We
define the media as the fourth estate because the media was charged with an
important prerogative, the guardian of Democracy.
The
Media, owing to their power and influence, was in reality, the fourth branch of
government. They controlled public discourse relating to political issues by reporting
and commenting freely and openly about them. They exposed corruption in
politics and promoted concepts encapsulated by the interests of liberty.
The
function of the fourth estate or fourth branch of government was considered so
important, that the framers of our Constitution included its protection as the
first of the ten amendments to our Bill of Rights.
But,
the Framers of our government failed to consider the possibility that the media
which was the guardian of Democracy, would itself become the prisoner of a
subversive movement to alter that democracy to an alien form.
First,
the very government we established took control of the media to assert its
propaganda influence over the people. The CIA first developed an elaborate
program to control the media, it was known as Operation Mockingbird. One of the first victims of a free and
independent media was CBS when William Paley fell under the CIA’s Influence, and
CBS became one of the CIA’s most important assets.
Later
with the agent provocateurs firmly in control, the stranglehold over the media
was enlarged through acquisition of the channels of information through
government contractors and Wall Street insiders
One such insider is Bain Capital with an annual
revenue $6.2Bn
Mitt Romney was one of the founding partners of Bain Capital which today
controls such companies as:
AMC Entertainment, Aspen Education Group, Brookstone,
Burger King, Burlington Coat Factory, Clear Channel Communications, Domino's
Pizza, DoubleClick, Dunkin' Donuts, D&M Holdings, Guitar Center, Hospital
Corporation of America (HCA), Sealy, The Sports Authority, Staples, Toys
"R" Us, Warner Music Group and The Weather Channel.
Bain Capital ownership of Clear Channel Communications
places Bain in a position to control the news and the type of news we
receive
“Clear
Channel is the largest radio station owner in the country with 866
radio stations and Premiere Radio Networks (a national radio network that
produces, distributes or represents approximately 90 syndicated radio programs, serves nearly 5,800 radio station affiliates and has over 213
million weekly listeners. Programs include the Rush Limbaugh Show, Glenn Beck and the Sean Hannity Show); Fox
Sports Radio; Fox News Radio; and Australian Radio Network”. All of the Bain syndicated
radio programs are right wing affiliated
broadcasters.
In America
as in most civilized societies we have developed a series of laws known as antitrust laws. These are a
body of law that prohibits anti-competitive behavior or monopoly by any
enterprise.
However as with any law there are always exceptions… e.g.
Banking and Media.
The two enterprises most in need of control have worked
their way through the lobby mill to carve out exceptions. Owing to their
influence we see our Democracy becoming so fragile that it is slipping away.
America with its goal of empire, which has been attempted throughout history from
The Greek Empire to The Roman Caesars to the Persian
Empire and Genghis Kahn to modern day Adolph Hitler, all failed.
So too, will our own attempt.
America is beginning to see the illusions portrayed by what is now an effective
propaganda tool. The American media; we receive our news from foreign sources
and the internet. Yet there remains a
right wing contingency that dominates the American subconscious. The Rush Limbaugh’s Glenn Beck’s
and Sean Hannity;
and Fox News Radio offer no constraint to the free flow of conservative propaganda.
True
Democracy is an idea that is a social contract. True Democracy means that
certain rights are inherent owing to birth; they are fundamental in origin and
include the right to free education and medical care.
When a
Society provides education for its people, that society is rewarded through a
more intellectual and more productive citizenry and the tax base is increased
as the earnings are enhanced.
When Society
provides the care and medical attention for our infirm, it makes a statement
that we are a human race and understand that certain obligations fall on a free
society simply because we have been born! .
America was intended to be a
Social Democracy. We have lost sight of our basic interests, which was to
provide for the general welfare for all the people, not just those who can
afford to pay for it!
We have lost sight of this important concept because the
guardians of Democracy have slipped down a slippery slope, from where they have
awakened to find themselves on the wrong side of the bed.
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