It’s so frustrating to even see a need to refresh our memories from our high school civics classes that it almost feels trite. Yet, here we are, apparently very much in need of a not-so-gentle reminder of Thomas Jefferson’s comment about the press:
For the purposes of this post, I will substitute press as the generic word to encompass both the print and electronic media since Jefferson obviously did not foresee the influence of TV news..
For all its warts and shortcomings, were it not for the dogged pursuit of the truth by the press, the American people might never have learned about The Pentagon Papers, Watergate, Iran-Contra, Teapot Dome, The Whiskey Ring, McCarthyism, the bombing of Cambodia by Nixon and DOZENS of former and current POLITICAL SCANDALS.
So now we have an egomaniac for president who takes regular potshots at the press and while most elected officials at one time or another will butt heads with the media, Trump has taken the vitriol to a new level with quotes and actions like:
- “I would never kill them but I do hate them, and some of them are such lying, disgusting people.”
- In January 2017, right after taking office for the first time, he accused the press of being an “enemy of the American people.”
- Praised a physical attack on a reporter by Montana Rep. Greg Gianforte.
- Presided over a Department of Justice investigation in which years’ cache of email and phone records belonging to a New York Times reporter were seized in connection with a leak investigation.
- Threatened to strengthen libel laws to make it easier to sue organizations following the release of an unflattering book.
- Threatened to sue a journalist and publisher over a book that includes critical statements about him.
- Demanded the Washington Post fire a reporter over an inaccurate tweet about the crowd size at a Trump rally.
- Encouraged a lawsuit against ABC News over a retracted report, which Trump claimed caused the stock market to fall and investors to lose money.
- On the day that Russia imposed restrictions on foreign news outlets, tweeted: “CNN International is still a major source of (Fake) news, and they represent our Nation to the WORLD very poorly. The outside world does not see the truth from them!” He then promoted a contest between CNN and other outlets, apart from Fox, to see which has “the most dishonest, corrupt and/or distorted in its political coverage of your favorite President (me).”
- Said it is “frankly disturbing the way the press is able to write whatever they want to write” during a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
- Continues to threaten to revoke the broadcast licenses of media companies that offer negative coverage of him.
- Had the White House press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, call on ESPN to fire Jemele Hill for critical coverage of Trump.
- Tweeted mocking images of him body slamming a CNN reporter in a wrestling match and of his campaign running over a CNN reporter with a train.
- Oversaw a Justice Department policy review for subpoenaing media organizations in an effort to crack down on both whistleblowers and journalists.
- Pledged to a Polish leader hostile to press freedom that he would fight fake news.
- Attacked reporters during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
- Said that his mission to “drain the swamp” begins “with the fake news.”
- Reportedly asked then-FBI Director James Comey to arrest reporters who publish classified information.
- Renewed efforts to tighten libel laws in a discussion with his former chief of staff.
- Explored the prosecution of WikiLeaks after it published CIA and State Department materials.
- Accused the media of lying about his “very nice” conversation with the Australian prime minister but a leaked transcript of the call showed it was Trump who was lying.
- Urged someone to buy the New York Times to “run it correctly or let it fold.”
- Called members of the “Fake News & totally dishonest Media” crazed lunatics who have given up on the TRUTH!”
- Threatened to pull credentials of reporters for writing “negative” stories about him while admitting he considers negative media coverage to be “Fake”: “91% of the Network News about me is negative (Fake). Why do we work so hard in working with the media when it is corrupt? Take away credentials?”
- Asked for a federal investigation of “Saturday Night Live” after watching a rerun of an episode parodying him.
- Wondered why “the Networks get away with these total Republican hit jobs” without consequences.
- Attempted (unsuccessfully) to rescind the press credentials of CNN journalist Jim Acosta.
- Said that he is “entitled” to have “great” stories published about him in the New York Times.
- Praised Brazil’s authoritarian president for denouncing the “fake news.”
- Announced plans that he would boycott presidential debates held by “Fake News Networks.”
So, why am I dredging up old news? Because of this headline:
FCC chief threatens broadcasters as Trump criticizes coverage of Iran war
Trump on Sunday announced his support for his Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr who threatened (like Trump before him) to revoke broadcast licenses over what he (and Trump, of course) perceives as “negative” news coverage of the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran. In doing so, Trump accused media organizations of being “corrupt and highly unpatriotic.”
The really sad thing about all this is that both CBS and ABC have cratered under Trump’s threats to one of the main pillars of democracy.
The high priest of Mar-A-Lardo did not specify how reporting news as it actually occurs defines if one is unpatriotic but his words more or less echo the first inkling we at LouisianaVoice had of the willingness of certain officials to try to control the press. That was when a Louisiana legislator, Rep. Ray Garofalo Jr., in 2021 said LESSONS ABOUT SLAVERY should include “the good, the bad, the ugly.” At the time he wanted to teach all the “good” that came from slavery, Garofalo was serving as chairman of the House Education Committee.
Likewise, Texas Gov. GREG ABBOTT also spearheaded a drive in that state to direct state authorities to develop statewide “standards” against “pornography” in Texas public schools. The question that was left hanging was just who’s “standards” were going to be employed for enforcement?
Carr warned on Saturday he would deny or revoke licenses if broadcasters run what the agency deems “fake news.” He said, “Broadcasters that are running hoaxes and news distortions — also known as the fake news — have a chance now to correct course before their license renewals come up,” adding, “The law is clear. Broadcasters must operate in the public interest, and they will lose their licenses if they do not.”
Again, who decides what the “public interest” is? I’m really not comfortable leaving that decision in the hands of a power-mad despot.
Louisiana Voice 
If the FCC Chairman for any Democratic administration had said anything like what Carr has said every MAGA fascist on the planet would be screaming “Fascism!”, running amok and setting their hair on fire. But you can’t call them hypocrites because they’d have to have some self-awareness to be hypocrites and MAGA fascists suffer from a complete absence of self-awareness. They’re not hypocrites. They’re ignorant fascists who sold us all out so they could wallow in their prejudices with Trump and the “No! You are!” defense is the best they can come up with to rationalize their betrayal.
BS. Trump favors States Rights
Trump favors Trump. Period. End of story.
Like who does not favor their own self interests?
Trump the only President in my life time to not accept a salary! So unlike the corrupt filthy bitch inside traitor Nancy Pelosi.
Well now, Mosckerr, Pelosi is not nor has she ever been president, so you’re comparing apples and oranges. That aside, you make it sound as if ol’ Cankle Ankles is making a great sacrifice by not accepting a salary when the truth is he and his family have used the Oval Office to enrich themselves by literally billions of dollars by selling shoes, caps, crypto coins, and various other merch. And let’s not forget his classic grift of selling “autographed” Bibles (as if he authored the book himself) and those cheap cell phones for six-or-seven-times the actual purchase prices. But as usual, those of you with the true TDS always–ALWAYS–resort to “whataboutism” when confronted with facts. You can never respond intelligently to the real issues; it’s always deflect, deflect, deflect.
Bitch Pelosi should never have assumed it her responsibility to determine foreign policy! Her trip to Taiwan servers as proof. Obozo the clown and bitch Hillery and Pelosi all new the mental capabilities of Biden. They chose him to be the front man.
I am stating a cold fact – name a President who has never taken a salary in Office. You have an evil eye toward Trump … its called TDS.
The SAVE act Trump is desperate to pass strips states of their constitutionally delegated authority over federal elections. That’s not the policy of someone who believes in states rights. Trump has suffered a number of court losses trying to withhold funding from states to extort certain actions from them. Again, not an example of states rights. Trump believes he is an all-powerful unitary executive and is centralizing his power in Washington DC. He has said this over and over and over. Again, not a position taken by someone who believes in states rights. You are either a troll or too stupid to post a comment on this site.
Bunk. It requires voter identification which the DemoCRAP illegal aliens do not possess.
The complications of the so-called “voter identification” are many-fold, especially for women who may have recently married. But that aside, the arch-conservative Heritage Foundation did research on voter fraud and came up with a miniscule number of cases of non-citizens voting out of literally billions of votes cast. You may want to check this link out before spouting off about voter fraud:
https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/analysis-heritage-foundations-database-undermines-claims-recent-voter
So, it seems to me that the Repugnantcans are in dire need of a problem for their solution.
Bunk. Voter ID just that simple. Ya have to have a drivers license to drive you need a Voter ID proof of citizenship to vote. Just that simple.
Bunk. Voter ID just that simple. Ya have to have a drivers license to drive you need a Voter ID proof of citizenship to vote. Just that simple. Both Hillery and Pelosi and Adam Shit and Nadler have destroyed their good name reputations. Despite all the slander made by Fake Noise News like mad cow Maddow – Trump’s good name stands. Proof In ’24 elections Trump won the White House both houses of congress and dominates the SC! Whoooooop and I suspect he will sweep the ’26 Mid term elections and that’s the end of the DemoCRAP story.
Mosckerr, The SAVE act is NOT simple. Only five Canada bordering states issue an enhanced drivers license that is also proof of citizenship for the few people who request and pay for it. A passport is proof of citizenship, but it is expensive and most people don’t have one. Many people don’t have their own birth certificate and it is not proof of citizenship by itself because it doesn’t have a current photo. If women get married and start using their husband’s last name, some states record that change in their marriage records, but not all. The Louisiana legal code states that “marriage does not change the name of either party”, so how does a Louisiana married woman prove that she was born here when her drivers license name doesn’t match her birth certificate? And VP JD Vance has used four or five names so he would have to get the legal records of each name change to register to vote. Doesn’t seem at all simple to me.
Any federal law directing states on the requirements of conducting an election strips states of the constitutionally delegated authority to conduct their own elections. Definitely NOT a states rights position. But I’ve already addressed that.
Not accurate. Federal elections by definition involve all 50 states. DC not a State.
Where, in any of the comments from you or Tom or me, did anyone say Washington DC was a state? I know you have to get the last word in but if the last word is to keep changing the topic because you posted something stupid and have no response to being challenged on it then by all means help yourself. But I’ve made my point. Three times.
For you to even call it news anymore just shows your kool-aid drinking democommie TDS. The news is now a platform for left wing rhetoric period. They lie daily and no one watches them that much.
DO some honest research on how much the American people trust the news. You won’t because of your TDS. The news loses lawsuits because they are proven to be untruthful in what they say.
I enjoy your articles but even your are extremely biased 95% of the time. Why don’t you comment on both sides of the story for the American people??
TDS is your rule of law.
Please take the time to learn the difference between “commie,” socialist and fascist before you stick your foot in any further.
I only want to address one point. Fox News is overall the top rated news network across all media and it is definitely NOT a “platform for left wing rhetoric.” If you want to nitpick the broadcast networks have more viewers than cable but the rating is across ALL media. But more importantly the integrity or truthfulness of the news is not determined by how many people trust it or don’t trust it. Example? Tens of millions of Americans trust the 2020 election was stolen from Trump but it still never happened. A news source may be untrustworthy but even an untrustworthy news source can report something accurately. And a trustworthy news source can make mistakes. But the news still has value and finding trustworthy sources is on you. In the past, when integrity wasn’t important to people, it was easy because news media held itself to certain standards and violating those standards usually resulted in a permanent damage to one’s reputation. Network news was supported by the profits of the other programming. Newspapers made profit by selling ads. The National Enquirer made profit by selling headlines and nobody took the National Enquirer seriously or took seriously those who did. But then Rupert Murdoch proved that “news programming” could be just as profitable or even more so than any other content. And sensationalism – the National Enquirer, selling headlines, clickbait – became the norm. News for profit is untrustworthy in all its forms, even if it occasionally gets it right. Does that include most news sources today? It certainly includes all corporate media. But it isn’t politics that makes it so. Politics just determines the audience. Money makes “the news” untrustworthy because if we know anything at all it’s that there’s always someone – or lots of them – who will do or say anything for money without the slightest scruple whatsoever. If people don’t trust news sources they have reason. But if people are then willing to believe anything or nothing because of it that’s just lazy and it’s willful ignorance because trustworthy news sources are available to anyone who wants to seek them out. Tom is one of them. You may not like his editorial tone but you can’t challenge his facts. At least you never do.
That one sentence should read ” when integrity WAS important to people.”
So, what I’m hearing from you is if the news isn’t favorable to Trump, then it must be commie propaganda. Sorry dude, it doesn’t work that way. The news is news and you thinking otherwise doesn’t change that fact.
Many of us believe that the people suffering from TDS are the Trump followers who believe his lies and the supporting propaganda from the radical right media. Don’t forget that Fox News paid $787.5 million to Dominion Voting Systems because they knowingly lied so they could retain their brainwashed viewers.
I am posting another comment because I responded to both moskerr and Goose. I have said repeatedly and I want to emphasize again I welcome debate and opposing opinion – if you have something legitimate to say. But posting blatantly false and easily disproved statements or ranting about democommies is not a debate and is only legitimate in the sense that you are free to say it. The reason so few MAGA fascists post here and get slammed when they do is because there is no debate over the legitimacy of fascism nor is there any rational defense of Trump, his policies or the way he enforces them, the MAGA cowards in Congress, or the voters who sold out to the lies. The MAGA fascists can’t justify their thoughts and actions based on reason, logic, or any consistent adherence to principle, belief, or ideology but only through their demonization of the opposition. And if all you come here for is to talk shit then shit is what you’ll get in return. What you won’t get is taken seriously.
I never cease to be amazed at how we can look at the same piece of information and see it so differently. How is it that I see blatant lies, misinformation, abuse of power, and corruption from Trump, his family, and his administration, yet others only see that he does not take a salary – $400,000 a year, plus a $50,000 non-taxable expense allowance, a $100,000 travel account, and $19,000 for entertainment, (per internet), but has already spent approximately $70 to $110 on golf outings alone. Even if this amount it an exaggeration, depending on who you look at, it’s not any where close to that $19,000 he’s allowed for entertainment. Of course, that’s not counting all of his “entertainment expenses” when he takes in all the sports events.
I think Trump owes the people a lot of money. And that’s not to mention other money he has gotten. Where is that money immigrants are paying? Is it going into the national budget or his pocket? With the national debt rising hourly, it appears it’s not going toward that massive, unprecedented, debt, “unlike never seen before in the entire world.” Who is paying for all those lawsuits against any and everyone or every entity that dares speak against him???? Who is the president??????
The credit I give unabashedly to Trump is that I am studying my Bible more. For a while, the fact that “evangelicals,” Christians, church leaders, the SBC, seem to support Trump in spite of his violent rhetoric, hatred, divisiveness, discrimination, revenge, corruption, lying, pattern of adultery, involvement with Epstein, felony convictions, and mockery of God, etc., etc., etc., made me wonder it was me, if maybe I was missing something. I now firmly know that I am not. What Trump stands for is not what Jesus and Christianity mean to me.