"The people complaining about 'false balance' usually seem confident in having discovered the truth of things for themselves, despite the media's supposed incompetence."

"They're quite sure of whom to vote for and why. Their complaints are really about the impact that 'false balance' coverage might have on other, lesser humans, with weaker minds than theirs. Which is not just snobbish, but laughably snobbish. So, shut up."

From "Stop Whining About 'False Balance'/Everyone wants to blame reporters for the rise of Donald Trump. How about the media consumer?" by Matt Taibbi.

Via John Althouse Cohen.

ADDED: It's a variation on the old "free speech for me, but not for thee" — not about speaking but receiving speech. It's fine for me and the people I put in the elite group to hear everything, but what reaches the masses must be filtered through the elite, because the common people lack the capacity to tell good speech from bad and to arrive at the truth through the power of their own mind.

If you really believe that, then we shouldn't be having elections at all. In this election, the elite are seeing — more starkly than in any election I can think of in my lifetime — that the people are receiving information and thinking about it in a different way, not taking direction, and the elite shrink from the disgusting opinions of the people who were decent enough when they were doing the bidding of the elite. But now, thinking on their own, the electorate belongs in the Basket of Deplorables.

That's what makes the "Les Deplorables" image so powerful:



It's a revolution. To switch to a different French Revolution play:

Down with all of the ruling class!
Throw all the generals out on their ass!
Why do they have the gold?
Why do they have the power? Why, why, why, why?
Why do they have the friends at the top?
Why do they have the jobs at the top?

The Judy Collins version of that — "Marat/Sade" — gives me chills. Here's a video matching the song to images of the Occupy movement:



AND: I clicked on the embedded "Marat/Sade" video and the ad that came up was for Maserati!

When I'm 64...

is... today.

ADDED: Meade IMs links to Grooveshark versions of the old Beatles song, first Judy Collins, then David Grisman. I love the David Grisman (including the location of the cottage — not the Isle of Wight but Tennessee — and the names of the children — not Vera, Chuck, and Dave but Elviry, Charles, and Dave). As for Judy Collins — dear lady, this is not your song. When I get older losing my hair... Judy Collins, bald? As a consequence of mere aging? Judy Collins has managed to get quite old while maintaining a full head of glorious hair.

Intermission at the Overture Center.

Outside, there's a mist. The state capitol is enveloped in fog.



Inside, they've projected snowflakes on the wall:



On the night of the solstice, we're reminded of the cold depths that we are not experiencing. But we're here for the concert. It's the intermission, and we're milling around:



We're all here...



To see... Who are we all here to see? What singer would -- just by walking onto the stage -- make your humble diva blogress break down and cry?

It's Judy Collins.