What I wrote to my governor:
.
Dear Governor Cuomo:
.
You can fix this. Hobble FOX.
.
FOX is conservative Republican propaganda, and currently Trump's propaganda arm.
.
FOX propaganda is why red states were slow to impose shelter in place orders.
FOX propaganda is why President Trump believes he can be caviller in how he distributes medical equipment to states.
FOX propaganda is why President Trump has gotten away with NOT making use of the Defence Production Act
FOX propaganda is why many more people in NYS, and across this nation will die, than would have been the case without FOX.
.
Advertisers are backing away from FOX and have been for years.
.
But most of FOX income stream is from cable fees so this has not affected FOX. FOX is negotiating to get $3 per subscriber (MSNBC gets $0.33). FOX makes buckets of money because it is part of every cable company's "Basic" cable TV offering, and receives payment from every customer whether they ever watch FOX or not.
.
NYS could end that. Simply make it so FOX is no longer part of "Basic" cable TV. End "Basic" TV is the easiest way. Make it so customers are charged by what they watch or by what channels they choose to package for themselves.
.
New York, Washington, California, Oregon, Connecticut, and Massachusetts constitute a considerable share of FOX’s revenue stream. Each of these states have all been damaged by the legislation and policies which could never have been enacted except for the support created by FOX propaganda.
.
Please contact the governors of these states and come up with a collective plan for dealing with FOX, even if it is just a threat that gets immediate programming policy changes such as live broadcasting of you and your fellow Democratic governors, daily COVID updates, and Democratic Party chosen co-hosts on FOX programs like Hanity.
.
FOX propaganda is literally killing people today.
But this has been true for many years.
FOX propaganda has been marginalizing groups of people, beating the drums of war, and pushing policies that weaken the social safety net.
.
It is way past time to hobble FOX.