Great job of sleuthing!
As to all the "sciency" stuff in the "media," so much seems to interlock behind the scenes with "how can we get more money out of the rubes?"
As politics invades more of this world, it seems more important to not rely on political stances, per se, as it is to rely on solid principles.
After all, the corrupt rely on corruption as the Left rely on their ideology. And both despise principled conservatives.