Bartlett appeared on CNN's Reliable Sources this morning and said...
"I think many conservatives live in a bubble where they watch only Fox News on television, they listen only to conservative talk radio, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, many of the same people. When they go on to the Internet, they look at only conservative websites like National Review, Newsmax, World Net Daily, and so they are completely in a universe in which they are hearing the same exact ideas, the same arguments, the same limited amount of data repeated over and over and over again, and that's brainwashing."
Brainwashing is not too strong a word. Fox News has become the central authority in a cult-like cabal of rightist true-believers who envelope themselves in the scripture as preached by Fox. This has been proven by in-depth studies that show how conservatives have drastically constrained their news sources to a narrow collection of like-minded, far-right outlets. There's an implicit belief that exposure to a contrary ideological creed would be a breach of faith and a mortal sin.
It is encouraging, therefore, to see a conservative with an open mind and the ability to recognize the toxic role that Fox has played in the media and in politics. Bartlett's paper is an interesting and well-documented read. However, it took him long enough to come to these conclusions. News Corpse published an analysis of how "Fox News Is Killing The Republican Party" six years ago, with an update expanding on the theme last year. I wrote in part that...
Fox has corralled a stable of the most disreputable, unqualified, extremist, lunatics ever assembled, and is presenting them as experts, analysts, and leaders. These third-rate icons of idiocy are marketed by Fox like any other gag gift (i.e. pet rocks, plastic vomit, Sarah Palin, etc.) [...and that...] Fox is driving the center of the Republican Party further down the rabid hole. They are reshaping the party into a more radicalized community of conspiracy nuts. So even as this helps Rupert Murdoch’s bottom line, it is making celebrities of political bottom-feeders. That can’t be good for the long-term prospects of the Republican Party.we are seeing the fall of a deception dating back to the 70's and Nixon WH, he and Roger Ailes set in motion a plan via Fox news to basically as the article states to brainwash it's viewers seeking to control the way they saw politics and redirecting them to the republican party even then they were obviously fearful of their ability to win on any merits they might have had so cheat and lie and mislead with misinformation, that has started losing it's oomph, now 21 century we have voter suppression allowed by their half of the scotus, gerrymandering which is no more than usurping your intended vote thereby silencing your preference to who governs in your state and counties.
http://gawker.com/5814150/roger-ailes-secret-nixon+era-blueprint-for-fox-news
laws that only benefit those who contribute millions maybe even billions to that end and denial by lying of safety net healthcare and food stamps, turning the more fortunate against those who are in need primarily because of their abandonment all the while accusing Pres. of trying to divide us. if you need some confirmation listen to Fox just once you will wonder what world they are referring to.
what is encouraging is more on the right wing are starting to show signs of a conscious and disavowing the strategy and deception of republican ideology.
Full Definition of IDEOLOGY
1
: visionary theorizing
2
a : a systematic body of concepts especially about human life or culture
b : a manner or the content of thinking characteristic of an individual, group, or culture
c : the integrated assertions, theories and aims that constitute a sociopolitical program
