Editorials & Other Articles

librechik

(30,677 posts) Mon Apr 3, 2017, 10:45 AM Apr 2017

Why Trump Lies: part 2 of LA Times editorial series

http://www.latimes.com/projects/la-ed-why-trump-lies/

snip
"The insult that Donald Trump brings to the equation is an apparent disregard for fact so profound as to suggest that he may not see much practical distinction between lies, if he believes they serve him, and the truth.

His approach succeeds because of his preternaturally deft grasp of his audience. Though he is neither terribly articulate nor a seasoned politician, he has a remarkable instinct for discerning which conspiracy theories in which quasi-news source, or which of his own inner musings, will turn into ratings gold. He targets the darkness, anger and insecurity that hide in each of us and harnesses them for his own purposes. If one of his lies doesn’t work — well, then he lies about that.

If we harbor latent racism or if we fear terror attacks by Muslim extremists, then he elevates a rumor into a public debate: Was Barack Obama born in Kenya, and is he therefore not really president??"

...
"Investigate. Read. Write. Listen. Speak. Think. Be wary of those who disparage the investigators, the readers, the writers, the listeners, the speakers and the thinkers. Be suspicious of those who confuse reality with reality TV, and those who repeat falsehoods while insisting, against all evidence, that they are true. To defend freedom, demand fact."

parts 3 and 4 still to come

11 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Why Trump Lies: part 2 of LA Times editorial series (Original Post) librechik Apr 2017 OP

Kick. dalton99a Apr 2017 #1

Kick and rec. hedda_foil Apr 2017 #2

Click through and read this one. longship Apr 2017 #3

And maybe a Pulitzer Prize for the Los AngelesTimes (series)? State the Obvious Apr 2017 #4

Message auto-removed Name removed Apr 2017 #5

Part 3 is now an active link on the page ... brilliant editorial MichaelSoE Apr 2017 #6

part 3 here--sorry i'm late! librechik Apr 2017 #7

part 4--Trump's war on journalism librechik Apr 2017 #8

I'm looking forward to the last 2 parts, red dog 1 Apr 2017 #10

K&R...Thanks for posting red dog 1 Apr 2017 #9

Here ya go: Prt V: Conspiracy Theorist in Chief librechik Apr 2017 #11

dalton99a

(81,636 posts)

1. Kick.

Reply to librechik (Original post)

Mon Apr 3, 2017, 11:31 AM

Apr 2017

hedda_foil

(16,375 posts)

2. Kick and rec.

Reply to librechik (Original post)

Mon Apr 3, 2017, 12:00 PM

Apr 2017

longship

(40,416 posts)

3. Click through and read this one.

Reply to librechik (Original post)

Mon Apr 3, 2017, 12:27 PM

Apr 2017

The entire series is going to be gold.

Drumpf's support is going to collapse. One hopes.

R&

State the Obvious

(842 posts)

4. And maybe a Pulitzer Prize for the Los AngelesTimes (series)?

Reply to longship (Reply #3)

Mon Apr 3, 2017, 01:56 PM

Apr 2017

I agree.....this series IS gold. And we can all DO OUR PART to make sure everyone we know reads it!

Response to librechik (Original post)

Name removed Message auto-removed

MichaelSoE

(1,576 posts)

6. Part 3 is now an active link on the page ... brilliant editorial

Reply to librechik (Original post)

Tue Apr 4, 2017, 09:04 AM

Apr 2017

librechik

(30,677 posts)

7. part 3 here--sorry i'm late!

Reply to librechik (Original post)

Tue Apr 4, 2017, 03:44 PM

Apr 2017

http://www.latimes.com/projects/la-ed-trumps-authoritarian-vision/

What’s uniquely threatening about Trump’s approach, though, is how many fronts he’s opened in this struggle for power and the vehemence with which he seeks to undermine the institutions that don’t go along.

It’s one thing to complain about a judicial decision or to argue for less regulation, but to the extent that Trump weakens public trust in essential institutions like the courts and the media, he undermines faith in democracy and in the system and processes that make it work.

Trump betrays no sense for the president’s place among the myriad of institutions in the continuum of governance. He seems willing to violate long-established political norms without a second thought, and he cavalierly rejects the civility and deference that allow the system to run smoothly. He sees himself as not merely a force for change, but as a wrecking ball.

Will Congress act as a check on Trump’s worst impulses as he moves forward? One test is the House and Senate intelligence committees’ investigation into Russia’s meddling in the presidential election; lawmakers need to muster the courage to follow the trail wherever it leads..."

librechik

(30,677 posts)

8. part 4--Trump's war on journalism

Reply to librechik (Reply #7)

Wed Apr 5, 2017, 08:33 AM

Apr 2017

http://www.latimes.com/projects/la-ed-trumps-war-on-journalism/

This may seem like bizarre behavior from a man who consumes the news in print and on television so voraciously and who is in many ways a product of the media. He comes from reality TV, from talk radio with Howard Stern, from the gossip pages of the New York City tabloids, for whose columnists he was both a regular subject and a regular source.

But Trump’s strategy is pretty clear: By branding reporters as liars, he apparently hopes to discredit, disrupt or bully into silence anyone who challenges his version of reality. By undermining trust in news organizations and delegitimizing journalism and muddling the facts so that Americans no longer know who to believe, he can deny and distract and help push his administration’s far-fetched storyline.

Call us with your thoughts
We want to hear what you think of this series. Leave us a voicemail at 951-39-HeyLA.

It’s a cynical strategy, with some creepy overtones. For instance, when he calls journalists “enemies of the people,” Trump (whether he knows it or not) echoes Josef Stalin and other despots.

red dog 1

(27,872 posts)

10. I'm looking forward to the last 2 parts,

Reply to librechik (Reply #8)

Wed Apr 5, 2017, 05:21 PM

Apr 2017

Part V tomorrow and part VI on Friday

(Will you be posting them?)

red dog 1

(27,872 posts)

9. K&R...Thanks for posting

Reply to librechik (Original post)

Wed Apr 5, 2017, 02:41 PM

Apr 2017

librechik

(30,677 posts)

11. Here ya go: Prt V: Conspiracy Theorist in Chief

Reply to librechik (Original post)

Thu Apr 6, 2017, 11:06 AM

Apr 2017

http://www.latimes.com/projects/la-ed-conspiracy-theorist-in-chief/

"Most people know by now that the new president of the United States trafficks in untruths and half-truths, and that his word cannot be taken at face value.

Even more troubling, though, is that much of his misinformation is of the creepiest kind. Implausible conspiracy theories from fly-by-night websites; unsubstantiated speculations from supermarket tabloids. Bigoted stories he may have simply made up; stuff he heard on TV talk shows..."

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