The Banana Republicans and Their Media Enablers: Have They No Shame?

A delusional speech by a seemingly mentally ill man about a stolen election incited the thousands who marched to Capitol Hill But he wasn39t the only one responsible The Republicans who helped promote and purvey his lies also fomented the pornographic assault on democracy In Georgia one day before the attack two of their onscreen stars both senatorial candidates reached their climax so to speak Both lost their runoff elections but not before spewing apocalyptic warnings demonizing their opponents and spreading President Trump39s baseless claimsTrump his political enablers and his acolytes across the country didn39t work alone They had the support of a multibillion dollar industry to help raise the mob In Georgia their effort laid out over half of the 830 million spent on two Senate runoff elections Media was the bigticket item with reports suggesting Republicans outdid their opponents on TV ad spending In fact their consultants and ad men as well as social media broadcast cable networks and local stations all helped make history not only in Georgia but on January 6th in Congress as wellIt wasn39t just the Republicans39 deep pockets that was central to laying the foundation for the travesty in Washington DC It was also the willingness of the political consulting and media business to create and run the incendiary provocative and prevaricating content produced by the candidates39 propagandists While they doubtless would cite Michael Corleone in The Godfatheramp8212it39s strictly businessamp8212they39re still at the front of the queue to bear the shame that resulted from their workGeorgia wasn39t the only state where the Republicans incited the faithful with incendiary TV spots social media posts and radio ads Still the menu in the Peach State would have made Josef Goebbels smile Take Kelly Loeffler who lost to Raphael Warnock Her neverending theme was 39stop socialism39 a voiceover that ran against scenes of mobs in the streets Then there were other ads distorting and misrepresenting her opponent39s words For example Loeffler featured videos of controversial pastor Jeremiah Wright39s famous 39goddamn America39 line as if it was Senatorelect Warnock39s own Leni Riefenstahl would have stood to applaudNot to be outdone David Perdue literally conjured a Democratic win as the apocalypse He bannered the endoftime that Ossoff39s election was sure to bring No tubthumping preacher39s fire and brimstone could top Perdue39s vision of the looming Democratic Hell Increased taxes defunded police open borders voting rights for illegal immigrants an end to private health insurance a gutted military and packed Supreme Court Who wouldn39t grab their Glock and head for DC America will never be the same the millionaire buyout artist warned Stop them before it39s too lateOn January 5th Georgians made clear they are moving toward a different vision of the future despite the apocalyptic lunacies in the GOP candidates39 rallying cries But the Republican hyperbole had its effects reinforcing Trump39s lies as well as producing dangerous consequences as Loeffler and Purdue echoed his troubled mind Threats against Georgia39s governor secretary of state their families and election officials proliferated So did haironfire rhetoric from the state39s perennial crop of far right Republicans and QAnon crazies pushing Trump39s bogus claimsThe threat to American democracy didn39t begin on January 6th It also didn39t end when the Congress was cleared But whatever the responsibility of the politicians and their parties the media industry that creates and capitalizes on their political advertising had a role The political pornography produced by Trump and his supporters on January 6th and the broadcast streamed and posted lies that helped it grow should make media executives look in the mirrorAs they tote up their billions of dollars from this year39s massive campaign ad spending the question is obvious Will it be business as usual in 2022 enabling the same malevolent misrepresentations that will reprise this year39s divisiveness Or will media executives recognize they have the power to create ethical standards that can help curb the excessesJustice Stewart concurred in a Supreme Court decision 56 years ago that overturned a ban on an artsy movie with the caveat that free speech wasn39t a free pass Stewart made the point with a cleverness of mind that recognized the ambiguity of the problem But he also made clear the need for judgment When it comes to political pornography industry leaders need to do the sameAlso read Delegitimizing Democracy in 2021 Will Disinformation and Trump Views Be NewsClick the social buttons to share this story with colleagues and friendsThe opinions expressed here are the author39s views and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNetamp160

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The Banana Republicans and Their Media Enablers: Have They No Shame?

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Kent M. Harrington

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