The [Current Year] General Political/Salma Hayek discussion thread, part 4!!!

[KLB]

 

[jamil]

I was just going to describe that from memory of civics class back in the 79s. The ring was presented as a an alternative model to the right/left line. Some of the labels were different but it’s pretty much the same concept.

I was reminded of the ring decades later after hearing Rachel Maddow not long after hearing Rush Limbaugh. They sounded pretty much the same, jawing about the other, as if the other weren’t really human. I haven’t listened to Rush Limbaugh seriously since then. It’s been maybe 10 years or so.

 

[rob63]

They lost me at "Failed Democracy"

They lost me very early on too. It was interesting to me not because it was good, but just how easily it could be reworded a little and used by Alex Jones or such.

The graphic above pretty much hits what I was driving at.

 

[jamil]

They lost me at "Failed Democracy"

They’re right in that democracy has failed to produce a government truly of the people. And many of the criticisms are true. Our own country is an oligarchy pretending to be a democratic republic. The press holds tremendous power to control public opinion, which influences the public to vote the way they want. And the kinds of people most motivated to seek public office are the kinds of people who seek power. Many of those powere seekers are willing to gain it at tremendous cost to others.

Democracy is doomed to look an awful lot like failure in that way. Every bad thing that happens in a democracy is repeatable. It’s wired to human nature. But it’s the best we have. It is at least constrained by Overton’s Window, because people do get fed up. It has produced peace, the likes of which is unique in history. For it’s failures to achieve real self governing, it’s better than any of the other alternatives.

 

[nonobaddog]

It made me laugh when it said the press was one of Trump's pillars. Pretty much fantasy BS there.

 

[KLB]

It made me laugh when it said the press was one of Trump's pillars. Pretty much fantasy BS there.

They are right in that the press doesn't do its job. Rather they do drone on about stupid about Trump all the time that is meaningless for the most part.

 

[mmpsteve]

It made me laugh when it said the press was one of Trump's pillars. Pretty much fantasy BS there.

I don't think he was saying it in terms of the press as an ally of Trump, but was speaking to the press' 24/7 coverage and fixation of Trump working to his advantage, in that he can manipulate them at will, with as little as a tweet. Also to the fact he can keep coverage on himself, while other worthy subjects are passed over. I don't agree with the author that this somehow helps the conservative cause, unless people become leery or weary of the 97% negative coverage, and turn to other outlets for a more balanced viewpoint.

 

[Birds Away]

It made me laugh when it said the press was one of Trump's pillars. Pretty much fantasy BS there.

It is, perhaps, the single most important pillar. Their enmity for Trump is so all encompassing and transparent that it was the single biggest reason he won. It is also the reason he remains so popular with a certain segment of the population. The elitist media looks down their noses at the inhabitants of flyover country. The folks in flyover country are well aware of that.

 

[nonobaddog]

That is way too twisted for me. Trump isn't manipulating the press. The press is manipulating the press.

 

[Birds Away]

That is way too twisted for me. Trump isn't manipulating the press. The press is manipulating the press.

I think the press has created more Trump supporters than Trump has.

 

[nonobaddog]

That is an interesting spin. I would agree today, but back in 2016 I think a lot of people were still believing the press and it was a powerful force against Trump. However the press doubled down and continued to get further and further from reality and now they sure could be experiencing the backlash against all the bias and causing more Trump support.

 

[KLB]

That is an interesting spin. I would agree today, but back in 2016 I think a lot of people were still believing the press and it was a powerful force against Trump. However the press doubled down and continued to get further and further from reality and now they sure could be experiencing the backlash against all the bias and causing more Trump support.

I think BA is right. Trump got so much free airtime from the press during the primaries. They loved talking about him. Without all of that free airtime, I doubt he would have won.

I would even say they were rooting for him in the primaries. They figured there was no way he could ever beat Hillary.

 

[nonobaddog]

Well he did get a lot of coverage then. Mostly making jokes and chuckling about him, but a lot of coverage.

 

[Birds Away]

Well he did get a lot of coverage then. Mostly making jokes and chuckling about him, but a lot of coverage.

But that laughing and condescension were the key. People looked at Trump and may have not thought of him as a legitimate candidate but liked some of the things he said. Then the media dogged him unmercifully and people kind of internalized all that anti-regular joe rhetoric coming from the press. Pretty soon it was the press talking about them and Trump became their guy. That's why so many people are so willing to give him a pass when he says something completely outrageous.

 

[Leadeye]

I still think he was elected because he told the "stupid people" or "deplorables" something they wanted to hear. A lot of those working people lived in old manufacturing states like Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. The direction the DNC was going didn't line up with them and republican candidates of late didn't say much they were interested in either. Simply put, President Trump hit a nerve with his campaign and Hillary ignored it until it was too late.

 

[Birds Away]

I still think he was elected because he told the "stupid people" or "deplorables" something they wanted to hear. A lot of those working people lived in old manufacturing states like Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. The direction the DNC was going didn't line up with them and republican candidates of late didn't say much they were interested in either. Simply put, President Trump hit a nerve with his campaign and Hillary ignored it until it was too late.

I agree. Then the press dogged him about everything he said and the people saw that as being dogged themselves. It snowballed from there.

 

[KLB]

I agree. Then the press dogged him about everything he said and the people saw that as being dogged themselves. It snowballed from there.

Pretty much. As time went on and candidates dropped out, he got more and more of the votes. I think the media was loving it. Pushing more and more thinking there was NO WAY he would even win more than a few states, let alone the election. I bet they were all congratulating each other on how awesome it all was. Until election night that is.

 

[Route 45]

[video=youtube;YZ46I3kMOr0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZ46I3kMOr0[/video]

 

[KLB]

That was pretty funny

 

[indiucky]

That was pretty funny

That dude laughing at the end is the funniest thing ever!!!