Tales From the Dropbox Episode 81 continues where the last episode left off. Really – a sequel to Episode 80! I had stockpiled a number of those punk rawk goodies that you all seem to love and the pace on this episode like the last one is even faster and more furious (except for the last track which is soft and contemplative). Speaking of furious – it is very difficult to not to be furious with the chaos that the FPOS is bringing forth each and every damn day to the office of presidency. Forget the politics. Just examine the lack of transparency and the numerous and repeated attempt to mislead the people. Republicans may think that Trump is winning in his treatment of individuals and the press. Really, it is quite appalling. What kind of president doesn’t permit the press corps to turn on cameras in a press room? Seems petty. Because it truly is. The office of the President must be completely transparent because the President, as the most powerful person in the United States and whom presumably was validly elected by the people, represents all of the people (not just those persons who voted for him) and must carry out all of his activities in a manner that demonstrates to the satisfaction of all that he is not abusing his power. The Presidency is the office of the all of the citizens of the United States. It is not a political party office as the FPOS somehow believes. Democrat or Republican – no matter what your politics, you should be very afraid when a president decides that the press should not have complete and full access to the office. Sure – the press is not the same press that once existed to present full, fair, balanced, and accurate reporting. Inaccuracy and advocacy disguised as news is part of the price of our democracy. We must all become better informed and better filters. However, what is clear is that democracy is threatened when the president gets to decide what news agencies he will give access, when he starts limiting access to the press, when he lies repeatedly.
Trump is a liar. This fact will not change. Trump will continue to lie to the American people in the future. He is free to do so. This freedom to lie to the American people is also sign of a thriving democracy. However, lies told to the American people should have serious consequences. Both political parties should call him on all his lies – every single lie should be exposed and punished. The press must also be free to report the lies so the public can discern the truth. The press also has a responsibility to report the truth not advocate for a particular viewpoint.
A lier as a president is a greater threat to dmocracy than a press that lies. Why? There is only a single president and there are multiple sources to obtain the news. On balance, the danger to democracy is greater when the press is not permitted to question the president or receive truthful answers from the president. It is not the presidents job to decide what is accurate reporting – particularly when the president is a liar. It is a fundamental to a democracy that the president does not get to decide what information he should release about policy and how the press reports that information to the people.
#Resist #TruthMatters
Here is what you’ll find in Episode #81:
- Wedding Camp – “Good To Know You” (Clear Fizzy Things)
- American Lips – “Beyond the 7/11” (Kiss The Bird)
- Rad Payoff – “The Gender Of My Animals” (Slow & Weird)
- Fat Stupids – “Reaction” (Reaction EP)
- Pals – “Molly” (In-Between)
- Direct Hit! – “Living Dead” (Domesplitter)
- Damnation A.D. – “The Hanging Garden” (Pornography)
- Short Days – “Antisocial” (Short Days)
- Vaguess – “Bad Chicks” (Guilt Ring)
- Dirtbag Republic – “Junkie Girl” (Downtown Eastside)
- Grayscale – “Atlantic” (Adornment)
- Have Mercy – “Baby Grand” (Make The Best Of It)
- State Champs – “All Or Nothing” (Around The World And Back)
- Magazine – “Look What Fear’s Done To My Body (Because You’re Frightened)” (Peel Session 07/01/80)
- The Wild Reeds – “Everything Works Better (in Hindsight)” (The World We Built)
You love me because you’re frightened and I’m falling in love with you because I’m getting frightened of the things you somehow make me do . . . The postcards on your walls I left them blank because they don’t exist at all
KFR