Dissidence: Now on Substack
Journalist? Ever been on TV? Speaking your truth requires you to abandon the legacy newsroom.
Former ABC Anchor Terry Moran accurately described the Trump administration official who is assuredly destined for will-never-be-hot-enough Hell, Stephen Miller.
And for this, he was fired.
Moran obviously, definitely, had that firing coming. There’s the media capitulating to the nursing home dictator – like settling otherwise winnable, frivolous lawsuits as de facto bribes – and there’s pretty black and white journalistic expectations, especially in broadcast. ABC didn’t really have a choice here, especially with Moran’s contract coming up for renewal anyways. Legacy media has let itself slide into a position of being forced to play the (losing, feckless, ineffective) middle on things like this.
So, a freshly shitcanned Moran is heading here, to Substack. Just like Jim Acosta, Jorge Ramos, Joy-Ann Reid, Ryan Lizza and others before them. There’s also the prominent ‘resistance’ people – Joe Walsh, David Packman, Adam Kinzinger….the grift list goes on.
My (lightly conspiratorial) take? He saw writings on walls throughout ABC’s HQ, decided to make a big splash and dare ABC to oust him, generate headlines, and launch a newsletter to parachute him into the next thing. He may even get a pay bump out of this, considering Disney’s habitual corporate penny pinching of its news division.
And, in fairness, this seems to have worked! As someone who does not consume broadcast news at all, this was the first time I’d ever heard of the guy.
But from the former journos, at least they can write! And a lot of the interviews and think pieces they’re putting out has done a decent job, in my opinion, of replacing some of the gathering space and sharing of ideas that Twitter was back when we first got Trumped.
Elsewhere, the ‘this isn’t what we voted for crowd’ is finding out, and tides are turning in approval polls. Remember when this presidency was purportedly about grocery prices, peace in Ukraine and cutting taxes? Each issue has gotten quantitatively worse in the last 6 months, which is nearing a checkpoint where the public starts to wean off of the ‘this admin just got in, give it time!’ excuse. I was young in ‘09, but I recall the “First 100 Days” of Obama’s first administration getting ruthlessly dragged.
When comparing Trump’s first and second administrations at this first 100ish day mark, it’s like debating LeBron vs. Kobe for NBA GOAT on TikTok – Trump’s putting up historically impressive numbers (derogatory).
Overall approval rating - a mere 38%. His immigration policies? 43%. And about his progress on the economy? 40%. (Politico, 6/11)
His handling of the Russian invasion of Ukraine? Just 35% supported his efforts to suspend aid to Ukraine. (Brookings, 3/14)
Despite those numbers, the shithousery of it all seems to intensify.
It’s because the people making these decisions are almost entirely insulated from the actual blowback. Trump is a great mold for a puppet president. He’s senile, acts on violent and crass impulses, and thrives on firing unwarranted shots at an often unspecified group in order for him to ‘win.’ Meanwhile, rumored cuck cue ball Chief of Staff Miller can scream at the director of ICE to execute on his dream of an ethnostate, polling or optics be damned.
Protests nationwide continue, and the one I’m personally looking forward to coming this Saturday – NO KINGS DAY. (Happy Birthday, Donald, you fascist!)
Unrelated listicle I can’t be bothered to parse out as a separate post – my best throwaway lines for your next protest sign:
HSI = Huge Stupid Idiots
No Kings Day, Make Him Pay
National Guard Deez Nuts
Riot! (is my favorite Paramore album)
This Is All Mitch McConnell’s Fault
Masochists 4 Rubber Bullets