There was a time in this country when compromise was possible regardless of how far apart core ideologies were. I understand there has always been demonization in politics, but it used to be regulated to op eds and tabloids.
Now it seems this demonization masquerades itself as news on so called cable news networks. As cable TV subscriptions increased, it seems that the partisan gap has widened, and we are now at a point of immobility.
Even if you don't watch the news served by cable networks, you are left with the same reality TV on every other network. Networks that used to sprinkle in a little art or academia like The History Channel or Bravo are hard to tell apart from VH1 and the Reality Channel.
There seems to be a strong correlation with cable TV and partisan gridlock. There has been little middle ground since the rise of Cable TV. People are either picking a side and suiting up in partisan warfare, or they are watching Kardasians.
The minority of people that want practicality in government have little voice anymore. Any idea that is too nuanced to fit in a 2 minute segment doesn't get airplay.
I feel things won't change until we can unshackle ourselves from Verizon, Comcast etc and tune out the steady diet of hate, fear, and voyeurism they serve on 90% of their channels.
I have hope as people ditching their cable subscriptions has increased. Nielsen data has it pegged at about 14 million households without cable.
While hopeful, it's not enough. We need more folks to wake up to whats going on and stop cable companies from turning this nation into Mike Judge's Idiocracy. There are too many ways to get news and media entertainment to continue to subsidize this nations decline though cable TV.
Movies and TV shows are available and much more affordable to watch online. This Mohu Leaf review shows how you can get all your local channels and PBS with a simple antenna. As this guide to cable TV alternatives explains, a Roku and a Netflix subscription will give you more movies and TV than you could ever watch.
While this may cut into some of the media gatekeepers profits we will still be beholden to them for broadband. Hopefully that will soon change with the President coming out officially for considering ISPs as Common Carriers and the FCC wanting to make regulations technology agnostic. The situation ISPs currently have us in puts the U.S. far behind Latvia in broadband access.
We need to break apart internet access and cable TV. They shouldn't be purchased from the same company. Smaller broadband companies must be allowed to compete and break up the ISP monopoly we are currently trapped in. Those that control the flow of information will shape the future. Do we want that to be Comcast and Verizon?