I recently finished reading “Who Stole the American Dream” by Hedrick Smith (in my view, a “must” read for anyone struggling to understand why America is headed toward second class status) which motivated me to read “The Power Game” by the same author another great book that I’ve nearly finished.  One of the main points I’ve pulled from these books is the role the so-called “liberal media” is playing in the demise of our nation – or, maybe a better way to put it is how the (mostly) republican party has learned to PLAY the media in order to manipulate public opinion.  If you’ve read many of my posts on this site it won’t be “news” to you when I talk about the propaganda scheme of the republican party – which, to me, dangerously resembles the “Big Lie Theory” of Joseph Goebbels in Nazi Germany during the rise of the Third Reich.  It just adds a bit to my frustration, watching this nation spiral in a downward direction, as I read confirmation of the focus the republican party has been putting on manipulating the media since the days of Ronald Reagan (and before).  And, I guess, I have to add that the democrats just don’t seem to be very good at this and still don’t seem to “get it,” regarding the implications of this media manipulation.

What caused me today to think even more about how the media is getting “jobbed” in America, I was listening on the radio to MSNBC on my way home from work today and realized that the terrorist group “ISIL” (or ISIS or The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria or whatever they’re called) have learned how this works and they’re doing essentially the same thing.  Their focus is to spread “terror” and our media is almost like a willing partner, from what I can tell.  What has evolved into a 24 hour “news cycle” requires “news” – well – or whatever whoever’s “running the show” decides is “news.”  If there’s not “real” news, it must, evidently, be created – at all hours of the day.  So, for example, ISIL has been publishing “propaganda videos” which I would have little to no interest in, except our media outlets are falling all over themselves trying to be the “first” to report on the latest one.  Today, what I remember about the broadcast I was listening to, they said there have been videos published for 8 straight days.  Well, that will ensure that who knows how many people will attempt to find them.  And, it will apparently assure that “we the people” are “very afraid.”  Because, at the same time, MSNBC has repeatedly pointed out that over 80% of us are expecting a “major terrorist attack” at any moment.  It seems to me, the “terrorists” have “we the people” figured out really well.  They’re spreading “terror” and we seem to be “willing buyers.”  Yikes!!!!

I find all sorts of ironies in all of this.  Let’s start with all the right wing zealots in America who’ve been railing against our government for the past – well – as many years as I can remember.  OK, I guess I am “beating a dead horse,” but the lord of these people, the aforementioned Ronald Reagan began the scenario where “government is the problem not the solution.”  I’ve been watching from the sidelines for years as people in America with this “bent” have been pushing for “less government,” “lower taxes,” (especially on the well off) and, they’ve been ceaselessly attacking President Obama since before he took the oath of office – having agreed to the unenviable job of trying to un-mess the MESS created by GW Bush/Dick Cheney (Bush/Cheney lowered taxes and BORROWED Trillions to ignite this mess). Of course, now their (republicans) complaint is that “government” (presumably meaning President Obama) isn’t doing enough to fight ISIL.  It’s called the “I want it both ways” syndrome!

These people ignore ALL the accomplishments of the Obama administration (many, directly benefiting them) while BLAMING EVERYTHING they can think of that may or may not be going well on our President.  Even if it’s going well, they will tell you it isn’t.  If it isn’t going well, Yikes! here comes another congressional investigation!  They are able to create crisis out of thin air – and, of course, once President Obama has successfully “solved” a problem, we never hear about it again.  Need an example?  Do you remember the Ebola scare?  President Obama was aggressive in addressing the issue and was constantly assuring the American public it was not a problem we should fear.  He sent troops and others to Africa to help the people there combat the crisis.

And, now the crisis has been essentially removed from people’s minds.  Yet, I haven’t heard ONE republican giving President Obama credit for the “adult in the room” manner in which he showed leadership during that crisis.  We had republican governors (yes, Mr. Christie, you’re one of them) doing incredibly STUPID stuff in reaction to the “crisis” and escalating the situation with their normal manner of doing “business;” FEAR!  Now that (internal) terrorists have hit France, the FEAR MONGERS are out in force again – and, who would you think would be leading the “charge?”  Well, let’s let the republican “leaders” form a line. (and, I have to add, having pointed out often how many democrats are totally spineless, you’ll see a fair number of them, fearful of the very media I’m writing about, falling in line – and, as usual, they’re ALWAYS at the end of the line)  It’s like the leaders of ISIL couldn’t ask for more.

Yet with candidates like Donald Trump, Christie, Ben Carson, Ted Cruz, and the others, our republicans are constantly giving them “more.”  The racist rhetoric that comes out of these people seems to be endless.  Evidently, they’re not paying attention to the reports which indicate they are like a walking recruiting team for the terrorists.  Trump (I honestly wake up every day thinking the reality of his political success is simply a bad dream) probably creates a new terrorist every time he broaches the subject of Muslims.  You see, the people around the world are actually paying attention to our political process.

I believe years ago some of the egregious acts of our government – ie, the invasion of Iraq, for one – were considered as being in opposition to the will of the American people.  However, people around the world are seeing that someone spewing racist hate like Donald Trump is actually the front-runner – in the republican nomination for President for God’s sake!  Trust me, this doesn’t make us look good.  Trump has pointedly belittled Mexicans, Muslims, and today he suggested that something like 80% of all whites who are murdered in America are killed by Blacks!  I’m not making this up (Maybe MSNBC is, but I’m pretty sure I heard “The Donald” verify it in his own voice).  He also said he saw, with his own eyes – on TV – “Thousands and thousands of Muslims in New Jersey cheering as the World Trade Center came down.”  Trump has been credited with something on the order of 15 or 16 “Pants on Fire” LIES by some media outlet that actually fact checks these people, but that doesn’t seem to bother the republican brethren who are lining up to support him. (I remind you again of Joseph Goebbels – just take a quick tour of 1930’s history when you’re looking at the Trump “movement.”)

Here’s the American reality for people of the Muslim faith.  When they see an attack like the one in Paris they know the recriminations are coming.  They know they’re going to have to listen to the race baiting on our “news” media and they know they’re going to be stereotyped.  Honestly, I don’t remember the same reaction when Tim McVeigh killed more Americans in Oklahoma City a few years back than were killed in Paris and McVeigh was acting as an anti-government right wing Christian terrorist.  He (and his cohorts in crime) were labeled criminals – as well they should have been.  They didn’t represent me (I’m a Christian) just like the criminals who killed the people in Paris don’t represent all the Muslims around the world.  For anyone who’s paying attention, ISIL is killing far more Arabs than they are people in the “West.”  Seriously, they don’t need the encouragement they’re getting from people like Trump and the others running for the republican nomination for president (or anyone else with a national “platform” for that matter).

So, getting back to my earlier point that the people leading the charge to support Trump or Carson or Rubio or “fill in the blank” (I even heard today, the so-called Republican “establishment” is longing for Mitt Romney) actually hate government – yet, at the same time they are expecting the government they hate to “keep them safe.” (Although, it seems to me there are people in the republican party who are longing for us to get “hit” again, kind of as a counterbalance to the FACT that Bush/Cheney were in charge during 9/11)  They want to cut government spending to the bone, they’re constantly railing against the deficit, yet they’re willing to spend “whatever” in the fight against “terror” by encouraging another all out war.  (First, how do you fight “terror?” Certainly not by encouraging FEAR wouldn’t you think?  And, secondly, how did the all out war work out last time?  OK, that was rhetorical – we created ISIL) None of this makes any sense!

Here’s another point that seems a bit ironic (or scary or disgusting – I’m searching for the right word) to me.  There’s a list kept by the FBI and other law enforcement personnel across America – I believe it’s called the “Terrorist Watch List” – where law enforcement is following the actions of (I think) around 2000 suspected (possible) home grown “terrorists.”  Americans who may have been “radicalized” and are considered possible “lone wolf” – I’ll use my term – criminals.  What’s interesting (and disgusting – I decided I now know the word I was searching for above) is that there’s NO RESTRICTION on the ability of ANY of these people to purchase weapons in America.  They can cross state lines and purchase, presumably, assault weapons indiscriminately with no background check, no anything.  This, of course, is the result of the right wing’s REFUSAL to consider any restrictions on “gun laws” in America as a violation of our (phantom) 2nd Amendment rights.  Everyone knows, republican politicians live in fear of retribution from the NRA should they cast ONE vote contrary to their absurd FIGHT against ANY restrictions on people’s right to purchase weapons.  Yet, these same people will be at the front of the line blaming President Obama (and, most certainly Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders – depending on which one is the likely democratic nominee) should one of these “homegrown terrorists” attempt to become famous.

And, believe me when I say, that (becoming famous) could be a motivator for one of these people who may be thinking of committing some horrible act of violence.  Back to our “liberal media” that, in my view, is getting played by the republicans (even on MSNBC it’s a rare day when you hear anything from the mouths of Clinton or Sanders – Trump is correct when he says he doesn’t need to advertise – our media is giving him all the advertising he needs – and FREE OF CHARGE!) and the terrorists running the propaganda campaign for ISIL.  They (the media) have focused so much on the one “terrorist” who escaped in Paris, naming him, and calling him “the number 1 fugitive in the world” – that I don’t think they’re taking the time to ponder what might be the unintended consequences of trying to keep us informed 24 hours per day to his whereabouts – as if that, in itself, would make us feel safer.  I think it makes the reporters feel important – but, I really don’t see where it makes anyone safer. (and, it probably makes it even more difficult for the authorities to actually catch the man) Personally, I can imagine someone committing a horrific crime simply for the notoriety.

I could go on, but I’m sure by now you catch my “drift.”  I just keep wondering when (and if) “we the people” will be able to be served by a media that is truly focused on responsibly reporting “news” and not allowing itself to be “played” by either of the political parties  or others, like ISIL. Today’s reality is that the experts at this are the republicans with ISIL’s “media experts” close behind.  Obviously, people around the world are paying attention To what’s happening in America (our right wing “leaders” are even afraid to allow the Syrian refugees – which we are largely responsible for creating – into our country after an extremely intense “vetting” process) and now we don’t even seem to need the government to issue “terror alerts.”  With the “liberal media’s” help, the American people have learned to be afraid, be “very afraid.”  I could give you the statistics of all the ways THOUSANDS more Americans are killed EVERY year than via terrorist attacks – despite how tragically awful those attacks are/were – but, that wouldn’t calm the American public down – because the FEAR MONGERS are winning, and therefore, the terrorists are accomplishing their goal.