As if the mainstream, fact-based news media needed any further reminder of the dangers posed by a second Trump administration, this week he doubled down on his demands that news media be punished for not being nice to him.
In case you missed it in Rolling Stone, former President Donald Trump took to Truth Social late Tuesday night in a frenzied late-night posting event, to demand that the government punish MSNBC for their critical coverage of him.
He wrote that “MSNBC (MSDNC) uses FREE government approved airwaves, and yet it is nothing but a 24-hour hit job on Donald J. Trump and the Republican Party for purposes of ELECTION INTERFERENCE.” [emphasis his, not AVV‘s.]
President Joe Biden addressing the nation on the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Image courtesy npr.org
Now, it should be pointed out that it does not appear that Trump understands how cable channels operate in this country. Cable channels have subscribers, they do not operate on “free government-approved airwaves.”
The First Amendment (which protects five freedoms including freedom of the press) applies. There are clear laws that would prevent the government from silencing or punishing a news outlet for giving unfavorable coverage to a government official or political party.
But that is exactly what Trump appears to be proposing, writing “Our so-called ‘government’ should come down hard on them and make them pay for their illegal political activity. Much more to come, watch!”
Also on Tuesday, Trump announced (again) that he would terminate the Affordable Care Act (ACA) “and replace it with MUCH BETTER HEALTHCARE.”
Never mind that he said the same thing in 2016, and spent four years as president in which he repeatedly threatened the ACA and succeeded in getting some key provisions of it repealed by Congress. But — propose a new health care plan for America? That, he did not do.
This week he wrote on Truth Social that he would replace it with “something terrific”, but offered nothing by way of a replacement plan.
As to his latest “campaign promises”, the Biden Administration responded with this statement this morning, following his visit yesterday to Pueblo, Colorado:
“Donald Trump suggesting locking up and punishing journalists for keeping the electorate informed flies in the face of everything our country stands for. Though we may sometimes disagree with our friends in the media on the nature of specific coverage, we can be honest and direct while also respecting the critical role the free press plays in our democracy. Donald Trump has such little respect for our country’s ideals that he’d turn the government into his personal retribution force to go after his enemies. Last year’s midterms made clear the American people will not accept these kinds of overt and existential attacks on our democracy.”
Editor’s Note: As we are clearly moving into the 2024 election season, and as former President Donald Trump continues to make campaign promises and extraordinary (and untruthful) claims, Ark Valley Voice will be reporting on the claims and the facts surrounding such claims, as is our right — and our responsibility.
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