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Trump may not be good for America, but it's damn good for CBS


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“...[Trump] may not be good for America, but it’s damn good for CBS...”  This is outrageous admission from a news organization, and clearly articulates the problem with what we euphemistically describe as journalism today.  

The behavior of CBS and their peers is THE reason Donald has a great chance of actually becoming the president of the united states.  Ok we know the POTUS is a figurehead largely responsible for doing the bidding of the ultra rich, but to actually elect of of these guys is alarming.

But hey in a culture fed on reality TV and celebrity, what do you expect?  The most outrageous and the most popular wins.

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ALL   THE NEWS     CHANNELS    SHOW    DONALD  TRUMP  EVERY  MINUTE/DONALD    TRUMP    KKK  SUPPORTERS,FIGHTING   WITH  BLACK PROTESTERS/RACIST  WHITE   TRUMP  SUPPORTER  HITS  BLACK   PROTESTER,THEN   SAID    NEXT   TIME  HE   WILL  KILL  THE BLACK  PROTESTER/BEN CARSON    SUPPORTS   TRUMP/NOT  LONG AGO   TRUMP  SAID  BEN   CARSON WAS  MENTALLY   UNSTABLE.///TRUMP  LIKES THE CHAOS/

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The networks are also responsible for exposing Donald Trump as the fascistic rabble rouser he is portraying himself to be, something which has fueled the tremendous opposition to him, and drawn attention to the candidates who oppose all that he stands for.  Bernie and the rest depend on the media just as much as the "villains" do.  For politicians to criticize the media is to bite the hand that feeds them.  

From the way everyone scapegoats the media, it's reasonable to assume  that people take it with a grain of salt. Everybody in this country isn't dumb and gullible.   But you can't reject the hype unless it's aired.

 I don't think reality TV or celebrity worship will have a lot  to do with electing the next president. His followers flock to Trump because, as we all know, he says what they want to hear, not because he was the host of The Apprentice.  

Journalism is the zeitgeist of a society.   

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Cynique you are arguing that the media is a reflection of American sentiments; I'd argue that couldn't be farther from the truth.

Sure, it sounds reasonable to say that people would not watch something on TV, if it were not already something that people wanted to watch, but TV executives know people are easily manipulated to do things they would not otherwise to--including things that are not good for us.  I'm sure you can think of many examples of this from everyday life, so I won't bore you with examples.

Cynique the media does not speak with a single voice.  I consume media from all sides, left, right and center.  If I listen to say Armstrong Williams and then tune into Joe Madison, it is hard to believe that these two brothers are talking about the same subject given their completely different perspectives.  Some people are surprised that Chris Christie and Ben Carson have now endorsed Donald Trump, but that is because they listen only to left wing media...

If you ask people what they want they are likely to say they want the truth, but the reality is people just want to hear things that reinforce their beliefs. The media is more than happy to give you that and then some--truth be damned.

Don't underestimate the strength of celebrity.  If Donald Trump was not on that reality TV show he would have been just another businessman with little appeal and even less coverage.  Donald can generate much ratings than a Bernie Saunders, so he gets more free coverage.  This again is the problem with the media.

Donald can pass up a debate and STILL get more coverage that the guys who showed up!

Finally, we all know there is no such thing as "bad" publicity.  Donald has mastered this.

 

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The population at large is a cross section of liberal and conservative and moderate segments and the media reflects these sentiments. because it is multifaceted. There 's something for everybody out there and people gravitate toward whatever media outlet is a conduit for their views.

Over half the country is not swayed by Donald Trump or impressed with his celebrity. it's his controversial message  and his blustery demeanor that fuel his visibility.  The Apprentice never got great ratings and cancellation was always on its horizon.  

 
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@CDBurns, he does and Trump's influence grows.  NPR had some Black minister on the radio today backing Trump.If the GOP were smart they'd suck it up and back their boy, cause they don't stand a chance against the Democrats without him.

Now I don't think for a split second that the Republicans give a crap about what Trump will, or will not do for the American people.  It seems this is about control, and apparently they can not control Trump.

Despite some suggesting this, I never ever thought Obama was at risk of being assassinated.  If Trump becomes president I think he is at much more risk than Obama ever was...

Here is the thing @Cynique, you do not need more than 1/2 the country to agree with Trump, shoot it will be a miracle if more than 1/2 the country even votes. Trump simply needs more electors.  Men have lost the presidency despite have more popular votes.  Gore had 1/2 a million more people vote for him than Bush did, and Gore still lost.

Again Cynique, you point out another problem with journalism today--or rather the poor excuse for what we call journalism.  There is simply no distinction between advocacy and reporting the news.   The notion that one news source is liberal and another is conservative is simply outrageous and does a gross disservice to the public.  

If news organization are brazen enough to make statements like the one that kicked off this discussion, we are really in deep do-do.

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I actually think that's what will happen Sara. I think repubs are going to come out of the woodworks and we will finally get what America wants, a reality tv presidency. One that is based on entertainment and idiocy. Trump is what our country deserves.

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So, Troy. you think journalism should tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth and news outlets should eliminate editorializing and should not cater to the masses in any way except to report events and ignore people who aren't paragons of virtue and  honesty and piety. Or should journalism be involved in making a profit but  should be a public service.  Television should not  provide anything unless its educational and wholesome and factual.  The internet should simply enable e-mail and provide data and forums about subjects that only have redeeming value. Social media should  be eliminated and Wikipedia dismissed.  Movies should reflect people of every race - oops sorry about that.  Race its a no-no because it interferes with people being color blind.  On and on it goes.  A world that never has and never will exist.

 Come November,  we'll see how influential the media is.  When all the publicity has burnt out, there's always the possibiity that familiarity will have bred contempt and Donald Trump will be yesterday's news.  

I don't agree that Democrats will stay home and I also think that Moderate Independents  will go with Hillary.   This is the combination that allowed her to sweep yesterday's Super Tuesday

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No Cynique I do not think news outlets should stop editorializing.  The problem is that news sources don't appear to care about the difference between journalism and editorial, and are failing to distinguish between the two.  They are also failing to distinguish between advertising, editorial and even still journalism.  

Time will tell what will happen in the election.  Polls and pundits were fantastically wrong about Trump's chances before the primaries started, so it is not beyond the realm of possibility for them to get it completely wrong again.  

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I agree, I think Trump will pull many votes from the center and left.

I also believe that many Bernie supporters will fail to show up if he is not the nominee.  

While I understand why white folks might support a Trump.  For the life of me, I do not understand why Black folks LOVE Hillary (and Bill so much).  I would think that Bernie would have much more support from Black folks than the media is saying that he has.

Anecdotally, to a person, everyone I know personally, who is Black, supports Bernie, at least the ones who has expressed a preference.  Honestly, I think the media is biased against Bernie.  But that could be my own bias :unsure:

I'm glad he stayed in the race.  This is almost as exciting as March Madness.

 

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None of the Hillary supporters I know, love her.  They just think she's the best person for the job. So do I. But, unlike the petulant Bernie groupies, I will vote for whomever gets the Democratic nomination.  

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Well I'm glad you still have faith in the democratic process. I definitely out "cynic" you on this one.  Since I live in NYC my vote will not matter.  We will elect the democrat, not that will will matter much.

So excuse me if I can't generate much excitement over another eight years of Clintons in the whitehouse.  It might as well be Claire and Frank Underwood (from the Netflix show of House of Cards).

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I try not to let me personal preference for the Trump cloud my opinion of what is possible.  There are several plausible scenarios which would place him in the white house.  This may be my naivete, but for some reason I'm not too concerned about a Trump presidency.  For one, the middle class has been screwed over for much of my adult life.  Secondly, maybe Trump's presidency will wake folks the hell up.  If the later is true, then it would be worth it.

Of course it is also within the realm of possibility that a Trump presidency might be beneficial. It is funny that so many people believe this, but the punditocracy don't even entertain the idea.  But the punditocracy are the same people who put a Black on everything negative and a white one on everything positive, so what do they know....  Time will tell.

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Being POTUS is more than just being head of the United States. It's about diplomacy and experience when dealing with all the other countries in the world. This is where Trump falls short. He is the epitome of everything that the rest of the world hates about Americans. He's looked upon as an arrogant loose cannon by all of America's global allies, while Russia and Isis relish his egocentric belligerence. He and that narcissistic bully, Vladimir Putin, are kindred spirits.  And Trump's hostility toward Islam bolsters Isis' recruitment.  

What is Trump going to do for the middle class, and what will his presidency wake America up about,Troy?  And why is my backing Hillary a sign that I still have faith in the democratic process any more than those who back Bernie and Trump???   I have no doubt that if elected, Hillary will seek the advice of her husband, but I don't necessarily think this is a bad thing because 2 heads are better than one, and I have a gut feeling that at this point in their lives, they want to do what's best for the entire country.  You don't have to love the Clintons; you just have to like what serves your best self interest in the long run. Bernie is a lovable ol guy, but once in office, as an Independent, he has no coalition to help him deliver on his pie-in-the-sky promises.  He is about drastic reform; Hillary is about steady improvement.  That's why she represents the "doable". 

 

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CNN showed a graphic showing how much of an impact and a benefit he has been for CBS and others. I personally think that the opposition he is facing from the GOP is due to his presence and behavior exposes them and takes off the mask of civility. They (GOP) want to act in a politically correct manner for the most part but still allow their out of public true feelings create policy that reflects how they feel toward people of color and delivers the outcome they want. 

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The country will wake up and realize that those with money can not be allowed to control the political process.  The current system is simply not working --even our archaic process for casting a vote needs to change.  We are still caucusing like we did as a colony -- it makes no freaking sense, the debates are useless, the reporting is biased, and people are fed up.  

Many American's if not most are pulling for a Bernie and a Donald because they want something completely different than what we have.  If you have not noticed I'm in this camp.

When does the steady improvement begin Cynique? Life expectancy is down and the planet is in serious jeopardy of being able incapable of supporting human life.

At least we still have the NCAA basketball tournament to keep us distracted.

 

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On 3/19/2016 at 7:16 PM, Troy said:

The country will wake up and realize that those with money can not be allowed to control the political process.  The current system is simply not working --even our archaic process for casting a vote needs to change.  We are still caucusing like we did as a colony -- it makes no freaking sense, the debates are useless, the reporting is biased, and people are fed up.  

Many American's if not most are pulling for a Bernie and a Donald because they want something completely different than what we have.  If you have not noticed I'm in this camp.

When does the steady improvement begin Cynique? Life expectancy is down and the planet is in serious jeopardy of being able incapable of supporting human life.

Good grief, Troy! Hillary is not in office so you can't blame the lack of progress on life expectancy and the earth's jeopardy on her.  But she has at least put forth plans for economic and social improvements, if elected. And  I don't agree that most Americans are pulling forTrump and Bernie to compete. There are millions of people who are not mesmerized by the cults of personality.  

I think everybody by now has figured out that Trump and Bernie represent the electorate's dissatisfaction with the political correctness and the status quo yet people continue to announce this like it's some great revelation.  Yes,  Donald Trump is thriving because he says what others think. DUH.  No shit. We get it.  Bernie's plan  to thwart the rich which is why The Establishment is trying to quash him.  Surprise, surprise! You don't say. Who knew? The biggest reality shows around are the political debates and the dreaded MEDIA is to blame for everything that doesn't placate the paranoid followers of each candidate.  Yada. Yada. Yada. When is somebody going to come up with some new material that is constructive rather than the same ol bellyaching and whining. What is the worst case scenario if there is no clear winner in November? 

Before the Baby Boomers and the Gen-Xers and the Millennials, there were the Depression babies who grew up in the 50s and were called the Silent Generation. There are many of us still around, who  are  just  shaking our heads.  We have witnessed a lot of history, and are now waiting to see if November will usher in the beginning of the end of America as we know it.  

 

 

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It interesting Cynique how you interpreted my last statement on blaming Hillary.  You believe Hillary will make a difference, I obviously do not.  You clearly have faith in the current political system's ability to work for the people.  I do not.

Baby Boomers were the last generation to witness and benefit from constant economic growth for the bulk of their adult years.  My generation and everyone after me has seen steady losses. I'm also sure you are also aware that this generation of kids will be economically worse off than the previous generation.   

But I understand why you might be nice and comfortable and happy with the status quo; you lucked out by virtue of your birth date.  Our children may not be so lucky...

 

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It's interesting Troy, how you interpreted my last post as being the words of someone who's satisfied with the status quo as much as I have been ranting about how screwed up the country is and how crazy people have become. And where did you get the idea that senior citizens are all nice and comfortable when millions of them are dependent on Social Security and afraid it might be tampered with and are struggling with medical expenses and health issues and the high cost of living??  And I don't know any such thing about what lies ahead for the Millennials or the hardships of your generation.  I would never presume to generalize about anything that concerns the economy because the trends fluctuate and past predictions haven't been that accurate. I also don't think I am any more presumptuous about what Hillary will do than you are about what Bernie and Trump will accomplish. As I opined, after November America, as we know it, will never be the same.  And from a historical viewpoint, I think this will be interesting to observe.  

LOL. The only thing that's obvious is that we are not on the same wave length. 

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Cynique I drew the conclusion simply because I think a Clinton presidency represents more of the same, a continuation of what we have, the status quo.  Do you think Hillary Clinton represents something different?

As far as the economic differences of your generation and subsequent ones there are plenty of data.  There is no speculation here, as the record speaks for itself: http://www.crainswealth.com/article/20150610/WEALTH/150619999/gen-x-worse-off-than-millennials 

The Atlantic did a piece on unemployment rate of millennials and despite higher rates of education (and much more debt from students loans) unemplyment is worse than with was for Gen-X or Baby Boomers: http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2014/02/indisputable-evidence-that-millennials-have-it-worse-than-any-generation-in-50-years/283752/

Of course there are poor Baby Boomers, the problem is that there will be more poor Gen Xer's.  This poor Millennials will probably have to work until 80 before they can collect social security and retire, assuming they live that long.  

Again, steady as we go is not working for American's in general, and Black people in particular.

But while I thought Obama represented change (at least that is what he said), I think it is more likely that Bernie represents a more likely potential for change than Hillary.

But as you said we are not on the same wavelength on this issue :)

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Nothing stays the same, Troy.  Nobody knows what changes lie ahead or who will be more successful in implementing them.  Unless Socialism prevails, the poor will always be with us. Average Gen-Xers and their preoccupation with diets and physical fitness and eternal youth and 401Ks appear very confident about their futures, and If the bullying, brain dead Millennials face a dire future, much of the blame for their impending doom falls on themselves and their total dependence on hand held computerized devices, and their doting  parents who endowed their kids with such a deep sense of entitlement and inflated self esteem that they are unprepared to cope with reality. If future generations can't use their texting fingers to find a way to save themselves then all is lost,  C'est la Vie. 

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"Nothing stays the same."  Well on that universal truth we are in complete agreement.  And as far as knowing what will happen, I'll be the first to say I have no clue, and determining what to do about this nebulous future....well I'm just as clueless.

But I do know what the current state is, and there is room for improvement.  I also know doing the same thing will typically result in the same results. 

Don't get me started on our dependence upon technology.  Once the suits took over the whole thing became perverted-- but that is fodder for another conversation.

Who knows maybe Hillary will usher in a new age of enlightened government.  Maybe what we need is feminine energy leading this country.  Maybe the change I'm looking for is right there all along... 

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