The revolution has been televised

I’m not referring to the revolution that Gil Scott Heron warned us about.  I’m talking about a more recent revolution that has been taking place on American soil.  From the looks of it, we may be heading into the final stages of that revolution where things start to get messy.

The revolution that I’m referring to has been called the Reagan Revolution, but I see it more as an attempt to push this country far right, and it’s been quite successful so far.  Starting in 1980, Reagan started the movement right with the defection of the “Reagan Democrats” from the Democratic Party.  This pulled a lot of working class Whites from the Left and gave the Right more support.  In the South, you had party realignment going on where Southern Democrats were either shifting to the GOP or getting out of politics.  As a result, you end up with a second rightward lurch with the Gingrich Revolution.

Under the Gingrich era, the GOP moved even further to the right.  Trying to keep up, the Democratic Party moved rightward as well, especially under the presidency of Bill Clinton.  The continued movement to the right led to those farthest on the right gaining even more power and clout which led to them demanding more and wanting more control of the party direction.  As a result, it was full steam ahead to the right.

Under GWB, we saw people voluntarily giving up constitutionally protected rights for “freedom” with the Patriot Act.  It was explained away as the price to fight terrorism to keep us safe.  I’m not going to say whether that’s correct or not because I really don’t know.  However, it’s telling that people who support the “Party of Freedom”, or the GOP, are willing to give up their rights under the Constitution and demagogue the left for trying to protect those rights.

Under President Obama, we’ve seen further rightward movement by the Dems attempting to keep pace with the GOP.  Several times, Obama threw his own party, especially the liberal wing, under the bus while attempting to get agreement and acceptance from the GOP.  Never mind the fact that the GOP wouldn’t agree to anything that Obama suggested or even hinted that he liked.  I think that opposition was so complete that some Republicans would have probably stopped breathing* if Obama came out in favor of breathing oxygen.  All Obama ended up doing was push the Democratic Party further to the left just as President Clinton had done before him.

Ultimately, we’ve entered the final stage, otherwise known as the Age of Trump.  We have a candidate for president openly suggesting that people should be beaten up, and nobody blinks an eye.  He says that he will cover the costs of anyone arrested, and then backtracks and the media gives him a pass for lying through his teeth.  What other candidate has ever said the following and was still in the running to lead this country?

• “I could stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn’t lose voters,”
• “I don’t think you can say that we don’t get it automatically. I think you’d have riots. I think you’d have riots. I’m representing many, many millions of people.”
• “Maybe he should have been roughed up because it was absolutely disgusting what he was doing.”

I can’t answer for anyone else, but my idea of the leader of the US is someone who wouldn’t openly condone violence, bigotry, or discrimination.  Regardless of our race, religion, or sex, ALL Americans have rights that are guaranteed and protected by the Constitution.

I say the Revolution was televised because we’ve all seen this play out before our very eyes whether we were aware of it or not.  The media has been a great sidekick in helping this happen.  Under the guise of being impartial, they have abdicated the responsibility of truthful reporting.  Those who try to call out the extremism get accused of being biased, yet nobody calls out the bias of those who are complicit in actively pushing this country to the right.

Where is the media when we have politicians openly and purposefully passing legislation to discriminate against people?  Where is the media when citizens are openly having their protected rights trampled?  They’re all circling around in the feeding frenzy of the one that has started the last and messy phase of the revolution.  If you don’t believe me, notice that whatever happens locally or worldwide will be reported but not given any coverage when compared to the Daily Trump Report.

I honestly don’t know if this was the plan all along or if it’s just something that came to pass.  I do feel that the GOP brought this on themselves by constantly feeding red meat to the fringe of their party, promising them more and more without ever being honest or truthful with them.  With great power comes great responsibility, and the GOP used their power while completely ignoring their responsibility.

If you think I place this all on the GOP, then you’re wrong.  It takes two to tango, and the Dems have danced the dance all along the way.  At no point did they have to lurch to the right, but there were those who chose to do so.  Instead of cowering to the right-wing media machine, the Dems could have stayed true to their base and called the rightward movement for what it was.  So many ifs and buts, but none of that can be changed at this point.  All we can do is see the impending train wreck coming and try to slam on the brakes to avoid catastrophe.

See what I see or something different?  Let me know your view…

*Stopped breathing only until they would have literally had to gasp for air.