Year: 2016

Fight Fake News with Media Education

Buck Banks

The emergence of ‘fake news’ is a searing hot topic these days, as you’ve probably heard — a new, truth-free media to go with our new, truth-free politics…And the problem with cracking down on social media sites is that it’s a little like the war on drugs. You can try to stamp out the supply of garbage news, but the Web is a vast place, and as long as someone can make money off misinformation, it will always find a crack through which to seep…The answer doesn’t lie in hectoring tech companies into policing content, but rather in teaching our kids how to consume it. … Here’s a radical thought: If President Trump is looking for a bold and useful education initiative that might serve the incidental purpose of redeeming what’s left of his soul, media literacy would be a pretty good place to start.

— Matt Bai

Petraeus Would Have to Notify His Probation Officer

Buck Banks

3

Number of days David Petraeus will have to notify his probation officer, if he is picked as the next Secretary of State, The Hill reports. From his court judgment after being sentenced to two years: “The defendant shall not leave the Western District of North Carolina without the permission of the Court or probation officer. Travel allowed for work as approved by U.S. probation office.”

Reverse Draining the Swamp?

Trish

President-elect Trump has said that he’s going to “drain the swamp” in Washington…but lately it’s gotten even more complicated: so far, Mr. Trump seems to be implementing a sort of “reverse-draining” technique. Perhaps he intends to overflow the swamp first, thereby draining it? This would be an incredible feat of politics, not to mention nature, physics, and logic.

— Recent newsletter from the On the Media radio show and podcast from WNYU. The comment comes as President-Elect Trump continues to pick Washington and Wall Street insiders and cronies to serve in his cabinet.

Donald’s Latest Palinesque Word Salad

Jon Ponder

The New York Times has posted the transcript from its reporters’ and editors’ sit-down with Donald last week. It reminds us again that the man is barely articulate, can’t formulate a sentence or keep a thought in his head.

The full transcript is here. Read it and weep for our country.

A brief peroration on birds and windmills follows:

[…]

Why Change Horses When You’re Drowning in Mid-Stream?

Buck Banks

Despite being out of power in the House for all but four of the last 22 years, the Democrats have not kicked out any of their leaders. While Speaker Jim Wright resigned in 1989 due to scandal, no other Democratic speaker or leader (either majority or minority) has been removed by the party or left early. After losing control in the House in 2010, Nancy Pelosi stayed atop the caucus as the Minority Leader. Her predecessor, Dick Gephardt, maintained his job despite continual failed elections. The same thing happened during Democratic losses of control in 1946 and 1952, with Sam Rayburn sliding from Speaker to Minority Leader.

— Joshua Spivak