Right-wing propaganda exploits the press: why the New York Times helps the GOP (TPM)

[american_ideals]

The GOP and Big Lie Politics

By Josh Marshall | February 6, 2018 12:54 pm

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/the-gop-and-big-lie-politics

The biggest impact of the Nunes Memo – and the accompanying wave of propaganda – is that conventional news and commentary is incapable of handling willful lying in the public sphere. This is a pattern we’ve seen again and again. It’s one of the hallmarks of this political age. It’s worth saying it again: conventional media is not equipped to deal with willful lying in the public sphere.

Cillizza is one example. The upshot of the press coverage is that the Nunes Memo was likely overstated and political. But the idea that bias or anti-Trump animus helped drive the Russia probe remains as a reasonable viewpoint that needs to be accorded some respect amidst the clutter of conflicting claims and reports.

The reality is different.

This is actually quite black and white. There’s no evidence of politicized intelligence or law enforcement or counter-intelligence work at all. Actually not any. All the evidence is based on false claims, logical fallacies or intentionally misleading representations of how standard law enforcement procedures work.

The entirety of the “Deep State” anti-Trump bias storyline is no more than fakery and lies designed to cover up Trump’s misdeeds. It’s an effort that every member of the Republican party, up to its highest leaders like Paul Ryan, have made themselves party to. Yet none of it amounts to more than a big lie, The Big Lie. It’s just something repeated over and over to give it an appearance of verisimilitude even though it’s simply a lie concocted to defend President Trump at any cost.

By even running headlines saying the Nunes Memo was released, pubs like the NYTimes become complicit in spreading the Big Lie. The NYT editors can tell themselves all they want that "journalism" involves repeating what people say even if it's a lie. But the NYT is harming America by giving print inches to lies. Leave the lies out. Tell the Truth. #ProtectTheTruth.

[american_ideals]

1. @NRaleighLiberal @DonViejo

NRL: I know you like Josh Marshall.

DonViejo - please re-evaluate how modern journalism is exploited by the right, and whether journalists are complicit if they repeat lies.

[NRaleighLiberal]

2. Yup - read it and posted it earlier - great work as always by Josh

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100210197031

[SWBTATTReg]

3. The GOP and/or tRUMP flunkys can't ...

hide their inability to govern for all of the people in this country, and if they do govern, its for a very select few who are obviously very anti-immigrant, and basically anything that is progressive in nature.

Previously they used the excuse of any progressive-based ideals as being too expensive, would cause massive deficits, etc.

Now look at them...passed a tax cut in this country that only a minority will derive any benefit, enlarged the deficit by a substantial amount, and seem to be only interested in passing laws like restricting or limiting our voting rights in a blatant attempt to maintain power in government (PA, Ohio, other states).

They do this because they know that they are outnumbered, they are on the 'wrong' side of issues continuously, and would lose in totally legitimate elections, if voting rights were expanded and protected, as they were (and should be).

[Nitram]

4. This is an excellent point. Our disappointment with the press as liberals is, I think, due to

the fact that journalistic ethics require that both sides be reported from their point of view. That breaks down when one side is lying and not acting in good faith as representatives of the American people. there has already been an adjustment as the media have actually become more comfortable with reporting Trump's more obviously false statement as "lies." But it is a dangerous slippery slope for the press to begin calling one side's statements "lies". The fact is, though, that is preferable to reporting lies as news.

[Beartracks]

5. Republicans have always pressured the MSM...

... to be "fair" to their lies and not be "the liberal media." Conservatives exploit the media's desire for fairness and objectivity by supplying bullshit and demanding the media treat it with respect -- and then the media does!

=======

[Mr. Sparkle]

6. This really hits home when watching or reading some the major media organizations.

Cnn drives me mad with their insistent both sides do it. Sometimes there is crap that should not be entertained but they just cant help themselves.