Thank you Ron for stating exactly what most of us who subscribe to independent media are thinking. I get all of my new sources from Media Touch Network and Bryan Tyler Cohen. Y’all have kept me from shutting down and keep fighting. The corporate media turned on us for ratings instead of reporting the facts.
Yes, that's exactly why I'm here. And Joy is right as well, that profit can't be the goal of these core functions any more that a gov't can successfully be run 'like a business'.
I do also, but add Michael Popok with LegalAF, Luke Beasley, ChasingOz, Under the Desk News, Tennessee Brando, Texas Paul, The Bulwark, Malcolm Nance Black Man Spy, Political News Network, Coach D, Heather Cox Richardson, Chris Hayes, Rachel Maddow, George Conway, and more…
That’s a fact! It’s all about profit, with our so-called so wonderful healthcare industry, and now the glaring elephant in the room so-called unbiased media industry! Last I checked, “greed” is still one of the Seven Deadly Sins.
Maybe I'm old or naive, but I learned a long time ago that being a citizen is more than just being a cog in the profit-making machine. For me, honor, ethics, and integrity are much more vital than simply making money. This is especially true when it comes to living up to the principles that supposedly define what America is.
Thornton, I'm old and have never been moneyminded. I believe in living simply so others can simply live. I'm amazed at the greed and selfishness of so many people, some in my own family.
I haven't watched so called media since the last week before the election. I was dumbstruck watching the same rally live and then watching the cleaned up version on CNN, MSNBC,FOX. Yes, I attempted to be open minded and even watched Fox... as long as I could stomach their lies without being sick to death. The lies were so blatant I can't believe how many people "believed" them!!!! It seems our education system is lacking in critical thinking development 🤔
Well unfortunately, the way we use capitalism, all that matters is profit. We have some businesses run by how it would matter to shareholders and not customers. I don't have a way for us to change our views on business, but I think open dialogue that is not monitored by an egotistical billionaire is a great start.
Joy, Isn’t that stunning. The left is pushing BlueSky and doesn’t seem to look into the ownership! A foreign individual (China) previously started by the people who sold out Twitter to Musk
No matter how many books they burn....how many propaganda radio stations they own....how many corporate whore tv stations they run...........the Orange racist nazi cult will NEVER defeat the Truth.
Mark Cuban can kick rocks! He has been posting some fucked up shit like welcoming "intelligent" conversations with MAGA instead of blocking them. AND he suggested that they were "Republicans". Sorry Cubes, the party of Lincoln was killed by the Mango Mussolini and MAGA has taken over.
No monetization on BlueSky. I like that no one has a blue check and I hope that they never let that happen on there.
I don't agree that Mark's ideas like "welcoming "intelligent" conversations with MAGA instead of blocking them" is effed up. If a conversation turns to threats, or violence or is buried under a mountain of misinformation, yes, that is a conversation-ender. Otherwise you risk being simply a contrarian, and that is also a conversation-ender, Conversation is the only way to learn.
Why not start having conversations with fellow Democrats first? We have so many differing opinions in our party. That is our blessing and our downfall. Republicans tend to vote for whomever their party nominates. Democrats do not. Let's heal our own Party first. No? I am not interested in trying to understand or come together with racists. I am SO over hearing from "real" Americans or the forgotten "working class" which really means white working class or Americans who hang out in diners waiting to be interviewed by Fox News.
Thank you. And I’m tired of hand-wringing over what we did wrong! Nothing! We told the truth. Should we have lied? Run non-stop hate commercials during football games? Written our own Project 2025? Threatened every liberal in the nation? Men fearing/hating/disrespecting women is why we lost. Tell it like it is. Who is sane washing now?
Exactly! I would add racism also was a strong contributor. Do people who interview the Trump voter expect them to say, yes, I just don't like Black people, especially really smart, well educated Black Women? Spot on the sane washing. It is so frustrating.
The excuse of “forgotten” poor hurt feelings of the Fascist-Felon-Rapist cult needs to be eliminated. On the first round of trump, MAYBE they were protest votes for those reasons. By now trump has shown himself to be a deadly Sedition inciter, he IS a 34-count convicted Felon & Rapist, he has given information to dangerous foreign enemies. He never won the popular vote with Hillary or Biden, but now miraculously, with Muskrat money, wins the popular vote and all swing states.
I am more angry with Democrats not challenging the election than I am with MAGA at the moment! Do something for the Dem base for ONCE!!!
Exactly. I don't know about "stolen" but Trump was sure helped in nefarious ways. Voter Suppression. Bomb threats. Few voting machines in, gee, surprise, high Dem voting areas, etc. Also the MSM is nothing more than a right wing propaganda machine. I think they succeeded in depressing our side as well. MSM and Trump voters love Trump whether they admit it or not. I know. Next up, real American voters in the midwest at diners interviewed giving their reasons why they voted for Trump and why they feel forgotten. Oh yeah bathrooms! I am sick of their "hurt" feelings. I wish the Dem Party would start focusing on healing our Party and stop kissing the MSM's collective ass. And yes, I know there are some good journalists out there but for the most part, they are very few and don't have the machine behind them.
Welcoming intellegent conversations with Maga....are you fc@king kidding me????
Same bull s7it as sending abortion rights to the states.........anti-vaxeer moron for department of health......38% of cabinet choices sex offenders.........barff bag please over here!.
Hmmmm.... I'm trying to picture this process. In order to have an "intelligent" conversation, both parties have to be open to the others' differing values and opinions. So far what I've seen and experienced is a true lack of open-mindedness that is a basic requirement.
Many years ago, I sat next to an Atheist at work. She was raised an Orthodox Jew and married an Atheist and curried the monetary aspect with great favor and changed tunes. When 9/11 happened, she was put out that the mall was closed because she needed to return a purse. On top of that when it was suggested to put a cross at Ground Zero, she pitched a fit for several days. No one really ever talked to her about religion because it's a taboo work place subject, but one day I'd heard enough anti-everything from her and asked her outright, "Don't you think that people who believe in God want some remembrance there as much as you do not?" She looked at me puzzled and thoughtfully and never brought it up again. While she didn't conceded, she did see that there were other points of view.
It's very difficult to have a one sided conversation with someone who is unwilling to even conceive that there might be another side that is something to consider and think about - and that ultimately turns into a battle that can't be won.
Respectfully, being atheist had nothing to do with her being shallow and having no empathy or critical thinking skills. Just as being religious has nothing to do with whether someone is shallow and has no empathy or critical thinking skills. Having an intelligent conversation with any adult in the United States right now is challenging. People have been groomed to have short attention spans, are unable to manage uncertainty or discomfort well, and have been bombarded with misinformation for decades. As a mental health therapist I spend a lot of time teaching critical thinking and and managing emotions skills.
I would agree that her shallowness and self-absorption was not related to her beliefs; however the griping and complaining that no one had a right to put a cross at ground zero did. While I wasn't able to convince her that it was fair to represent others, at least she didn't argue once I asked her that question.
I completely understand. I have lots of coping skills and found my own therapist since trump got re-elected. After 10 years of Americans falling for a narcissistic billionaire’s whiny victim persona - I think everyone is struggling with staying sane. 🌺
Billionaires don't learn, because they don't have to. No matter what happens here, they are perfectly safe in their little bubbles and can afford the delusion of "dialogue" with fascists, that everyone else's rights are up for discussion because their own are quite secure. He's as deluded and self-absorbed as the rest of them, he just hides it better.
Major question: Is it worth wading through the sewage to see if there is a green oasis on the other side. I have yet to meet someone who is really a MAGA person who is even willing to listen to another perspective.
Money changes people. Unless they started out with a lot of money, in which case they just become more of who they are (example A - Trump), making that much money tends to make people arrogant and think they now have the right to determine things for others. By all means, continue your admiration for him, but don't be surprised when he reveals himself to be just as arrogant and out-of-touch as people like Zuckerberg and Bezos, while telling himself and others he really cares about "little people".
He may or may not be genuine here. It doesn't mean he is right here. He is coming from his own place of privilege and experience - whether or not he wasn't always a billionaire.
It’s difficult to have an “Intelligent” conversation when the maga are so woefully uninformed.
One friend had no idea Obamacare, upon which he depends, was the ACA. Another seemed to think that America was a deterrent to Putin. Not without NATO it isn’t. Another had no idea what the department of education actually does. Another doesn’t believe in climate change, so why stay in the Paris treaty.
I fucking give up. You can’t have a conversation with a rock.
I have known people who want to do away with Obamacare but want to keep the ACA. Seriously. Also, someone who is MAGA but says he is not. Calls himself a conservative that votes for Trump not bc he is MAGA but bc he is a conservative, blah blah blah got laid off. Guess what? He wanted to get on Obamacare (not knowing it is the ACA) but also wanted to get rid of Obamacare until he tried to get on - my head hurt listening to him.
This post made me laugh out loud Cindy🙏🏿😄👌! Before I left X I would read Mark’s post. What I recognized about Mark -he operates in a SCRIPTURE Mindset. Not Religious but SCRIPTURE (The WORD). Anyway….we have to have discourse and listen. I believe also we need to listen and hear and not be so quick to “have an opinion “.
If you had told me in 2020 that in 4 short years, I would stop reading The Washington Post, The New York Times and stop watching MSNBC and CNN, I would not have believed it - yet this is where we are. I believe we have given MSM every opportunity to do factual reporting - and at crucial juncture where ACCURATE reporting is required, they've failed. The next Trump Administration...will for sure erode almost every shred of "truth & normalcy" out there - and what will be required is accurate reporting and documentation of what's transpired...so that we can attempt to take back any semblance of power during the next Mid Terms. Glad MeidasTouch is in the fight, and to grow this precious community.
RE: I believe we have given MSM every opportunity to do factual reporting. Agree 100%. Any news, if unregulated, owned by a small group of ppl, cannot get beyond the profit-making motive.
Ron is my man💪💪 Thank You👏. Keep it up MeidasTouch WE Want and Need facts in our news updates. We don't want "sane washing " it's insane and its cruel to purposely mislead ppl by not giving them the whole story and pretending that this crap going on is Normal, because it isn't and news media companies are making it easier to be accepted.
While I appreciate Meidas and am a paid subscriber, I believe we still need a platform with ongoing original reporting. Heather Cox Richardson and other writers/historians/journalists writing daily columns is not the same as independent investigative reporters digging into sources, events, and following a trail where it leads. ProPublica is a good source of investigative reporting. But opinions, interpretations of issues based on a specific political lens, or repeating the day's highlights are not substitutes for hard-hitting original reporting and writing. If following our favorite commentator is the Fourth Estate, we are in trouble.
Reveal/Center for Investigative Reporting is also excellent and their programs get aired on NPR stations. They work with Mother Jones, which I subscribe to.
I agree. I’m sure they’re not perfect, but I also check out Vox for news. And though Meidas doesn’t have an investigative journalism model, they have unearthed and publicized information (part of investigative journalism, right?) - I believe it was Ron who found the clip of JD Vance criticizing childless cat ladies, for example. I would guess as they get more financial support, they might add staff who can focus on digging into a story over time.
It is only in places like this we can get true, unbiased factual news content that does not sugarcoat it like the big media markets did, not calling out the BS of Trump and normalizing it ,and like the freaking lies that X has done and turned into a propaganda machine. As long as we stay with facts, truth and calling out the BS that is becoming our hypocritical government, we have a path forward by making truth the norm now. And we’ve got to keep pushing back against the lies, constantly and harder than ever against the lies but if they do something right, we actually need to call that out too. There is no doubt we can use some improvement in our government, and our government has failed us for many years now but now we’re facing the most dire situation of our lives with what we have installed in the White House and question still remain whether there was some shenanigans that Suppressed some of this nations vote.
I have not had the tv news on since November 6. I don’t want to see Trump or even hear his voice on the radio. I appreciate what Ron and Meidas are doing. I am presently bitter over the Democratic Party, that failed miserably in the election. In retrospect I blame Biden for not withdrawing from the race earlier in the year and opening up the primaries. I hope that 2026 will be a different story. I will be more frugal with my donations in the future.
I have not watched major TV news in about 2 years, Does wonders for one's mental health. However, you cannot stop the intake of information from the other side completely. You have to read it sometimes, and regularly.
We do need to know our enemy or 'other side' if you prefer. So yes, check more than one source. I haven't had a TV in 20+ years, manage to keep up with news and also stay sane. At least as sane as I ever was ...
How about being upset at our "slower- than- molasses- system- of- laws" that allowed all the criminals and individual#1 to get away with crimes by running, and letting run the clocks until this point. In History, this will have a special place in the analysis of the origins of the next Holocaust. We were told to be patient about the work the DOJ were doing. Well, I said they are all in kahoots on the power buildings of this nation. This is the real depressing story. God help us all in 2025.
Thank you. Please consider supplementing this work with the formation of a committee to shadow Elon’s and Vivek’s advisory committee. A shadow committee made up of those who actually understand the government’s work and bureaucracies and who are not currently beholden to an employer or investors could translate the actual effects of the advisory committee to societal impacts and call out the gaps from the true potential of using AI on regulatory text. One historical example is https://shadowfed.org/.
It's time for Democrats to come together. Join ranks. Stick together and fight for the good of our democracy. GOP got behind Trump & are still behind him. Now we have to get together & stay together behind our core values. This is our fight. We can win if we are all in it together.
I agree! And I feel it is critical for all lower and middle income people to come together - to stop allowing ourselves to be manipulated by the wealthy’s divide-and-conquer tactics. I can’t make Trump supporters listen to me, or keep them from insulting me, but I will not insult them. We all need to wake up from this spell we’re under, that we are each others’ enemies.
We need to tell the truth, simply, repeatedly, over and over. To me that includes facts about the growing wealth gap, the needs that government can meet for those of us who are not rich, initiatives Democrats tried to pass that were blocked by Republicans, and other facts that are not discussed enough.
E.g., any time Donald Trump riding down that golden escalator is mentioned, we need to add that he really did pay actors to play his supporters. Rachel Maddow reported on it.
Also when Social Security is mentioned, we should hammer home that currently only the first $168,000 of income is taxed for Social Security, so the rich pay a much smaller percent of their incomes toward Soc Sec than the rest of us. Guess who doesn’t want to change this, but instead says we can’t afford “entitlements” and they need to be cut?
If Musk buys MSNBC, you can kiss it goodbye.. He will fire everyone, rename it Infowars (if he legally can) hire Alex JONES and you'll have another FOX "News" spewing hate and propoganda. And if he can, he'll take CNN too.
CNN went to the dark side a few years ago. I stopped watching when they started normalizing fascists. Infuriating. It’s all been infected by right wing scumbags. I’m done with all the networks. I will be curious what happens to Rachel and Lawrence, though. They are truth tellers.
Well Rachael only airs once a week now as she's busy with her own podcast projects and Lawrence... He's a mystery. I publish here on Substack so feel free to subscribe.. I think this post gives me an idea for my next post to write about
Rachel just took a huge salary cut and yes only one day a week which she wanted. Not sure if she sees the handwriting on the wall or trying to save MSNBC as she was the highest paid commentator, or she sees what’s coming down the pike if Musk makes a bid. Time to jump ship before that happens Rachel. I love your work!
Neither. Her contract was up for renewal months ago and the new deal was once a week, when therss big news events while able to work on other projects for NBC.. This new deal is at least a year old.. Nothing to do with Trump.
Thank you Ron for stating exactly what most of us who subscribe to independent media are thinking. I get all of my new sources from Media Touch Network and Bryan Tyler Cohen. Y’all have kept me from shutting down and keep fighting. The corporate media turned on us for ratings instead of reporting the facts.
Agree
Yes, that's exactly why I'm here. And Joy is right as well, that profit can't be the goal of these core functions any more that a gov't can successfully be run 'like a business'.
I do also, but add Michael Popok with LegalAF, Luke Beasley, ChasingOz, Under the Desk News, Tennessee Brando, Texas Paul, The Bulwark, Malcolm Nance Black Man Spy, Political News Network, Coach D, Heather Cox Richardson, Chris Hayes, Rachel Maddow, George Conway, and more…
The United States still hasn't learned that monetary profit cannot be the goal of certain core functions.
That’s a fact! It’s all about profit, with our so-called so wonderful healthcare industry, and now the glaring elephant in the room so-called unbiased media industry! Last I checked, “greed” is still one of the Seven Deadly Sins.
Maybe I'm old or naive, but I learned a long time ago that being a citizen is more than just being a cog in the profit-making machine. For me, honor, ethics, and integrity are much more vital than simply making money. This is especially true when it comes to living up to the principles that supposedly define what America is.
Thornton, I'm old and have never been moneyminded. I believe in living simply so others can simply live. I'm amazed at the greed and selfishness of so many people, some in my own family.
I haven't watched so called media since the last week before the election. I was dumbstruck watching the same rally live and then watching the cleaned up version on CNN, MSNBC,FOX. Yes, I attempted to be open minded and even watched Fox... as long as I could stomach their lies without being sick to death. The lies were so blatant I can't believe how many people "believed" them!!!! It seems our education system is lacking in critical thinking development 🤔
Well unfortunately, the way we use capitalism, all that matters is profit. We have some businesses run by how it would matter to shareholders and not customers. I don't have a way for us to change our views on business, but I think open dialogue that is not monitored by an egotistical billionaire is a great start.
Like truthful, balanced news.
It's learning now. The hard way, as always.
Joy, Isn’t that stunning. The left is pushing BlueSky and doesn’t seem to look into the ownership! A foreign individual (China) previously started by the people who sold out Twitter to Musk
The code running Blue Sky is open source, meaning that anyone with the skill set can launch their own version of it
In addition,
Jay Graber is the primary owner and CEO of Bluesky, a social media app that's been described as a Twitter alternative:
Ownership
Graber is the primary owner of Bluesky, along with the rest of the Bluesky team.
Board
Other members of the Bluesky board include:
Jeremie Miller, the inventor of Jabber/XMPP
Mike Masnick, the founder of Techdirt
Kinjal Shah, a general partner at Blockchain Capital
Yes!!! I rely on Meidas, Scott Dworkin, Heather Cox Richardson and Chuck Hobbs for factual news. No more MSM for me!
And Robert Reich.
Yes!
No matter how many books they burn....how many propaganda radio stations they own....how many corporate whore tv stations they run...........the Orange racist nazi cult will NEVER defeat the Truth.
Also: Tim Snyder, Andrea Watkins, Greg Olear, and the ever fantastic Dan Rather!
Mark Cuban can kick rocks! He has been posting some fucked up shit like welcoming "intelligent" conversations with MAGA instead of blocking them. AND he suggested that they were "Republicans". Sorry Cubes, the party of Lincoln was killed by the Mango Mussolini and MAGA has taken over.
No monetization on BlueSky. I like that no one has a blue check and I hope that they never let that happen on there.
I don't agree that Mark's ideas like "welcoming "intelligent" conversations with MAGA instead of blocking them" is effed up. If a conversation turns to threats, or violence or is buried under a mountain of misinformation, yes, that is a conversation-ender. Otherwise you risk being simply a contrarian, and that is also a conversation-ender, Conversation is the only way to learn.
Why not start having conversations with fellow Democrats first? We have so many differing opinions in our party. That is our blessing and our downfall. Republicans tend to vote for whomever their party nominates. Democrats do not. Let's heal our own Party first. No? I am not interested in trying to understand or come together with racists. I am SO over hearing from "real" Americans or the forgotten "working class" which really means white working class or Americans who hang out in diners waiting to be interviewed by Fox News.
Thank you. And I’m tired of hand-wringing over what we did wrong! Nothing! We told the truth. Should we have lied? Run non-stop hate commercials during football games? Written our own Project 2025? Threatened every liberal in the nation? Men fearing/hating/disrespecting women is why we lost. Tell it like it is. Who is sane washing now?
Exactly! I would add racism also was a strong contributor. Do people who interview the Trump voter expect them to say, yes, I just don't like Black people, especially really smart, well educated Black Women? Spot on the sane washing. It is so frustrating.
The excuse of “forgotten” poor hurt feelings of the Fascist-Felon-Rapist cult needs to be eliminated. On the first round of trump, MAYBE they were protest votes for those reasons. By now trump has shown himself to be a deadly Sedition inciter, he IS a 34-count convicted Felon & Rapist, he has given information to dangerous foreign enemies. He never won the popular vote with Hillary or Biden, but now miraculously, with Muskrat money, wins the popular vote and all swing states.
I am more angry with Democrats not challenging the election than I am with MAGA at the moment! Do something for the Dem base for ONCE!!!
Exactly. I don't know about "stolen" but Trump was sure helped in nefarious ways. Voter Suppression. Bomb threats. Few voting machines in, gee, surprise, high Dem voting areas, etc. Also the MSM is nothing more than a right wing propaganda machine. I think they succeeded in depressing our side as well. MSM and Trump voters love Trump whether they admit it or not. I know. Next up, real American voters in the midwest at diners interviewed giving their reasons why they voted for Trump and why they feel forgotten. Oh yeah bathrooms! I am sick of their "hurt" feelings. I wish the Dem Party would start focusing on healing our Party and stop kissing the MSM's collective ass. And yes, I know there are some good journalists out there but for the most part, they are very few and don't have the machine behind them.
Welcoming intellegent conversations with Maga....are you fc@king kidding me????
Same bull s7it as sending abortion rights to the states.........anti-vaxeer moron for department of health......38% of cabinet choices sex offenders.........barff bag please over here!.
Hmmmm.... I'm trying to picture this process. In order to have an "intelligent" conversation, both parties have to be open to the others' differing values and opinions. So far what I've seen and experienced is a true lack of open-mindedness that is a basic requirement.
Many years ago, I sat next to an Atheist at work. She was raised an Orthodox Jew and married an Atheist and curried the monetary aspect with great favor and changed tunes. When 9/11 happened, she was put out that the mall was closed because she needed to return a purse. On top of that when it was suggested to put a cross at Ground Zero, she pitched a fit for several days. No one really ever talked to her about religion because it's a taboo work place subject, but one day I'd heard enough anti-everything from her and asked her outright, "Don't you think that people who believe in God want some remembrance there as much as you do not?" She looked at me puzzled and thoughtfully and never brought it up again. While she didn't conceded, she did see that there were other points of view.
It's very difficult to have a one sided conversation with someone who is unwilling to even conceive that there might be another side that is something to consider and think about - and that ultimately turns into a battle that can't be won.
Respectfully, being atheist had nothing to do with her being shallow and having no empathy or critical thinking skills. Just as being religious has nothing to do with whether someone is shallow and has no empathy or critical thinking skills. Having an intelligent conversation with any adult in the United States right now is challenging. People have been groomed to have short attention spans, are unable to manage uncertainty or discomfort well, and have been bombarded with misinformation for decades. As a mental health therapist I spend a lot of time teaching critical thinking and and managing emotions skills.
I would agree that her shallowness and self-absorption was not related to her beliefs; however the griping and complaining that no one had a right to put a cross at ground zero did. While I wasn't able to convince her that it was fair to represent others, at least she didn't argue once I asked her that question.
Thank you for your feedback!
I wish I had help with emotional skills because I’m not managing that well right now 🥴
I completely understand. I have lots of coping skills and found my own therapist since trump got re-elected. After 10 years of Americans falling for a narcissistic billionaire’s whiny victim persona - I think everyone is struggling with staying sane. 🌺
I go from shock, depression, anger, bitterness and then start all over again. I understand.
Billionaires don't learn, because they don't have to. No matter what happens here, they are perfectly safe in their little bubbles and can afford the delusion of "dialogue" with fascists, that everyone else's rights are up for discussion because their own are quite secure. He's as deluded and self-absorbed as the rest of them, he just hides it better.
Mark wasn't always a billionaire. Give him credit for starting a conversation. He seems genuine to me.
Major question: Is it worth wading through the sewage to see if there is a green oasis on the other side. I have yet to meet someone who is really a MAGA person who is even willing to listen to another perspective.
Money changes people. Unless they started out with a lot of money, in which case they just become more of who they are (example A - Trump), making that much money tends to make people arrogant and think they now have the right to determine things for others. By all means, continue your admiration for him, but don't be surprised when he reveals himself to be just as arrogant and out-of-touch as people like Zuckerberg and Bezos, while telling himself and others he really cares about "little people".
He actually campaigned for VP Harris.. didn’t see Zuckerberg or coward Bezos doing that.
He may or may not be genuine here. It doesn't mean he is right here. He is coming from his own place of privilege and experience - whether or not he wasn't always a billionaire.
He spoke against trump publicly & frequently…it’s a good start. But we must move with caution about who controls what and how much.
So did Mika and Joe.
Agree. Billionaire is floating his idea for a business model to see if there is a market there. If not then walk.
Party of Lincoln was killed by Reagan and Neocons, IMHO.
It’s difficult to have an “Intelligent” conversation when the maga are so woefully uninformed.
One friend had no idea Obamacare, upon which he depends, was the ACA. Another seemed to think that America was a deterrent to Putin. Not without NATO it isn’t. Another had no idea what the department of education actually does. Another doesn’t believe in climate change, so why stay in the Paris treaty.
I fucking give up. You can’t have a conversation with a rock.
I have known people who want to do away with Obamacare but want to keep the ACA. Seriously. Also, someone who is MAGA but says he is not. Calls himself a conservative that votes for Trump not bc he is MAGA but bc he is a conservative, blah blah blah got laid off. Guess what? He wanted to get on Obamacare (not knowing it is the ACA) but also wanted to get rid of Obamacare until he tried to get on - my head hurt listening to him.
This post made me laugh out loud Cindy🙏🏿😄👌! Before I left X I would read Mark’s post. What I recognized about Mark -he operates in a SCRIPTURE Mindset. Not Religious but SCRIPTURE (The WORD). Anyway….we have to have discourse and listen. I believe also we need to listen and hear and not be so quick to “have an opinion “.
If you had told me in 2020 that in 4 short years, I would stop reading The Washington Post, The New York Times and stop watching MSNBC and CNN, I would not have believed it - yet this is where we are. I believe we have given MSM every opportunity to do factual reporting - and at crucial juncture where ACCURATE reporting is required, they've failed. The next Trump Administration...will for sure erode almost every shred of "truth & normalcy" out there - and what will be required is accurate reporting and documentation of what's transpired...so that we can attempt to take back any semblance of power during the next Mid Terms. Glad MeidasTouch is in the fight, and to grow this precious community.
It is discouraging - follow the money, sadly. And yes, I am grateful for Meidas Touch, including all their content creators
RE: I believe we have given MSM every opportunity to do factual reporting. Agree 100%. Any news, if unregulated, owned by a small group of ppl, cannot get beyond the profit-making motive.
Ron is my man💪💪 Thank You👏. Keep it up MeidasTouch WE Want and Need facts in our news updates. We don't want "sane washing " it's insane and its cruel to purposely mislead ppl by not giving them the whole story and pretending that this crap going on is Normal, because it isn't and news media companies are making it easier to be accepted.
News should always be truthful and state the facts! No one should twist what is happening to benefit them and brainwash others!
While I appreciate Meidas and am a paid subscriber, I believe we still need a platform with ongoing original reporting. Heather Cox Richardson and other writers/historians/journalists writing daily columns is not the same as independent investigative reporters digging into sources, events, and following a trail where it leads. ProPublica is a good source of investigative reporting. But opinions, interpretations of issues based on a specific political lens, or repeating the day's highlights are not substitutes for hard-hitting original reporting and writing. If following our favorite commentator is the Fourth Estate, we are in trouble.
I rely on The Guardian for that. Yes, they're British but cover world news excellently. And truly independent.
Yes I have a subscription to The Guardian as well. Thank you for adding this resource.
100% agree. BBC has its issues at times, but The Guardian and BBC have replaced my daily intake of US MSM
how does the Guardian stay independent?
They're owned by a Trust, and rely on subscriptions, although all articles are free. https://www.theguardian.com/about
Why can't our major news media be owned in trust??
Reveal/Center for Investigative Reporting is also excellent and their programs get aired on NPR stations. They work with Mother Jones, which I subscribe to.
I love Reveal! Informative reporting and sometimes shocking but that’s what journalism should be. Fact based information. Not click bait.
I agree. I’m sure they’re not perfect, but I also check out Vox for news. And though Meidas doesn’t have an investigative journalism model, they have unearthed and publicized information (part of investigative journalism, right?) - I believe it was Ron who found the clip of JD Vance criticizing childless cat ladies, for example. I would guess as they get more financial support, they might add staff who can focus on digging into a story over time.
It is only in places like this we can get true, unbiased factual news content that does not sugarcoat it like the big media markets did, not calling out the BS of Trump and normalizing it ,and like the freaking lies that X has done and turned into a propaganda machine. As long as we stay with facts, truth and calling out the BS that is becoming our hypocritical government, we have a path forward by making truth the norm now. And we’ve got to keep pushing back against the lies, constantly and harder than ever against the lies but if they do something right, we actually need to call that out too. There is no doubt we can use some improvement in our government, and our government has failed us for many years now but now we’re facing the most dire situation of our lives with what we have installed in the White House and question still remain whether there was some shenanigans that Suppressed some of this nations vote.
Corporate Media is NOT the solution. Corporate media is the PROBLEM.
💯
I have not had the tv news on since November 6. I don’t want to see Trump or even hear his voice on the radio. I appreciate what Ron and Meidas are doing. I am presently bitter over the Democratic Party, that failed miserably in the election. In retrospect I blame Biden for not withdrawing from the race earlier in the year and opening up the primaries. I hope that 2026 will be a different story. I will be more frugal with my donations in the future.
I have not watched major TV news in about 2 years, Does wonders for one's mental health. However, you cannot stop the intake of information from the other side completely. You have to read it sometimes, and regularly.
We do need to know our enemy or 'other side' if you prefer. So yes, check more than one source. I haven't had a TV in 20+ years, manage to keep up with news and also stay sane. At least as sane as I ever was ...
How about being upset at our "slower- than- molasses- system- of- laws" that allowed all the criminals and individual#1 to get away with crimes by running, and letting run the clocks until this point. In History, this will have a special place in the analysis of the origins of the next Holocaust. We were told to be patient about the work the DOJ were doing. Well, I said they are all in kahoots on the power buildings of this nation. This is the real depressing story. God help us all in 2025.
Thank you. Please consider supplementing this work with the formation of a committee to shadow Elon’s and Vivek’s advisory committee. A shadow committee made up of those who actually understand the government’s work and bureaucracies and who are not currently beholden to an employer or investors could translate the actual effects of the advisory committee to societal impacts and call out the gaps from the true potential of using AI on regulatory text. One historical example is https://shadowfed.org/.
It's time for Democrats to come together. Join ranks. Stick together and fight for the good of our democracy. GOP got behind Trump & are still behind him. Now we have to get together & stay together behind our core values. This is our fight. We can win if we are all in it together.
I agree! And I feel it is critical for all lower and middle income people to come together - to stop allowing ourselves to be manipulated by the wealthy’s divide-and-conquer tactics. I can’t make Trump supporters listen to me, or keep them from insulting me, but I will not insult them. We all need to wake up from this spell we’re under, that we are each others’ enemies.
We need to tell the truth, simply, repeatedly, over and over. To me that includes facts about the growing wealth gap, the needs that government can meet for those of us who are not rich, initiatives Democrats tried to pass that were blocked by Republicans, and other facts that are not discussed enough.
E.g., any time Donald Trump riding down that golden escalator is mentioned, we need to add that he really did pay actors to play his supporters. Rachel Maddow reported on it.
Also when Social Security is mentioned, we should hammer home that currently only the first $168,000 of income is taxed for Social Security, so the rich pay a much smaller percent of their incomes toward Soc Sec than the rest of us. Guess who doesn’t want to change this, but instead says we can’t afford “entitlements” and they need to be cut?
If Musk buys MSNBC, you can kiss it goodbye.. He will fire everyone, rename it Infowars (if he legally can) hire Alex JONES and you'll have another FOX "News" spewing hate and propoganda. And if he can, he'll take CNN too.
CNN went to the dark side a few years ago. I stopped watching when they started normalizing fascists. Infuriating. It’s all been infected by right wing scumbags. I’m done with all the networks. I will be curious what happens to Rachel and Lawrence, though. They are truth tellers.
Well Rachael only airs once a week now as she's busy with her own podcast projects and Lawrence... He's a mystery. I publish here on Substack so feel free to subscribe.. I think this post gives me an idea for my next post to write about
Rachel just took a huge salary cut and yes only one day a week which she wanted. Not sure if she sees the handwriting on the wall or trying to save MSNBC as she was the highest paid commentator, or she sees what’s coming down the pike if Musk makes a bid. Time to jump ship before that happens Rachel. I love your work!
Neither. Her contract was up for renewal months ago and the new deal was once a week, when therss big news events while able to work on other projects for NBC.. This new deal is at least a year old.. Nothing to do with Trump.
Great analysis Ron! Thank you to Meidas Touch for helping me retain my sanity! 💙💙💙
Thank you for your forceful, excellent response!