In my last blog, “Can we trust the Media?”, I explained why the notion of “the liberal media” in America is outdated, although conservatives keep perpetuating the myth. I neglected to add there is persuasive evidence that the USA has for some time been controlled by an aggressive “conservative media”, which could pull off what seemed impossible to many only a while ago – elect John McCain over Obama. That occurrence would be a sure sign for me that American democracy has been ambushed by a relatively small power elite, given the wounds the Republican agenda has inflicted on the average American and way of life (which pales in comparison to the “collateral damage” suffered by the populations of other countries, especially Iraq).

Mark Crispin Miller (media critic, author, and professor of media studies at New York University) has tracked the current media control by “rightist interests” to a deliberate campaign which began in the mid ‘70s, after the defeat in Vietnam and the resignation of Nixon. He points out, “The Heritage Foundation, the Hoover Institute, the Manhattan Institute, the Carthage Foundation, the Olin Foundation – these entities were all set up to begin to exert control over the whole national conversation….The Right has had to take over the media for a particular reason, and that is they don’t actually have tremendous grassroots support. Their agenda – not raising the minimum wage, cutting Social Security, sending everybody’s jobs overseas – that’s not a particularly popular agenda. So what they do is obfuscate, largely by determining the direction the national conversation takes in the media.” Miller, and other media experts like Ben Bagdikan, have likened America’s current media to a free-enterprise version of the Soviet Union’s Ministry of Culture during the Cold War in terms of its ability to control the government’s message (“brain wash”). Indeed, Miller’s book “Fooled Again” makes the case that the Right stole the 2000 and 2004 elections, and presumably is aiming for 2008.

While some might try to dismiss Miller and other critics as left wing conspiracy theorists, the facts and tactics are all out in the open for those who observe or do a little internet research. Starting at the very top, George W. Bush is open and unapologetic about his administration’s ties to and support for big business; his closest advisers have used a revolving door to move between top corporate and government jobs; when questioned or pressed, he never admits fault but counterattacks and tries to turn the table on his “attacker”. Hate, bullying and fear are standard devices of persuasion. We can see the same tactics and talking points (in a more exaggerated manner) in Republican attack dogs like Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter and Bill O’Reilly.

Sadly, these tactics seem to be very effective in controlling the “national conversation” and tilting the balance in favour of the Right. Compare for example, the constant hounding and impeachment of Bill Clinton for Monica Lewinsky and the Teflon-like way that Bush and his administration have slid out of a series of possibly criminal actions: the deceptions leading to the invasion of Iraq, Abu Graib, Guantanamo Bay, the “outing” of CIA agent Valerie Plame and more. Indeed, Vincent Bugliosi, a high profile ex-prosecutor and one of the most successful crime authors, has just released a book entitled, “The Prosecution of George W. Bush for Murder”, in which he sets out the legal case for holding Bush criminally responsible for the deaths of American soldiers in Iraq. Instead, of being a hot media commodity, Bugliosi has been shunned by the mainstream media and some of his requests for advertising space has been rejected in spite of his stature and the fact that his book has been on the New York Times bestselling list. This should be shocking an outrageous, but like so many other incidents, seem to be sliding harmlessly into oblivion.

The upcoming Republican convention will be a good opportunity to watch the “conservative media” in action. As a Canadian, I will be paying attention, not only because of America’s impact on Canada, but because our own Prime Minister, Stephen Harper (backed only by the mandate of a minority government), has been aggressively pursuing Bush-like policies, even to the extent of rigorously controlling his government’s “talking points”. He seems intent on calling an election to coincide with the US election, possibly counting on a Republican victory to give him a boost.