logo

11/04/2018

The U.S. Midterm Election: A Convenient Context

The U.S. Midterm Election: A Convenient Context

Chaos from every circle of hell seems to be breaking lose in the United States as of late. More than 15 bombs marked with ISIS memes were mailed to high profile liberals like George Soros, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and even the CNN Headquarters. The Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania recently became the location of America’s latest mass shooting, at which 11 people were killed. Now caravans carrying thousands of migrants and who knows what else are heading towards the southern border. And the mainstream media is acting as Judge, Jury, and Executioner in blaming Donald Trump for all of it. Perhaps you’re thinking the mainstream media’s attacks on Trump are just business as usual. Well this time it’s a bit different. These tragedies are all unfolding as a very important moment in U.S. politics fast approaches – the midterm election.

            Few countries have midterm elections like the United States. Set to take place on November 6th, it’s intended purpose is to check executive power by reshuffling the entire legislature at the midpoint of a presidency. In a perfect world, people would be able to choose a congress that would obstruct the President if he hasn’t fulfilled his promises. But in an atmosphere of severe political polarization, special interests and behind-the-scenes schemers will capitalize on anything to demonize their opponents in the eyes of voters. And that’s exactly what the liberal elites and media did, starting with the series of high profile pipe-bomb deliveries.

All fingers are now pointed at a man named Cesar Sayoc. The FBI allegedly found this 56-year-old felon with a hit list of over 100 people and foiled his attempt to send a third bomb to CNN’s Atlanta headquarters. But the evidence connecting Sayoc was poor to say the least. It amounts to a single fingerprint and what the defense attorneys described as a «possible DNA association». Nevertheless, the mainstream media decided to focus on something completely different. The fact that Sayoc was a Trump-supporting registered Republican and had a truck plastered with anti-Democrat bumper stickers.

But the recent mud slinging at Trump by high-profile liberals began before a suspect was even caught. CNN’s live coverage of the New York headquarters bomb mailings quickly went from news to partisan political propaganda. Although emotions were charged and no evidence had come out, it was reiterated over and over that only democrats and opponents of the current administration had received bombs in the mail. Even after Trump had denounced «these terrifying acts» as «despicable», the mainstream media doubled down on its rhetoric. Billionaire and hedge fund manager Tom Steyer was immediately called upon for an interview following the Synagogue shooting. He said such tragedies were results of Trump’s normalization of political violence. A long time opponent of the administration, Steyer spent around $10 million in October 2017 for a campaign to impeach the then-newly-elected President. In the interview, he abhorred the apparent «atmosphere that [Trump] created – and that the Republican Party has created – in terms of political violence». In similar fashion to the bombings, Donald Trump offered condolences and visited the site of the shooting. But Steyer said that simply wasn’t good enough – whatever Trump did, it encouraged political violence everywhere.

There was also Alexander Soros, son of George Soros, who wrote an article two days after his father was mailed a makeshift bomb. The op-ed, titled «The Hate That Is Consuming Us», is quick to portray his father as a victim of Anti-Semitism. He relates the bomb mailing to George’s experience in «the Nazi Regime in Hungary» and claims Trump-era «dog-whistle language» like «global special interests» is «dripping with the poison of anti-semitism». But most interesting of all, Soros Jr. claims the mail bombs are «a result of our politics of demonizing opponents». Perhaps Alexander Soros is confused, because demonizing political opponents has been the decades-old name of his Father’s game. Back in January, George outright labeled Trump’s administration a «danger to the world» and claimed it puts «the survival of our entire civilization» at stake. Soros’ also didn’t seem to mind sending millions of people into abject poverty through by demonizing the USSR.

His organization, called The Open Societies Foundation, «played a leading role» in collapsing the Soviet Union, leading to years of economic hardships and a decline in living standards for millions of people. In the past, his adventurist financial speculations have contributed to economic depressions in countries like Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Japan. And Soros’ defense has nearly always been that he is «there to make money» and that he «cannot and [does] not look at the social consequences». Accusations of anti-semitism have long been used as a smoke screen for Soros’ finance imperialist endeavors. And now it seems the Soros family again can only hope to again accuse their opponents of at least closeted anti-semitism, when confronted by a powerful individual hostile to liberal elitist interests.

With the Midterm Elections just around the corner, the close timing of these tragedies seems convenient for Washington’s liberal elites, to say the least. But some have gone even further to suggest that these events were false-flag attacks to arouse sympathy for Democrats. Far-right talk-show host Alex Jones claimed the bombs were sent by «antifa groups» to «smear conservatives who support Donald Trump», in an article on his InfoWars website. Hardline Fox News conservatives like Ann Coulter and Lou Dobbs made similar statements like «bombs are a liberal tactic» and «Fake News – Fake Bombs».

Another right-wing broadcaster, Michael Savage, took a more unique approach to explaining the bombs. He claims liberals orchestrated the situation to take attention away from a confrontation drawing nearer, between the migrant caravan approaching the U.S.-Mexico border and over 5,000 troops preparing to meet it. At any rate, while the evidence available remains scarce voters will be left guessing at the Midterm Election. Like the 2016 Presidential Election, it will certainly be a demonstration of how effective the mainstream media’s sensationalism can persuade the hearts and minds of working class people.

Donald Courter
Journalist, Political Reporter, Expert in Foreign Relations (USA)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Calendar

April 2024
M T W T F S S
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
2930