In Politics, the Media Looks for Sensationalism, Much Like Weather Reporting

By Geoff Page

A week ago editor dude asked Rag writers to write something about “…the things and aspects of American democracy that you will miss once…” Meaning if the man with the orange hair wins. While no one who knows me would describe me as a wild-eyed optimist, I am definitely not a complete pessimist. To put such thoughts to paper just feels like admitting defeat. That I cannot do.

This is not a comment on editor dude’s request. Several people have risen to that in a number of ways. At a time like this, with something so historical taking place, I don’t feel like my opinion matters much to anyone, or will have any effect on anyone. This is also a function of age after a lifetime of not even being able to get family to see how brilliant I am, how perfectly correct my opinions are. Go figure.

But, in this case, since my opinion is not completely negative, I thought I’d write something a little bit positive.

The problem is modern media, the media that most of the country sees and reads. In an effort to outdo the other guy, the media looks for and creates sensational stories. The most obvious example of this is in weather reporting.

Just look at the names they have cooked up to make weather sensational. A big rainstorm is now an “atmospheric river.” Storms are now “bomb cyclones.” An extended run of hot weather is a “heat dome.” Look at how the news begins to track any hint of a hurricane down south, breathlessly recounting its development hopefully into a Cat 5, and the disappointment when that Cat 5 is not achieved.

Right now, the news reminds me of a piranha feeding frenzy running from one “possible” story to the next. People are doing things intentionally to attract the media, and to distract the public. In the extreme, this could be something like faking an assassination attempt to create sympathy. Or it can be something as simple as setting some ballot boxes on fire.

Another example is how the media is focusing on all the terrible things the man with the orange hair will do if elected. Of course, makes good copy, catches the public’s ear. But, in fact, accomplishing any of those things is not something one person can do, certainly not when facing a world of opposition at every step.

And the violence, oh the imagined violence, what news that will make. I think the potential for some of that is there — but widespread civil war and all that shit, no.

The ridiculous onslaught of political analysis, of predictions, of polls, has risen to a level as to be incoherent. So, what to do? Tune it out.

In my case, having lived a few years, I am able to turn off the noise. That’s not hard to do after seeing so many wrong political predictions and polls that did not even begin to match what happened. I go more by instinct and by trying to watch others. I believe the young people and women will be the deciding factors in this one. Some Puerto Ricans may help too.

In his first election, people did not really know the man with the orange hair. That worked to his benefit. This time, the world knows much more about the man with the orange hair, none of it good.

The man has been the subject of lawsuits and criminal charges since he left office. People now know how little he paid in taxes. He was convicted of a crime. He proved he was an ass during his first election but that all came out of his mouth. He life, that has now been exposed, has proved it in spades.

In 2016, the Democrats wisely ran an intelligent, accomplished woman, that, unfortunately, acted as if she just stepped out of a freezer. This time, the Democrats, more wisely, are running another intelligent, accomplished woman but, this time, one with a personality. The man with the orange hair looks far less appealing when compared to Harris.

This is a different contest, a much different contest. The country got caught napping, content that others would be voting, when the man with the orange hair won. But, the country came back and booted his ass.

So, I have to believe that the most dire outcome will not happen. I had a bad feeling about his first election and it bore out. I don’t have that feeling this time. I believe that the big group of undecided voters will see that they have to vote and will possess sufficient moral compasses to point them away from the man with the orange hair.  Even Arnold is making that same decision.

I believe Harris and the Dems will win, so I’m not venturing onto the dark side.