Gain editorial control of mass media outlets: newspapers, cable networks, radio, etc. Once in control, do not make them mere purveyors of left propaganda designed to "balance" the right. Instead, progressive media must restore the practice of responsible journalism: "just the facts" combined with aggressive investigative reporting.
When Lewis Powell wrote his memo in
1971,
there was no internet. It has now become a major factor in the
political/media equation, especially so today as the traditional print
media
are in severe decline.
Progressives have adopted this new medium with enthusiasm, and in some
cases
with noteworthy success. A few websites, such as Daily Kos, Talking
Points Memo, Truthdig, Salon, Alternet and The Huffington Post,
staffed by savvy professionals, appear to be thriving (although, I
could
personally well do without the HuffPosts's clutter of celebrity
gossip).
Most progressive websites, however, carry on solely due to the
dedicated
toil of their meagerly compensated webmeisters and its uncompensated
contributors. They deserve better. In general, the internet is
undeveloped
and underutilized resource that the progressive establishment (such as
it
is) will continue to neglect at its peril.
Also neglected is the advice of the liberal "brain trust" of social
psychologists, cognitive scientists, and public relations gurus the
left
counterparts of Frank Luntz and Newt Gingrich. Brilliant scholars such
as
Drew Westen, George Lakoff, Geoffrey Nunberg, write insightful books
and
papers, which are largely ignored by the Democratic Party
establishment,
which appears to prefer the counsel of such losers as Bob (Zero for
Eight)
Shrum and James (Mr. Matalin) Carvill.
However, adequate financial resources are available to fund a
progressive
response to the right-wing propaganda machine. The progressives have
their
fat-cats too: George Soros, Warren Buffet, Bill Gates, Sr. (And who
knows,
maybe Junior as well). In addition, the "Hollywood liberals" such as
Spielberg, Cameron, Beatty, and Streisand, so much derided by
regressives,
have both deep pockets, in addition to their talents and public
celebrity.
Still other wealthy individuals and institutions may have to be
persuaded to
help fund the progressive media counter-revolution. However, that may
not be difficult once it is made clear that "The Democratic Mainstream"
is
today somewhat to the right of what used to be called "Moderate
Republicanism," that the success of the U.S. economy depends on a
productive
manufacturing base, an educated work force and a robust physical
infrastructure, and that the present economy, as celebrated and
promoted by
The American Enterprise Institute, et al, is leading the country
in a
direction that no informed citizen, whatever his income status, would
want
to follow.
The scope and power of regressive propaganda now at work is enormous
and
profoundly discouraging to those who would oppose it. But, in the final
analysis, the progressives have a formidable and invincible ally:
reality. Facts, as John Adams observed, "are stubborn things."
And the scientists will continue to discover and validate stubborn
facts,
regardless of what the right would prefer them to disclose regarding
evolution, global climate, or whatever. In addition, the majority of
Americans are facing each day the brutal reality of regressive economic
policies as they lose their jobs, their homes, adequate health care,
and the
prospect of sending their children to college and on to rewarding
careers.
No amount of high-volume propaganda and media dominance can obscure
these
hard facts.
Even so, this much remains compellingly clear: unless and until the
progressive left develops an effective media voice, there can be no
restoration of American democracy, no return to political sanity, and
no
establishment of economic justice.
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