Tag: corruption

Journalism or partisanship? The media’s mistakes of 2016 continue in 2020

If there were any doubt left after 2016 as to what too much of the mainstream news media in America has become, it most certainly has been erased in 2020. Too often, many in my industry have revealed themselves as little more than propaganda tools for dueling political sides, no longer reporting the way journalists once did. We compete for the latest anonymous “scoop,” scandalous rumor, or unsupported accusation. We pounce on the supposed “bombshell” du jour and hype it on the news, accompanied by endless round robins with political operatives. Many of us don’t even bother to find and report on stories that powerful people and interests aren’t pushing.

To do this, too many of us have abandoned basic tenets of journalism. We ignore the suspicious timing of the handout “leaks” or scandals — as if nobody notices. We fail to explore or disclose sources’ motivations or conflicts of interest — as if nobody wonders about them. We don’t even pretend to assess the true news value of the “bombshell.” We’re simply happy to be of service to the propagandists; we invite them to use us, and our superiors reward us with admiration. Many of our peers either repeat the reporting, seek to confirm it using equally dubious methods, or discredit it. Rarely do we step back and consider that the whole drama is being orchestrated by political puppet-masters who count their successes by the number of news stories they generate.

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Joe Biden Promises Wall Street Donors the Status Quo in Private Calls

Democrat presidential candidate Joe Biden is promising Wall Street donors the economic status quo that they became used to before President Donald Trump’s administration, according to a report.

An investment banker on Wall Street told the Washington Post that in private calls with financial executives two months ago, Biden’s campaign assured them that talk of populist reforms on the campaign trail was nothing more than talking points.

The Post reports:

When Joe Biden released economic recommendations two months ago, they included a few ideas that worried some powerful bankers: allowing banking at the post office, for example, and having the Federal Reserve guarantee all Americans a bank account. [Emphasis added]

But in private calls with Wall Street leaders, the Biden campaign made it clear those proposals would not be central to Biden’s agenda. [Emphasis added]

“They basically said, ‘Listen, this is just an exercise to keep the Warren people happy, and don’t read too much into it,’” said one investment banker, referring to liberal supporters of Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.). The banker, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe private talks, said that message was conveyed on multiple calls. [Emphasis added]

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Most Americans Think The Government Is Corrupt

Americans may finally be waking up, even minimally. A majority of those living in the United States believe that the government is corrupt and unaccountable.

This brings to mind a quote:

“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

-John Dahlberg Acton

That means that anytime you hand power to anyone, their morality will decrease as the desire to control others increases. No one cedes power willingly either. If we have learned anything from 2020 it’s that those in power or authority figures are not in it for us, but themselves.

Seventy-three percent of Americans say that elected officials do not face “serious consequences” for misconduct, according to a new Pew Research Center poll.

A closer look reveals that a mere 21 percent of those leaning Democrat and 32 percent of Republicans believe there is some basic justice for delinquent politicians.

This is not the only issue where US liberals and conservatives almost reach a consensus.

Seventy percent of US citizens don’t think the government is “open and transparent,” while 60 percent of both Republicans and Democrats believe that judges aren’t free from the influence of parties and politicians.

– RT

However, Americans still think reform is the answer. It’s not. Not allowing others to have power over you is the answer. That means once the system falls (and it will) we replace it with nothing. No more masters and no more slaves.  The good news though, is that some Americans are at least finally understanding that corruption is inevitable in every government under any “established rule” over others.

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