Thread by @MarkJacob16

It’s increasingly obvious that much of the political press is shallow. They demand new storylines. They’re distracted by bright, shiny objects. Believe it or not, they’re bored with the fact that an unhinged fascist is poised to end American democracy. 1/9 🧵

The media’s mentality is dangerous. In past years, they’ve noted how unhinged and dangerous Trump is. Not loudly enough, but fairly often. So now when he says and does unhinged and dangerous things, they think it’s not really news anymore. At least not big news. 2/9

Part of the problem is the common definition of news. One Webster definition is “previously unknown information.” Trump called for the jailing of his 2016 rival, so when he advocates the jailing or even execution of enemies, that’s just “Trump being Trump.” Old news. 3/9

I have a different definition of news: It’s information that helps people improve their lives and that warns people of dangers. Trump and his anti-democracy party are a huge threat to our nation’s future. It’s not old news. It’s big news. The biggest. 4/9

If only the media covered Trump like they cover hurricanes. When hurricanes approach, news outlets do their duty and loudly warn people. They don’t think, “We told them about hurricanes last year. This is just ‘hurricanes being hurricanes.’” 5/9

The media’s thirst for new storylines helps explain the feeding frenzy on Biden. Conflict is the essence of storytelling. On the GOP side, it’s lockstep cultism. No conflict. On the Democratic side, a wide-open debate. Conflict. Which is why the media are all over Biden. 6/9

MAGA propagandists know the media need content. That’s why they invent new lies to control the narrative. A vigorous media would create its own pro-democracy agenda. But the right knows its lies will be instant headlines and the fact checks will come later, or never. 7/9

The news media are looking at one of the biggest stories in our nation’s history – an attempt to replace democracy with a dictatorship – and are largely missing it. And missing it not because it’s secret. They’re missing it because they’re too shallow to cover it properly. 8/9

We’re foolish if we wait for the media to save us. We must save ourselves. Talk to your family and friends. Tell them about Project 2025 and the fact that Trump uses Nazi rhetoric like “vermin” and “poisoning the blood of our country.” Get serious, because the media won’t. 9/9

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