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Trump Threatens Actions Against NPR, PBS, MSNBC, CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS, NY Times, Washington Post–Challenge To Accurate News Coverage!

Donald Trump has been lashing out against a free press, guaranteed under the First Amendment

In his political speech at the Department of Justice last Friday, totally inappropriate, he called for ending the licenses of news stations, including CNN, MSNBC, ABC, NBC, and CBS.

Trump also is calling for the end of government support of PBS and NPR. And he has attacked the two leading newspapers of record–the NY Times and Washington Post.

Trump has pressured changes by the management of cable stations and newspapers to appease his administration, a very alarming development.

He has also called, specifically, for the firing of Nicolle Wallace and Rachel Maddow, and applauded the fact that Joy Reid was removed from MSNBC.

Trump has had past fights with Jim Acosta, who recently left CNN.

He has managed to convince Jeff Bezos, one of the three wealthiest billionaires, and owner of the Washington Post, to interfere with free expression by columnists, leading many to leave that paper, and causing a major drop in online subscriptions.

He is trying to promote an obedient press that will not report anything negative about his Presidency, wishing to promote mistruths rather than truth and facts.

Courageous and principled journalists are refusing to bend to his demands, and he has called them enemies, and many of these people and organizations may face outrageous and illegal prosecutions by the Department of Justice under Attorney General Pam Bondi, who is only too willing to bend to the President’s wishes and whims.

The survival of a free press and news media is urgent to preserve American democracy and the rule of law, so this is an ongoing battle that must be fought without retreat!

Censorship Is Harming Journalism And Truth! :(

Journalism is being harmed by the decision of news media to bend to the will of Donald Trump, and to put controls on criticism and exposing the truth.

The Washington Post publisher, Jeff Bezos, has bent to threats from Trump, and has changed the editorial independence of one of the premier newspapers in America, leading to resignations by major contributors, many with a long, treasured history with the second most prominant newspaper in America.

CNN has pushed out well known figures, including, notably, Jim Acosta, who has caused antagonism with Trump, since the first Trump Presidency.

MSNBC has dismissed Joy Reid, a major critic of Trump, and like CNN, is perceived as reacting to Trump criticism by “bending the knee”.

Trump has also called for Rachel Maddow and Nicolle Wallace to be fired, but it seems that they are “safe” at this point, but clearly, there is pressure on that news channel.

Trump has also called for revoking FCC authorization for the major networks of NBC, ABC, and CBS.

The thought that a President could wield such threats is horrifying, and an indication that Trump is ready and willing to bring enough pressure to end the concept of a free press.

But the resistance to such a situation must be unrelenting, that no further concessions can be allowed to occur!

Preemptive Pardons Essential To Protect Courageous Leaders!

There is growing discussion of the concept of “preemptive” pardons being given by President Joe Biden, to a whole group of political figures who helped investigate and bring Donald Trump and others around him to legal accountability, particularly for the January 6 US Capitol Insurrection, but also other illegal activities.

The list could include all members of the January 6 House Committee that investigated the Insurrection, but also others who have been openly critical of Donald Trump over the years, which is legion in numbers.

The fear is that Donald Trump and his FBI nominee Kash Patel want revenge and retribution against political “enemies”, and even those in journalism and the media, which makes for a list that could be massive.

Clearly, not everyone who might be endangered by civil or criminal charges that might be brought by the FBI can be calculated, as to the risk of prosecution.

But beyond the list this author and blogger presented two days ago, there is real concern about such politically courageous figures as:

Liz Cheney
Adam Kinzinger
Adam Schiff
Jamie Raskin
General Mark Milley
Prosecutor Jack Smith

and innumerable Trump Administration employees who broke with Trump.

Even Dr Anthony Fauci, who had such a sterling career since Ronald Reagan onward, has become the target of those lunatics who think that the Pandemic and response to it was mishandled, a disgraceful lie!

And there is danger to the free press, including the NY Times, Washington Post, CNN, MSNBC, CBS, ABC, NBC, and PBS, among others.

We are entering dark times, brought about by the stupidity, ignorance, and self-centeredness of so many Americans, including people I know personally, who only care about “Me, Myself and I”, and not the nation at large.

At this rate, our American democracy, rule of law, and enforcement of the Constitution is in dire straits!

Trump Threatens News Media And First Amendment: Alarming Development!

Donald Trump has been critical of news media for years, due to their reporting of his antics and illegalities and immoralities.

But recently, he has indicated his intention to shut down critical news media if he is returned to the Oval Office.

This threat to the First Amendment and freedom of the press is highly alarming, and no decent person should think that it is acceptable that he could go ahead and try to shut down the press, both print and cable!

Trump has issued threats against such reputable sources as the NEW YORK TIMES, WASHINGTON POST, CBS, NBC, ABC, CNN, MSNBC, NPR and PBS among others.

In his world, only right wing media, such as FOX NEWS CHANNEL would exist, and yet even that network has come under attack from him during his Presidential campaign.

If Donald Trump is returned to the White House, the nation will be in the grips of an authoritarian Fascist regime, so it cannot be allowed to occur!

Ronna McDaniel Should Be Fired, Not Rewarded, For Opposing Truth About 2020 Presidential Election! :(

Ronna McDaniel, the head of the Republican National Committee from the election of Donald Trump in 2016 until a week ago, should not be rewarded for collaborating in the “Big Lie”, that Donald Trump won the Presidential Election of 2020!

It is shocking beyond understanding why NBC would hire her as a political commentator, when she was a collaborator in the January 6 2021 US Capitol Insurrection. She continued to defend Donald Trump right up until he called for her resignation, as he has taken over the Republican Party apparatus lock, stock, and barrel, destroying the heritage of the 170 year old party!

This is not Michael Steele, or Liz Cheney, or Adam Kinzinger or other Republicans who, with their conservative credentials, might disagree with Democrats and progressives on issues, but are loyal to the Constitution and rule of law.

Having such alternative ideas and debating them is part of the American tradition, but if anything, Ronna McDaniel should be facing prosecution, not rewards, for her unpatriotic, immoral, and unethical defense of Donald Trump’s illegalities nonstop for the past three plus years since Trump lost reelection!

NBC management, facing major revolt by all of the MSNBC commentators, needs to pay off Ronna McDaniel and fire her, and she should not be a paid commentator, distorting the truth about Donald Trump!

It was a massive public relations disaster that the corporate leaders of a major news organization should have committed such a massive blunder!

Donald Trump Rhetoric Increases: Danger To Public Safety!

Donald Trump’s rhetoric has ratched up dramatically, increasingly a danger to public safety.

He has promised revenge if he is restored to the Oval Office, and he has called for the execution of former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley, and has said he wants to go after NBC and MSNBC and destroy their ability to report the truth and the facts.

His call for death and destruction of a free news media, on top of threats and denunciation of the judges, prosecutors, potential witnesses, and potential jurors in the four upcoming trials he faces, has created a great danger of bloodshed and violence.

The answer is to incarcerate him before and during trial, and prevent him from being on the ballot for President in any state, by use of the 14th Amendment Section 3, the Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871, and or the intervention of state Secretaries of State who control who is eligible to be on the ballot in state and local elections!

Kevin McCarthy Handing Over January 6 Videos To Tucker Carlson Should Be Prosecutable!

In a time of shocking developments on so many levels, it is beyond comprehension why Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy has released about 44,000 hours of videos taken at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, to Fox News Channel, and seditionist and massive liar Tucker Carlson!

What good could McCarthy have conjured up to do this, since Carlson has been lying and deceiving ever since January 6, 2021, claiming it was not the Capitol Insurrection that we know occurred?

Fox News Channel is now involved in a massive lawsuit that one could wish would lead to their bankruptcy and prosecution of the various propagandists at that station who KNOW what happened on January 6 and yet covered up, and continue to do so!

By all rights, Speaker McCarthy should be forced to resign, and should be prosecuted for undermining US Capitol security for the future!

If these videos end up being spread far and wide to right wing, anti government terrorists, they would have the information needed to cause a future US Capitol Insurrection, which would endanger all members of Congress, all law enforcement authorities, all US Capitol staff members, and all American citizens who might be on Capitol Hill at any point of time!

There can be NO justification for what McCarthy has done, and ALL news media sources, including reputable agencies, including CNN, MSNBC, NBC, CBS, ABC, the New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and many others, should have the same right to such material, but all of them with careful control of how it is shared and spread to the American public!

A Salute To The Free Press And Committed Journalists!

As the year 2022 goes into the history books, and 2023 brings its new challenges, it is time to applaud and salute the free press and committed journalists for pursuing truth and facts, and continuing the never ending battle for freedom and democracy in the United States and worldwide.

Those who attack the free press in America and elsewhere are enemies that must be challenged and confronted in every way possible, as it is the free press that promotes progress and shows us reality.

Evil is a force that is always present, but we must thank committed journalists, newspapers, periodicals, and cable and internet websites that continue to pursue the goal of expanding basic civil rights and humane outcomes in the midst of the constant barrage of mistruths, propaganda, and discrimination.

So whenever someone attacks the New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, CNN, MSNBC, NBC, CBS, ABC, Politico, Huffington Post, and a multitude of other news media, they are attacking all decent people who simply want to live their lives wishing for the promotion of peace, tranquility, and the protection and betterman of human rights worldwide.

Kevin McCarthy Would Be A Disaster As Speaker Of The House!

Trepidation is growing at the looming possibility that Kevin McCarthy could become the Speaker of the House of Representatives in January 2023, two heartbeats away from the Presidency!

While John Boehner and Paul Ryan had their major shortcomings, either of them would be far superior to McCarthy, who has demonstrated his total lack of morals, ethics, and principles in his years working his way up leadership to the potential Speakership!

McCarthy was totally freaked out on January 6, 2021, and momentarily said and did the right thing in condemning Donald Trump, but his ambition took over, and he made up with Trump at Mar A Lago, and denied reality of the criminal activities of that day, including ignoring the suffering of US Capitol police officers!

McCarthy was willing to ditch Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger, and work with Elise Stefanik, Jim Jordan, and the 147 House Republicans who refused to accept that Joe Biden won the Presidency!

He is willing to work with the most extremist members of his caucus, including Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert, and he has made it clear that the goal of the Republicans is to destroy ObamaCare (The Affordable Care Act), as well as phase out Medicare and Social Security, and move to impeach President Biden, Attorney General Merrick Garland, and other cabinet officers, even though none would be removed from office by such action!

The lunatic fringe of the Republican Party would hold the reins of power, and promote chaos, including trying to adopt a national abortion ban! As conservative columnist Jennifer Rubin of the Washington Post and MSNBC host Chris Hayes have stated, the Republican Party would “wreak havoc”, including threatening not to raise the debt limit, and stopping aid to Ukraine, a gift to Vladimir Putin!

So the Republicans would do what Donald Trump was doing in his Presidential term—cozy up to Putin, and undermine NATO, a horrifying scenario, which would undermine both American democracy and efforts to maintain democracy in Europe and elsewhere!

New Third Party Movement, “Forward”, Formed By Andrew Yang, Christine Todd Whitman, David Jolly!

A new third party movement, known as “Forward”, has been formed by former Democratic Presidential and New York City Mayoral contender Andrew Yang; former Republican New Jersey Governor Christine Todd Whitman, who headed the Environmental Protection Agency under George W. Bush; and former Republican one term Congressman David Jolly of Florida, now a political commentator on MSNBC.

Already, there is strong criticism that such a movement will hurt the Democrats more than the Republicans, at a time when Donald Trump and the extreme right wing that controls the Republican Party is a clear and present danger to American democracy.

One has to wonder if any substantial political leaders will join the “Forward” party, as right now, it comes across that its leadership is not very impressive nor “heavy weight” in any sense!