Propaganda should be identified with a disclaimer!

 Weekly Opinion Editorial

MISSING DISCLAIMER

by Steve Fair

     According to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) website: Any public communication made by a political committee or candidate must display a ‘disclaimer.’  Disclaimers must be clear and conspicuous and clear to the public, regardless of the medium in which the communication is transmitted.  The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) requires sponsors of paid programs disclose who is paying for the program at the beginning and/or the end of the infomercial. 

     On Wednesday night, President Joe Biden addressed the nation for eleven minutes from the Oval Office.  He spent the vast majority of the time attacking President Donald Trump and aggrandizing Vice President Kamala Harris.  Following his address, the big 3 (ABC, CBS, NBC) main stream media announcers fawned over Biden’s homily, repeating his talking points and attacking Trump.   There was no pretense of fairness or neutrality.  All that was missing from Wednesday’s infomercial was a George Foreman grill, a Snuggie, Oxiclean and a disclaimer.  Three observations:

     First, government is constantly running political ads at taxpayer’s expense.  Millions are spent annually on so-called ‘education’ programs to secure an electoral advantage over the competition.  Elected officials use statements, slogans, and color schemes in their zeal to tutor the general public on their policies.  They develop a brand at taxpayer expense and then use it in their political campaign.  That’s why incumbents have an advantage in elections.  They use taxpayer money to self-promote and often attack the value system of the very people paying the bill.  That is likely not to stop, but taxpayers should be aware of the practice.

     Second, taxpayers own the airwaves.  Broadcast networks pay nothing for the privilege to use the airwaves.  They are granted a license to broadcast on an assigned frequency.  They develop programing and sell advertising, but pay nothing for the right to broadcast.

     In 1949, the ‘fairness doctrine’ was implemented by the FCC.  It required broadcasters to present controversial issues of public importance in a manner that fairly reflected differing viewpoints.  In 1969, the U.S. Supreme Court (SOTUS) ruled unanimously the ‘fairness doctrine,’ was constitution and essential to democracy.  “The public airwaves should not just express the opinions of those who can pay for air time; they must allow the electorate to be informed about all sides of controversial issues,” the SCOTUS ruled.  Equal time/fairness doctrine was in place until 1987 when the FCC abolished the ‘fairness doctrine,’  

     Conservatives greatly benefited from the ‘fairness doctrine’ repeal.  Rush Limbaugh revolutionized public radio starting in 1988.  Radio stations did not have to provide equal time for opposing views, advertisers flocked to Rush and the conservative message flourished.  There have been periodic calls for a return to the ‘fairness doctrine,’ but allowing the free market expression of ideas is a better idea.  So long as the media consumer recognizes editorializing, let ideology battle it out in the public square.

     Third, good journalism is important in a democracy.  What is missing in the media today is relative objectivity- a willingness to report/cover stores that are unflattering to a preferred candidate.  The ‘spin’ is in- by all types of media.  Reporting has evolved into editorializing without the disclaimer.  Principled, fair reporting has been missing from the 4^th estate for years.  A good start to help identify propaganda is by including a disclaimer as required by federal law when media is carrying water for a candidate.

     President Thomas Jefferson once said newspapers should have four sections labeled: (1) truth, (2) probabilities, (3) possibilities and (4) lies.  Jefferson sarcastically said the first section would be the smallest and the last the largest.  “Advertisements contain the only truths to be relied on in a newspaper,” Jefferson said. 

     FYI- the views expressed in this newspaper column are those of the author and the views expressed on broadcast media are seldom those of mainstream America.

America has a spiritual problem! Believers should pray more!

 Weekly Opinion Editorial 

CHEERING & JEERING!

by Steve Fair

     Former President Donald Trump was wounded by an assassin’s bullet on Saturday at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania.  Just 100 hours after being shot, Trump delivered a 93-minute speech to the Republican National Convention on Thursday night.  Impressive composure! 

     On Sunday, President Joe Biden, still suffering from COVID, dropped out of the presidential race by public letter.  Biden endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for the nomination.  Biden had stated he wouldn’t withdraw from the race until the Lord Almighty told him to.  Apparently, former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, (D-CA) has a new position/title.    Three observations:

     First, the U.S. Secret Service has some serious explaining to do.  The obvious lapses and gaps in the advance security plan for the rally warrant scrutiny.  Were those chinks intentional, the result of incompetence or due to a lack of staffing?    Congressional hearings are scheduled this week and those in Secret Service leadership should be held accountable.  Congressional hearings often hide the truth, and don’t expose it.   Let’s hope this one is different. 

     Second, God spared Donald Trump.  That is not in dispute.  But the idea of divine ‘intervention’ is problematic.  God controls everything all the time.  Nothing happens without God’s will.  God is either sovereign over all things or subservient to His creation.  If He is sovereign (and He is), He doesn’t pick and choose situations or states of affairs He will get involved in. 

     The sparing of Donald Trump is not necessarily a sign from heaven Trump is God’s chosen vessel. Clearly God isn’t finished with Trump yet, but discerning God’s intent in why is soothsaying.  Some Christian believers have compared Donald Trump to Cyrus, the historic Persian king, who delivered the Jews from Babylonian captivity.  Cyrus wasn’t a Jew and didn’t worship the God of Israel, yet the prophet Isaiah paints Cyrus as a conduit through which God accomplished His divine plan.    Donald Trump could be the vessel- or not- that God will use to deliver America. 

     Those who subscribe to ‘vessel theology,’ are often dismissive of Trump’s controversial past and blindly loyal because in their mind, he is God’s chosen vessel.  Since there is no Old Testament prophet, like Isaiah, to reveal God’s thinking, connecting the dots on why God spared Trump is just speculation.      

     Third, God sets up all leaders.  He also brings them down. Throughout scripture, wicked and good kings were used by God to punish, bless, deliver, and teach His people.  Some of those leaders were moral, others immoral.  Some were dishonest, others honest, but every single one came to power by the hand of God.  Biden’s ‘bringing down’ didn’t take God by surprise.  Trump’s deliverance from assassination wasn’t a revelation to the Almighty.  He is omniscient- all knowing. 

     The 2024 general election will still be close.  President Trump has a clear advantage, but the United States is very polarized.   Whomever the Democrats nominate will run a competitive campaign.  That’s because blind loyalty reigns in America and allegiance has become more important than objectivity.  Rational thought is sparse. 

     The solution to America’s problems is not electing Donald Trump.  If God allows that to happen, it is far better than the alternative, but until hearts are changed, America’s moral decline will continue.  America has a spiritual problem and believers would be better served spending more time on their knees praying, and less time on their feet cheering their champion and jeering the opponent.

2024 GOP PARTY PLATFORM DE-EMPHASIZES ABORTION!

 Weekly Opinion Editorial

SPUDDLE!

by Steve Fair

     A political Party platform outlines the principles, goals, and policy positions on a variety of affairs.   A platform resolution in the GOP must originate from the precinct level.  It is then approved at county and state level before being considered at the national level.  Platforms are hammered out and then approved at a quadrennial national nominating convention by the delegates.

     The 2024 Republican platform was whittled down to 5,400 words- the 2016 platform was 35,000 words.  The U.S. Constitution is 4,500 words long.  The Sermon on the Mount 2,300 words long.  Republicans clearly like verbiage.  Republicans can view the 2024 platform at: https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/2024-republican-party-platform 

     President Trump said about the platform: “Ours is a forward-looking agenda with strong promises that we will accomplish very quickly when we win the White House and Republican Majorities in the House and Senate.” Three observations:

     First, platforms are ignored by elected officials.  Most politicos (at all levels) don’t bother to read their Party platform, much less feel bound to the principles in it. They see the platform as a document from a vocal minority, so disregarding it has no consequences.  Until repercussions are suffered at the ballot box because of their lack of fidelity to the platform, they will continue to turn a blind eye. Far too many just use the Republican ‘brand’ to get elected and ignore the core values of the Party once elected.  Until a majority of voters, at the ballot box, enforce adherence to the platform, it will be impotent.

     Second, a platform is a product of those who draft it.  Many who participate in the platform process are laser focused on one issue.  Their sole goal is to get their issue included in the Party platform, reflecting their values.  Fiscal conservatives concede social conservative issues to get their plank in the platform.  Social conservatives do the same.  That explains the garrulity of the document. The platform may or may not reflect the views of the majority of the members of a Party.  It is more often a work of self-gratification and little more than spuddle (to work ineffectively and achieve nothing).  Activists would do better educating the general public on the features, advantages and benefits of conservatism than drafting a manifesto no one reads.

     Third, the 2024 GOP national platform de-emphasizes abortion.  The abortion issue is not included as part of the platform’s prioritized 20 principles.  The 2024 platform only mentions abortion once in the document and removes a call for a national ‘right-to-life’ amendment.  That plank has been in the GOP platform for fifty years and is a major reason many GOP activists are involved in politics. 

      President Trump’s position on abortion is to push the issue down to the states, but are state rights more important than protecting life in the womb?  Are Republicans only concerned about the babies in their individual state?  Trump appointed Supreme Court justices who overturned Roe vs. Wade, which has saved millions of babies’ lives.  But removing a pro-life plank that has been in the GOP platform for fifty years risks offending Christian voters who oppose abortion. The 2024 GOP platform is pro-life, unlike the Democratic platform.  It just a more watered down than it was in 2016.

     Brent Leatherwood, president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, the public policy arm of the Southern Baptist Convention, said this about the 2024 GOP platform: “Now is the time to advocate for a robust vision for life — at all levels of government — not retreat from it. A moment when the abortion industry has been knocked on its heels is no time to shrink from a full-throated commitment to protecting preborn lives.”

      The 2024 platform was approved by the Platform committee by a vote of 84-18.  Family Research Council President Tony Perkins, a strong pro-life advocate and a member of the committee, issued a minority report condemning the removal of the right to life amendment plank.   It is unclear if Perkins will bring it to the floor.  Sometime Monday, all 2,429 GOP delegates from all 50 states and 6 U.S. territories will vote on the proposed 2024 platform. 

     Once approved, the 2024 platform- like those before it- will be filed away, to be ignored for another four years.

BIDEN IS NOT JUST OLD- HE'S WRONG!

 Weekly Opinion Editorial

DIVINE INTERVENTION

by Steve Fair

 

     After President Biden’s disastrous performance at the presidential debate, he sat down with George Stephanopoulos Friday night for a 20-minute exclusive interview.  Biden appeared spryer and more aware of what was going on than he did at the debate, but the bar was pretty low. 

      When Stephanopoulos asked if he was going to drop out of the race, Biden responded, “If the Lord Almighty came down and said, “Joe, get out of the race,’ I’d get out of the race.”  Biden’s performance did little to stop calls for him to quit and let someone else run.  On Sunday, Democratic political operative David Axelrod said Biden is out of touch and doesn’t understand he is not winning the race against former President Donald Trump.  “He’s fought his way back from political defeats and against the odds. And so, his psyche is that he can beat anybody and any long odds. What he can’t beat his Father Time. And that’s really the concern here. It’s not about his record,” Axelrod said.  Three observations:

     First, Biden’s aging is not the only issue.  His advancing age and frailty should be of concern to all Americans, but his policies are the real problem.  A failed border security plan, economic policies that have resulted in record inflation, and a murky foreign policy strategy have Americans in much worse shape than they were four years ago.    Stephanopoulos, Axelrod and others have tried to hype the president’s dismal record, but polling shows Americans aren’t buying the con.  Biden’s approval numbers hover in the mid-30s.  He trails Trump in most polling with likely voters.  Biden is not just old, he is wrong.      

     Second, the main stream media is fake news.  Stephanopoulos repeatedly praised Biden’s pristine track record and how much of a humble statesman Joe is, while urging him out of the race.  George allowed the president to make an uninterrupted stump speech without challenging him.  Fellow liberals in the mainstream media called Stephanopoulos ‘tough’ on Biden and quite the journalist, but the fact is, the interview was nothing more than an infomercial.     

     On Friday, it was revealed two radio hosts this week were given ‘approved’ questions to ask Biden before he was interviewed.  Biden’s handler’s clearly fear spontaneity.  They script his every move.  

     Journalism is non-existent in main stream media.  Propaganda and advocacy upstage fairness, impartiality and integrity and liberal media doesn’t have exclusivity on one-sidedness.  There is a market to be told what you want to hear and modern media is happy to fulfill that demand.

     Third, Democrats are in a dilemma.  Polls indicate their presumed presidential nominee should withdraw, but publicly he refuses to comply.  Expect that to change in the next week.  Vice President Kamala Harris awaits in the wings and is already sounding like the nominee.  But Harris has been a part of Biden’s failed administration.  Her polling numbers are no better than Bidens and she is not popular with blue collar Democrats in key battleground states.  While she may be able to string together a discernable sentence, defending her own track record might be a tougher test. 

     Down ticket races are impacted by the top of the ticket and Democrats running for Congress are already distancing themselves from Biden.  It’s called the contamination factor.  Even if Ds are able to persuade Biden to quit, nominate Harris, 2024 is not looking like a strong election cycle for Ds.

     In 1968, President Lyndon Johnson withdrew from the presidential primary elections.  Challenged by several candidates, including Robert Kennedy, LBJ saw he was dragging the ticket down, wasn’t likely to win and pulled out for the good of the Party.  RFK was assassinated, VP Hubert Humphrey won the nomination at the violent, fractured convention in Chicago.  President Nixon won in a landslide.  Who the Democrats nominated in ’68 probably wouldn’t have made a difference.  It wasn’t their year.  ’24 is looking a lot like ‘68.