Me, those numbers are actually more positive than I was expecting. Considering that polls have consistently been giving Trump a 40% approval rating and a bit less than 40% lean Republican on the generic Congressional ballot (those numbers may become irrelevant now once the primaries are all over and the actual candidates are set in the elections), I would have expected much worse numbers.
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Likewise, most Americans (72%) think it should be easier to sue reporters who knowingly publish false information.
Notice the phrasing: "
knowingly publish false information". And this is a pretty general statement. I'm guessing that any specific proposal to enact such a thing would end up with little support.
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I'm not advocating complacency here. I'm just not as worried as perhaps I should be, especially since that same report has this:
First off, the good news. The large majority of Americans, 85%, agree that the Freedom of the press is essential for American democracy. Additionally, two-thirds (68%) say that reporters should be protected from pressure from government or big business interests. Majorities of both Democrats and Republicans agree with these two statements signaling deep support for the concept of freedom of the press.
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Again, I don't advocate complacency. The PATRIOT Act was enacted in the aftermath of 9/11, showing that all it takes is one huge catastrophe to create a temporary (although "temproary" may still be a rather long time) acceptance of bad legislation; citizens must always be vigilant and be ready to block such nonsense until the initial panic finally subsides.
I don't think the danger here is that US citizens will support restrictions on the press. The danger is that a sudden and temporary panic may cause US citizens to allow dangerous legislation to be enacted without proper thought and debate.
Added by edit:It would be an interesting context to know how these numbers compare historically. Americans have always supported a free press, but Americans have also always had a poor opinion of the existing media outlets.
Edited by Chiroptera, : No reason given.
Oh, God! Pride of Man, broken in the dust again! -- Quicksilver Messenger Service