The problem with the identification of "fake news" is that people have become so partisan in their thinking that they see anything that favors the opposing partisan side as not true or 'fake news' so give it no consideration. It is kinda a propogandists dream. The left has come to assume that anything from the right is a lie and the right has come to assume that anything from the left is a lie... and alternately, anything they hear from their side is true.
Sure. You'll have no argument from me. I still think it's an improvement over what we had before. Which was being served comforting lies. At least this is glaring and obvious lies. I prefer the Wizard of Oz being visible, rather than hidden behind the curtain.
News today is not news, it is political propaganda from both sides. What each political faction labels as 'fake news' is the propaganda of the other faction (but they accept as 'god's truth the propaganda from their faction)....
This is so wrong, it makes one want to weep. Mr. Skeptical often impresses me as very intelligent; why has he fallen for the Tu Toque here? This misinformation only helps the Liars to continue to win.
In fact the effort the R's devote to Lying, or BS more generally, is roughly ONE HUNDRED (100) times in quantity than the D's effort.
(Charges of criminality against Trump et al clearly do not constitute BS or Lying If they are True.) At some point, the simple imbalance in the amount of BullShit is overwhelming and TuToque must be laughed at. What is that threshold? I don't know, but I should think that 100:1 is sufficiently large,
Do both R's and D's utter bullshit?
On a percent basis of time spent (Congressional hearing, campaign, op-eds — and ignoring banter on foreign affairs) here's how I see the R and D "thought" as presented,
R:
* 20 - exaggerating "issues" like Dr. Seuss
* 20 - misleading near lies
* 15 - egregious lies
* 15 - slanders
* 10 - non-egregious lies
* 15 - sniveling
* 5 - other, incl. policy
In other words, about 95% of R utterances are Lies or otherwise worthless.
D:
* 10 - exposing Trumpist crimes and sins
* 5 - refuting other R's daily lies
* 10 - proposals for better policing, and hopefully improving race relations
* 10 - proposals re: infrastructure, etc.
* 5 - proposals re: education, internet, etc.
* 15 - minimum wage, direct stimulus
* 10 - tax policy
* 15 - protection of voting rights
* 10 - an implicit debate about values
* 5 - protection from pandemic
* 5 - other healthcare
Yes, the D's spend 15% of their time revealing the lies, crimes, and sins of the R's, but these may serve a purpose. Or will Trump supporters still support their man if he's locked up in Sing Sing prison?
But most importantly, Rachel Maddow wields TRUE facts in her indictment of R's,
while counterparts like Fucker Carlson wield only LIES.
Is not the divide vast? The R's focus almost solely on propaganda, mistruths and lies, mostly to impugn their political opponents. The D's utter mostly true facts and opinions, want to focus on real issues like healthcare or minimum wage, but are forced to devote considerable effort to combating R malice, e.g. voter suppression.
What am I missing? I'll repeat my prior post, boldfacing the question I want to her Mr. Skeptical or Dr. Zoidberg answer.
My own ancestor was a newspaper publisher who self-described with "Give the people controversy. Have the courage to take sides on a question. Many people may then hate you but they always read what you have to say."
Do Fox Potatoes listen to what Rachel Maddow has to say?
It might behoove [to offer] examples of "fake news" uttered by Democrats.
In the U.S., fake news includes the notion that Hillary Clinton runs a child sex ring out of the basement of a popular Washington pizzeria. Several Americans didn't "get the joke," since one showed up firing an assault rifle in the pizzeria! BTW, I see where Tucker Carlson's lawyer is now using the same defense Alex Jones used! — Carlson can't be guilty of lying or slander because his shows are obviously just comedy!
... the Fox Potatoes smart enough to know they're being lied to draw the wrong conclusion: that "the mainstream media" is lying just as bad as Fox. With facts defunct for many Americans, all that's left are opinions. All too often, opinions are themselves "fake" — they come from carnival barkers and pimps taking advantage of echo chambers.
The idea that today's news "is an improvement over what we had before" is completely off-base, bewilderingly wrong.