In short: I fear we are. Why? Read on.
We must make an assertion to put this story in context. That assertion: the Mainstream Media (MSM) are “in the tank” to discredit and destroy Donald Trump, his Administration, his agenda, and his presidency. The MSM knowing the power of the press in America have learned that because of their large “microphone,” they have the ability to message Americans in large numbers at one time. Americans have largely learned through years to trust the MSM and to accept their reporting as factual. In 2016-17 we have seen a very obvious move to use that microphone to spread lies, half truths, and politically slanted stories in an all-out effort to reach their “anti-Trump” objective.
Candidate/President Trump began early on to call-out the MSM coining the term “Fake News,” which has stuck. Certainly not every story printed or broadcast on the Trump Administration is fake news. But many are. Sadly, the MSM in part have ignored any previously held journalistic integrity and have run rampant with every possible negative fake news Trump story available. We have sadly watched as their doing so has sent the trust factor of Americans for MSM plummeting, now at a level somewhere below that of Congress: percentage approval rating in the low teens. And the MSM don’t seem to care.
What is really disheartening is that now even some conservative news outlets seem to not be attacking the President on issues, but have stopped confronting those on the Left when they disseminate fake news stories as they formerly did. Last evening on one FOX TV show, I watched in 
horror as Leftist Radio Host Richard Fowler appeared with Trish Regan and another guest. They discussed pending Congressional legislation for 2018. Fowler maintained comprehensive immigration demands Congressional action in 2018. He touting the immigration success of Obama stated numerous times that Obama has a better immigration record from his last year in office than Trump has in his first year. Fowler said multiple times that Obama deported more people in 2016 than did Trump in 2017, proving the Obama immigration program was more successful than has been the Trump immigration program. Regan nor the conservative guest said one word in response to Fowler’s claim, which is patently false. A simple Google search shows that in fiscal year 2016, Obama deported 44,512 people. In fiscal year 2017 — the exact same months but one year later — Trump deported 61,094. (official ICE statistics easily verifiable) I immediately tweeted Trish Regan (see below) with the facts asking for an on-air clarification — which did not happen.
There is another fake news story that we are hearing daily from not just news media, but politicians conducting interviews, both broadcast and print. “Trump’s favorability ratings are at the lowest level of any President in U.S. history.” That is false. They all praise Obama’s favorability among Americans, using that “fact” in comparison to that of President Trump. Want the truth?
According to Rasmussen — one of the oldest and historically most reliable polling sources — in Obama’s first year, his approval ratings were 46 positive, 53 negative. (those were 2008 Rasmussen numbers) Just released by Rasmussen are President Trump’s first-year approval ratings: 45 positive, 53 negative — almost exactly the same.
Let’s put that in perspective: imagine what Obama’s ratings would have been in his first year if he had suffered through similar news coverage as has President Trump. Here’s the breakdown of positive vs. negative coverage of the last 4 Presidents:
Over the first 60 days period of President Obama’s presidency, Pew Research — a very unbiased non-partisan news organization — reported news coverage of Obama was 42% positive, 20% negative and 38% neither. During the corresponding 60-day period for Clinton’s presidency, news coverage was 27% positive, 28% negative and 44% neither. Bush 43’s was 22% positive, 28% negative, and 49% neither. Compare that with the first 60 days of news coverage of President Trump: 5% positive, 62% negative, and 33% neither. Just imagine what Clinton and Obama’s approval ratings would have been with similar balances of positive and negative news coverage as President Trump.
Where is “Fake News” headed?
Leftist pundits have made it abundantly clear that Democrats are scrambling to find ammunition to successfully take on President Trump and Republicans in the 2018 mid-term elections. They know without turning the House of Representatives or the Senate, the next two years of conservative legislation along with at least one more likely Supreme Court Justice are almost certain to result. It is just as clear that the DNC has NO real message for American voters, NO person to step up and lead their party, and very little if any party credibility in light of the almost daily news of Democrat corruption, cheating to steal the 2016 nomination from Bernie Sanders, and the total lack of Democrat leadership in the House and Senate.
So how do they message successfully to achieve all or part of their 2018 election goal? They do what they have always been brilliant at doing: they create a political narrative that in locked unison they hammer and hammer and hammer through the Democrat MSM (which they virtually control) that narrative that has very little association with facts, desperately working to convince Americans of the truth of their stories. What is the narrative? We’ve seen it front and center everywhere during this Holiday Season. It’s still Trump Campaign Russia collusion, GOP abandonment of healthcare for 30 million Americans, raising taxes on the American Middle Class, enriching the Wealthy in America by raising taxes on Middle Class Americans while giving the tax revenue generated to the Wealthy in tax cuts. None of this narrative is true.
The Truth has never been a requirement for Democrats. It has always been a wonder to me that Republicans refuse to go to school on the process Democrats use so successfully for messaging year-round. It first takes agreement on a plan among themselves. Secondly they mutually devise and implement a messaging plan that while differing in communication style NEVER differs in content. And they never quit.
Summary
Does the Leftist “Cartel” have sufficient resources and resolve to successfully carry out this planned attack to bring down the rogue Administration that now controls the White House? Don’t for a moment sell them short. To achieve their goal involves only leadership from the Left and a willing media to sell the plan to an unwitting American public. Don’t laugh — on many levels it is working. History proves similar plans have worked effectively. Substance is not always a necessary element for success. Selling a perceived substance IS necessary. And that is being accomplished by a 24/7 fake news Mainstream Media who sell the promise of a Leftist utopia created by elitists that have been in power for too long.
No, it’s not just Democrats — it is a ruling class that controls the seat of Western Democracy: Washington D.C. It is comprised of Democrats and Establishment Republicans and Independents who revel at the trough of power. They like it. And they’ll do anything to keep it — at the expense of any and all.
How can they perpetrate such a plan? How did Hitler do it in the 30’s and 40’s? By fooling members of the most intelligent populace on Earth at the time: Germans. Substance did not matter in Germany. A good story made to sound good by people that took control of every segment of German life almost without notice was all that was required.
You’ve certainly heard the story of a pot of boiling water and a frog. If you drop that frog in that pot of boiling water the frog will immediately jump out of the pot. But if the frog is put in water at room temperature, the frog feels comfortable and stays put. Even when the water is slowly boiled the frog will stay in the pot — until the water begins to boil. When the frog realizes it is in boiling water it is too late for escape, and the frog dies.
The American public is currently dealing with the pot and the water. It remains to be seen if those Americans who believe the Leftist stories being promoted by the MSM will recognize that the pot of water currently at room temperature is slowly heating up. Will Americans jump out of the pot or stay put and die?
At least there are voices of truth telling the REAL story. Hopefully the frogs will hear in time.
