http://www.patdollard.com/

THE WAR STARTS HERE!

One of the reasons the far right has gained so much political traction is the “both sides are the same” camp – the folks who pride themselves on being “independent” and objective. Ironically they are the biggest suckers.

The typical comeback to concerns about the influence of right-wing media is an obscure example of a wacky left-wing commentator or site – “see both sides are the same!” But the right has substantial mass, their “news” shows dominate the ratings and their message is far more biased.

Moderates in America could have tremendous influence. But so many of them have been pulled right by their own desire to stay “neutral.” Of course Trump is the most glaring example of the phenomenon: his incompetence and childish behavior were so obvious from the start that any reasonable voter should have dismissed him outright. “But we have to consider both sides…”

In the real world, sometimes one of the choices really is not even worthy of consideration.

Right wing media is huge business in America. In the mainstream Fox is far bigger than CNN, and the right wing fringe sites really aren’t so fringe at all. The Pat Dollards and AM talk radio shows have millions of regular and consistent followers. There is nothing of equivalent mass on the left.

The reason for the disparity is simple: There’s more money to be made in right-wing politics. Energy companies need to trash the environment and military contractors need constant war. But you can’t sell that message directly. They’ve learned that the “look at what these unpatriotic liberals are up to now” does sell. In a big way.

I always asserted that the bias is assymetrical.

The right wing is wackjob biased because the message works on low-education middle age men (and their women) who aspire to be important bosses. That’s why Trump speaks to them. He’s just like them but rich and powerful so people listen to him. Trump’s base feels disempowered because in a high-skills, high-education world, they have no competitive advantage.

Imagine Trump reduced to working-class. Will he have friends and family? I don’t think so.

Trump’s female base support Trump because they got knocked up by their men, so that’s all they got.

Sure, there is bias on the left too, and yes, it’s PC and condescending at times But when you have superior values, you have the right to look down. After all, traditional well to do, educated conservatives whose families have means and upbringing always looked down, but in a polite/PC manner suitable to their stations in life.

Advertisers want ratings and eyeballs. So whatever generate ratings sells.

ZK, did you read about the 2 guys who started a left wing site but nobody read it? They switched to right wing and became wildly successful.

I have friend who’s in IT. I asked him to partner with me and start a right wing site. I would write the crazy lies and conspiracies. But he has too much integrity and not all that motivated to earn money that way.

It’s not just right wing media. It’s the absolutely moronic mainstream media. This from the LA Times:

Still, nothing prepared us for the magnitude of this train wreck. Like millions of other Americans, we clung to a slim hope that the new president would turn out to be all noise and bluster, or that the people around him in the White House would act as a check on his worst instincts, or that he would be sobered and transformed by the awesome responsibilities of office.

JFC. Who coulda knowed it all over again. Anyone and everyone who watched the campaign should have known exactly what was coming. Only an f’ing moron couldn’t see it coming. But they were constantly distracted by shiny but absolutely benign things. Ya know…. emails and shit.

http://www.latimes.com/projects/la-ed-our-dishonest-president/

It’s not just the media but society in general.

ZK, you once said you have right wing friends. I have some too maybe, but I don’t allow allow them to speak their shit; and if they do, I would call them on what they say. And if I lose friend or family, then so be it.

As long as people make ratonial arguments then fine, but if people talk shit, they should be able to take shit back.

We don’t allow certain behavior in society, and right-wing uneducated behavior should not stand either. Liberals are too soft and weak. Not a winning strategy.

You know, iconservatives don’t believe in kindness and redemption, soft wishey-washy enforcement of the law, or engagement with adversaries. They believe is swift punitive action as deterrent. Give them what they believe in so they may learn.

I believe whining about how you are treated earns one the “snowflake ” label among the right so complaining about being the worst treated politician in the history of the world…

Flu, I sorta agree with “not my problem”. But I want to stay informed and knowledgeable about our world.

I don’t want to be the dumb shits who pontificate about Syria but don’t know the difference between Shia, Sunni and Alawites.

I’m cool as an ice cube and don’t let any of this personally upset me in any way. I find it highly entertaining. It’s like going to the zoo while reading my iPad in the toilet. I do that a lot since I eat lots of veggies.

Also, as responsible citizens we have to be angry that our country is being destroyed, but we can t be cynical or bitter.