The biggest obstacle to the Democratic Party is not the Republican Party but the media. Democratic party polling consistently shows that they represent American values much better than Republicans. Yet the vote has not reflected that in quite some time. In fact the Republicans have become the majority party by becoming less representative of the American voter. How does this happen? The Republicans understand the media and use it to win. The republicans did not win until they took control of the message and that meant taking control of the media.
Republicans do not win with their ideas but by manipulating the media. Call it the vast right wing conspiracy because that is exactly what it is. Talk Radio, a legion of conservative pundits, religious indoctrination, Fox news, Clear channel, Drudge Report, Bill O Reilly, conservative think tanks and a cowed corporately owned main street media. That is what we are up against.
The attacks should be aimed at the media. Attacking positions, individuals even the party has been disastrous. Our message is so undermined by the conservative cabal that we barely ever get heard above the Conservative Noise machine. Our positions are misrepresented or distorted on a constant basis.
Even venerable institutions like the Washington Post, NY Times have succumbed to the right wing onslaught. For every true fact reported there is a "balanced" lie to undermine it. If you look at it logically then you understand fair and balanced means is that truth must be counterbalanced with lies. If you don't believe that go to the Media Matters website.
Media Matters
They have exposed so many lies, deceptions that they are now constant targets of the right wing hit squads. Yet the Main Stream Media does not even acknowledge the site. Many times it has no problems letting lies go unanswered. Sometimes in the so called interest of being balanced it reports talking points.
Learn the Media Matters lesson. He who wins the frame wins the game. Truth is only as relevant when people believe it.
I understand a lot of you out there "get it". I write this because of my frustration. News cycles move too fast. Katrina, Libby, Miers, Alito were all devastating but they come and went too quickly. It is by design ! Cycle the bad news quickly and drag out the positive news.. We will continue losing until we understand that Republicans are not the enemy but the media is the enemy. This means focusing our attacks on the media until we destroy the right wing's stranglehold on them. That is our biggest challenge I hope you guys think so too.