Sirotablog
David Sirota is a political journalist and nationally syndicated newspaper columnist at Creators Syndicate. David writes about political corruption, globalization and working-class economic issues often ignored by both of America's political parties.
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May 9, 2007 6:42 AM
Rupert Murdoch’s Lesson: It’s About Power, Stupid
Rupert Murdoch is a force to behold. I say that as someone who opposes his entire political ideology, but stands in awe of his inherent understanding of what's important in American politics: Power. People think Murdoch is all about money, and while he is a billionaire, what he's really all about is raw power - accumulating it and wielding it for his agenda. Progressives would be wise to study this man, both to learn from him and to understand what we are really up against in dealing with him. Take a gander at this excerpt from a recent Businessweek story on Murdoch's overpriced bid to buy the Wall Street Journal:
"Murdoch mostly owns low- and middle-brow media properties—from the New York Post to Fox News. How satisfying to have in his hands the most respected business newspaper in America, whose editorial page meshes neatly with his own world view. What's more, Murdoch believes he and his organization have a role to play in shaping the debate on the world's pressing issues. He has strong views on taxes, war, domestic and foreign policy, and more. Murdoch has built his empire, in part, by assiduously courting the powerful. The Journal could be an invaluable tool of influence...Murdoch [is] keen as always to influence public discourse."
Many progressive activists, organizers and funders look at conservatives like Grover Norquist or Richard Mellon Scaife as models for reproduction on the left. While Norquist is a decent strategist, and Scaife has funded various pieces of conservative infrastructure, they don't hold a candle to Murdoch. The conservative machine he has built makes the highly-touted Washington-based groups like Americans for Tax Reform and the Heritage Foundation look like children's playthings. Progressives looking for clues about how to build real power - and not just the perception of power - should study Murdoch intently. As I said, I oppose his entire political ideology, but his focus on building real power is something that is sometimes missing in progressive circles.
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About David Sirota
David Sirota is a political journalist and nationally syndicated newspaper columnist at Creators Syndicate. He is the New York Times bestselling author of Hostile Takeover. He lives in Denver, Colorado. His daily blog can be found at CREDO Action. He contributes regularly to the Denver Post's Web site, is a senior editor at In These Times magazine and is working on his second book. He has been profiled in Newsweek and the Rocky Mountain News and is widely known for his reporting on political corruption, globalization and working-class economic issues often ignored by both of America's political parties. Sirota serves as co-chair of the Progressive States Network, a 501(c)3 organization that supports state legislators and that is a partner of CREDO.
You can subscribe to Sirota's e-mail newsletter by going to davidsirota.com and signing up in the lefthand corner. To find out more about Sirota, download his official biography or see his recent media appearances. You can e-mail him at sirota@credoaction.com.
The views expressed on this blog are his own, and do not necessarily represent the views of Working Assets (publisher of CREDO Action) or the institutions Sirota works for.
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Discussion
Got $3 billion or so to bankroll a media /politcal empire?
The problem using him as a model without his resources will get you nowhere. He's just a power hungry crook and greed head. And its unlikely that progressives will ever amass the wealth and media power that murdoch to become a counterbalance. Hippies don't do WallStreet.
The thing is Murdoch himself isn't powerful he becomes powerful by the tools he wields like a expert surgeon. Those tools can't be replicated by progressives.
Not to mention that part of his power comes from a well oiled GOP machine that makes the democrats every two-year ad-hoc GOTV effort look like a chinese fire drill with blind chinamen. IOW before copying Murdoch, clean up a incompetent democrat party.
That said, what progressives are lacking IMO is three very critical tools; a backbone, intellect, and a organization that has the ability to punish sell-out Democrats by kicking them in the gutter.
Right now progressives have the ability to bankroll pols and even get good ones elected. However Democratic pols are free to renege on their promises and suck up to K Street or Hoyers dick whatever the case may be and the people have no recourse for this betrayal.
And this can't be compensated by voting in more Dems as they too become compromised by the endless cash, women and other perks as seen today.
Furthermore the politicos are embolded by the fact that NO DEMOCRAT has ever been voted out by fellow Democrats. IMO Democrats don't have the character to remove a crook with a D in front of their name.
They have nothing to be scared of.
And unless progressives figure out to create a organization that can hire/fire and fund politicos
their dreams of replicating the Rove/Murdoch/De Lay power machine will be just that.
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