Far too many GOP politicians care far more about having power than the welfare of our country. They are willing to vilify and lie outrageously to stupefy and isolate their base into having no choice but to support them. Their ideal of America is straight, white, fundamentalist, idolizes the rich and capitalism and is nothing like what our multi-ethnic/multi-cultural country is actually like. Is it that they will do anything to stay in power because they are power-hungry or that they fear they are losing the America they prize or that if they are not in power they can't serve their oligarchic masters as well and will be abandoned by them? Some combination of all of these and I'm even more suspect.

Nevertheless, too much of our press/media is failing us in their essential role as a pillar of our democracy. Some work for wealthy people who care more about owning media to control the narrative and the populace for their own advantage and oligarchic ideal of America. Others aren't taking their role as defenders and enablers of democracy seriously, aren't up for the task at hand or maybe are just conflict-averse.

Still, they have to do much better than bothsidesism and instead actually explain and contextualize the news so as to inform Americans about what is actually happening and how they are being consistently lied to and manipulated by the GOP and why. It's not easy, I'm sure, but working for the common good is much better than being part of the problem trying to undermine it.

Why Biden also pays a price for Republican extremism - The Washington Post No Paywall link
https://wapo.st/3qbOB6q

#GOPLies
#GOPIsOwnedByTheRich
#MediaMatters
#GOPIsPowerHungry
#GOPHatesDemocracy
#GOPHatesAvgAmericans

"Republicans might be damaging their long-term prospects with extremist tactics, but Democrats must confront an unhappy reality: The GOP’s merciless personal and ideological warfare, particularly in the House, is making it much harder for President Biden to sell his achievements.

The poisonous nature of our politics nurtures a sense of exhaustion with public life that works against any incumbent, especially one trying to convince voters that the government is making their lives better. As members of the party that believes in public action, Democrats are especially hurt by a mood of frustration and cynicism.

The ferocity of the GOP’s attacks on Biden also fuels public doubts about the president and affects media coverage, even when journalists carefully fact-check Republicans’ claims. A two-minute report on a congressional hearing will inevitably air whatever charges some right-wing committee chair makes. They lodge in memories no matter what might be said during those 120 seconds to debunk them.

Then there’s Biden’s signature promise to bring the parties together and end the chaos of the Trump years. The president’s problem: Bipartisanship is inherently a two-way street. One party can destroy the other side’s ability to achieve it simply by saying no. “The party in power pays a higher price for the other side’s obstructionism,” said Molly Murphy, a Democratic pollster, though she added that the GOP suffered from its extremism in the three elections since 2018 and would likely do so again next year.

One party can also sow chaos if it wishes. “Biden wants to be known as, and is, a force for stability,” said Geoff Garin, another Democratic pollster. “But when the news is dominated by nuttiness, it’s hard to see stability.”

Nothing would do more to throw Washington into turmoil than an impeachment fight against Biden. So it should surprise no one that House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) is floating the idea. Notice all the innuendo packed into two sentences he offered to reporters last week: “We continue to gather more information. We’re finding more and more.”

What information? McCarthy didn’t say. But he’ll be happy if voters imagine there must be something behind this assertion beyond pandering to his caucus’s most extreme members.

Biden has been struggling to boost his approval ratings ever since his polling numbers suffered a one-two punch from the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan in the summer of 2021 and the inflation spike of 2022. Some polls early this year found most Democrats preferring he not seek reelection.

The GOP’s efforts to insert often unsupported accusations into the news cycle muddle Biden’s comeback campaign. “If you’re Biden, you have a really good story to tell,” Garin told me, “but it’s almost impossible to communicate effectively in this media environment.”