The fact that we even have to have these conversations in 2023 is discouraging, but these discussions must still happen nonetheless. The nation has seen the growing prevalence of bias in the elite media, which seems to focus more on influencing their audiences than informing them. It has become a significant problem because many news outlets have become little more than propaganda outlets perpetuating narratives intended to keep certain people in power.
However, former President Donald Trump wrote a post on Truth Social proposing a rather terrifying idea. He seemed to indicate that if and when he becomes president, he might launch an investigation into several media outlets that have engaged in deceptive reporting.
On Sunday, the former president railed against Comcast, NBC News, MSNBC, and the overall “LameStream Media” for its biased reporting approach and suggested that they be investigated for “Country Threatening Treason.”
They are almost all dishonest and corrupt, but Comcast, with its one-side and vicious coverage by NBC NEWS, and in particular MSNBC, often and correctly referred to as MSDNC (Democrat National Committee!), should be investigated for its “Country Threatening Treason.” Their endless coverage of the now fully debunked SCAM known as Russia, Russia, Russia, and much else, is one big Campaign Contribution to the Radical Left Democrat Party. I say up front, openly, and proudly, that when I WIN the Presidency of the United States, they and others of the LameStream Media will be thoroughly scrutinized for their knowingly dishonest and corrupt coverage of people, things, and events. Why should NBC, or any other of the corrupt & dishonest media companies, be entitled to use the very valuable Airwaves of the USA, FREE? They are a true threat to Democracy and are, in fact, THE ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE! The Fake News Media should pay a big price for what they have done to our once great Country!
For starters, the former president is absolutely correct about the rampant dishonesty of the elite media. Each of the news outlets he mentioned has worked hard to promote narratives designed to keep authoritarians in power. Indeed, it would not be a stretch to suggest that they have functioned as a de facto Ministry of Propaganda for establishment forces entrenched in Washington, D.C. The Russia collusion hoax is a fine example demonstrating their willingness to help these elements carry out a taxpayer-funded smear job against Trump.
However, the notion that a Republican president should use the power of the state to investigate the press is not only authoritarian itself, but it would also lead to a very dangerous place – especially for those who value liberty. Going this route would be problematic from a Constitutional perspective. It would violate the freedom of the press, which is protected by the First Amendment, and grant the government the authority to use its position to intimidate news outlets into only reporting state-approved narratives.
Of course, one could argue that the media already promotes state-approved narratives. However, using the government to promote an agenda that seems to favor the right will only backfire as time goes on. Taking this action would essentially give the state the power to control what is allowed to be reported in the media. One does not need to imagine what will happen when the left inevitably regains control of the government after Trump is out of office, do they?
Democrats would take Trump’s initiative and run with it, using the power of the state to crack down on conservative and libertarian outlets like RedState and others. Indeed, it has already been flirting with crossing the line. The State Department has been using taxpayer money to fund nonprofits like the Global Disinformation Index and others to attack right-leaning news sites through their advertising dollars. The Twitter Files exposed a full-on effort on the part of the FBI and other government agencies to pressure social media companies to censor dissenting views about elections and the COVID-19 pandemic.
If Trump were to become president and launch investigations into media outlets, it would go much further than the left already has. It would open the door to a host of First Amendment abuses, and it would be folks on the right who would suffer the most.
Despite the fact that the once-vaunted Fourth Estate is full of lying, hypocritical, sleazy, nasty authoritarians, the idea of a free press still means something. There are still plenty of journalists and commentators who do their best to convey the truth to the people. Weaponizing the government against the bad actors will only make it easier for the authoritarian type to wield the state against those who are actually speaking truth to power.
