Republican Alternate Reality

The Republican Party has spent 40 years building an alternative truth. This was a planned occurrence.

Back in the 1970s, folks like Richard Nixon and his ilk grew tired of the "liberal press" not agreeing with their political positions. To be clear, this was NOT a case of the press being liberal or reporting falsehoods. Rather, it was the press doing what they were supposed to do: reporting facts and (on the editorial pages) offering educated opinions based upon those facts. That's how it had worked from the founding of our country until then.

The Republicans, sick of being told they were "wrong," decided to put together a concerted effort to combat the press and develop their own version of the truth, as if the truth could have a "version."

 Back in the 70s, pre-internet and cable TV, the focus was on creating conservative "think tanks." These entities would put together conservative talking points and then echo the information across the country via whatever means necessary. They would also constantly question what the rational press was printing and call them "liars, liberals, and socialists". This was all a very deliberate and intentional effort to discredit the media.

 As the world turned and communications grew and expanded, the Republicans continued to expand their network of deceit. Nowadays, you can clearly see the results of their efforts by doing a simple Google search on a Republican talking point. When you do, you'll see pages and pages of conservative media (ie., fake news) all echoing the same exact message. Again, this is by design and completely intentional.

And social media has made it even worse.

Now when a bogus Republican talking point is spewed forth from their network of bullshit, the loyal sycophants of Trumplandia share it and share it and share it until each and every one of them believes it is gospel. And this figures to get even worse when they all depart Facebook for their new platform of choice, "Parler," where they can continue to be lied to and share lies together and avoid things like facts. It will not be pretty.

I had a cousin of mine say to me the other day that "Biden is OBVIOUSLY compromised by China." Now, I guess everyone is entitled to their own opinions. But the word "obviously" stuck out like a sore thumb.

Obviously? Really? Based upon exactly WHAT facts? The answer being "none."

Not a single reliable media source has made any such statement, nor are they likely to do so. Because it simply isn't reality.

But in today's political arena, at least on the Republican side, reality is optional.