MSNBC, for the benefit on non-Americans, is a news and comment broadcasting channel, which for years has given a progressive and liberal interpretation of events, in contrast to Fox News channel.
As a result of Bill Clinton signing the Telecommunications Act of 1996 the fifty or so telecom/cable/news providers in the United States have, owing to a whole string of mergers, been reduced to only 4. Yes,you read that correctly. One of the four mega-corporations left is Comcast, a cable network and arguably the worst run and most shambolic big company in the country (no customer has a kind word to say about them).
Comcast bought MSNBC and set about “correcting” the left-wing bias. They were also at the table while TTP, the so-called “trade” agreement”* was being negotiated, along with many other corporations (but no Congressmen). Part of the cultural coup conducted by Comcast as owners of MSNBC has been total omerta when it comes to any mention of TTP. Even the outspoken Rachel Maddow, although still employed, hasn’t mentioned the TTP once, even though, as discussed on this blog several times, it threatens American jobs and and is a threat to democracy.
The man who actually has talked about TTP frequently is Ed Shultz, a fearless critic of all things right wing. Ed Shultz has been fired for his assaults on the treaty. There is now no mouthpiece among the major news organisations for the progressive cause. Pat Buchanan is now a sort of top mouthpiece for MSNBC. Buchanan is arguably amongst the most reactionary people in the United States, accused of racism into the bargain. Thus it is that free speech is crushed and the rule of the corporate oligarchy is cemented – and, nota bene, just before a general election. It is so blatant it makes you gasp.
And the relevance to Epicureanism? Well, it stands for free speech. It stands for a nation where companies serve the people, the people don’t serve companies. It stands for democracy, not oligarchy, for everyone paying a fair share of taxes for the benefit of all. That is what the framers of the Constitution intended.
Buchanan is actually against the TPP, even if his views on immigration, gay marriage and religion aren’t as palatable.
You’re right that MSNBC is no longer truly left wing. If I want a good swipe at American politics, I go to HBO for John Oliver and Bill Maher. HBO don’t rely on advertising so they are free to criticise corporations. I’d also recommend PBS and NPR.
Of course I believe in free speech, including the free speech of media companies to express views I disagree with. What’s needed here is stronger enforcement of antitrust legislation, to break up these big media companies into smaller ones.
One area where the Left dominates in America is comedy. If mainstream news ought to be more left wing (and I think some of it should), comedy ought to be more right wing, so both mediums are representative of the country as a whole.