus has been on the Russia probe, White (Supremacist) House bungling of security clearances, and an eruption of porn stars and Playboy models in Rump's seedy background.
In an article in Grist, Lisa Hymas points to the head-scratching by the media over Rump's beliefs about climate change, as if it were a mystery to be solved. Worse, they've allowed Rump's nonsensical lies about climate change to pass unchallenged by fact-checking:
"The fact that Trump has called global warming a 'hoax' was mentioned in nearly a quarter of all segments about climate change on the nightly news and Sunday morning programs on ABC, CBS, and NBC in 2017 — and in more than a third of those instances, the networks didn’t push back by affirming that human-driven climate change is a reality."Hymas notes that the problem continues as Rump's surrogates (e.g., Nicki Haley) acknowledge that Rump believes "the climate is changing," but never acknowledge that human activity / mankind's addiction to fossil fuels is the main culprit. The media then latch on to this vague non-acceptance of the science and report it as a break from past policy. It's not, it's just a shiny object to distract from the fact that Rump's administration is dismantling environmental laws and regulations with a vengeance.
"Instead of continuing to fixate on (and misreport) Trump’s personal views about climate change, journalists should offer more reporting on the consequences of having a president who disregards climate science and opposes climate action. Those consequences include: Policies that encourage dirty energy instead of clean energy. Less innovation. Fewer jobs in renewables and energy efficiency. Diminished national security. More destructive storms and dangerous wildfires, and communities that are less prepared to cope with them."Rump and his surrogates know that climate change denial is ultimately a losing fight, so for now, they're spinning and distracting the public and media by offering misleading statements about their true positions. By and large, the media seems to be buying it.
3 comments:
Tell me what the media/journalists HAVE done lately in terms of contradicting and challenging the Trump administration's lies and bullshit. They leave their buttmarks on the fence every day. They continue to publish unmitigated lies and ridiculous articles from the likes of David Brooks and expect us to agree. Brooks latest garbage column in the NYT admonishes us to “respect” the gun manufacturers. Sure, David, that makes perfect sense. (no, it doesn't)
Give us facts, media people. When any Republican or Democrat, for that matter, makes ridiculous statements, stick that mic back at him and make him explain or prove what he says. We have no chance of moving forward when the lies are spoken and believed by those who should know better.
donnah -- The media shirked its responsibility by allowing misrepresentations and lies to be spread by not pushing back. It showed a basic laziness and lack of preparedness on their part, along with the fear of being labeled as "biased." Things are gradually shifting, with Trump's blatantly outrageous lies forcing them to fact-check and push back.
The media may have to shift in order to stay relevant. They will find themselves on the wrong side of things permanently if they don't get ahead of Trump's terrible lies. There is a chance for them to redeem themselves if they start holding their sources responsible and actually doing some background checks and research. They have to shrug off their corporate-funded shackles and show some investigative backbone, but stranger things have happened.
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