Of course it's important to remember that these networks are driven for ratings and conflict drives engagement.
This is an important point that Mr Sheffield makes. News networks, even PBS I'm sad to say, confuse showing both sides of an issue with showing the two contemporary viewpoints in American cultural and political discourse. Has Fox News and religion shows us, popularity is not accuracy. News networks have not figured out how to handle all this or, cynically, they have and it's all about getting people to watch.
Very good; thanks. You'd think the GOP would do some serious soul-searching about this fascism/racism/anti-semitism problem, but since they don't (with rare exceptions like Liz Cheney) you're left to wonder: why? The obvious conclusion, and correct me if I'm wrong, is they just want to stay in power. That's all. I really don't think they hate Jews or POC, but their base does and instead of pushing back, they lean into that hate and - surprise! get reelected! The solution to all this is to get more people to vote who will vote them out and start actually solving real problems in our country.
Having worked in Republican DC, I can say that many of them are like you said. But many of the new, Trumpy operatives actually do believe the bigotries like Girdusky or Russell Vought.
I think for some (like Mitch McConnell), the calculus is as naked as you say. But that calculus is pure arrogance, in that it assumes that the forces you have unleashed can be controlled and bent to your traditional Republican values. Once a critical mass forms, it is easy to sweep aside the old guard. Look at the House Freedom Caucus. Kevin McCarthy thought he could control them. Turned out he couldn't. And that's what, to me, makes those sellouts irredemable--you're willing to sacrifice the future for short-term political victories today.
This ignores the real problem, which is the hack format of political operatives competing on spin dressed up as analysts. Use real analysts and you can find rational people from many perspectives. Watching these shows you might as well just rewind any version from any previous episode. Obviously, if you need a right-winger connected to MAGA they’re going to be a joke.
You're correct that the pager attack was against Hezbollah. But in the video, Hamas was referenced rather than Hezbollah. That's why the article references Hamas.
The media’s irrational compulsion to treat both major political parties as equals—as though one isn’t completely off the rails—is complete bullsh*t. Performative “fairness” isn’t fairness at all. It’s just a way to avoid criticism and conflict.
Thank you for your blunt appraisal of the dire straits of journalism the Trump era.
Phillip's faux-outrage was as disingenuous as the decision to platform an avowed racist.
CNN is, unsurprisingly, circling the drain…WaPo is self-implolding, and who exactly will be the audience for Politico, Axios, NYT, ad nauseam in a Trump dictatorship?
Great piece, thank you.
Of course it's important to remember that these networks are driven for ratings and conflict drives engagement.
This is an important point that Mr Sheffield makes. News networks, even PBS I'm sad to say, confuse showing both sides of an issue with showing the two contemporary viewpoints in American cultural and political discourse. Has Fox News and religion shows us, popularity is not accuracy. News networks have not figured out how to handle all this or, cynically, they have and it's all about getting people to watch.
Very good; thanks. You'd think the GOP would do some serious soul-searching about this fascism/racism/anti-semitism problem, but since they don't (with rare exceptions like Liz Cheney) you're left to wonder: why? The obvious conclusion, and correct me if I'm wrong, is they just want to stay in power. That's all. I really don't think they hate Jews or POC, but their base does and instead of pushing back, they lean into that hate and - surprise! get reelected! The solution to all this is to get more people to vote who will vote them out and start actually solving real problems in our country.
Having worked in Republican DC, I can say that many of them are like you said. But many of the new, Trumpy operatives actually do believe the bigotries like Girdusky or Russell Vought.
I think for some (like Mitch McConnell), the calculus is as naked as you say. But that calculus is pure arrogance, in that it assumes that the forces you have unleashed can be controlled and bent to your traditional Republican values. Once a critical mass forms, it is easy to sweep aside the old guard. Look at the House Freedom Caucus. Kevin McCarthy thought he could control them. Turned out he couldn't. And that's what, to me, makes those sellouts irredemable--you're willing to sacrifice the future for short-term political victories today.
There are indeed many sell-outs who incorrectly believed they could ride the tiger. They are among many successive generations of Republican professionals who made this mistake since 1964: https://plus.flux.community/p/the-intellectual-dark-web-has-become
This ignores the real problem, which is the hack format of political operatives competing on spin dressed up as analysts. Use real analysts and you can find rational people from many perspectives. Watching these shows you might as well just rewind any version from any previous episode. Obviously, if you need a right-winger connected to MAGA they’re going to be a joke.
There's an error in the first paragraph. 'Beeper' refers to
an incident with Hezbollah in Lebanon, not Hamas in Gaza. This makes it doubly racist, as Medhi is actually British of Indian parents.
Otherwise, a very good piece.
You're correct that the pager attack was against Hezbollah. But in the video, Hamas was referenced rather than Hezbollah. That's why the article references Hamas.
Thank you for the reply, that makes sense.
It might be worth putting a note in with the correct facts, showing just how wrong & racist that comment is?
The media’s irrational compulsion to treat both major political parties as equals—as though one isn’t completely off the rails—is complete bullsh*t. Performative “fairness” isn’t fairness at all. It’s just a way to avoid criticism and conflict.
Thank you for your blunt appraisal of the dire straits of journalism the Trump era.
Phillip's faux-outrage was as disingenuous as the decision to platform an avowed racist.
CNN is, unsurprisingly, circling the drain…WaPo is self-implolding, and who exactly will be the audience for Politico, Axios, NYT, ad nauseam in a Trump dictatorship?