Friday, October 18, 2013
Oops -- Sorry
Our system of government was intended to thwart the rise of tyranny.
One aspect of the checks and balances was given to the press. The fourth estate.
They were given a great deal of power to be watchdogs. It was presumed that no party would be safe from them.
But what provision did our founders provide us to reign in a technologically advanced media that viewed itself as an integral part of the ruling class?
One that knows it is so aware and smart and clever that rules of decency need only be applied to common men with less smarts?
That they are the ones smart enough to know when the truth needs to be buried and when lying is a good thing?
Q: Founding fathers: did you anticipate that you had not given the common man a statutory way to remedy the growth of power in an entity outside of your government system?
A: Oops. Sorry.
Update: Oh -- oops -- thanks to Og for providing the jabs in "chat" that probed my mind to come up with the insight at this better-late-than-never date. As he notes, there are many connotations associated with the consequences of a what has been king-maker media and its allies. What I now call a Soviet-style media, or SSM (instead of MSM) whenever the opportunity arises and where it will not be misunderstood. The aim of writing SSM is to drive home the point and the dangers associated with Pravda and Izvestia.
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Self interest was the mechanism that was to be relied on for them to do their part. Sell papers based on satisfying consumers curiosity and sense of justice.
ReplyDeleteInstead their self-interest is satisfied by other means. as you demonstrate, unforeseen.
They did provide the 2A though I don't think they foresaw a government so overwhelmingly armed against the populace, either.
"...I don't think they foresaw a government so overwhelmingly armed against the populace...." Why is that? Let me first speak about their thinking and the things they left for us to hammer out.
DeleteWell, they were against standing (regular) armies; and there is the 3A. Howevert that was abridged so many times (espec., during the CW) that no body remembers it. And posse comitatus wasn't enacted until 1878, but it took political pressure to get it, that type of pressure that is possible, but so reluctant to be used by our GOP today that it is emblematic of their insincerity -- and reason #1 for the TEA party movement.
"They did provide the 2A...." and here they failed to adequately explain "well-REGULATED militia." I've seen it argued, but by no means cited in the arguments of the sponsors of the Bill of Rights, that well-regulated means the men of the militia would be equipped at the same level as would a regular in a standing army.
Whatever the intent, the reality leaves us this bottom line: The resultant inequality is why you went on to note how overwhelmingly armed are they compared to the common man.
There is a hystory of asymmetric warfare, but it requires will. Not a lof of people posess that.
ReplyDeleteIt has taken them over a century to get to this point in time where they will be able to collapse the system that was once the United States of America.
ReplyDeleteA slow and systematic infiltration of like minded socialists into the establishment which has now permeated into every nook and cranny that it could get its fingers into. Even Fox is left of center, self censors and filters the News to suit its owners.
Dark days ahead my friend. I hope you have a survival plan?
Dark days ahead my friend. You do have a survival plan don't you?
ReplyDeleteI like that SSM title and will steal it, if you don't mind, to use in future writings?
ReplyDeleteFeel free. From my experience, you will need spell it out and explain why you're using it until it catches on.
DeleteIf you use the search option above and you will see how often I have used SSM here. And if you click on the label Agency of Lies you will find ample examples where all media has behaved as Pravda and Izvestia reborn.