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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsIt's Time to Stop Fox News:: "The Right Wing Wants to Destroy Everything Great About This Country”
http://www.alternet.org/its-time-stop-fox-news-right-wing-wants-destroy-everything-great-about-countryDuring the 2012 election, President Obama spoke hopefully that his reelection might break the fever in the GOP, so that something might be accomplished in his second term. By now, that hope is pretty much gone, which is why we belatedly have the EPAs global warming regulations, and rumblings about executive action on immigration policy.
We also have the first inklings of talk about Obamas legacy, and how to take all that fanatical opposition into account. Last Saturday, on Up With Steve Kornacki, Erica Payne of the Agenda Project made an argument you might have heard some time ago in the blogosphere, but on cable TV, not so such: that the right was never going to cooperate with Obama, from the very beginning, and that the best thing he can do now to secure his legacy is to actually build out the intellectual and communications infrastructure of the left, because thats how you build the foundations of the politically possible for the future.
Weve got to go back and look at Rahm Emanuel becoming chief of staff at the White House when President Obama first went into office, Payne said. Rahm Emanuel had lived through the Clinton years. If anyone knew what the right wing of this country is capable of its Rahm Emanuel, and the Clintons. And I think he just fundamentally did not prepare President Obama for what he was going to face.
And what was that, in her view? Payne explained:
Youre never going to break this fever. This fever has been going on since Bill Clinton went into office. And we had Vince foster and blah blah blah, all of the things that the right wing threw at him, you know, and I think that President Obama very naively thought and its the best spirit of hopefulness but thought he could come in and work with these people.
JustAnotherGen
(31,688 posts)Has been done before and it doesn't work.
It would be better to go after the Networks and CNN.
The middle can be transformed. The far right cannot be. Their beliefs that lead them to accept the "reality" Fox news gives them were cultivated at a very young age.
These people are angry about takers and socialism - yet will howl at the moon at the idea of taking their Social Security away. At risk of going the way of Bravenak and getting people worked up - sing it.
Tiiiiiiime is on our side! Yes it is!
Their viewers are older, unhealthy, and when faced with life challenges that many older liberals faced at a young age - succumb. They don't have the grit of the left.
Time is on our side.
HooptieWagon
(17,064 posts)I'm not terribly worried about Fox News. The average age of their viewers is over 70, they'll die soon. Secondly, it's a money pit...never been profitable. Let them keep pissing money away. Third, Fox isn't swaying undecided opinion. Its geared toward reinforcing existing opinion. With the current bunch of looney toons as "experts", ie: Palin, anyone with half a brain looking for information is going to recognize Fox as a clown show.
Better we put effort into reasonably credible news sources... hold their feet to the fire regarding accuracy. Fox can just be ridiculed, dismissed as a lightweight, or even ignored.
Enthusiast
(50,983 posts)Since the election of Clinton the right has been in the assault mode. The Democratic Party leadership did not respond in a meaningful way. We had to do more than passively take it. While they assaulted the liberals and Democrats we allowed the media to become more consolidated.
Everyone should read this article.
xchrom
(108,903 posts)and at times it's seemed designed rather than just an honest - if inept - response.
Enthusiast
(50,983 posts)something we don't see as often in this day and age, I never hear Democrats forcefully refute Republican arguments.
The one that really pisses me off is when Republicans claim President Obama is responsible for the deficit while the Democratic Party participant just sits there and never says a word. President Obama has never adequately addressed Republican claims that he is responsible for the deficit, completely absolving Dubya Bush's two wars and tax cuts. Sometimes I get the impression the Democrat's actual loyalty lies elsewhere.
This is often sold as spinelessness. I call bullshit on that notion.