I read a lot of news, more than most. I get it through physical newspapers but also online. Where I don’t get it is either Fox News or MSNBC, both of which I find irritating because of their bias and shallow exploration of topics. This week, however, I checked out their websites to see if anything has changed. MSNBC had no less than five stories about Trump, along with a story about how Biden is doing better than you think. Fox News’ main story was about Hunter Biden, with other stories about a failed coin toss, some incidents at an airport and some click bait about Pat Sajak getting mad at a contestant.
I think we are in for it this year. I think of Fox and MSNBC as essentially the same thing, just opposite, because they look at the same thing and describe it with a completely different view. We’ve already seen the coverage of Trump ramp up, and you can tell both the liberal and conservative networks missed him. I expect we will be hearing a year’s worth of awful things about both Trump and Biden. Both networks will largely focus on how the world is falling apart and the election of either will mean the impending end of the United States as we know it.
Granted, there is an extreme polarization, but there have been times our nation has been split down the middle on our presidential choices. In fact, we’ve been pretty split since 1992 and there have been tranquil times since then, but also strife. But we’ve held it together. Before that, Reagan dominated the political landscape, and even Nixon did when he was elected in 1968. Before that, we were fairly split when Kennedy beat Nixon in 1960, but Eisenhower, Truman and Roosevelt were pretty dominant. McKinley’s victory in 1900 was fairly close. And, of course, there were big splits during reconstruction and the Civil War. Worthy of note is also Franklin Pierce’s dominance of the 1852 election that also coincided with the dissolution of the Whig party. Then the 1824 election of John Quincy Adams was decided by the House of Representatives because not one candidate won a majority. Andrew Jackson’s supporters, however, made Adams’ tenure a miserable one and eventually Old Hickory won it four years later. That, however, was when political parties were in their nascent stages at that level, with Jackson becoming the first Democrat.
So is a 50/50 split healthy or not? It certainly shows a lack of cohesiveness about the direction of the country, which certainly could be solved by not having those in charge pulling in just one direction. Say what you will about Gov. Gavin Newsom, but one thing he said during the wildfires of 2020 when he was touring damage was that he was the governor for all Californians, even those who voted for Trump, who he also connected well with on the then-president’s tours of the area. We need more of that. I get the feeling the Biden we would have gotten 10 years ago would be more like that, but instead we are seem to be seeing more of an administration rather than an individual.
Someone recently asked me if this is the most troubling time our country has seen, which tells you a bit about the overall mood. People are filled with loathing about the coming year, our choices and how we might just all lose our mind leading up to November and maybe even after it. But it’s also important to note that there have been other times our country has been split or even under severe duress. The War of 1812, when the Capitol and White House were burned; the Civil War and Reconstruction; every presidential assassination; the Great Depression; World War II, which we were never guaranteed to win; the assassinations of the Kennedys, MLK and Malcolm X, the Vietnam War and the Watergate scandal.
And yet, amid this, our system has gotten stronger and more resilient. So no, this isn’t our most troubling time, in fact, many of us are pretty comfortable in the context of history and one of our biggest troubles seems to be our increasing social isolation and opinion silos though we are exposed to more information than ever.
And what, you might ask, does this have to do with New Year’s resolutions? I ask us all for more. To read more, actual news stories from a variety of sources; to think more for ourselves; be open to new ideas and to not lose our collective minds in the coming information storm. I will be resolute, and I wish for you to be as well.
Jon Mays is the editor-in-chief of the Daily Journal. He can be reached at jon@smdailyjournal.com. Follow Jon on X @jonmays.
I watch both MSNBC and FOX regularly, in addition to reading several European newspapers. I find MSNBC both honest, factual and informative, while FOX tends to twist facts around, make up issues, and outright lie. The best part is Gutfeld’s joke and leg show, - somewhat entertaining, while they also present characters with somewhat weird ideas. Both Laura and Hannity exposed their dishonesty when they downplayed the Jan. 6 insurrection and have long since lost at least my respect the way they hang out President Biden, regardless of what good he does, while supporting Trump, no matter his lying, disgusting behavior, and all the damage he has caused.
FFIG - since the MSNBC network is always close to bankruptcy, there was no money to collect. Its dismal viewer contingency would never know the difference whether truth or lies they were subjected to. Only Jorg is a sustaining member.
Great response, Dirk. Seems the one sustaining member doesn’t know the difference between truth and lies, as Jorg’s cut/pasted comments continue to remind us.
Jon - I had hoped when cable television was introduced that we would be receiving more balanced news. You are correct in that FOX and MSNBC and others have hijacked this opportunity to provide the public with useful information. Most of it is now severely biased and boring. So-called News has become entertainment. Even ABC's David Muir, probably the best in his field, has succumbed to flirty, useless reporting during some of his daily 30 minutes, including teaser 30 second clips. I am privileged being able to watch foreign language news reporting via the Internet. By and large, they report in great detail on all that is relevant without silly fluff that seems to be a given in the USA. Our major newspaper are derelict and biased in their reporting content and must wonder how to retain the ever diminishing number of their readers. Fortunately we still have the Daily Journal and that makes up for a lot. Thank you again for your publication and we wish you a prosperous New Year.
Thanks to the DJ for Dec. 25's "Merry Christmas to all" editorial. There was no attribution, but I'm guessing it was penned by our favorite editor-in-chief.
I agree. It would be good for us to expand our news horizons. After reading your column, I checked the Fox News website. Yep... it featured articles critical of President Biden and Democratic Party policies. To be fair, I then checked MSNBC's site. They returned the favor with negative commentary about former President Trump and other Republicans. I'm no journalist, but many of stories on both sites should be classified as commentary not news.
I also agree that we can overcome our differences. We survived 2023, and we will survive 2024. Can we... all of us... do a better job in 2024? Yes.
I will take 2024 unseen over 1968... North Korea seizes the USS Pueblo, the Tet Offensive, failed military intervention moves an incumbent President to withdraw from the 1968 presidential race, Martin Luther King assassinated, Robert F. Kennedy assassinated, violence at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago plus numerous protests and riots on college campuses and in American cities. This is only a partial list. Things looked bad in 1968 and seemed to be getting worse. Now, some good things did happen that year... Fair Housing Act signed, first Special Olympics held, "60 Minutes" made its debut, Arthur Ashe won the US Open, and Apollo 8 circled the moon as a harbinger of what our Apollo 11 spacecraft would achieve seven months later. There's always hope.
Well said, Mr. Mays. I think many of us would agree with your conclusions. Unfortunately, there appears to be no cure for Trump Derangement Syndrome and because of that, along with fake news and lies from the mainstream media, losing their collective minds will continue, likely forever, because there are no indications that divisiveness is abating. Does anyone really think that will change? Sadly this is the new normal, as even the LTE’s in our little corner of the world show.
Jon, you might add Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft as well as Antiwar.com to your reading and viewing list. Although they tend more toward international topics, it's such a pleasure to listen to really bright and well spoken folks on most any topic. Also anything by Jeffrey Sachs is worthwhile. He shares your optimistic take on things with again, incisive and well documented information.
ps. glad I'm not the only one who commits typos even after proof reading, Ha ha
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(9) comments
Added to my New Year's resolutions - thanks, Jon - along with "Keep your head down and just do the work." Happy New Year's to all!
I watch both MSNBC and FOX regularly, in addition to reading several European newspapers. I find MSNBC both honest, factual and informative, while FOX tends to twist facts around, make up issues, and outright lie. The best part is Gutfeld’s joke and leg show, - somewhat entertaining, while they also present characters with somewhat weird ideas. Both Laura and Hannity exposed their dishonesty when they downplayed the Jan. 6 insurrection and have long since lost at least my respect the way they hang out President Biden, regardless of what good he does, while supporting Trump, no matter his lying, disgusting behavior, and all the damage he has caused.
...in addition, I don't remember MSNBC having to pay a $750M settlement for lying. Maybe I missed it.
FFIG - since the MSNBC network is always close to bankruptcy, there was no money to collect. Its dismal viewer contingency would never know the difference whether truth or lies they were subjected to. Only Jorg is a sustaining member.
Great response, Dirk. Seems the one sustaining member doesn’t know the difference between truth and lies, as Jorg’s cut/pasted comments continue to remind us.
Jon - I had hoped when cable television was introduced that we would be receiving more balanced news. You are correct in that FOX and MSNBC and others have hijacked this opportunity to provide the public with useful information. Most of it is now severely biased and boring. So-called News has become entertainment. Even ABC's David Muir, probably the best in his field, has succumbed to flirty, useless reporting during some of his daily 30 minutes, including teaser 30 second clips. I am privileged being able to watch foreign language news reporting via the Internet. By and large, they report in great detail on all that is relevant without silly fluff that seems to be a given in the USA. Our major newspaper are derelict and biased in their reporting content and must wonder how to retain the ever diminishing number of their readers. Fortunately we still have the Daily Journal and that makes up for a lot. Thank you again for your publication and we wish you a prosperous New Year.
Hello, Jon... Happy Fifth Day of Christmas to ya!
Thanks to the DJ for Dec. 25's "Merry Christmas to all" editorial. There was no attribution, but I'm guessing it was penned by our favorite editor-in-chief.
I agree. It would be good for us to expand our news horizons. After reading your column, I checked the Fox News website. Yep... it featured articles critical of President Biden and Democratic Party policies. To be fair, I then checked MSNBC's site. They returned the favor with negative commentary about former President Trump and other Republicans. I'm no journalist, but many of stories on both sites should be classified as commentary not news.
I also agree that we can overcome our differences. We survived 2023, and we will survive 2024. Can we... all of us... do a better job in 2024? Yes.
I will take 2024 unseen over 1968... North Korea seizes the USS Pueblo, the Tet Offensive, failed military intervention moves an incumbent President to withdraw from the 1968 presidential race, Martin Luther King assassinated, Robert F. Kennedy assassinated, violence at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago plus numerous protests and riots on college campuses and in American cities. This is only a partial list. Things looked bad in 1968 and seemed to be getting worse. Now, some good things did happen that year... Fair Housing Act signed, first Special Olympics held, "60 Minutes" made its debut, Arthur Ashe won the US Open, and Apollo 8 circled the moon as a harbinger of what our Apollo 11 spacecraft would achieve seven months later. There's always hope.
We survived 1968... we can thrive in 2024.
Well said, Mr. Mays. I think many of us would agree with your conclusions. Unfortunately, there appears to be no cure for Trump Derangement Syndrome and because of that, along with fake news and lies from the mainstream media, losing their collective minds will continue, likely forever, because there are no indications that divisiveness is abating. Does anyone really think that will change? Sadly this is the new normal, as even the LTE’s in our little corner of the world show.
Jon, you might add Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft as well as Antiwar.com to your reading and viewing list. Although they tend more toward international topics, it's such a pleasure to listen to really bright and well spoken folks on most any topic. Also anything by Jeffrey Sachs is worthwhile. He shares your optimistic take on things with again, incisive and well documented information.
ps. glad I'm not the only one who commits typos even after proof reading, Ha ha
Cheers for an interesting new year.
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