Some alternative news voices

We are living in an era where it is commonplace to be told and to widely believe that we are a divided populace living in a polarized political environment. There is surely some truth in that. And yet, consider this list of some of the things on which there are clear majorities of opinion in America, most of which were never acknowledged let alone debated in the recent election.

Sixty percent of Americans say that the federal government must ensure health care for all citizens. Two-thirds are deeply concerned about climate change. Sixty percent favor stricter gun laws; 62% favor higher taxes on wealthy individuals and corporations; 69% do not have confidence they are receiving reliable information from the media; and 75% do not trust the government “to do what is right.”

A significant majority believe that America’s “endless wars” are eroding governmental ability to provide essential infrastructure and social services here at home. Increasing numbers of Americans believe that the media is too often acting as a mouthpiece for the government as opposed to doing critical analysis and commentary of the issues.

George Orwell said that journalism is printing what the government doesn’t want you to know: everything else is just public relations.

Fortunately, we now live in a time where alternative news outlets are widely accessible to those wishing to avail themselves of it. Because I believe we are being lied to and misled on many fronts, I include the following list of news sources and analysts who you will not hear even on PBS or NPR let alone CNN, MSNBC, Fox, the NY Times, etc. Here is a list of people, experts in their field, easily available on YouTube, where I think you will find a closer version of truth than in the mainstream media. You will not generally be able to hear from these individuals on the mainstream media. They are unofficially banned, their voices not allowed:

• Lawrence Wilkerson (retired Army colonel, chief of staff to Colin Powell when he was Secretary of State, Professor of Government and Public Policy);

• Jeffrey Sachs (developmental economist);

• Scott Ritter (former Marine, U.N. weapons inspector, military analyst);

• Larry Johnson (former CIA intel analyst);

• Ray McGovern (former CIA);

• Matt Hoh (former Marine, former State Department analyst);

• Chas Freeman (former ambassador to Saudi Arabia, State Department diplomat, Assistant Secretary of Defense, translator for Richard Nixon when he negotiated opening relations with China); 

• Alastair Crooke (former MI6 British intelligence officer);

• Nima Alkhorshid (journalist and podcaster host for many of these individuals);

• Richard Wolff (economist);

• Andrew Napolitano (former federal judge, former Fox News host, podcaster);

• John Mearsheimer (political scientist, geopolitical analyst);

• Chris Hedges (journalist, war correspondent)

– Brian Clark, Durango