How CNN gets it wrong almost every time

CNN is one of America’s primary news sources.  Wikipedia has this to say about CNN:

“Cable News Network (CNN) is an American news-based pay television channel owned by CNN Worldwide, a unit of the WarnerMedia News & Sports division of AT&T's WarnerMedia. It was founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable news channel. Upon its launch in 1980, CNN was the first television channel to provide 24-hour news coverage, and was the first all-news television channel in the United States.

“While the news channel has numerous affiliates, CNN primarily broadcasts from WarnerMedia's headquarters at 30 Hudson Yards in New York City, and studios in Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles. The CNN Center in Atlanta is only used for weekend programming. CNN is sometimes referred to as CNN/U.S. (or CNN Domestic) to distinguish the U.S. channel from its international sister network, CNN International.

“The network is known for its dramatic live coverage of breaking news, some of which has drawn criticism as overly sensationalistic The network has also been criticized for its efforts to be nonpartisan, which have led to accusations of false balance.

“As of September 2018, CNN has 90.1 million television households as subscribers (97.7% of households with cable) in the United States. In 2019, CNN ranked third in viewership among cable news networks, behind Fox News and MSNBC, averaging 972,000 viewers. CNN ranks 14th among all basic cable networks.

“Globally, CNN programming airs through CNN International, which can be seen by viewers in over 212 countries and territories. The US domestic version, sometimes referred to as CNN (US) is also available in Canada, some islands of the Caribbean and in Japan, where it was first broadcast on CNNj in 2003, with simultaneous translation in Japanese. Starting in late 2010, the high definition feed of CNN US was launched in Japan for American viewers under the name "CNN/US HD", and is distributed by Japan Cable Television (JCTV) to several different multi-channel TV providers, such as J:COM, SKY PerfecTV!, iTSCOM and the JCTVWiFi service.”

It is an understatement to say that CNN influences millions all over the world.  To this day most of the hotels I visit have CNN playing on monitors in their lobbies and restaurants.  CNN is also found in many airports.

Despite their global reach, it is interesting to note that CNN (US) recently came in third behind Fox News and MSNBC.  I have read that CNN viewership is in decline because their coverage is so heavily biased and frequently non-factual.  Personally, it seem like the folks at CNN have forgotten the distinction between reporting and commentary – a fault shared by the likes of the New York Times.

To the casual reader, particularly one who is a recent product of the American public education system, it might at first glance seem as if CNN is just pushing an agenda in which they believe wholeheartedly.  Or, rather, it can be said that they push multiple agendas.  This is not, of course, the role of self-proclaimed news sources.  Their job is to report what has happened and what is happening.  Commentary needs to be placed elsewhere and clearly designated as such.  Obviously, this is not the case with CNN or, for that matter, the vast majority of the mainstream media today.

This is not something new.  George Washington was elected President of the United States twice by acclamation.  In fact, Washington remains our only President to have been elected by unanimous vote of the Electoral College – and he accomplished that feat twice.

However, freedom of the press held sway in Washington’s time just as it does now.  Washington was viciously attacked repeatedly by his political enemies, and tirades against him were carried in newspapers all over the country.  According to the George Washington’s Mount Vernon website:

“ . . . by the end of the President's first term, hostile newspaper writers were attacking the administration's domestic and foreign policy. These attacks escalated in Washington's second term into personal attacks questioning his integrity, republican principles, and even military reputation. While the harsh attacks may have initially backfired on Washington's political opponents, the President's bad press signified the opening of a new type of political force, and one that had significant effects on the course of the Washington presidency.”

Source: George Washington's Mount Vernon

There was a significant difference between the media of Washington’s day and ours.  Back then, most of the criticisms were directed against the President’s policies and his personality, along with his past experience in both war and peace.  Many of the attacks were based upon truth rather than fabrications.

Today we see something very different.  CNN is by no means alone in advancing their agendas at the expense of truth.  We read terms like “settled science,” a misnomer if there ever was one.  Our modern world with all of its technology and research into so many fields has raised far more questions than it has answered.  In fact, “settled science”has almost become an obsolete term, because many researchers do not apply the correct statistical equations to validate their findings.  (See How Not to Be Wrong; The Power of Mathematical Thinking, by Jordan Ellenberg, Chapter Nine: The International Journal of Haruspicy.)

The point of this very important chapter is that most researchers – biotech, medical, cancer, pharmaceutical – do not apply the famous null hypothesis.  Their failure to do so invalidates much if not all of the research that appears in highly praised and peer-reviewed papers.

Even the world’s arguably most famous medical journals, The New England Journal of Medicine and Lancet, have had to retract major portions of scientific papers – if they did not retract the entire paper.  Unfortunately, this throws an enormous amount of “settled science” exactly where it belongs – into the dumpster.

(See my articles on this website What Happens When Truth Vanishes? and The Hysteria Continues on Global Warming for more evidence that what we are told is true is often not – and is frequently the opposite of the truth.)

Back to CNN

CNN is run by Progressives, alternatively known as Marxists, Communists, Socialists,and Democrats. (See my article on this website What is Progressivism?) Progressives promote the belief that there is no truth.  Of course, if there is no truth, there is no God.  Progressives believe that there is no God – except perhaps government.  In order to force this belief upon those of us who believe in God, believe in eternal truth, and live in accordance with the dictates of our own consciences, Progressives like CNN promote false ideas that replace truth.  Global warming is a classic example; gender confusion is another.  There are many such false ideas among us today, and their promotion has heavily damaged all our public and private institutions.

Progressives promote false ideas because part of their philosophy states that since there is no truth and no God the end justifies the means.  This dangerous notion produced hundreds of millions of deaths in the 20th Century from war, famine, pestilence, disease, and more.  All of them can be attributed to the rise of Progessivism and its false ideas.  (See Silent Spring at 50: The False Crises of Rachel Carson to learn how one woman started a movement that has killed tens of millions all over the world without firing a shot.) Carson got the infamous precautionary principle going, and it has become an important tool in the Progressive toolbox.

CNN, then, feels free to posit fake news as truth for all these reasons:

  1. CNN is part of the Progressive program, and as a primary media outlet is free to utilize the notion that the end justifies the means.
  2. CNN believes it needs to be a positive influence in promoting the entire Progressive agenda, and that requires the suppression of truth as well as it replacement by falsehoods.
  3. CNN knows from long experience that ad hominem attacks can be very effective in shifting the public discussion away from the real issues to the persons defending truth and freedom.  Character assassination and defamation are just a portion of the vicious tactics they employ in their efforts to destroy those who disagree with them.
  4. CNN has the ability to attack on many fronts simultaneously.  When they attack, for instance, President Trump from fifty different angles through fifty different Progressive sources at the same time, the general public (if not the target himself) can be put off balance and unable to resist (Read Darkness at Noon by Arthur Koestler to learn how Stalin used just such attacks).

I submit just one example of many in evidence.  On this date, as I perused CNN.com to find its latest lies and falsehoods, I came across this criticism of the U.S. Supreme Court:

“Supreme Court's scientifically illiterate decision will cost lives”

Opinion by Jeffrey D. Sachs (specifically stated as Opinion rather than news reporting)

Updated 1:44 PM ET, Fri November 27, 2020

“ . . . None of this is to argue that New York state's regulations were perfectly drawn. That is not the point. The point is that the Supreme Court should be on the side of saving lives and urging rational, science-based behavior by all, especially at this moment of maximum peril to the population. Even more than the Supreme Court, religious groups should also be siding actively and energetically with public health authorities, both to protect their own congregants and all of society . . .”

Did you get that? CNN is terrific at fear-mongering and using fear as a weapon against their enemies like conservatives.  Unfortunately for CNN and the Progressives, there is no more threat to “the population” (about which CNN cares nothing at all) from COVID-19 than there is from global warming.  Both are issues from which a massive agenda has been fabricated based loosely on pseudoscience and easily disproven lies.  As is often the case, the lie takes precedence over the truth because we are taught to fear the [possible] consequences.

Both COVID-19 and global warming are indeed challenges our world faces, but both can and will be resolved by the application of proper and valid research and appropriate decision-making, rather than through mob action arising out of fear-mongering and the constant grasping for power on the part of the politicians and power-hungry billionaires.

No, Mr. Sachs, that is not the point.

What is the truth about the Supreme Court?

CNN is completely wrong about the Supreme Court, just as they are about almost every other aspect of our federal government.  The Supreme Court has no business “being on the side of saving lives.”  Does that sound harsh?  It isn’t.  The Constitution is clear on this point.  The Supreme Court is there to uphold and defend the supreme law of the land, which is our Constitution.   The primary (if not the sole) function of our Federal courts is to protect the rights of all Americans citizens under our Constitution.   As for taking sides over a virus that has proven fas less lethal than the annual influenza that grips our planet, the Supreme Court has absolutely no authority. 

How could the Supreme Court protect and defend the rights of all American citizens by taking a stand that would help collapse the economy, thus causing enormous suffering far greater than the death toll from the disease itself? I’m not referring solely to the religious freedom matter; I’m speaking of any Constitutional defense of government at any level shutting down any aspect of the economy.  The 10th Amendment is clear that the states and the people possess all powers not specifically delegated to the federal government.  However, neither the states nor the people have the authority to violate the supreme law of the land.  They certainly have no authority to take any action that does not “promote the general welfare” (from the Preamble to the Constitution).  Shutting down any portion of the economy clearly violates that mandate.

Who is harmed by Mr. Sachs in writing and publishing this tripe?

Finally, let’s consider the harm done by Mr. Sachs in writing this puff piece, with all its falsehoods, material misstatements, and disinformation.

  1. Mr. Sachs is arguing for a suspension of the 1st Amendment to the Constitution, the amendment guaranteeing Americans their freedom of religion.  This is a serious (and devious) attack upon the Constitution itself.
  2. The American people become more confused about the role of government.  Their fear level increases because they think government is making bad decisions.
  3. The most recently appointed members of the Supreme Court are criticized for doing their job correctly.
  4. The public’s confidence in the Supreme Court is diminished.
  5. The American people have been taught things about their government that are untrue.
  6. The appeal to fear and decisive action (“We must do something now!”) is a tactic used buy all dictators. This contributes to the thinking that America is a democracy that needs to become a dictatorship so that important things get done.
  7. The Progessive agenda is advanced as people become convinced that we need more government to take care of us.
  8. The American people fall farther away from the truth of the Constitution ,natural law, and the basic principle of morality, integrity, and good faith dealing that are essential to our Constitutional republic.

And just think: Mr. Sachs is rewarded for creating this trash. His standing in the world of journalism rises and his career advances – on a solid foundation of lies and deceit.

For Mr. Sachs’ complete op-ed click here: Supreme Court's scientifically illiterate decision