- cross-posted to:
- politics@beehaw.org
- cross-posted to:
- politics@beehaw.org
The purchase of The Baltimore Sun is further proof that conservative billionaires understand the power of media control. Why don’t their liberal counterparts get it?
You have no doubt seen the incredibly depressing news about the incredibly depressing purchase of The Baltimore Sun by the incredibly depressing David Smith, chairman of Sinclair Broadcast Group, the right-wing media empire best known for gobbling up local television news operations and forcing local anchors to spout toxic Big Brother gibberish like this.
The Sun was once a great newspaper. I remember reading, once upon a time, that it had sprung more foreign correspondents into action across the planet than any American newspaper save The New York Times and The Washington Post. It had eight foreign bureaus at one point, all of which were shuttered by the Tribune Company by 2006. But the Sun’s real triumphs came in covering its gritty, organic city. And even well after its glory days, it still won Pulitzers—as recently as 2020, for taking down corrupt Mayor Catherine Pugh, who served a stretch in prison thanks to the paper.
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Why don’t their liberal counterparts get it?
Because they don’t exist. I do not believe it is possible to be truly progressive, have left leaning morals, and be a billionaire. The only way to aquire enough money to control the media narrative of a country the size of America is to be a massive piece of shit. Even the “good” billionaires got there by stepping on as many fingers as possible while they climbed the ladder. Our system inherently rewards people with bad morals, and then enables them to control the conversation for everyone else. Which they obviously use to further their shitty ideas
So Taylor Swift is a massive piece of shit?
I’d argue that, of course, she isn’t. But by the standards of the person you’re responding to, in order for her to be truly altruistic, she should, ideally, just give all her money away. Of course, she would keep enough for herself to live a modestly, comfortable life, and, of course, she has a constant income stream by which she would continue to earn large amounts of money… but, by keeping all of her money, she’s making a negative moral and ethical choice by not sharing all of that wealth with those who very much need it.
Does that make her a piece of shit necessarily? Again, I would say no (edit: this has to do with a complex calculus of circumstances specific to Miss Swift). But, following the moral ethical logic of the person to whom you responded, and many others, holding onto all of that wealth is neither moral nor ethical. 
Edit: please note that I am not necessarily making this argument, myself; I’m just trying to answer your question. Although, in my opinion, Taylor Swift is not a piece of shit.
Being a billionaire,regardless of how you became a billionaire, is unethical and immoral.
That’s a valid argument to make. The question, however, was “Is Taylor Swift a massive piece of shit?” IMO she is not.
She’s also not really a billionaire. She’s worth $1.1bil, but I highly doubt that’s tied up in physical investments and liquid assets. Her art is popular, and she’s in demand, but when her popularity inevitably fades one day, her net worth will also depreciate.
Um actually, they’re only worth that much on paper, it’s all assets that they can’t…
Shut the fuck up. She could rent Liechtenstein, she owns multiple airplanes, and her dog’s closet is bigger than my home. Stop bootlicking. Who gives a shit what her wealth looks like? She has more money than people are even capable of imagining, why does it matter?
Being rich ≠ being a billionaire. I don’t know why you’re butthurt over reality, but lying about the facts of the matter is just creating outrage where none reasonably exists. Want to get pissed off because she’s richer than most people? Fine. But don’t lie just to go off on a “billionaires are unethical” tirade and aim it at someone who isn’t one.
Observing the facts is not bootlicking. Sorry that makes you uncomfortable, but grow the fuck up.
Probably, yeah. Also, Trouble is her only good song and even that one’s better in the meme version with the goats.
I’ve also heard she has a bad reputation.
Aww you made me hope for the Joan Jett’s banger Bad Reputation rather than another boring Taylor Swift song 😮💨
Wow. Welcome to 2002. No shit.
There are no liberal counterparts. The billionaires are all capitalists. That’s all there is to it. Any other political theater they perform for you playing left and right is just theater.
Dems and Republicans are identical parties on economic policy (note I said economic, not all policies).
I don’t think they’re the same on economics, neoliberals push for advantages to entrenched entities and the status quo, while post-neoconservatives push for rapid moves and sabotaging existing systems
The combination of the two is crippling, and they have a lot in common (like cutting welfare programs and shaping the landscape to put up barriers of entry to reduce competition), but their styles are very different
An important thing to note - it’s not a single dichotomy, there’s 3-6 axises, minimum.
The worst crackdown in recent memory on welfare happened under Clinton and the neolibs. I think both of these groups have examples of doing the things you’ve listed.
I appreciate your insights but respectfully disagree as there are examples of your listed priorities across party lines.
The end part is right. The same billionaires and companies pay both sides campaign bills. Which is why they’re basically the same economically.
I mean, even economically they aren’t the same. Biden’s advancing a wealth tax, can you imagine Trump or McConnell doing that?
Biden is performing theater about doing that. When was the last time dems actually managed a significant wealth tax? LOL
It is pure theater. If anything like that ever got close to passing, and the paid actors Sinema snd Mansion weren’t enough, then they’d just pick another actor or two so the dems could pretend they really wanted to but no matter how much power they have its not possible to actually DO something.
The fact that it’s nearly impossible to get liberal policies past a Senate where representation is heavily skewed in favor of Republicans does not equate to a conspiracy that the tiny margins Democrats are still sometimes able to eek out are then intentionally sabotaged. That’s some conspiratorial BS. The simple fact is that Dems are playing a rigged game and always have been. Both-sidesing the parties when one of those parties is full of literal Nazis is simply ignorant and requires a lot of mental gymnastics and outright ignorance to get onboard with.
The helpless dems excuse has been used by apologists for the past 50+ years of failure to do anything!
