CNN

“SIXTY MINUTES” Controversy Emblematic Of News Media Crisis!

Ronald 28 Comments

A free unlimited news media is essential for a democracy to survive, but the Donald Trump Presidency has been working full time to destroy freedom of the press.

Allowing CBS News to be “destroyed” by Paramount SkyDance owner David Ellison and his father Larry Ellison, in the name of “pleasing” Donald Trump and his aim of destroying the truth and the facts of history and current affairs, is a disaster, a tragedy of massive proportions. Their interference with the flagship show, SIXTY MINUTES, is a disgrace!

Scott Pelley, the highly regarded journalist who was the leading “star” of SIXTY MINUTES, denounced what is going on, and now has been fired, and the future of the landmark show, that has been part of the heritage of outstanding journalism, is in crisis after 58 years longevity since 1968.

If the Ellisons get their way, they will gain control of CNN as well, and further destroy honest, factual journalism.

Meanwhile, Jeff Bezos has undermined the Washington Post, with his machinations at that reputable newspaper, and the right wing tilt of its editorials.

And there have been controversies surrounding ABC News and the Los Angeles Times as well.

All this, as well as the manipulative, deceitful, lie based Fox News Channel and the New York Post, owned by Rupert Murdoch and his right wing empire.

So honest, accurate journalism is in a massive crisis.

Donald Trump, Promoter Of Military Force And Imperialism

Ronald 185 Comments

Donald Trump ran for the Presidency as a person against the use of military force, and perceived as an isolationist.

Certainly, he has shown evidence of not caring about international aliances, including NATO but also Asian alliances.

He has shown doubts about backing Ukraine in its war with Russia.

There are strong doubts about his willingness to defend Taiwan against China, if war broke out.

But at the same time, as CNN has reported, he has managed to threaten 15 countries, and to bomb 7 of those nations, making him an aggressor against one of 13 countries, one of 11 people, 5 countries in the Middle East, 4 continents (North America, South America, Asia, Africa), and 5 targets for American imperialism (Canada, Cuba, Greenland, Panama for its Canal, and Venezeula).

Trump has already bombed the following nations: Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Somalia, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen, and his government has unleashed strikes on alleged drug trafficking boats in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean, killing more than 200 people in about 60 incidents, without any proof of such activities.

Trump has also threatened attacks on seven nations in this term—Canada, Colombia, Cuba, Greenland, Mexico, Panama for its Canal, and Oman (Middle East nation).

Trump has utilized loose rhetoric, demonstrating how unstable and dangerous he is, and no one willing to step in, as in Trump’s first term, to tame his moments of temper and reckless emotionalism.

So Trump has made America an international aggressor, ready and willing to compete with Russia and China, and ignore international diplomacy and rational behavior.

Every day he remains in the White House, ranting and raving crazily on Truth Social, the nation and the world are in dire danger that Trump might utilize nuclear weapons, a horrifying nightmare!

Attacks On First Amendment Escalating As Donald Trump Seeks Retribution

Ronald 13 Comments

The Donald Trump attacks on the First Amendment are escalating as retribution is sought against all critics.

Two weeks ago, the day that King Charles reminded America about checks and balances, and need for restriction of executive power, the Trump Administration proceeded to indict for the second time the former head of the FBI, James Comey, claiming wrongfully that Comey had threatened the life of President Trump.

Also, ABC was faced with a federal lawsuit due to the humor and comedy of Jimmy Kimmel, once before literally fired for his commentary on Donald Trump, but restored a week later.

The First Lady, Melania Trump, also condemned Jimmy Kimmel as promoting violence, pure hypocrisy, as it is her husband who is provoking terror and violence through his rhetoric and actions as President.

The growing threat against all in the federal and state governments across America are due to the provocative and divisive language and actions of the President, who cannot tolerate humor or criticism.

And the Trump Administration is pursuing legal action against news media, including even the conservative Wall Street Journal, owned by conservative Rupert Murdoch, as well as the NY Times, and undermining CNN which soon will likely be owned by David Ellison, of Paramount Skydance Media, which already has undermined CBS News since they gained control of that once great media institution.

Additionally, Jeff Bezos, owner of the Washington Post, has done great damage to that newspaper, turning it editorially into a right wing direction, while the regular news coverage is still considered reliable.

Media Monopoly A Threat That Needs To Be Stopped By State Attorneys Generals!

Ronald 5 Comments

For 30 years, America has been burdened by the biased, extremist right wing Rupert Murdoch control of Fox News Channel, the Wall Street Journal, and the New York Post.

But now, other multi billionaires Larry Ellison and his son David Ellison, are on the road to creation of an even more damaging extremist right wing monopoly of the media, under the title Paramount Skydance, and with Bari Weiss, the new executive at CBS News, a willing partner.

If they are not stopped by hoped for successful action in court of states’ Attorneys Generals, the following news organizations and other cable channels will be lost as stable, balanced sources of news and entertainment, as they would be part of a massive monopoly:

Cable News Network (CNN)
Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS)
CBS Entertainment
Comedy Central
Home Box Office (HB0)
MTV
Nickelodeon
Discovery Channel
TLC
Turner Classic Movies
Food Network
Cartoon Network

Sports entertainment would be also be part of this massive monopoly, including combining the National Football League, Major League Baseball, National Hockey League, and also Golf, Tennis, College Basketball, and Soccer under the same umbrella.

This not only will destroy two reputable news organizations, but also undermine movie theaters and the film industry, as the intention of the Ellisons is to put their emerging monopoly on films only online in the long term, leading to shutting down of movie theaters.

This would be a pro Trump media monopoly, and undermine competition in the entertainment industry on sports, on television news coverage, and in the film industry.

The thought of CBS and CNN being destroyed, with their long term legacy of a century and half century, respectively, is emotionally hard to imagine!

The Decline Of Honest Journalism: Washington Post, CBS, And Potential Threat To CNN!

Ronald 17 Comments

American Democracy is in dire danger, with the decline of honest journalism, and with major news sources compromised.

The Washington Post, owned by Amazon tech entreneur Jeff Bezos, has just cut one third of its staff, including such departments as sports, local news, international news, and previously moving opinion columns toward a right wing slant. This was the newspaper which exposed the Watergate Scandal under President Richard Nixon, and has won the second most Pulitzer Prizes in Journalism, only behind the New York Times.

CBS News has become a disaster under Bari Weiss, no longer a beacon of decent, honest journalism, and if Walter Cronkite and Edward R. Murrow were still alive, they would be in shock, as retired 94 year old Dan Rather, most assuredly, is now.

CNN is in danger of being taken over by the same Billionaire Larry Ellison family that now controls CBS News, and could lead to the destruction of the original, award winning cable news channel, created in 1980 by Ted Turner.

With the decline of so many reliable news sources, and Donald Trump interfering with freedom of the press, the future looks gloomy for upholding truth and facts, and maintaining the Constitution and the rule of law in the future!

Trump Lusting For Greenland A Threat To NATO And International Law And Stability, And Must Be Vigorously Opposed!

Ronald 48 Comments

Donald Trump, clearly imperialist oriented, as John Tyler, James K. Polk, and William McKinley were in the 19th century, is lusting for the United States to take over control of Greenland, which has been a territory controlled by Denmark for the past three centuries.

Greenland, primarily ice covered, and having only about 57,000 people, has been an area utilized for defense by both NATO and the United States, but now, Donald Trump is threatening military action if Denmark is unwilling to give up control of Greenland and allowing the purchase of that vast land of significant natural resources, including oil, gas, and rare earth minerals.

The thought that Trump would be reckless enough to destroy the NATO alliance is horrifying, and would only encourage further aggression by Vladimir Putin in Ukraine and neighboring nations that once were part of the Soviet Empire before 1989.

It would also encourage Chinese aggression against Taiwan, and also endanger Japan and South Korea.

The NATO alliance of 80 years would be eviscerated, and six major European nations—Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Poland—have issued a joint statement condemning any threat to Denmark and its Greenland territory.

However, Stephen Miller, a key Trump advisor, has made it clear that the Trump administration intends to gain control of Greenland, in a threatening and aggressive manner, in an interview on CNN with Jake Tapper.

America is faced with a leader who has become drunk with power and ego, and is ready to upend the international order, that was stabilized after World War II, and has promoted defensive alliances that have succeeded in avoiding another world war for 80 years.

Donald Trump is promoting an international crisis that is totally unnecessary, as Greenland has already had an American military base, and Denmark is not against further American presence, but they are not willing to have America have direct control by purchase, and are outraged, rightfully, by threats of military force, which would destroy NATO!

CBS And CNN Are On The Road To Destruction!

Ronald 6 Comments

CBS News and CNN, two landmark news organizations that inform Americans and the entire world of the reality of every day news that affects hundreds of millions of lives, are now in what could be the death knell of their years of dedicated, non biased coverage.

Donald Trump has worked to undermine both organizations, as part of his war on journalism and the truth and reality of his destruction of American democracy and the rule of law.

CBS News has been taken over by Bari Weiss, a totally unqualified executive, who is doing the bidding of her employer, Paramount Skydance, and its multi billionaire owner, Larry Ellison and his son David Ellison, both good friends and associates of Donald Trump.

Weiss has interfered this past week in the show SIXTY MINUTES, preventing the airing of a story on the abuse of Venezuelan immigrants at the El Salvador Terrorism Confinement Center known by the acronym CECOT, including mostly non criminal immigrants deported by the Department of Homeland Security under Secretary Kristi Noem. This has caused an uproar over interference that is unacceptable, to cover up truth and facts.

Paramount Skydance is in the process of attempting to gain control of Warner Brothers Discovery, which would mean future control of CNN, creating a massive monopoly that would undermine CNN, alongside the present manipulation going on at CBS News.

So if this horrendous acquisition is permitted by the federal government with the support of Donald Trump, the value of two prestigious news organizations will be destroyed, as they will become propaganda organs, rather than reputable news sources, as they have been for many decades!

Trump’s Continued Attack On News Media A Dire Threat To The First Amendment!

Ronald 11 Comments

Donald Trump has unleashed massive attacks against a free press, attacking the news media, in an attempt to control the news of what he is perpetrating daily, abuses of the Consitution and the rule of law!

He has worked to undermine cable media, wanting to see CNN sold to a “friendly” billionaire who would distort reality to flatter him.

He has worked to destroy the legacy of CBS, and its heroic figures of the past, including Edward R. Murrow, Walter Cronkite, and Dan Rather.

He has also undermined ABC News, and is constantly on the attack against NBC News and the newly organized MS NOW, formerly MSNBC.

But he has also succeeded in influencing the Washington Post, owmed by billionaire Jeff Bezos, turning the editorial policy toward right wing propaganda points, and leading to many long term and famed journalists at that newspaper being forced out or resigning and retiring on their own.

The New York Times is resisting and fighting Trump’s attempt to damage “the newspaper of record”, a battle that is essential.

Trump has gone on the attack against women journalists in a very misogynistic manner.

Local news media are also being influenced in a deleterious manner by Trump threats.

The battle for a free press cannot be lost, as doing so would make clear that American democracy is in danger of failing!

MS NOW New Name For Former MSNBC: Still Best Cable News Channel!

Ronald 5 Comments

The former cable news channel, MNSBC, in existence since 1996, now has been recast as MS NOW.

It still has the same shows, hosts, and contributors it has had in the recent past, after being recast in recent months.

It remains, by far, the best, most competent, and most accurate cable news channel, surpassing the original news channel, CNN, which has become far less reputable as time has passed.

And MS NOW is way beyond other cable news channels, most specifically Fox News Channel, which has become, ever more, a total disgrace in regards to accuracy, and has been more of a contributor to Trump Administration appointments of horrendous individuals who have no concern for the Bill of Rights, the Constitution, and the rule of law!

Even more disgraceful are NewsMax TV, and OANN (One America News Network), which make Fox News Channel look, comparatively, “respectable”, although it is not such.

NewsNation is a recent addition to cable news channels, perceived as “best” after MS NOW and CNN, and with such luminaries as Chris Cuomo, Elizabeth Vargas, and Leland Vittert.

Right Wing Fanatics Who Endanger America With Their Rhetoric!

Ronald 15 Comments

Freedom of speech is essential as part of the Bill of Rights, but that does not mean that anything uttered by right wing fanatics should be be given slack as free to exploit for profit without accountability.

We have those who have no issue with dividing America for their own profit, and some of them are beyond the pale.

They would include Tucker Carlson, formerly of CNN and later before leaving, at Fox News Channel, now a loose cannon, and becoming more extreme and reckless by the day.

It also includes Megyn Kelly, who acts totally different than a decade ago, before she was on NBC and then dismissed, and now has gone off the deep end in her rhetoric.

It also includes Nick Fuentes, an avowed antisemite, racist, nativist, and misogynist, who has no issue with appealing to single white men who are finding it difficult to adjust to difficult economic times, even though he is himself of Hispanic ancestry!

Fuentes was a major critic of Charlie Kirk before his assassination, thinking he was not extreme enough in his utterances and beliefs!

These are just three of a much larger group of Republican Right extremists, who present a dire threat to political stability for the American future, and unfortunately, have the ear of Republican leadership, including Donald Trump, JD Vance, and the Trump Cabinet Officers, who often embrace them!