We are worse off and getting worse every day. 10 years ago people watched the same news casts. There was 3 or 4 news programs everyone watched and with one common news cast it seems the news had to at least try to reach out to both sides. There were generally one set of base facts given to a majority of Americans. This (less biased) system gave more opportunities for us to hear opposing voices. It attached a person and a family to the opposing view points and this kept civility in our politics.
Today though this is very different. There is a news cast and a news reporter to speak to every special interest in the country. If you are an investor, CNBC. If you are a liberal there is Rachel Maddow or Keith Olberman. Conservatives have Rush, O Reilly or Beck. As people with different interests turn to news reports tailored to their point of view their points of view will become further entrenched. The other side loses its humanity and becomes a villain.
It is frightening to think about this system continuing on unchanged. If we as a country continue to turn to tilted facts and biased news we will continue our downward spiral away from greatness.
When our country's attention is focused we can accomplish anything! When we ignore our similarities and concentrate on our differences we become everything our country is supposed to be fighting against.
Free press is a key to our democracy. The current system though will be the end of our democracy. Are our freedoms the key to our demise? Or will we rise above, find our similarities, and regain our greatness?
