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with virtually no audit/recount controls, combined with 5 rightwing, fatcat, billionaire CEOs owning and controlling all news and opinion in the country, it is difficult to say what the "mainstream" is, but I began to try figuring it out, back around the time of the Iraq invasion. I really wanted to know what was going on with the American people. I began to notice and then look for a wide range of opinion polls, for instance. And, right off the bat, I was amazed at what I found. Nearly 60% of the American people opposed the invasion of Iraq (Feb 03--all polls). Or this: 63% opposed to torturing prisoners "under any circumstances" (May 04).
All in all, I began to see that the great American progressive majority was still in tact--and was far more "leftist" than hardly anybody knew--but was being kept below the radar of the people themselves. People felt powerless and isolated, in their progressive views, their desire for peace, their desire for social justice, their desire for good government. The Corpo/fascist 'news' monopolies were playing to, and trumpeting, MINORITY rightwing opinions.
So, when you say that the "progressive and liberal views" at DU are "in the minority," what do you say to the polls back in Feb 03, before the invasion, that showed a nearly 60% anti-war majority? Were we the "minority"? No, we were not. But we were driven "underground" because the Corpo/fascist 'news' media was failing to reflect the view of the majority. I found this to be true on most issues, not just foreign policy. On issues like protecting Social Security, and Bush's godawful and growing deficit, the numbers got up into the stratosphere--90%--disagreeing with Bush policy. The only exception I found was on capital punishment--about which there are very diverse views at DU. I would say on that issue about half of DU (the antis-) is a minority view--but overall the country is changing on this issue (toward the anti- position).
Another issue on which there is a big discrepancy between Bushwhack policy (and its echo chamber, the Corpo news) is Latin America. A recent poll showed 70% to 80% in favor of a more open policy toward Cuba, and improved relations with Venezuela. We have big arguments here at DU about the Latin American left (which is winning elections all over South America, and will be winning more in Central America soon). The "anti-Chavez" posters give the appearance of more controversy there probably really is--and are out of step with the majority of Americans (a big majority).
The Corpo 'news' is constantly trying to impose their view of what the "mainstream" believes, but they those views on NOT the "mainstream." They are Corpo/fascist views that they want the "mainstream" to believe is the "mainstream." And they are merely a reflection of power--where power lies in Washington DC and corporate board rooms. Yes, Bush has the power to wage unjust war. And Congress gave that away to him. That doesn't make it popular. It never was. And it is even more unpopular today.
If you watch too much Corpo TV and/or read too many Corpo 'news' rags, you might get the impression that the "mainstream" is rightwing, pro-war, until recently pro-Bush (they can't hide the numbers any more--20% approval rating--but they still treat his gibber as if it were coming from a popular, legitimate leader), pro-corporate, anti-Constitution, etc., etc. Some of what they imply about what the majority believes is in the black holes, where they don't mention certain things, like the highly riggable voting machines and who owns and controls them, or the loss of our civil rights under the Constitution. It's as if these very American, very important matters don't exist, nor does the majority opinion. For instance, in a Zogby poll taken a while back, 92% said they wanted vote counting that they can see and understand. Where is that reflected in the so-called "mainstream media"? It is black-holed. The REAL "mainstream" is ignored!
The only way that I agree with you--that DU is different from "mainstream" America--is possibly on the matter of being VOCAL about our views. We are, indeed, among the avant garde on that score. We speak out! And, for a long time--especially Bushwhack's first term--I think a lot of people were afraid to. They were the oppressed majority--feeling isolated and alone, with almost no one in government or the media reflecting their opinions or attending to their interests.
DU may be an "underground" but most of the views expressed here are NOT minority views. We are the progressive majority that was there all along, but deliberately hidden from view by loudmouth rightwing whackos and also by the disgusting failure of even supposedly "liberal" organs like the New York Times which became propaganda horns and liars for unjust war.
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