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 A Free Press Under Fire             #406

By Hank Silverberg  


Commentary

You have already heard the story. President Trump has kicked reporters from CNN, MSN and Politico out of the White House press room, calling them all "Fake News".

"Media outlets shouldn't be able to constantly write or report FICTION and LIES when they are covering the President of the United States, the Trump Administration or the United States of America," Trump posted on Truth Social. 

To Trump, anything he thinks is negative about him is a lie or fake. 

Last year Trump removed Reuters, the Associated Press and Bloomberg News from the permanent White House press pool and barred the AP from events where Trump speaks, all because they would not adopt his renaming of the Gulf of Mexico.  

It's all petty, of course.Those news organizations do not lie, nor are they fake news. Mr. Trump is being vindictive because he doesn't like negative stories about himself. He has also threatened the licenses of some broadcast stations for the same reasons. 

What much of the public isn't tuned into is the danger this presents to the very fabric of our society. 

A free press is vital to the existence of our free society, and the more it is eroded, assaulted or suppressed, the greater the danger to the average citizen.

The framers of the Bill of Rights knew that back in 1791 when the First Amendment was added to the U.S. Constitution. 

Now, I have to caution here. I don't want to be accused of exaggerating by comparing Donald Trump to any nefarious dictator.    

But if you look at the history of the 20th Century, when mass media expanded and information could be broadcast around the world, the first thing an authoritarian ruler like Hitler, Stalin or Mao did, was suppress free speech and the free press.  

They, too, wanted to control the message so that the average person knew only the good stuff that the leader wanted them to know.

Trump has also tried this with history, attempting to change the narration at institutions like the Smithsonian museums to cleanse them of anything negative from the past. This too is a tactic common in authoritarian societies. 

But wait you say, there are still many other media outlets at the White House, so you will still get all the news. 

No, you won't. Some of those outlets remain there because they are Trump-friendly and simply won't report the negative side of things. 

And those which are not Trump-friendly will be intimidated by the threat of removal, so that they may water down their negative coverage. 

Some Republicans are suggesting this move is no different than the President being banned from Twitter and Facebook. But it is very different. Twitter, now X, and Facebook are owned by private companies who have the right to control what does and does not go out on their sites. 

The White House is public property. The government, in this case the Trump Administration, can not censor what is reported by news organizations from there. That is a clear violation of the First Amendment. It may not be clear to the public what the difference between social media and an independent press is, but there is a big difference.  

A free press is a watchdog. It is here to raise the alarm when the government--on any level--is not functioning for the good of all. The free press is here to watch and expose any corporations or organizations which don't follow the rules and  endangers or rips off the public. (That can, and sometimes does, include social media.)  

It is likely Trump's ban will be challenged in the court system, but that will take time. Meanwhile, you are going to find it harder to get real facts on any presidential action, large or small. 

A strong, independent, free press is vital to our Republic. The President's actions are a direct threat to us all. I am NOT exaggerating.

 https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/trump-expels-cnn-ms-now-and-politico-from-white-house-in-fit-of-rage-with-more-to-come/ar-AA2cwne7


News You May Have Missed 

What Are Voters Thinking? 

Early voting has begun across the country as the midterm elections loom. Many people will cast their votes long before November 3rd.  

President Trump is not on the ballot. But his policies and the party that backs him, the GOP, are.

 So a new poll out this   week is very   illuminating. 

The poll, conducted by NBC News, shows the President's approval rating down to 41% among registered voters.  That 41% is a second term low for the President. 

*55% of the voters said Trump's policies have hurt the economy.

*49% of those polled have a negative view of the GOP, and Democrats lead Republicans 50% to 45% on who should lead Congress. 

The poll, which was taken between September 11 and 15, also found six in ten voters said the war with Iran has not been worth it. There was a margin of error of plus or minus three points.  


Arch Project Droning On!

The proposed triumphal arch that President Trump wants to build near Arlington National Cemetery is already controversial because of its proposed location and height.  

Now come reports that it could be easily converted into a military complex storing rapid deployment drones, ammunition and snipers. 

That would expand the purpose of the Arch, which has previously been touted as a monumental gateway to the cemetery. 

It also raises all kinds of questions about security, public access and approval to store weapons near the Lincoln Memorial, one of the most sensitive ceremonial sites in D.C.  

All this comes from the President's Truth Social Posts. The Pentagon had no comment.   


Dumbest Quote Of The Week!

This week's dumb quote goes to the performer Macklemore for his totally out of context comment  about the war in Gaza which got him kicked off the tour he was supposed to do with Ed Sheeran. Here's is what Macklemore said during one performance:  

"The truth is, a big part of the reason why I wanted to do this tour in the first place is so I can stand up in stadiums like this and say two words that are very near and dear to my heart: Free Palestine,"

The comments appear to be anti-Israel in substance. The trouble with the words "Free Palestine" is that Hamas, a terrorist organization,  is the oppressor in Palestine and it's likely the million dollars in aide he is now offering will end up in their hands, and never get to the people who are suffering. 

(Your comments and suggestions are welcome)


My recent book "The Campaign" can be purchased at the links below. Or you can buy a copy by emailing me at:  HankSilverberg@gmail.com for instructions on how to get a copy at a reduced price and with my signature)                       

 


https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-campaign-hank-silverberg/1126429796


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