… Currently, the public appears broadly supportive of mass deportations—that is, if you ask them directly and provide no further details. However, once more details are given, support for mass deportations declines.
One poll from about a month ago gauged support for the following policy: “Detain and deport millions of undocumented immigrants.” It found 52% of Americans in favor and 45% opposed. But with the addendum “even if it means businesses will face worker shortages,” the result changed to 46% in favor, 51% opposed. The effect of including other information about the negative economic effects of mass deportations was not tested, but it seems highly probable that other information—like the potential for a hit to GDP or a spike in inflation—would similarly turn Americans against mass deportation policy.
The problem is, the details about the potentially disastrous economic effects of mass deportations are likely known by only a small minority of the population. If corporate media outlets took their job seriously, they would make those details very well known. That could have major political effects, and could help turn the tides against extremist immigration policies.
Failing to inform the public likewise has major political effects. Passivity means greater leeway for Trump and his backers to shape public opinion, with their claims perhaps continuing to go unchallenged by outlets like Politico. Elon Musk, for one, is known as a prolific propagator of anti-immigrant conspiracy theories, and has frequently used X to amplify his message in the past. If corporate media fail to confront such misinformation, they effectively acquiesce to its corruption of the popular consciousness.
Ultimately, it’s up to corporate media to make a decision about what journalism means to them. They can’t escape making a decision with significant political consequences—political consequences are coming no matter what. But they can decide whether they care more about not appearing political to Trump supporters, or about protecting millions of people—and the health of the US economy.
We have chosen a future of mass death and suffering.
Once fascists can do something that is this broadly popular with the public (death to the US for it being so popular) that actually creates a crisis, then that crisis is really better understood as an entrance into a snowball effect for more justification of violence because under these conditions people don’t automatically turn on the incompetent and hateful fascists that caused the avoidable crisis in the first place.
This is why leftists were screaming at the top of their lungs about not being republican-lite about immigration.
Centrists and centrist democrats still think they have a handle of control on the increasingly violent and destructive rightwing mob stoked by billionaires and honestly even MORE than climate change that makes me realize how fucked I really am.
We are not safe, this will not work out, do not concern yourself with longterm strategy in your life. The ocean biosphere is collapsing. Give up if you want but also we really have very little reason to hold back now and not fight with everything we have left.