When are the other political parties going to get coverage in the media?

I think it's time for ATS members to see the media for the farce that it is, if they haven't already. In designating one part of it to support the democrats and the other the republicans, they have proven that (if left up to them) they will never allow any other political party to have any chance in U.S. politics.

Where is the unbiased portrayal of ALL POLITICAL PARTIES? When are the Libertrarian Party, the Green Party, the Constitution Party, Reform Party, Independent parties' candidates going to be covered in the mainstream media?

WHERE IS THE FAIR MEDIA COVERAGE?

Why aren't they talking about all of these guys, instead of only the first two?

www.politics1.com...

Really?



Ok. I'll say something substantive....



Trying again...



One more time...

You expected an "unbiased portrayal of ALL POLITICAL PARTIES?"



You must be thinking of some other democracy.

Definately some other democracy.

I think the fat lady will be singing about pigs flying on the moon before the media gives coverage of these other candidates.

But still. These people exist and are running for president of the United States. They are not living in some alternate universe. Or are they?

Originally posted by TheBandit795
They are not living in some alternate universe. Or are they?

Actually, given the present reality, it's remarkable that anyone ever runs from the other parties.

Is that blind optimism and perseverance or just self-delusion?

Dunno.

reply to post by TheBandit795


To be honest with you it is because we live in America. Not the America where our leaders actually fought for the right of ALL voices to be heard but an America where big money tells us what we need to hear. Period. We do not live in a 'free' country like many try to convince themselves and others of. We live in an elaborately controlled system. These people know full well that the easiest way to control how people think (vote) is to expose them to what they want them to vote against or for in various lights.

It's the farce that this country has become. I would say that less than 10% of our voices are actually heard. That's the top 10% of the money in this country.

That's why these others do not get nearly as much exposure. They stand for the old America where the government needs to be held accountable for their actions and where corporations can't pay off politicians.

Originally posted by dariousg
reply to post by TheBandit795

 

To be honest with you it is because we live in America. Not the America where our leaders actually fought for the right of ALL voices to be heard but an America where big money tells us what we need to hear. Period. We do not live in a 'free' country like many try to convince themselves and others of. We live in an elaborately controlled system. These people know full well that the easiest way to control how people think (vote) is to expose them to what they want them to vote against or for in various lights.

It's the farce that this country has become. I would say that less than 10% of our voices are actually heard. That's the top 10% of the money in this country.

That's why these others do not get nearly as much exposure. They stand for the old America where the government needs to be held accountable for their actions and where corporations can't pay off politicians.

No truer words ever spoken. The American Media will only air what they want us to hear, and see, and they will hide the rest from our eyes. This has been a trend for some time now, has anyone noticed that the media is owned by the same big companies and bankers? Do you think for a minute that these super rich elite old farts want America to be free again? Last night I was watching the convention on TV, and the camera panned up to a balcony....there were seated some of these rich old people, watching the goings on like so many vultures. There were not too many young faces in the crowd. The key to American Freedom is our monetary system, we have the Federal Reserve Bank running everything, and if you read the Constitution, only the Congress has the power to coin money. Our FED dollars are interest bearing dollars, not interest-free dollars, like the Lincoln Greenback or the Kennedy dollars. There is your key to freedom, Patriots....change the money system. Then all those rich fat cats can give up all the gold and silver they have been hoarding, and turn it over to the Congress. Deficit? What deficit? National Debt? What's that? Want to do business with America? Then pony up some real money, gold. Any questions?

We may be a small fish in a big pond, but The Above Politics Show is making an effort to give third parties a voice. We are actively seeking them out, and giving them air time WITH productive questioning that allows them to make their case. If we had enough Diggs, Flags, and Stars, we could come to the attention of a lot more people.

Running for President in an "alternative" political party is a lot like wetting yourself in a dark pair of jeans... It gives you a cozy warm feeling but nobody really notices.

reply to post by Captain Obvious


And that has to change if your country is to have a better democracy.

You don't get it Bandit, see the "other political candidates" are not money makers for the big corporate media industry.

Then you have to take into consideration who is the one that runs this corporations, who are the CEOs and the biggest stock holders, those behind the scenes are the ones dictating with their pockets how the media is to behave and which candidates to support.

Is nothing but a joke, just like our politics and our political candidates in the two main paty circus.

reply to post by marg6043


Agreed.

"When are the other political parties going to get coverage in the media?"

As soon as they sell out to Big Business. Period.

reply to post by dariousg


This post will probably make me unpopular.


You do realize that the US has ALWAYS been a land for big business right? The fact that you have ANY democratic rights is because of popular social, economic, and judicial agitation on the part of the population. The right to vote was an uphill struggle against an entrenched plutocratic government.

The delegates to Philadelphia wanted a stronger central power that would (a) resolve problems among the thirteen states regarding trade and duties, (b) protect overseas commercial and diplomatic interests, (c) effectively propagate the financial and commercial interests of th affluent class, and (d) defend the very wealthy from the competing claims of other classes within the society. It was (c) and (d) that are usually ignored or denied by most historians.

Most troublesome to the framers of the Constitution was the insurgent spirit evidenced among the people. IN 1787 George Washington wrote to a former comrade-in-arms, "There are combustibles in every state, to which spark might set fire." Much needed was a constitution " to contain the threat of the people rather than to embrace their participation and their competence,"
lest "the anarchy of the property less would give way to despotism." Even plutocrats like Governor Morris, who shortly before the Constitutional Convention had opposed strong federation, now realized that an alliance with conservatives from other stats would be a safeguard if radicals should capture the state government. So Morris "gave up 'state rights' for 'nationalism' without hesitation." The delegates newly found devotion to nation building did not posses them as sudden inspiration. As their private communications show, they came upon it as a practical response to pressing material conditions, born of a common propertied class interest.

The framers were if the opinion that democracy (rule by the common people) was "the worst of all political evils," as Elbridge Gerry put it. For Edmund Randolph , the country's problems were caused by "the turbulence and follies of democracy." Roger Sherman concurred, "The people should have as little to do as may be about the Government." According to Alexander Hamilton, "All communities divide themselves into the few and the many. The first are the rich and the wellborn, the other the mass of the people.... The people are turbulent and changing, they seldom judge or determine right." He recommended a strong centralized state power to "check the imprudence of democracy." And George Washington, the presiding officer at the Philadelphia Convention urged the delegates not to produce a document merely to "please the people"

your Constitutional framers were very aware of their class interests and fought hard for them during the Philadelphia convention. Is it really a surprise that a country built by wealthy land and slave holders is still furthering the interests of big business?

On the main issue of the thread, It is no surprise to me that the MSM is supporting only two parties, and of those two parties, one candidate each. When most US citizens get their information from a daily news broad cast, the best way to remove their options is to simply ignore them.

After all, most third party candidates are not AS entrenched in the Plutocracy that is the US central government. Certainly cannot have a party in a position of power when it does not support the class interests that make the US system go round now can we?

Source:
Dr Parenti's Democracy for the few pg 40-42

reply to post by Justin_Case


Right ON, Justin, very good to hear! Bandit, Darius, Autowrench, Marg, it sounds like you and I are in agreement that our fragile Republic is just waiting to be pronounced dead and that the cure is to wrest control away from The Elites who profit from the despicable system of "choice" we call elections.

I think Ron Paul's run truly exposed what a sham our elections are in relation to the media. The sheer arrogance in their non-coverage of his record setting campaign even had my friends that consider me a Tinfoil Hatter (yeah, card carrying member, baby!) were shocked when I shared the facts with them from various websites! In fact, one of my friends actually dug into the RP website and started asking ME questions about The Federal Reserve, devaluation of the dollar, etc.

My GOD, I did get through! lol

Even more dire than the lack of third party coverage is the usage of those parties to fradulently bleed off voters to the favored candidates. This happened in 00,02 AND 04, in my opinion and from what I have researched through bradblog, gregpalast.com, blackboxvoting, etc.

Add to that the fact that MILLIONS of voters are disenfranchised and still millions more votes aren't counted due to "spoilage" and you have got "one joojoofloop of a situation".

There has been enough about the voting machines to fill thousands of pages, but needless to say having faceless, unaccountable private corporations put in charge of counting the votes in a non- transparent, non-verifiable way was not the brightest idea.

Or...maybe it was, just not for us.

Again, why doesn't the press cover this?

Oh, wait you guys covered all that! lol

I think a great start, in fact the only one I can see, is that we undertake to have all incumbents voted out and start over.

What would you guys suggest?

Originally posted by leaderof theTFHbrigade
What would you guys suggest?

Take stock of the tools at your disposal. The Above Politics Show doesn't cost you anything, and it does give you a platform to make your case. It's a source for news ,and a means by which to make yourself heard by millions. You can't change anyone's mind if you don't have access to those minds, in the first place.

The trappings of "legitimacy" are not hard to come by. Put up your own web site, or start your own blog. Once you have a presence on the net, start talking. Find others who think like you do and seek their wisdom. Learn from them. then, put that new information to good use.

The hardest thing you will ever do is to actualy get up off your butt and "do something." Be an AP Show correspondent. Be a blogger. Be a podcaster. Anyone can talk a good game. Few can actually DO IT.

I think this is more fitting to the topic than anything I could add.


The truth

Look I very much doubt there is a location on this plant where the media gives equal coverage to either third party candidates or small party's . The media likes to keep things simple whether they are reporting on elections or the Iraq war . The other factors that determines how third party candidates or smaller party's fair is voter trends and a countries electoral system . FPP is an enemy of democracy some degree of Proportional Representation is required if the way electorates political views are going to be accurately reflected .

Sure that the media coverage of politics could do with a lot of improving but it is also fool hardy to ignore the other factors at work .

reply to post by TheBandit795


I don't like the look of that Bradford Lyttle.



He doesn't look like a pacifist.

In Romania the TV stations are required by law to give equal time to all parties involved in the elections. You don't have such a law in USA ?

It's not only the media's fault the other parties are being ignored, it's also because of the Republican and Democratic parties who have joined together to ensure that all other parties are treated this way.

When there is a nominee debate between the two parties, they will often order security officials to keep the 3rd party representatives from entering the building.

The truth is that there is no democracy. You are voting for people that others choose for you to vote for. It's like having to choose the lesser of two evils, because both of parties ganged up on the good one.