The current state of politics and the mainstream media that reports it is like a lingerie shop without a front window. It is great for the staunch left and right. Those sides of the political spectrum revel in it. They will happily switch on Fox or MSNBC or whatever else and have no qualms with the commentary that they are being feed.
But there is a stratum of society that reside in the middle. Many of whom are not connoisseurs in political discourse, but still need to be informed. For that section of society, they are stuck between a rock and a hard place. A place that is surrounded by the dramatics of the politicians on one side, and the biased commentary of the mainstream media on the other. All of which, gives a sense that both sides are just pissing on our feet and telling us that it is only rain. One just has to observe the financial perks that politicians use to their advantage.
Photo by Mark Oates from Burst
Trading in Stocks
On a recent episode of the Jimmy Dore Show, guest Dylan Ratigan stated –
“One of the single most corrupt things in America today is the fact that politicians are trading in stocks over companies they make policies for”.
Dylan Ratigan
This comes after Nancy Pelosi bought half-a-million dollars in Tesla shares. And, with Biden’s push for electric cars, this could create a conflict as she is trying to pass clean energy initiatives.
Shady Dealings
Then you have the dealings of Republican Senators Burr and Loeffler. On-one-hand, Burr was downplaying the threat of COVID, stating how well-equipped America was with dealing with the pandemic. Whilst on the other hand, both Senators were selling millions of dollars of stock after closed-door briefings painted a much bleaker view of the outbreak. Yes, the old adage of ‘pissing on our feet and telling us that it is only rain’ is in full affect.
It’s easy to understand how some politicians have accumulated a substantial net worth. But even on a smaller scale, we see further double-standards. If a politician is going to enforce protocols for society, then he or she need to also toe-the-line as well.
Newsome’s Dining and Pelosi’s Haircut
Most people would be familiar by now with Governor Newsome and co. and their actions of dining at a $350-a-head restaurant, without face masks and social distancing measures. This was the exact opposite of what he mandated for everyone else only a few days earlier. Then there was Pelosi’s famous haircut or blow dry or whatever she had done. The issue being is that she had forced that industry, along with others, to shut down only a few days earlier. Surely these self-indulgent moments could have waited. Especially with so many businesses on the brink. But it’s not just the double standards, there is also other aspects of political life that can be just as frustrating.
Political Jujutsu
Take the political interview – what in the world is going on with that today? It’s not so much of an interview anymore, rather, it is more of an exercise in political jujutsu. And it doesn’t matter what country, as the majority of politicians have become black belts in the dark art of avoidance, in which, they dodge, slither, and slide through any questions that might make them accountable.
But the worst has been reserved for governmental sessions, where the same dark arts have become landlord of the house and its occupants. One just has to observe Question Time in Australian parliament, in which deflective blathering has become the spoken word. No politician has mastered the art quite like Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Here, and in this domain, Morrison has avoided answering questions a staggering 190 times by referring them to his ministerial colleagues.
Photo by Matthew Henry from Burst
The Staunch Left and Right
The die-hard supporters on the left or right will back them regardless. Many will argue that it is political nous, and a bad sound bite can be career ending. But to everyone else, this political monotony only frustrates the people. There is a sense that they are just there to serve their inner sanctum. But it hasn’t always been this flat. Once upon a time, the dark arts weren’t so dark, and political leaders did not lurk behind the shadow of their ministers.
History’s Great Leaders
Doris Kearns Goodwin’s book, Lessons from The Presidents, highlights how Abraham Lincoln become suicidal after he failed to deliver on a promise to the people of Illinois. Lincoln’s mission was to support any law providing dependable roads and navigable rivers so the poorest and most thinly populated populated communities could thrive (p.207). He considered this:
“Binding upon his honor, reputation, and character”.
Abraham Lincoln
When Lincoln failed to deliver, he was heartbroken. But where is this connection with politicians and the people of today? One would expect for character and honour to be a timeless trait. As Winston Churchill eloquently stated:
“Politics is not a game. It is an earnest business”.
Winston Churchill
Yet, much of the antics we witness in the world of politics is just that – a game. A game of cushy perks and dodgy loopholes, drizzled with layers of avoidance. But where is the mainstream media in all this? Well, as most would already know, they are leading the chorus in this annoying serenade.
The Media Barons
In 2019, Open Democracy UK published an article outlining the reasons why the UK does not have a free press. The issues ranged from: billionaires that own the press set the agenda, due to a concentrated ownership structure; corporate advertising revenue censors the content; privately educated white men dominate the media; the political use of supposedly neutral sources; and finally, the intelligence services manipulate the press. The agenda setting part of the Open Democracy article is worrisome as it illustrates the constant meddling by Rupert Murdoch in many of his publications. It goes without saying that Murdoch was, and still is, an intimidating figure to his employees.
Harold Evans, a former editor at the Sunday Times, was often rebuked for ‘not doing what Murdoch wants in political terms’, and how Murdoch was always eager to ‘impose his will’. And, it’s not just in UK where Murdoch imposes his force, one just has to read any of his Australian newspapers during election time or even in general, to witness this ‘will’ in full effect.
In 2013, The Sunday Telegraph ran a full page and picture with the headline ‘Australia needs Tony’, referring to the then opposition leader Tony Abbott in the buildup to the federal election. The agent provocation was obvious as the headline sparked outrage from the left. Even a small minority on the right took aim. But the concern lays with the oblivious.
The headline was never going to sway the diehards; they were always going to vote for their preferred party regardless. But there is a stratum of society who aren’t political connoisseurs, whom may only read that paper just for the sport or whatever else, and might take the headline verbatim.
Some people will argue that it’s a private business right to express its views. But the issue is that Murdoch’s publications are relatively unchallenged for competition in a number of Australian cities and his influence can have a huge impact on elections. But this isn’t just a Murdoch issue, in trying to be neutral, we also witness similar biases with media organisations that favour the left.
Bias Against Bernie Sanders
Ryan Sullivan’s article for Medium – ‘Manufacturing Dissent: The media’s bias against Bernie Sanders’ – outlined the obstacles that were placed in front of Sanders. Whether it was ‘The Washington Post’s biased editorials’, which was not a surprise as Sanders questioned Amazon’s troubling working conditions. The article also questioned ‘MSNBCs dishonest editorials, along with CNN’s duplicitous polling methodology and slanted debate moderation’.
And, whilst this post is not trying to defend Bernie Sanders or his policies. It is however, an intriguing illustration of the obstacles that Sanders faced due to not being one of the preferred candidates of the mainstream media. This was backed further by the Tyndall Report, who analysed major-network coverage in 2015 and identified that Hillary Clinton received six times the amount of campaign coverage than Bernie Sanders recieved. In short, it is the mainstream media that are the political influencers.
What the future holds
So what where does this leave the rest of us? Those of us that aren’t diehard supporters who just want to get information without the dramatics. We should start by questioning our own media consumption. For all a lot people, much of the media we consume is inherited. You are probably reading the same paper or watching the same television news station as what your parents viewed. And if it is CNN, Fox, MSNBC, etc. then you only getting the same one-sided commentary.
But there are some reliable options out including the wire services of The Associated Press and Reuters. In the UK, the BBC has always held a gold standard. Now, with the emergence of social media, a new wave of political coverage has taken form with channels such as The Hill on YouTube allowing a far more balanced analysis on political affairs. But society everywhere needs different voices other than the usual voices that only echo the sentiments of the media barons. Because if we keep listening to the same ‘old’ commentators, then we will continue to be stuck in between a rock and a hard a place.
