This whole "balloon gap" story is a textbook example of where media interests actually lie and manufactured consent.
First, the actual Chinese spy balloon was a complete non-story. Large nations spy on each other. The SR-71 was invented for the US to fly over the Soviet Union. Yet it got wall-to-wall media coverage. Why? The usual reasons. It evokes fear (and this part worked) and plays into the need for even more military spending (because almost $1T/year just isn't enough).
All this while an actual catastrophe is taking place, the East Palestine derailment, with a virtual media blackout. Why? Because the media as a general rule doesn't criticize corporate interests. Hell, the company responsible (Norfolk Southern) has a case on this term's Supreme Court to attempt to overturn a PA law that people can sue a company that does business there. The actual case involves someone who got cancer.
And the Biden DoJ has filed an amicus brief in support of Norfolk Southern's case [1].
I really wish more people would recognize the balloon story for the intentional distraction it is.
First, the actual Chinese spy balloon was a complete non-story. Large nations spy on each other. The SR-71 was invented for the US to fly over the Soviet Union. Yet it got wall-to-wall media coverage. Why? The usual reasons. It evokes fear (and this part worked) and plays into the need for even more military spending (because almost $1T/year just isn't enough).
All this while an actual catastrophe is taking place, the East Palestine derailment, with a virtual media blackout. Why? Because the media as a general rule doesn't criticize corporate interests. Hell, the company responsible (Norfolk Southern) has a case on this term's Supreme Court to attempt to overturn a PA law that people can sue a company that does business there. The actual case involves someone who got cancer.
And the Biden DoJ has filed an amicus brief in support of Norfolk Southern's case [1].
I really wish more people would recognize the balloon story for the intentional distraction it is.
[1]: https://www.levernews.com/bidens-doj-backing-norfolk-souther...