Resisting Distraction

Consistent with their coverage throughout the presidential campaign, MSNBC (I choose to focus on the so-called 'liberal' representative of the MSM), spent an inordinate amount of air time in various states of outrage over the latest Trumpian assertion (and the subsequent underscore by press secretary, Sean Spicer) that three to five million people had voted illegally in the recent election. Instead of focusing on the intent of the original tweet which involves sending a clear message to Republican legislators throughout the country to remobilize their efforts to suppress the vote, the MSM's 'journalistic' response to this absurd  contention was to obsessively point to the most recent bright shiny object appearing in cyberspace and, in so doing, collaborated with the new administration in their effort to distract the American people away from its very real attempt to manipulate and change the fabric of our political landscape. The recent statement was a purposeful attempt to reinvigorate efforts to suppress the vote around the country. The Republicans have won the popular vote in a national election exactly once (2004) since 1988. Given the continual and organic evolution of national demographics, they know that maintaining political relevance depends on reducing the turnout in specific regions of the country. It's been an essential part of their strategy for years but it is now critical for their survival.

The more outrageous the Trump utterance, the better it is for the MSM and their viewership ratings. We must never forget that corporate media's primary objective is to make money. If real journalism is what you are after, we can refer you to the archives for past H.L. Mencken articles, an Edward R Murrow editorial or two, or perhaps the occasional New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Christian Science Monitor, or Intercept article. Save Amy Goodman's Democracy Now, one is not likely to find incisive and unfettered opinion and investigative journalism by turning on the TV.

While the collusion between Trump and the MSM successfully distracts our attention, real events are occurring concurrent with the unrelenting media circus. Trump rants, the media takes the bait, and the American public look away while Executive Orders are signed to continue the flow of environmentally polluting crude oil under our soil, federal funding is cut to NGO's thereby denying 20 million women worldwide vital health care, immigrant hopes of legal assimilation are dashed under the vengeful hand of an intolerant 'homeland' policy while fears of deportation increase, entire governmental agencies are given a gag order not to speak to the press, sanctuary cities are threaten with defunding, wages are frozen, fast-tracking environmental approval under the guidance of an EPA secretary who is a declared opponent of the agency he now heads is well underway, the freezing of all regulations the approval of which is now subject to Executive approval, and the unraveling of the Affordable Care Act without a coherent replacement thereby endangering the well being of millions of American citizens has begun unabated.

The current administration is counting on an inattentive public and media-induced distraction away form the very real events which will materially affect the quality of our lives and the character of our country. A major element of the work to be done going forward is to identify and resist any and all diversionary measures while maintaining focus on the ways in which we might continue to posit viable, visionary, and sustainable alternatives to the existing and ensuing model.