There have been times where, in the Trump era, many media outlets have redeemed themselves in frankly taking on Donald Trump and flatly calling out his lies as lies. However, let’s not forget that the greed-driven corporate entities that own media outlets aren’t America First, they’re Profits First. And together, they provided the Trump campaign with around $2 trillion in free airtime and helped him win the election…because it was good for their bottom line.
It’s not quite as hard for a corporate-owned news channel to oppose Trump when 65% of Americans don’t support him. Not exactly taking a big risk. Especially when your viewership is mostly Democrats and independent voters. Still, it is appreciated.
But corporate news just can’t change its spots (though it can charge more for them if viewership us up) and they will always remind watchful viewers not to store suspicions of their motives in the hall closet.
The corporate news game is selective on MSNBC but it is consistent. On the topic of the Democratic filibuster against Neil Gorsuch to join The Supreme Court, the corporate talking points criticizing Dems are parroted by any and all hosts on the network. It goes like this:
“Do two wrongs make a right?”
“Isn’t it time for members of The Senate to learn to compromise?”
“Isn’t it hypocritical for Democrats not to give Gorsuch a vote after complaining about Republican treatment of Merrick Garland?”
“Why are you forcing Mitch McConnell to use the nuclear option?”
“Why not save the filibuster for a SCOTUS nomination replacing a liberal with a conservative?”
Okay MSNBC, we get it. Gorsuch is a pro-corporate, pro-wealthy, anti-worker extremist and that can only help your profits. We know that you also want to pretend that this self-interest is best masked as being “fair and balanced”, finding a weak excuse to go after Democrats after criticizing Trump and Republicans for two straight months (wow, what endurance, that’s the lifespan of two houseflies!).
I do differentiate between MSNBC News and their opinion shows. Chris Hayes, Rachel Maddow and others have done some solid work of late (though Maddow was legitimately tagged for her sensationalist exaggeration of the nothingburger that was Trump’s 1040).
But it’s as dishonest to make these claims as Trump tweeting that Obama put a horse’s head in his bed. And both the executives and talking heads at MSNBC know that the goal here isn’t truth, it’s trying to whip people to keep watching their repetitive and manipulative network.
MSNBC shouldn’t be excused for this latest skewed use of equivalency, it can’t just be slipped through the mail slot of those appreciating the delivery of some honesty about Trump’s dishonesty. Truth isn’t a part time gig, you don’t get to turn the dial from “truth” to “disingenuous” whenever it seems more profitable. Decent journalism is honest 24/7 (and isn’t usually put on hold for an all night block of “Lockup”).
So, to dispel your propaganda, MSNBC, here are the easy and obvious truths you purposely avoid on this filibuster issue in pursuit of your agendas:
“Do two wrongs make a right?”
You tell me MSNBC, you have both Morning Joe and Greta Van Susteren on your network. You call it equivalent for Republicans to refuse to allow a President his Constitutional right to nominate and fill a SCOTUS vacancy and Democrats to stand against a nominee who has gotten a hearing? Democrats opposing a SCOTUS nominee in accordance with their principles AND the Constitution is as wrong as Republicans ignoring the Constitution to steal a SCOTUS seat from Democrats? Where did you get your sense of right and wrong, from a class at Trump University?
“Isn’t it time for members of The Senate to learn to compromise?”
Isn’t it time for news networks to see amnesia as a bad thing? Does MSNBC think that it’s only immoral when white Presidents can’t get their nominees approved through compromise? And do they think that Democrats are unprincipled for not compromising on their principles and not voting for a SCOTUS judge who is against so much of what they believe in? I have a foreign word that may be hard for you to remember and pronounce MSNBC but it’s meaningful to others, “c-o-n-s-c-i-e-n-c-e”.
“Isn’t it hypocritical for Democrats not to give Gorsuch a vote after complaining about Republican treatment of Merrick Garland?”
No, they aren’t and they don’t have the power to deny Gorsuch a vote. That’s just flat out dishonest. The cloture vote that the filibuster against Gorsuch requires IS a vote. Senators VOTE to proceed or not with approving Gorsuch. If Republicans get 60 votes, Gorsuch will win that seat. Why haven’t you called all the Republican filibusters “refusing to allow a vote” in the past 8 years under Obama, MSNBC? Broadcasting news for crickets right now?
“Why are you forcing Mitch McConnell to use the nuclear option?”
MSNBC, why are you forcing me to write this article? I mean, come on! I just bought two pints of Ben and Jerry’s I’d rather be eating, “Rocky Road of Ratings” and “Fudge The Truth”. Do you even understand what the word “forcing” means? Would you tell a woman that denying a man’s sexual advances is “forcing” him to attack her? McConnell could abide by the cloture vote as all before him have (no means no?). He could encourage Trump to nominate a better candidate that could get the necessary votes from Dems. He could work to build a bigger Repub majority in the Senate that would prevent a filibuster. So many things he could do…if only the Democrats didn’t trap McConnell down a well and insist, “It rubs the lotion on its skin, it does this whenever it’s told”.
“Why not save the filibuster for a SCOTUS nomination replacing a liberal with a conservative?”
Oh yeah brilliant idea, MSNBC! But I thought you said that whenever Dems filibuster, they force McConnell to nuke the filibuster? Whoops, got choked up by your own baloney there! But maybe if Dems agreed not to filibuster Gorsuch and asked pretty please, McConnell would promise not to be forced to nuke the filibuster “next time”? And we all know McConnell would never break his promise on Senate procedures, never, ever, ever!
Why can’t Mitch McConnell keep his promises? – The Washington Post
Why on Earth would McConnell break his promise on this if doing so would cement a strong right wing majority on the SCOTUS? It just makes no sense…to MSNBC.
MSNBC, like CNN and other corporate news outlets have experienced a bump in their reputations with many Americans because, as hard as it is to believe in this day and age, they actually have been calling obvious Trump lies…lies (talk about setting the bar low!). Even so, while some may have hoped that MSNBC was leaving their corporate agenda behind them and wants to whistle a new tune, they in fact still just blow.
If we do not turn out in record numbers in 2018 and 2020 we deserve to lose our country to the slime balls now in power. Progressives have pissed on all the progress of the last 100 years by not voting. We would not be facing this stacked court that likely will destroy women’s rights, voting rights and our environment. Gorsuch is just the icing on the cake that we allowed to bake. Now we are forced to live with it for years to come.
Well said, gyp46!
I do have confidence Dems will turn out in big numbers in 2018 and 2020. So far, in the GA House race to fill Tom Price’s seat, in a GOP district, Dem turnout seems to be well ahead of Repub turnout.
I think it will be like 2006 and 2008, when Dems were out of power then took back Congress then the WH in those two elections. In fact, based on how energized Dems are in protesting and at town halls, I think Dems could have real landslides.
But as you say, nothing can be taken for granted again, Dems have to GOTV with as much enthusiasm as ever!
The flip side of McConnell nuking the filibuster is that if Dems can retake the Senate and WH, we can see true progressives appointed to the SCOTUS and Repubs will go insane.
The one clear fact is Gorsuch will be placed on the court. That leaves our only option left is RBG must stay until we retake the Senate at the minimum. Then if another seat does come open after that this president, unless he’s gone, or even Pence will be forced to at least nominate a more centrist candidate. Either way we are in for some pull backs on individual rights in my humble opinion.
That’s how I see it too, gyp46. The importance of Dems retaking The Senate in 2018 couldn’t be stressed enough. Stopping Trump’s many disastrous plans and preventing the SCOTUS from becoming a greed-driven religious tribunal for many decades is on the line.
I do think Dems will be motivated, far more than Repubs, and that it’s achievable. But we need to keep enthusiasm and activism strong.
Considering Trump’s behavior, that might not be so difficult.
I completely agree that low voter turnout is what has kept the GOP in power. I heard people say that they weren’t voting because they hated both candidates. The 3rd party issue is BS too. It mostly serves to take votes from the Democrat. Let’s get rid of the electoral college too … it only serves to give an unfair advantage to the GOP.