Posted on 08/25/2018 1:26:06 PM PDT by Behind the Blue Wall
As the war between #MAGA and the Deep State careens towards what appears to be at least a preliminary climax with the midterm elections, I've been reflecting a bit on what I consider to be a lack of understanding of some of those on "our side" of how much all of this turns on epistemology, i.e. "how do we know what we know".
I heard Rush comparing Trump's circumstance with Nixon's during Watergate, and pointing out that during Nixon's time, what we know now as the "mainstream media" had complete epistemological control; they controlled what was and what wasn't. Nixon had no way of fighting back once the mainstream media was trumpeting that they had him in the "cover up", and thus he resigned. But thinking back, his resignation actually short-circuited a process where his opponents would've had to legally (and politically) impeach and removed him from office based on the facts in evidence. But at that time, even a Republican President did not hesitate in accepting the verdict as rendered by the mainstream media.
Fast forward to today, the mainstream media celebrated this week as if they had finally gotten Trump just like they Nixon. But the media landscape has changed dramatically since the early 1970's, and they no longer have an epistemological monopoly. They continue to act as though they solely determine what is and what is not for everyone, but well over half the country doesn't trust them and is not buying it. DJT knows this better than anyone, and thus he's fully engaged in fighting back against them and their perception of things.
I wasn't really sentient during Watergate due to my age at the time, but it does make me wonder what would've happened had Nixon ignored the media and fought that battle in the courts and in Congress. But more importantly, this epistemological war highlights I think a stark dividing line between the GOPe and the #MAGA movement: the GOPe is "conservative" (in some cases, sometimes, but that's another discussion) but they accept the reality of the world as defined by the mainstream media. We are conservative too, but we reject reality as defined by the mainstream media, and instead look to a variety of other sources from talk radio to Fox News to internet sites like Free Republic to Trump's Twitter feet, etc., to come to our own understanding of reality.
But the epistemological nature of this battle does also dramatically raise the stakes; whoever wins not only gets to hold power politically, but in the process also gets to define reality for everyone. The mainstream media has pronounced DJT dead quite a few times now and each time that it turns out not to be the case, their ability to define reality is eroded. I thought that given their blatantly biased covered during the election, all in an attempt to gaslight the population into accepting the inevitability of Hillary's coronation, that we'd see some reckoning with reality, but because of "Russia, Russia, Russia" and "racist, racist, racist", that did not occure, and they really just doubled down.
As the stakes keep rising, this sense of two contested realities is only going to intensify, and based on current trends, I really don't see where it stops. But the lesson for conservatives and Republicans has to be that we cannot allow our actions to be determined by their reality, and any one on our side who does so, needs to be ignored. Fundamentally, anyone on our side who pays attention to the mainstream media for any other purpose other than to mock them has already conceded defeat, and thus is of no use to us whatsoever.
I do remember the events around Nixon - the hourly five minute news cycle was 100% Nixon “crimes” for months. I often wonder what else was going on in world - other than evening reports on Vietnam nothing else was happening.
The republicans tried to talk Nixon out of resigning, assuring him he had the votes in the Senate - but he was beaten and wanted no more of this. He had been driven out. What a shame!
Do not expect the same from Trump.
It wasn’t the media verdict that got Nixon to resign. It was Republican defections in congress.
So if pro-trump people want to make a difference, we’ll let our R congress critters and senators know that defection will guarantee they are never elected again.
Since Nixon was one of the most liberal Presidents in US history, his real crime was being a Republican. If he had been a Democrat, "Watergate" would not be a noun that is a manifestation in the English language.
I never liked Trump before November in the Year of Our Lord 2016. I have come to like and respect him since then and am proud to say these days that I voted for him (I could not, in good conscience, vote for a water moccasin).
It's more than that today. We can thank the conservative media that we have a chance these days. I sincerely hope Trump sees the importance of this fight. I like to think he does.
If this nation is to survive, Trump has to win.
They say in any fight the aggressor must vanquish to win, the defender need only survive. We are the defenders. These days we have to do more than survive. We have to vanquish.
Yes we have to vanquish our political enemy via humiliating defeat like the Emperor in Japan had, and they realize is time to give up, save face and go on. That victory for me is huge and I mean huge numbers added in the Senate. I think we could get 10 to 13, but from the rumblings I a have read the last couple of days what if it higher than that (NJ, PA, OH, maybe even MN, and MA yes MA might be in play and Laura Ingraham thinks CT might be as well, but that is a long shot. Does the power structure of the DNC then realize they are so broken they have to reinvent themselves to get the middle of the road blue collars back, or do they stay in the caves in the islands and never surrender like a handful of Japanese Soldiers did. Given their moonbattery as of late, the latter is not out the question, and their insanity will continue..
I remember how Chinese officials at the time were shocked over Nixon resigning over what was to them such a trivial matter, e.g., “His men broke into a political opponent’s office and stole some documents? Hell, we SHOOT people we don’t like, or throw them in prison!”
I would accept your quibbles as amendments. Yes, ultimately, the reason I’m conservative is that my personal experiences led me to that position. But in terms of my understanding of what’s happening in politics, government, etc., I have to rely on other sources of information for that.
I don’t think it is an epistemological war against Trump. Facts are accessible to both sides but the MSM chooses to ignore the facts. They accept that we can understand facts, but they willfully choose to believe in a narrative that is not substantiated by facts, e.g., Trump is a dictator, is Hitler, etc. I think they do it out of loyal and money/career (somebody gives them a pay check). And even if there are some die hards who do believe the narrative, despite the facts, then you have the question of insanity or blind faith and it is not a question of believing in this or that founded on facts, but a disorder.
I think epistemology is also the wrong word because it is used to reflect on the question how do we know that we know. I don’t think the left reflects on that question — if anything they don’t want to reflect because that raises the question of pushing a narrative instead of the facts. The left is not about truth; rather it is about power. Epistemology wants to understand the truth about knowledge. That just frightens the left away.
There will be only one Victor in this spiritual conflict and whichever side wins will control and determine the nature, future and "reality" of the country from here on out going forward.
Either we will live in a modern version of godless "1984" injustice, and unreality, with the uniparty politicians, globalists, "deep state", the alphabet DOJ organizations and the MSM fake news controlling everything; Or truth, justice and reality, along with a genuine return to a constitutional, nationalist government; one nation under Almighty God, where truth and impartial "justice for all" prevails and reigns supreme.
This spiritual battle where these two different spiritual, national destinies and "world views" for America are presently, openly warring against each other in full view for all who have eyes, and are willing to see, can see.
They are diametrically opposed to one another, as are God and Satan. There can and will be no compromise, and only one will be victorious.
So repent of your sins, pray, participate and vote; because the very survival and future of our nation, you, your entire family and future generations of Americans depends upon it.
And, if Almighty God, in His mercy chooses to pass over our multitude of sins against Him and be gracious, our nation will be preserved.
However, given the innumerable, number, measure, nature, and depth of our sin and the extent to which we, as a nation and individuals within it have willfully rejected God and His beloved, Son; our Lord, and the world's one and only Savior Jesus Christ; He may, in righteous judgment allow our nation to fall.
Our nation's fate ultimately rests with God and His will.
“As the stakes keep rising, this sense of two contested realities is only going to intensify, and based on current trends, I really don’t see where it stops.”
Although I support Trump and pray for electoral victories in 2018 and 2020, I believe victories will only postpone the inevitable: the changing of the USA into a socialist, 3rd world shithole. This course is inevitable because:
1) The US educational system is controlled by liberals/progressives and the system pumps out graduates that are largely progressives/liberals.
2) Despite the Internet, networks like CNN, NBC, etc., are “opinion leaders”, relied upon by much of the population, and are controlled by liberals/progressives who they aggressively suppress news that opposes their agenda and promotes lies to support their agenda, brainwashing the gullible population, who are largely “dumb downed” by the liberal educational system.
3) The court system in the USA is largely controlled by liberals who aggressively seek to influence public policy. There is no good way to get rid of most of them, and if there was, I feel conservatives lack the will to do so.
4) Liberals/progressives are disciplined and work together, conservatives far less so. This is evidenced by the conservatives allowing #1, 2 and 3 above to occur largely unopposed.
5) Demographic changes to the US will continue, with more and more cities controlled by Democrats, who will turn them and the entire nation into a third world shithole, dependent on the government to feed and house them.
6) The FBI, DOJ, NSA, and other Federal Agencies with police forces, that control the police state, are corrupt and in the hands of the progressives/liberals.
I hope I am wrong and that conservatives somehow can turn things around but I think it doubtful because the entire framework of power in the USA is controlled by liberals. Conservatives are “woke” too late.
The only way I can see anything changing is if there is some huge calamity such as a war with China, EMP disruption of the US electrical grid, the collapse of the US dollar, or something so large that it would nullify the police state controls over the population that are in place and allow conservatives to use their weapons in self defense to take back at least local control of their environment.
This is a contest between worldviews. The conservative worldview is based on reason and reality, while the leftard worldview is based on a disintegrated mode of thought, which rejects reason and reality. This is what allows them to favor such irrationalities as egalitarianism, redistributionism, government interventionism, etc. Any compromise between the principles of the good and evil moral principles is a victory for the evil.
The hands of millions of Trump supporters are beginning to angrily tighten on their nail-studded baby Harp seal clubs...
Part of the Blue Wall
I actually believe all the “troubles” surrounding our President Trump is subterfuge. The mass media is being paid by “one world government” money. You can name any of the organizations, they are pouring money into the media, extra money to the darlings of tv and the written media. Right now they are using every means to out collect Republican campaign funds so they will have more money to spread their hate for Hillary’s presidential loss. (Hillary has little to do in this fight) It is the democrats/communist fight for control The democrats are right in the fighting circle with the likes of Warren, Schumer, Maxine, Pussy Pelosi using their soap boxes, (tv cameras).They are using President Trump as the king pin. They are actually after the American public who put Candidate Trump into the Oval Office. They really don’t care about President Trump, they are after the voting population, you and me. They want us weakened with their 24/7 bladder der dash news. We cannot allow that to happen.
We must stay strong to our American Ideas and American Inovations. Always remember America was settled, for a reason.
November 6th is very important to America as we know it. Should we lose the house, senate and some governorships, we will be on the road to communism.
Point well taken, but I’m not sure that both sides have to understand the conflict as epistemological for it to actually be epistemological.
Amen.
Yes BBW, we’re lucky to have a ‘puter, we can read our news media blurbs, then trip into foreign news papers to see what they have to say. Then we stir it all together and make up our own minds. I like that.
Yes BBW, we’re lucky to have a ‘puter, we can read our news media blurbs, then trip into foreign news papers to see what they have to say. Then we stir it all together and make up our own minds. I like that.
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