Who Elects our Politicians, Us or the Media?
 

Don't you think the media attention given to certain candidates plays a huge role in who might get elected. Does it have more influence than the average vote of the common person? We have a democrat primary running right now yet you'll barely hear about anyone other than Howard Dean and how he's in the lead and well on the way to winning. Sure you hear a little about the others but when you hear about them, you hear why are they running, will they vote for Dean when he wins and so on. Rarely do they ask them about the issues, but more about their opinion of their so called leader.

We know it had to have an effect in the last presidential election when they started annoucing King George the winner before polls were closed in many places. So what effect does the media really have on who gets elected. I think it just might be much more than we should be comfortable with.

The media has a very strong position over here in the UK. They can make you or break you. They brainwash the country to vote for the person they want to win.

I don't vote.

the media. look at the california gov election. all SORTS of people voted for arnold - when i asked them why, basically it boiled down to the fact that he was famous. people feel like they know celebs or candidates with lots of media hype because they see them in movies and tv - and that seems to be enough to make them vote for them.

i know people who would never have voted for arnold - or even voted at all - if he wasn't ARNOLD, the terminator. pretty sad.

Without a doubt the media elects our president. Basically, whoever they choose to get behind becomes the leading candidate. In the 2002 presidential election candidate Gore was presented as an idiot and asshole in the press, claiming he invented the internet (he only claimed that he helped fund the development of it, which he did) and other such insanities. Bush was made fun of, but not as viciously as Gore (I'm a democrat so I may be slightly biased).

The point about the California election is a good one. I live in California and Arnold was clearly elected because of his fame. It might be a good thing though because he has a lot of sway now and this state needs some serous help.

the media, but only because of the gullibility of certain sectors of the American populace. People like 12dicks and therooster.

Remember: Saddam has wmd's, he's closely tied to Al-Queda, Clinton had Foster killed, Bush stands for freedom and the American Way and you don't have to worry about the Patriot Act unless you're a traitor.

Oh yeah, Bush is a war hero and more patriotic than John McCain.

it's GOD

Last time i checked, it was the Media that spewed out everything that you just wrote in your sarcastic sentence.

Ask Noam Chomsky this question

only if you consider Fox 'News' as media instead of what it really is, propaganda for weak minded people looking for something, anything to believe in....

the illuminati

BobChezule, as a democrat, why would you think arnold having a say is useful? he has zero financial experience on a government level, and in fact no government experience at all. all his political affiliations are republicans.

i haven't seen him do anything that made california better off than it was before him. did i miss something?

I agree you put it in its right place

The difference is that in the UK all candidates get equal airtime, as sanctioned by the government. Also, comparing a parliamentary system to our democratic republic is a little unbalanced, the president here doesn't even have to answer to his own auditors without a judge forcing him, the Prime Minister of the UK has to answer to parliament once a WEEK.

- Titus

A relative of mine works for a special interest group in CA. She said that when Arnold took office he immediately tried to overturn legislation that he didn't like. Only then did he realize he doesn't have the power to do that, only the state legislature does. He can screw around with the budget and underfund things he doesn't like, but that's about it. You can't just repeal things you don't care for. So, as you can see, he truly entered office with NO idea what a governor was supposed/allowed to do.

- Titus

indeed, media has strong role in getting some politicians in their seats. TV advertisement alone can surely influeze some votes.

If we can pull together to form things like the IMPA and so on, why can't we form an adult special interest group that can lobby for legislation that's good for America and the biz together? Why wouldn't this work, so much money in the adult biz, why not work on pooling it and organizing, as a whole the adult biz controls a huge chunk of online media, some print and video as well. Why not get proactive and form a collective to protect our interests, while protecting children, first amendments rights and so on all together?

Where are some heavy hitters in the industry that would want this, or are we all collectively too selfish to put anything together and just fight for scraps with each others while others organize to bring us down?

I voted for arnold because he has so much fucking money no one would be able to buy him out...he wouldn't whore himself out like davis did.

:glugglug