gpruitt54
04-17-2008, 07:45 PM
Blaming the nation’s economic problems on the messenger (the media) is all too easy to dispel. It also exposes an underlying believe. Those who love grumbling about the media (convenient whipping boy for the Left) with their never ending refrain “If the media would stop reporting bad news, there would be only good results.” This is simply, simple minded. I am not talking about you specific individual on this forum, but rather the idea that it’s the messengers fault when things are going badly.
Here is why that notion falls flat on its face:
1. IF you/we really believe in the United States and its constitution (all of it), then the idea of a free media should not be so threatening to you right-wingers. After all, the founding fathers saw the need for such an institution. Why else would they have included it in the first amendment to the United States constitution?
2. Here is the big one. In recent memory, we have seen that withholding bad news from the people of a nation does not prevent an economic meltdown when there are real problems with a nation’s economy. What nation am I talking about? Well, non other than the Soviet Union.
Was it not true that the Soviet economy was laterally falling out from under them? Yes. Was it not their government’s national policy to keep its people in the dark about nearly everything, including its economy? Yes. Did that policy prevent the economy from collapsing from happening? No.
The collapse of the Soviet economy is the best and perfect example of why keeping people in the dark about the economic condition of a nation, simply does-not-work! Holding onto the idea that if the truth of things are not reported, then no one will notice, assumes that people are stupid. This assumes that people cannot see for themselves when things are not going well for the country.
Finally, right-wing follower types, who insist that the nation’s economic problems are due to an informed public, are by association, advocating that this nation (the United States of America) should adopt the policies of the Soviet Union? Do you really believe that policy has merit even after its total failure? So why should we even consider taking that path? Even more importantly, why would you right-wing follower types suggest it?
Lastly, could it be that some of you right-wing follower types actually believe in a form of government other than the one we have? Humm, Could it be that some of you right-wing follower types actually believe in totalitarian government, a government that prefers to keep people in the dark? Humm, I wonder!
This is the Unites States, which has a constitution that empowers its people. Unlike the Soviet Union, which handed down rulings that enslaved its people? We are not perfect, but which form of government would you prefer?
This nation’s founding fathers must be spinning in their graves.
Here is why that notion falls flat on its face:
1. IF you/we really believe in the United States and its constitution (all of it), then the idea of a free media should not be so threatening to you right-wingers. After all, the founding fathers saw the need for such an institution. Why else would they have included it in the first amendment to the United States constitution?
2. Here is the big one. In recent memory, we have seen that withholding bad news from the people of a nation does not prevent an economic meltdown when there are real problems with a nation’s economy. What nation am I talking about? Well, non other than the Soviet Union.
Was it not true that the Soviet economy was laterally falling out from under them? Yes. Was it not their government’s national policy to keep its people in the dark about nearly everything, including its economy? Yes. Did that policy prevent the economy from collapsing from happening? No.
The collapse of the Soviet economy is the best and perfect example of why keeping people in the dark about the economic condition of a nation, simply does-not-work! Holding onto the idea that if the truth of things are not reported, then no one will notice, assumes that people are stupid. This assumes that people cannot see for themselves when things are not going well for the country.
Finally, right-wing follower types, who insist that the nation’s economic problems are due to an informed public, are by association, advocating that this nation (the United States of America) should adopt the policies of the Soviet Union? Do you really believe that policy has merit even after its total failure? So why should we even consider taking that path? Even more importantly, why would you right-wing follower types suggest it?
Lastly, could it be that some of you right-wing follower types actually believe in a form of government other than the one we have? Humm, Could it be that some of you right-wing follower types actually believe in totalitarian government, a government that prefers to keep people in the dark? Humm, I wonder!
This is the Unites States, which has a constitution that empowers its people. Unlike the Soviet Union, which handed down rulings that enslaved its people? We are not perfect, but which form of government would you prefer?
This nation’s founding fathers must be spinning in their graves.