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TIME: Don't Dismiss President Trump's Attacks on the Media as Mere Stupidity
Time Magazine ^ | 2/18/2017 | Bret Stephens

Posted on 02/21/2017 9:06:30 AM PST by T-Bird45

SNIP to the meat:

The President routinely describes reporting he dislikes as FAKE NEWS. The Administration calls the press “the opposition party,” ridicules news organizations it doesn’t like as business failures, and calls for journalists to be fired. Mr. Trump has called for rewriting libel laws in order to more easily sue the press.

This isn’t unprecedented in U.S. history, though you might have to go back to the Administration of John Adams to see something quite like it. And so far the rhetorical salvos haven’t been matched by legal or regulatory action. Maybe they never will be.

But the question of what Mr. Trump might yet do by political methods against the media matters a great deal less than what he is attempting to do by ideological and philosophical methods.

Ideologically, the president is trying to depose so-called mainstream media in favor of the media he likes — Breitbart News and the rest. Another way of making this point is to say that he’s trying to substitute news for propaganda, information for boosterism.

END SNIP

(Excerpt) Read more at time.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: fakeconservative; fakenews; lecture; nevertrump; pulitzer; pussyhatparty; trumpmedia; wsj
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This popped up on my Facebook feed from the libs in my group. After a search and not finding it on FR, I believe the group could benefit from a deconstruction exercise. Later down the article from my SNIP, the speaker/author gets into criticism of those who explain Trump so enjoy yourselves.
1 posted on 02/21/2017 9:06:30 AM PST by T-Bird45
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To: T-Bird45

No, dismiss them. Please.

...and elect Keith Ellison to run your party.


2 posted on 02/21/2017 9:08:42 AM PST by Eddie01
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To: T-Bird45

The entire menu that the Left has for labeling conservatives consists of “stupid” and “evil”. This article picks one from Column B.


3 posted on 02/21/2017 9:11:39 AM PST by rightwingcrazy
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To: T-Bird45

The last Time mag I saw was in the doctor’s office last summer. It was about 10 pages, had a cartoon of candidate Trump on the cover, and looked as though no one had opened it. Neither did I.


4 posted on 02/21/2017 9:11:51 AM PST by txrefugee
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To: Eddie01

Yes! I 100% consign my fellow FReeper’s wholehearted endorsement of Keith Ellison for DNC chair. He has all of the qualities necessary to lead the part in these challenging times.


5 posted on 02/21/2017 9:12:49 AM PST by jazminerose (Adorable Deplorable)
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To: txrefugee

Every Time mag I’ve ever seen in the Dr.’s office had the address label cut out - too embarrassed to let others know who’d paid for such, I suppose.


6 posted on 02/21/2017 9:14:39 AM PST by amorphous
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To: T-Bird45

Isn’t Trump’s IQ 150-something?

Interesting they are trying to pin the ‘Republican = stupid’ thing on him as well. Doesn’t quite work.

A few weeks ago it was Nazi. Last week it was chaotic. This week it’s been possibly mentally unstable or insane.

Now stupid.

Guess they’ll keep flinging the bull hoping some of the fake news will stick...


7 posted on 02/21/2017 9:16:17 AM PST by TigerClaws
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To: T-Bird45

(But he did)

8 posted on 02/21/2017 9:18:34 AM PST by simpson96
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To: T-Bird45

Never clicking on Time. Even for enemy research. Law of averages says 2 or 3 commies will eventually get a clue...it also says the rest of them will always be commies!


9 posted on 02/21/2017 9:18:54 AM PST by gr8eman (The guys who picked last season's loser are already excited about next season's loser.)
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To: T-Bird45

The author Bret Stephens is a NeverTrump Neocon priss who is a flack for open borders globalists and demands mass immigration Third World cheap labor for the donor class.

He insists on unlimited Islamic immigration into the USA, but on the other hand he believes Israel has the right to keep Muslims out of its country.

He has no roots in our country. He was born and raised in Mexico in a European Jewish family. IIRC the first time he came to the USA was when his family sent him here to an expensive boarding school.

For someone with no roots in our country, he has incredible chutzpah lecturing us on President Trump or on immigration or on anything else.


10 posted on 02/21/2017 9:19:31 AM PST by Meet the New Boss
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To: T-Bird45
I say this seriously -- there is some deep thinking going on over within the other side. They are strategizing and trying to find tools of persuasion to keep their good times rolling.

But the question of what Mr. Trump might yet do by political methods against the media matters a great deal less than what he is attempting to do by ideological and philosophical methods.

That's actually worded fairly cleverly:

Will Trump pursue "political methods against the media" -- will he outlaw the NYT? Arrest reporters? Impose special taxes on Liberal news outlets? No. No he will not. The writer of this stuff understands perfectly well that the First Amendment is in no danger from President Trump. So, they ask the rhetorical question "will he pursue political methods" and although they drop this dark and ominous hint, they do allow that it "matters less".

Then they switch to what must "matter more": President Trump is a politician who is pursuing -- *GASP* -- "ideological and philosophical methods".

They present this in a way which makes simple political persuasion seem like act of great evil. And the reporter warns us of this terrible danger in an effort at ... political persuasion.

11 posted on 02/21/2017 9:19:56 AM PST by ClearCase_guy (Abortion is what slavery was: immoral but not illegal. Not yet.)
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To: T-Bird45

Yesterday Rush touched on the subject of the press’ opinion that in our society, they are the only ones who can’t be criticized.

If the press is going to foment insurrection and demonstrate a refusal to accept a duly elected President, it has opened up the very concept of it’s legitimacy.

Yes, we need a free press, but what is more important, a free and responsible press.

An irresponsible free press can destroy just about anything.

Should the good citizens of our nation stand by and watch it destroy our republic?

No.


12 posted on 02/21/2017 9:21:35 AM PST by DoughtyOne (NeverTrump, a movement that was revealed to be a movement. Thank heaven we flushed!)
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To: T-Bird45

They make the very serious charge that the President doesn’t like news organizations that make things up.

And that he prefers those organizations that don’t make things up.

That kind of criminal thinking on the President’s part should cause every real criminal in America to thank their lucky stars that these idiots are focused on this level of drivel and not focused on real crime.


13 posted on 02/21/2017 9:22:29 AM PST by xzins (Retired US Army chaplain. Those who truly support our troops pray for their victory.)
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To: Eddie01

Calling out John Adams certainly lends credence to the tactic that Trump employs. And it is a tactic. This POTUS is embattled with entities who have effectively shaped public opinion and perceptions for two centuries. The Constitution does not address the responsibility that the press has to the public in reporting all the facts and not a host of opinions and manufactured lies/distortions for profit.

The press IS a for profit enterprise overstepping the freedoms it enjoys. Quite frightening really.


14 posted on 02/21/2017 9:23:21 AM PST by Clutch Martin (Hot sauce aside, every culture has its pancake, just as every culture has its noodle.)
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To: T-Bird45

Conveniently, TIME does not provide for comments on this article. To me, that is the sign of a weak “news” site. They can’t stand by the story enough to allow discourse on this opinion piece.

For example, the author gives the case of President Trump stating that 3 million illegals voted in the election. Then faults him for providing no proof. Yet for more than a full week prior to THAT story, the media was running the “Russians Hacked the Election” story 24/7. And guess what evidence they provided to back it up?

ZILCH.

Sorry, TIME, you are an epic fail and at the top of the heap of the basket of detestable media slime.


15 posted on 02/21/2017 9:23:43 AM PST by Zarro (Oh, we don't call them the "MSM" any longer; they are now the "Basket of Detestables")
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To: T-Bird45

don’t worry... we don’t.


16 posted on 02/21/2017 9:24:18 AM PST by Mr. K
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To: T-Bird45

The news is packed with democratic nepotism frenzies.


17 posted on 02/21/2017 9:25:17 AM PST by momincombatboots (Line up dems, Donald is going to save your district with a trillion nonexistent stimulus dollars.)
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To: T-Bird45

There’s nothing wrong with calling liars, liars. More pretending.


18 posted on 02/21/2017 9:26:19 AM PST by major-pelham
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To: T-Bird45

They still don’t get it.


19 posted on 02/21/2017 9:28:09 AM PST by 1Old Pro
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To: T-Bird45

Danny Pearl got decapitated so Trump is a jerk. Uh, okay.


20 posted on 02/21/2017 9:29:29 AM PST by Rebelrage ("To crush your enemies -- See them driven, and to hear the lamentation of their women")
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