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Upworthy
Eli Pariser is a co-founder of Upworthy, a news aggregator site, and the author of The Filter Bubble: What the Internet is Hiding from You. From 2004-2009 he served as executive director of MoveOn.org
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Eli Pariser
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FROM Eli Pariser
To the Point
President Donald Trump's 'un-reality' show All Presidents lie. But the current White House incumbent is using misinformation to increase his power by intentionally creating confusion. That's according to students of political strategy and the rhetoric that supports it. They compare President Trump to autocrats of history -- and Russia's Vladimir Putin. We're all familiar with "alternative facts," and allegations of "fake news" — stoking the conservative base and infuriating liberal opponents. Our series on the "Emotional States of America" continues.
To the Point
A Look Back at 2012 and Community-Building in America Divisive elections and political debates, horrific shootings, angrily defended positions on issues like gun control are all part of the history of 2012. But beyond those headlines, there's another way of looking at the year, and that's through the lens of community-building. Americans found new ways to re-define and rebuild community this past year, from their responses to disasters to virtual social media networks to grass-roots efforts in places like Detroit. How does our sense of community shape our sense of ourselves? What does the year tell us about who we are and who we're becoming?
To the Point
General David Petraeus on Capitol Hill Before General David Patraeus or Ambassador Ryan Crocker said a word to a joint committee of Congress , Democrats and Republicans were exchanging partisan charges. Democrat Tom Lantos said he respected the witnesses personally, but felt they were sent to convince Americans that victory is at hand. Republican Duncan Hunter —a presidential candidate—said he was outraged that some of his colleagues had attacked the witnesses' credibility. When Petraeus finally got underway , he emphasized that he had neither been scripted nor told what to say by the White House or Pentagon. He said that improved security means US forces can be reduced sometime in the future. But the essence of the message has been telegraphed, and polls show public skepticism that either man is independent of the Bush White House. As the debate on Iraq continues, will the Bush Administration define its objectives?
To the Point
Democratic Presidential Candidates Debate in South Carolina Last night, on the campus of a historically black institution, South Carolina State University , all the Democratic candidates met for the first time. Results of the debate in this very Republican state, whose primary will be held fourth in next year's election process, could be a bell weather, especially for the voting patterns of African American Democrats. Each of the eight candidates got 11 minutes in total during an hour and a half of one-minute answers to questions on complex issues. For the most part, they were nice to each other, tough on President Bush and really angry about the war in Iraq. Are Clinton , Obama and Edwards still the top three? Did any "second tier" candidates distinguish themselves? We hear from across the Democratic political spectrum.
Which Way, L.A.?
GOP Hopes Voter-Vault Will Open Door to Election Victory National polls show the Democrats poised to take over the House and possibly the Senate. Yet, despite everything from Congressional scandals to Iraq, President Bush insists he is still confident the Republicans will win. What makes him so confident? Does he know something we don't? Will the "voter vault'--a huge database of demographic, financial and other personal information on individual voters that is the driving force behind Republican get-out-the-vote operations--control the outcome of congressional elections around the country? Will micro-targeting voters deliver the winning margins Republicans need to hold on to congressional power? Lawrence O'Donnell guest hosts. (An expanded version of this discussion was originally broadcast earlier today on To the Point.)
To the Point
GOP Confident over Get-Out-the-Vote Strategy National polls show the Democrats poised to take over the House and possibly the Senate. Yet, despite everything from Congressional scandals to Iraq, President Bush insists he is still confident the Republicans will win. What makes him so confident? Does he know something we don't? Will the "voter vault"--a huge database of demographic, financial and other personal information on individual voters that is the driving force behind Republican get-out-the-vote operations--control the outcome of congressional elections around the country? Will micro-targeting voters deliver the winning margins Republicans need to hold on to congressional power? Lawrence O'Donnell guest hosts.
Recommended
Zócalo's Connecting California
Timber Troubles California has 4 billion trees, and it’s time they took some responsibility for their actions.
To the Point
Rebecca Traister and the Power of Women’s Anger One of America’s leading feminist writers says women have changed history since Ancient Greece. And, she says, they’ll do it again. The backlash to President Trump was just the beginning. Record numbers of women are running for congress, state governorships and local offices. She tells Warren about her latest book,“Good and Mad: The Revolutionary Power of Women’s Anger.”
KCRW Features
Can LA County fix its voting issues before November? Election Day is less than five weeks away. Maybe voting will go off without a hitch. But over the past 10 years, elections in Los Angeles County have been marred by problems that have led to a lot of voter confusion at the polls. In the first of a two part series, KCRW’s Saul Gonzalez looks at recent breakdowns in L.A. County’s elections, and how election officials plan to solve them with a massive election modernization program.