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From: Mike Spencer <mds@bogus.nodomain.nowhere>
Newsgroups: misc.news.internet.discuss
Subject: Re: What did you think of Bidens performance, and what's next?
Date: 28 Jun 2024 17:40:44 -0300
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Retrograde <fungus@amongus.com.invalid> writes:

> Keep it in perspective:
> Biden is old and tired.
> Trump is Putin's errand boy and cocksucker.

Just so.

> Screw the Democrats for running such a lackluster party.  Screw the
> GOP for becoming a national disgrace totally beholden to a thug.
> Screw the American people for not giving a shit as long as the price
> of gas stays low.

The statistic on US literacy from various sources says that around 50%
of US adults read at the 5th grade (other sources, 6th grade) level.
So it's no surprise, however apalling it is, that a very substantial
tranche of voters depends on visual media for (what they erroneously
take to be substantive) information.

> And lastly, screw the media for trying to convince us we should vote
> for the "winner" of the debate.  Policy matters.

The "media" -- that's essentially television -- share an obsession
with Trump: The only thing that matters is "ratings".  In the case of
Trump, it's a real mental abberation emergent from his overwhelming
personality disorder.  In the case of corporate media, that's a result
of hard-line adherence to corporate business protocol wherein
corporations are mandated to be and operate as juridicial psychopaths.
Milton Friedman baldly asserts this witout, of course, using the word
"psychopath".

       Few trends could so thoroughly undermine the very foundations
       of our free society as the acceptance by corporate officials of
       a social responsibility other than to make as much money for
       their stockholders as possible.     -- Milton Friedman


> Trump stormed Congress and let thugs try to assassinate the VP when
> he didn't get his way.  He recommended we inject horse dewormer or
> bleach - that was his approach to COVID.  Surprising no one, his
> economic policy is to cut taxes for the rich and cut social services
> for the poor.
> 
> This debate was irrelevant, and came out as everyone - Dem or Rep -
> expected it would.  On Biden's side, stumbling. On Trump's side,
> bullying and a torrent of lies.

If "a torrent of lies" gets ratings, the media love it.

And never mind that "social" media uses text.  Short squibs and
slogans suited to 5th grade reading level is a perfectly designed
venue for Steve Bannon's strategy:

       The Democrats don't matter.  The real opposition is the
       media. And the way to deal with them is to flood the zone with
       shit.

-- 
Mike Spencer                  Nova Scotia, Canada