Showing 46 comments for
The Fundamental Transformation of Newsweek and America

Mr. Alexander:Your grant of tuition to Meacham's parents for their son's education, shows true compassion.While some conservatives may criticize your efforts due to their consequences, I am reminded of another who paid the price, even for the guilty who continue to mock his efforts.I note the similarity, but not the identity. While I read the Patriot Post and your weekly essay with as much fervor as I give my daily bible reading, to draw an identity between you and our Savior would blaspheme both you and the efforts the Patriot Post exerts on our behalf.

There are two ways to enslave a nation.One is by arms. The other is by debt.----John Adams (1735-1826)

Too bad that you quoted Jefferson on the issue of press abuses. He was the first to use the press in this way to undermine Alexander Hamilton and Washington's second term. After reading several of his biographies, I have to conclude that he was a moral coward. He'd fit in well with today's Democrats.

I suppose this is one of the flaws with American Capitalism. You are free to pursue, invest wisely, work hard, and become wealthy industrious business people, millionaires and billionaires.The problem is these leftist billionaires are just as isolated, patronizing, and uninformed as the wealthy leftists in elected office. MSM is run by the too wealthy cooperative ideologues with nothing better to do with their time and great money than to lecture, directly and indirectly, the naive masses about the needs to follow Socialist ideology. But alas, their disguise of altruistic intentions is generally unveiled if one just peeks under to see where and how they make their money, and from whom and where it will come from in the future.OK, earn your money, even faithlessly off the backs of the poor American people, but don't rub it in their faces and try to push your own twisted morals down the throats of Americans who know your true character and intentions. If you are so concerned about American citizen’s well-being, donate all your wealth to charity, to bring down the deficit, shore up social security, for greater welfare expansion, or other programs that you advocate for so strongly. Just stay the f… out of my life and out of my pockets you pompous ass…s.

RE: The Fundamental Transformation of Newsweek and America and your comment that "Meacham and company betrayed that trust, and his readers, like a growing number of Obama's supporters, unsubscribed." Can we unsubscribe AND get our money back? Now? Even though I never subscribed in the first place, the issues keep coming.Thanks for remaining Semper vigilo.

I think that Dr. Joseph Goebbells said it best:“If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.”Apparently the MSM and Robert Gibbs agrees.

I gave up on the idea of Newsweek being a credible source of information a long time ago, thus I have not been much aware of Meacham's ruination of that publication, but Alexander's op-ed piece provides excellent background for understanding the current state of affairs. I trust that few people with basic common sense will expect anything better from the Harman takeover. California folks know a bit about his wife's politics....

MA is right on.In summer-2009 I was asked to reup my Newsweek subscription.I responded with a list of biased "news" that Newsweek had provided in the prior 90 days and asked them "Why should I resubscribe to a biased news magazine?"Interestingly enough, within 60 days of my response, the blizzard of leftist organizations solicitng my donations via snail mail, suddenly stopped!Wonder if my comment was passed to those organizations?

Alexander's essay about Newsweek (Aug 5th) is excellent. Another one is sorely needed for the appropriately red-bordered Obama Magazine, formerly Time, with its left-wing New York Jewish-community Obama lapdogs like Klein and Stein.

As a second generation country newspaper editor, I respectfully disagree with your interpretation of the First Amendment, that it protects a free and impartial press. What it does protect is a press that is free from government control, and is unrestricted in its ability to report on the activities of government to its citizens.The press has always been partial in their coverage (consider how many papers are named Democrat, Republican, or Independent). The founding fathers often turned to their favorite paper to publish essays and letters (under anonymous pen names) to test public opinion.What our founding fathers hoped for was an educated public, willing to be widely read and able to thoughtfully engage in the public debate. The issue is not that we have partial media, rather that we have people unwilling to read from differing viewpoints and to form their own opinions based on numerous and varying sources.

I appreciate reading your researched articles. I noticed in this one that you reference the media as leftist and harmful. Although I agree, I would appreciate a statement referring to when they got it right. I would give them credit for watergate to show some objectivity. I often have to turn the channel when watching a host state facts that support their view, seem to carefully screen out information that is difficult to reconcile. I simply can't watch msnbc for this reason and occasionally have to turn off fox.

When the bottom fails out of the economy and its well on its way, what will the main street editors and reporters tell the American people? We really thought Obama was on the right track? Like the Progressives in both parties an explanation for why they pursued the course they did will be demanded by the suffering American people? Their reputations will be destroyed, and yet they continue to remain overwhelmingly bias in their reporting. I guess its true. You can't fix stupid, but you don't have to mislead others in the process.

BRAVO! How wonderful that there is someone who tells it like it is!Were NewsWeek to ask me why I unsubscribed (they can probably guess - IF they actually care - which I doubt) it is only because I cannot stand their glorification of this individual.Keep it coming - I will listen to you forever.Lucie Marx Titus

Up until recently I had been a long-time Newsweek subscriber out of habit (my parents had a subscription), and I finally got around to cancelling my subscription recently.I suppose that I should not delay in depositing my refund check!

When the press distorts facts, and becomes a propaganda machine tomislead the gullible people, it is reminiscent of Hitler and his rise to power, and then afterwards became the propaganda machine to dismay the public completely into thinking he is Clark Kent. Wait till he goes into a phone booth and dons his "Super President" costume.Or, am I wrong? is he the Capt. Marvel who says SHAZAM!!!! and changes into a super hero.Please enlighten me, I am confused as to which one he is. Or is he just plain Bareck Obumma?

I loved you comment regarding the transformational vision of both Meacham and Obama, that they both "reveal unbridled arrogance and an underlying contempt for those who are just not smart enough to see it their way ..." Much as Jon Meacham was ousted amid disgrace, debt, and dilapidated morale (I'm sure everyone at Newsweek is feeling just peachy), the same will be Obama's fate - amid disgrace, debt, and a dilapidated national morale. Like Jimmy Carter before him, we will need a real leader to articulate a "new" vision for America - the vision of our forefathers, and bring us out of this "malaise" that plagues us. BTW, didn't the Japanese "own" us during Carter's term in office? All is not lost! Be of good cheer!

Thanks for doing what you do..........faithfully, day after day, you are one of the things that I read regularly in my quest for righteous information!!!!

I have subscribed to The Patriot Post for sometime and usually enjoy the dose of liberty, but this article is IGNORANT. Your position of supporting the war in Afghanistan and Iraq is appalling, especially for someone that subscribes to the wisdom of the founding fathers. What happened to the quote that there is "no good war and no bad peace." Do your homework and you will learn that the founding fathers would have unanimously opposed these unconstitutional wars. Let's replace the worst two Presidents in our history (Obama AND Bush) with a REAL liberty President. Support Ron Paul in 2012.

Is there any way we can get Obumma out of office before he ruins this country? Maybe a Republican coup d' etat ? Lord, for the days of President Reagan !!! MAYBE THE MILITARY COULD...........But, let's not go there. Can we impeach him, or can you impeach someone for being STUPID ?

I created an entry in Wikipedia several years ago and used the definition I first found in the Patriot Post with a citation pointing back to the page. It received some interest, was edited and updated for a time but has since been deleted. It appears the liberal press bias has infiltrated the self titled free encyclopedia.

Mr. Alexander.The problem is you paid his tuition to McCallie. Baylor it appears in hindsight would have been a much better investment.First Ted Turner and now Meacham. Is it something in the water at the base of Missionary Ridge?

Matthew,I think you may have missed the point of the article. Be that as it may, the person you quote regarding war and peace was no other than our own Benjamin Franklin. It was written in a letter to Sir Joseph Banks in July 1783, in which he hoped for more leisure days and bemoaned the waste of labors and fortunes on war that could have been devoted to improvements to infrastructure and society. Yes, war is a horrible thing, and wastes much treasure and lives. I ask you this, though: at what price Peace? Will you give up all your property for peace? All your liberty? Your life? All for peace?Those against whom we struggle with today, against whom we throw our lives and treasure, will only give you peace when you have completely subjugated yourself and your community to their Sharia law.Oh, you have to become Muslim, too.Is that a reasonable price? I suggest that none of our Founding Fathers would have so submitted.

Bravo, Mr. Sunderland! Indeed, Mark, the dissipation and demise of print publication is upon us, but due more to the rise of the machines, so to speak, than to the displeasure of discerning readers. The arguments continue in the ether and they are no more grounded in sense, logic and reason than they ever were. Perhaps the greatest failing of the founders of this republic was to place their faith in the education and wisdom of the average citizen, without making explicit provision for it. Back then, as now and for all the intervening years, the average citizen has had to devote the bulk of his/her time to survival by one means or another. Few have the luxury of sitting about the club and leisurely discussing the fine points of one philosophy or another or engaging in polite conversation about the relative merits of a large or limited federal government. We must get our information the old fashioned way. Second-hand after it has been digested and regurgitated for us to slurp up; after is has been pre-masticated by those with the time and education to understand the issues. We must rely on the output of others which leaves us at the mercy of the impartiality (or lack thereof) of the town crier, or newspaper reporter or talking head television newscaster who has enough skill, charisma or charm to appeal to our baser instincts and so grab our attention. The founders would have served us better if they had set standards and made provisions in the Constitution for national education. They should have codified knowledge as a right along press, religion and speech. Were we all taught the skills of discerning bovine feces from boot black I feel that we as a nation, a people, a society, would be in far better shape than we are now or have ever been. Yes, owning your own gun is important, every sane and responsible citizen should. But knowledge truly is the greatest defense against tyranny and oppression.

Who paid Meacham's tuition bill to The University of the South, which he helped to rename as "Sewanee: The University of the South" while he was a regent? Alumni have never forgiven him for that error of "institutional advancement".

Thanks for your wonderful essay on Newsweek. I'm not sure how many of your readers are aware of the fact that that magazine has been reprehensible since at least the Goldwater-Johnson faceoff of 1964. An issue that summer displayed a cartoon by Herblock (no surprise). Herblock showed the Republican elephant straddling a chasm. Pulling the elephant's trunk on one side were conservatives. Pulling the tail on the other side were 'moderates.' The implication was obvious: conservatives were the opposite of moderates, hence immoderate, hence extremist. A more honest cartoon would have shown conservatives on one side, and liberals on the other. Just another glaring example of dishonesty run rampant in the leftist mainstream media. Please keep up the great work you're doing in the fight for liberty. GOD BLESS.

Sometime in the late seventies, I read a book purchased from the Conservative Book Club. I cannotremember the title, and no longer own the book. The foreword was an editorial about how great it was that the president was finally leaving town, etc., etc. My immediate reaction was that the editorial was about President Nixon. Much to my surprise it was about President George Washington.

I love to read your essays. Thank you so much for all of your hard work.

Newsweek: Since I've been living alone for quite a while, my mealtime company has been the daily newspaper and more importantly, the weekly magazines. So far, I've permanently dropped The New Yorker (sometimes great criticism, but too much Marxist commentary) and The Economist (outstanding coverage, but with a socialist mindset).I've accepted the renewal offers that may or may not cover the cost of postage, obviously offered to keep up circulation and hence ad revenues. With Newsweek lately, I've noticed, to paraphrase Gertrude Stein, there's no magazine there - only some leftish fluff and some off-beat "arts" plugs. Expires in December, don't plan to renew at any price. Similar fates await the other two.

So, if we truly believe that the Constitution protects our religious liberty ,and that it does NOT create a separation of church and state as advanced by the democrats, liberals and progressives such that we now ban most any dispaly or expression of Christianity, when will the real lawyers speak up?When will a Constitutional authority who is also well versed in semantics, break down the sentence structure of the Constitution and take the case to court. Why do we sit back and whine about the destruction of our way of life but do nothing of substance about it. Why do we allow the atheist, the immoral and our enemies define what is and what isn't.?gregg

"Fundamental Transformation"This may turn out to be a powerful lesson in "Be careful what you wish for".It seems we are headed for a bloodbath for the business-as-usual beltway politics. In addition to a Tea Party takeover, we may see adoption of the proposed 28th amendment, and even, pray God, repeal of the 16th and 17th.All of this rightly can be laid at Obama's door. So he will have achieved his promise of "Fundamental Transformation"!

Interesting, used to be a single issue cost more than a dollar. Now Newsweak has gone downhill so far the whole company cost less than that. Why would anyone bother to read it or, especially, to advertise in it?

The CEO/Owner of Newsweek is a member of the Trilateral Commission and he has a middle eastern name. The organization's goal is to set policy through our elected officials that will effect their agenda for the World. Obama appointed 11 of them right away to his administration. Would you have ever thought he would keep a Bush man like Timothy Geithner?...Or another, Robert Gates? That is why...the Trilateral Commission and the Bilderberg Group of which many members are shared...have our presidents as puppets on strings. The goal is to make America poor so that the American people will buck under to a One World Government and its Global elite. Broke, we cannot fight. Open borders help to waste American money as does stimulus spending and national healthcare and Fannie and Freddie unchecked. You'll note Newsweek and Obama are on the same page on those issues.

Thank you for the piece about Jon Meacham and the demise of Newsweek. It is an omen for the progressives. Bye bye guys.

Good points and caveats by Randy Sutherland and comment by T. Davis. We live in a town with a Buffet conglomerate daily (The Buffalo News) as the only newspaper. Growing up, there was a morning paper (Buffalo Courier Express) but that's ancient history.Point I make is that many don't have access to papers with different points of view, and judging from what I notice at the checkout counter, tabloids are more widely read than "serious" periodicals.With regard to public education, a good case can be made to limit it to grades 1-8. This is enough time to teach an average person to read and write, learn basic home skills and learn how to add, subtract, multiply and divide. After this, I don't think it's too early to choose vocational, service, technical or professional paths, or to "mark time" with an enlistment.

An amazing story! Thank you for sharing it. At some level it must break your heart. God bless you.

Matthew,I think you may have missed the point of the article. Be that as it may, the person you quote regarding war and peace was no other than our own Benjamin Franklin. It was written in a letter to Sir Joseph Banks in July 1783, in which he hoped for more leisure days and bemoaned the waste of labors and fortunes on war that could have been devoted to improvements to infrastructure and society. Yes, war is a horrible thing, and wastes much treasure and lives. I ask you this, though: at what price Peace? Will you give up all your property for peace? All your liberty? Your life? All for peace?Those against whom we struggle with today, against whom we throw our lives and treasure, will only give you peace when you have completely subjugated yourself and your community to their Sharia law.Oh, you have to become Muslim, too.Is that a reasonable price? I suggest that none of our Founding Fathers would have so submitted.

I grew up in the 60s reading my parents' Newsweek issues but dropped my own subscription around 1983 when I read what was supposed to be a "report" about abortion but that was in reality a radically pro-abortion editorial. For thiry more years I tried in vain to get my conservative parents (lifelong military people) to drop the rag. Though they knew it didn't reflect their beliefs, it nevertheless seemed to be a tradition hard to break with. They finally dumped it last year. I guess they helped drive the last nails in the coffin.

I gave up reading Time, US News, Newsweek, and all the other so-called news mags years ago for the very reasons expressed here. I could see no reason for paying an arm and a leg for some pundit's analysis that was basically biased as well as self-serving. "Oh, Lord it's tough to be humble when one is perfect in every way." I'm glad that when my time comes I will not have to stand before the Judgement Bench in these guys' shoes.

If the new owner of a failed "mainstream" news magazine is the spouse of an influential Democrat member of Congress, and if he pays one dollar for a failing media enterprise, and if he's willing to assume that enterprise's multi-billion-dollar debt, that begs a simple question: Does he have insider knowledge of huge federal subsidies coming down the pike for our 'free and independent" lamestream media? Gotta wonder about that.

You have Meacham bore sighted! Thanks for spelling it out for others.

As far as I can tell, neither the conservatives nor the tea-partiers have yet tried to make specific their ideas on how to reduce spending, limit the size of the Federal government nor restore the Constitution. The lack of specifics is political: it is easier to sell the sizzle than the steak - that is, it is harder to quibble with some vague generality. But only specifics can make the necessary changes to our current direction. So here they are, specifically.Reduce spending by working back out of those departments that cost the most and are not listed in the Constitution: start with the SSA. Do not add anyone to the roles effective immediately and pay off the accumulated withholdings that have accrued. There may not be enough money all at once... so start by using an annuity limited to the amount withheld, but get it started now.Limit the size of the Federal government - stop the funding and disband all departments that are not listed in the Constitution: examples: FDA, EPA, OSHA, NASA, Dept of Labor, etc. Restore the Constitutional Republic: invoke Article 7 of the Constitution - If nine (or more) state conventions ratify the U.S. Constitution, then they become the United States of America and the states that do not so ratify can call themselves anything they want to EXCEPT the United States of America. Questions? I'm afraid that listing the specifics required to achieve the desired results might reduce the number of advocates for making the needed corrections. Do we have the cajones?

Excellent essay! Right on the money!One other comment, and a question: I did not receive the Friday edition of THE PATRIOT POST. As an old comic strip character once said, "Wha' Hoppen?" Seriously, if I don't receive my dose of patriotism, I feel the absence. Let us know what happened, please.Thanks for what you are doing for our great nation.Jim Sanders

An excellent essay. Well written and to the point! jf.

Why have I stopped receiving your e-mails? When I try to subscribe again the message comes back that I am already subscribed.

Why an i not getting my Mon. post and Wed.post. I'm so hooked these papers that I feel uninformed. Please check and see why they have stopped.Please reply. PS I'm still waiting on my copies of the Constitution. Dottie McCordMobile, Al.

I can't figure out why I am no longer receiving your posts--after years of receiving them.