By William A. Collins
Campaigns face
A lot of stress;
When ignored
By all the press.
You may have heard of Ron Paul. He’s a popular Republican candidate for president who just won the Values Voter Summit’s straw poll. He’s done well in other polling too, generally holding onto third place as the frontrunners come and go. And he raised an impressive $8 million in the third quarter of this year.
The Live Commentary
On the other hand, you may not have heard of Ron Paul. That’s because the mainstream corporate media mostly blacks him out. No matter how well he might perform in the polls or at fundraising, he’s largely a non-person in the press.
This media blackout is apparently not due to any bizarre social policy beliefs that separate him from the other GOP candidates. Like the rest of them, the Texas Republican supports legislation that would demean women, African Americans, Latinos, and the poor. He’d also like to slash new holes in our already frayed social safety net.
The problem seems to lie in his being a libertarian. This branch of the GOP generally opposes wars and big banks and questions the whole theory of the Drug War. So do millions of other Republicans. These, however, are not the Republicans who control the media.
The press makes big bucks from wars and banks and generates countless juicy crime articles from drug arrests, so it’s not likely to dote on a candidate like Paul, or give his views any ink or air time.
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Democrats face the same bias when it’s their turn. Remember in 2003 and 2004, when former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean looked like the Democratic Party’s frontrunner, having taken the press by surprise? Nasty media coverage ultimately sank his candidacy. Rep. Dennis Kucinich was ignored by the media right from the start during his 2004 and 2008 presidential bids. Treating the Ohio Democrat like a non-contender made it easier to forget about discussing those nasty wars, the need to prosecute unethical banks, or any other fundamental issues.
This same modus operandi applies to the coverage of public protests. Aside from the Occupy Wall Street movement, which recently began to grab headlines, the only ones deemed worthy of regular coverage are those that support low taxes, low spending, and other corporate dogma.
Of course the White House itself is no help in getting us information on public actions. In April, after the San Francisco Chronicle posted a video of a rally in support of alleged WikiLeaks source Bradley Manning outside an Obama fundraiser, the administration threatened the paper with banishment from the presidential press pool. The move conveyed a chilling “no protest coverage, please” message.
Such self-censorship dominates U.S. media today. Meanwhile, ironically, we are living at a moment of great democratic opportunity, bravely presented to us by WikiLeaks. Those caches of secret cables provide chapter and verse of American foreign policy treachery. In other lands one would expect them to stimulate great public unrest.
But in this country, the press either won’t touch them or treats the cables like toxic waste. Just as happens when candidates like Ron Paul, Howard Dean, and Dennis Kucinich run for president, our media supports the elite corporate status quo. No boat-rocking allowed. Bradley Manning and Julian Assange may well spend the rest of their lives in jail just for blowing that whistle, but don’t expect to hear much about that in the mainstream media.
William A. Collins is a former Connecticut State lawmaker and the former mayor of Norwalk. He founded Minuteman Media, which later became OtherWords, in 1998. Reach him by email here.
JIM.R says
The movie ” Broadcast Blues” a documentary about the corporate control of the media, will be shown free at Daytona state college bldg 150 Monday Oct 17 7 pm .
I have not seen the movie, but hopefully it will be non-partisan.
Jay says
I am choosing a candidate based on simple pragmatism.
Except for Ron Paul, every other GOP candidate has doubled-down on more air and land wars in Asia and Africa, they have endorsed TARP or other bail-outs, and their economic plans are simply nibbling at the edges (except for Cain, who wants to raise taxes on the poor and middle class). Please explain how any of that will be any different than Obama in November? Are those winning issues in 2012? Obama-lite will not win the general election.
No other candidate in the race motivates independents and young people like Ron Paul. No other Republican can capture so large a portion of the voters abandoned by pro-war, economy destroying Obama.
America will not settle for the Tweedle Dum, Tweedle Dee rotation this election year.
nader paul kucinich gravel mckinney baldwin ventura sheehan says
both corrupt political parties
.Criminal Controlled Media.
Mitch says
And crap like this just adds to the problem – what a bunch of disinfo this is. If you’re going to cover someone like Paul, take a minute and educate yourself on his actual positions before writing fallacious articles like this one. When you claim Paul “supports legislation that would demean women, African Americans, Latinos, and the poor. He’d also like to slash new holes in our already frayed social safety net,” you are lying. Paul believes in the Constitution, and that we are all individuals and should all be treated in the same way. Paul advocates an END to the war on drugs, a war that has disproportionately affected young black males more than any other group. This would be one major step in putting an end to the one area where racism is still institutionalized – in our justice system.
As for social security – you’re spreading a major lie. Actually, Paul has the only solution to the problem of the bankruptcy of social security. He has proposed savings hundreds of billions of dollars from our overseas militarism in order to bring that money back home, pay down the debt and take care of ALL who have grown dependent on government (seniors wouldn’t see any changes in their social security, nor would individuals close to retirement age). Further, Paul advocates allowing us young people to opt out, no longer being forced to subsidize the retirements of millions of elderly people. The system we have now is immoral, at best.
Layla says
I don’t think there is any ignoring going on…. I know his supporters are enthusiastic. However, Ron Paul will be 80 in four years. Personally, I am not interested in voting for a candidate of his age.
Marvin Cooley says
I think you’ve got something in your article of why Ron Paul is blacked out; however your comment “Like the rest of them, the Texas Republican supports legislation that would demean women, African Americans, Latinos, and the poor. He’d also like to slash new holes in our already frayed social safety net.”, is not true. Come back to earth and look a little closer at Ron Paul’s website.
Rob says
What does age have to do with anything? My grandpa is 92 and still able to jog. He even rides a motercycle and wants a Harley. It isn’t like the prez has to fight in combat or anything. Paul can keep up with the rest of them, and the hardest thing about being prez is campaigning, wouldnt you say? And Paul is doing great thus far. He is in good health and is even a doctor. It is sad that every other country besides America respects the older wiser people. America is the only country to say shut up old man you don’t know anything and cannot keep up, when infact they know more than you can comprehend.
Rob says
Also the pope is 84, and he has more duties than the president. He is in control of more wealth and more people and is also the most powerful man on earth. So age has nothing to do with it.
Bill says
I feel bad for Layla. No ignoring going on? What planet are you on? There is an excellent video of Jon Stewart doing a piece on it, and several mainstream media members have admitted it. Quite frankly, your age discrimination is distasteful and a sign you lack serious intelligence. Ron Paul is being heavily ignored and basically blacked out by the mainstream media because he is not bought for by a major special interest. Not the insurance companies, the media moguls, not the defense contractors, not the trial lawyers, unions, etc… He is supported by a wide variety of grassroots people, mostly young but growing, that support real liberty and a return to our Constitutional principles. This scares the elites that control all mainstream media and then some.
Pete says
Yeah, there is a media blackout. So what you vote for like the youngest guy or the “hot” president? Seriously, let the thread know because you might actually represent a demographic of voters in the hidden idiot belt in America.
Brian C says
Layla, I don’t care if a candidate is 176 years old, if I like his policies and deem him to be honest and a person of integrity, unlike the rest, I will vote for him. If your biggest concern is age, you need to reexamine your priorities, hun. I also look at who is VP pick for that ticket as well. By the way, this article sucks and is highly biased and dishonest.
Brad says
If misrepresenting him is all you can do… Then just go back to ignoring him.
Saying he “demeans” women or minorities is an absolute LOAD! This proves to me and anyone else who knows Ron Paul’s true politics that you haven’t the faintest idea what you’re talking about… Or worse, you DO know what you’re talking about and just lied for the hell of it.
I would not doubt either.
Tom Nicholsno says
I’m voting for Ron Paul, and you should too.
Seamus says
How does Ron Paul demean women and minorities? Isn’t is more demeaning to hold their hand through every step of life and then threaten people to hire them “or else?”
Alex says
Good to hear that Mayor Collins is well and have not changed his political point of views in the past 30 years..
Liana G says
Thank you Mitch!!!! My brain is too tired right now to provide a lengthy response, but my response would have been along similar lines. Ron Paul, Barnie Sanders 2012!
J williames says
I’m a republican of 25 years and I support ███ ████ for President in 2012.
give till it hurts on 10/19.
███ ████ Supporter says
███ ████ is the only candidate who can’t be bought. Just look at the donors for Mitt Romney at the top — bank, capital group, lawyer, capital group, bank, bank, lawyer — or Rick Perry — Energy group, energy group, energy group, energy group –. Rick Perry and Mitt Romney average over $700/donation, ███ ████ just under $80/donation. Do you think most of America can afford an $80 donation or a $700 one? Who is supporting ███ ████ and who is supporting these other talking-point puppets?
JD says
R[̲̅ə̲̅٨̲̅٥̲̅٦̲̅]ution is coming. ███ ████ represents an idea whose time has come. The lesser of evils is no longer good enough. The people are awakening to the reality of our situation. Dr. ████ has warned it was coming for a long time but as we know “Truth is Treason in the Empire of Lies.” My whole family will be voting for ███ ████ in the Texas Republican Primaries… and we are telling our friends.
Milo Fivers says
I’m donating as much as I can to ███ ████ on October 19
during the Black THIS Out money bomb. I want to help ███ ████
break through the media blackout.
palmcoaster says
Bernie Sanders for President!
We gave our President Obama de chance for change. He wasted his first term trying to convince the Republikans to approve his proposals to show bipartisan consensus, to no avail. Then in his second term the workers, the unemployed and underemployed plus opportunistic Tea Parties, voted against this President obviously because, the first two were pissed of the NO ACTION to resolve our pathetic economy and the third one’s took advantage of the discontent. Even now still, with the majority Democrat in Congress Obama was not able to even pass his jobs bill, due to Republikans boycott and how the majority Democrats voted? Some of these Demokrats are also just disguised fascist protecting the 1%.
I hope Bernie Sanders run for Commander in Chief and he will have my vote. Is the only one with real guts! I would not mind either to have him as Vice Prez, telling Obama how to do it! Just ram these bills like Bush did, when he sent our economy where it is now. After all Obama playing golf with Bohener didn’t work. K. A.. no longer works in the good old USA..
After the jobs bill, health care bill, war against the unions, public employees, racism against minorities specially Latinos and still lobbying for the benefit of billionaires and corporate greed, vote of these Republikans, “I will never vote Republikan again. “Just like Harry Reid said and sure he is right.
We made terrible mistakes voting for Reagan, after what was considered President Carter’s “weakness” and then we voted for Bush after a great Presidential 8 years of Clinton that gave us a federal budget surplus and plenty of jobs and we turned against him and his party, over his frivolous affairs. So guest what..? we are paying the big price now. Our country’s future and our well being does no allow for these gross mistakes any longer. Do the 99% want to be paupers working 70 hours a week with no medical or vacation benefits, coming out of college and finding no jobs having to pay for the first 10 years or more after graduation. these college loans while competing for jobs with the overseas graduated from free government colleges brought in on special visas, with all expenses paid, by these greedy corporations at 1/4 of the salary that would have to pay an American graduate, that spent over 100,000 in these greedy colleges “for profit?” Wake up America.
elaygee says
Ron Paul is a nut job who will never get on the ballot. He is inconsistent in his “love” for the US Consititution as he only champions the parts he likes and either ignores or calls for repealing the parts he doesn’t.
palmcoaster says
By the way, I am not donating a penny to any politician …just my vote. Reason..? I oppose buying government thru campaign donations and further more campaign contributions should be outlaw.
Jack Cowardin says
The sorry state of affairs that defines our political system is indicative of the real power and authority in the modern world. Of course it is the same as it has been for centuries, the power of money. While statistics inform us that we, in the US, are rapidly becoming economically polarized, the banter centers on little differences between the candidate’s ideologies and allegiances.
The reality of a de facto corporate oligarchy is squeezing the goodness out of mankind. Politicians are merely following the money. All are subjects of their benefactors. It’s a sorry process, the way we elect our leaders that are responsible for keeping civilization moving forward. Now the tech age is upon us and the next chapter is being sown. Praise Steve Jobs? Praise the workers who can make the IPhone for $8 working 12 hour days. Call Ron Paul an extremist? Call the industrial war machine extreme economics with an un-godly price tag. Say anything to get elected, then reap the harvest of elitism.
When will Mr. Smith come to Washington?
palmcoaster says
I have to correct my error above as I meant to say, that Majority Democrat in the Senate, not in Congress.
The President already lost the majority in Congress on the last elections.