Fake News, Donald Trump, and the Left/Right Debate
The left/right debate in this country is pretty much at an impasse these days. As many have observed in recent years, the two sides can no longer agree on a basic set of facts to debate from. Without this, of course, there can be no debate, it can't even get off the ground.
Increasingly, the position taken by the right is that the free American press, mainstream news outlets, mostly owned by conservatives, are biased toward the left wing. Right wingers now flock to radical right wing sites for their information, believing they are no more biased in their favor, than mainstream media is in favor of the left. Is there any way to foster honest debate when we aren't responding to common sources of information, to common facts? Is there nothing we can agree on as a country, and work towards, together?
Well, there is Donald J Trump.
60+% of America is united against this madman, and for obvious reasons. Donald Trump represents the very worst of this country. His words and deeds thus far as president have been nothing short of horrifying. Conservatives in the mainstream [free and fair] media are all united with their more liberal colleagues in their opposition to this grotesque, lawless administration which we have stupidly chosen to represent us. Donald Trump is a nightmarish president from ANY political point of view, from any human point of view. If we can't stand as one against this ridiculous caricature of a president, what can we ever unite over?
We need to be able to meet this low bar of standing together against Trump. If we can't do this, we will never be able to have the meaningful dialogue we need to have in order to move this country forward. Debating the merits of having Donald Trump for a president is pointless, there is no debate. If you can't see this freak show for what it is, you can't be reached. Donald Trump has united this country as much as it can be united. Are you in or out?
Sorry Trumpists, your support of Trump is hurting this nation. Cease and desist immediately!
You know, when I first started reading this article, I actually thought it would be unbiased.
Sorry to suck you in like that Buzz! Lol...
Seriously though, strongly opposing Trump SHOULD unite us.
LOL. Cleverly done, Lenny.
How anyone can look at trumps presidency and say, "wow, this guy is doing a GREAT job!!!" is beyond me. But then when you look at most of the trump voters who say they, "voted for trump to make the left mad", you can see why trump is president. He was voted for by people who have the maturity of a 12 year old....just like trump.
That's the mentality I get from them. It certainly isn't very adult like
Trump has the power to unite us, we just have to see him for who he really is!!
We have seen him for who he really is and it is scarey.
I find it fascinating that there has been such an uproar from the right about "fake news". News is news. It is one of a few things:
Events that actually happen
Events that are indicated that they have happened
Actions that people take in real time
Words that people say or do in real time or in the past
For example: Trump won the election, Clinton lost. Trump won the electoral vote, Clinton won the popular vote. Real News not fake news
There were outside actors such as the Russians who attempted to influence the 2016 elections. Real News not fake news
The Trump campaign and administration are being investigated for problems associated with contact with the Russians and the aftermath. Real news not fake news
Members of the Trump Campaign team and White House have already plead guilty to lying about illegal contact with the Russians. Real news not fake news
All of these are real news items that are being fully reported in the mainstream media. The rightwing media, despite all the evidence to the contrary continues to call each of these nothingburgers and fake news. They would rather report on supposed revelations about Hillary Clinton's time as Secretary of State. Her role in Benghazi {investigated and dismissed}, Uranium I {investigated and dismissed}, and her husband's meeting with the AG on the tarmac {who cares}. Where is the fake news really coming from? Unfortunately, if that's all you ever hear, you tend to believe it. Remember the Third Reich. They believed that the bigger the lie, the easier the sell.
When the 4th estate editorializes, it is no longer news, it is their opinion, be it left or right. And the Editors and owners of news outlets, both print and digital have allowed this to happen. After President trump's election, the New York Times even published a letter saying they were going to clean up their act and start being a purveyor of news as opposed to biased, editorialized news.
When did they start thinking we needed the news shaped for us, as opposed to giving us the true news?