The Republican Utopia

[Danny Bateman]

Sorry to derail the conversation, but this is some legitimate Republican Utopia news.

 

It's about time this guy packed up his ball and went home. He's failed to act as a check on POTUS at every available turn, and he got his tax cuts, which is all he ever really wanted. Good riddance.

 

 

[deedsker]

50 minutes ago, Clifford Franklin said:

Sorry to derail the conversation, but this is some legitimate Republican Utopia news.

 

It's about time this guy packed up his ball and went home. He's failed to act as a check on POTUS at every available turn, and he got his tax cuts, which is all he ever really wanted. Good riddance.

 

 

Did someone kick his puppy?

 

[RedDenver]

12 hours ago, Ric Flair said:

 

90% is a reasonable estimate based on the available evidence. How people view themselves is absolutely relevant. Liberals self-identify as independents to mask their biases...making it difficult to use polls or surveys to determine how many journalists are liberals or conservatives.

 

I did read the article, but you seem to have missed the point. The author is suggesting that the geographic locations of major media outlets in predominately liberal areas influences the thinking of journalists who live and work there, contributing heavily to the political biases of those journalists.

You haven't shown any evidence to support your 90% claim; therefore, it's not at all a reasonable estimate. And you've ignored the reason I say that self-identifying is irrelevant: both right and left (and sideways, up, down, etc.) can call themselves "moderate". It's ridiculous to say one of those groups claiming "moderate" is more or less relevant than another.

 

Yes, the article shows that geography is the main component of media bias, which shows that the bias is urban and coastal. That does come with some liberal bias but nothing that suggests 90%. The distinction is urban bias in the media. For example, you'd consider me progressive (or liberal if you prefer), but I'm opposed to a lot of the media bias in favor of corporations and Wall Street, which is more of an urban vs rural issue. And the media isn't entirely liberal biased, for example, I'm opposed to the pro-war stance of much of the media, which is decidedly NOT liberal.

[Danny Bateman]

Also, the situation with Sinclair getting a foothold in ~70% of American households via local news doesn't comport with the claim the vast majority of media in our country skews liberal. Sinclair has a long history of firmly pushing a conservative agenda, going so far as to mandate pro-Republican pieces and anti-Democrat ones. How do you feel about their media consolidation under Trump's FCC, Ric?

 

This is a good piece on what's going on with that. 

 

 

[methodical]

18 hours ago, Ric Flair said:

 

90% is a reasonable estimate based on the available evidence. How people view themselves is absolutely relevant. Liberals self-identify as independents to mask their biases...making it difficult to use polls or surveys to determine how many journalists are liberals or conservatives.

 

I did read the article, but you seem to have missed the point. The author is suggesting that the geographic locations of major media outlets in predominately liberal areas influences the thinking of journalists who live and work there, contributing heavily to the political biases of those journalists.

 

When it's only fascists to the right of you then 90% may seem like an accurate number.  People with only communists to the left of them will have the opposite perception that almost all news is conservative biased.  It's a bell curve though, most people are in the middle.  Most moderate conservatives in the media are basically not conservative enough for their party anymore and are thus labeled "liberal."  That's not a problem with the media, that's a problem with the republican swing to hard line far right ideology.  Most sensible people wont follow as far as Fox news, et al. want to swing the party.  That doesn't mean they became liberal. That means the republican propaganda machine and ultimately the republican voters who follow it are moving the goalposts.

Edited April 11, 2018 by methodical

[TGHusker]

Some repubs are seeing that Trump is the captain of the Titanic and are ready to jump off the Trump ship if the occasion arises - ie opportunity to impeach.

This unnamed congressman had a revealing conversation wt Eric Erickson.   Bad Language alert

 

https://www.themaven.net/theresurgent/erick-erickson/a-congressman-s-profanity-laced-tirade-in-a-safeway-grocery-store-SeHI2l5bIECGQn4gmnzGaw/?mc_cid=10d8170a1d&mc_eid=3cc50e048e&full=1

[commando]

11 minutes ago, TGHusker said:

Some repubs are seeing that Trump is the captain of the Titanic and are ready to jump off the Trump ship if the occasion arises - ie opportunity to impeach.

This unnamed congressman had a revealing conversation wt Eric Erickson.   Bad Language alert

 

https://www.themaven.net/theresurgent/erick-erickson/a-congressman-s-profanity-laced-tirade-in-a-safeway-grocery-store-SeHI2l5bIECGQn4gmnzGaw/?mc_cid=10d8170a1d&mc_eid=3cc50e048e&full=1

lthe truth stated as poetically as trump deserves

 

 he hasn't led. He wakes up in the morning, sh*ts all over Twitter, sh*ts all over us, sh*ts all over his staff, then hits golf balls. F*ck him. Of course, I can't say that in public or I'd get run out of town."

[BigRedBuster]

41 minutes ago, TGHusker said:

Some repubs are seeing that Trump is the captain of the Titanic and are ready to jump off the Trump ship if the occasion arises - ie opportunity to impeach.

This unnamed congressman had a revealing conversation wt Eric Erickson.   Bad Language alert

 

https://www.themaven.net/theresurgent/erick-erickson/a-congressman-s-profanity-laced-tirade-in-a-safeway-grocery-store-SeHI2l5bIECGQn4gmnzGaw/?mc_cid=10d8170a1d&mc_eid=3cc50e048e&full=1

This is where my comment came from about if he fires Mueller, it would be the last straw for many in Congress.

 

I believe there are a lot of Republican congressmen/women who have the attitude in the quote @commando posted.

[TGHusker]

I think this is where Congressional repubs misread Trump. After their initial shock that he actually won - I think they thought someone (as a political novice) who they could use to get their agenda passed.  Well, instead, Trump comes to DC as a bull (deranged at that ) in a china cabinet.  Not only did the repubs not get a lot passed that they expected to pass but Trump has called them out by name, embarrassed the party and generally has a mob boss mentality.    So at this point, if Mueller came out wt incrimidating evidence, I don't think you will find many friends on The Hill willing to risk what remaining political cred on this guy. 

 

Perhaps Paul Ryan jumping ship is a signal to others. There is crap that is going to be splattered on the wall soon and I don't want anything to do with the circus that will occur with an impeachment hearing.   They are in a no win situation then:  1. All of the biased Trump supporters will rally against them (principled repubs who oppose trump (yes there are a few) 2. Impeachment itself will turn the midterms into a blood bath.  Either way they loose - even if they take the high road and support impeachment. 

Edited April 11, 2018 by TGHusker

[BigRedBuster]

It's kind of hard to have a lot of friends when you're in trouble and need help when you have been an a-hole to everyone when things were good.  In that situation, those people you have belittled and insulted publicly, aren't to motivated to come to your rescue as your boat is sinking.

 

Pretty much describes my fear on foreign policy too.

[NM11046]

What this all gets down to is that "News" stations that the masses watch aren't "news" any more.  Other than national morning shows, evening 5:30's and some locals there's not a lot of fact based reporting of news.  People are mistaking panel discussions with pundits and surrogates or hour long opinion shows as "news".   When's the last time you heard something on the news and then did some research on your own to learn more?

 

The public/consumer is seemingly unable to tell that when Sean Hannity or Rachel Maddow start their shows they are tilted, and designed to sway opinion.  That's the opposite of what real newsmen and women set out to do.  

 

Investigative pieces (i.e. 60 minutes, 20/20 etc.) are just that.  They go deep into a topic, present the facts and (typically) ask hard questions and dig into background.  They too are not politicized.

 

The fact that a large percentage of folks let MSNBC or Fox run on the background all day and then take whatever information is reported there as "news" is embarrassing and the crux of the problem.  It doesn't matter if a reporter votes conservatively or liberal, if they take pride in their role and they work for a reputable institution you will never know where they lean.  Walter Cronkite - Republican or Democrat?   Tom Brokow?   Maurley Saffer?  Katie Couric?  Many of the political reporters that I respect actually (similar to Andrew McCabe) make the concious decision NOT TO REGISTER or NOT TO VOTE because they don't want to be in a position to judge the information they're researching, analyzing and reporting.

 

Part of the answer is to read.  Newspapers require one to focus, understand and to think - you close the paper and have educated yourself and formed your own opinion (or you know by looking at the header that you're reading an opinion piece).  TV is a passive mind#uck and the current population is filled with a bunch of lazy fools that have fallen for it line and sinker.

[RedDenver]

 

[BigRedBuster]

Wait....I thought he was the President that was going to be tough on "leakers".

 

 

[Moiraine]

Every time Trump is faces with an obvious right/wrong situation, he always picks wrong. Why the hell was Libby even on his radar?

[commando]

6 minutes ago, Moiraine said:

Every time Trump is faces with an obvious right/wrong situation, he always picks wrong. Why the hell was Libby even on his radar?

i think it was because comey was in charge or set up the investigation on libby.    have to do everything possible to denigrate anyone who is or was  involved in investigating Trumpy bear