Use the New Media, for change

In case you didn't notice, Capitol Hill Blue
has been making many a politician
uncomfortable this week as publisher Doug Thompson, editor Jack Sharp
and their staff roll out a series of articles describing Congress as
America's only tolerated "criminal class." The series will consist of
five parts and is due to wrap up on Friday.

At the same time my own boss, Joseph Farah, editor and publisher of
WorldNetDaily, has been doing the same thing
-- exposing the corruption endemic to the congressional criminal class.
As you might have guessed, Joe has also been making more than a few
politicians uneasy. In fact he's been doing that for some time now,
and, as his articles demonstrate, that unease has made it all the way to
the top -- the White House.

These publications, along with a select few others, are part of a new
breed of news service called, "The New Media." "Media," because our job
is reporting the news, and "new" because the medium -- the Internet --
is the newest way Americans get their information. The Internet is a
real-time, high-impact alternative to other forms of news reporting,
though I wouldn't say it's time yet to roll up the newsprint and shut
down the printing presses (perhaps in a few years?).

These publications are also "new" because, ironically, they have
chosen "old" concepts of reporting. Simply put, that means we're not
beholden to any particular political party. After all, the real
purpose of a free press is not to sway or idolize; it's to keep an eye
on the government -- to act as a watchdog, as Joe has frequently pointed
out, against corruption. And I dare say, judging from the looks of it,
the corruption within our government is rampant, frequent, far-reaching,
and bipartisan. There are few innocents left in Congress, the
White House or the administration in general these days, and being a
shill for a favored political party makes it impossible to remain
unbiased.

TRENDING: Poll: Stunning number say Biden suffers 'cognitive ailment'

Now you may think the fact that our government seems so corrupt
doesn't bode well for our country as we enter into the year 2000, but I
would tend to disagree. We have an incredible opportunity to change
things -- really change them -- because of this rapid, fluid and
instantaneous form of communication called the New Media. In fact, in a
few short years, we've already begun to do that.

Just look at what's been accomplished in just under two years here at
our paper:

• We broke the CNN-Tailwind story, which had major negative
  connotations for both government and CNN. Reputations were shot, people
  were fired, some quit, and others have basically never been the same.

• We've broken, and continue to break, the Clinton-directed IRS
  persecution of dozens of opposition publications and organizations.
  Though the results are not yet to our satisfaction, the stories helped
  at least prompt congressional hearings, an avalanche of citizen contact
  among legislators, and a cursory re-write of IRS audit rules.

• We were the first to break the news about Clinton's federalism
  executive order, and we followed that up as the first to break the news
  regarding Clinton's newest attempt at changing how states view their
  relationship with Washington in a new executive order on federalism.

• On numerous occasions we have broken stories about small-time
  government abuse of ordinary citizens -- stories that, once broken, have
  often resulted in favorable outcomes for those being persecuted.

There are other examples of the power of the New Media.

Bill Gertz, ace defense and national security reporter for The
Washington Times credits the Internet and New Media for publicizing his
book, "Betrayal," turning it into a bestseller and allowing huge
portions of the population to learn just how badly the Clinton
administration has hurt U.S. national security. While Clinton is still
in office, so far most of the fallout of scandal endemic to the
president is likely going to prevent his vice president, Al Gore, from
taking his place. We'll see, but it doesn't look good for Gore right
now, and we in the New Media have to take some credit for that.

And, from Capitol Hill Blue's most recent investigative work on the
congressional criminal class to NewsMax.com's expose on Clinton's rape
of Juanita Broaddrick, to CNSNews.org's
up-to-the-minute coverage of details the "established press" chooses to
conveniently leave out, to the FreeRepublic's instant coverage
and discussion forum, the New Media is
definitely having a favorable impact on the way Americans get their
information and view those they send to govern on their behalf. After
all, who can forget Matt Drudge's
breaking story on the Clinton-Lewinsky affair? The print media
(Newsweek) had it, but, because of the editorial staff's ideological
oneness with Bill Clinton, chose not to run it. Hardly fair and
unbiased reporting, is it?

The thing is, that's exactly what our founding fathers meant to
create when they wrote the First Amendment -- "a free press for a free
people," unencumbered by political ideological alliances, coalitions --
and even advertisers -- so they could prevent a necessary evil --
government -- from becoming tyrannical.

I will grant you that all the tyranny has not stopped yet. As long
as mere mortal men and women rule over others here on earth there will
always be a tendency to grab more power, rule more territory, or impose
more will on the helpless because that's human nature. But as long as
these people exist, so too must a free press, to keep an eye on those
who mean to rob us of our freedoms exposed and in check.

In short, we're not here to become media celebrities, talking heads,
or to get invited to White House dinners and to hobnob with the "power
elite" in Washington. We're here because of you -- the people --
for you to use our information as a guideline to help rid the country of
the cowardly corrupt. "Leaders" who cannot abide by our rules, accept
the parameters and limitations of our Constitution, and who cannot help
themselves when it comes to seizing more power for them do not belong in
our government, pure and simple. And historically, it's been the media
that is supposed to inform Americans about what is going on, who is
responsible, and what the meat of the issue is really all about.

It's a shame that the "established media" have forgotten this most
simple of missions, this most mundane of mandates. But those of us here
in the New Media don't mind taking up the slack; we're here precisely
because we can't accept reporting the news any other way. But in a news
story, we won't tell you what to think or what to believe because
ultimately, what you do with the information is up to you. But you
deserve to have the facts -- all the facts -- before you make up
your mind.

If our "leaders" are uncomfortable
with our brand of reporting, that's good. That means we're doing our
jobs. We're casting a critical light on them and taking away the
shadows so many of them are used to hiding in.

But then again, I would ask that if these people were honest to begin
with, why should they be uncomfortable? If honesty, integrity and sense
of duty were endemic to politics and government, would the New Media
have turned into such an information revolution?

I doubt it. There would have been no need for us.