It's Fox's fault. All of it. Most of the crazies in Congress and dysfunctional gov't. All Fox.

[Hamlette]

Fox started in 1996. There was a big shift in politics at that time. It allowed more bat shit crazy republicans to get elected by making it seem normal to be bat shit crazy.

Yes, we've always had a few wing nuts in Congress, let's say 10-20% pre 1996 (cough-Gingrich-cough). Now I'm not sure you can find that many sane republicans.

I used to think Fox was harmless because fewer than 2M ppl watched. So what of it melted the minds of 2M Americans. But it also melted the minds of people who ran for office. With gerrymandering they can even get elected. The crazier you are, the more air time you get on Fox AND Fox will defend you if you are crazy enough.

Look at this and the last presidential GOP primary. I'm guessing the powers that be kept the likes of Trump and Cain out of sight before Fox but Fox intimidated the GOP suits. I don't remember a primary pre Fox with so many nut cases in the race.

Fox emboldened the nuts in the party and intimidated the sane ones.

It's starting to backfire but if the Dems don't go after state houses in 2020 we'll be stuck with it longer than necessary. 2016 is important but the stakes are higher in 2020.

[tridim]

1. And Limbaugh. nt

[phantom power]

2. yes, right wing talk radio has been a pervasive influence

[world wide wally]

3. You hit the nail directly on the head!

The power of television is even greater than most of us want to give it credit for.
I remember the first time I saw Fox News in a motel lobby sometime in the 90's. I instantly noticed that it was wall to wall coverage of Clinton and eventually lead to the impeachment procedures.
Here we are 20 years later and it is wall to wall Benghazi in their attempt to slime another Clinton.
Sometimes i think America has permanently lost its collective grip on reality thanks to the folks at Fox.

[New Orleans Strong]

16. I don't think we can just call it television anymore -

It's propaganda. It is a plan. It's a machine. A thresher that cuts down any reason. It's a muscle relaxer that loosens any grip on reality that these people may, (or may not) have ever had. I've read much on Rwanda, and the similarities are chilling. Just chilling. Look no further than what happened at a mosque in Arizona today. "F... Muslims" t-shirts at a FREEDOM AND FAMILY! event. Fox has normalized this. This! This is now patriotism. Hating Americans is a litmus test for being one of these "True" Americans.

Glad I'm old. I am truly glad I am old - And great post W3.

[New Orleans Strong]

20. And now for this:

Geraldo... http://crooksandliars.com/2015/05/geraldo-rivera-soulless-freak-i-report-you

11 year olds who are raped by their Dads MUST carry the child(ren) to term, but poor Denny! Nice.

[hifiguy]

22. This. Times a Brazilian. nt

[valerief]

4. Don't forget RW radio. My brother became a loonie when he was a trucker and

listened to that nonsense all day long.

[NightWatcher]

5. Is that also when religion was co-opted by the GOP or vice versa?

And since that time, both religion and the GOP have run to the fundamentalist extremes in both politics and religion. This cost them some supporters but solidified the rest of their bases.

Since not long after that I have not been able to talk to friends/family who were either religious or republican. They're impossible to talk with because they refuse to give in when faced with reason or facts.

[FiveGoodMen]

6. I think that started with Reagan

[longship]

7. No the religion stuff started in the late 70's.

Jerry Falwell's Morale Majority (which it was neither) and then in the 80's with Pat Robertson's Christian Coalition did the rest. That is when the GOP turned into a theocratic party.

[Hamlette]

14. Good point. We had republicans in our family circle and we could discuss politics

not any more. They just call us liars when we point out some fact. They say the only news that is truthful is Fox and if I got my info from any other source it is a lie. It's the bubble. They never talk to/hear anything else so they are shocked and refuse to believe it.

They might have cooked their own goose, and in some way maybe we should be thankful it didn't happen on our side. Only old people watch Fox and not sure how they can change their model to keep viewers. Young 'uns are not buying into their shit on religion with 75% of them saying "religion is not important to me". Not godless yet, but a start.

[daleanime]

8. K&R.....

[Romeo.lima333]

9. them and the dolts who believe them

[Doctor_J]

10. agreed

And becoming dinos doesn't help at all.

[pansypoo53219]

15. trying to survive the reagan revolution when amerikans lost all sense of realty.

[calimary]

11. Our idiot myopic pushover Dems FINALLY got around to setting up something formal to address this.

FINALLY!!!! Shoulda started this at least a decade ago!!!!

DAYUM it takes our side a long time to catch on.

http://dlcc.org/news/dlcc-launches-advantage-2020-key-success-next-round-redistricting-70-million-plus-effort

[Hamlette]

13. thank God

My friends got sick of me wringing my hands about the fact no one was talking about it in 2009 and 2010.

[Fred Sanders]

12. Fox is attempting to duplicate it's success in Australia where they installed a RW Idiot Government.

Iowa and NH Republicans voting in the primaries are essentially Foxbotrons, all who wish to be nominated must kiss the ring of Ailes the Hut.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

17. fox poisons media in general, because their commercial success

Encourages other media people to follow the same formula. No lack of sleazes in the US. And no lack of suckers.

[Initech]

18. Yup it's totally the fault of Fox and AM Hate Radio.

[DCBob]

19. Yes, if anything is to blame its Faux and other RW media..

who have brainwashed the ignorant masses. If we as Democrats don't face this fact and find a way to deal with it we are doomed.

[Fuddnik]

21. Blame it on Raygun.

He closed all the mental hospitals, and turned them loose.

Now, the inmates are truly running the asylum.

[world wide wally]

23. I wonder what it is like to be brainwashed and have no idea that you are.

Thanks, Fox!

[Mnemosyne]

24. I firmly believe Fux was a deliberately created propaganda channel. The influence from that shit

channel has nearly destroyed this country, and other parts of the world.