American deadlock trudges on. Trump promised a wall and he won’t back down. Democrats won’t back down either. Both show solidarity with their respective platforms. The only group that seems to favor backing down is Congressional Republicans, who want Trump to get this over with any way possible. For the compromising Republicans on Capitol Hill, Trump’s refusal to sign a “wallless budget” isn’t a “wall” strategy as much as it is a “shut down” strategy. Trump and Congressional Democrats see it differently.
Keep watch; it just might be Jared Kushner who saves the day.
The term “free speech” has taken a new meaning. While speech has kept less and less freedom from the tech bosses, the monetary cost of speaking out has essentially become free. With speech becoming more and more “financially free”, the media industry can’t find a way to stay solvent.
Newspapers and local news broadcasters seek collective ways to work against the tech giants, but they only rearrange their immediate problems with no long-term solutions in sight. The dwindling news industry is attacking “free” platforms of semi-free speech: social media. That’s the clue of where news & information will head in the future.
State of the Wallion
Ending showdown with Pelosi, Trump postpones State of Union | AP
Border Walldown
GOP senators read Pence riot act before shutdown votes | The Hill
White House demands ‘large down payment on the wall’ as Senate tries to reach shutdown deal | CNBC
Official: Asylum seekers to wait in Mexico starting Friday | AP
Media
More than 1,000 media jobs lost in one day | Axios
Google-Facebook duopoly now commands 80% of ad market | WND
Is it time for journalists to sign off Twitter? | CNN
The Media Botched the Covington Catholic Story | Atlantic
Facebook, In. – Reality Check | Plain Site
…50% users fake