Will divide in USA become worse; or what can help heal

[ML]

There is a lot of talk and hope that Joe can help heal the divide in USA.

I have my doubts about this, and they are not specific to Joe.

For me, one of the primary problems that split us is the total and complete lack of fair news reporting.

The news reporting is obscenely biased and leads to great frustration for those on the right, which probably is a leading cause for ill advised actions by those on the right.

Not an area of my expertise, but I am aware that one of the primary ways that experts use for conflict resolution (for instance in marital and business conflicts) is to insure that those on both sides have an avenue to have their viewpoints heard and discussed.

This avenue is completely missing in our country for those on the right since their viewpoints never get an unbiased airing in mass media or other outlets.

I will just throw out some ad hoc info here as examples:

1) News folks have self reported that 90-95% of them vote for Democrats.
2) College campuses regularly deny or cancel speeches by right wingers.
3) Social media sites actively suppressed right wing postings.

So what are methods that can (must) be used to address these issues and provide right wingers with the feeling that their viewpoints are being heard and dispensed to the masses in the same manner that left wingers are enjoying ?  Only when this happens, can the divide in our country begin to heal.

First, concrete steps must be taken to change the political leaning make up of mass media personnel.
Colleges are continually under pressure to insure racial diversity in their student body; so there should not be a big deal about insuring 'political thought' diversity in the make up of Schools of Journalism.

Similarly, business firms are continually under pressure to insure various types of diversity, so news media should be strictly held to 'political thought' diversity in the makeup of their employees at all levels.

Other thoughts ?

[Boethius]

I'll bite.  This is from an outsider's perspective, obviously.  Personally, I don't think there is one answer to this.  It's been a couple of years since I've been in the US.  However, I do have access to US media.  US talk radio is overwhelmingly right wing, and often, I would classify it as far right.  The Fox network is right wing.   FaceBook is not "left wing", as right wing conspirators can disseminate their views through FaceBook.  However, for people who read their news through social media links and/or feeds (including FaceBook), there definitely is a left wing bias, that's been proven by studies (done by a Democrat, who still believes it's dangerous and wrong).

As an outside observer, I don't think media reporting is the issue.  Media merely reflects what is occurring in the society.  I think you have to look at who voted for Trump.  Other than racists (I don't think anyone who is fair can deny that some of his voters are racist. For those that don't read well, note, I am not posting that everyone who supported, or supports Trump is a racist), his voter base was overwhelmingly white, and many are those in the middle class, or who were formerly in the middle class.  I think he tapped into a demographic that was largely taken for granted, and he did so with almost zero media support.  If you look at economic statistics, in many parts of the US, the middle class is being gutted by the loss of good paying, often unionized, manufacturing jobs, to overseas industries.  US tax policy also enabled many global companies to move their head offices offshore with no adverse consequences to them in the US.  Trump was correct on both these points.  His tax policies changed the latter, but not the former.  I don't think it was a matter of time before those jobs came back to the US though.  When a company can pay workers 1/10 of what an American worker is paid, they are not going to move production, unless there are huge tax incentives associated with moving production to the US (to make it relatively neutral to them, as to whether they produce goods in Vietnam or Kansas), or huge tax penalties, in the form of tariffs, in bringing those foreign produced goods back to the US for consumption.  It has to be painful for that company before they change their behaviour.

I do happen to agree that corporate America was against Trump (and that includes media conglomerates), because of his stated goals.  But, he didn't exactly help himself by surrounding himself with inexperienced or crazy sycophants, who probably didn't reflect his own views.  His tweets didn't help him either.  Nor did his failure to disavow those on the far right who exploited him for their own purposes.

So, how does this relate to the divide?  You need to have a country where all Americans are prospering, where there isn't such a financial divide between the rich and everyone else, and where middle class blue collar workers can make a living wage - enough to own a home, a car, and have enough money for one nice holiday annually.  It's not good for a country to have a huge disparity between rich and poor (don't get me wrong - I don't think there's anything wrong with being rich), and for blue collar workers to lose hope.  From an outsider's jaundiced view, that is where most of your divide is.  It's not in media reporting.  I believe a lot of this comes down to tax incentives for US owned or US controlled corporations being incentivized to produce, and remain situs in the US.  You need to do that for wealthy individuals as well, but perhaps with more of a stick than a carrot.  Spreading the wealth a little, mostly by providing good paying jobs, will quell social unrest.

This post was composed without the aid of google.

[BillyB]

So what are methods that can (must) be used to address these issues and provide right wingers with the feeling that their viewpoints are being heard and dispensed to the masses in the same manner that left wingers are enjoying ?  Only when this happens, can the divide in our country begin to heal.

Most people on the right do not want to become a journalist or teacher. I really don't care if journalists and teachers are all liberals as long as they do their job properly.


It's up to the left to hold their media outlets to higher standards by rejecting them. But for now, the left wing media outlets are getting away with fake news verified by fake evidence delivered by anonymous sources. They write some shocking anti Trump headline to get people to click their link which increases advertising revenue. Just like tabloids you read when standing in line at the checkout, the cover screams shocking news to get people to pick up the magazine and buy it.


I don't see this country healing as long as the media gets people worked up with hate. It's propaganda and it works on simple minds. The Democrats have also engaged in fake news to destroy Trump and they crazily want us to believe they can unify the country. If somebody relentlessly tried to destroy somebody you love, you're not going to easily embrace them unless they have proven to change their ways. It will take years for Republicans to even think about embracing Biden and his party.

I think you have to look at who voted for Trump.  Other than racists (I don't think anyone who is fair can deny that some of his voters are racist. For those that don't read well, note, I am not posting that everyone who supported, or supports Trump is a racist), his voter base was overwhelmingly white, and many are those in the middle class, or who were formerly in the middle class.  I think he tapped into a demographic that was largely taken for granted, and he did so with almost zero media support. 

There's racism on both sides but there's not enough racism in this country to hold people back. Asians make more money than any ethnic group. Regardless of media propaganda, Trump has increased his minority support this election compared to last and may have more support from the black community from any Republican president since Lincoln. People can see his actions are for the benefit of all and understand he isn't racist that would harm minorities as the media claimed. Go to the neo Nazi/White Nationalists forums and you'll see they aren't fans of Trump.


There's been a trend of black men cold cocking white men. If the skin color was reversed, there would be riots. 67 yo Canadian actor Rick Moranis was a recent victim of this. Luckily he didn't die.

[BC]

I think Obama said it best in a recent interview.

Very loosely paraphrasing, 'It is going to be tough to get people together as long as there are two sets of very different 'facts' out there'.

Person 1 - Biden won the election!

Person 2 - Biden could not have won the election because it is possible there was election fraud. Many have reported fraud!

Person 1 and 2 go at it like cats and dogs when they instead could simply agree to the fact that Biden won, the fact that election fraud is possible, the fact that some have reported such, and the fact that it has not been proven that whatever fraud there was, it would not alter the result of the election.

Here we a combination of several discourse fallacies with different folks believing different things, but not being able to agree on the facts at hand. Different news outlets will leverage this disparity and amplify it, gaining more 'believers' along the way. 

Crowd psychology has a lot to do with it as well.  We now live in a world of 'influencers' who are very adept at manipulating their crowd.

[Faux Pas]

I think Obama said it best in a recent interview.

Very loosely paraphrasing, 'It is going to be tough to get people together as long as there are two sets of very different 'facts' out there'.

Person 1 - Biden won the election!

Person 2 - Biden could not have won the election because it is possible there was election fraud. Many have reported fraud!

Person 1 and 2 go at it like cats and dogs when they instead could simply agree to the fact that Biden won, the fact that election fraud is possible, the fact that some have reported such, and the fact that it has not been proven that whatever fraud there was, it would not alter the result of the election.

Here we a combination of several discourse fallacies with different folks believing different things, but not being able to agree on the facts at hand. Different news outlets will leverage this disparity and amplify it, gaining more 'believers' along the way. 

Crowd psychology has a lot to do with it as well.  We now live in a world of 'influencers' who are very adept at manipulating their crowd.

No Obama doesn't state it best. He's got skin in the game. Obama and his team weaponized the intelligence community to cover for the Clinton corruption, his corruption and to hinder Trump's presidency and transition. They have yet to be prosecuted for those crimes. Should Biden lose and wide scale election fraud uncovered there's likely to be all kinds of cockroaches scurrying. However, it is good to see you are beginning to understand the "influencers". There is a reason the MSM, big tech and the globalists cabal are declaring Biden the winner and anxious to get Trump out. My question to you BC is, are half of the US population fooled or all of them?

[fathertime]

I think Obama said it best in a recent interview.

Very loosely paraphrasing, 'It is going to be tough to get people together as long as there are two sets of very different 'facts' out there'.

 

I'm going to have to agree with obozo on that one.   There are a bunch of gullible right wingers listening to talk radio as if it is spouting the truth.  It is ultra right wing entertainment, but many listeners take it seriously and then repeat the rubbish as if it is a 'hidden truth'. 

Fathertime! 

[BC]

No Obama doesn't state it best. He's got skin in the game.

And if I hadn't attributed what I wrote to Obama?  Would that make your response to my statement any different?

I dunno FP, you seem to have an awfully big chip on your shoulder.

[Faux Pas]

And if I hadn't attributed what I wrote to Obama?  Would that make your response to my statement any different?

I dunno FP, you seem to have an awfully big chip on your shoulder.

BC,

No my response to your statement is my response to your statement. It wouldn't have mattered to whom you attributed or claimed it yourself. You did seem to revel in the fact that the "exalted one" Obama made the statement so we should all bow in reverence to his wisdom. I merely pointed out Obama has skin in the game. Have you noticed Obama making the rounds to all of the MSM outlets? He needs Biden to win. Do you recall ever a former president do so, besides Obama of course?

I have a chip on my shoulder? Is that because I disagree with you or point out the inconvenient truths to the MSM you seem to cherish? I have no chip BC. I actually don't care what you think but I am gravely disappointed that much of the world and even Americans are marching lockstep with The New World Order without even a question as to why.  You didn't answer my question. Any particular reason why?

[BC]

FP,

I see that constructive discourse on the topic with you won't be possible, so I'll pass.

[fathertime]

No my response to your statement is my response to your statement. It wouldn't have mattered to whom you attributed or claimed it yourself. You did seem to revel in the fact that the "exalted one" Obama made the statement so we should all bow in reverence to his wisdom. I merely pointed out Obama has skin in the game. Have you noticed Obama making the rounds to all of the MSM outlets? He needs Biden to win. Do you recall ever a former president do so, besides Obama of course?

 

Trump broke every precedent and bad mouthed Obozo at every turn, so I don't blame him for getting out there and helping to torpedo trump.   I don't think he needs anything really, he isn't in legal jeopardy like Trump may now be.  Why groan about Obama breaking precedent when Trump broke so many?   

 I actually don't care what you think but I am gravely disappointed that much of the world and even Americans are marching lockstep with The New World Order without even a question as to why.   

This is where the loony discussion begins.  What is this 'new world order' exactly? 

Fathertime! 

[tfcrew]

I'm going to have to agree with obozo on that one.   There are a bunch of gullible right wingers listening to talk radio as if it is spouting the truth.  It is ultra right wing entertainment, but many listeners take it seriously and then repeat the rubbish as if it is a 'hidden truth'.

You didn't agree with Barry there...you just illustrated his point.

[tfcrew]

Written by someone who [suggests?] that certain voters just automatically inherited all their great wealth and didn't ever have to work for a living......

It is mostly old white males that are voting for trump...meanwhile practically all the brown skinned servants that mow your lawn, stock the shelves, unload the trucks, serve you food,etc etc...are predominately NOT voting for Trump.... and they are the members of society that should matter much more than the old guy sitting around making demands and getting pampered. 

http://www.russianwomendiscussion.com/index.php?topic=21102.msg439557#msg439557
Perhaps these same old white guys...because they are nearing the end of their life cycle anyway should just get brushed aside and give their place in line for the virus vaccine to the younger more deserving?