How Some On The Left Embraced The Corporate Media Narrative That They Are Powerless, Invisible

[TomCADem]

President Obama was elected in 2008 despite overwhelming odds due in large part to the activism of his supporters. Indeed, in speech after speech, he credited his presidency to such activism as thousands of people attended his events, walked the precincts, and turned out the vote. In other words, President Obama’s success was a reflection of our success in turning out the vote, rather than due to some magical strategy that he pursued. The activism of the Democrats and progressives helped counter Fox News, and the rest of the corporate media, that bombarded us with stories about President Obama being a Muslim, Reverend Wright, and President Obama associated with the radical left. Heck, the corporate media even associated John Edward’s infidelity with President Obama, while giving McCain’s long history of infidelity a free pass. So, it was not some magical PR strategy. It was all about us.

Fast forward to 2010, and the corporate media has gotten smarter, and we have begun to list to its lies with increasing frequency such that we now adopt the talking points as our own.

First, the myth of the “grassroots” Tea Party activist. The corporate media repeatedly plays up the myth of the tea party movement as a grass roots movement, while ignoring the heavy role that CNBC and Fox News played in its creation and organization. Likewise, the funding of oil industry billionaires like the Koch brothers is largely ignored. Instead, the corporate media repeatedly plays up the role of “everyday Americans” while ignoring the manipulative hand of the right wing corporate media and the Chamber of Commerce in using this movement to combat governmental regulation, and undermine the Obama administration. In other words, rather than focusing on any Republican politicians or the corporate leaders behind the Tea Party movement, the corporate media highlights the individuals on the street, which helps to increase activism.

In other words, the activist on the street is credited with the success of the Tea Party movement while the role of the Chamber of Commerce, Fox News, billionaires like the Koch brothers, and astroturf groups like Freedom Works is minimized. This serves to increase participation by such “everyday Americans,” because they see the movement as their own, rather than see themselves as merely being foot soldiers in the Chamber of Commerce’s war on their own interests.

Also, as this goes on, despite the failure of a Republican House to either repeal health care reform or reduce the deficit, the Tea Partiers are never portrayed being disappointed in the lack of results by their elected leaders.

Second, the corporate media makes liberal activism begin and end with President Obama In sharp contrast to the Tea Party, the role of liberal and progressive activists is largely censored. Pro-health care reform rallies are ignored. Peace rallies are ignored. Immigration rights rallies are ignored. Pro-Union marches are ignored.

The corporate media, instead, focuses entirely on the actions of President Obama. As a result, instead of an empowered progressive base, President Obama is portrayed as the sole moving force who is being manipulated by an invisible and radical left. That is the key. The left must remain invisible, so that they can be portrayed as radical and out of touch, rather than mainstream. Indeed, this approach helps feed into narratives such as President Obama being a type of Manchurian candidate. Eventually, we progressives begin to buy into this. GOP Psy-Op types attack President Obama from the left by blaming him for the failure to get a single payer or a public option while giving Republicans and conservative Democrats a free pass. Even as Jim DeMint demands that gays not be allowed to teach in public schools, President Obama is blamed for DADT. Even as Republicans compaign against any type of financial reform, President Obama is blamed on the left for not going further. The left has disappeared, and only sees the light of day if they criticize the President. But, if you support the Democrats, you become a victim of corporate censorship. Best example? Jane Hamscher appearing on Fox News with Grover Norquist to show left wing and right wing opposition to President Obama.

Third, the idea of liberal activism through apathy and inaction is promoted Republicans begin to secretly promote the idea of progressive activism through inaction. Occasionally, they are discovered such as when Rand Paul staffers were caught attacking Conway from the left on liberal websites. Likewise, Latinos for Reform, which urged Hispanics to stay at home during the election to send a message to Democrats on immigration is exposed as a Republican affiliated group designed to suppress the vote.

Nonetheless, the bulk of this Republican/corporate media voter suppression goes largely unnoticed as the corporate media repeatedly plays the talking point that Democrats and Progressives will stay at home in 2010. It is only in California where the flow of corporate money into the election becomes painfully apparent, that we reverse this trend. But, elsewhere, the voter suppression efforts are largely successful. You can go back to early 2009, and you will see stories pushing the narrative of voter backlash and President Obama failing to meet the expectations of progressives and liberals. While Tea Partiers are celebrated as citizen activists, liberals are portrayed as sullen and unhappy. Then, when Democrats try to outreach and rally progressives, the media portrays such efforts as "pleading" or "lecturing" while identical get out the vote speeches by Republicans are celebrated as "energizing" the base.

In short, the stories and media narratives are no accident. Conservative activist are portrayed as the heart of the movement as they bend Republican members of Congress to their will. Conversely, the left are censored out of the equation, and portrayed as an invisible, radical force placing pressure on President Obama, but who are unsatisfied that their dreams of a socialist utopia have not been realized.

The left is not going to succeed by obeying the corporate narrative and staying at home. Likewise, we are not going to succeed if we continue to give Republicans a free pass.

1. If we are going to complain about President Obama’s stand on DADT, then we better complain even louder about Jim Demint’s proposal to ban gays and lesbians from teaching at public schools.

2. If we are going to complain about President Obama not pushing even stronger on climate legislation, then we better complain even louder about Senator Inhofe’s denial of the reality of climate change, as well as Rep. Joe Barton’s apologies to the oil industry for their treatment at the hands of the Obama administration.

3. If we are going to complain about President Obama’s unwillingness to immediately withdraw from Afganistan, then we better complain even louder about Republican demands that we immediately launch a military strike on Iran.