The Albuquerque Journal ran a poll this morning showing support for the Governor's loathing of Syrian and other immigrants. The Journal does this occasionally by not using their highly respected regular pollster, Brian Sanderoff, but by doing a so called flash poll of their readers. These readers, which are pretty much devoid of young people, are mostly post 55 years old, white, neo confederates(a term I will use a lot from now on), and full of angst.
One of my commenters thinks I worry to much about this newspaper, and that they will be out of business in ten years. That might be true, but in the meantime their control of the flow of right wing information to the demographic who actually votes is very dangerous. The feed xenophobia and misinformation at an ever increasing rate. You wonder how some of the good and caring people who still work for the Journal can even get out of bed in the morning.
One of my commenters thinks I worry to much about this newspaper, and that they will be out of business in ten years. That might be true, but in the meantime their control of the flow of right wing information to the demographic who actually votes is very dangerous. The feed xenophobia and misinformation at an ever increasing rate. You wonder how some of the good and caring people who still work for the Journal can even get out of bed in the morning.
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That Journal poll is worded to repeat Susana Martinez' implied premise that there's no vetting process in place for these refugees, which is an outright lie. The vetting process for such refugees is more stringent than for other immigrants, it has been reported here and there, nowhere in Albuquerque apparently.
Where are Democrats? Why is there no push back from any of them on this, or to the vile xenophobia that's gripping the nation more tightly every day because of people like Martinez and media like the Journal? They have means at their disposal to counter it. They can hold press conferences, get quoted in the media, get on TV, write op-eds, any number of ways. They have web sites and Facebook pages with hundreds if not thousands of readers every day. They uniquely have the ability to be heard. All it takes is a little courage, and it having occurred to them that they could put the interests of their country before their own for once.
To quote you Jim: "You wonder how some of the good and caring people who still work for the Journal can even get out of bed in the morning." These people go to bed with each other figuratively and sometimes literally, so no sympathy here. I understand your point about buying ink by the barrel, but it is NOT just the Journal. All the news channels seem to be downright intimidated by McCleskey and Rob Perry. Perry is known to make threats to news organizations. Investigative reporters like Chris Ramirez, who use to work for Berry, and Nancy Laflin, who is a "badge bunny", seem to be at Perry's beckon call and to run interference. Read the Journal for what it is: a propaganda rag for the Republican Party, nothing more and nothing less. This state is going Republican, not in registration, but in control of all the elective offices, because Democrats are too damn stupid to know any better. Watch the State Senate go Republican, then we will be really screwed.
I am in my late 60’s with a son in his late 20’s with two degrees and who is a licensed professional. We had a lengthy discussion about where my generation, which is yours, gets its news, and where his generation which is your daughters, gets its news. His remarks were a little astonishing to me. He said my generation, which is ours, trusts and believes in news anchors, such as nightly news reporters and TV telecasts and even daily newspapers like the Journal as being what is to believed, citing the likes of Water Cronkite, Dan Rather, Tom Brokaw, and even Brian Williams at one time. He said the difference is his generation, or generation X, or millennials, gets their news off the internet and multiple news organizations, such as Bloomberg, CNN, and others , even the Daily Show, and most importantly, amongst themselves, while our generation clings to only one or MAYBE two news sources for news. My son said no one in his age group even bothers to read the Albuquerque Journal. Asked why his generation does not vote and his reply was his generation does feel it matters because nothing changes and our elected officials are incapable of leading and only concerned about the next election. Its not that they don’t care to vote but that they do not think it matters any more. Try asking your daughter Nicole and her husband what they think, you may be surprised.
my kids vote, but they are like yours in where they get their news. which is why the newspaper business will fail in a decade. I don't buy the argument that kids don't vote because they feel nothing ever changes. they don't vote because they are lazy and spoiled of just plain stupid.
Jim,
I want to point out a parallel. If the neo confederates claim that since a few Syrians are terrorists all are terrorists, you have implied that since some 55 year old anglos are opposed to immigrants , all are. You paint with a wide brush. As an old "white" guy who is a lifelong new mexican democrat liberal along with most of my old friends I take umbrage. I can take my lumps but it does seem a narrative these days to blame "Archie Bunker". Some 40% of "us" voted for Obama. And the older I get the more I look like Archie....
But look at the actual demographics of what is happening to the voting patterns of senior citizens, those who actually vote. It is depressing.
JIM: The fact that educated kids our children's age (millennials) are leaving the State of New Mexico in droves because their is no future here and no jobs pretty much shows kids our children's age are not lazy, spoiled and just plain stupid like you put, but rather know a dying state and city when they see it. Very sad that you have to go all they way to Colorado to visit your grand kids.
but they are still not voting....they are lazy and spoiled at least. its all a cop out.
My two bits about "kids today":
My daughter is 29, and she's very politically astute. My son is not so much.
They both vote progressive, liberal, Democratic usually.
They get their news online, as I do. They both had a difficult time finding good employment, even though both of them have advanced degrees.
No one can tell me kids today are lazy and spoiled. Some may be, but most are harder working than ever.
About the Journal, which is a truly awful newspaper:
I only recently realized that the Valencia News-Bulletin was owned by the same person as the Albuquerque Journal. That explains a lot.
"Joe Mickelson has been named the publisher of the Valencia County News-Bulletin and El Defensor Chieftain in Socorro. The Valencia County News-Bulletin and El Defensor Chieftain are part of Number Nine Media, Inc., a subsidiary of The Albuquerque Journal. William Lang, president of The Albuquerque Journal, announced Mickelson’s promotion on Monday, saying "Joe has more than 30 years in the newspaper industry, having managed daily, weeklies, niche publications and direct mail shoppers."
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