In the article from The Guardian, it is mentioned that Fox News is using freedom of the press as a legal strategy to defend themselves against accusations of spreading lies about the 2020 presidential election. However, it is argued that Fox News is attacking the very principles of democracy that the American founders believed in by relying on first amendment protections. In another article, it is discussed that Republican politicians in America are demonizing drag artists, despite their popularity in British entertainment, by passing draconian laws aimed at limiting their performances. Similarly, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are being criticized for adopting a similar political strategy, a frontal attack on democracy. López Obrador is attacking the electoral system by cutting budgets, while Netanyahu is trying to dilute laws and institutions designed to prevent the prime minister from concentrating power. Lastly, the exclamation point, which was invented to signal admiration and wonder, has fallen out of favor as society has become suspicious of emotion in any form in public or private life, preferring the clean straight lines of a Bauhaus building to the mischievous curlicues of a Renaissance palace.
Notes on Political Technology
Heather Cox Richardson, in her recent article on Letters from an American Substack, delves into former President Donald Trump’s ominous post on Truth Social regarding his upcoming political campaign. She extrapolates how political technology will be a key factor in his presidential campaign, given his historical misuse of social media platforms.
Jason Kyle Howard of Salon, on the other hand, writes about the challenges that journalists will face when covering a presidential candidate under indictment. The coverage will require explaining complex legal issues in simple terms to ensure fair and balanced reporting. Moreover, the journalists will have to deal with the candidate’s reaction and counterpunches, especially given Trump’s dubious relationship with facts.
In other news, Andrew Wallenstein and Gavin Bridge of Variety report that Fox News viewers are losing trust in the channel in the wake of publicly disclosed text messages and emails from Fox executives and on-air personalities. While more than a fifth of viewers say that they have lost faith in the network, less than half say that they are watching Fox News less than before.
The challenge for journalists covering a presidential candidate under indictment will be to ensure that they present the facts in layman’s terms while giving the other side a chance to respond. Journalists will need to be vigilant, as the candidate may employ diversions to sway public opinion. Meanwhile, Fox News viewers are losing trust in the channel but are still tuning in, even after the network’s credibility has taken a hit due to the recent controversies.
In summary, political technology will play a significant role in Trump’s campaign, while journalists will face challenges in covering a presidential candidate under indictment. Fox News viewers are losing trust in the channel, but it remains to be seen how this will impact the network’s viewership in the long run.
Fox News Defends Itself Against Accusations of Spreading Lies
According to a representative for Fox News, the network has not experienced any impact on advertising or viewership levels following the Dominion lawsuit. However, a recent survey shows that 13% of Fox News viewers no longer believe the 2020 presidential election was stolen after reading private communications from network stars, including Tucker Carlson and Sean Hannity, regarding inconsistent allegations of voter fraud.
Margaret Sullivan, writing for the Guardian, criticizes Fox News for relying on first amendment protections to defend itself against accusations of knowingly spreading lies about the election. Although press rights belong to a wide spectrum of media organizations, Fox’s reliance on these protections is hypocritical given the founders’ belief in the importance of an informed citizenry.
Meanwhile, Elizabeth Bird’s article for the Tampa Bay Times focuses on opportunistic Republican politicians who have been demonizing drag artists. She takes us back to 1969, when Danny La Rue, a popular British entertainer, wowed the audience at the annual Royal Variety Performance with his quick and dazzling costume changes.
In conclusion, Fox News is attempting to defend itself against accusations of spreading lies about the 2020 election by relying on first amendment protections. However, recent developments suggest that some viewers are starting to lose faith in the network. On a lighter note, Elizabeth Bird’s article about Danny La Rue serves as a reminder of the power of entertainment to bring people together.
The Demonization of Drag and Threats to Iranian-Ukrainian Relations
Alain Catzefils of The Article analyzes the possible reasons behind Iran’s military assistance to Russia and the potential consequences for Iranian-Ukrainian relations. The war in Ukraine has inadvertently led Tehran to supply lethal drones and military training to Russia, which has put the regime in Washington’s bad books. The ongoing protests across Iran against the regime’s draconian hijab laws have led to a hardening of the regime’s attitude towards dissent.
Meanwhile, opportunistic Republican politicians and hard-right activists have been demonizing drag artists and their performances. Republican legislators have been competing to file the most draconian bills aimed at activities like drag queen story hours, extending to any public performances where minors might be present. Tennessee’s governor signed the first law banning cross-gender impersonators who appeal to a “prurient interest.”
Moisés Naím, writing for El País in English, draws parallels between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. Despite vast differences in personal histories and the countries they lead, both leaders face significant challenges in their respective territories. Israel’s economy has been growing rapidly, while Mexico has been suffering from chronic economic anemia. While Bibi boasts of the high-tech boom during his tenure, AMLO is using public funds to build a railroad and an oil refinery.
In conclusion, the demonization of drag artists by Republican politicians and hard-right activists is a worrying trend that threatens to curtail artistic expression and freedom of speech. On the other hand, Iran’s military assistance to Russia and the hardening of the regime’s stance towards dissent may have unintended consequences for Ukrainian-Iranian relations. Finally, Naím’s article highlights the challenges faced by leaders from vastly different backgrounds and how they approach them.
Bibi and AMLO: Adopting the Same Political Strategy
Both the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Mexican President, Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO), may be worlds apart, but they share the same political strategy – attacking democracy. Rather than using military might, they use their influence to strike at the heart of democracy. Bibi is currently proposing reforms that would dilute laws and institutions that prevent him and his allies from taking too much power. AMLO, on the other hand, is attacking the National Electoral Institute (INE), the body in charge of organizing elections in Mexico, to prevent fraud.
Bibi’s Strategy
Netanyahu is attacking the judiciary, trying to push a series of reforms that would dilute laws and institutions designed to prevent him and his allies from concentrating power. He wants to gain more power by changing the laws and institutions that keep him in check.
AMLO’s Strategy
In contrast, AMLO is attacking the electoral system. He launched an offensive against the National Electoral Institute (INE), an independent institution that defends democracy in Mexico. AMLO continually criticizes the INE, calling it “rotten,” “corrupt,” and biased. He has slashed its budget, which would force them to lay off 85% of their staff, severely limiting the INE’s ability to carry out its mission.
The Exclamation Point
Finally, Florence Hazrat wrote an article for The Washington Post about the history and uses of the exclamation point. It was created to indicate “admiration and wonder,” filling the need for emotion in text. Renaissance writers wanted their readers to feel strong emotions, and the exclamation point was an effective tool for conveying those emotions.
In conclusion, Netanyahu and AMLO may have different backgrounds, but they share a political strategy – attacking democracy. Netanyahu is attacking the judiciary, while AMLO is attacking the electoral system. Nevertheless, both strategies are a frontal attack on democracy. Finally, the exclamation point is an essential tool for conveying strong emotions in text.
In the late 19th century, attitudes towards emotion shifted, causing suspicion of its use in public and private life. This led to a preference for clean and simple language, with a focus on exact science and quantification.
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