I was reading an article in "Time" magazine titled "The real fake news crisis" by Katy Steinmetz (it was published a few weeks ago), when I came across this short paragraph:
"If you've seen something before, your brain subconsciously uses that as an indication that it's true".
"This is a tendency that propagandists have been aware of forever. The difference is that it has never been easier to get eyeballs on the message, nor to get enemies of the message to help spread it."
I know it's been said countless times before, but by retweeting everything Trump posts (even if we're only correcting lies) we are just helping him spread his message. I know people have to respond to the many lies and that's understandable. However, we have to do it in an effective way instead of just helping the Donald with his twitter metrics.
Looking at my Twitter feed, I admit, some days I get tired of the constant scandals & investigations surrounding Trump. But if I take a look at this blog during 2017, I can see I was consumed with much of it. Constantly reading and posting my thoughts about the Trump administration's many scandals. This year, not so much. Therefore, I fear many people are just like me & they will just tune everything out & won't even vote. Which is dangerous, because the news keep uncovering important stories like the allegations of tax fraud & evasion by the Trump family (recently reported by the NYTimes):
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/10/02/us/politics/donald-trump-tax-schemes-fred-trump.html
By now, we all know that when there are damaging stories like the Trump-tax-schemes reported by the times, Trump prefers to dominate the news in other ways. & he knows his ridiculous tweets & campaign rally speeches will always be top news. Trump also knows many of his MAGA followers are in constant attack mode, attacking liberals, "SWJ's", immigrants, black athletes who protest during the anthem, etc. so he gives them what they want.
The left, on the other hand, appears divided. Establishment and grassroots candidates still fighting it out long after the primaries have ended. Fighting for ideological purity or who is a real progressive. Some are even referring to it as the fight between the center-left establishment, the left and the "dumb dumb left". But come November; will the left, the center-left establishment and the democratic base actually unite and go out to vote? I hope so, but it doesn't appear likely.
The accusations of sexual assault against Kavanaugh are the unknown factor of the midterm elections. The narrative of the MSM in order to help the senate confirm Kavanaugh is that it will cause a red wave if he's not. But in reality, nobody knows. & the lessons of 2016 can't be forgotten. Many MSM political analysts assured us Hillary would win and she lost (despite getting more votes, of course).
Thus, when I hear pundits talking about a democratic blue wave, I'm skeptical. It all depends on people actually going out and voting. & the democratic base is notorious for not voting in the midterms. A couple of weeks ago I watched part of a concert on MSNBC where the rapper "Cardi B" encouraged young people to go out and vote. Cardi B admitted she didn't vote in 2016 because she didn't think Trump would win. The question is: how many young people in the democratic base (who are busy with school & work) won't bother to vote because all they hear is talk of a massive Democratic blue wave? At the same time, you can never underestimate the ability of the political right and its older base to vote strategically: many on the right were willing to vote for Trump despite his moral failings & vulgarities because they wanted a right-wing Supreme Court Justice (or two, or three).
We are almost exactly one month away from the midterms. I am well aware because I am constantly watching the attack ads against AZ democratic senate candidate Kyrsten Sinema everytime I turn on the TV. And if anyone tells you they know what will happen a month from now, ignore them, go out and vote, & encourage everyone you know to do the same.
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