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The Fox News Cult

Why We Join Cults

.. [the] five-point definition of a cult:

One: The leader is charismatic and authoritarian. Two: The structure of the group isolates people. The third thing is total ideology, like, ‘You only need me and no other belief system has any relevance whatsoever.’ The fourth thing is the process of brainwashing … [the fifth] is creating deployable followers who will do what you say regardless of their own survival interests.

Sounds like Fox News to me. Trump has replaced Fox as the "charismatic and authoritarian leader."

War

A secret national security meeting on Iran held unusually at the CIA HQ

CIA Director Gina Haskel, Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Joe Dunford, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and National Intelligence Director Dan Coats gathered at CIA Headquarters in Langley on Monday, April 29 for a secret security meeting on the Iranian situation. Revealing this, NBC TV notes that such meetings usually take place in the White House Situation Room. It is extremely rare for senior White House officials and cabinet members to forgather at CIA headquarters. All the participants not only refused to disclose the subject of the meeting, but even that it took place.

I guess they don't want to put up with Trump. Also, If Bolton had been there the meeting would have sort of a Super villain like gathering plotting their next crime.

What if the US is “Sowing Chaos” in Mideast & Iran is a Status Quo Power?




Stupid Media Questions

WHY IS PRESSURE MOUNTING BETWEEN THE U.S. AND IRAN?- ANALYSIS - Several reasons.

• Trump is a bully and has hired a lot of other bullys like Bolton and Pompeo who like to throw their weight around. 
• Obama worked to ease tensions so Trump has to do the opposite. 
• Netanyahu want is.
• The Sheldon Adelson money donated to Trump and the Rs. 

Is Jeremy Corbyn really anti-Semitic? - No. It's a stupid political attack that's used frequently in the US and UK.



The Economy

Trump Is Terrible for Rural America

Killing the Pax Americana



Media

A good discussion on media from Stumbling and Mumbling - ON MEDIA INFLUENCE

He notes that the "The press has always had a right-wing bias". Here in the US everyone believes the press has a left wing bias. Fox news screams it 24-7. Everyone I know believes it. Hell even some on the left believe it.

I think the reality is that the press and media in the US have a left-wing bias on most social issues but there is a true right wing bias in basic political-economic issues.

Our media, well except for Fox, favors the more liberal side of social issues like gay rights, racial equality, pro-choice, environmental issues, and more tolerant of other religions and beliefs.  In the US, that gets you branded as "The Left"

Still, you won't see US corporate capitalist media come out strongly in favor of anti-business issues like Medicare for All, support for labor unions or cooperative business structures. You won't see them stand up against US government support of a third-world strong man or against a US backed over-throw of any true socialist government.  That's true right wing stuff and all major US media outlets take this side.


Right wing bias on display - Liz Cheney edition



Media again

Lawyers, Guns, and Money nails US media - AND THEY’LL NEVER STOP HATING YOU ANYWAY

 “actually thinking Ben Shapiro is some kind of serious intellectual,” this article is more embarrassing than the time they dedicated a half-dozen reporters to examine Alan Dershowitz’s social standing at Martha’s Vineyard