Blue Mass Group

Reality-based commentary on politics.

Why do we let the media tell us who our choices are?

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It just keeps on happening, over and over again.

Finneran thinking for us, because apparently we aren’t capable.  Begins @ 1:09 mark:

“In 7 months, one of you three is likely to be sworn in as the next governor, OK.  With all due respect to Jill Stein and others, I think it’s gonna be one of you.”

So, the media decides for us who they think might win, and then limit debates based on their own opinion and preferences. Is that a problem?  Yes, it’s a HUGE problem.  Jill Stein is no newbie to politics.  She has given great effort to introduce herself to the Commonwealth.  The problem is that she is persistently ignored by the media and brushed aside as someone who is not a viable choice.  She is a viable choice.  But she won’t have a chance if the media keeps deciding for us who our candidates are and only invite their choices to the debate.  Really, who the hell do they think they are?

The media doesn’t speak for me. I wish they would stop thinking that they do.  

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Comments

  1. From the Valley Advocate

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    p>

    …to deny Stein a place in the debate is to reinforce a self-fulfilling prophecy. She won’t win, therefore she can’t debate; she can’t debate, therefore she can’t get exposure, and the prediction of the debate organizers (including former House Speaker and Democratic Party boss Tom Finneran, who hosted it) comes true. That kind of thinking is what’s robbed the American political landscape of fluidity and held it hostage to an ossified two-party system (in this case, Cahill is running as an Independent, but it’s pretty hard for Finneran et al. to ignore him, since he’s the state treasurer-and, by the way, a former Democrat who left the party partly to avoid a fight against Patrick in the gubernatorial primary).

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    p>.

  2. you have nobody to blame but yourself for the fact you’re a walking irrelevancy.  

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    p>People who run for office as a registered Libertarian have the same problem.

  3. Running in a primary says a lot of things about a candidate to me.  First of all, how does a person treat a competitor when the competition is over?  How does the politician react in such a situation like a primary?  Character attacks or coalition-building?  Does the politician have the gusto and intestinal fortitude for a primary?

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    p>A lot of times in MA, conservatives don’t have primaries, and I’m really glad they’re having more.  When you take the Tim Cahill or Jill Stein approach and run under a non-major party banner, you say “well I don’t agree with the ‘platform’ of this party” or something that attempts to elevate your moral platform above the parties, but to me it just makes you look like a wuss or a poor competitor.  

  5. None of the candidates for Governor face a primary challenge though Governor Patrick and Charlie Baker at least could have.

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    p>As a Republican State Rep. candidate that actually hurts me as it will lower primary election turnout as undeclared voters have no incentive to turn out and ask for a particular party ballot. That would be information that would be very helpful to my campaign in the general election.

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    p>Between now and September 14th, I think all candidates for Governor and Lieutenant Governor should be included in all debates. After the primaries and subsequent polling, no candidate who fails to garner say, 10% would be excluded from debates.

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    p>The people would have had the right to speak through their votes and poling response. The people would also have the opportunity to hear from the two candidates who actually have a chance to win.

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    p>In my race, the four neighborhood associations in conjunction with the political ward committees and business associations have historically always sponsored debates. I am confident they will do so this year. We are also asking for 4 media broadcast debates.

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    p>If it works for a State Rep. race it certainly should work for the Governor’s race.

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    p>Brad Marston
    Candidate for State Representative
    Eighth Suffolk District

  6. Because the mainstream media is controlled by a very small number of powerful organizations.

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    p>A longer answer:

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    p>Until we get instant run-off voting, third party candidates are doomed to failure. They would be more productive if they directly challenged the major party candidates in primaries.

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