Trump’s Two-Step Strategy To Take Over the Truth
Donald Trump is such a consummate liar that in coming days and years our democracy will depend more than ever on the independent press – finding the truth, reporting it, and holding Trump accountable for his lies.
But Trump’s strategy is to denigrate and disparage the press in the public’s mind – seeking to convince the public that the press is engaged in a conspiracy against him. And he wants to use his tweets, rallies, and videos to make himself the only credible source of public information about what is happening and what he’s doing.
It is the two-step strategy of despots. And it’s already started. It was officially launched the first full day of the Trump administration.
Continue Robert Reich's excellent analysis at the link, where he expands on the two steps:
- Disparage the press and lie about them
- Threaten to circumvent the press and take the “truth” directly to the people
Watching Sean Spicer's petty-tyrant-tirade-disguised-as-a-press-conference the other day, I was reminded of the following motto. It's been used by various groups but in my own life, the first time I heard it was years ago, related to me by a woman whose husband was a member of special forces. It was the team motto, and she was telling me about how the motto bled over into all aspects of civilian life as well, and how damaging it was when removed from combat and applied to interpersonal relationships.
"Admit nothing, deny everything, make counteraccusations."
That's the Sean Spicer and Kellyanne Conway face of the Trump administration. That's Trump. That's their de facto motto right there.
It's the face of the next four years, as they rely on a trusting Trump electorate to believe every word that comes out of their "alternate facts" mouths without questioning whether or not it's true - and assuring the trusting electorate who hangs on their every word and tweet as the gospel truth - that only Trump can save them. And they believe it. Unquestioningly.