Warning: preg_match_all(): Compilation failed: invalid range in character class at offset 7 in
/homepages/23/d339537987/htdocs/ec/wp-content/themes/p2/inc/mentions.php on line
77
If you’ve been watching election politics for years (or decades as I have), you’ll know that the title of this article is pretty silly. We’ve seen low-information voters dominating all along and giving us candidates like Mitt Romney, John McCain, and John Kerry while giving us Presidents like Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton. What could possibly make me believe that this year will be any different?
To answer that question, we must realize that there are three factors that can influence the vote this year that weren’t as prevalent in the past. These factors could go in either direction, which is a positive shift. In the past, we were pretty much guaranteed to get the wrong nominees because the Republican Establishment controlled the narrative for the GOP while the liberal power brokers controlled the narrative for the Democrats. Now, in 2016, we have an opportunity to reverse that and things have been looking promising so far.
Like any uprising, the chips are still stacked in favor of the puppeteers, but for the first time we can at least see light. It’s imperative that those who can have influence over this outcome give their all to wrest power away from the controlling class. Here are the three fronts where this war must be waged.
We the People-Powered Journalists
Mainstream media cannot be trusted. That’s not to say that there aren’t good journalists, but those who have earned their voice through hard work and the process of making their way into the mainstream spotlight are generally biased by their publication’s ideologies. We saw this clearly on display during the CNBC debate last year. Journalists are no longer in the business of disseminating the truth. They’re given the agenda of the week or the narrative of the day and they spin it appropriately.
It’s not as nefarious as it sounds. It’s often very subtle. It’s not like they’re given clear instructions to say this or post that (not usually, anyway). They know what stories to write and how to spin them in a way that will get their bylines on the front page. For example, when Hillary Clinton had her last Benghazi hearing, mainstream media wasn’t sent a memo saying that they should call it a victory for the Democratic candidate or to avoid some of the damning items that were brought to light. However, they knew that if they didn’t want their story to get buried or heavily edited, they would have to highlight Clinton’s stamina and perseverance rather than pointing out that she told people she thought it was a terrorist attack from the start.
Keep in mind that it’s not just MSNBC, Huffington Post, and the NY Times that represent the wrong side of issues because they’re liberal. Fox News and the Wall Street Journal, while considered by many conservatives to be their mainstream media voices, have their own agenda in place that still runs contrary to what’s best for America. We’re not just fighting those who want to see Hillary Clinton in the White House. We’re also fighting the Republican Establishment that is finalizing its decision about whether to rely on Marco Rubio’s charm, Chris Christie’s fire, or Jeb Bush’s money to ride to the nomination.
It’s up to those of us who have a small voice to get out there and highlight the truth. It’s up to conservative bloggers to point out the evils of both the Democrats and the Neocons. It’s up to those with growing YouTube channels to get the real news and perspectives out to as many people as possible. It’s up to every conservative free-thinker to research the issues, identify the candidates who can fix those issues, and communicate those perspectives in long-form content whether on a blog, YouTube, podcast, or any venue they can find. You can contribute here if you need a home for your Christian conservative thoughts.
Sharing the Right Thoughts on Social Media
For better or for worse, social media has been relegated by most as a venue to share pictures of their lunch and to virtually stalk friends and acquaintances. It gives us a picture into the lives of those we’re concerned about and allows us to put our own lives on display for others to see and envy. If I sound jaded, it’s because I am. I once believed that social media could be a powerful tool for communication that could be a bridge for people. Instead, it’s become a home of narcissism and marketing and it gets to me sometimes that professionally I’m part of that world.
Call it penance or just clarity of purpose, but I know that social media can be an easy way for people to share the truth. This is why I often post about my candidate of choice, Ted Cruz. I share news and opinions about him that are positive. I also share things about competitors, Democrats, and the current administration that need to be seen.
Here’s the problem we face. The “bad guys” are much better at social media than the “good guys.” There are exceptions but for the most part those who espouse liberalism, atheism, Neocon principles, or any of the other perspectives that are not conservative or Christian have more voices on social media and those voices are usually louder.
Anyone can help with this. One does not need a million Twitter followers or a huge Facebook page in order spread the right message. For years, I’ve toyed around with the idea of helping conservatives and Christians share the right perspectives to the masses, but so far I haven’t pulled the trigger. Maybe that day will come, soon. In the meantime, use what you have. A little time and effort can go a long way towards influencing others towards the right perspective. Even a little money for promotion can be beneficial; the post below had a tiny budget and was able to reach tens of thousands of people with a message many of them needed to hear:
Use what you have or build it bigger. The other side is using social media masterfully to share the wrong information. In a world that needs strong leadership and a society that is dominated by low-information voters, we have to get the message out to them to help them discern the truth in a sea of lies.
Discuss Intelligently
If there’s one thing that perpetuates the low-information voting trend, it’s low information. That’s not circular reasoning. We live in a feedback loop where the narrative is often distorted to hide the information that people need.
On social media, it’s not just about sharing. It’s about discussing. The comments sections on Facebook, YouTube, and blogs are often filled with trolls and fanboys. It would take hours to count how many people comment with “Trump2016!!!” on everything we share about any of the candidates. This is the low-information style, the digital yard sign that doesn’t tell us anything but that simply plants a quick message of support in an attempt to win by name exposure. That’s the low-information way and I don’t suggest we participate.
I don’t post “Vote Cruz” everywhere. I know where he stands on an issue and I elaborate on his stance in comments. I also know where competitors stand on the issues and I try to highlight those shortcomings whenever appropriate.
This isn’t just about exposure. It’s about being knowledgeable to show others that they need to seek the information as well. It’s not simply about winning. It’s about winning the right way. The internet gives us a venue that should eliminate the domination of low-information voters. Through information, we can pull control back from the puppeteers and get representatives that speak for the people.
This particular factor isn’t stuck in the digital world. With knowledge, you can inform those you influence in the real world.
This is the most important election in decades and the upcoming primaries are the most important in history. Republicans have choices. Most are not good. By bringing knowledge to the voters, we can remove the low-information voter control that has kept this country down since Ronald Reagan left office.