Letter to the Editor: Reader says media can and should provide education, insights

An open letter to Paul Buccieri of A&E, Norah O’Donnell of CBS and Reed Hastings of Netflix (TV producers), congressional Jan. 6 committee, Al Franken and concerned citizens:

You do not learn from history by memorizing Adolf Hitler had 6 million Jews killed but instead from understanding how he convinced so many Germans to kill them.

1 — How to solve the problem of self-serving government leaders not being held accountable.

2 — Media giants and political parties define your truth, justice and the American way. The Pledge of Allegiance has been hijacked by both political parties.

Many people have lost their faith in God, country, family or the future. I believe they have replaced values of common sense with voting for their own best interest and pride in America with an emotional need to belong. They gladly pay the price of blind loyalty to carpetbaggers for the privilege of belonging.

Voting for tax cuts for the top 10% and increasing the national debt on our children are not the values taught in church or business models taught in schools. Voting against national health when you have no health care is a mental health issue and in conflict with voting your interest. Before government will solve the problems of the people, the people must demand their problems be solved.

I hope that someone will create a TV series on voting in America, from the first votes in Congress when not everyone voted for independence, to the time when Black votes were considered three-fifths of a vote, to 1919 and women’s right to vote, to the civil rights era of ’64 to those who voted George Bush the power to go to war.

How many times did the present reelected members of Congress vote to spend the $300 million per day for 20 years in Afghanistan or did nothing to solve mass shootings for 20 years?

Many of those elected leaders still have their jobs. Teaching the history of rich politicians voting for a complete volunteer army, so their sons would not be drafted, provides insight into a government of the haves versus the have-nots.

The government of the people, by the people and for the people, through the Federal Communications Commission, should require each channel to provide at least 60 minutes a week of nonpolitical public education, including voting issues and process. In 1983, 90% of U.S. media was owned by 50 companies. By 2020, through deregulation and mergers, 90% of media, without a truth filter, are owned by six corporations. A primary reasons television and internet do not offer free education is a lack of will by government leadership and greed by media owners.

Consider how many Republicans, without any evidence, wrongly believe the 2020 election was stolen. Each state should produce a 30-minute program that explains when, where and how to vote in that state and the Electoral College. The media could solve problems by teaching civics and the voting process would restore faith in elections and the government, and would showcase pride in America that is a needed public service and opportunity. Why not an associate degree from CBS or PBS or history credits from the History channel?

I am also seeking a venue that can establish a national polling webpage to ask the country a single question each month and people could one vote per email address by ZIP code. For example: Do you support the child tax credit, a woman’s right to choose or two years of mandatory civil service for all men and women? Do you support raising the Social Security contribution level from $147,000 to $200,000 and increasing Social Security payments? Do you support national health care?

Perhaps National Public Radio, “Real Time,” Fox, CBS and others could report on voter polls of voter issues by state or district versus how the government leaders voted on that issue.

Johnny Vaughan

Lewes