As the U.S. sinks into dictatorship -- malevolent rule by corrupt politicians and oligarchs -- the institution I know the best has almost completely failed to recognize, much less counter, the threat.
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As the U.S. sinks into dictatorship -- malevolent rule by corrupt politicians and oligarchs -- the institution I know the best has almost completely failed to recognize, much less counter, the threat. Big Journalism will be remembered for its cowardice and capitulation. https://www.theguardian.com/world/commentisfree/2026/mar/17/trump-is-aiming-for-dictatorship-thats-the-verdict-of-the-worlds-most-credible-democracy-watchdog
@dangillmor Citizens United and the elimination of the Fairness Doctrine in tandem are the cause for this, together with a couple dozen other factors.
If a journalist can get canned for doing what they're supposed to do, and in consequence lose a lot more than income, in an environment without any social net, i wonder if it's really fair to call them out on it.
Ownership of media by very few, equally aligned, billionaires, that's the actual problem.
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@dangillmor
> As the U.S. sinks into dictatorshipA little bit alarmist there mate.
@cadasian @dangillmor
i think no.trump's intend starts to be crystal clear, obeying the laws or serving the voters is secondary motive.
some cases judicial system has put some obstacles, other cases judges just make pro-trump decisions. many cases trump just ignore the laws.
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@dangillmor Citizens United and the elimination of the Fairness Doctrine in tandem are the cause for this, together with a couple dozen other factors.
If a journalist can get canned for doing what they're supposed to do, and in consequence lose a lot more than income, in an environment without any social net, i wonder if it's really fair to call them out on it.
Ownership of media by very few, equally aligned, billionaires, that's the actual problem.
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@dangillmor
> As the U.S. sinks into dictatorshipA little bit alarmist there mate.
@cadasian So what do you call it then when the man at the top and senior members of his administration threaten and persecute everybody or institution who criticizes them? What is the correct name for a government that is attempting to change the election laws to keep those from voting who are more likely to vote forthe opposition?
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As the U.S. sinks into dictatorship -- malevolent rule by corrupt politicians and oligarchs -- the institution I know the best has almost completely failed to recognize, much less counter, the threat. Big Journalism will be remembered for its cowardice and capitulation. https://www.theguardian.com/world/commentisfree/2026/mar/17/trump-is-aiming-for-dictatorship-thats-the-verdict-of-the-worlds-most-credible-democracy-watchdog
@dangillmor What do you mean "sinks"?
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@cadasian So what do you call it then when the man at the top and senior members of his administration threaten and persecute everybody or institution who criticizes them? What is the correct name for a government that is attempting to change the election laws to keep those from voting who are more likely to vote forthe opposition?
@CSchwartz @cadasian
Perhaps you're only allowed to call it dictatorship, if the man at the top is "president for life" or some similar title? -
As the U.S. sinks into dictatorship -- malevolent rule by corrupt politicians and oligarchs -- the institution I know the best has almost completely failed to recognize, much less counter, the threat. Big Journalism will be remembered for its cowardice and capitulation. https://www.theguardian.com/world/commentisfree/2026/mar/17/trump-is-aiming-for-dictatorship-thats-the-verdict-of-the-worlds-most-credible-democracy-watchdog
@dangillmor as Italian, this worries me much. What can we actively do to prevent this outcome in countries like ours, where autocracy is leading the way? It's not rhetorical, I honestly don't know.
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@dangillmor as Italian, this worries me much. What can we actively do to prevent this outcome in countries like ours, where autocracy is leading the way? It's not rhetorical, I honestly don't know.
@gilraen79 @dangillmor i'm from germany, i have the same fear and we can do nothing. The media are in the hand of billionaires and television in the hand of politics. It's a worldwide problem.
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As the U.S. sinks into dictatorship -- malevolent rule by corrupt politicians and oligarchs -- the institution I know the best has almost completely failed to recognize, much less counter, the threat. Big Journalism will be remembered for its cowardice and capitulation. https://www.theguardian.com/world/commentisfree/2026/mar/17/trump-is-aiming-for-dictatorship-thats-the-verdict-of-the-worlds-most-credible-democracy-watchdog
@dangillmor At least two trolls in the replies.
You’re hitting the nail on its head indeed. -
@gilraen79 @dangillmor i'm from germany, i have the same fear and we can do nothing. The media are in the hand of billionaires and television in the hand of politics. It's a worldwide problem.
@Mirabeaulacht @dangillmor I agree, and I wish we could some kind of coordination in order to be able to, at least, try to do something.
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As the U.S. sinks into dictatorship -- malevolent rule by corrupt politicians and oligarchs -- the institution I know the best has almost completely failed to recognize, much less counter, the threat. Big Journalism will be remembered for its cowardice and capitulation. https://www.theguardian.com/world/commentisfree/2026/mar/17/trump-is-aiming-for-dictatorship-thats-the-verdict-of-the-worlds-most-credible-democracy-watchdog
@dangillmor and criminals.
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@dangillmor At least two trolls in the replies.
You’re hitting the nail on its head indeed.antt5 is Russian too. Oh! What a surprise.
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As the U.S. sinks into dictatorship -- malevolent rule by corrupt politicians and oligarchs -- the institution I know the best has almost completely failed to recognize, much less counter, the threat. Big Journalism will be remembered for its cowardice and capitulation. https://www.theguardian.com/world/commentisfree/2026/mar/17/trump-is-aiming-for-dictatorship-thats-the-verdict-of-the-worlds-most-credible-democracy-watchdog
2 Russian trolls in this thread. I expect all your posts are affected by this?
For those wondering, open antt5 in his home server.
As for the collapse of democracy. I'm 68 and began wondering in my 20s if the post WWII effect and shaming the far-right, would last my lifetime. I think that Russia/Putin are behind almost all of what's happening today. Horrible people and we need to start telling them.
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S sebastian@social.itu.dk shared this topic
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As the U.S. sinks into dictatorship -- malevolent rule by corrupt politicians and oligarchs -- the institution I know the best has almost completely failed to recognize, much less counter, the threat. Big Journalism will be remembered for its cowardice and capitulation. https://www.theguardian.com/world/commentisfree/2026/mar/17/trump-is-aiming-for-dictatorship-thats-the-verdict-of-the-worlds-most-credible-democracy-watchdog
@dangillmor Fighting #fascism has always been a fight of individuals against the system.
A fascist takeover implies the take-over of journalism. I do not think journalism just surrendered. It was slowly appropriated by #Neoliberalism
The Heritage foundation has been at it since the 1940's.
That is the point. It is the individuals and the community that matter.
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As the U.S. sinks into dictatorship -- malevolent rule by corrupt politicians and oligarchs -- the institution I know the best has almost completely failed to recognize, much less counter, the threat. Big Journalism will be remembered for its cowardice and capitulation. https://www.theguardian.com/world/commentisfree/2026/mar/17/trump-is-aiming-for-dictatorship-thats-the-verdict-of-the-worlds-most-credible-democracy-watchdog
@dangillmor Journalism, an inconvenient department of our publishing business that we haven't been able to optimize away
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J jwcph@helvede.net shared this topic
