Apparently, people love to be fed lies! They're giving up their consciences and their rights as Americans because it's so much fun to live in a fat, greasy dictatorship!
My hunch is that TV watchers tend to be addicted to "Lights! Camera! Action!!" As opposed to us more bookish types who want to understand the *why* as well as the *what*.
I had a big epiphany in the early '90s when the former Yugoslavia blew up. It wasn't a part of the world I knew much about, and I struggled to figure out what was going on from the news media. Finally I resorted to long-form journalism and books.
Unfortunately too many USians don't have much of a background in U.S. history or how our government works.
I was making notes of which of these hit home with me, starting with...the first one when I remember wondering why the media didn't call out an unqualified candidate (to put it mildly) , and then 'We could call the Republicans liars to their faces, but then they’d never come on our TV shows again.' (which explained what had been a mystery to me) and then each and every one of these hit home, so...well done, Mark Jacob. Someone needed to say this.
As a news media consumer, I would say: Yeah, this was based on a true story. I very concise and accurate description of what I saw/read those years. Thank you.
And don't forget that these days, if something isn't a '5 minute read!' then people likely won't read it. Plus, it was shocking (or maybe not) that press like the Chicago Tribune had a small photo of the downtown rally on p.1--the article was several pages in--with the headline of "Large crowd...." Hmm, 300,000 people in Chicago and suburbs, just large? Ho hum......the Sun-Times was much better. And the NY Times website featured a huge come-on at the top about their Brandi Carlisle article (I like her, honestly!) while an article about the estimated 7 or 8 million people who showed up at the rallies throughout the U.S. (and we aren't even counting those who couldn't attend due to health issues, work, or just plain fear, but who agreed with us) was way, way down, "below the fold" as they used to say with print newspapers.
And by god don’t use the Sunday morning shows to discuss a president who posts an AI video of himself as a king flying a jet and dumping shit on No Kings protesters. Just because those are supposed to be public affairs programs, we can’t risk our access and ability to book the likes of Lindsey Graham or Mark Wayne Mullin or Mike Johnson. Wouldn’t be be fair if we didn’t platform liars.
That first line stopped me cold. An entire DECADE!!! We've been dealing with this nightmare for 10 years, and yet we aren't even through the first year of his 2nd term. And in less than a year, it feels like he's taken every authoritarian and controversial world leader from the last century and began reenacting those events in modern time. To say it's been a rollercoaster doesn't quite cover it.
My stomach kept turning with each memory of facts I must have chosen to forget. No wonder, this is the travesty we lived through and it continues to this day. Thank you for this piece. I sent it to my son in hopes that he will join Substack. Very bright and educated but with 2 kids under 4. It leaves little time. 🤞
Did all media take this approach to Trump, Mark, or was it isolated to the Coastal heavyweights: New York Times, Washington Post, LA Times, TV network news? How did the Tribune and Sun-Times cover Trump? I'd be astonished if the Sun-Times bowed in that manner, but nothing surprises me any more. Or did all print and broadcast media cave?
Excellent reprise of the last ten years. I can't believe Trump has been tormenting us for an entire decade. How much MISERY has he brought us - in anxiety attacks, ulcers, broken friendships, splintered families, dead fishermen, ruined careers, deported friends and family, botched government weather predictions, cancer researches gone unfinished, messed-up Social Security applications, lost educational opportunities, foreclosed mortgages, small business bankruptcies, no-longer-profitable farms [which his billionaire buddies are lining up to buy at a cut rate!] will we accept???????????????????????
I would add another Trump accomplishment to the 2025 list. He has managed to murder people and so far has gotten away with it, just like he said he could. It may be in the Caribbean, not on 5th Avenue, but it is murder nonetheless, and he’s doing it in the name of America and its citizens, making each of us bear his guilt. Since when is smuggling drugs a death sentence without due process or evidence? Surely our military is capable of stopping these boats, boarding and finding the evidence without the use of deadly force. Those 2 survivors? If they were really guilty of running drugs, shouldn’t they have been brought here to stand trial instead of sent home?
The bigger picture here is that we've learned the hard way that Trump will not be held accountable by Congress, SCOTUS or much of the mainstream media. Which is why the only path to saving democracy is to attack his enablers. That means spotlighting the cowards in Congress next year and more immediately, showing Jeffrey Yass that his $30 million for poisoning the Pennsylvania Supreme Court will go up in smoke. You could also add to your timeline all the missed opportunities for mainstream media to address Trump's obvious mental decline.
Mark, this could be titled "Ya can't make this stuff up, no one would believe you!"
Apparently, people love to be fed lies! They're giving up their consciences and their rights as Americans because it's so much fun to live in a fat, greasy dictatorship!
My hunch is that TV watchers tend to be addicted to "Lights! Camera! Action!!" As opposed to us more bookish types who want to understand the *why* as well as the *what*.
I had a big epiphany in the early '90s when the former Yugoslavia blew up. It wasn't a part of the world I knew much about, and I struggled to figure out what was going on from the news media. Finally I resorted to long-form journalism and books.
Unfortunately too many USians don't have much of a background in U.S. history or how our government works.
Have you read anything about Sudan lately, focusing on their terrible situation? I didn't think so. Proves your point.
Why yes, yes, I did, it was right there on the cover of People magazine last week, a real in-depther . . .
. . . said no one ever, sadly.
I was making notes of which of these hit home with me, starting with...the first one when I remember wondering why the media didn't call out an unqualified candidate (to put it mildly) , and then 'We could call the Republicans liars to their faces, but then they’d never come on our TV shows again.' (which explained what had been a mystery to me) and then each and every one of these hit home, so...well done, Mark Jacob. Someone needed to say this.
That’s why I just go to Aaron Parnas, first and always. If I feel like I have time I check some of the others who have news/opinion shows
As a news media consumer, I would say: Yeah, this was based on a true story. I very concise and accurate description of what I saw/read those years. Thank you.
And don't forget that these days, if something isn't a '5 minute read!' then people likely won't read it. Plus, it was shocking (or maybe not) that press like the Chicago Tribune had a small photo of the downtown rally on p.1--the article was several pages in--with the headline of "Large crowd...." Hmm, 300,000 people in Chicago and suburbs, just large? Ho hum......the Sun-Times was much better. And the NY Times website featured a huge come-on at the top about their Brandi Carlisle article (I like her, honestly!) while an article about the estimated 7 or 8 million people who showed up at the rallies throughout the U.S. (and we aren't even counting those who couldn't attend due to health issues, work, or just plain fear, but who agreed with us) was way, way down, "below the fold" as they used to say with print newspapers.
And by god don’t use the Sunday morning shows to discuss a president who posts an AI video of himself as a king flying a jet and dumping shit on No Kings protesters. Just because those are supposed to be public affairs programs, we can’t risk our access and ability to book the likes of Lindsey Graham or Mark Wayne Mullin or Mike Johnson. Wouldn’t be be fair if we didn’t platform liars.
That first line stopped me cold. An entire DECADE!!! We've been dealing with this nightmare for 10 years, and yet we aren't even through the first year of his 2nd term. And in less than a year, it feels like he's taken every authoritarian and controversial world leader from the last century and began reenacting those events in modern time. To say it's been a rollercoaster doesn't quite cover it.
My stomach kept turning with each memory of facts I must have chosen to forget. No wonder, this is the travesty we lived through and it continues to this day. Thank you for this piece. I sent it to my son in hopes that he will join Substack. Very bright and educated but with 2 kids under 4. It leaves little time. 🤞
Did all media take this approach to Trump, Mark, or was it isolated to the Coastal heavyweights: New York Times, Washington Post, LA Times, TV network news? How did the Tribune and Sun-Times cover Trump? I'd be astonished if the Sun-Times bowed in that manner, but nothing surprises me any more. Or did all print and broadcast media cave?
Excellent reprise of the last ten years. I can't believe Trump has been tormenting us for an entire decade. How much MISERY has he brought us - in anxiety attacks, ulcers, broken friendships, splintered families, dead fishermen, ruined careers, deported friends and family, botched government weather predictions, cancer researches gone unfinished, messed-up Social Security applications, lost educational opportunities, foreclosed mortgages, small business bankruptcies, no-longer-profitable farms [which his billionaire buddies are lining up to buy at a cut rate!] will we accept???????????????????????
The only problem I see with your essay is it's not harsh enough on the media and the fallout of their capitulation.
I would add another Trump accomplishment to the 2025 list. He has managed to murder people and so far has gotten away with it, just like he said he could. It may be in the Caribbean, not on 5th Avenue, but it is murder nonetheless, and he’s doing it in the name of America and its citizens, making each of us bear his guilt. Since when is smuggling drugs a death sentence without due process or evidence? Surely our military is capable of stopping these boats, boarding and finding the evidence without the use of deadly force. Those 2 survivors? If they were really guilty of running drugs, shouldn’t they have been brought here to stand trial instead of sent home?
Fantastic!
The bigger picture here is that we've learned the hard way that Trump will not be held accountable by Congress, SCOTUS or much of the mainstream media. Which is why the only path to saving democracy is to attack his enablers. That means spotlighting the cowards in Congress next year and more immediately, showing Jeffrey Yass that his $30 million for poisoning the Pennsylvania Supreme Court will go up in smoke. You could also add to your timeline all the missed opportunities for mainstream media to address Trump's obvious mental decline.
Thanks Mark, this is so spot on.
https://substack.com/@brianbeutler/note/p-176584097?r=1metx&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action