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Nationalist Party

2020-08-11T06:39:50Z

KEK40K:

{{PoliticalParty
| party_name = Nationalist Party
| party_logo =
| website = [http://www.kmt.org.tw/ kmt.org.tw]
| leader = [[Wu Den-yih]]
| parleader =
| foundation = 1919
| ideology = [[Conservatism]]
| position = Centre-right
| international = [[International Democrat Union]] and [[Centrist Democrat International]]
| colors = blue
| footnotes =
}}
The '''Chinese Nationalist Party''', or '''KMT''', is a conservative party currently based in [[Taiwan]]. In recent years it has supported pan-Chinese nationalism, democracy, Chinese reunification, and capitalism under the doctrine of the "three principles of the people." The Nationalists ruled China from 1927 until 1949 and then moved to Taiwan. The party has had the support of American liberal since the 1930s. The abbreviation "KMT" stands for "Kuomintang," an obsolete romanization of the party's Chinese name.{{language box
|t=國民黨
|s=国民党
|p=Guómín Dǎng
|w=Kuo-min Tang
}}The Nationalist Party was founded in 1912 by [[Song Jiaoren]]. The original party was outlawed and dissolved in 1913. To replace it, [[Sun Yat-sen]] founded the "Chinese Revolutionary Party" in 1914 as a secret society and under stricter discipline. However, various notable KMT members refused to join the new party and continued to identify by the old name. In 1919, the CRP was reorganized as the "Chinese Nationalist Party" and the party's bylaws were made more democratic. The party has continued in this form to the present. After Sun's death in 1925, the party launched the "Northern Expedition," defeated the warlords of the Beiyang clique, and established a central government for China in [[Nanjing]]. From 1927 to 1975, the party was led by [[Chiang Kai-shek]]. When the Nationalists were defeated by the Communists in 1949, the party, together with most government officials, much of the army, anti-communist political activists and many business and cultural leaders evacuated to Taiwan. Until 1971, the UN and most non-communists governments recognized the Nationalist government in Taipei as the legitimate government of China. In 1991, the Nationalists withdrew their claim to territory on the mainland. KMT leader Ma Ying-jeou was elected Taiwanese president in 2008 and reelected in 2012.

The party is a member of the [[International Democrat Union]] and the [[Centrist Democrat International]].

==In China==
Founded in 1912 by Sun Yat-sen, the KMT rejected the old incompetent and [[Qing dynasty]] and sought to modernize China along Japanese and Western lines. The KMT helped topple the Qing emperor and promoted modernization along Western lines. The party played a significant part in the first Chinese first National Assembly where it was the majority party. However, the KMT failed to achieve complete control. The post of president was given to old-guard general [[Yuan Shikai]] (1859–1916) as a reward for his decisive support for the revolution. Yuan Shikai was a warlord uninterested in modernization and abused his powers, over-riding the constitution and trying to shut down political opposition. In July 1913, the KMT staged a 'Second Revolution' to depose Yuan. This failed and the following crackdown by Yuan led to the dissolution of the KMT and the exile of its leadership, mostly to Japan.

Yuan Shikai tried and failed to make himself emperor of China. When Yuan Shikai died unexpectedly in 1916, China fractured into many regions controlled by warlords; this warlord era lasted about ten years.

==Warlord period: 1916–26==
When Yuan died, however, civil war broke out and regional warlords ruled amid chaos. The opium trade returned, irrigation failed, famine killed millions. Central rule was elusive. China sided with the Allies against Germany during [[World War I]] and offered some limited assistance. The goal was hoping to obtain the return of the cities that Germany controlled in China. Instead, the Treaty of Versailles gave that land to Japan. Feeling betrayed, the Chinese angrily demonstrated against that decision with the [[May Fourth Movement]], which the Nationalists supported.

In exile, Sun Yat-sen and other former Nationalists founded several revolutionary parties under various names but with little success. These parties were united by Sun in 1919 as the "Chinese Nationalist Party." The word "Chinese" was added to the name of the reorganized party to distinguish it from the original. The new party returned to Guangzhou in China in 1920 where it set up a government but failed to achieve control of all of China. After the death of Yuan Shikai in 1916, China fractured into many regions controlled by warlords.

After 1919 the Soviets based in Moscow energetically promoted Communism, and for a while formed an alliance with the KMT. [[Mao Zedong]], founded the [[Chinese Communist Party]] (CCP) in 1921 in Shanghai. The KMT, in a precarious position, accepted Soviet money and military advisors in China. The Soviets made the CCP join the KMT, thus forming the First United Front. The KMT gradually increased its geographical controls from its Canton base. Sun Yat-sen died in 1925.

==Chiang Kai-shek unites China==
Chiang Kai-shek (1887-1975) became the KMT strongman and military leader. In 1926 Chiang led a military operation known as the "Northern Expedition" against the warlords that controlled much of the country and defeated them. Next, Chiang tried to destroy the Communists. In Shanghai, the leading city, on 12 April 1927 he purged and often executed the Communists in the KMT.<ref>The event is also known as the Shanghai Massacre of 1927. See Tien-wei Wu, "A Review of the Wuhan Debacle: the Kuomintang-Communist Split of 1927." ''Journal of Asian Studies'' 1969 29(1): 125-143</ref> The Northern Expedition proved successful and the Nationalist government gained control throughout China (except Manchuria) in 1927, with Chiang as leader. The capital of China was moved to [[Nanjing]], a city near Shanghai that previously served as the capital for the [[Ming dynasty]] and for Sun Yat-sen in 1912.

The party was always concerned with strengthening Chinese identity at the same time it was discarding old traditions in the name of modernity. In 1929, the KMT government suppressed the textbook ''Modern Chinese History,'' widely used in secondary education. The Nationalists were concerned that, by not admitting the existence of the earliest emperors in ancient Chinese history, the book would weaken the foundation of the state. The case of the ''Modern Chinese History'' textbook reflects the symptoms of the period: banning the textbook strengthened the Nationalists' ideological control but also revealed their fear of the New Culture Movement and its more liberal ideological implications.

The KMT tried to destroy the Communist party of [[Mao Zedong]] but was unable to stop the invasion by Japan, which controlled most of the coastline and major cities from 1937 to 1945. Chiang Kai-shek secured massive military and economic aid from the United States, and in 1945 became one of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, with a veto. The KMT governed most of China until it was defeated in civil war by the Communists in 1949.

The collapse of the KMT regime can in part be attributed to the government's economic policies, which triggered capital flight among the businessmen who had been the KMT's strongest supporters. The cotton textile industry was the leading sector of Chinese industry, but in 1948, shortages of raw cotton plunged the industry into dire straits. The KMT government responded with an aggressive control policy that directly procured cotton from producers to ensure a sufficient supply and established a price freeze on cotton thread and textiles. This policy failed because of resistance from cotton textile industrialists, who relocated textile facilities and capital to Hong Kong or Taiwan around the end of 1948 and early 1949 when prices soared and inflation spiraled out of control. Their withdrawal of support was a shattering blow to the morale of the KMT.

==Chinese Civil War==
Civil war broke out between the Communist and Guomindang in 1930. Mao Zedong trained peasants in guerrilla warfare. But Chiang's army surrounded Mao's, and in 1934 forced Mao's army to go on the [[Long March]], which was a 6,000-mile retreat to northwestern China. Few made it back alive—the survivors controlled the Communist party since 1949.

==Second Sino-Japanese War==
{{Main|Second Sino-Japanese War}}
Meanwhile, an aggressive Japan invaded [[Manchuria]], an independent warlord-controlled area of northeast China rich in iron and coal deposits needed by Japanese industry and in March 1932 set up the [[puppet state]] of [[Manchukuo]]. On 24 February 1933, the [[League of Nations]] adopted a resolution calling for the non-recognition of Manchukuo, however the [[Soviet Union]] nonetheless did recognize Manchukuo and sold Japan the Chinese Eastern Railway in 1935. This Manchurian invasion was the beginning of [[World War II]] in Asia and is commonly referred to as the [[Mukden Incident]]. Japan followed this with an invasion of China in 1937 along the Yangtze River. The Chinese civil war stopped temporarily to defend against the Japanese invasion. The Soviet Union brought 30 thousand Red army troops to Mongolia and stationed them along the southern and south-eastern border of Mongolia on the pretext of having found the Japanese plan of military occupation of Mongolia". At the same time, the Soviet leadership gave instructions to carry out mass arrests and the execution of several ten thousands of Mongolian government, party and army cadres on the pretext of "rooting out the spy organization."

==Two wars==
The Nationalist Chinese government led by Chiang Kai-shek received aid from the United States to fight against the Japanese, but in reality, they used that money to prepare for civil war against the communists led by [[Mao Zedong]]. After the war, the communists (from the northwest) attempted to conquer the Nationalists (from the southwest). Civil war raged from 1946 to 1949. Due to the embargo by the Democrat president [[Harry S. Truman]] and the infiltration of the Communist members into the Nationalist army and the US governments, Mao stole the nation by October 1949. Mao had tricked the farmers that land will be given to the peasants and de facto separated China into two parts: the Mainland and Taiwan. The mainland has been renamed as the People's Republic of China. Jiang was forced into retreat with Nationalists to the island of Taiwan, imposing strong anti-Communistic policies, and continued to claim sovereignty over all of China, a stance which the United States supported until [[Richard Nixon]] reversed course under the influence of [[Henry Kissinger|Kissinger]] in 1971.

==In Taiwan: 1949–present==
After KMT moved to Taiwan since 1949, Chiang Kai-shek declared the martial law. which banned the communists. Chiang then re-elected four times by the un-elected National Assembly until he died in 1975. His son Chiang Ching-kuo succeeded him and ended the martial law on 15 July 1987. Chiang died on 13 January 1988, Lee Teng-hui became the new president. On 23 March 1996, Lee Teng-hui became the first president democratically elected by the Taiwanese people. The KMT lost power from 2000 to 2008. On 22 March 2008, Ma Ying-jeou was elected as president. Since the KMT back to power, the KMT endorses the "three noes" policy as defined by Ma Ying-jeou – no unification, no independence and no use of force. However, the KMT has been gradually losing its ground of Anti-Communism by putting too much emphasis in pursuing Unification and inability to withstand the infiltration of the Communist Party Regime of the Mainland China.<ref>Gomez, Christian (November 27, 2018). [https://www.thenewamerican.com/world-news/asia/item/30755-taiwan-s-pro-independence-party-loses-to-pro-china-kuomintang-party Taiwan's Pro-Independence Party Loses to Pro-China Kuomintang Party]. ''The New American''. Retrieved November 27, 2018.</ref>

==References==
<references/>

==Bibliography==
* Barnett, A. Doak ''China on the Eve of Communist Takeover''. (1963) [http://www.questia.com/library/book/china-on-the-eve-of-communist-takeover-by-a-doak-barnett.jsp online edition]
* Bedeski, Robert E. ''State-Building in Modern China: The Kuomintang in the Prewar Period.'' (1981). 181 pp.
* Bergere, Marie-Claire. ''Sun Yat-Sen'' (1998), 480pp, the standard biography
* Bodenhorn, Terry, ed. ''Defining Modernity: Guomindang Rhetorics of a New China, 1920-1970.'' (2002). 288 pp. ISBN 0-89264-161-4
* Boorman, Howard L., ed. ''Biographical Dictionary of Republican China.'' (Vol. I-IV and Index. 1967-1979). 600 short scholarly biographies [https://books.google.com/books?id=r3AJFusMHJwC&dq=+Biographical+Dictionary+of+Republican+China&pg=PP1&ots=2vo5nw0qS0&sig=fxzwBb475KIbQBr8KGRDrkVSvl8&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=4&ct=result#PPA1,M1 excerpt and text search]
* Botjer, George. ''A Short History of Nationalist China, 1919–1949'' (1979). 312pp
*Carroll, Anne W. "Who Lost China", ''Faith and Reason'' (Spring 1989)[http://www.ewtn.com/library/HOMELIBR/FR89102.TXT online]
* Epoch Times. ''On the Unscrupulous Nature of the Chinese Communist Party'', ''The Epoch Times,'' 2005. [http://en.epochtimes.com/news/4-12-30/25242.html online]
* Fairbank, John K., ed. ''The Cambridge History of China, Vol. 12, Republican China 1912-1949. Part 1.'' (1983). 1001 pp.
* Fairbank, John K. and Feuerwerker, Albert, eds. ''The Cambridge History of China. Vol. 13: Republican China, 1912-1949, Part 2.'' (1986). 1092 pp.
* Fenby, Jonathan. ''Chiang Kai Shek: China's Generalissimo and the Nation He Lost'' (2004), 592pp [https://www.amazon.com/Chiang-Kai-Shek-Chinas-Generalissimo/dp/B000T9VO2U/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1214082451&sr=8-5 excerpt and text search]
* Hille, Kathrin. "Resurgent KMT must confront its dark past," ''Financial Times'' December 6, 2007 [http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e7914d78-a39e-11dc-b229-0000779fd2ac.html?nclick_check=1 online]
* Hood, Steven J. ''The Kuomintang and the Democratization of Taiwan.'' (1997). 181 pp. [http://www.questia.com/read/9937198 online from [[Questia]]]
* Hsiung, James C. and Steven I. Levine. ''China's Bitter Victory: The War with Japan, 1937-1945'' (1992) [http://www.questia.com/library/book/chinas-bitter-victory-the-war-with-japan-1937-1945-by-james-c-hsiung-steven-i-levine.jsp online from [[Questia]]]
* Perleberg, Max. ''Who's Who in Modern China (From the Beginning of the Chinese Republic to the End of 1953): Over Two Thousand Detailed Biographies of the Most Important Men Who Took Part in the Great Struggle for China, Including Detailed Histories of the Political Parties, Government Organisations, a Glossary of New Terms Used in Contemporary Chinese '' (1954) [http://www.questia.com/read/98871284 online from [[Questia]]]
* Pye, Lucian W. ''Warlord Politics: Conflict and Coalition in the Modernization of Republican China'' (1971) [http://www.questia.com/read/99299526 online from Questia]
* Rigger, Shelley. ''Politics in Taiwan: Voting for Democracy'' (1999) [http://www.questia.com/library/book/politics-in-taiwan-voting-for-democracy-by-shelley-rigger.jsp online edition]
* Sharman, Lyon. ''Sun Yat-Sen His Life and Its Meaning: A Critical Biography''. (1968) [http://www.questia.com/library/book/sun-yat-sen-his-life-and-its-meaning-a-critical-biography-by-lyon-sharman.jsp online from Questia]
* Spence, Jonathan D. ''The Search for Modern China'' (1991), 876pp; well-written survey from 1644 to 1980s [https://www.amazon.com/Search-Modern-China-Jonathan-Spence/dp/0393307808/ref=pd_sim_b_title_2 excerpt and text search]; [http://www.questia.com/read/98946348 complete edition online at Questia]
* Taylor, Jay. ''The Generalissimo: Chiang Kai-Shek and the Struggle for Modern China'' (2009), 722 pp. highly favorable scholarly biography
* Taylor, Jay. ''The Generalissimo's Son: Chiang Ching-kuo and the Revolutions in China and Taiwan. '' (2000). 496 pp.
* Thornton, Richard C. ''China: A Political History, 1917-1980'' (1982) [http://www.questia.com/library/book/china-a-political-history-1917-1980-by-richard-c-thornton.jsp online edition]
* Wachman, Alan M. ''Taiwan: National Identity and Democratization'' (1994) [http://www.questia.com/library/book/taiwan-national-identity-and-democratization-by-alan-m-wachman.jsp online edition]
* Yu, George T. ''Party Politics in Republican China the Kuomintang, 1912- 1924'' (1966) [http://www.questia.com/read/3073072 online from Questia]
* Zanasi, Margherita. ''Saving the Nation: Economic Modernity in Republican China.'' (2006). 320 pp.

===Primary sources===
* Esherick, Joseph W., ed. ''Lost Chance in China: The World War II Despatches of John S. Service.'' (1974). 409 pp.
==Online resources==
* [http://hua.umf.maine.edu/China/republic.html "The Republican Era: 1911-1949"], comprehensive bibliography
*''[http://www.chinapost.com.tw/ China Post]'' -- KMT-oriented English language daily based in Taipei.

[[Category:Member of the International Democrat Union]]
[[Category:Taiwan]]
[[Category:Chinese Politics]]
[[Category:Chinese History]]
[[Category:World War II]]
[[Category:Conservative Political Parties]]

Taiwan

2020-08-11T06:27:59Z

KEK40K: Don't be fooled by liberals

{{Country
|name =Republic of China (Taiwan)<ref name=MOFA>''[http://multilingual.mofa.gov.tw/web/web_UTF-8/MOFA/glance2018-2019/English.pdf 2018-2019 Taiwan at a glance]'', Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China (Taiwan). The table on the inside cover says, "Official name: Republic of China (Taiwan)." Under the Nationalists, the official name of the country was simply "Republic of China."</ref> ''Zhōnghuá Mínguó'' 中華民國
|map =Taiwanmap.jpg
|map2 =Taiwan location.png
|flag =Flag of Taiwan ROC.png
|arms =Arms of Taiwan.png
|capital =Taipei
|capital-raw =
|government =
|government-raw =
|language =Chinese
|king =
|queen =
|monarch-raw =
|president =Tsai Ing-wen
|president-raw =
|chancellor =
|chancellor-raw =
|pm =Lin Chuan
|pm-raw =
|area =13,974 sq mi
|pop =23,570,000<ref name=MOFA2>''[http://multilingual.mofa.gov.tw/web/web_UTF-8/MOFA/glance2018-2019/English.pdf 2018-2019 Taiwan at a glance]'', Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China (Taiwan).</ref>
|pop-basis =2017
|gdp =
|gdp-year =
|gdp-pc =
|currency =New Taiwan dollar
|idd =
|tld =
}}
'''Taiwan''', also '''Formosa''', is an island state and a democracy in East Asia. The population was 23.57 million in 2017 and the dominant language is Chinese.<ref name=MOFA2 /> In 2012, it had the 20th largest economy in the world, according to the [[International Monetary Fund]].<ref>Taiwan's GDP for 2012 was $902 billion (PPP).</ref> Neighboring states include China to the west, Japan to the east and northeast, and the Philippines to the south. The capital is [[Taipei]] in the north of the island. Known for its natural beauty, the country is 245 miles long and 89 miles wide, with a steep central mountain range and plains on the west coast.

The Dutch East India Company had a trading post on Taiwan in the seventeenth century. The island was acquired by Japan in 1895 as a result of the Sino-Japanese War. It was returned to China in 1945 at the end of World War II. The current division between Taiwan and the mainland originated in 1949, when the [[Chinese Nationalist Party]], or KMT, was defeated by the communists in the Chinese Civil War, fled the mainland, and relocated to Taiwan.

The [[United Nations]] and most non-communist states continued to recognize "Nationalist China" in Taiwan as the legitimate government of China until 1971. At this time, the Nationalists were expelled from the U.N. and China's seat was reassigned to Beijing. The communist government in Beijing claims Taiwan as a renegade province. President Jimmy Carter withdrew U.S. recognition of Taiwan in 1979, and Congress passed the Taiwan Relations Act to regulate relations between the two countries.

Taiwan was under marital law from 1948 until 1987. During this period, Taiwan was a one-party state and opposition political activity was not permitted. The country held its first democratic presidential election in 1996. A presidential election in January 2016 was won by Tsai Ing-wen of the Democratic Progressive Party. Her party, strongly opposed by China, stresses "Taiwanization" as opposed to Chinese identity. The Western media often accuses Beijing of treating Taiwan as a "renegade province," although the Chinese media denies this.<ref>"The mainland has never called Taiwan a "renegade province" and has repeatedly stressed that the cross-straits negotiation will not be one between the central government and a local government, it will be an equal negotiation under the One-China principle." ("[http://en.people.cn/english/200005/16/eng20000516_40946.html Taiwan's New Leader Urged to Recognize One-China Principle]", ''People's Daily'', May 17, 2000.)</ref>

==People==
Taiwan has a population of 23 million. Numbering more than 18 million, the "native" Taiwanese, are descendants of migrants from Fujian and Guangdong provinces on the mainland, primarily in the 18th and 19th centuries. The "mainlanders," who arrived in Taiwan after 1945, came from all parts of China. About 485,000 "aborigines" (indigenous peoples of Taiwan who have not mixed with other peoples in recent times) inhabit the mountainous central and eastern parts of the island and are believed to be of Malayo-Polynesian origin. Of Taiwan's total population, approximately one million, or 4.4 percent, currently reside in mainland China.
*Population (2007): 23.0 million.
*Annual growth rate (2007): 0.36 percent.
*Languages: Mandarin (official), Taiwanese, Hakka.
*Education: Years compulsory—9. Attendance (2006)--99.0 percent. Literacy (2006)--97.5 percent.
*Health: Infant mortality rate (2006)--0.46 percent. Life expectancy (2006)--77.46 years; male 74.57 years.; female 80.81 years.
*Work force (2007): 10.7 million.

====Language====
{{Language box
|s=台灣
|t=臺灣
|p=Táiwān
|w=Tai-wan
}}Taiwan's official language and medium of instruction is Chinese. The Taiwanese form of the spoken language, known as ''Guóyǔ'' (national language), does not differ significantly from the ''Pǔtōnghuà'' (common speech) spoken on the mainland. Taiwan uses the "unsimplified" characters of pre-communist China, so its writing system is distinct. Most Taiwanese speak Minnan, or Taiwanese, as their first language. Minnan is also spoken in southern Fujian. Recently there has been a growing use of Taiwanese in the broadcast media. The Hakka, who are concentrated in several counties throughout Taiwan, have their own distinct language. Minnan, Hakka, and Mandarin are members of the Chinese language family. As a result of more than half a century of Japanese rule, many older people can also speak Japanese.

From 2002 to 2008, Tongyu Pinyin ("general-use spelling of sounds") was Taiwan's official Romanization system. This system is a variant of the Hanyu Pinyin system used on the mainland. Taiwan adopted Hanyu Pinyin officially in 2008. In practice, Taiwanese use of the Latin alphabet remains chaotic.

====Religion====
According to the Interior Ministry, there are about 11.2 million religious believers in Taiwan, with more than 75 percent identifying themselves as [[Buddhist]]s or [[Taoist]]s. At the same time, there is a strong belief in traditional folk religion throughout the island. These are not mutually exclusive, and many people practice a combination of the three. [[Confucian]]ism also is an honored school of thought and ethical code. Christian churches have been active on Taiwan for many years, and today, the island has more than 600,000 Christians, a majority of whom are Protestant.

====Culture====
Taiwan's culture is a blend of Chinese, Japanese, local Taiwanese and Western influences. Fine arts, folk traditions, and popular culture embody traditional and modern, Asian, and Western motifs. One of Taiwan's greatest attractions is the Palace Museum, which houses over 650,000 pieces of Chinese bronze, jade, calligraphy, painting, and porcelain. This collection was moved from the mainland in 1949 when Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalist Party (KMT) fled to Taiwan. The collection is so extensive that only 1 percent is on display at any one time.

====Education====
A nine-year public educational system has been in effect since 1979. Six years of elementary school and 3 years of junior high are compulsory for all children. About 96.2 percent of junior high graduates continue their studies in either a senior high or vocational school. Taiwan has an extensive higher education system with 163 institutions of higher learning. Each year, about 170,000 students attempt to enter higher education institutes; about 69 percent of the candidates are admitted to a college or university. Opportunities for graduate education are expanding in Taiwan, but many students travel abroad for advanced education. In 2006, over 16,000 U.S. student visas were issued to Taiwan passport holders.

==Government==
The authorities in Taipei exercise control over Taiwan, Quemoy, Matsu, the Penghus (Pescadores) and several other smaller islands. Taiwan is divided into counties, provincial municipalities, and two special municipalities, Taipei and Kaohsiung. At the end of 1998, the Constitution was amended to make all counties and cities directly administered by the Executive Yuan. From 1949 until 1991, the authorities on Taiwan claimed to be the sole legitimate government of all of China, including the mainland. In keeping with that claim, when the Nationalists retreated to Taiwan in 1949, they re-established the full array of central political bodies, which had existed on the mainland. While much of this structure remains in place, the authorities on Taiwan in 1991 abandoned their claim of governing mainland China, stating that they do not "dispute the fact that the PRC controls mainland China."

The first National Assembly, elected on the mainland in 1947 to carry out the duties of choosing the president and amending the constitution, was re-established on Taiwan when the KMT moved. Because it was impossible to hold subsequent elections to represent constituencies on the mainland, representatives elected in 1947-1948 held these seats "indefinitely." In June 1990, however, the Council of Grand Justices mandated the retirement, effective December 1991, of all remaining "indefinitely" elected members of the National Assembly and other bodies.

The second National Assembly, elected in 1991, was composed of 325 members. The majority were elected directly, while 100 were chosen from party slates in proportion to the popular vote. This National Assembly amended the Constitution in 1994, paving the way for the direct election of the president and vice president the first of which was held in March 1996. In April 2000, the members of the National Assembly voted to permit their terms of office to expire without holding new elections. The National Assembly elected in 2005 voted to abolish itself the following month, leaving Taiwan with a unicameral legislature. The president is both leader of Taiwan and Commander-in-Chief of its armed forces. The president has authority over four of the five administrative branches (Yuan): Executive, Control, Judicial, and Examination. The president appoints the president of the Executive Yuan, who also serves as the premier. The premier and the cabinet members are responsible for government policy and administration.

The main lawmaking body, the Legislative Yuan, was originally elected in the late 1940s in parallel with the National Assembly. The first LY had 773 seats and was viewed as a "rubber stamp" institution. The second LY was not elected until 1992. The third LY, elected in 1995, had 157 members serving 3-year terms, while the fourth LY, elected in 1998, was enlarged to 225 members. The LY has greatly enhanced its standing in relation to the Executive Yuan and has established itself as a major player on the central level. With increasing strength, size, and complexity, the LY now mirrors Taiwan's recently liberalized political system. In the 1992 and 1995 elections, the main opposition party—the Democratic Progressive Party—challenged the half-century of KMT dominance of the Legislature. In both elections, the DPP won a significant share of the LY seats, leaving only half of the LY seats in the hands of the KMT. In 2001, the DPP won a plurality of LY seats—88 to KMT's 66, PFP's 45, TSU's 13, and other parties' 13. In the December 2004 LY election, the Pan-Blue coalition won a slender majority of 114 of the 225 seats compared to the Pan-Green coalition's 101. The LY was halved in size from 225 to 113 seats by constitutional amendments in 2005. In the January 2008 LY election, the first to be held under this new structure, the KMT won an absolute majority of 81 seats to the DPP's 27 seats, with the remaining five seats going to independent and small party candidates.

In 1994, when the National Assembly voted to allow direct popular election of the president, the LY passed legislation allowing for the direct election of the governor of Taiwan Province and the mayors of Taipei and Kaohsiung special municipalities. These elections were first held in 1994. In a move to streamline administration, the position of elected governor was abolished at the end of 1998, and most other elements of the Taiwan provincial government have been eliminated.

The Control Yuan monitors the efficiency of public service and investigates instances of corruption. The 29 Control Yuan members are appointed by the president and approved by the National Assembly; they serve six-year terms. In recent years, the Control Yuan has become more activist, and it has conducted several major investigations and impeachments. Since 2004, however, the pan-Blue dominated LY has refused to approve the new slate of CY members proposed by President Chen, leaving the CY inactive.

The Judicial Yuan administers Taiwan's court system. It includes a 16-member Council of Grand Justices that interprets the constitution. Grand Justices are appointed by the president, with the consent of the National Assembly, to nine-year terms.

The Examination Yuan functions as a civil service commission and includes two ministries: the Ministry of Examination, which recruits officials through competitive examination, and the Ministry of Personnel, which manages the civil service. The president appoints the president of the Examination Yuan.

===Principal government officials===
*President—Tsai Ing-wen
*Vice President—Chen Chien-jen
*Premier—Lai Ching‑te
*Vice Premier--
*Secretary-General, Executive Yuan—Chuo Rung-tai
*Minister of the Interior—Liai Liou-yi
*Minister of Foreign Affairs—Francisco H. L. Lin
*Minister of National Defense—Chen Chao-min
*Minister of Finance—Li Sush-der
*Minister of Education—Cheng Jei-cheng

===Political conditions===
Until 1986, Taiwan's political system was effectively controlled by one party, the Kuomintang (KMT), the chairman of which was also Taiwan's President. As the ruling party, the KMT was able to fill appointed positions with its members and maintain political control of the island. President Chiang Kai-shek ruled by military dictatorship, declared martial law, and also had a secret police, to silence operation, quite like what his counterpart Mao Zedong was doing. The Taiwanese military was complete with political commissars copied directly from the soviet union, his secret police quick to silence opposition.

After 1986, the KMT's hold on power was challenged by the emergence of competing political parties. Before 1986, candidates opposing the KMT ran in elections as independents or "nonpartisans." Before the 1986 island-wide elections, many "nonpartisans" grouped together to create Taiwan's first new political party, the Democratic Progressive Party. Despite the official ban on forming new political parties, Taiwan authorities did not prohibit the DPP from operating, and in the 1986 island-wide elections, DPP and independent candidates captured more than 20 percent of the vote. In 1987, President Chiang Ching-kuo lifted the emergency decree, which had been in place since 1948 and which had granted virtually unlimited powers to the president for use in the anti-communist campaign. This decree provided the basis for nearly four decades of martial law under which individuals and groups expressing dissenting views were dealt with harshly. Expressing views contrary to the authorities' claim to represent all of China or supporting independent legal status for Taiwan was treated as sedition. Since ending martial law, Taiwan has taken dramatic steps to improve respect for human rights and create a democratic political system. Almost all restrictions on the press have ended, restrictions on personal freedoms have been relaxed, and the prohibition against organizing new political parties has been lifted. Lee Teng-hui succeeded Chiang Ching-kuo as president when Chiang died in 1988.

====Political parties====
In addition to the KMT (described above in 'History' and 'Political Conditions'), there is one other major political party, the DPP, whose membership is made up largely of native Taiwanese, and whose platform includes outspoken positions on some of the most sensitive issues in Taiwan politics. For example, the DPP maintains that Taiwan is an entity separate from mainland China, in contrast to the KMT position that Taiwan and the mainland, though currently divided, are both part of "one China." In sharp contrast to the tenets of both KMT and Communist policy, a number of ranking DPP officials openly advocate independence for Taiwan.

There are a number of small political parties, most notably the Taiwan Solidarity Union. Former KMT President Lee Teng-hui broke with the KMT after the 2000 presidential election and formed the pro-independence Taiwan Solidarity Union in 2001. The TSU, which advocates changing Taiwan's official name and completely replacing the 1947 constitution, allied itself with the DPP as part of the ruling "Pan-Green" alliance. The TSU, however, failed to elect any members to the LY in January 2008. The other significant small party, People First Party, was formed in the wake of the 2000 presidential election, composed of former KMT members who supported former KMT Taiwan Provincial Governor James Soong's presidential bid. PFP and KMT subsequently formed the "Pan-Blue" Alliance to oppose the DPP government. The PFP, however, largely merged with the KMT in the run up to the January 2008 LY election, although one PFP candidate did win election to the LY under the name PFP. In addition, there are more than 10 other small political parties, such as the Hakka Party, the Green Party, and the Constitution Party, none of which received more than 1 percent or 2 percent of votes in the 2008 LY election.

===Foreign relations===
The People's Republic replaced Taiwan at the United Nations in 1971, and Taiwan's diplomatic position has continued to erode, as many countries changed their official recognition from Taipei to Beijing. As of 2008, Taiwan had formal diplomatic ties with 23 countries. At the same time, Taiwan has cultivated informal ties with most countries to offset its diplomatic isolation and to expand its economic relations. A number of nations have set up unofficial organizations to carry out commercial and other relations with Taiwan. Including its official overseas missions and its unofficial representative and/or trade offices, Taiwan is represented in 122 countries. Recently, Taiwan has lobbied strongly for admission into the United Nations and other international organizations, such as the World Health Organization. China opposes Taiwan's membership in such organizations, most of which require statehood for membership, because Beijing considers Taiwan to be a province of China, not a separate sovereign state. The Taiwanese government itself considers Taiwan a province of China, but not of the People's Republic of China, rather of the Republic of China.

===Relations with China===
Despite differences between Taiwan and China, contact between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait has grown significantly over the past decade. Taiwan has continued to relax restrictions on unofficial contacts with China, and cross-strait interaction has mushroomed. In 2001, Taiwan formally allowed the "three mini-links" (direct trade, travel, and postal links) from Quemoy and Matsu Islands to Fujian Province and permitted direct cross-strait trade in February 2002. Taiwan authorities permitted residents of Penghu Islands starting in 2007, to begin visiting mainland China via Quemoy and Matsu. Cross-strait trade has grown rapidly over the past 10 years. China is Taiwan's largest trading partner, and Taiwan is China's fifth largest.

In December 2019, Taiwan passed a law to counter Chinese interference in the country's internal politics.<ref>Lee, Yimou; Hamacher, Fabian (December 31, 2019). [https://www.reuters.com/article/us-taiwan-lawmaking/taiwan-passes-law-to-combat-chinese-influence-on-politics-idUSKBN1YZ0F6 Taiwan passes law to combat Chinese influence on politics]. ''Reuters''. Retrieved December 31, 2019.</ref>

===Relations with the United States===
In 1979, the United States changed its diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing. In the U.S.-China Joint Communiqué that announced the change, the United States recognized the government of the People's Republic as the sole legal government of China and acknowledged the Chinese position that there is but one China and Taiwan is part of China. The Joint Communiqué also stated that within this context the people of the United States will maintain cultural, commercial, and other unofficial relations with the people on Taiwan.

In 1979, President Carter signed into law the Taiwan Relations Act, which created domestic legal authority for the conduct of unofficial relations with Taiwan. U.S. commercial, cultural, and other interaction with the people on Taiwan is facilitated through the American Institute in Taiwan, a private nonprofit corporation. The Institute has its headquarters in the Washington, DC area and has offices in Taipei and Kaohsiung. It is authorized to issue visas, accept passport applications, and provide assistance to U.S. citizens in Taiwan. A counterpart organization, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States, has been established by the Taiwan authorities. It has its headquarters in Taipei, the representative branch office in Washington, DC, and 11 other Taipei Economic and Cultural Offices in the continental U.S. and Guam. The Taiwan Relations Act continues to provide the legal basis for relations between the U.S. and Taiwan, and enshrines the U.S. commitment to assisting Taiwan maintain its defensive capability.

Following de-recognition, the United States terminated its Mutual Defense Treaty with Taiwan. However, the United States has continued the sale of appropriate defensive military equipment to Taiwan in accordance with the Taiwan Relations Act, which provides for such sales and which declares that peace and stability in the area are in U.S. interests. Sales of defensive military equipment are also consistent with the 1982 U.S.-China Joint Communiqué.

The United States position on Taiwan is reflected in the Three Communiqués and the Taiwan Relations Act. The U.S. insists on the peaceful resolution of cross-Strait differences and encourages dialogue to help advance such an outcome. The U.S. does not support Taiwan independence. President Bush stated on December 9, 2003 that the United States is opposed to any attempt by either side to unilaterally alter the status quo in the Taiwan Strait. While the United States welcomes recent exchanges that enhance channels of communication between leaders in Beijing and Taipei, the United States urges Beijing and Taipei to further advance cross-Strait cooperation and dialogue, including direct discussions between the authorities in Beijing and elected leaders in Taipei.

==Defense==
In proportion to its population, Taiwan still maintains a large military establishment. Defense expenditures accounted for 2.69 percent of GDP in 2007, and the 2008 central budget proposal increased defense expenditures to 3 percent of GDP. The military's primary mission is the defense of Taiwan against China, which is seen as the predominant threat and which has not renounced the use of force against Taiwan. Taiwan's armed forces were reduced as part of a reform initiative from 1997 to 2001, going from about 450,000 to 385,000, with further reductions since then bringing the total force level down to just under 300,000. Registered reservists reportedly totaled 3,870,000 in 1997. Conscription remains universal for qualified males between the ages of 18 and 30. In 2007 the length of conscription service was dropped from 16 to 14 months, with a view toward eventually creating an all-volunteer force. For qualified applicants, alternative service is available in police and fire departments and public clinics, as well as through teaching in some rural schools. Applicants with advanced degrees may qualify for National Defense Service, consisting of reserve officer training followed by four years of work in a government or academic research institution.

Taiwan's armed forces are equipped with weapons obtained primarily from the United States. In recent years, however, Taiwan also has procured some weapons from other Western nations and has stressed military "self-reliance," which has resulted in the growth of indigenous military production in certain fields. In 2007 Taiwan's legislature approved funding for certain defensive weapons systems the U.S. agreed to sell Taiwan in 2001 and earlier. These included the Patriot Advanced Capability (PAC-2 upgrade) missile defense system, P-3C maritime patrol aircraft, and a preliminary study of diesel-electric submarines. These systems would give Taiwan key capabilities in missile defense and anti-submarine warfare to remedy vulnerabilities in countering the China's accelerated military modernization. Taiwan adheres to the principles of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and has stated that it does not intend to produce nuclear weapons.

==Economy==
Through over five decades of hard work and sound economic management, Taiwan has transformed itself from an underdeveloped, agricultural island to an economic power that is a leading producer of high-technology goods. In the 1960s, foreign investment in Taiwan helped introduce modern, labor-intensive technology to the island, and Taiwan became a major exporter of labor-intensive products. In the 1980s, focus shifted toward increasingly sophisticated, capital-intensive and technology-intensive products for export and toward developing the service sector. At the same time, the appreciation of the New Taiwan dollar, rising labor costs, and increasing environmental consciousness in Taiwan caused many labor-intensive industries, such as shoe manufacturing, to move to China and Southeast Asia. Taiwan has transformed itself from a recipient of U.S. aid in the 1950s and early 1960s to an aid donor and major foreign investor, especially in Asia. Taiwan is now a creditor economy, holding the world's fourth-largest stock of foreign exchange reserves ($273 billion as of 2007). Although Taiwan enjoyed sustained economic growth, full employment, and low inflation for many years, in 2001, Taiwan joined other regional economies in its first recession since 1949. The economy began to recover in 2002, but the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) slowed growth to 3.5 percent in 2003. The world economic upturn drove growth in 2004 to 6.2 percent. However, slower world growth in 2005, higher energy prices and interest rates, and excess inventory dragged 2005 growth to 4.2 percent. Continued expansion of exports pushed up Taiwan's economic growth to 5.7 percent in 2007.
*GDP (16/04/2020): US$586 Billion<ref>https://usdebtclock.org/world-debt-clock.html</ref>
National Debt (16/04/2020): US$243 Billion
*Real annual growth rate (2007): 4.6 5.7 percent.
*Per capita GDP (2007): $16,790.
*Unemployment (2007) 3.9 percent.
*Natural resources: Small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, and asbestos.
*Agriculture (1.4 percent of GDP): Major products—pork, rice, fruit and vegetables, sugarcane, poultry, shrimp, eel.
*Services: (71.1 percent of GDP).
*Industry (27.5 percent of GDP): Types—electronics and flat panel products, chemicals and petrochemicals, basic metals, machinery, textiles, transport equipment, plastics, machinery.
*Trade (2007): Exports--$247 billion: electronics, optical and precision instruments, information and communications products, textile products, basic metals, plastic and rubber products. Major markets—U.S. $32 billion, China and Hong Kong $100 billion, Japan $16 billion. Imports--$219 billion: electronics, optical and precision instruments, information and communications products, machinery and electrical products, chemicals, basic metals, transport equipment, crude oil. Major suppliers—Japan $46 billion, China $30 billion, U.S. $27 billion.

====Foreign trade====
Foreign trade has been the engine of Taiwan's rapid growth during the past 50 years. Taiwan's economy remains export-oriented, so it depends on an open world trade regime and remains vulnerable to fluctuations in the world economy. The total value of trade increased more than five-fold in the 1960s, nearly ten-fold in the 1970s, doubled in the 1980s, and nearly doubled again in the 1990s. In the first half of this decade, exports grew 60 percent. Export composition changed from predominantly agricultural commodities to industrial goods (now 98 percent). The electronics sector is Taiwan's most important industrial export sector and is the largest recipient of U.S. investment. Taiwan became a member of the World Trade Organization as a special customs territory in January 2002.

Taiwan firms are the world's largest suppliers of computer monitors and leaders in PC manufacturing, although now much of the final assembly of these products occurs overseas, typically in China. Textile production continues to move to lower-cost locations overseas, but is still a major industrial export sector and employs nearly 190,000 people. Imports are dominated by raw materials and capital goods, which account for more than 90 percent of the total. Taiwan imports coal, oil and gas to meet most of its energy needs. Reflecting the large Taiwan investment in China, it supplanted the United States as Taiwan's largest trade partner in 2003. In 2007, China (including Hong Kong) accounted for over 28 percent of Taiwan's total trade and almost 41 percent of Taiwan's exports. Japan was Taiwan's second-largest trading partner with 13 percent of total trade, including 21 percent of Taiwan's imports. The U.S. is now Taiwan's third-largest trade partner, taking 12.6 percent of Taiwan's exports and supplying 12 percent of its imports. Taiwan is the United States' ninth-largest trading partner; Taiwan's two-way trade with the United States amounted to $61 billion in 2006 and rose 5.6 percent to $65 billion in 2007. Imports from the United States consist mostly of agricultural and industrial raw materials as well as machinery and equipment. Exports to the United States are mainly electronics and consumer goods. The United States, Hong Kong, China, and Japan account for 60.2 percent of Taiwan's exports, and the United States, Japan, and China provide almost 46.6 percent of Taiwan's imports. As Taiwan's per capita income level has risen, demand for imported, high-quality consumer goods has increased. The U.S. trade deficit with Taiwan in 2007 was $11.9 billion, down 21 percent from $15.2 billion in 2006. Even though Taiwan maintains formal diplomatic relations with about a score of its trading partners, Taiwan maintains trade offices in nearly 100 countries. Taiwan is a member of the Asian Development Bank, the WTO, and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. Taiwan is also an observer at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. These developments reflect Taiwan's economic importance and its desire to become further integrated into the global economy.

====Agriculture====
Although only about one-quarter of Taiwan's land area is arable, virtually all farmland is intensely cultivated, with some areas suitable for two and even three crops a year. However, increases in agricultural production have been much slower than industrial growth. Agriculture only comprises about 1.4 percent of Taiwan's GDP. Taiwan's main crops are rice, sugarcane, fruit, and vegetables. While largely self-sufficient in rice production, Taiwan imports large amounts of wheat, corn, and soybeans, mostly from the United States. Poultry and pork production are mainstays of the livestock sector and the major demand drivers for imported corn and soybeans. Rising standards of living have led to increased demand for a wide variety of high-quality food products, much of it imported. Overall, U.S. agricultural and food products account for more than 30 percent of Taiwan's agricultural import demand. U.S. food and agricultural exports total about $2.5 billion annually, making Taiwan the United States' sixth-largest agricultural export destination. Taiwan's agricultural exports include frozen fish, aquaculture and sea products, canned and frozen vegetables, and grain products. Taiwan's imports of agricultural products have increased since its WTO accession in 2002, and it is slowly liberalizing previously protected agricultural markets.

==History==
Pre-historically, Taiwan's inhabitants consisted of various tribes believed to be of Malayo-Polonesian origin, who today only make up over 2 percent of the Taiwanese population (though most have mixed with other ethnic groups in recent times); this changed with the arrival of invaders from the Ming dynasty, who swiftly lost control of the island to Dutch explorers when they colonized the island in 1624. Two years later, the Spanish established a settlement on the northwest coast of Taiwan, which they occupied until 1642 when they were driven out by the Dutch. Dutch colonists administered the island and its predominantly Aboriginal population until 1661. The first major influx of migrants from mainland China came during the Dutch period, sparked by the political and economic chaos on the China coast during the Manchu invasion and the end of the Ming dynasty.

In 1664, a fleet led by the Ming loyalist Cheng Ch'eng-kung (Zheng Chenggong, known in the West as Koxinga) retreated from the mainland and occupied Taiwan. Cheng expelled the Dutch and established Taiwan as a base in his attempt to restore the Ming Dynasty. He died shortly thereafter, and in 1683, his successors submitted to Manchu (Qing dynasty) control. From 1680, the Qing Dynasty ruled Taiwan as a prefecture and, in 1875, divided the island into two prefectures, north and south. In 1887 the island was declared a Chinese province.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, migration from Fujian and Guangdong provinces steadily increased, and migrants from these two provinces supplanted aborigines as the dominant population group. In 1895, a weakened Imperial China ceded Taiwan to Japan in the Treaty of Shimonoseki following the first Sino-Japanese war.

During its 50 years (1895-1945) of rule, Japan expended considerable effort in developing Taiwan's economy. At the same time, Japanese rule led to the "Japanization" of the island, including compulsory Japanese education and requiring residents of Taiwan to adopt Japanese names.

At the end of World War II in 1945, Taiwan reverted to Chinese rule. During the immediate postwar period, the Nationalist Chinese (KMT) administration on Taiwan was repressive and corrupt, leading to local discontent. Anti-mainlander violence flared on February 28, 1947, prompted by an incident in which a cigarette seller was injured and a passerby was shot to death by Nationalist authorities. The island-wide rioting was brutally put down by Nationalist Chinese troops, who killed thousands of people. As a result of the February 28 Incident, the native Taiwanese felt a deep-seated bitterness toward the mainlanders. For 50 years the KMT authorities suppressed accounts of this episode in Taiwan history. In 1995 a monument was dedicated to the victims of the "2-28 Incident," and for the first time, Taiwan's leader, President Lee Teng-hui, publicly apologized for the Nationalists' brutality.

Starting before World War II and continuing afterwards, a civil war was fought in mainland China between Chiang Kai-shek's KMT government and the Chinese Communist Party led by Mao Zedong. When the civil war ended in 1949, 2 million refugees, predominately from the Nationalist government, military, and business community, fled to Taiwan. In October 1949 the People's Republic of China was founded in mainland China by the victorious communists. Chiang Kai-shek established a "provisional" KMT capital in Taipei in December 1949. During the 1950s, the KMT authorities implemented a far-reaching and highly successful land reform program on Taiwan. They redistributed land among small farmers and compensated large landowners with commodities certificates and stock in state-owned industries. Although this left some large landowners impoverished, others turned their compensation into capital and started commercial and industrial enterprises. These entrepreneurs were to become Taiwan's first industrial capitalists. Together with refugee businessmen from the mainland, they managed Taiwan's transition from an agricultural to a commercial, industrial economy.

Taiwan has developed steadily into a major international trading power with $466 billion in two-way trade (2007). Taiwan's accession to the World Trade Organization in 2002 has expanded its trade opportunities and further strengthened its standing in the global economy. Tremendous prosperity on the island has been accompanied by economic and social stability. Chiang Kai-shek's successor, his son Chiang Ching-kuo, began to liberalize Taiwan's political system, a process that continued when President Lee Teng-hui took office in 1988. The direct election of Lee Teng-hui as president in 1996 was followed by opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate Chen Shui-bian's election victory in 2000. Chen was re-elected in 2004 in a tightly contested election. KMT's Ma Ying-jeou won the 2008 presidential election by a substantial majority and was inaugurated in 2008.

President [[Tsai Ing-wen]], a member of the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party who won election in 2016, won re-election in 2020.<ref>Multiple references:
*Fu, Eva (January 11, 2020). [https://www.theepochtimes.com/taiwan-president-tsai-ing-wen-re-elected-in-landslide-victory_3200909.html Taiwan President Wins Re-election by Landslide in Firm Rebuke to Beijing]. ''The Epoch Times''. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
*Moreno, J. Edward (January 11, 2020). [https://thehill.com/policy/international/477833-taiwan-sends-message-to-beijing-with-presidents-reelection Taiwan sends message to Beijing with president's reelection]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
*Kurtenbach, Elaine; Lai, Johnson (January 11, 2020). [https://apnews.com/623049bbc54ad3601f660acaf962d8d6 Taiwan’s leader reelected as voters back tough China stance]. ''Associated Press''. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
*Lee, Yimou; Shen, Meg (January 10, 2020). [https://www.reuters.com/article/us-taiwan-election/taiwan-president-wins-landslide-victory-in-stark-rebuke-to-china-idUSKBN1ZA009 Taiwan president wins landslide victory in stark rebuke to China]. ''Reuters''. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
*Wong, Chun Han; Kazer, William; Wang, Joyu (January 11, 2020). [https://www.wsj.com/articles/taiwans-president-incumbent-who-challenged-china-set-to-win-re-election-11578748281 Taiwanese President Who Challenged China Claims Re-Election Victory]. ''The Wall Street Journal''. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
See also:
*Fu, Eva (January 11, 2020). [https://www.theepochtimes.com/taiwan-election-results-a-repudiation-of-china-experts-say_3201146.html Taiwan Election Results a ‘Repudiation of China,’ Experts Say]. ''The Epoch Times''. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
*Moritsugu, Ken (January 12, 2020). [https://apnews.com/d2580ddd2f97016adf9a24f80b860ded AP Analysis: Taiwan vote signals growing divide with China]. ''Associated Press''. Retrieved January 12, 2020.
*Kurtenbach, Elaine (January 12, 2020). [https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/jan/12/china-democracy-activists-cheered-by-taiwan-electi/ China democracy activists cheered by Taiwan election results]. ''The Washington Times'' (from the ''Associated Press''). Retrieved January 12, 2020.
*Kraychik, Robert (January 12, 2020). [https://www.breitbart.com/radio/2020/01/12/rick-fisher-taiwans-tsais-re-election-rebuke-beijing-boost-freedom-against-communists/ Rick Fisher on Taiwan’s Tsai’s Re-election: A Rebuke to Beijing, Boost for Freedom Against Communists]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved January 13, 2020.</ref>

==Further reading==
* Taylor, Jay. ''The Generalissimo: Chiang Kai-shek and the Struggle for Modern China'' (2009), 722 pp. highly favorable scholarly biography
*[http://www.taiwan.gov.tw Taiwan: Republic of China]. Official site

==References==
<references/>

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[[Category:Islands]]
[[Category:Asian Countries]]
[[Category:Taiwan]]
[[Category:Buddhism]]

Fake news

2020-07-16T07:12:26Z

KEK40K:

[[File:Velshi-riot.jpeg|right|350px|thumb|While buildings burned behind him, Ali Velshi of MSNBC reported with a straight face that [[leftist]] "protests" were "not generally speaking unruly."<ref>*[https://hotair.com/archives/ed-morrissey/2020/05/29/msnbc-reporter-front-burning-liquor-store-protest-not-generally-speaking-unruly/ MSNBC Reporter In Front Of Burning Liquor Store: Protest “Not Generally Speaking Unruly”] *[https://youtu.be/aKnX5wci404 The Naked Gun - "Nothing to see here!"]</ref>]]
[[File:CNN HCQ.png|thumb|right|450px|Amidst the [[CCP pandemic]] when [[Donald Trump]] touted [[hydroxychloroquine]] as an effective treatment for [[COVID-19]], CNN showed strong signs of [[HCQ denial syndrome]] when citing fake "studies" until they were forced to admit otherwise.]]
'''"Fake news"''' refers to liberal bias in the media that is so misleading that it is actually false. It can also include assertions of a non-political nature that seem believable but are untrue. It often incorporates the use of questionable or unnamed (and most often, non-existent) "anonymous sources" that present one or more of the following characteristics: extreme bias, consistent promotion of propaganda/conspiracies, poor or no sourcing to credible information, or a complete lack of transparency.<ref name="mediabiasfactcheck.com">Questionable Sources, https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/fake-news/</ref>

[[Hollywood]] fake news is in the form of "docudramas" that mix factual content with falsehoods such that viewers are misled into thinking that the falsehoods are true, as in the upcoming [[Mrs. America]] miniseries. [[mainstream media|Mainstream]] fake news has [[liberal bias]] that goes beyond reporting of facts and commentary; it can take the form of headlining a manufactured crisis to obscure real news in the daily news cycle. [[Clickbait]], a sensational headline with a body of reporting based on half-truths designed to lure a reader into a commercial website, is another form of fake news.

The motive of fake news is to manipulate public opinion using false reporting and [[bias]] for the purpose of profit or influence.<ref name="mediabiasfactcheck.com"/> It can be sourced by anonymous government [[leak]]ers or political operatives, or entirely fictional. The motive can be as simple as [[confirmation bias]] – pandering to an ideological viewership to distribute talking points or maintain ratings.

Examples of major mainstream fake news stories in the recent past are:
*Drivers caught in traffic during [[Black Lives Matter]] protests are [[white supremacist]]s using vehicles to attack peaceful protesters.<ref>https://youtu.be/DnTAO0n2FUI</ref>
*Rioters are not protesters, and riots are not "peaceful protests."
*Russians hacked the [[DNC]] and gave Podesta emails to [[WikiLeaks]].<ref>https://thegrayzone.com/2020/05/11/bombshell-crowdstrike-admits-no-evidence-russia-stole-emails-from-dnc-server/</ref>
*Fake news media spread the rumor, which [[Nancy Pelosi]] also picked up on and claimed, that President Trump suggested injecting people with Lysol to kill the coronavirus, irresponsibly twisting what Trump actually said out of context to suit their anti-Trump narrative.<ref>[https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2020/04/pelosi-spreads-dangerous-misinformation-amid-coronavirus-pandemic-president-asking-people-inject-lysol-lungs-video/ Pelosi Spreads Dangerous Misinformation Amid Coronavirus Pandemic: "The President is Asking People to Inject Lysol Into Their Lungs"] at the Gateway Pundit</ref> When [[Hillary Clinton]] also picked up on that fake news story and made a fool of herself by parroting it on Twitter, she was roasted for it on her Twitter account.<ref>[https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2020/04/hillary-clinton-tries-dunk-president-trumps-comments-injecting-disinfectants-backfires-bigly/ Hillary Clinton Tries to Dunk on President Trump’s Comments About Injecting Disinfectants… And it Backfires Bigly] at the Gateway Pundit</ref>
*The leftwing Chinese Communist Party claim that the Chinese coronavirus originated in the [[United States]] and reporting the Wuhan coronavirus is "[[racist]]".
*The "hoax" hoax: Both ''Politico'' and MSNBC claimed that President Trump called the [[coronavirus]] a hoax.
*That President Trump's [[national security]] and public health travel bans are "racist".
*In ten debate appearances, [[Elizabeth Warren]] was never asked once about her false claims of [[Native American]] heritage.<ref>https://www.bizpacreview.com/2020/03/06/warren-went-all-10-debates-without-one-question-about-her-native-american-claims-894450</ref>
*[[Pete Buttigieg]] won the 2020 [[Iowa Caucus]].<ref>https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFAQyZq0NqfCwVkRQoXpx0A/videos</ref>
*Bernie Sanders said "a woman can never be president." CNN manufactured that hit on Sanders then used it as a debate question a few days later.
*There is no "second whistleblower" for the same reason there was no first: (a) The President is not a member of the [[intelligence community]], (b) is not subject to oversight by the intelligence community inspector general, (c) his actions do not concern “the funding, administration, or operation of an intelligence activity", (d) and do not arise in connection with any such intelligence activity at all."<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m70C6N1Y8Ko</ref>
*As the [[impeachment inquiry]] was ginned up, both the ''Washington Post'' and [[Lawfare]]blog's [[Ukrainian collusion]] timelines claim that [[Hunter Biden]] joined [[Burisma]] in May 2014, whereas Burisima's own website and ''Deutsche Welle''<ref>https://archive.is/LqxDr/</ref><ref>http://www.dw.com/en/who-are-hunter-bidens-ukrainian-bosses/a-17642254</ref><ref>https://archive.is/Aza4U</ref><ref>https://archive.is/IDha1</ref> reported that Hunter Biden's hiring was just four days prior to Vice President Biden's pledging $50 million in U.S. taxpayer provided funds to Ukraine.<ref>https://www.theepochtimes.com/joe-biden-obama-officials-influenced-ukraine-to-advance-own-interests_2896259.html</ref><ref>https://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/23/world/europe/biden-ukraine.html</ref> Democrats issued [[phoney subpoena]]s to build an impeachment case.
*By precedent, Congress must have a floor vote to authorize an [[impeachment inquiry]]. [[Speaker Nancy Pelosi]] announced an "impeachment inquiry" with no floor vote; and media reported it as a duly authorized inquiry.<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2019/09/24/speaker-pelosi-bamboozles-base-by-announcing-enhanced-continuation-of-status-quo/</ref> The unprecedented change in House Rules results in excluding Republicans from cross examining witnesses in drafting [[Articles of Impeachment]].
*The hostile opinionated misrepresentation and speculation of President Trump's intentions for celebrating the July 4th, 2019 holiday with a military parade and fireworks display in Washington DC as an occasion for self-aggrandizement, before the events occurred.<ref>Jonathan Bernstein | Bloomberg, How Is Trump’s Parade Offensive? Let Me Count the Ways, https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2019-07-03/trump-military-parade-betrays-american-values-on-fourth-of-july, July 3, 2019</ref> Mr. Trump planned and delivered festivities as a "Salute to America" to honor the U.S. military, prominent Americans and American accomplishments of the past 243 years.<ref>Ryan W Miller | ''USA Today'', Tanks, military vehicles take over DC's streets before Trump's 4th of July celebration, https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/07/03/4th-july-donald-trump-military-parade-tanks-seen-washington-dc/1637384001/, July 3, 2019</ref>
*the [[liberal media]] widely reported that actor [[Jussie Smollett]] was a victim of a [[hate crime]] when it subsequently appeared to have been a hoax;
*that a high school student wearing a pro-[[Trump]] Make America Great Again hat at the [[March for Life]] somehow "acted improperly" when he stood smiling while a professional protestor persistently beat a drum in his face;<ref>http://wbsm.com/media-sells-soul-for-nathan-phillips-opinion/</ref>
*calling the "Washington's Birthday" holiday the made-up name "Presidents' Day," which it never was under federal law;
*the deliberate manipulation of [[President Trump]]'s live [[Oval Office]] broadcast by a local [[Fox Network|Fox]] affiliate editor/technician;<ref>https://youtu.be/UZLs11uSg-A</ref>
*the uncorroborated, obscene sexual allegation published by ''[[The New Yorker]]'' as part of the [[Kavanaugh smear]];
*the panic reporting for several days prior to the [[2018 Midterm elections]] that a dozen fake bombs mailed to prominent [[Democrat]]s were real;<ref>Officials had determined within two hours, and the ''[[Associated Press]]'' reported that the alleged bombs were fake, however days later most prominent mainstream sources continued to allege the packages contained real bombs.</ref>
*the ''[[New York Times]]'' story that the investigation of President Trump began after [[James Comey]] was fired and not in the Spring of 2016.
*On the day documents were released verifying that the late Sen. [[John McCain]] was a major player in the [[coup]] plot against President Trump,<ref>https://www.theepochtimes.com/deposition-reveals-late-senator-mccains-role-in-spygate-scandal_2840198.html?ref=brief_News</ref> the MSM reported Trump's reaction as if it were some petty vendetta related to McCain's POW status or McCain's vote to save [[Obamacare]].
*Fake news media adopted the talking points of the [[totalitarian]] [[Chinese Communist Party]] against the [[Hong Kong]] [[democracy]] movement.<ref>https://www.theepochtimes.com/why-nbc-msnbcs-reporting-on-the-epoch-times-is-textbook-fake-news_3051327.html</ref>

Political fake news is designed to push an agenda, typically the [[liberal]] one. Non-political clickbait is designed to attract internet traffic, attention, or sales. Clickbait websites often lack known publishers hindering lawsuits against them for [[libel]] or [[slander]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2016/12/05/opinions/suing-fake-news-not-so-fast-callan/index.html|title=Sue over fake news? Not so fast|last=Callan|first=Paul|website=CNN|accessdate=April 6, 2017}}</ref> In many cases, clickbait websites resolve to [[IP address]]es located outside the United States.

==2020 Presidential election==
[[File:Steponallofus.png|right|300px|thumb|ABC News Anchor [[George Stephanopoulos]] caught on air signaling to cut off Trump attorney Jay Sekulow during an impeachment sham trial break.<ref>https://thepoliticalinsider.com/abc-news-george-stephanopoulos-makes-throat-slitting-gesture-on-camera-to-cut-away-from-trump-lawyer/</ref>]]
:{{See also|2020 Presidential election|Fake news in the 2020 presidential election|Russia 3.0}}
*After the failure of the Mueller Report, ''The New York Times'' founded [[The 1619 Project]] in August 2019 to serve the Democratic party's objective of painting Donald Trump as a racist as a key issue for the 2020 presidential election. The 1619 Project claims that the United States was founded in the year 1619 A.D. on the basis of racism.
*ABC News had to walk back claims it made about President Trump in the [[Biden-Ukraine collusion scandal]].<ref>https://freebeacon.com/politics/abcs-bombshell-ukraine-story-falls-apart/</ref>
*NBC News falsely reported that the Trump campaign attacked [[The Squad]] saying "This is our country, not theirs".<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzHWjcNapnQ</ref>

===Leftwing riots===
:{{See also|2020 Leftwing insurrection}}
During the [[Marxist]] insurrections of 2020 NPR made the false claim that alleged "[[white supremacist]]s" were using vehicles to run down alleged "peaceful" rioters based on an edited video from [[Louisville]], Kentucky.<ref>https://twitchy.com/samj-3930/2020/06/22/journalism-is-dead-part-9999-receipt-filled-thread-details-what-really-happened-in-louisville-with-driver-who-allegedly-struck-protester/</ref> The allusion was intended to bring to mind a 2017 Charlottesville incident in which a protester was run over. In Alamosa, [[Colorado]] a 27 year old white [[Black Lives Matter]] protestor shot an innocent driver in the head who was trying to avoid protesters blocking the street at an intersection.<ref>https://krdo.com/news/2020/06/06/video-shows-moments-surrounding-alamosa-protest-shooting/</ref> Another was shot in [[Provo, Utah]].<ref>https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/jun/30/black-lives-matter-protester-shoots-suv-driver-in-/</ref> After riling leftists with false reporting, NPR later had to walk back its claim about the Louisville incident when it was discovered that the driver, who was black, was in fact the victim of a violent [[leftist]] assault.<ref>https://www.bizpacreview.com/2020/06/22/don-jr-calls-for-defunding-npr-after-it-gets-caught-using-wrong-photo-by-mistake-937761</ref>

===CCP coronavirus===

{{See also|CCP global pandemic|CCP propaganda war}}
CBS News used footage of the "worst hit" hospital in Bergamo, [[Italy]] purporting it to be a report about the coronavirus outbreak in [[New York]].<ref>https://summit.news/2020/03/30/cbs-news-uses-footage-of-worst-hit-hospital-in-italy-while-describing-new-york-coronavirus-outbreak/</ref>
[[File:Nyt-coronavirus-wuhan-0206202.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Fake news in American media: Chinese Communists claim that reporting the Wuhan Coronavirus is "racist".<ref>https://thefederalist.com/2020/03/16/the-atlantic-must-stop-covering-for-the-chinese-communist-party/</ref>]]
ABC News chief Washington DC narrative engineer Jonathan Karl was the rotating head of the [[White House Correspondents Association]] (WHCA) during the [[CCP global pandemic]]. The WHCA has a customary and traditional role of selecting the journalists who will participate in the White House daily briefing. Karl invited Youyou Wang, a known propagandist for the [[Chinese Communist Party]] (CCP) claiming to be a "reporter", into the briefing room to question President Trump.
The Hong Kong/Cayman Islands based Phoenix TV, for which Karl's [[fellow traveller]] works and who falsely claimed her employer was "privately owned", is actually owned in large part by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and by a former CCP propaganda officer.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5IreHffSms Chinese Communist Media Infiltrates White House Presser] at One America News Network YouTube channel</ref><ref>[https://thenationalpulse.com/news/trump-reporter-china/ FACT CHECK: Trump Asked a Reporter If She Was Working For China... She Is]</ref> The very next day, the WHCA brought in a propagandist from the state-controlled Dragon Television in [[Shanghai]], China, Ching-Yi Chang, who did not disclose who he was working for when asked by President Trump who he worked for but, assuming that he was asking which country he was from, stated he was from Taiwan.<ref>[https://thenationalpulse.com/politics/another-ccp-reporter-white-house-trump/ ANOTHER Chinese Govt ‘Reporter’ Lies to Trump in White House Press Room]</ref>

====CCP misinformation====
[[File:Axios fake news tweet.PNG|left|250px|thumb|Only Axios corrected it's fake news story that President Trump had recommended fish tank cleaner as a cure for Covid-19. NBC, CNN, and CBS never corrected their fake news reporting.<ref>https://spectator.us/trump-chloroquine-fish-tank-cleaner-media-blame/</ref>]]
:{{See also|CCP propaganda war}}
The first case of [[COVID-19]] was medically verified in China on December 8, 2019 and first death occurred on December 9. The doctor who reported on the first verified cases posted on [[social media]] was forced to plead guilty to "rumormongering" and disrupting social order in late December 2019. The Beijing central government attempted to hide the outbreak from the people of Wuhan and the world. The [[Chinese Communist Party]] finally admitted publicly that a full blown [[pandemic]] was occurring in Wuhan on January 23, 2020, and the doctor who first warned the public and was convicted of a crime for doing so died on February 4, 2020. Eight hundred million people expressed their condolences on Chinese social media in 24 hours after his death was announced.

To save face for the Communist regime's deliberately incompetent handling of the COVID-19 outbreak in their country, the Chinese foreign ministry falsely accused the [[United States]] of being responsible for the corona virus outbreak.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fg7FwHteB0I</ref> On March 12, 2020 the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman initiated a [[conspiracy theory]] that the US military started the coronavirus in China,<ref> https://twitter.com/MrAndyNgo/status/1238150527751319575</ref><ref>https://news.trust.org/item/20200312152307-rlv7m</ref> Leftist media in the United States aided Chinese propaganda efforts by calling those who link the virus' origin to China were it originated as "[[racist]]s".<ref>https://www.bizpacreview.com/2020/03/13/dems-media-warned-new-narrative-aids-chinas-new-conspiracy-us-military-started-covid-19-896694</ref><ref>https://www.bizpacreview.com/2020/03/15/nbc-news-ny-times-running-chinese-propaganda-criticizing-us-erick-erickson-points-out-897729</ref>

April 7, 2020 NBC News tweeted Communist Chinese propaganda when it was well known the Chinese Communist Party was being illusive and deceptive in its reporting on the CCP global pandemic.<ref>https://www.facebook.com/NBCNews/posts/4172210622798936</ref><ref>https://www.foxnews.com/media/nbc-china-coronavirus-numbers-backlash</ref>

====The 'hoax' hoax====
[[File:ABC - New coronavirus 'not spreading' in the US.PNG|right 350px|thumb|]]
President Trump referred to Democrats' efforts to politicize the [[coronavirus]] outbreak as their new hoax;<ref>https://www.nysun.com/national/a-sickening-press-tries-to-blame-trump/91035/</ref> liberal media and Democrats immediately and deliberately twisted President Trump's words out of context to fit their narrative by claiming that he called the coronavirus a "hoax".<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I08ZZzP53Wg Gutfeld on the media "hoax" hoax] at Fox News YouTube channel</ref>

Politico and MSNBC willingly peddled the Trump "hoax" story,<ref>https://checkyourfact.com/2020/02/29/fact-check-donald-trump-coronavirus-hoax-south-carolina-rally/</ref> as did [[Joe Biden]], [[Michael Bloomberg]], [[Pete Buttigieg]], Rep [[Ted Lieu]], Senate minority leader [[Chuck Schumer]] and former Democrat Virginia governor [[Terry McAuliffe]].<ref>[https://dailycaller.com/2020/03/05/donald-trump-coronavirus-hoax-media-politicians/ Here Are The Politicians And Media Outlets Pushing The Claim That Trump Called The Coronavirus A ‘Hoax’] at the Daily Caller</ref>

As the outbreak progressed in the United States, the anti-Trump mainstream media were more concerned with instilling panic and blaming President Trump than informing the public on critical precautionary measures to avoid unnecessary strains on the healthcare and economic system.

====Chloroquine====
:{{See also|Hydroxychloroquine denial}}
NBC, CNN, CBS and Axios all reported that a man died after drinking fish tank water which President Trump had recommended as a cure for [[Covid-19]]. In response to reporters' questions at a press briefing President Trump answered that the [[Food and Drug Administration]] was looking into the possibility of using an approved drug for human consumption, [[hydroxychloroquine]] as a possible treatment for the Chinese coronavirus infection. Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) was approved decades ago as an anti-[[malaria]] medication. A couple in [[Arizona]], not under a medical doctor's supervision, drank fish tank water containing chloroquine phosphate, a chemical used to kill algae and fish parasites. The husband died. NBC, CNN, CBS, Axios and other leftist outfits reported that President Trump had recommended chloroquine phosphate as a miracle cure.<ref>https://www.mediaite.com/news/media-outlets-called-out-for-misleading-reports-that-man-died-after-taking-coronavirus-drug-touted-by-trump/</ref>

===Primaries===
[[File:Wapo-bernie-is-russian-asset.jpg|right|300px|thumb|[[Russia 3.0|Russiagate 3.0]] was formally announced by the [[media-intelligence complex]] on February 21, 2020.]]
{{See also|2020 Democrat primaries}}
''[[Bloomberg News]]'', owned by then-Democrat presidential candidate [[Michael Bloomberg]], tried blaming Trump supporters for the [[Iowa caucus]] fiasco<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zKEipLNGFA</ref> after Democrat insiders stole election results from [[Bernie Sanders]] and attempted to hand a victory to [[Pete Buttigieg]].<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYQmD39tx3A</ref> Rep. [[Sheila Jackson Lee]] blamed Russia.<ref>https://thefederalist.com/2020/02/06/democrat-congresswoman-blames-iowa-caucus-disaster-on-russia/</ref> The [[Department of Homeland Security]] (DHS), working in coordination with state elections officers, have an existing relationship to ensure computer systems and data collection systems are safe and secure. The DHS reported their offer to review the data system was rebuked by the Iowa Democrat Party.<ref>https://youtu.be/v5hfbALvhMo</ref>

*[[CBS News]] reporter Caitlan Hurley-Burns and other "independent" [[mainstream media]] [[journalist]]s accompanied Sen. [[Kamala Harris]] to a boutique and helped her pick out a rainbow jacket.<ref>https://twitter.com/brithume/status/1096821175701983233</ref> [[CNN]] was again caught flipping poll results for Elizabeth Warren and [[Bernie Sanders]] in the early primary state of [[New Hampshire]].<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ny9NLAsp8yo&feature=youtu.be</ref>
*''[[The LA Times]]'' reported that [[Pete Buttigieg]] blamed Barack Obama for the election of Donald Trump.
{{cquote|My message is not about going back to where we were,” he said.
For a lot of people, “‘normal’ has been a real problem for a very long time, and I think the failures of the Obama era help explain how we got Trump.<ref>https://archive.is/5vXG0</ref>}}
:The news set [[Twitter]] afire. Within hours the ''LA Times'' censored the itself and altered the quote.
*MSNBC aided Mayor [[Pete Buttigieg]] based on his [[white privilege]] when the [[racist]] reporting at MSNBC consistently snubbed [[Andrew Yang]], an Asian American, to help Buttigieg surge in early 2020 presidential primary polling of [[Iowa]].<ref>https://thefederalist.com/2019/11/18/msnbc-excludes-andrew-yang-from-media-coverage-despite-polling-above-other-candidates/</ref><ref>https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/464349-yang-hits-back-after-appearing-to-be-left-out-of-cnn-msnbc-fundraising</ref> During the pre-primary debates, MSNBC cut off Yang's microphone.<ref>https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2019/06/28/andrew-yang-msnbc-cut-off-my-mic-during-debate-let-other-dems-interject/</ref>
*In ten debate appearances, [[Elizabeth Warren]] was never asked once about her false claims of [[Native American]] heritage.<ref>https://www.bizpacreview.com/2020/03/06/warren-went-all-10-debates-without-one-question-about-her-native-american-claims-894450</ref>
*In order to pander and mislead the vital Black female demographic for the Democratic party, CNN's April Ryan reported that [[Stacey Abrams]] was being interviewed and vetted by the [[Biden team]] for the vice president spot when in fact Abrams herself no shall call, interview, or vetting process had taken place.<ref>https://twitchy.com/gregp-3534/2020/06/11/april-ryan-deletes-tweet-that-appears-to-contradict-stacey-abrams-on-vetting-for-vp/</ref>

===Impeachment sham===
[[File:CNN fake news.PNG|right|300px|thumb|CNN claimed Amb. Sondland implicated President Trump in a bribery scheme and ''quid pro quo'' when President Trump in fact did not.]]
:{{Main article|Impeachment sham}}
Speaker Nancy Pelosi explained the origin, tactics, and methodology behind the 2019 impeachment sham of President Trump:
{{quotebox|You smear somebody with falsehoods and all the rest, and then you merchandise it. And then you [the media] write it, and they'll say, 'See it's reported in the press that this, this, this and this'. So they have that validation that the press reported the smear. It's called the wrap-up smear. Now I'm gonna merchandise the press' report on the smear that we made. It's a tactic... and it's self-evident.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LlHU53G2Z0 Nancy Pelosi explains 'wrap-up smear' tactic (June 22, 2017)]</ref>}}
This same collusion between the Democrat Establishment and the mainstream media was used to (a) obtain the [[Carter Page]] [[FISA]] warrant; (b) remove [[Gen. Michael Flynn]] from the Trump administration; (c) secure the appointment of special counsel [[Robert Mueller]] after the firing of [[James Comey]]; (d) attack Judge [[Brett Kavanaugh]] during his nomination hearings.

==2016 Presidential election==
:{{main|Mainstream media and Donald Trump}}
In the synergy between the U.S. intelligence apparatus and their media agents, the CIA, DOJ and State Department have specific outlets assigned to public relations.

A long-tracked pattern reflects the DOJ and FBI leak their PR needs to the ''New York Times''. The preferred outlet for the U.S. State Department is CNN; and the ''Washington Pos''t generally comes out first with leaks in defense of the CIA agenda. This pattern has been remarkably consistent for years.

===Trump-Russia collusion hoax===
[[File:Mifsud with Boris Johnson.jpeg|right|350px|thumb|'''FBI / CIA spy [[Joseph Mifsud]] (left) with [[UK]] prime minister [[Boris Johnson]] (center)''' two weeks after [[George Papadopoulos]]' plea agreement in the [[Mueller investigation]].<ref>https://www.politico.eu/article/boris-johnson-pictured-with-london-professor-from-fbi-russia-probe/amp/</ref> The entire Trump-Russia conspiracy hoax was hatched by [[Obama administration|Obama]] CIA director [[John Brennan]] on the false allegation that Mifsud was a Russian agent. Mifsud had been working for Brennan and [[Jimmy the Weasel]] Comey all along.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUZ8XI_ncas Why the Mifsud Story Matters], DECLASSIFIED with Gina Shakespeare,- ''The Epoch Times'', Aug 5, 2019.</ref>]]
It has been confirmed that many fake news sites were actually created and managed by liberal Democrats ("false flag" operations) who support [[Hillary Clinton]] and oppose [[Donald Trump]] who engage in their [[Deceit|deception]] in an attempt to discredit conservatives and Trump.<ref name="NPR"/><ref>Dewey, Caitlin (November 17, 2016). [https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2016/11/17/facebook-fake-news-writer-i-think-donald-trump-is-in-the-white-house-because-of-me/?utm_term=.b3656316a9a1 Facebook fake-news writer: ‘I think Donald Trump is in the White House because of me’]. ''The Washington Post''. Retrieved December 8, 2016.</ref> One of them, Jestin Coler, a Democrat and Clinton supporter who owns the company Disinfomedia, runs several fake news sites that create "conservative" fake news stories.<ref name="NPR">Sydell, Laura (November 23, 2016). "[https://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2016/11/23/503146770/npr-finds-the-head-of-a-covert-fake-news-operation-in-the-suburbs We Tracked Down A Fake-News Creator In The Suburbs. Here's What We Learned]." ''NPR''. Retrieved December 8, 2016.</ref>

A topic of fake news stories after the 2016 election was whether there was violence between Trump supporters and opponents. After the 2016 election, several violent and disturbing anti-Trump attacks occurred throughout the nation against Trump supporters or supposed Trump supporters. Despite these attacks, liberals and leftists only focused on alleged "attacks" by Trump supporters against minorities and others (the leftist narrative, although being blatantly false and one-sided, fits their manufactured narrative that Trump supporters are "racist" and "evil" and that leftists are "tolerant" and "forgiving"). Fox News found that despite the number of real anti-Trump attacks which went largely unreported, several of the "pro-Trump" attacks were hoaxes.<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/01/05/facebook-live-attack-latest-in-string-anti-trump-assaults.html Facebook Live attack the latest in string of anti-Trump assaults]. ''Fox News''. January 5, 2017. Retrieved January 8, 2017.</ref>

One widely shared fake story, spread by the mainstream media, that Trump's election had led to a rise in anti-Semitism by white supremcists—it turned out that bomb threats at a synagogue were actually carried out by "an African-American left-wing journalist" and a "Jewish teenager in Israel, with dual citizenship in the U.S."<ref>Pollak, Joel (March 29, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/03/29/fake-news-donald-trump-antisemitism-vindicated/ Donald Trump Vindicated: Antisemitism Surge ‘Fake News’]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved March 29, 2017.</ref>

Following the 2016 election in which Trump won, [[liberals]], the [[mainstream media]], and [[social media]] had misapplied the term "fake news" to make the false accusation that [[Alternative Media|alternative news]] and Russian sources are "deliberately lying" to their readers, listeners, and viewers, and that these "lies" helped elect [[Donald Trump]] [[President of the United States]]. The liberal-pushed "fake news" accusations are a form of [[conspiracy theory]]. However, the [[mainstream media]] itself publishes and promotes fake news stories,<ref>Heinlein, Peter (May 30, 2017). [https://www.voanews.com/a/donald-trump-frustrated-fake-news-overlooks-accomplishments/3878266.html Trump Frustrated by 'Fake News' That Overlooks His Accomplishments]. ''Voice of America''. Retrieved June 26, 2017.</ref> from appearing in its nightly network newscasts, on its cable news channels, in its newspapers and on its websites (including Facebook). The MSM has allegedly been adopting safeguards to prevent itself from reporting fake news stories,<ref name="Tech Crunch"/><ref name="Barron"/> but it has been unsuccessful based on more recent examples.

====Russia hacked the DNC====
The Mueller probe provided no evidence that Russia hacked the DNC. In fact, Special Counsel Robert Mueller was threatened with contempt of court by federal Dc district court Dabney Friedrich for making public statements that the government of Russia was involved in so-called "Russian meddling" in the 2016 elections.

No evidence has ever been presented the Russians, Russian entities, or the Russian government ever hacked, or attempted to hack, the servers of the [[Democratic National Committee]]. Russians did, however, make failed efforts to hack into the voter rolls of state election boards, notably those maintained by [[Georgia]] Secretary of State [[Brian Kemp]]. The Obama White House, however, at the direction of [[Susan Rice]] and others, conflated the issue of Russian attempted hacking of state election boards with the release of DNC emails by [[WikiLeaks]].

Disgraced FBI director [[James Comey]] testified to Congress that the [[FBI]] never examined DNC servers to determine if they had indeed been hacked, and by who. Evidence suggests the public disclosure of [[John Podesta]], [[Debbie Wasserman Schultz]], and other Democratic operatives' emails came from an inside [[whistleblower]] source. Some speculate the inside [[leak]]er was [[Seth Rich]], whose murder, like the DNC breach itself, was never fully investigated. The fake news narrative of "Russia hacked the DNC," was coined by [[CrowdStrike|a private security firm hired by the DNC]] after the security breach was discovered.

The only known evidence that exists points to an inside leaker, who downloaded the DNC emails on a flash drive and likely forwarded them to WikiLeaks.

====Russia and James Comey====
[[File:DgKWrfIVMAANg8k.jpeg|right|300px|thumb]]
Former FBI Director [[James Comey]], during his testimony to Congress, debunked two fake news stories on ''The New York Times''<ref>Scarborough, Rowan (June 8, 2017). [https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/jun/8/james-comey-debunks-new-york-times-story-fueled-un/ James Comey debunks New York Times story that fueled unproven Trump-Russia collusion]. ''The Washington Times''. Retrieved June 9, 2017.</ref> and CNN,<ref>Pollak, Joel B. (June 7, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-journalism/2017/06/07/james-comey-testimony-proves-trump-right-cnn-wrong/ James Comey Testimony Proves Trump Right, CNN Wrong]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved June 9, 2017.</ref> respectively.

After several inaccuracies and flaws were found in a [[CNN]] article that attacked Trump and his allies over a Russia fund, CNN retracted the article.<ref>Boyle, Matthew (June 23, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/06/23/very-fake-news-after-breitbart-investigation-cnn-retracts-conspiracy-theory-hit-piece-attacking-trump-associates-over-russian-fund/ Very Fake News: After Breitbart Investigation, CNN Retracts Conspiracy Theory Hit Piece Attacking Trump, Associates Over Russian Fund]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved June 24, 2017.</ref><ref>Boyle, Matthew (June 24, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/06/24/cnn-under-fire-very-fake-news-network-hit-from-all-sides-as-breitbart-investigation-forces-rare-retraction/ CNN Under Fire: ‘Very Fake News’ Network Hit from All Sides as Breitbart Investigation Forces Rare Retraction]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved June 25, 2017.</ref> Three CNN employees resigned due to the resulting scandal.<ref>Boyle, Matthew (June 26, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-journalism/2017/06/26/three-employees-resign-from-cnn-amid-very-fake-news-scandal/ Three Employees Resign from CNN Amid Very Fake News Scandal]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved June 27, 2017.</ref><ref>Adams, Becket (June 26, 2017). [https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/three-cnn-staffers-quit-over-retracted-story/article/2627155 Three CNN staffers quit over retracted story]. ''Washington Examiner''. Retrieved June 27, 2017.</ref>

ABC News ran a banner headline claiming [[Paul Manafort]] pled guilty to five counts of [[manslaughter]].

''The Washington Post'' falsely reported in August 2018 that the Trump Administration was denying passports to Hispanic Americans along the border with Mexico,<ref>Multiple references:
*Munro, Neil (August 30, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/08/30/state-dept-slams-wapo-claim-texas-latinos-are-being-denied-passports/ State Dept. Slams WaPo Claim Texas Latinos Are Being Denied Passports]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved September 18, 2018.
*Munro, Neil (September 17, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/09/17/huffpo-whacks-washpo-for-claiming-trump-blocks-latino-passports/ Washington Post Busted for Fake News of Trump Admin ‘Denying Passports’ to Latinos]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved September 18, 2018.
*Adams, Becket (September 17, 2018). [https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/the-washington-posts-scoop-on-trump-revoking-visas-at-the-border-it-was-a-pile-of-garbage The Washington Post's 'scoop' on Trump revoking visas at the border — it was a pile of garbage]. ''Washington Examiner''. Retrieved September 18, 2018.</ref><ref name="NYTWaPoFake">Stoltzfoos, Rachel (September 18, 2018). [https://thefederalist.com/2018/09/18/legacy-outlets-add-two-botched-hit-pieces-pile-stinky-reporting-trump/ Legacy Outlets Add Two More Botched Hit Pieces To A Pile Of Stinky Reporting On Trump]. ''The Federalist''. Retrieved September 18, 2018.</ref> and ''The New York Times'' falsely reported in September 2018 that UN Ambassador [[Nikki Haley]] spent $53,000 on curtains when they actually were approved during the Obama Administration.<ref name="NYTWaPoFake"/><ref>Multiple references:
*Flood, Brian (September 14, 2018). [https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2018/09/14/new-york-times-admits-creating-unfair-impression-about-nikki-haleys-53g-curtains-that-were-okd-by-obama-administration.html New York Times admits creating 'unfair impression' about Nikki Haley's $53G curtains that were OK'd by Obama administration]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved September 18, 2018.
*Nolte, John (September 14, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-journalism/2018/09/14/new-york-times-spreads-fake-news-about-nikki-haleys-52701-curtains/ New York Times Spreads Fake News About Nikki Haley’s $52,701 Curtains]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved September 18, 2018.</ref>

====Transition and Presidency====
::{{See also|Trump Transition}}
At his first press conference as president-elect, [[Donald Trump]] described [[CNN]] as "fake news." Since becoming president, Trump has accused major news organizations with "fake news" and "very fake news." On February 17, 2017, Trump tweeted:<ref>Greenwood, Mark (February 17, 2017). [https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/320168-trump-the-media-is-the-enemy-of-the-american-people Trump tweets: The media is the 'enemy of the American people']. ''The Hill''. Retrieved February 27, 2017.</ref>
{{cquote|The FAKE NEWS media (failing @nytimes, @NBCNews, @ABC, @CBS, @CNN) is not my enemy, it is the enemy of the American People!}}
On November 27, 2017, President Trump tweeted:<ref>Spiering, Charlie (November 27, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/11/27/trump-proposes-fake-news-trophy-tv-networks-cnn/ Donald Trump Proposes ‘Fake News Trophy’ for TV Networks and CNN]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved November 28, 2017.</ref><ref>Fabian, Jordan (November 27, 2017). [https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/361932-trump-media-should-compete-for-fake-news-trophy Trump: Media should compete for 'FAKE NEWS TROPHY']. ''The Hill''. Retrieved November 28, 2017.</ref>
{{cquote|We should have a contest as to which of the Networks, plus CNN and not including Fox, is the most dishonest, corrupt and/or distorted in its political coverage of your favorite President (me). They are all bad. Winner to receive the FAKE NEWS TROPHY!}}
''The Washington Post'' reported in June 2017 of a meeting held between President Trump and [[Federal Communications Commission]] Chairman [[Ajit Pai]] that never occurred.<ref>Moran, Sean (June 23, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/06/23/fake-news-washington-post-invents-meeting-between-fcc-chair-ajit-pai-and-president-trump/ Fake News: Washington Post Invents Meeting Between FCC Chair Ajit Pai and President Trump]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved June 24, 2017.</ref>

Also in June 2017, ''The New York Times'' falsely stated that 17 U.S. intelligence agencies agreed with an assessment that Russia made hacks into the 2016 presidential election – the actual number was four, with one dissenting from the report's conclusions.<ref>Mason, Ian (June 30, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/06/30/nyt-turns-out-17-intelligence-agencies-was-fake-news/ New York Times: Turns Out ‘17 Intelligence Agencies’ Was Fake News]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved July 1, 2017.</ref> The Associated Press reported, and retracted, the same falsehood.<ref>Klein, Aaron (July 1, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/07/01/fake-news-associated-press-clarifies-17-intel-agencies-did-not-assess-alleged-russia-interference/ Fake News: Associated Press Clarifies 17 U.S. Intel Agencies Did Not Assess Russia ‘Interference’]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved July 1, 2017.</ref> Obama Administration [[Director of National Intelligence]] confirmed that "the report itself makes it clear that it was the three agencies plus the Office of the Director of National Intelligence that put this intelligence community assessment together."<ref>Poor, Jeff (July 7, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/video/2017/07/07/fmr-obama-dni-clapper-3-4-intelligence-agencies-agreed-russian-interference-wasnt-17/ Fmr Obama DNI Clapper: Only 3 or 4 Intelligence Agencies Agreed on Russian Interference — ‘It Wasn’t 17’]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved July 7, 2017.</ref>

In May 2018, left-wing activists and some members of the mainstream media, such as New York Times Magazine editor-in-chief Jake Silverstein and NPR, shared pictures of detained illegal immigrant children sleeping in cages and blamed the Trump Administration for it despite those pictures having been taken during the Obama Administration.<ref>Multiple references:
*Flood, Brian (May 29, 2018). [https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2018/05/29/embarrassment-for-new-york-times-as-top-editor-falls-for-old-photo-amid-weekend-misleading-anti-trump-tweets.html Embarrassment for New York Times as top editor falls for old photo amid weekend of misleading anti-Trump tweets]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
*Starr, Penny (May 30, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/05/30/aclu-npr-use-2014-claims-to-trash-trump-policy/ ACLU, NPR Use 2014 Immigration Claims to Trash Trump Policy]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved May 30, 2018.
*Mikelionis, Lukas (May 28, 2018). [https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/05/28/former-obama-official-liberal-activists-share-2014-photos-from-detention-facility-as-swipe-at-trump.html Former Obama official, liberal activists share 2014 photos from detention facility as swipe at Trump]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
*Spiering, Charlie (May 29, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/05/29/donald-trump-rips-democrats-for-tweeting-border-pictures-from-2014/ Donald Trump Rips Democrats for Tweeting Border Pictures from 2014]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved May 29, 2018.</ref> An Associated Press report discussing alleged abuse at an illegal immigrant detention center left out the fact that Obama was president when the abuse happened.<ref>Scarry, Eddie (June 21, 2018). [https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/ap-report-on-alleged-illegal-immigrant-abuse-at-detention-centers-omits-obama-was-president-at-time AP report on alleged illegal immigrant abuse at detention centers omits Obama was president at time]. ''Washington Examiner''. Retrieved June 21, 2018.</ref> Other media sources have published fake news about President Trump's immigration policies.<ref>Binder, John (June 1, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-journalism/2018/06/01/establishment-media-issues-four-corrections-after-falsely-claiming-trump-separating-families-at-border/ Establishment Media Issues Four Corrections After Falsely Claiming Trump Separating Families at Border]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved June 2, 2018.</ref><ref>Nolte, John (July 9, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-journalism/2018/07/09/associated-press-becomes-fake-news-factory-with-immigration-lies/ Associated Press Becomes Fake News Factory with Immigration Lies]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved July 9, 2018.</ref>

When President Trump criticized liberal environmental idiocy and forest management for failure to clean up fallen dead wood which provided the fuel for deadly California wildfires,<ref>https://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/editorials/article216320500.html</ref> mainstream fake news organizations reported it as if the President was criticizing firefighters.<ref>https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2018/11/11/politics/california-wildfires-trump-tweets/index.html</ref> CNN reported the bald face lies that the President had "attacked firefighters" and was "threatening to withhold aid to the victims."

In June 2019, while attending the G-20 summit in OSAKA, Japan, President Trump and [[Vladimir Putin]] briefly discussed Fake News. President Trump offered disdain for the assembled media, during a meeting between the two nation leaders. This occurred shortly after Putin had celebrated the rise of the populist right in Europe and the United States and that, in his opinion, traditional "Western-style" liberalism had "become obsolete.” Trump stated, “Fake news is a great term, isn’t it? You don’t have this problem in Russia, but we do.” However Putin insisted in English, "We also have, It’s the same." When Mr. Trump was then asked by a news ''reporter'' if he would tell Russia not to meddle in American elections, Trump responded, “Yes, of course I will.” Mr. Trump then turned to Mr. Putin and said, "Don’t meddle in the election, President." Mr. Trump then pointed at another Russian official and repeated, “Don’t meddle in the election.” <ref>Peter Baker and Michael Crowley | ''New York Times'', Trump and Putin Share Joke About Election Meddling, Sparking New Furor, https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/28/us/politics/trump-putin-election.html, June 28, 2019</ref> The follow up media coverage of the light-hearted warning Mr. Trump made to Mr. Putin resulted in claiming Trump is a national security risk and that he had "triggered a fresh furor over his accommodating approach to Russia."

In July 2019, Speaker [[Nancy Pelosi]] violated House Rules in a failed attempt to pass a House Resolution condemning President Trump for alleged "racist" tweets. Mainstream fake news sources used the events to categorically refer to President Trump's "racist attacks."

===Crisis on the border===
In January 2019 President Trump made a nationally televised address from the Oval Office to request funding from the Democratically controlled House for the growing humanitarian crisis on the Southern border.<ref>https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/president-trump/trump-makes-humanitarian-case-for-wall-calling-border-situation-%E2%80%98a-crisis-of-the-soul%E2%80%99/ar-BBRZJlh</ref> Democrats and the [[mainstream media]] called it a "manufactured crisis,"<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8K8dwSt1hog&feature=youtu.be</ref> denying such a crisis existed.<ref>https://thefederalist.com/2019/07/03/x-times-the-media-said-there-was-no-crisis-at-the-southern-border/</ref> After a photo of the bodies of a father and his 23 month old daughter who drowned in the [[Rio Grande]] river trying to enter the United States illegally was widely published,<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PxNj4_mEVg</ref> some Democrats, most notably [[Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez]], falsely charged the U.S. with maintaining "[[concentration camp]]s" on the Southern border since the Obama era,<ref>https://www.ushmm.org/information/press/press-releases/statement-regarding-the-museums-position-on-holocaust-analogies</ref><ref>Walter Shaub was the Obama era director of the United States Office of Government Ethics, now Senior Director of the election law organization Campaign Legal Center. https://archive.fo/tMEu5</ref> forcing migrants to drink toilet water,<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q48Ch_6kU5A</ref><ref>https://www.businessinsider.in/photo-shows-hybrid-of-toilet-and-drinking-fountain-in-migrant-detention-centers-where-women-allegedly-had-to-drink-from-the-bowl/articleshow/70041097.cms</ref> and then voted ''against'' bills to provide funding for humanitarian relief.<ref>https://dailycaller.com/2019/06/28/ocasio-cortez-senate-mcconnell-house-border-bill-tapper/</ref>

==Other examples of fake news==
While many examples of fake news appeared during Donald Trump's presidency, the problem existed long before his election.<ref>Miller, S.A. (December 30, 2018). [https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/dec/30/donald-trumps-fake-news-call-often-real/ 'Fake news' a real problem long before Trump era, media watchdogs say]. ''The Washington Times''. Retrieved December 31, 2018.</ref>

One of the more infamous examples of fake news was when former CBS News anchor [[Dan Rather]] used forgeries of the Killian Documents on George W. Bush's service record in order to sway the 2004 election, which resulted in his firing after being exposed. See [[Rathergate]] for more details.

[[File:Rice Benghazi.jpg|right|350px|thumb|Obama National Security Advisor Susan Rice putting out the fake news narrative that a planned terrorist attack and massacre of Americans was only a spontaneous riot spawned out of a peaceful demonstration.]]
Obama National Security Advisor [[Susan Rice]] appeared on the five major network Sunday talk shows to put out an official fake news narrative that a [[terrorist]] attack against Americans two months before a presidential election was only a peaceful demonstration that turned into a riot. Despite evidence the contrary, many mainstream news organizations adopted the fake news narrative as fact for its viewers and readers and branded skeptics as conspiracy theorists and racists who opposed a black president.

The most common example of fake news is the "click bait" ads that appear on social media sites saying "Hollywood prepares to say good-bye to [name of celebrity]" implying that the celebrity has just died. People then click on the ad to visit a website to learn about the celebrity's death, which boosts the number of page views on that site. However, the fake news will trend if more people start re-tweeting or sharing the item without visiting the underlying website in the belief that the celebrity has just died.

Fake news is frequently used by radical Islamic terrorists to recruit new adherents. The terrorists will either create or embellish fake news accounts of anti-Islamic acts to radicalize members in target populations. For example, terrorists would spread news accounts of people urinating on the Koran at U.S. military prisons. Another fake news item was that a U.S. company was hiring mercenaries to kill ISIS militants.<ref name=snopes/> Again, the emotional impact of the fake news assured that it would spread quickly through social media.

According to FBI cyber experts, during the 2016 presidential election, Russians used armies of Twitter bots to spread fake news using accounts that seem to be Midwestern swing-voter Republicans.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2017/04/03/522503844/how-russian-twitter-bots-pumped-out-fake-news-during-the-2016-election|title=How Russian Twitter Bots Pumped Out Fake News During The 2016 Election|date=April 3, 2017|work=NPR|accessdate=April 4, 2017}}</ref> Leading up to the March 15, 2017 election in the Netherlands, Russia was found to use social media to spread "fake news" to influence public opinion.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.politico.eu/article/russia-spread-fake-news-during-dutch-election-report-putin/|title=Russia spread fake news during Dutch election: report|date=April 4, 2017|work=Politico|accessdate=April 4, 2017}}</ref>
[[File:Velshi-riot.jpeg|left|350px|thumb|While buildings burned behind him, Ali Velshi of MSNBC reported with a straight face that "protests" during the [[2020 leftwing riots]] were "not generally speaking unruly."<ref>https://hotair.com/archives/ed-morrissey/2020/05/29/msnbc-reporter-front-burning-liquor-store-protest-not-generally-speaking-unruly/</ref>]]
One possible example of fake news was the announcement by the [[mainstream media]] that [[Fidel Castro]] died at age 90 on November 25, 2016.<ref>https://www.cnn.com/2016/11/26/americas/fidel-castro-obit/</ref> In fact, the [[Obama Administration]] and major news outlets were likely aware that Castro had died of a terminal illness many years earlier. Indeed, [[Obama]] did not even mention, let alone visit, Castro during Obama's visit to Cuba in March 2016, and neither the president, vice-president, or other high-ranking elected official of the United States attended Castro's "funeral".

One fake news item from ''Freedom Daily'' in February 2017 was: "BREAKING: Federal Judge Just Officially Ruled CNN Is FAKE NEWS And Forces SHOCKING Punishment On Them!" However, this was a misreporting of a Georgia federal district court judge denying CNN's motion for summary judgment in a defamation action filed by a hospital executive against CNN. No "shocking punishment" was involved and the case will go to trial on the merits.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.snopes.com/cnn-fake-news/|title=Did a Judge Rule That CNN Is 'Fake News'?|date=Feb 17, 2017|accessdate=April 5, 2017|work=Snopes}}</ref>

A poorly-sourced February 4, 2017 ''Washington Post'' article claimed a feud existed between DHS Secretary [[John F. Kelly]] and [[Steve Bannon]], when in fact, none existed. The article's author was forced to admit his error.<ref>Hayward, John (February 8, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/02/08/fake-news-dhs-secretary-calls-wapo-john-kelly-steve-bannon-feud-a-fantasy-story/ Fake News: DHS Secretary Calls WaPo ‘John Kelly-Steve Bannon Feud’ a ‘Fantasy Story’]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved May 18, 2017.</ref> In June 2017, the [[Associated Press]] reported, and later corrected, a story that EPA Administrator [[Scott Pruitt]] met with Dow Chemical CEO Andrew Liveris – something which did not actually happen.<ref>Boyle, Matthew (June 30, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/06/30/fake-news-associated-press-engulfed-in-cnn-level-scandal-as-it-covers-up-invention-of-imaginary-pruitt-meeting/ Fake News: Associated Press Engulfed in CNN-Level Scandal as It Covers Up Invention of Imaginary Pruitt Meeting]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved July 1, 2017.</ref>

In November 2017, ''The Washington Post'' claimed that the conservative [[Breitbart News]] created the nickname "Mr. Perfect" when referring to [[Jared Kushner]], while in reality, Kushner's own companies created the nickname to promote themselves in China.<ref>Mason, Ian (November 27, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/11/27/wapo-forgets-kushners-came-up-with-mr-perfect-on-their-own/ WaPo Forgets Kushners Came Up with ‘Mr. Perfect’ on Their Own]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved November 27, 2017.</ref> Also in November 2017, [[MSNBC]]'s ''Morning Joe'' show was caught broadcasting a pre-taped post-Thanksgiving show while pretending on air to be broadcasting live.<ref>Rodriguez, Katherine (November 26, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-journalism/2017/11/26/fake-news-morning-joe-caught-pretending-pre-taped-day-thanksgiving-show-live/ Fake News: Morning Joe Caught Pretending Pre-Taped Day After Thanksgiving Show Was Live]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved November 27, 2017.</ref>

In April 2018, the Associated Press and ''The Washington Post'' falsely claimed that the NRA decided to ban concealed carry at an upcoming speech by Vice President [[Mike Pence]] at its convention, when it was actually the Secret Service that forced the organization to do so.<ref>Multiple references:
*Hawkins, Awr (April 30, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/04/30/fake-news-ap-wapo-claim-nra-bans-guns-at-mike-pence-speech/ Fake News: AP, WaPo Claim NRA Bans Guns at Mike Pence Speech]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
*Adelmann, Bob (May 1, 2018). [https://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/item/28948-more-fake-news-nra-bans-guns-at-its-own-convention More Fake News: NRA Bans Guns at Its Own Convention!] ''The New American''. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
*Richardson, Bradford (April 30, 2018). [https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/apr/30/associated-press-issues-correction-report-nra-bann/ AP issues correction on report that NRA banned guns for Mike Pence speech]. ''The Washington Times''. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
*Concha, Joe (April 30, 2018). [https://thehill.com/homenews/media/385563-ap-corrects-earlier-report-that-nra-banned-guns-at-pence-speech AP corrects earlier report that NRA banned guns at Pence speech]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved April 30, 2018.</ref>

In June 2019, ''MSNBC'' news anchor [[Kasie Hunt]] spread the Fake News narrative that 2020 Democratic Presidential candidate [[Joe Biden]] mentioned being able to work with [[Segregationists]] who were misidentified as "Republicans". Joe Biden did specifically name two segregationist Senators: James Eastland of [[Mississippi]] and Herman Talmadge of [[Georgia]]. However, both men were "proud, card-carrying members of the Democrat Party".<ref>Kasie Hunt Spreads Fake News Biden’s Segregationist Pals Were ‘Republicans’, https://www.teaparty.org/kasie-hunt-spreads-fake-news-bidens-segregationist-pals-were-republicans-368762/, June 19, 2019</ref><ref>U.S. Breaking News, Kasie Hunt Spreads Fake News Biden’s Segregationist Pals Were ‘Republicans’, https://usbreakingnews.net/2019/06/20/kasie-hunt-spreads-fake-news-bidens-segregationist-pals-were-republicans/, June 20, 2019</ref>

While a relatively unimportant example, many media outlets reported December 31, 2019, as the last day of the decade when 2020 was also part of the same decade.<ref>Byas, Steve (January 1, 2020). [https://www.thenewamerican.com/culture/item/34492-end-of-decade-stories-illustrate-how-media-perpetuates-false-narratives “End of Decade” Stories Illustrate How Media Perpetuates False Narratives]. ''The New American''. Retrieved January 1, 2020.</ref>

=== CNN's promotion of fake news ===
[[File:Ralph Northam (D-VA) in blackface.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Democrat shill [[Don Lemon]] (left); Democratic Governor Ralph Northam (in blackface) (right).]]
In first half of 2017, [[CNN]]'s market share relative to its competitors saw a marked decline.<ref>[http://www.dailywire.com/news/18088/death-spiral-along-its-credibility-cnn-ratings-john-nolte Death Spiral: Along With Its Credibility, CNN Ratings Collapse], Daily Wire, 2017.</ref> In addition, it faced repeated losses of its credibility through its lapses of journalistic judgment and ethical lapses.<ref>
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FpMb6dATfo CNN faces credibility crisis over Trump coverage]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-X2jG5hdl4 Tucker: When did CNN become internet morality police?]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOOYIa-sOB4 CNN IS FAKE NEWS] by Stefan Molyneux
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjkdfdFbeFk The news keeps getting worse for CNN as #CNNBlackmail trends]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCewpjd2Yfc CNN Threatens Reddit User For Exercising Free Speech | #CNNBlackmail]
</ref> President [[Donald Trump]] publicly says CNN produces "fake news" and he also told a CNN reporter that CNN produces "very fake news".<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-7nkj26edA Trump to CNN: "Very Fake News"]</ref> Subsequently, CNN has been derided as being "FNN: Fake News Network".<ref>[https://insider.foxnews.com/2017/06/27/president-trump-blasts-cnn-retracted-russia-story-fake-news 'Fake News Network': Trump Blasts CNN for Retracted Russia Story], Fox News Network</ref>

In May 2017, a CNN program claimed that [[Islam]] "has always been part of the American fabric" even as far back as the American Revolution, despite the apparent contradiction with the historical record.<ref>Pollak, Joel B. (May 29, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-journalism/2017/05/29/cnns-crusade-declare-islam-part-americas-founding/ CNN’s W. Kamau Bell: Islam Part of America’s Founding]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved May 29, 2017.</ref>

On March 28, 2018, CNN anchor Chris Cuomo falsely claimed that "no one [is] calling for Second Amendment repeal", even though, former Supreme Court Justice [[John Paul Stevens]], among other left-wingers, had very recently and notably called for just that.<ref>Multiple references:
*Nolte, John (March 28, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-journalism/2018/03/28/fake-news-cnns-cuomo-says-no-one-calling-for-2nd-amendment-repeal-they-are/ Fake News: CNN’s Cuomo Says ‘No One Calling for 2nd Amendment Repeal’ (They Are)]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved March 28, 2018.
*Kugle, Andrew (March 28, 2018). [https://freebeacon.com/issues/cnns-cuomo-no-one-calling-repeal-second-amendment/ CNN’s Cuomo: No One Is Calling for Repeal of Second Amendment]. ''The Washington Free Beacon''. Retrieved March 28, 2018.
*Adams, Becket (March 28, 2018). [https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/cnn-host-apparently-unaware-that-several-people-have-called-for-the-repeal-of-the-second-amendment CNN host apparently unaware that people have indeed called for the repeal of the Second Amendment]. ''Washington Examiner''. Retrieved March 28, 2018.</ref>

Sometime before January 6, 2017, [[DNI]] [[James Clapper]] briefed opposition research talking points, manufactured by the Clinton campaign in the ''[[Steele dossier]]'', to [[Jake Tapper]] of CNN. The salacious innuendo lacked verification and a " news hook" for CNN to report. Clapper instructed [[FBI]] Director [[James Comey]] to brief President-elect Trump on the allegations. Clapper immediately leaked the fact Trump had been briefed, creating the "news hook" CNN was looking for to publicize the existence of the ''Steele dossier''. FBI counter-intelligence investigator [[Peter Strzok]] then used the fake news report to justify interviewing [[National Security Advisor]] [[Michael Flynn]] and lay a perjury trap,<ref>https://saraacarter.com/who-will-investigate-the-fbi-and-doj-top-secret-leaks-to-the-media/?utm=pushnami</ref> thwarting the new president's [[foreign policy]] agenda. Clapper was rewarded with a job at CNN afterward.<ref>''[https://www.scribd.com/document/377590825/HPSCI-Final-Report-on-Russian-Active-Measures-Redacted-Release Russian Active Measures in the 2016 Election''], House Permanent Sub Committee on Intelligence, March 22, 2017, pp. 107-108.</ref><ref>[https://www.themarketswork.com/2018/04/27/clapper-leaks-twice-to-cnn-brennan-stands-in-the-shadows-a-russian-narrative-is-born/ Clapper Leaks Twice to CNN. Brennan Stands in the Shadows. A Russian Narrative is Born,] Jeff Carlson, April 27, 2018.</ref><ref>[https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2018/04/20/anatomy-of-a-political-smear-confirmed-james-comey-january-briefing-was-scripted-by-clapper-and-brennan-to-create-media-narrative/ Anatomy of a Political Smear Confirmed – James Comey January Briefing Was Scripted by Clapper and Brennan To Create Media Narrative], by Sundance, April 20, 2018. theconservativetreehouse.com</ref>

In 2019, CNN falsely labeled liberal [[Democratic party|Democrat Virginia governor]] [[Ralph Northam]] a "Republican" when reporting a racist photo of himself while in medical school.<ref>Gualtieri, Allison Elyse (February 2, 2019). [https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/cnn-misidentifies-virginia-gov-ralph-northam-as-a-republican-during-his-apology-for-racist-yearbook-photo CNN misidentifies Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam as a Republican during his apology for racist yearbook photo]. ''Washington Examiner''. Retrieved February 2, 2019.</ref><ref>Rodriguez, Katherine (February 1, 2019). [https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2019/02/01/watch-cnn-chyron-labels-virginia-gov-ralph-northam-a-republican/ WATCH: CNN Chyron Labels Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam a Republican]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved February 2, 2019.</ref>

In 2020, CNN tweeted that "Google will not be publishing a national-scale website for coronavirus testing anytime soon, contrary to claims made by President Trump during a news conference",<ref>https://twitter.com/cnn/status/1238718028566671360</ref> before claiming just a day later on their website that "Google will partner with US government to develop a nationwide coronavirus website".<ref>https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/13/politics/google-trump-coronavirus-site/index.html?utm_content=2020-03-14T06%3A46%3A06&utm_medium=social&utm_term=link&utm_source=twCNN</ref>

[[File:Warren tweet.jpg|left|300px|thumb|[[Elizabeth Warren]] sent a fake news tweet claiming [[Mark Zuckerberg]] endorsed Donald Trump.]]
After Special Counsel [[Robert Mueller]] thoroughly debunked the [[Russiagate]] [[conspiracy theory]], CNN's [[Jim Sciutto]] attempted to resuscitate the discredited hoax alleging that the CIA had to extract a deep cover asset from Russia because of fear that President Trump would out the asset's identity to Vladimir Putin. The ''New York Times'', ''Washington Post'', and CIA were quick to refute the story. The extraction occurred because of [[John Brennan]] and [[Obama administration]] leaks in the early days of the Trump-Russia hoax that put in danger of exposure and the lives of CIA assets in Russia.<ref>https://www.redstate.com/streiff/2019/09/09/cnn-russian-spy-exfiltration-story-trips-bull-alarms-two-continents/</ref><ref>https://hotair.com/archives/ed-morrissey/2019/09/10/wapo-nyt-contra-cnn-trump-not-reason-cia-exfiltrated-asset-russia/</ref><ref>https://twitchy.com/samj-3930/2019/09/10/fusion-gps-hustle-timeline-of-who-met-who-and-when-in-buildup-of-cnns-latest-trump-russia-exclusive-is-all-so-damning/</ref><ref>https://twitter.com/themarketswork/status/1171072580901453825?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw</ref><ref>https://twitter.com/aaronjmate/status/1171100680121176069?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw</ref>

In the Immanuel Christian School/Karen Pence [[hate crime hoax]], a 12-year-old girl claimed that three boys at Immanuel Christian School held her down and cut her dreadlocks while using the racially charged term "nappy." The wife of [[Vice President Mike Pence]], Karen Pence works at the school. CNN's [[Bakari Sellers]], NBC, CBS, CNN, ''[[The New York Times]]'', and [[The Washington Post]]'' all reported the incident nationwide and used the incident to attack Karen Pence.<ref>https://freebeacon.com/politics/hate-crime-media-used-to-attack-karen-pence-is-fake/</ref> The girl's family finally released a statement acknowledging the initial allegation was false. They apologized to all involved: "To those young boys and their parents, we sincerely apologize for the pain and anxiety these allegations have caused," they wrote. "To the administrators and families of Immanuel Christian School, we are sorry for the damage this incident has done to trust within the school family and the undue scorn it has brought to the school. To the broader community, who rallied in such passionate support for our daughter, we apologize for betraying your trust."<ref>https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/6th-Grade-Girl-Says-She-Lied-About-Boys-Cutting-Her-Dreadlocks-561784531.html</ref>

Even before the Trump Presidency, CNN had also engaged in fake news as well. In particular, its coverage of humanitarian crises in Kosovo as well as locations such as Somalia, Rwanda, Haiti, Macedonia, Bosnia, Ecuador, East Timor, Kuwait, Liberia, Albania, Congo, Gabon, Sierra Leone, Afghanistan, Sudan, and Iraq was strongly implied by Lt. Col. Robert "Buzz" Patterson of the Air Force to be the main reason why Bill Clinton had dispatched troops to those locations despite none of the mission parameters actually requiring direct American military aid, including the [[Kosovo War]] in the case of Kosovo.<ref>''Dereliction of Duty'' by Lt. Col. Robert "Buzz" Patterson, USAF (Ret.), Chapter 6, CNN Diplomacy, page 112-128.</ref>

===Deep state and fake news===
:{{See also|Media intelligence complex}}
The [[mainstream media]] has worked with the deep state intelligence agencies to promote fake news regarding the supposed [[Trump-Russia scandal]],<ref>Jasper, William F. (April 25, 2017). [https://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/politics/item/25863-deep-state-and-fake-news Deep State and Fake News]. ''The New American''. Retrieved January 3, 2018.</ref> and the alleged Russian hacking of John Podesta and DNC emails.

===2018 bomb hoax===
Just when things looked desperate for Democrats with unhinged mobs responding to the party's leadership, CNN reported it had received a mail bomb addressed to [[John Brennan]], who actually works for [[NBC]]. Nonetheless, CNN opened John Brennan's mail anyway, paused to take pictures of the alleged bomb resembling a Hollywood prop, before evacuating the building in a panic. Others received mailings as well.

Republicans were quick to condemn political violence,<ref>https://youtu.be/KwSGYUDQSuY</ref> unlike Democrat leaders, who were encouraging it.<ref>https://m.imdb.com/title/tt9115480/</ref> President Trump vowed to use all the resources of the federal government to find who was responsible.

As soon as CNN feed into the news cycle that the bombs were active, giving breaking news reports a life of their own, within hours the ''[[Associated Press]]'' reported, {{quotebox|"tests have determined that a powder found inside an envelope delivered to CNN along with a pipe bomb was harmless."<ref><big>7:50 p.m.

A law enforcement official says tests have determined that a powder found inside an envelope delivered to CNN along with a pipe bomb was harmless.

The official wasn’t authorized to discuss the investigation publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

New York City’s police commissioner said earlier Wednesday that the package sent to CNN’s offices in Manhattan contained a live explosive and an envelope containing white powder.

The FBI said the package was similar to explosives sent to former President Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, former Attorney General Eric Holder and billionaire [[George Soros]].

The package sent to CNN was addressed to former CIA Director John Brennan, a frequent guest on the channel. The official says that parcel contained no note or claim of responsibility.</big> [https://www.apnews.com/5c93ac06309c4ce88e8 cd5023f89feca Tom Hays, ''Associated Press'', October 24, 2018].</ref>}} None of this stopped CNN and other mainstream sources from failing to clarify the facts, or whipping up anti-Trump hysteria.

None of the bombs were active, and the alleged bomber didn't know how to build a bomb anyway. The alleged bombs lacked a detonator device, were made with PVC tubing instead of lead, and packed with a harmless powder.<ref>https://www.nationalreview.com/news/cnn-pipe-bomb-white-powder-harmless-law-enforcement-report/</ref> [[File:98% of straight men will not date trans women because of hate.jpeg|thumb|right|225px|A typical fake news poll.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdQZkG2dOkE</ref>]]

===Mangled statistics===
A ''Washington Post'' article claimed that 4.2 percent of American children had witnessed a shooting<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/06/20/19-children-are-shot-every-day-in-the-united-states/ 19 kids are shot every day in the United States]</ref> (this is one in 24). This was based on a survey question which they (deliberately? negligently?) misinterpreted:
:The actual question the researchers asked was, "At any time in (your child’s/your) life, (was your child/were you) in any place in real life where (he/she/you) could see or hear people being shot, bombs going off, or street riots?"<ref>[https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/commentary/2017/06/27/news-organizations-including-one-unintentionally-misinformed-public-guns How news organizations, including this one, unintentionally misinformed the public on guns]</ref>
So they mixed in "witnessed a shooting" with "heard a street riot", etc.

== Identifying fake news ==
The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) has a checklist to assist people to recognize fake news:<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://blogs.ifla.org/lpa/files/2017/01/How-to-Spot-Fake-News-1.jpg|title=How to Spot Fake News|date=January 27, 2017|website=IFLA blogs|access-date=February 16, 2017}}</ref>
# Consider the source (to understand its mission and purpose)
# Read beyond the headline (to understand the whole story)
# Check the authors (to see if they are real and credible)
# Assess the supporting sources (to ensure they support the claims)
# Check the date of publication (to see if the story is relevant and up to date)
# Ask if it is a joke (to determine if it is meant to be [[satire]])
# Review your own biases (to see if they are affecting your judgment)
# Ask experts (to get confirmation from independent people with knowledge).

===Reputation of the author===
Ultimately, a judgment about fake news rests on the reputation of its author, and the reputation and editorial stance of a news organization or book publisher. Longevity is not in and of itself proof a publication or publishing house is an established reputable service. ''[[Newsweek]]'' magazine, for instance, was once established as a "moderate" or right-leaning weekly news source to counter the perceived leftwing bias of ''[[Time magazine|Time]]'' magazine. It has since ceased publication as a print journal, and the name - ''Newsweek'' - was sold as an established, existing tradename, only to reappear online as a mainstream news source for some of the most outrageous left-wing lunacy.

In the United States the ''[[New Republic]]'', established before World War I, is considered the granddaddy of modern liberal thought, whereas the ''[[National Review]]'' established in the 1950s is considered its modern conservative counterpart. ''[[The Nation]]'' has long been deemed the voice of more marginalized [[progressive]] thinking. While staff management and editorial views have evolved over many decades, any author moving from one of these publications to another generally have professional reputations as traditional ethical journalists, unlike modern broadcast journalists, or what passes as "ethics" taught in some of the nation's most prestigious journalism and broadcast schools today.

Among book publishers, St. Martin's Press is considered a mainstream book publisher for [[Democrat]]s which no other mainstream publisher would stake its reputation on, and Regnery is considered its [[Republican]] counterpart.

The challenge for young readers is to discern good, solid, factual reporting in the internet era, at a time when an explosion of anonymous blog sites are threatening the existence of a dying print and cable news broadcast industry.<ref>A prime example of [[Joseph Schumpeter]]'s [[creative destruction]].</ref> Again the reputation of the author is all pervasive. This requires follow-up and holding the author (whether anonymous or a pseudonym) accountable, and not seeking [[confirmation bias]] in how a reader informs themselves.

===Holding the author accountable===
As can be seen, the reputation of a news organization or individual journalist can change over time, to either improve or lose credibility.

''[[The New Yorker]]'' for example, once had a reputation for vigorous fact-checking. However, after such stories on the credibility of [[Wikipedia]], its fictionalized account of the death of [[bin Laden]], its hit piece on the person and character of ''American Sniper'' hero [[Chris Kyle]], and it's partisan, sloppy, and outrageous attacks on [[Brett Kavanaugh]], have called ''The New Yorker's'' viability as a reputable source into question.

Ronan Farrow, who writes for the ''New Yorker'' appeared as a bright and shining rising star in the field of investigative journalism, at a moment when public perception of journalists was at its lowest. Farrow fearlessly wrote about the deviant sexual predations of Democrat kingpins and mega-donors such as [[Harvey Weinstein]] and others, for which he won a [[Pulitzer Prize]]. Farrow even described the intimidation tactics wealthy predators use against female victims and himself by hired thugs and ex-intelligence agents to silence people. Farrow was a hero of the [[MeToo movement]]. Then Farrow tossed his reputation to the wind by signing his name to unsubstantiated smears, which his own reporting debunked, in a vicious partisan smear of [[Judge Brett Kavanaugh]]. Farrow sold out, and his actions now have the opposite effect of adding credibility to the defense and rehabilitation of Harvey Weinstein.

===Circular reporting or wrap up smear===
A '''wrap up smear''',<ref>https://youtu.be/SMJdDwQlcc8</ref> also known as a '''circular reporting''', '''circular journalism''' or an '''echo chamber''', occurs when [[partisan]] sources [[leak]] false information to journalists then use those same published accounts to validate their claims.

Several instances in recent memory illustrate the technique during the [[Trump-Russia collusion hoax]] and the [[Kavanaugh smear]]. In Trump-Russia, a false allegation that Trump colluded with Russia was [[leak]]ed by Democratic operatives to get news organizations to publicize the claim, then biased [[Obama administration]] employees used those news stories as supposed evidence to obtain FBI [[surveillance]] warrants on the Trump campaign.

CNN, the ''Washington Post'', the ''New York Times'' and numerous other organizations reported fabricated information by anonymous sources throughout 2016, 2017, and 2018. The published reports became the basis of the [[Trump-Russia conspiracy hoax]] and [[FISA abuse]] scandal. When mainstream media published the false information, the Obama FBI, Justice Department, CIA and [[DNI]] used the fake news (originating with themselves) as supposed corroboration from "independent journalists" to begin investigations, interviews, perjury traps, seek warrants, perform [[Gang of Eight]] briefings, and appoint a [[Mueller office|Special Prosecutor]] to pursue political objectives.
*[[Michael Sussmann]] who worked with the general counsel of the Clinton campaign and the DNC gave fake evidence to the FBI and ''New York Times'' that a webserver in Trump Tower was communicating with a Russian bank. The smears were found to be without foundation.<ref>https://themarketswork.com/2019/01/21/baker-testimony-reveals-perkins-coie-lawyer-provided-fbi-with-information-on-alfa-bank-allegations/</ref>
*[[Christopher Steele]] who worked for Hillary Clinton gave false evidence to the FBI and numerous mainstream media outlets that [[Carter Page]] was a Russian spy, when in fact Page was a former FBI informant who helped jail Russian spies.
*Steele gave bogus sexual innuendo about Trump to the FBI; [[DNI]] [[James Clapper]] leaked to CNN than that Trump had been briefed on the information, thus creating a "Breaking News" story.<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2018/04/20/anatomy-of-a-political-smear-confirmed-james-comey-january-briefing-was-scripted-by-clapper-and-brennan-to-create-media-narrative/</ref>

In the Kavanaugh smear, false sexual abuse allegations were leaked by Senate Democrat committee staffers to produce sensationalized headlines and martial public pressure in an emotional cause.

Sen. [[Dianne Feinstein]] or a staffer leaked a letter from Dr. [[Christine Blasey Ford]] to the ''Washington Post'' alleging notes from a therapist and a polygraph exam were material evidence of a sexual assault, sparking a hue and cry on the [[Left]] for extended nomination hearings and FBI investigation of [[Judge Kavanaugh]]. The alleged "material evidence" was never provided to the FBI or Senate Judiciary Committee for examination and consideration, and the accuser caught in a series of conflicting sworn public statements.

===Mainstream false reporting of the Russia collusion hoax and impeachment inquiry===
[[File:27067022 1565197686869300 6687960957434384962 n.jpg|right|250px|thumb|The Russian's did not "hack the vote" as [[Obama administration]] and mainstream media sources alleged.]]
These mainstream journalists and news organizations in one capacity or other were willing participants in the [[Trump-Russia collusion hoax]]. The plan to exonerate Hillary Clinton of criminal charges, sabotage Donald Trump's election chances, and later his presidency, originated with corrupt elements of the [[Obama administration]], in collusion with the [[Democratic party]]. Allies opposed to Trump's demand that [[NATO]] members give more to fund the alliance, and Russian sources feeding Democrats false information also contributed.

These journalists reported fake news from the [[Hillary Clinton]] funded ''[[Steele dossier]]'', which Hillary Clinton paid foreign agents, including Russian agents, to interfere in the [[2016 presidential election]]. The false information was knowingly presented by the Obama [[Justice Department]] and [[FBI]] to the [[FISA court]] to obtain retro-active approval for an illegal domestic spying operation against Obama and Clinton's political opponents. These journalists actively colluded with the Democrats [[seditious]] activity to overturn the results of the 2016 presidential election:

[[Ken Bensinger]], [[BuzzFeed]] reporter who received ''Steele dossier'' from [[David Kramer]], Sen. [[John McCain]]'s [[Chief of Staff]]. [[Ken Dilanian]], and [[Ned Price]], [[NBC News]]. [[David Corn]], ''[[Mother Jones]]''. [[Michael Isikoff]], Yahoo News. [[Ali Watkins]], BuzzFeed and ''[[The New York Times]]''. [[Brian Ross]] and [[Matt Mosk]], ABC News. [[Carl Bernstein]] and [[Jake Tapper]], [[CNN]]. [[Julian Borger]], ''[[The Guardian]]''. [[Peter Stone]] and [[Greg Gordon]], McClatchy. [[Bob Little]] and [[Rachel Martin]], NPR. [[David Ignatius]], [[Evan Perez]], [[Jim Sciutto]], [[Tom Hamburger]], [[Rosalind Helderman]], and [[Fred Hiatt]], ''[[The Washington Post]]''. [[Allan Cullison]], ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]''. [[Rachel Maddow]], [[Joy Reid]], and [[Katy Tur]], [[MSNBC]]. [[Scott Pelly]], ''[[60 Minutes]]''. [[Devlin Barrett]], [[Robert Costa]] [[Ellen Nakashima]], and [[Matt Zapotosky]].

Other willing participants were: ''[[The New Yorker]]'', ''[[Huffington Post]]'', ''[[Newsweek]]'', [[MSNBC]], ''[[Politico]]'', ''[[Vanity Fair]]'' and ''[[Slate]]''. All these continued to report the fake Russia collusion narrative even after it was thoroughly debunked, and none have issued retractions to their reporting.<ref>https://youtu.be/vYGkB329rcM</ref> The uncorroborated allegations violated every tenet of traditional, respectable [[journalism]]. None of it would have been possible without the help of several global media organizations willingly publicizing the false narrative of Trump collusion with the Russian government.<ref>https://themarketswork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/inforgraphic-838x1024.jpg</ref>

On March 25, 2019 Tim Murtaugh, the director of communications for President Trump, sent out a memo to all television producers regarding the “credibility of certain guests.” In particular, the memo cited a list of “guests who made outlandish, false claims, without evidence, on your airwaves.” Included were Sen. [[Richard Blumenthal]] (D-Conn.), Rep. [[Adam Schiff]] (D-Calif.), Rep. [[Jerrold Nadler]] (D-N.Y.), Rep. [[Eric Swalwell]] (D-Calif.), DNC Chairman [[Tom Perez]] and former CIA Director [[John Brennan]]. The memo asked the producers to “employ basic journalistic standards when booking such guests.”<ref>https://twitter.com/jonathanvswan/status/1110254539163291648</ref>

===Participants in the Kavanaugh smear===
[[NBC News]], ''[[The New Yorker]]'', ''[[The Washington Post]]'', [[Stephen Colbert]], [[ABC News]], [[CBS News]], [[USA Today]].

===Participants in the Covington Catholic kids smear===
:{{Main article|Covington Catholic kids}}
''[[The Washington Post]]'', ''[[The New York Times]]'', ''[[Cable News Network]]'' (CNN), ''[[The Guardian]]'', ''[[National Public Radio]]'', [[TMZ]], [[Atlantic Media]], [[Capitol Hill Publishing]], [[Ann Cabrera]] (CNN), [[Sara Sidner]] (CNN), [[Erin Burnett]] (CNN), [[S. E. Cupp]] (CNN), [[Elliot C. McLaughlin]] (CNN), [[Amanda Watts]] (CNN), [[Emmanuella Grinberg]] (CNN), [[Michelle Boorstein]] (''Washington Post''), [[Cleve R. Wootson Jr.]] (''Washington Post''), [[Antonio Olivo]] (''Washington Post''), [[Joe Heim]] (''Washington Post''), [[Michael E. Miller]] (''Washington Post''), [[Eli Rosenberg]] (''Washington Post''), [[Isaac Stanley-Becker]] (''Washington Post''), [[Kristine Philips]] (''Washington Post''), [[Sarah Mervosh]] (''Washington Post''), [[Emily S. Roeb]] (''New York Times''), [[Maggie Haberman]] (''New York Times''), [[David Brooks]] (''New York Times''), [[Shannon Doyne]], [[Kurt Eichenwald]], [[Andrea Mitchell]] (''[[NBC]]/[[MSNBC]]''), [[Savannah Guthrie]] (NBC), [[Joy Reid]] (MSNBC), [[Chuck Todd]] (NBC), [[Noah Berlatsky]], [[Elisha Fieldstadt]] (NBC), [[Eun Kyung Kim]], [[HBO]], [[Bill Maher]], [[Warner Media]], [[Condé Nast]], ''[[GQ]]'', [[Heavy.com]], [[The Hill]], ''[[The Atlantic]]'', Bustle.com, [[Kathy Griffin]], [[Alyssa Milano]] and [[Jim Carrey]].<ref>https://www.dailywire.com/news/42988/nick-sandmanns-lawyer-sends-letters-these-54-ryan-saavedra?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=benshapiro</ref>

===Reputable/verifiable sources===
The following are considered reputable and verifiable source noted for good reporting:

*Epoch Times Media Group which include assets like:
The [[Epoch Times]] Newspaper
New Tang Dynasty Televison (NTDTV)
China Uncensored/America Uncovered
Edge of Wonder
Shen Yun
The Larry Elder Show
American Thought Leaders
Declassified
Crossroads
Ben Hedges
*[[Washington Free Beacon]]
*[[New American]]
*[[Breitbart]]
*Assets owned by [[Rupert Murdoch]]
[[Fox News]]
[[Fox Business Network]]
[[Sky News | Sky News Australia]]
*[[OANN]]
*[[Human Events]]
*[[NewsMax]]
*Daily Signal
*[[Washington Examiner]]
*The Federalist
*[[Rebel News]]
*infowars.com
The Alex Jones Show
War Room With Owen Shroyer
The David Knight Show
American Countdown
Paul Joseph Watson
David Icke
Kaitlin Bennett
==Responses==
===Liberal responses===
When the term first came into common usages immediately after the 2016 elections, [[liberals]], the [[mainstream media]], and [[social media]] misapplied the term to make the false accusation that [[Alternative Media|alternative news]] sources were "deliberately lying" to their readers, listeners, and viewers, and that these "lies" helped elect [[Donald Trump]] [[President of the United States]]. The liberal-pushed "fake news" accusations are a form of [[conspiracy theory]].

The [[mainstream media]] itself publishes and promotes fake news stories appearing in nightly network newscasts, on its cable news channels, in its newspapers and on its websites (including Facebook).<ref name="Tech Crunch">{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2017/02/14/facebook-fake-news-code-media/|title=Facebook is still figuring out how to tackle fake news|date=Feb 14, 2017|accessdate=|work=Tech Crunch}}</ref><ref name="Barron">{{cite news|url=http://ajr.org/2015/04/03/news-sites-fall-for-fake-news|title=Even News Sites Fall for Fake News|first=Rachel|last=Barron|date=April 3, 2017|accessdate=|work=American Journalism Review}}</ref>
When fake news sites misuse the "ABC News" logo<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.snopes.com/2016/08/07/breitbart-duped-by-fake-news-again/|title=Breitbart Duped by Fake News (Again)|date=September 1, 2016|accessdate=|work=Snopes}}</ref> or are designed to appear to be sponsored by a TV news channel, the mainstream media may also appear to publish and promote fake news stories.

The mainstream media itself can be rife with government leaked fake news stories, such as a fictional ''Washington Post'' story that Russia hacked the U.S. power grid in 2016.<ref>Leetaru, Kalev, "[https://www.forbes.com/sites/kalevleetaru/2017/01/01/fake-news-and-how-the-washington-post-rewrote-its-story-on-russian-hacking-of-the-power-grid/ 'Fake News' And How The Washington Post Rewrote Its Story On Russian Hacking Of The Power Grid]," ''Forbes'', Jan 1, 2017.</ref> While leftists accuse conservatives of being behind fake news stories, the evidence shows the exact opposite, although fake news is designed to appeal to audiences all across the political spectrum.

====Attempts at censorship====
[[Melissa Zimdars]], a [[far-Left]] professor had compiled a list of supposedly "fake and misleading" news websites that was heavily promoted in the Mainstream Media,<ref>[https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2016/11/breaking-media-list-fake-news-websites-includes-breitbart-infowars-zerohedge-twitchy-blaze/ BREAKING: Liberals Create List of "Fake" News Websites Including: Breitbart, Infowars, Zerohedge, Twitchy, The Blaze]</ref> including [[Breitbart]], [[Infowars]], Twitchy, [[The Blaze]], and Bizpac Review. Even liberals, such as Will Oremus on [[Slate.com]], criticized the list and the term itself for being far too broad, unfairly targeting numerous sites, and being an overreaction.<ref>Oremus, Will (December 6, 2016). [http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/technology/2016/12/stop_calling_everything_fake_news.html Stop Calling Everything “Fake News”]. ''Slate.com''. Retrieved December 8, 2016.</ref> Zimdars later removed her "Fake News" list, claiming she had been "harassed" and "doxed".<ref>[https://inews.co.uk/essentials/news/technology/melissa-zimdars-removes-fake-news-list-claiming-harassed-doxed/ Dr Melissa Zimdars removes fake news list and claims she was ‘harassed’]</ref> In 2019, the [[George Soros]]-funded Poynter Institute created a list of 515 news sources – anything that was part of the left-wing media – that it claimed were "fake news" for not completely abiding by left-wing narratives.<ref>Multiple references:
*Freiburger, Calvin (May 3, 2019). [https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/soros-backed-journalism-institute-pulls-list-labeling-29-conservative-outlets-unnews Soros-backed journalism institute pulls list labeling 29 conservative outlets ‘UnNews’]. ''LifeSiteNews''. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
*[https://www.lifesitenews.com/opinion/soros-backed-journalism-institute-targets-29-conservative-outlets-in-its-unnews-report Soros-backed journalism institute targets 29 conservative outlets in its ‘UnNews’ report]. ''LifeSiteNews'' (from ''NewsBusters''). May 2, 2019. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
*Nolte, John (May 3, 2019). [https://www.breitbart.com/the-media/2019/05/03/nolte-poynter-temporarily-pulls-blacklist-with-a-big-lie-and-promise-to-return/ Nolte: Poynter Temporarily Pulls Blacklist with a Big Lie and Promise to Return]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
*Nolte, John (May 1, 2019). [https://www.breitbart.com/the-media/2019/05/01/nolte-poynter-institute-wants-515-outlets-blacklisted-breitbart-news/ Nolte: Poynter Institute Wants 515 Outlets Blacklisted, Including Breitbart News]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved May 4, 2019.</ref>

A 2017 Yale University study found that flagging news stories as "fake news" is ineffective due to the general mistrust of the media by Americans that already exists.<ref>Church, Nate (September 12, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/tech/2017/09/12/study-flagging-stories-as-fake-news-ineffective-people-no-longer-trust-media/ Study: Flagging Stories as ‘Fake News’ Ineffective; People No Longer Trust Media]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved September 13, 2017.</ref>

====''WaPo''====
One attempt at broadening the meaning of the term as well as professing the likelihood of the use of what the term describes appeared on November 23, 2016 in the ''Washington Post'':{{cquote|In the wake of Donald Trump’s shock Nov. 2016 electoral victory, attention fell on the extent to which voter opinions could have been shaped by an epidemic of "fake news" websites that masqueraded as legitimate media outlets...Many fake stories proved more viral on social media than important articles from real sources.<ref name=Merkel>[https://www.thestar.com/news/world/2016/11/23/fake-news-threatens-german-election-merkel.html Fake news threatens German election: Merkel]</ref>}}

Ishaan Tharoor, the author who wrote the piece, lets the reader know that he assumes Trump's election win is so surprising (although it wasn't) that any explanation deserves to be looked at if the event has not been fully explained already. This would allow the subject which follows—his allegations of "fake news" being epidemic as well as his suggestions that they were isolated to media outlets that weren't "real sources" (by some unstated body's estimation)—to be plausible or even to be considered an especially good candidate as an explanation (to the uninformed), despite being unfounded or at least founded on exaggeration.

The election results prompted German Chancellor [[Angela Merkel]], who represents a, [[establishment]]-[[globalist]] political party, to caution against "fake news" circulated in [[Social media]]:{{cquote|Something has changed — as globalization has marched on, debate is taking place in a completely new media environment. Opinions aren’t formed the way they were 25 years ago ... Today we have fake sites, bots, trolls — things that regenerate themselves, reinforcing opinions with certain algorithms, and we have to learn to deal with them. I believe we should not underestimate what is happening in the context of the Internet and with digitalization; this is part of our reality ... We have regulations that allow for our press freedom, including the requirement for due diligence from journalists. Today we have many that experience a media that is based on very different foundations and is much less regulated.<ref name=Merkel/>}}

====Facebook====
[[Facebook]] has also responded to the alleged problem by developing a system wherein readers can flag a post they find suspicious. Once flagged the post will be reviewed by a [[mainstream media]] representative, who decides whether the news is "real" or "fake."<ref>https://www.wsj.com/articles/facebooks-fake-fix-for-fake-news-1481932361</ref>

====Snopes====
On January 14, 2016, the [[Snopes]] website, itself considered a fake news site by some experts, published its "Snopes’ Field Guide to Fake News Sites and Hoax Purveyors"<ref name=snopes>{{cite web|title=Snopes’ Field Guide to Fake News Sites and Hoax Purveyors|date=January 14, 2016|url=http://www.snopes.com/2016/01/14/fake-news-sites/|accessdate=}}</ref> Its founder, for what brags to be the moral compass of what is "honest" reporting on the Internet, allegedly embezzled nearly $100,000 for prostitutes.<ref>https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2019/09/exclusive-founder-of-snopes-far-left-moral-purveyor-of-truth-in-the-media-allegedly-embezzled-98000-for-prostitutes-during-his-divorce/</ref>

====SpotFakeNews.ca====
A recently created Canadian website called SpotFakeNews.ca<ref>http://spotfakenews.ca/</ref> claims to "help Canadians of all ages critically access online news and information, and differentiate fake news from real news", but the resources it links to link in turn to the [[Associated Press]] and other liberal-biased news "sources" and resources, thereby making that site itself a non-credible, liberal-biased resource.

====DoubtIt.ca====
Another Canadian website<ref>https://doubtit.ca/</ref> which claims "to provide Canadians an understanding of the role of journalism in a healthy democracy and the tools to find and filter information online";<ref>https://doubtit.ca/about-us/</ref> however, in its verification section,<ref>https://doubtit.ca/#verification_section</ref> the site uses the "fact checking" sites Snopes, FactCheck.org, the Associated Press website's "fact checking" section, Full Fact and [[PolitiFact]] as its resources, all of which are liberal-biased sites whose claims have been disproven and discredited as fake news when compared with similar stories from independent, non-liberal media journalists, news organizations (e.g. [[The Rebel Media|Rebel News]] and [[One America News Network]]) and news sites (e.g. [[Breitbart News]], [[NewsBusters]], [[The Daily Caller]], [[Gateway Pundit]], [[Canada Free Press]], etc.), thus also making DoubtIt.ca itself liberal-biased, unreliable and non-credible regarding what it decides is "fake news". Another giveaway that DoubtIt.ca is not credible as a resource is that at the bottom of its website, it mentions that it is funded by liberal-biased search engine [[Google]].

====DFRLab definition====
The [[Atlantic Council]]'s Digital Forensic Research Lab which is partnering with [[Facebook]] to promote [[internet]] [[censorship]] defines fake news as {{quotebox|“deliberately presenting false information as news.”

We differentiate this from '''[[disinformation]]''', which we consider to be "deliberately spreading false information;" fake news is thus a subset of disinformation. We further distinguish it from '''misinformation''', which we take to mean the unintentional spreading of false information.<ref>https://medium.com/dfrlab/fake-news-defining-and-defeating-43830a2ab0af</ref>}}

====European Commission====
In 2018, the [[European Commission]] proposed the creation of an "independent fact-checking network" that would fight what it views as "fake news." However, this network, if created, would be funded by left-wing organizations connected to [[George Soros]].<ref>Tomlinson, Chris (April 28, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/london/2018/04/28/european-union-advocates-independent-fact-checkers-combat-fake-news/ European Union Advocates For Soros-Funded ‘Independent Fact Checkers’ to Combat ‘Fake News’]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved April 28, 2018.</ref>

===Conservative responses===
"''Undoubtedly the new main [[psyop]] against independent media is flooding the web with fake news, and mainstream media putting out fake news, and setting themselves up like a super-Snopes, to be the arbiter of what's real and what’s not,''" countered [[Alex Jones]] from Infowars in the wake of criticism of the [[Alternative Media]] on the part of [[Democrat]] presidential candidate [[Hillary Clinton]] supporters following Trump's win.<ref>[http://nymag.com/selectall/2016/11/finally-someone-is-standing-up-to-fake-news-infowars.html Finally, Someone Is Standing Up to Fake News: Infowars]</ref>

[[Answers in Genesis]] President [[Ken Ham]], noted that one of the most prominent and blatant examples of fake news is the media's treatment of [[evolution]] and an [[old Earth]] as undisputed scientific fact, even though numerous counterexamples exist [[Counterexamples to Evolution|to evolution]] and [[Counterexamples to an Old Earth|an old Earth]].<ref>Ham, Ken (March 21, 2017). [https://answersingenesis.org/blogs/ken-ham/2017/03/21/real-fake-news/ The Real Fake News]. ''Answers in Genesis''. Retrieved March 21, 2017.</ref>

According to a 2017 Poynter Media Trust Survey, 44% of Americans believe the media creates "fake news" stories against Trump to make him look bad.<ref>Richardson, Bradford (December 28, 2017). [https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/dec/28/fake-news-half-all-americans-believe-media-make-an/ ‘Fake News’: Half of all Americans believe the media make up anti-Trump stories]. ''The Washington Times''. Retrieved December 29, 2017.</ref> A [[Monmouth University]] poll released in April 2018 found that 77% of Americans believe the mainstream media reports fake news.<ref>Multiple references:
*Manchester, Julia (April 2, 2018). [https://thehill.com/homenews/media/381225-more-than-3-in-4-believe-traditional-media-outlets-report-fake-news-poll More than 3 in 4 believe traditional media reports ‘fake news’: poll]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved April 2, 2018.
*Persons, Sally (April 2, 2018). [https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/apr/2/over-70-percent-of-americans-see-media-as-fake-new/ Over 70 percent of Americans see media as ‘fake news,’ a Monmouth University poll shows]. ''The Washington Times''. Retrieved April 2, 2018.
*Church, Nate (April 2, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-journalism/2018/04/02/poll-77-percent-believe-traditional-media-guilty-of-fake-news/ Poll: 77 Percent Believe Traditional Media Guilty of Fake News]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved April 2, 2018.
*Lima, Cristiano (April 2, 2018). [https://www.politico.com/story/2018/04/02/poll-fake-news-494421 Poll: 77 percent say major news outlets report 'fake news']. ''Politico''. Retrieved April 2, 2018.
*Byas, Steve (April 4, 2018). [https://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/item/28659-poll-public-believes-media-reports-fake-news-to-advance-their-own-agenda Poll: Public Convinced That Media Reports Fake News to Advance Their Own Agenda]. ''The New American''. Retrieved April 4, 2018.</ref>

==Hypocrisy==
While liberals frequently accuse conservative or alternate media sites of being dishonest, they typically gloss over the massive failings of the mainstream media to accurately and fairly cover the news, as well as its own propensity to post and report fake news itself (such as the polls they released which falsely claimed that [[Hillary Clinton]] was "well ahead" of Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election campaign in order to discourage conservative voters, despite the attendance figures of the Trump campaign rallies vs. the Clinton campaign rallies, which the mainstream media chose to ignore, proving otherwise). Although the polls may have correctly predicted Clinton's 3 million vote margin in the national popular vote, commenters ignored the fact that the election is determined state-by-state in the [[Electoral College]]. In fact, within days after Trump's victory in the election, Wikipedia's liberal editors propagated a far from neutral and heavily liberal-biased "Fake news website" article.<ref>[https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fake_news_website&oldid=752584598 "Fake news website" article] at Wikipedia, December 2, 2016.</ref>

==History==
[[File:NY Daily News.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Liberal, socialist, and communist slanted journalism has a long history of biased and false reporting.]]
"News articles" that are completely fictional have a long history. The motivation is often for the amusement of the author, or the desire to make money by selling the newspaper or handbill based on its entertainment value. Such "news articles" are sometimes purely satirical (something that has a long history), or intentionally malicious, often for political reasons. For example, malicious claims about Presidential candidates (illegitimate children, etc.) have a long history in the United States. The falsehoods have sufficient emotional impact to assure that they will be magnified in various [[Media|mediums]]. It is debated whether or not this includes [[Satire|satiric]] news.<ref>"Tall Tale or Satire? Authors of So-Called "Fake News" Feel Misjudged". ''NBC News''. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/tall-tale-or-satire-authors-so-called-fake-news-feel-n689421</ref><ref>''Fake News Watch''. http://fakenewswatch.com/</ref>

[[Walter Lippmann]], a prominent [[socialist]], indicated that the press is supposed to utilize fake news to spin a narrative and thus manufacture public consent, claiming that news and truth are not the same thing, that it requires no real training to deal with the small pool, and that everything else is in the journalist's own discretion, which includes even promoting stereotypes.<ref>http://progressingamerica.blogspot.com/2012/02/journalism-and-manufacturing-of-consent.html</ref><ref>http://progressingamerica.blogspot.com/2013/03/walter-lippmann-explains-how.html</ref><ref>http://progressingamerica.blogspot.com/2017/01/who-is-founding-father-of-fake-news.html</ref>

The explosive growth of the internet in the early years of the 21st century and the political divisiveness of the 2016 Presidential election saw explosive growth in fake news, far beyond supermarket tabloids, and the use of the term "fake news" to describe this.

===Tabloids, hoaxes, etc===
In the more recent past, but before the advent of the widespread propagation of false information through the internet, the most visible instances of "fake news" were the "supermarket tabloids" ("rag mags") that could be found at checkout counters of supermarkets. These were often full of blatant nonsense, and (nearly) everyone knew that, and bought them only for their entertainment value. Perhaps the most blatant of these was ''Weekly World News'', which seemed obsessed with some half-human half-bat creature named "bat boy," and with extraterrestrials. They sometimes devoted entire issues to extraterrestrials, and, in one instance, had three articles relating that each of the Presidential candidates in the 1992 Presidential election ([[George H. W. Bush]], [[Bill Clinton]], and [[Ross Perot]]) had been taken for a personal ride in a flying saucer to see Washington, D.C. from the air.

These fake articles continue, often with an extreme political slant. Recent issues of the ''National Enquirer'' (perhaps the most blatant fake newspaper since the demise of Weekly World News) had completely false articles about Special Forces raids, carpet bombing, drone strikes, and naval assaults by American forces in the Middle East. The ''Globe'' has run headlines alleging that Hillary Clinton is a Russian spy and has a "new treason indictment", which is not supported by the corresponding article. Another headline, unsupported by any evidence in the article, stated that Hillary Clinton and Huma Abedin were stopped trying to escape from the country. And there were numerous headlines during the 2016 Presidential campaign stating that they were in possession of evidence that would put Ms. Clinton in prison.

=== Early examples of fake news ===
Here are some early examples of fake news:

#The false claim, based on manipulation of the data, by Sir [[Arthur Eddington]] that the 1919 total eclipse of the sun proved the [[General Theory of Relativity]].
#The false reporting by the bigot [[H.L. Mencken]] on the [[Scopes Trial]].
#''[[The War of the Worlds]]'' broadcast on [[Halloween]] night, 1938, in which Orson Wells dramatically described an invasion by hostile Martians in [[New Jersey]].
#''The New York Daily News'' reporting that [[President Gerald Ford]] told the city to 'drop dead' after progressive liberal socialists spent the city's finances into oblivion.<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/28/nyregion/28veto.html</ref>
#The fake claim that President [[George H. W. Bush]] did not know what a grocery scanner was, implying that he was out of touch.<ref>[https://www.mrc.org/articles/great-george-bush-sr-grocery-scanner-urban-legend-lives The Great George Bush Sr. "Grocery Scanner" Urban Legend Lives On]. ''Media Research Center''. Retrieved December 5, 2018.</ref>

===Internet age===
Cybersecurity experts began using the term "fake news" to describe social media postings that attempted to spread false information regardless of the political ramifications of its content.

The widespread public use of the phrase by non-experts probably originated on November 14, 2016, in an announcement by [[Google]]. They said their advertising service was being pulled from sites whose purpose was to present as news what was solely designed to attract attention rather than conducted in a factual manner by a responsible party.<ref>Nicas, Jack (November 14, 2016). [https://www.wsj.com/articles/google-to-bar-fake-news-websites-from-using-its-ad-selling-software-1479164646 "Google to bar fake-news websites from using its ad-selling software"]. ''Wall Street Journal''.</ref> Fake news is also a form of "click bait". A photo would appear in an ad implying that there was a news story about the death of a celebrity, and computer users would click on the link to be taken to a website that carried heavy advertising, but no news story about the death of the living celebrity.

==See also==
*[[Alternative facts]]
*[[Deep State]]
*[[Fake science]]
*[[Obama FBI/DOJ scandal]]
*[[The Democracy Integrity Project]]

== Notes ==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOZ0irgLwxU What is Fake News video by Prager University]
*[https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikeperlis/2017/03/09/fake-news-its-just-so-un-civil/ Forbes: Fake News Is So Un-civil]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jh8qDR9Zm4 Fake News], by Bill Whittle
*[https://www.breitbart.com/milo/2017/02/02/fake-news-cnn-ties-milo-to-white-nationalists-despite-explicit-rejection-of-racism/ FAKE NEWS: CNN Ties MILO to White Nationalists Despite Explicit Rejection of Racism] at Breitbart News Network
*[http://www.fakehatecrimes.org/ Fakehatecrimes.org]. A database of reported instances of fake hate crimes.
*[http://www.snopes.com/2016/01/21/6-quick-ways-spot-fake-news/ 6 Quick Ways to Spot Fake News]
*[https://www.amazon.com/Hoaxed-Everything-They-Told-You-ebook/dp/B07FT1GL51 ''Hoaxed: Everything They Told You is a Lie''], by Mike Cernovich, Jon du Toit, and Scooter Downey, 2018.
*[https://www.breitbart.com/the-media/2019/12/27/blue-state-blues-a-decade-of-fake-news/ Blue State Blues: A Decade of Fake News], by Joel B. Pollak

[[Category:Fake News|*]]
[[Category:Leftists]]
[[Category:Liberal Deceit]]
[[Category:Liberal Bias]]
[[Category:Liberal Falsehoods]]
[[Category:Political Media]]
[[Category:Political Terms]]
[[Category:2010s]]
[[Category:2020s]]
[[Category:Conspiracy Theory]]
[[Category:Featured articles]]

Video games

2019-11-13T16:29:03Z

KEK40K: all video games are addictive.Don't tell me that someone has played video games.

A '''video game''' is an electronic game, which is played on a device such as a computer or console. Video games are generally designed to be addictive, as this helps to build and maintain a profitable user base, and sell the product to those who may try it.

video games are particularly addictive and harmful for teenage boys and young men. Often the more violent a game is, the better it sells. '''''Many of the [[young mass murderers]] have been linked to addictions to violent video games, and video games are also associated with dropping out of school, obesity, and other bad effects'''''. The video game industry is criticized for exploiting its workers, too.

At least one study showed that "young men are playing video games instead of getting jobs," as reported by the ''Chicago Tribune''.<ref>https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-video-games-jobs-emploment-20160923-story.html</ref>

== Nature of video games ==
Video games vary greatly in type and complexity, but all games are alike in that they translate player input (from a controller, mouse, keyboard or motion sensor) into onscreen actions. Games are often stored on some sort of digital media - ROM cartridge, [[CD]], [[DVD]], flash memory chip, or even cassette tape for early computer games. Older or less expensive games sometimes used dedicated chips which were pre-programmed to play certain games only. In recent years, game developers have moved to digital distribution, allowing customers to purchase game licenses online, and download over the internet. On PCs, this is often done through marketplaces such as Valve corporation's Steam service, or Electronic Arts' Origin service, while the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 have their own digital distribution services.

Home consoles are classified by ''generation'' to indicate their relative power and date of release. The current major consoles (XBox One, PS4, Switch) are considered ''eight generation''. Handheld consoles are not generally put into generations due to their more irregular release schedules.

== Various genres ==
Video games in the course of their existence have grown from the simple arcade-style games, and have become more detailed and separated from one another. Genres can now include [[first person shooters]], [[racing]], [[Simulation game|simulation]], [[role-playing]], [[sports]], [[action]], [[strategy]], massively multiplayer online (MMO), puzzle, Sport simulation, and many others.<ref>https://www.idtech.com/blog/different-types-of-video-game-genres</ref><ref>https://thoughtcatalog.com/jane-hurst/2015/02/12-types-of-computer-games-every-gamer-should-know-about/</ref> Even then, games can combine genres, such as ''Mass Effect'' (Role Playing and Third Person Shooting), or not fit nicely into any genre, like ''The Mystery of the Druids''. The most popular genres tend to be shooters, action, and roleplaying games. Some video games are based on movies, such as Star Wars.

== Popularity & Controversy ==
Games have risen in popularity over the years, as is shown in the rise of video games sales from the 1980s until today. This has brought with it a various amount of controversy as the video game industry continues to grow with its original player base.

Video games are addictive activities targeted at teenagers, sometimes with tragic results.<ref>Some claim that 2/3rds of videogamers are over 18 years old, but far more people are over that age and a much higher percentage of minors are videogamers.[http://www.pan-o-matic.com/blog/?p=45 Only a third of videogamers are under 18]</ref> Certain genres of games are becoming increasingly violent and offensive, attracting the attention of legislators in many states to protect the exploitation of children by them. Games such as ''[[Grand Theft Auto]]'' are very violent, sexually explicit, and feature [[criminal]] behavior. These games are rated "M 17+" for "Mature," but courts have stricken down laws preventing retailers from selling them to children, under an interpretation that the First Amendment protects offensive video games even for children.<ref>http://gamepolitics.livejournal.com/148962.html</ref> After a ''Conservapedian'' filed an [[amicus brief]] with the [[U.S. Supreme Court]] to consider this issue, it surprised [[liberal]]s by granting ''[[certiorari]]''.

However, in 2011, the Supreme Court denied a ban on the sale of violent video games in California, claiming they were protected as they "qualify for First Amendment Protection" and pointing out that there has historically been no shortage of violent imagery in children's fairytales, classical literature, and comics. Writing for the majority, Justice Scalia pointed out that "disgust is not a valid basis for restricting expression", and continued that any effects of violent video games on children "are both small and indistinguishable from effects produced by other media".<ref>[https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/10pdf/08-1448.pdf BROWN, GOVERNOR OF CALIFORNIA, ET AL. v. ENTERTAINMENT MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION ET AL.]</ref>

It has also been suggested that it is the role of parents to regulate what their children play, and that laws restricting video game vendors are an effort to replace parents' decisions with the government's decisions.<ref>https://www.deseretnews.com/article/700150989/Violent-games-2-Its-parents-responsibility-to-monitor-what-kids-play.html</ref><ref>https://segmentnext.com/2018/03/09/dear-parents-take-responsibility-kids-stop-blaming-video-games/</ref>

As some wake up to how harmful violent video games are, the video game industry declined in 2012,<ref>http://www.nbc12.com/story/20289219/us-video-game-sales-drop-11-pct-in-november</ref> though it remains much bigger than Hollywood. Video games are likely the single biggest cause of bright young men dropping out of college. While video games were originally designed for children and adolescent males, video games have become too popular with adult males, many of whom will often neglect family and work to spend a copious number of hours playing video games including online games as World of Warcraft in a video game addiction. [[Liberal denial]] discourages people from recognizing the problem.

==Arguments against video game usage==
[[File:Stephen-Fry.jpg|thumbnail|200px|right|The [[Atheism|atheist]] [[Stephen Fry]] said, "I do enjoy [[Video games|video gaming]]... In the early days of games, I would spend hours. I mean literally. I would find it would be 4AM, and I would say: 'God, I have be at work at 6.'"<ref>[http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xeuj29_stephen-fry-talks-gaming_news Stephen Fry talks gaming]</ref> ''See also: [[Irreligion, video game usage and obesity]] and [[Atheism and obesity]]'' ]]
''See [[young mass murderers]] for their connection to video games''. 

Video games have been accused of being linked to [[Young Mass Murderers|murders by young people]] and other [[violence]], stress-induced health problems (including unexpected heart attacks),<ref>[http://www.news.com.au/world/europe/russian-teenager-dies-after-playing-online-computer-game-defence-of-the-ancients-for-22-days-in-a-row/story-fnh81p7g-1227512824314 Teenager dies from a video game addiction]</ref> [[atheism]], [[obesity]],<ref>[http://aspe.hhs.gov/health/reports/child_obesity/ Childhood Obesity] Department of Health and Human Services, retrieved Sept 18th 2011</ref> and [[sexual immorality]]. Several prominent murderers in recent years were inspired by video games.<ref>https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-316491/Teenager-gets-life-Manhunt-murder.html</ref><ref>Adelmann, Bob (August 5, 2019). [https://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/crime/item/33028-search-for-motives-in-recent-mass-shootings-ignores-impact-of-violent-video-games Motives in Recent Mass Shootings Should Include Impact of Violent Video Games]. ''The New American''. Retrieved August 5, 2019.</ref> [[Young mass murderer]] [[Adam Lanza]] was "immersed in a perverse video game world" and "killed himself to prevent law enforcement from taking his 'points.'" He plotted his rampage far in advance and "learned the principles of ... the tactical reload" from his [[video games]].
Video games has also been used as "murder simulators" by American army, in order to desensitize young man, into triggering the gun better, and with less doubt, thus killing enemies more efficiently.
<ref>[http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/lupica-lanza-plotted-massacre-years-article-1.1291408#ixzz2NuWeFMNO]</ref>

After a murderous rampage by another video game user in Norway:<ref>http://www.metro.co.uk/tech/games/871121-norway-stores-pull-violent-video-games-including-call-of-duty-after-massacre#ixzz1erUdaLo5</ref>
{{cquote|A number of Norway stores have pulled violent video games from sale - including several Call of Duty games and World of Warcraft - in the wake of the massacre carried out by Anders Behring Breivik on July 22.}}
Unbeknownst to many, the video game industry is partly subsidized by taxpayers, even in the [[conservative]] Texas. In 2015, a spat broke out between the video game and film industries about the millions they would receive from government.<ref>http://www.texastribune.org/2015/05/27/drama-between-film-video-game-groups-dooms-funding/</ref>

=== Video game usage and excess weight ===
''See also:'' [[Video game usage and excess weight]] and [[Obesity]]

Due to the sedentary lifestyle of many who abuse video games or play them for extremely long amounts of time, there is an absence of exercise - meaning [[addiction]] to video games can cause an increase in weight to unhealthy proportions.

[[File:Childhood obesity.JPG|thumbnail|200px|right|The state of Utah was acclaimed with the lowest percentage of children overweight, and was found to have the second lowest proportion of children spending 2 or more hours on TV/Video game play.
 
 
The District of Columbia, found to have the highest percentage of overweight children, also had the highest percentage nationwide of children spending an incredible 4 hours plus in front of a screen.<ref>[http://www.nationalobesityforum.org.uk/component/content/article/1-nof-in-the-media/338-tvvideo-games-and-child-obesity.html TV Video Games and obesity]</ref>]]
The National Obesity Forum indicates:
{{cquote|The figures highlighted by the "F as in Fat" annual report [Trust for America's Health 2007 Annual Report] were retrieved from the Data Resource Center on Child and Adolescent Health website. The analysis of these figures reveals a strong positive correlation between hours spent on TV/Video game play and the percentage of children classed as overweight per state. The state of Utah was acclaimed with the lowest percentage of children overweight, and was found to have the second lowest proportion of children spending 2 or more hours on TV/Video game play. The District of Columbia, found to have the highest percentage of overweight children, also had the highest percentage nationwide of children spending an incredible 4 hours plus in front of a screen.<ref>[http://www.nationalobesityforum.org.uk/component/content/article/1-nof-in-the-media/338-tvvideo-games-and-child-obesity.html TV Video Games and obesity]</ref>}}

''Slate'' reported in 2012:
{{cquote|The American Academy of Pediatrics tells parents that children’s total entertainment media time should not exceed two hours daily. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, average kids watch at least twice that much television. They also spend more than an hour per day online and another hour on video games. These activities, collectively called “screen time,” are widely blamed for the tripling of obesity rates in children since the 1980s.<ref>[http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/medical_examiner/2012/04/are_video_games_making_kids_fat_screen_time_and_childhood_obesity_.html Are TV and Video Games Making Kids Fat?]</ref>}}

The University of Texas at Austin declares:
{{cquote|A study by researchers at The University of Texas at Austin suggests that watching television is not associated with children’s weight, but playing electronic games may be—especially for girls.

“Children with higher weight status spent moderate amounts of time playing electronic games, while children with lower weight status spent either a little or a lot of time playing electronic games,” said Dr. Elizabeth A. Vandewater, who led the study published in the February issue of the Journal of Adolescence.

Although the greater weight/video game link was found in this study with girls, she noted that future studies may reveal similar findings for boys. Either way, the findings could be significant considering how many American children play electronic games.<ref>[http://news.utexas.edu/2004/03/23/nr_video_games Video games rather than TV may be linked to childhood obesity], University of Texas at Austin news</ref>}}

The ''Pittsburg Gazette'' reports: "A 2010 study from the Eastern Ontario Research Institute found video games to blame, chiefly because children, boys especially, tend to eat more when they're playing them."<ref>[http://www.post-gazette.com/news/health/2012/11/12/TV-video-games-linked-to-obesity/stories/201211120171 TV, video games linked to obesity], Pittsburg Gazette</ref>

=== Irreligion, video game usage and obesity ===
''See also:'' [[Irreligion, video game usage and obesity]] and [[Atheism and obesity]]

''Relevant Magazine'' reported about the journal article in ''The International Journal for the Psychology of Religion'' entitled ''No Other Gods Before Mario?: Game Preferences Among [[Atheism|Atheistic]] and Religious Individuals'':
{{Cquote|[http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10508619.2011.638606 A new study] of 228 college students found that while just about everyone prefers video games to regular board games (duh), those who claim no religion vastly prefer video games compared to the religious peers. It's a small study, but the director, Chris Burris, has an interesting hypothesis about why [[Atheism|atheists]] prefer video games. Burris believes that atheists tend to be less good at "generating emotionally evocative internal simulations of experience." Simply put, he believes that religious people tend to be more imaginative, and are able to craft their own sense of play around simple games, while non-religious people tend to prefer the concrete rules afforded by video games.<ref>[http://www.relevantmagazine.com/slices/why-do-atheists-video-games-more-religious-people-do Why Do Atheists Like Video Games More Than Religious People Do?], ''Relevant Magazine''</ref>}}

As far as the relationship between irreligion and obesity, please examine the articles below:

*[[Atheism and obesity]]

*[[Millennials, irreligion and obesity]]

*[[Generation X, irreligion and obesity]]

*[[Baby boom generation, irreligion and obesity]]

=== Exergaming ===
As far as "exergaming" (Video games which prompt the users to engage in physical activity), ''Slate'' reports:
{{cquote|After three months, “there was no evidence that children receiving the active video games were more active in general or at any time,” the authors wrote. (The year before, a similar study in New Zealand had shown only minor improvement with active games; kids weighed just a pound less after six months of "exergaming".)<ref>[http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/medical_examiner/2012/04/are_video_games_making_kids_fat_screen_time_and_childhood_obesity_.html Are TV and Video Games Making Kids Fat?]</ref>}}

== Overcoming addiction to video games ==
As with any [[addiction]], video game usage can be hard to overcome as soon as one is drawn into it. Fortunately, [[faith]]-based efforts to overcome addiction can be effective and rewarding, and churches exist in part to help people overcome harmful vices in the world. (See also: [[habit]])

[[Catholicism]] recommends that people give up something they like on Fridays, and throughout all of [[Lent]]. For some, it is easy to end a bad habit altogether once one is successful in giving it up at least one day a week, or throughout the 40 days of Lent.

In this regard, the [[Bible]] can be extraordinarily helpful and inspiring. Replacing video game usage with readings from books such as [[Psalms]] and [[Proverbs]] can turn a [[vice]] into an enormous boost to one's life. One approach is to read the Proverbs chapter having the same number as the day of the month (e.g., on February 17 read Proverbs 17), and read five chapters in Psalms that also correspond to the day of the month (e.g., read Psalms 81-85) on February 17 (17 times 5 is 85). [[New Testament]] passages in which [[Jesus]] mentions [[Hell]] can also be tremendously beneficial in combating vice. See, e.g., Mark 9:43.

In general, acquiring good habits can help drive out bad ones. Setting goals helps: Give yourself a weekly or monthly report card on all aspects of life. (See also: [[Beating NFL addiction]])

===Violence===

Most of the controversy comes from the rising trend toward violence in video games, as pioneered by ''[[Doom (video game series)|Doom]]'', ''[[Quake]]'', "[[Spring]]", and the ''[[Grand Theft Auto]]'' series.

Some people point out that violent video games cause violent behavior in children. The effects of violent video games on the developing psyches of children and adolescents vary greatly and of course depend on the mental stability of the subject in question.
Serious crimes have often been associated with video games. For example, a 14-year-old brutally murdered a video arcade employee one morning and his cousin stands trial for murdering the store manager when he entered the store shortly thereafter.<ref>http://www.nj.com/starledger/stories/index.ssf?/base/news-5/1212467732102240.xml&coll=1</ref>
In the [[United States|USA]], all retail games carry ratings from the [[ESRB]], a video game ratings organization.

Some claim that kids who don't play video games at all seem to show more violent tendencies. Of course, as expected, those who played violent video games for large amounts of time also showed violent tendencies; the study, however, claims that this is a "risk marker", not an actual cause.<ref>http://wii.qj.net/New-research-reveals-kids-who-don-t-play-videogames-at-all-are-more-at-risk-of-violent-tendencies/pg/49/aid/118505 New research reveals kids who don't play video games at all are more at risk of violent tendencies</ref>

Multiple studies have shown a correlation between violent video games and increased levels of aggression, caused by playing some of the aforementioned video games.<ref>https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/014616702237649</ref><ref>https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140197103000976</ref>

===Sexuality===
Although nudity is not prominent in [[western]] video games, there are various products containing sexually suggestive material. One reason for the relative lack of explicitly sexual material in western games may be the refusal of retailers including [[Wal-Mart]]<ref>http://www.walmart.com/catalog/catalog.gsp?cat=440903</ref> (the leading distributor of video games in the United States) and [[Toys R Us]]<ref>[http://www.toysrusinc.com/safety/practices/ See Toys "R" Us's video games policy]</ref> (the world's largest toy-themed retailer) to sell games carrying an "Adults-Only" rating. One notable target of controversy is the ''[[Grand Theft Auto]]'' series after a third-party mod was released that allowed the player to engage in a mini-game containing explicit sexual material. Mods are, as "third-party" would imply, fan-made and are not the responsibility of the game's developer. Other sources of this criticism relate to the game ''[[Tomb Raider]]'', one of the first games to depict and advertise a female character (the protagonist) as a sex symbol.<ref>Ashley, Robert. "The Secret History of Videogame Sex." Official Playstation Magazine Feb. 2006: 96-99.</ref>

==Arguments for video game usage==
Video games have been suspected of giving otherwise liberal people some virtual conservative viewpoints.<ref>http://kotaku.com/5764327/5764327/are-video-games-turning-liberals-into-virtual-conservatives</ref> They have also been shown to help people to become more attuned to their surroundings and increase coordination, and in the future may be used to treat people with visual problems and to train soldiers.<ref>http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/05/0528_030528_videogames.html</ref>

While evidence is somewhat conflicting, some also say that video games keep the participants engaged and more mentally active than alternative entertainment, such as watching television.

== Video Games & Society ==

As video games become more popular, their impact on society becomes ever more present. A prime example of this is the massive ad campaigns for the [[Halo (game)|Halo]] series, as well as [[Grand Theft Auto]]. Advertising, merchandising, and even social pressures have changed in the ever-growing influence of video gaming.

Due to their popularity, various corporations have begun placing advertisements for their products within the context of the game. [[Second Life]], an Internet-based virtual world, has attempted to blur the lines between real-world and virtual world, and companies such as Adidas, Reebok, and Dell have set up virtual stores selling real-world products within the game. [[Reuters]] also operates a news bureau reporting news in the game.

== Education in Video Games ==
It is unlikely that there is any educational value in video game usage, compared with better activities that could be pursued.

But Firaxis Games, a noteworthy video game development company, has been creating a video game series called ''Civilization'' for nearly a decade.<ref>http://www.firaxis.com/company/</ref> Civilization is a simulation game that allows the player to lead a nation from ancient times to modern-day. It features a dynamic military system, politics, trading, and historical content. It has been recognized for its unintentional educational properties.<ref>http://www.firaxis.com/community/teacher.php</ref>

Microsoft Flight Simulator is another example of a video game that may have some slight educational value.<ref>https://www.microsoft.com/Products/Games/FSInsider/product/Pages/InfoEducators.aspx</ref>

Some games are also created specifically as teaching tools. While they may not offer detailed, useful knowledge, they typically attempt at least to teach useful concepts or general information. An example of these is the now-dated game, Oregon Trail.

== Faith in Video Games ==
[[Faith]] in Video Gaming has, as a rule, either led to the creation of new and dynamic antagonists, or video games that are mediocre, such as ''Spiritual Warfare'' and ''Bible Adventure'' for the Nintendo, or ''The Bible Game'' for various systems. ''Bible Adventure'' in particular is infamous for its poor design and playability.

The Bible, or other such religious texts, tell a story spanning many different viewpoints. Turning these ideas into a video game, however, most often leads to games that tend to bore most video game audiences.

Religion has, however, taken a prominent place amongst the various heroes and villains in video games. The ''Breath of Fire'' series and the ''Shin Megami Tensei'' games, in particular, use a god as a main antagonist in many of its incarnations. Other games to use religion in some way include the ''Final Fantasy'' series, ''[[Left Behind: Eternal Forces]]'', ''Black and White'', ''Heaven and Hell'', ''Xenogears'', ''Okami'', and the ''Tales'' series, particularly ''Tales of Symphonia''. Unfortunately, many (not all) of the aforementioned games (And nearly any Role Playing game from East Asia) present religion (or it's respective church and followers) as evil, fake, or having ulterior and nefarious motives.

Games may include a fictional religion as part of the setting if the use of a real religion may invite undesirable controversy.

Video game reviewers have sometimes unjustly attacked and reviewed games where real-world religion plays a notable role. One of the most prominent examples of this is the game ''[[Left Behind: Eternal Forces]]''.<ref>http://www.gamerevolution.com/review/pc/left_behind</ref>

==See also==
*[[Young mass murderers]]
*[[Video game controversy]]
*[[Jack Thompson]]
*[[Video game industry]]
*[[Addiction]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.whattheyplay.com/ What They Play - the parent's guide to video games]
*[http://www.leftbehindgames.com/index.php Left Behind Games - a Christian, family-friendly video game company]
*[https://www.theepochtimes.com/chapter-fourteen-popular-culture-a-decadent-indulgence_2685394.html Chapter Fourteen: Popular Culture–A Decadent Indulgence], ''The Epoch Times'' (from ''How the Specter of Communism Is Ruling Our World'').

[[Category:Entertainment]]
[[Category:Video Games]]
[[Category:Computers]]

Fake news

2019-09-10T14:56:45Z

KEK40K: /* Reputable/verifiable sources */

[[File:Mifsud with Boris Johnson.jpeg|right|350px|thumb|'''FBI / CIA spy [[Joseph Mifsud]] (right) with [[UK]] prime minister [[Boris Johnson]] (center)''' two weeks after [[George Papadopoulos]]' plea agreement in the [[Mueller investigation]].<ref>https://www.politico.eu/article/boris-johnson-pictured-with-london-professor-from-fbi-russia-probe/amp/ </ref> The enite Trump-Russia conspiracy hoax was hatched by [[Obama administration|Obama]] CIA director [[John Brennan]] on the false allegation that Mifsud was a Russian agent. Mifsud had been working for Brennan and [[Jimmy the Weasel]] Comey all along.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUZ8XI_ncas Why the Mifsud Story Matters], DECLASSIFIED with Gina Shakespeare,- ''The Epoch Times'', Aug 5, 2019.</ref>]]
'''"Fake news"''' refers to liberal bias in the media that is so misleading that it is actually false. It can also include assertions of a non-political nature that seem believable but are untrue. It often incorporates the use of questionable or unnamed (and most often, non-existent) "anonymous sources" that present one or more of the following characteristics: extreme bias, consistent promotion of propaganda/conspiracies, poor or no sourcing to credible information, or a complete lack of transparency.<ref>Questionable Sources, https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/fake-news/</ref>

[[Hollywood]] fake news is in the form of "docudramas" that mix factual content with falsehoods such that viewers are misled into thinking that the falsehoods are true, as in the upcoming [[Mrs. America]] miniseries. [[mainstream media|Mainstream]] fake news has [[liberal bias]] that goes beyond reporting of facts and commentary; it can take the form of headlining a manufactured crisis to obscure real news in the daily news cycle. [[Clickbait]], a sensational headline with a body of reporting based on half-truths designed to lure a reader into a commercial website, is another form of fake news.

The motive of fake news is to manipulate public opinion using false reporting and [[bias]] for the purpose of profit or influence.<ref>Questionable Sources, https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/fake-news/</ref> It can be sourced by anonymous government [[leak]]ers or political operatives, or entirely fictional. The motive can be as simple as [[confirmation bias]] – pandering to an ideological viewership to distribute talking points or maintain ratings.

Examples of major mainstream fake news stories in the recent past are:
*The hostile opinionated misrepresentation and speculation of President Trump's intentions for celebrating the July 4th, 2019 holiday with a military parade and fireworks display in Washington DC as an occasion for self-aggrandizement, before the events occurred.<ref>Jonathan Bernstein | Bloomberg, How Is Trump’s Parade Offensive? Let Me Count the Ways, https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2019-07-03/trump-military-parade-betrays-american-values-on-fourth-of-july, July 3, 2019</ref> Mr. Trump planned and delivered festivities as a "Salute to America" to honor the U.S. military, prominent Americans and American accomplishments of the past 243 years.<ref>Ryan W Miller | ''USA Today'', Tanks, military vehicles take over DC's streets before Trump's 4th of July celebration, https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/07/03/4th-july-donald-trump-military-parade-tanks-seen-washington-dc/1637384001/, July 3, 2019</ref>
*the [[liberal media]] widely reported that actor [[Jussie Smollett]] was a victim of a [[hate crime]] when it subsequently appeared to have been a hoax;
*that a high school student wearing a pro-[[Trump]] Make America Great Again hat at the [[March for Life]] somehow acted improperly when he stood smiling while a stranger persistently beat a drum in his face;<ref>http://wbsm.com/media-sells-soul-for-nathan-phillips-opinion/</ref>
*calling the "Washington's Birthday" holiday the made-up name "Presidents' Day," which it never was under federal law;
*the deliberate manipulation of [[President Trump]]'s live [[Oval Office]] broadcast by a local [[Fox]] affiliate editor/technician;<ref>https://youtu.be/UZLs11uSg-A</ref>
*the uncorroborated, obscene sexual allegation published by ''[[The New Yorker]]'' as part of the [[Kavanaugh smear]];
*the panic reporting for several days prior to the [[2018 Midterm elections]] that a dozen fake bombs mailed to prominent [[Democrat]]s were real;<ref>Officials had determined within two hours, and the ''[[Associated Press]]'' reported that the alleged bombs were fake, however days later most prominent mainstream sources continued to allege the packages contained real bombs.</ref>
*the ''[[New York Times]]'' story that the investigation of President Trump began after [[James Comey]] was fired and not in the Spring of 2016.
*On the day documents were released verifying that the late Sen. [[John McCain]] was a major player in the [[coup]] plot against President Trump,<ref>https://www.theepochtimes.com/deposition-reveals-late-senator-mccains-role-in-spygate-scandal_2840198.html?ref=brief_News</ref> the MSM reported Trump's reaction as if it were some petty vendetta related to McCain's POW status or McCain's vote to save [[Obamacare]].
*Fake news media adopted the talking points of the [[totalitarian]] [[Chinese Communist Party]] against the [[Hong Kong]] [[democracy]] movement.<ref>https://www.theepochtimes.com/why-nbc-msnbcs-reporting-on-the-epoch-times-is-textbook-fake-news_3051327.html</ref>

Political fake news is designed to push an agenda, typically the [[liberal]] one. Non-political clickbait is designed to attract internet traffic, attention, or sales. Clickbait websites often lack known publishers hindering lawsuits against them for [[libel]] or [[slander]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2016/12/05/opinions/suing-fake-news-not-so-fast-callan/index.html|title=Sue over fake news? Not so fast|last=Callan|first=Paul|website=CNN|accessdate=April 6, 2017}}</ref> In many cases, clickbait websites resolve to [[IP address]]es located outside the United States.

==History==
"News articles" that are completely fictional have a long history. The motivation is often for the amusement of the author, or the desire to make money by selling the newspaper or handbill based on its entertainment value. Such "news articles" are sometimes purely satirical (something that has a long history), or intentionally malicious, often for political reasons. For example, malicious claims about Presidential candidates (illegitimate children, etc.) have a long history in the United States. The falsehoods have sufficient emotional impact to assure that they will be magnified in various [[Media|mediums]]. It is debated whether or not this includes [[Satire|satiric]] news.<ref>"Tall Tale or Satire? Authors of So-Called "Fake News" Feel Misjudged". ''NBC News''. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/tall-tale-or-satire-authors-so-called-fake-news-feel-n689421</ref><ref>''Fake News Watch''. http://fakenewswatch.com/</ref>

[[Walter Lippmann]], a prominent [[socialist]], indicated that the press is supposed to utilize fake news to spin a narrative and thus manufacture public consent, claiming that news and truth are not the same thing, that it requires no real training to deal with the small pool, and that everything else is in the journalist's own discretion, which includes even promoting stereotypes.<ref>http://progressingamerica.blogspot.com/2012/02/journalism-and-manufacturing-of-consent.html</ref><ref>http://progressingamerica.blogspot.com/2013/03/walter-lippmann-explains-how.html</ref><ref>http://progressingamerica.blogspot.com/2017/01/who-is-founding-father-of-fake-news.html</ref>

The explosive growth of the internet in the early years of the 21st century and the political divisiveness of the 2016 Presidential election saw explosive growth in fake news, far beyond supermarket tabloids, and the use of the term "fake news" to describe this.

===Tabloids, hoaxes, etc===
In the more recent past, but before the advent of the widespread propagation of false information through the internet, the most visible instances of "fake news" were the "supermarket tabloids" ("rag mags") that could be found at checkout counters of supermarkets. These were often full of blatant nonsense, and (nearly) everyone knew that, and bought them only for their entertainment value. Perhaps the most blatant of these was ''Weekly World News'', which seemed obsessed with some half-human half-bat creature named "bat boy," and with extraterrestrials. They sometimes devoted entire issues to extraterrestrials, and, in one instance, had three articles relating that each of the Presidential candidates in the 1992 Presidential election ([[George H. W. Bush]], [[Bill Clinton]], and [[Ross Perot]]) had been taken for a personal ride in a flying saucer to see Washington, D.C. from the air.

These fake articles continue, often with an extreme political slant. Recent issues of the ''National Enquirer'' (perhaps the most blatant fake newspaper since the demise of Weekly World News) had completely false articles about Special Forces raids, carpet bombing, drone strikes, and naval assaults by American forces in the Middle East. The ''Globe'' has run headlines alleging that Hillary Clinton is a Russian spy and has a "new treason indictment", which is not supported by the corresponding article. Another headline, unsupported by any evidence in the article, stated that Hillary Clinton and Huma Abedin were stopped trying to escape from the country. And there were numerous headlines during the 2016 Presidential campaign stating that they were in possession of evidence that would put Ms. Clinton in prison.

=== Early examples of fake news ===
Here are some early examples of fake news:

#The false claim, based on manipulation of the data, by Sir [[Arthur Eddington]] that the 1919 total eclipse of the sun proved the [[General Theory of Relativity]].
#The false reporting by the bigot [[H.L. Mencken]] on the [[Scopes Trial]].
#[[The War of the Worlds]] broadcast on [[Halloween]] night, 1938, in which Orson Wells dramatically described an invasion by hostile Martians in [[New Jersey]].
#The fake claim that President [[George H. W. Bush]] did not know what a grocery scanner was, implying that he was out of touch.<ref>[https://www.mrc.org/articles/great-george-bush-sr-grocery-scanner-urban-legend-lives The Great George Bush Sr. "Grocery Scanner" Urban Legend Lives On]. ''Media Research Center''. Retrieved December 5, 2018.</ref>

===Internet age===
Cybersecurity experts began using the term "fake news" to describe social media postings that attempted to spread false information regardless of the political ramifications of its content.

The widespread public use of the phrase by non-experts probably originated on November 14, 2016, in an announcement by [[Google]]. They said their advertising service was being pulled from sites whose purpose was to present as news what was solely designed to attract attention rather than conducted in a factual manner by a responsible party.<ref>Nicas, Jack (November 14, 2016). [https://www.wsj.com/articles/google-to-bar-fake-news-websites-from-using-its-ad-selling-software-1479164646 "Google to bar fake-news websites from using its ad-selling software"]. ''Wall Street Journal''.</ref> Fake news is also a form of "click bait". A photo would appear in an ad implying that there was a news story about the death of a celebrity, and computer users would click on the link to be taken to a website that carried heavy advertising, but no news story about the death of the living celebrity.

== Identifying fake news ==
The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) has a checklist to assist people to recognize fake news:<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://blogs.ifla.org/lpa/files/2017/01/How-to-Spot-Fake-News-1.jpg|title=How to Spot Fake News|date=January 27, 2017|website=IFLA blogs|access-date=February 16, 2017}}</ref>
# Consider the source (to understand its mission and purpose)
# Read beyond the headline (to understand the whole story)
# Check the authors (to see if they are real and credible)
# Assess the supporting sources (to ensure they support the claims)
# Check the date of publication (to see if the story is relevant and up to date)
# Ask if it is a joke (to determine if it is meant to be [[satire]])
# Review your own biases (to see if they are affecting your judgment)
# Ask experts (to get confirmation from independent people with knowledge).

===Reputation of the author===
Ultimately, a judgment about fake news rests on the reputation of its author, and the reputation and editorial stance of a news organization or book publisher. Longevity is not in and of itself proof a publication or publishing house is an established reputable service. ''[[Newsweek]]'' magazine, for instance, was once established as a "moderate" or right-leaning weekly news source to counter the perceived leftwing bias of ''[[Time magazine|Time]]'' magazine. It has since ceased publication as a print journal, and the name - ''Newsweek'' - was sold as an established, existing tradename, only to reappear online as a mainstream news source for some of the most outrageous left-wing lunacy.

In the United States the ''[[New Republic]]'', established before World War I, is considered the granddaddy of modern liberal thought, whereas the ''[[National Review]]'' established in the 1950s is considered its modern conservative counterpart. ''[[The Nation]]'' has long been deemed the voice of more marginalized [[progressive]] thinking. While staff management and editorial views have evolved over many decades, any author moving from one of these publications to another generally have professional reputations as traditional ethical journalists, unlike modern broadcast journalists, or what passes as "ethics" taught in some of the nation's most prestigious journalism and broadcast schools today.

Among book publishers, St. Martin's Press is considered a mainstream book publisher for [[Democrat]]s which no other mainstream publisher would stake its reputation on, and Regnery is considered its [[Republican]] counterpart.

The challenge for young readers is to discern good, solid, factual reporting in the internet era, at a time when an explosion of anonymous blog sites are threatening the existence of a dying print and cable news broadcast industry.<ref>A prime example of [[Joseph Schumpeter]]'s [[creative destruction]].</ref> Again the reputation of the author is all pervasive. This requires follow-up and holding the author (whether anonymous or a pseudonym) accountable, and not seeking [[confirmation bias]] in how a reader informs themselves.

===Holding the author accountable===
As can be seen, the reputation of a news organization or individual journalist can change over time, to either improve or lose credibility.

''[[The New Yorker]]'' for example, once had a reputation for vigorous fact-checking. However, after such stories on the credibility of [[Wikipedia]], its fictionalized account of the death of [[bin Laden]], its hit piece on the person and character of ''American Sniper'' hero [[Chris Kyle]], and it's partisan, sloppy, and outrageous attacks on [[Brett Kavanaugh]], have called ''The New Yorker's'' viability as a reputable source into question.

Ronan Farrow, who writes for the ''New Yorker'' appeared as a bright and shining rising star in the field of investigative journalism, at a moment when public perception of journalists was at its lowest. Farrow fearlessly wrote about the deviant sexual predations of Democrat kingpins and mega-donors such as [[Harvey Weinstein]] and others, for which he won a [[Pulitzer Prize]]. Farrow even described the intimidation tactics wealthy predators use against female victims and himself by hired thugs and ex-intelligence agents to silence people. Farrow was a hero of the [[MeToo movement]]. Then Farrow tossed his reputation to the wind by signing his name to unsubstantiated smears, which his own reporting debunked, in a vicious partisan smear of [[Judge Brett Kavanaugh]]. Farrow sold out, and his actions now have the opposite effect of adding credibility to the defense and rehabilitation of Harvey Weinstein.

===Circular reporting or wrap up smear===
A '''wrap up smear''',<ref>https://youtu.be/SMJdDwQlcc8</ref> also known as a '''circular reporting''', '''circular journalism''' or an '''echo chamber''', occurs when [[partisan]] sources [[leak]] false information to journalists then use those same published accounts to validate their claims.

Several instances in recent memory illustrate the technique during the [[Trump-Russia collusion hoax]] and the [[Kavanaugh smear]]. In Trump-Russia, a false allegation that Trump colluded with Russia was [[leak]]ed by Democratic operatives to get news organizations to publicize the claim, then biased [[Obama administration]] employees used those news stories as supposed evidence to obtain FBI [[surveillance]] warrants on the Trump campaign.

CNN, the ''Washington Post'', the ''New York Times'' and numerous other organizations reported fabricated information by anonymous sources throughout 2016, 2017, and 2018. The published reports became the basis of the [[Trump-Russia conspiracy hoax]] and [[FISA abuse]] scandal. When mainstream media published the false information, the Obama FBI, Justice Department, CIA and [[DNI]] used the fake news (originating with themselves) as supposed corroboration from "independent journalists" to begin investigations, interviews, perjury traps, seek warrants, perform [[Gang of Eight]] briefings, and appoint a [[Mueller office|Special Prosecutor]] to pursue political objectives.
*[[Michael Sussmann]] who worked with the general counsel of the Clinton campaign and the DNC gave fake evidence to the FBI and ''New York Times'' that a webserver in Trump Tower was communicating with a Russian bank. The smears were found to be without foundation.<ref>https://themarketswork.com/2019/01/21/baker-testimony-reveals-perkins-coie-lawyer-provided-fbi-with-information-on-alfa-bank-allegations/</ref>
*[[Christopher Steele]] who worked for Hillary Clinton gave false evidence to the FBI and numerous mainstream media outlets that [[Carter Page]] was a Russian spy, when in fact Page was a former FBI informant who helped jail Russian spies.
*Steele gave bogus sexual innuendo about Trump to the FBI; [[DNI]] [[James Clapper]] leaked to CNN than that Trump had been briefed on the information, thus creating a "Breaking News" story.<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2018/04/20/anatomy-of-a-political-smear-confirmed-james-comey-january-briefing-was-scripted-by-clapper-and-brennan-to-create-media-narrative/</ref>

In the Kavanaugh smear, false sexual abuse allegations were leaked by Senate Democrat committee staffers to produce sensationalized headlines and martial public pressure in an emotional cause.

Sen. [[Dianne Feinstein]] or a staffer leaked a letter from Dr. [[Christine Blasey Ford]] to the ''Washington Post'' alleging notes from a therapist and a polygraph exam were material evidence of a sexual assault, sparking a hue and cry on the [[Left]] for extended nomination hearings and FBI investigation of [[Judge Kavanaugh]]. The alleged "material evidence" was never provided to the FBI or Senate Judiciary Committee for examination and consideration, and the accuser caught in a series of conflicting sworn public statements.

===Mainstream false reporting in the Russia collusion hoax===
[[File:27067022 1565197686869300 6687960957434384962 n.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Mainstream news sources published fake news stories put out by the [[Obama administration]] stirring up public hysteria to cover-up its illegal surveillance of the 2016 Trump campaign.]]
These mainstream journalists and news organizations in one capacity or other were willing participants in the [[Trump-Russia collusion hoax]]. The plan to exonerate Hillary Clinton of criminal charges, sabotage Donald Trump's election chances, and later his presidency, originated with corrupt elements of the [[Obama administration]], in collusion with the [[Democratic party]]. Allies opposed to Trump's demand that [[NATO]] members give more to fund the alliance, and Russian sources feeding Democrats false information also contributed.

These journalists reported fake news from the [[Hillary Clinton]] funded ''[[Steele dossier]]'', which Hillary Clinton paid foreign agents, including Russian agents, to interfere in the [[2016 presidential election]]. The false information was knowingly presented by the Obama [[Justice Department]] and [[FBI]] to the [[FISA court]] to obtain retro-active approval for an illegal domestic spying operation against Obama and Clinton's political opponents. These journalists actively colluded with the Democrats [[seditious]] activity to overturn the results of the 2016 presidential election:

[[Ken Bensinger]], [[BuzzFeed]] reporter who received ''Steele dossier'' from [[David Kramer]], Sen. [[John McCain]]'s [[Chief of Staff]]. [[Ken Dilanian]], [[NBC News]]. [[David Corn]], ''[[Mother Jones]]''. [[Michael Isikoff]], Yahoo News. [[Ali Watkins]], BuzzFeed and ''[[The New York Times]]''. [[Brian Ross]] and [[Matt Mosk]], ABC News. [[Carl Bernstein]] and [[Jake Tapper]]. [[CNN]]. [[Julian Borger]], ''[[The Guardian]]''. [[Peter Stone]] and [[Greg Gordon]], McClatchy. [[Bob Little]] and [[Rachel Martin]], NPR. [[Evan Perez]], [[Jim Sciutto]], [[Tom Hamburger]], [[Rosalind Helderman]], and [[Fred Hiatt]], ''[[The Washington Post]]''. [[Allan Cullison]], ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]''.

Other willing participants were: ''[[The New Yorker]]'', ''[[Huffington Post]]'', ''[[Newsweek]]'', [[MSNBC]], ''[[Politico]]'', ''[[Vanity Fair]]'' and ''[[Slate]]''. All these continued to report the fake Russia collusion narrative even after it was thoroughly debunked, and none have issued retractions to their reporting.<ref>https://youtu.be/vYGkB329rcM</ref> The uncorroborated allegations violated every tenet of traditional, respectable [[journalism]]. None of it would have been possible without the help of several global media organizations willingly publicizing the false narrative of Trump collusion with the Russian government.<ref>https://themarketswork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/inforgraphic-838x1024.jpg</ref>

On March 25, 2019 Tim Murtaugh, the director of communications for President Trump, sent out a memo to all television producers regarding the “credibility of certain guests.” In particular, the memo cited a list of “guests who made outlandish, false claims, without evidence, on your airwaves.” Included were Sen. [[Richard Blumenthal]] (D-Conn.), Rep. [[Adam Schiff]] (D-Calif.), Rep. [[Jerrold Nadler]] (D-N.Y.), Rep. [[Eric Swalwell]] (D-Calif.), DNC Chairman [[Tom Perez]] and former CIA Director [[John Brennan]]. The memo asked the producers to “employ basic journalistic standards when booking such guests.”<ref>https://twitter.com/jonathanvswan/status/1110254539163291648</ref>

===Participants in the Kavanaugh smear===
[[NBC News]], ''[[The New Yorker]]'', ''[[The Washington Post]]'', [[Stephen Colbert]], [[ABC News]], [[CBS News]], [[USA Today]].

===Participants in the Covington Catholic kids smear===
:{{Main article|Covington Catholic kids}}
''[[The Washington Post]]'', ''[[The New York Times]]'', ''[[Cable News Network]]'' (CNN), ''[[The Guardian]]'', ''[[National Public Radio]]'', [[TMZ]], [[Atlantic Media]], [[Capitol Hill Publishing]], [[Ann Cabrera]] (CNN), [[Sara Sidner]] (CNN), [[Erin Burnett]] (CNN), [[S. E. Cupp]] (CNN), [[Elliot C. McLaughlin]] (CNN), [[Amanda Watts]] (CNN), [[Emmanuella Grinberg]] (CNN), [[Michelle Boorstein]] (''Washington Post''), [[Cleve R. Wootson Jr.]] (''Washington Post''), [[Antonio Olivo]] (''Washington Post''), [[Joe Heim]] (''Washington Post''), [[Michael E. Miller]] (''Washington Post''), [[Eli Rosenberg]] (''Washington Post''), [[Isaac Stanley-Becker]] (''Washington Post''), [[Kristine Philips]] (''Washington Post''), [[Sarah Mervosh]] (''Washington Post''), [[Emily S. Roeb]] (''New York Times''), [[Maggie Haberman]] (''New York Times''), [[David Brooks]] (''New York Times''), [[Shannon Doyne]], [[Kurt Eichenwald]], [[Andrea Mitchell]] (''[[NBC]]/[[MSNBC]]''), [[Savannah Guthrie]] (NBC), [[Joy Reid]] (MSNBC), [[Chuck Todd]] (NBC), [[Noah Berlatsky]], [[Elisha Fieldstadt]] (NBC), [[Eun Kyung Kim]], [[HBO]], [[Bill Maher]], [[Warner Media]], [[Condé Nast]], ''[[GQ]]'', [[Heavy.com]], [[The Hill]], ''[[The Atlantic]]'', Bustle.com, [[Kathy Griffin]], [[Alyssa Milano]] and [[Jim Carrey]].<ref>https://www.dailywire.com/news/42988/nick-sandmanns-lawyer-sends-letters-these-54-ryan-saavedra?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=benshapiro</ref>

==President Trump and "fake news"==
:{{main|Mainstream media and Donald Trump}}

===2016 election and aftermath===
It has been confirmed that many fake news sites were actually created and managed by liberal Democrats ("false flag" operations) who support [[Hillary Clinton]] and oppose [[Donald Trump]] who engage in their [[Deceit|deception]] in an attempt to discredit conservatives and Trump.<ref name="NPR"/><ref>Dewey, Caitlin (November 17, 2016). [https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2016/11/17/facebook-fake-news-writer-i-think-donald-trump-is-in-the-white-house-because-of-me/?utm_term=.b3656316a9a1 Facebook fake-news writer: ‘I think Donald Trump is in the White House because of me’]. ''The Washington Post''. Retrieved December 8, 2016.</ref> One of them, Jestin Coler, a Democrat and Clinton supporter who owns the company Disinfomedia, runs several fake news sites that create "conservative" fake news stories.<ref name="NPR">Sydell, Laura (November 23, 2016). "[https://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2016/11/23/503146770/npr-finds-the-head-of-a-covert-fake-news-operation-in-the-suburbs We Tracked Down A Fake-News Creator In The Suburbs. Here's What We Learned]." ''NPR''. Retrieved December 8, 2016.</ref>

A topic of fake news stories after the 2016 election was whether there was violence between Trump supporters and opponents. After the 2016 election, several violent and disturbing anti-Trump attacks occurred throughout the nation against Trump supporters or supposed Trump supporters. Despite these attacks, liberals and leftists only focused on alleged "attacks" by Trump supporters against minorities and others (the leftist narrative, although being blatantly false and one-sided, fits their manufactured narrative that Trump supporters are "racist" and "evil" and that leftists are "tolerant" and "forgiving"). Fox News found that despite the number of real anti-Trump attacks which went largely unreported, several of the "pro-Trump" attacks were hoaxes.<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/01/05/facebook-live-attack-latest-in-string-anti-trump-assaults.html Facebook Live attack the latest in string of anti-Trump assaults]. ''Fox News''. January 5, 2017. Retrieved January 8, 2017.</ref>

One widely shared fake story, spread by the mainstream media, that Trump's election had led to a rise in anti-Semitism by white supremcists—it turned out that bomb threats at a synagogue were actually carried out by "an African-American left-wing journalist" and a "Jewish teenager in Israel, with dual citizenship in the U.S."<ref>Pollak, Joel (March 29, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/03/29/fake-news-donald-trump-antisemitism-vindicated/ Donald Trump Vindicated: Antisemitism Surge ‘Fake News’]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved March 29, 2017.</ref>

Following the 2016 election in which Trump won, [[liberals]], the [[mainstream media]], and [[social media]] had misapplied the term "fake news" to make the false accusation that [[Alternative Media|alternative news]] and Russian sources are "deliberately lying" to their readers, listeners, and viewers, and that these "lies" helped elect [[Donald Trump]] [[President of the United States]]. The liberal-pushed "fake news" accusations are a form of [[conspiracy theory]]. However, the [[mainstream media]] itself publishes and promotes fake news stories,<ref>Heinlein, Peter (May 30, 2017). [https://www.voanews.com/a/donald-trump-frustrated-fake-news-overlooks-accomplishments/3878266.html Trump Frustrated by 'Fake News' That Overlooks His Accomplishments]. ''Voice of America''. Retrieved June 26, 2017.</ref> from appearing in its nightly network newscasts, on its cable news channels, in its newspapers and on its websites (including Facebook). The MSM has allegedly been adopting safeguards to prevent itself from reporting fake news stories,<ref name="Tech Crunch"/><ref name="Barron"/> but it has been unsuccessful based on more recent examples.

===Russia hacked the DNC===
No evidence has ever been presented the Russians, Russian entities, or the Russian government ever hacked, or attempted to hack, the servers of the [[Democratic National Committee]]. Russians did, however, make failed efforts to hack into the voter rolls of state election boards, notably those maintained by [[Georgia]] Secretary of State [[Brian Kemp]]. The Obama White House, however, at the direction of [[Susan Rice]] and others, conflated the issue of Russian attempted hacking of state election boards with the release of DNC emails by [[WikiLeaks]].

Disgraced FBI director [[James Comey]] testified to Congress that the [[FBI]] never examined DNC servers to determine if they had indeed been hacked, and by who. Evidence suggests the public disclosure of [[John Podesta]], [[Debbie Wasserman Schultz]], and other Democratic operatives' emails came from an inside [[whistleblower]] source. Some speculate the inside [[leak]]er was [[Seth Rich]], whose murder, like the DNC breach itself, was never fully investigated. The fake news narrative of "Russia hacked the DNC," was coined by [[CrowdStrike|a private security firm hired by the DNC]] after the security breach was discovered.

The only known evidence that exists points to an inside leaker, who downloaded the DNC emails on a flash drive and likely forwarded them to WikiLeaks.

===Presidency===
At his first press conference as president-elect, [[Donald Trump]] described [[CNN]] as "fake news." Since becoming president, Trump has accused major news organizations with "fake news" and "very fake news." On February 17, 2017, Trump tweeted:<ref>Greenwood, Mark (February 17, 2017). [https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/320168-trump-the-media-is-the-enemy-of-the-american-people Trump tweets: The media is the 'enemy of the American people']. ''The Hill''. Retrieved February 27, 2017.</ref>
{{cquote|The FAKE NEWS media (failing @nytimes, @NBCNews, @ABC, @CBS, @CNN) is not my enemy, it is the enemy of the American People!}}
On November 27, 2017, President Trump tweeted:<ref>Spiering, Charlie (November 27, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/11/27/trump-proposes-fake-news-trophy-tv-networks-cnn/ Donald Trump Proposes ‘Fake News Trophy’ for TV Networks and CNN]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved November 28, 2017.</ref><ref>Fabian, Jordan (November 27, 2017). [https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/361932-trump-media-should-compete-for-fake-news-trophy Trump: Media should compete for 'FAKE NEWS TROPHY']. ''The Hill''. Retrieved November 28, 2017.</ref>
{{cquote|We should have a contest as to which of the Networks, plus CNN and not including Fox, is the most dishonest, corrupt and/or distorted in its political coverage of your favorite President (me). They are all bad. Winner to receive the FAKE NEWS TROPHY!}}
''The Washington Post'' reported in June 2017 of a meeting held between President Trump and [[Federal Communications Commission]] Chairman [[Ajit Pai]] that never occurred.<ref>Moran, Sean (June 23, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/06/23/fake-news-washington-post-invents-meeting-between-fcc-chair-ajit-pai-and-president-trump/ Fake News: Washington Post Invents Meeting Between FCC Chair Ajit Pai and President Trump]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved June 24, 2017.</ref>

Also in June 2017, ''The New York Times'' falsely stated that 17 U.S. intelligence agencies agreed with an assessment that Russia made hacks into the 2016 presidential election – the actual number was four, with one dissenting from the report's conclusions.<ref>Mason, Ian (June 30, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/06/30/nyt-turns-out-17-intelligence-agencies-was-fake-news/ New York Times: Turns Out ‘17 Intelligence Agencies’ Was Fake News]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved July 1, 2017.</ref> The Associated Press reported, and retracted, the same falsehood.<ref>Klein, Aaron (July 1, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/07/01/fake-news-associated-press-clarifies-17-intel-agencies-did-not-assess-alleged-russia-interference/ Fake News: Associated Press Clarifies 17 U.S. Intel Agencies Did Not Assess Russia ‘Interference’]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved July 1, 2017.</ref> Obama Administration [[Director of National Intelligence]] confirmed that "the report itself makes it clear that it was the three agencies plus the Office of the Director of National Intelligence that put this intelligence community assessment together."<ref>Poor, Jeff (July 7, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/video/2017/07/07/fmr-obama-dni-clapper-3-4-intelligence-agencies-agreed-russian-interference-wasnt-17/ Fmr Obama DNI Clapper: Only 3 or 4 Intelligence Agencies Agreed on Russian Interference — ‘It Wasn’t 17’]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved July 7, 2017.</ref>

In May 2018, left-wing activists and some members of the mainstream media, such as New York Times Magazine editor-in-chief Jake Silverstein and NPR, shared pictures of detained illegal immigrant children sleeping in cages and blamed the Trump Administration for it despite those pictures having been taken during the Obama Administration.<ref>Multiple references:
*Flood, Brian (May 29, 2018). [https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2018/05/29/embarrassment-for-new-york-times-as-top-editor-falls-for-old-photo-amid-weekend-misleading-anti-trump-tweets.html Embarrassment for New York Times as top editor falls for old photo amid weekend of misleading anti-Trump tweets]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
*Starr, Penny (May 30, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/05/30/aclu-npr-use-2014-claims-to-trash-trump-policy/ ACLU, NPR Use 2014 Immigration Claims to Trash Trump Policy]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved May 30, 2018.
*Mikelionis, Lukas (May 28, 2018). [https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/05/28/former-obama-official-liberal-activists-share-2014-photos-from-detention-facility-as-swipe-at-trump.html Former Obama official, liberal activists share 2014 photos from detention facility as swipe at Trump]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
*Spiering, Charlie (May 29, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/05/29/donald-trump-rips-democrats-for-tweeting-border-pictures-from-2014/ Donald Trump Rips Democrats for Tweeting Border Pictures from 2014]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved May 29, 2018.</ref> An Associated Press report discussing alleged abuse at an illegal immigrant detention center left out the fact that Obama was president when the abuse happened.<ref>Scarry, Eddie (June 21, 2018). [https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/ap-report-on-alleged-illegal-immigrant-abuse-at-detention-centers-omits-obama-was-president-at-time AP report on alleged illegal immigrant abuse at detention centers omits Obama was president at time]. ''Washington Examiner''. Retrieved June 21, 2018.</ref> Other media sources have published fake news about President Trump's immigration policies.<ref>Binder, John (June 1, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-journalism/2018/06/01/establishment-media-issues-four-corrections-after-falsely-claiming-trump-separating-families-at-border/ Establishment Media Issues Four Corrections After Falsely Claiming Trump Separating Families at Border]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved June 2, 2018.</ref><ref>Nolte, John (July 9, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-journalism/2018/07/09/associated-press-becomes-fake-news-factory-with-immigration-lies/ Associated Press Becomes Fake News Factory with Immigration Lies]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved July 9, 2018.</ref>

When President Trump criticized liberal environmental idiocy and forest management for failure to clean up fallen dead wood which provided the fuel for deadly California wildfires,<ref>https://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/editorials/article216320500.html</ref> mainstream fake news organizations reported it as if the President was criticizing firefighters.<ref>https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2018/11/11/politics/california-wildfires-trump-tweets/index.html</ref> CNN reported the bald face lies that the President had "attacked firefighters" and was "threatening to withhold aid to the victims."

In June 2019, while attending the G-20 summit in OSAKA, Japan, President Trump and [[Vladimir Putin]] briefly discussed Fake News. President Trump offered disdain for the assembled media, during a meeting between the two nation leaders. This occurred shortly after Putin had celebrated the rise of the populist right in Europe and the United States and that, in his opinion, traditional "Western-style" liberalism had "become obsolete.” Trump stated, “Fake news is a great term, isn’t it? You don’t have this problem in Russia, but we do.” However Putin insisted in English, "We also have, It’s the same." When Mr. Trump was then asked by a news ''reporter'' if he would tell Russia not to meddle in American elections, Trump responded, “Yes, of course I will.” Mr. Trump then turned to Mr. Putin and said, "Don’t meddle in the election, President." Mr. Trump then pointed at another Russian official and repeated, “Don’t meddle in the election.” <ref>Peter Baker and Michael Crowley
| ''New York Times'', Trump and Putin Share Joke About Election Meddling, Sparking New Furor, https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/28/us/politics/trump-putin-election.html, June 28, 2019</ref> The follow up media coverage of the light-hearted warning Mr. Trump made to Mr. Putin resulted in claiming Trump is a national security risk and that he had "triggered a fresh furor over his accommodating approach to Russia."

In July 2019, Speaker [[Nancy Pelosi]] violated House Rules in a failed attempt to pass a House Resolution condemning President Trump for alleged "racist" tweets. Mainstream fake news sources used the events to categorically refer to President Trump's "racist attacks."

===Russia and James Comey===
[[File:DgKWrfIVMAANg8k.jpeg|right|300px|thumb]]
Former FBI Director [[James Comey]], during his testimony to Congress, debunked two fake news stories on ''The New York Times''<ref>Scarborough, Rowan (June 8, 2017). [https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/jun/8/james-comey-debunks-new-york-times-story-fueled-un/ James Comey debunks New York Times story that fueled unproven Trump-Russia collusion]. ''The Washington Times''. Retrieved June 9, 2017.</ref> and CNN,<ref>Pollak, Joel B. (June 7, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-journalism/2017/06/07/james-comey-testimony-proves-trump-right-cnn-wrong/ James Comey Testimony Proves Trump Right, CNN Wrong]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved June 9, 2017.</ref> respectively.

After several inaccuracies and flaws were found in a [[CNN]] article that attacked Trump and his allies over a Russia fund, CNN retracted the article.<ref>Boyle, Matthew (June 23, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/06/23/very-fake-news-after-breitbart-investigation-cnn-retracts-conspiracy-theory-hit-piece-attacking-trump-associates-over-russian-fund/ Very Fake News: After Breitbart Investigation, CNN Retracts Conspiracy Theory Hit Piece Attacking Trump, Associates Over Russian Fund]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved June 24, 2017.</ref><ref>Boyle, Matthew (June 24, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/06/24/cnn-under-fire-very-fake-news-network-hit-from-all-sides-as-breitbart-investigation-forces-rare-retraction/ CNN Under Fire: ‘Very Fake News’ Network Hit from All Sides as Breitbart Investigation Forces Rare Retraction]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved June 25, 2017.</ref> Three CNN employees resigned due to the resulting scandal.<ref>Boyle, Matthew (June 26, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-journalism/2017/06/26/three-employees-resign-from-cnn-amid-very-fake-news-scandal/ Three Employees Resign from CNN Amid Very Fake News Scandal]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved June 27, 2017.</ref><ref>Adams, Becket (June 26, 2017). [https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/three-cnn-staffers-quit-over-retracted-story/article/2627155 Three CNN staffers quit over retracted story]. ''Washington Examiner''. Retrieved June 27, 2017.</ref>

ABC News ran a banner headline claiming [[Paul Manafort]] pled guilty to five counts of [[manslaughter]].

''The Washington Post'' falsely reported in August 2018 that the Trump Administration was denying passports to Hispanic Americans along the border with Mexico,<ref>Multiple references:
*Munro, Neil (August 30, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/08/30/state-dept-slams-wapo-claim-texas-latinos-are-being-denied-passports/ State Dept. Slams WaPo Claim Texas Latinos Are Being Denied Passports]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved September 18, 2018.
*Munro, Neil (September 17, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/09/17/huffpo-whacks-washpo-for-claiming-trump-blocks-latino-passports/ Washington Post Busted for Fake News of Trump Admin ‘Denying Passports’ to Latinos]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved September 18, 2018.
*Adams, Becket (September 17, 2018). [https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/the-washington-posts-scoop-on-trump-revoking-visas-at-the-border-it-was-a-pile-of-garbage The Washington Post's 'scoop' on Trump revoking visas at the border — it was a pile of garbage]. ''Washington Examiner''. Retrieved September 18, 2018.</ref><ref name="NYTWaPoFake">Stoltzfoos, Rachel (September 18, 2018). [https://thefederalist.com/2018/09/18/legacy-outlets-add-two-botched-hit-pieces-pile-stinky-reporting-trump/ Legacy Outlets Add Two More Botched Hit Pieces To A Pile Of Stinky Reporting On Trump]. ''The Federalist''. Retrieved September 18, 2018.</ref> and ''The New York Times'' falsely reported in September 2018 that UN Ambassador [[Nikki Haley]] spent $53,000 on curtains when they actually were approved during the Obama Administration.<ref name="NYTWaPoFake"/><ref>Multiple references:
*Flood, Brian (September 14, 2018). [https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2018/09/14/new-york-times-admits-creating-unfair-impression-about-nikki-haleys-53g-curtains-that-were-okd-by-obama-administration.html New York Times admits creating 'unfair impression' about Nikki Haley's $53G curtains that were OK'd by Obama administration]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved September 18, 2018.
*Nolte, John (September 14, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-journalism/2018/09/14/new-york-times-spreads-fake-news-about-nikki-haleys-52701-curtains/ New York Times Spreads Fake News About Nikki Haley’s $52,701 Curtains]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved September 18, 2018.</ref>

===Crisis on the border===
In January 2019 President Trump made a nationally televised address from the Oval Office to request funding from the Democratically controlled House for the growing humanitarian crisis on the Southern border.<ref>https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/president-trump/trump-makes-humanitarian-case-for-wall-calling-border-situation-%E2%80%98a-crisis-of-the-soul%E2%80%99/ar-BBRZJlh</ref> Democrats and the [[mainstream media]] called it a "manufactured crisis,"<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8K8dwSt1hog&feature=youtu.be</ref> denying such a crisis existed.<ref>https://thefederalist.com/2019/07/03/x-times-the-media-said-there-was-no-crisis-at-the-southern-border/</ref> After a photo of the bodies of a father and his 23 month old daughter who drowned in the [[Rio Grande]] river trying to enter the United States illegally was widely published,<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PxNj4_mEVg</ref> some Democrats, most notably [[Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez]], falsely charged the U.S. with maintaining "[[concentration camp]]s" on the Southern border since the Obama era,<ref>https://www.ushmm.org/information/press/press-releases/statement-regarding-the-museums-position-on-holocaust-analogies</ref><ref>Walter Shaub was the Obama era director of the United States Office of Government Ethics, now Senior Director of the election law organization Campaign Legal Center. https://archive.fo/tMEu5</ref> forcing migrants to drink toilet water,<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q48Ch_6kU5A</ref><ref>https://www.businessinsider.in/photo-shows-hybrid-of-toilet-and-drinking-fountain-in-migrant-detention-centers-where-women-allegedly-had-to-drink-from-the-bowl/articleshow/70041097.cms</ref> and then voted ''against'' bills to provide funding for humanitarian relief.<ref>https://dailycaller.com/2019/06/28/ocasio-cortez-senate-mcconnell-house-border-bill-tapper/</ref>

==Examples of fake news==
While many examples of fake news appeared during Donald Trump's presidency, the problem existed long before his election.<ref>Miller, S.A. (December 30, 2018). [https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/dec/30/donald-trumps-fake-news-call-often-real/ 'Fake news' a real problem long before Trump era, media watchdogs say]. ''The Washington Times''. Retrieved December 31, 2018.</ref>

One of the more infamous examples of fake news was when former CBS News anchor [[Dan Rather]] used forgeries of the Killian Documents on George W. Bush's service record in order to sway the 2004 election, which resulted in his firing after being exposed. See [[Rathergate]] for more details.

[[File:Rice Benghazi.jpg|right|350px|thumb|Obama National Security Advisor Susan Rice putting out the fake news narrative that a planned terrorist attack and massacre of Americans was only a spontaneous riot spawned out of a peaceful demonstration.]]
Obama National Security Advisor [[Susan Rice]] appeared on the five major network Sunday talk shows to put out an official fake news narrative that a [[terrorist]] attack against Americans two months before a presidential election was only a peaceful demonstration that turned into a riot. Despite evidence the contrary, many mainstream news organizations adopted the fake news narrative as fact for its viewers and readers and branded skeptics as conspiracy theorists and racists who opposed a black president.

The most common example of fake news is the "click bait" ads that appear on social media sites saying "Hollywood prepares to say good-bye to [name of celebrity]" implying that the celebrity has just died. People then click on the ad to visit a website to learn about the celebrity's death, which boosts the number of page views on that site. However, the fake news will trend if more people start re-tweeting or sharing the item without visiting the underlying website in the belief that the celebrity has just died.

Fake news is frequently used by radical Islamic terrorists to recruit new adherents. The terrorists will either create or embellish fake news accounts of anti-Islamic acts to radicalize members in target populations. For example, terrorists would spread news accounts of people urinating on the Koran at U.S. military prisons. Another fake news item was that a U.S. company was hiring mercenaries to kill ISIS militants.<ref name=snopes/> Again, the emotional impact of the fake news assured that it would spread quickly through social media.

According to FBI cyber experts, during the 2016 presidential election, Russians used armies of Twitter bots to spread fake news using accounts that seem to be Midwestern swing-voter Republicans.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2017/04/03/522503844/how-russian-twitter-bots-pumped-out-fake-news-during-the-2016-election|title=How Russian Twitter Bots Pumped Out Fake News During The 2016 Election|date=April 3, 2017|work=NPR|accessdate=April 4, 2017}}</ref> Leading up to the March 15, 2017 election in the Netherlands, Russia was found to use social media to spread "fake news" to influence public opinion.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.politico.eu/article/russia-spread-fake-news-during-dutch-election-report-putin/|title=Russia spread fake news during Dutch election: report|date=April 4, 2017|work=Politico|accessdate=April 4, 2017}}</ref>

One possible example of fake news was the announcement by the [[mainstream media]] that [[Fidel Castro]] died at age 90 on November 25, 2016.<ref>https://www.cnn.com/2016/11/26/americas/fidel-castro-obit/</ref> In fact, the [[Obama Administration]] and major news outlets were likely aware that Castro had died of a terminal illness many years earlier. Indeed, [[Obama]] did not even mention, let alone visit, Castro during Obama's visit to Cuba in March 2016, and neither the president, vice-president, or other high-ranking elected official of the United States attended Castro's "funeral".

One fake news item from ''Freedom Daily'' in February 2017 was: "BREAKING: Federal Judge Just Officially Ruled CNN Is FAKE NEWS And Forces SHOCKING Punishment On Them!" However, this was a misreporting of a Georgia federal district court judge denying CNN's motion for summary judgment in a defamation action filed by a hospital executive against CNN. No "shocking punishment" was involved and the case will go to trial on the merits.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.snopes.com/cnn-fake-news/|title=Did a Judge Rule That CNN Is 'Fake News'?|date=Feb 17, 2017|accessdate=April 5, 2017|work=Snopes}}</ref>

A poorly-sourced February 4 ''Washington Post'' article claimed a feud existed between DHS Secretary [[John F. Kelly]] and [[Steve Bannon]], when in fact, none existed. The article's author was forced to admit his error.<ref>Hayward, John (February 8, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/02/08/fake-news-dhs-secretary-calls-wapo-john-kelly-steve-bannon-feud-a-fantasy-story/ Fake News: DHS Secretary Calls WaPo ‘John Kelly-Steve Bannon Feud’ a ‘Fantasy Story’]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved May 18, 2017.</ref> In June 2017, the [[Associated Press]] reported, and later corrected, a story that EPA Administrator [[Scott Pruitt]] met with Dow Chemical CEO Andrew Liveris – something which did not actually happen.<ref>Boyle, Matthew (June 30, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/06/30/fake-news-associated-press-engulfed-in-cnn-level-scandal-as-it-covers-up-invention-of-imaginary-pruitt-meeting/ Fake News: Associated Press Engulfed in CNN-Level Scandal as It Covers Up Invention of Imaginary Pruitt Meeting]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved July 1, 2017.</ref>

In November 2017, ''The Washington Post'' claimed that the conservative [[Breitbart News]] created the nickname "Mr. Perfect" when referring to [[Jared Kushner]], while in reality, Kushner's own companies created the nickname to promote themselves in China.<ref>Mason, Ian (November 27, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/11/27/wapo-forgets-kushners-came-up-with-mr-perfect-on-their-own/ WaPo Forgets Kushners Came Up with ‘Mr. Perfect’ on Their Own]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved November 27, 2017.</ref> Also in November 2017, [[MSNBC]]'s ''Morning Joe'' show was caught broadcasting a pre-taped post-Thanksgiving show while pretending on air to be broadcasting live.<ref>Rodriguez, Katherine (November 26, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-journalism/2017/11/26/fake-news-morning-joe-caught-pretending-pre-taped-day-thanksgiving-show-live/ Fake News: Morning Joe Caught Pretending Pre-Taped Day After Thanksgiving Show Was Live]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved November 27, 2017.</ref>

In April 2018, the Associated Press and ''The Washington Post'' falsely claimed that the NRA decided to ban concealed carry at an upcoming speech by Vice President [[Mike Pence]] at its convention, when it was actually the Secret Service that forced the organization to do so.<ref>Multiple references:
*Hawkins, Awr (April 30, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/04/30/fake-news-ap-wapo-claim-nra-bans-guns-at-mike-pence-speech/ Fake News: AP, WaPo Claim NRA Bans Guns at Mike Pence Speech]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
*Adelmann, Bob (May 1, 2018). [https://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/item/28948-more-fake-news-nra-bans-guns-at-its-own-convention More Fake News: NRA Bans Guns at Its Own Convention!] ''The New American''. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
*Richardson, Bradford (April 30, 2018). [https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/apr/30/associated-press-issues-correction-report-nra-bann/ AP issues correction on report that NRA banned guns for Mike Pence speech]. ''The Washington Times''. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
*Concha, Joe (April 30, 2018). [https://thehill.com/homenews/media/385563-ap-corrects-earlier-report-that-nra-banned-guns-at-pence-speech AP corrects earlier report that NRA banned guns at Pence speech]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved April 30, 2018.</ref>

In June 2019, ''MSNBC'' news anchor [[Kasie Hunt]] spread the Fake News narrative that 2020 Democratic Presidential candidate [[Joe Biden]] mentioned being able to work with [[Segregationists]] who were misidentified as "Republicans". Joe Biden did specifically name two segregationist Senators: [[James Eastland]] of [[Mississippi]] and [[Herman Talmadge]] of [[Georgia]]. However, both men were "proud, card-carrying members of the Democrat Party".<ref>Kasie Hunt Spreads Fake News Biden’s Segregationist Pals Were ‘Republicans’, https://www.teaparty.org/kasie-hunt-spreads-fake-news-bidens-segregationist-pals-were-republicans-368762/, June 19, 2019</ref><ref>U.S. Breaking News, Kasie Hunt Spreads Fake News Biden’s Segregationist Pals Were ‘Republicans’, https://usbreakingnews.net/2019/06/20/kasie-hunt-spreads-fake-news-bidens-segregationist-pals-were-republicans/, June 20, 2019</ref>

=== CNN and fake news ===
[[File:Ralph Northam (D-VA) in blackface.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Democrat shill [[Don Lemon]] (left); Democratic Governor Ralph Northam (in blackface) (right).]]
In first half of 2017, [[CNN]]'s market share relative to its competitors saw a marked decline.<ref>[http://www.dailywire.com/news/18088/death-spiral-along-its-credibility-cnn-ratings-john-nolte Death Spiral: Along With Its Credibility, CNN Ratings Collapse], Daily Wire, 2017.</ref> In addition, it faced repeated losses of its credibility through its lapses of journalistic judgment and ethical lapses.<ref>
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FpMb6dATfo CNN faces credibility crisis over Trump coverage]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-X2jG5hdl4 Tucker: When did CNN become internet morality police?]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOOYIa-sOB4 CNN IS FAKE NEWS] by Stefan Molyneux
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjkdfdFbeFk The news keeps getting worse for CNN as #CNNBlackmail trends]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCewpjd2Yfc CNN Threatens Reddit User For Exercising Free Speech | #CNNBlackmail]
</ref> President [[Donald Trump]] publicly says CNN produces "fake news" and he also told a CNN reporter that CNN produces "very fake news".<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-7nkj26edA Trump to CNN: "Very Fake News"]</ref> Subsequently, CNN has been derided as being "FNN: Fake News Network".<ref>[https://insider.foxnews.com/2017/06/27/president-trump-blasts-cnn-retracted-russia-story-fake-news 'Fake News Network': Trump Blasts CNN for Retracted Russia Story], Fox News Network</ref>

In May 2017, a CNN program claimed that [[Islam]] "has always been part of the American fabric" even as far back as the American Revolution, despite the apparent contradiction with the historical record.<ref>Pollak, Joel B. (May 29, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-journalism/2017/05/29/cnns-crusade-declare-islam-part-americas-founding/ CNN’s W. Kamau Bell: Islam Part of America’s Founding]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved May 29, 2017.</ref>

On March 28, 2018, CNN anchor Chris Cuomo falsely claimed that "no one [is] calling for Second Amendment repeal", even though, former Supreme Court Justice [[John Paul Stevens]], among other left-wingers, had very recently and notably called for just that.<ref>Multiple references:
*Nolte, John (March 28, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-journalism/2018/03/28/fake-news-cnns-cuomo-says-no-one-calling-for-2nd-amendment-repeal-they-are/ Fake News: CNN’s Cuomo Says ‘No One Calling for 2nd Amendment Repeal’ (They Are)]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved March 28, 2018.
*Kugle, Andrew (March 28, 2018). [https://freebeacon.com/issues/cnns-cuomo-no-one-calling-repeal-second-amendment/ CNN’s Cuomo: No One Is Calling for Repeal of Second Amendment]. ''The Washington Free Beacon''. Retrieved March 28, 2018.
*Adams, Becket (March 28, 2018). [https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/cnn-host-apparently-unaware-that-several-people-have-called-for-the-repeal-of-the-second-amendment CNN host apparently unaware that people have indeed called for the repeal of the Second Amendment]. ''Washington Examiner''. Retrieved March 28, 2018.</ref>

Sometime before January 6, 2017, [[DNI]] [[James Clapper]] briefed opposition research talking points, manufactured by the Clinton campaign in the ''[[Steele dossier]]'', to [[Jake Tapper]] of CNN. The salacious innuendo lacked verification and a " news hook" for CNN to report. Clapper instructed [[FBI]] Director [[James Comey]] to brief President-elect Trump on the allegations. Clapper immediately leaked the fact Trump had been briefed, creating the "news hook" CNN was looking for to publicize the existence of the ''Steele dossier''. FBI counter-intelligence investigator [[Peter Strzok]] then used the fake news report to justify interviewing [[National Security Advisor]] [[Michael Flynn]] and lay a perjury trap,<ref>https://saraacarter.com/who-will-investigate-the-fbi-and-doj-top-secret-leaks-to-the-media/?utm=pushnami</ref> thwarting the new president's [[foreign policy]] agenda. Clapper was rewarded with a job at CNN afterward.<ref>''[https://www.scribd.com/document/377590825/HPSCI-Final-Report-on-Russian-Active-Measures-Redacted-Release Russian Active Measures in the 2016 Election''], House Permanent Sub Committee on Intelligence, March 22, 2017, pp. 107-108.</ref><ref>[https://www.themarketswork.com/2018/04/27/clapper-leaks-twice-to-cnn-brennan-stands-in-the-shadows-a-russian-narrative-is-born/ Clapper Leaks Twice to CNN. Brennan Stands in the Shadows. A Russian Narrative is Born,] Jeff Carlson, April 27, 2018.</ref><ref>[https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2018/04/20/anatomy-of-a-political-smear-confirmed-james-comey-january-briefing-was-scripted-by-clapper-and-brennan-to-create-media-narrative/ Anatomy of a Political Smear Confirmed – James Comey January Briefing Was Scripted by Clapper and Brennan To Create Media Narrative], by Sundance, April 20, 2018. theconservativetreehouse.com</ref>

In 2019, CNN falsely labeled liberal [[Democratic party|Democrat Virginia governor]] [[Ralph Northam]] a "Republican" when reporting a racist photo of himself while in medical school.<ref>Gualtieri, Allison Elyse (February 2, 2019). [https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/cnn-misidentifies-virginia-gov-ralph-northam-as-a-republican-during-his-apology-for-racist-yearbook-photo CNN misidentifies Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam as a Republican during his apology for racist yearbook photo]. ''Washington Examiner''. Retrieved February 2, 2019.</ref><ref>Rodriguez, Katherine (February 1, 2019). [https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2019/02/01/watch-cnn-chyron-labels-virginia-gov-ralph-northam-a-republican/ WATCH: CNN Chyron Labels Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam a Republican]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved February 2, 2019.</ref>

===2020 Presidential election===
:{{See also|2020 Presidential election}}
After the failure of the Mueller Report, ''The New York Times'' founded the 1619 Project in August 2019 to serve the Democratic party's objective of painting Donald Trump as a racist as a key issue for the 2020 presidential election. The 1619 Project claims that the United States was founded in the year 1619 A.D. on the basis of racism.

NBC News falsely reported that the Trump campaign attacked [[The Squad]] saying 'This is our country, not theirs'.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzHWjcNapnQ</ref>

===Deep state and fake news===
:{{See also|Media intelligence complex}}
The [[mainstream media]] has worked with the deep state intelligence agencies to promote fake news regarding the supposed [[Trump-Russia scandal]],<ref>Jasper, William F. (April 25, 2017). [https://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/politics/item/25863-deep-state-and-fake-news Deep State and Fake News]. ''The New American''. Retrieved January 3, 2018.</ref> and the alleged Russian hacking of John Podesta and DNC emails.

===2018 bomb hoax===
Just when things looked desperate for Democrats with unhinged mobs responding to the party's leadership, CNN reported it had received a mail bomb addressed to [[John Brennan]], who actually works for [[NBC]]. Nonetheless, CNN opened John Brennan's mail anyway, paused to take pictures of the alleged bomb resembling a Hollywood prop, before evacuating the building in a panic. Others received mailings as well.

Republicans were quick to condemn political violence,<ref>https://youtu.be/KwSGYUDQSuY</ref> unlike Democrat leaders, who were encouraging it.<ref>https://m.imdb.com/title/tt9115480/</ref> President Trump vowed to use all the resources of the federal government to find who was responsible.

As soon as CNN feed into the news cycle that the bombs were active, giving breaking news reports a life of their own, within hours the ''[[Associated Press]]'' reported, {{quotebox|"tests have determined that a powder found inside an envelope delivered to CNN along with a pipe bomb was harmless."<ref><big>7:50 p.m.

A law enforcement official says tests have determined that a powder found inside an envelope delivered to CNN along with a pipe bomb was harmless.

The official wasn’t authorized to discuss the investigation publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

New York City’s police commissioner said earlier Wednesday that the package sent to CNN’s offices in Manhattan contained a live explosive and an envelope containing white powder.

The FBI said the package was similar to explosives sent to former President Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, former Attorney General Eric Holder and billionaire [[George Soros]].

The package sent to CNN was addressed to former CIA Director John Brennan, a frequent guest on the channel. The official says that parcel contained no note or claim of responsibility.</big> [https://www.apnews.com/5c93ac06309c4ce88e8 cd5023f89feca Tom Hays, ''Associated Press'', October 24, 2018].</ref>}} None of this stopped CNN and other mainstream sources from failing to clarify the facts, or whipping up anti-Trump hysteria.

None of the bombs were active, and the alleged bomber didn't know how to build a bomb anyway. The alleged bombs lacked a detonator device, were made with PVC tubing instead of lead, and packed with a harmless powder.<ref>https://www.nationalreview.com/news/cnn-pipe-bomb-white-powder-harmless-law-enforcement-report/</ref>

===Mangled statistics===
A ''Washington Post'' article claimed that 4.2 percent of American children had witnessed a shooting<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/06/20/19-children-are-shot-every-day-in-the-united-states/ 19 kids are shot every day in the United States]</ref> (this is one in 24). This was based on a survey question which they (deliberately? negligently?) misinterpreted:
:The actual question the researchers asked was, "At any time in (your child’s/your) life, (was your child/were you) in any place in real life where (he/she/you) could see or hear people being shot, bombs going off, or street riots?"<ref>[https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/commentary/2017/06/27/news-organizations-including-one-unintentionally-misinformed-public-guns How news organizations, including this one, unintentionally misinformed the public on guns]</ref>
So they mixed in "witnessed a shooting" with "heard a street riot", etc.

==Liberal responses==
When the term first came into common usages immediately after the 2016 elections, [[liberals]], the [[mainstream media]], and [[social media]] misapplied the term to make the false accusation that [[Alternative Media|alternative news]] sources were "deliberately lying" to their readers, listeners, and viewers, and that these "lies" helped elect [[Donald Trump]] [[President of the United States]]. The liberal-pushed "fake news" accusations are a form of [[conspiracy theory]].

The [[mainstream media]] itself publishes and promotes fake news stories appearing in nightly network newscasts, on its cable news channels, in its newspapers and on its websites (including Facebook).<ref name="Tech Crunch">{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2017/02/14/facebook-fake-news-code-media/|title=Facebook is still figuring out how to tackle fake news|date=Feb 14, 2017|accessdate=June 29, 2017|work=Tech Crunch}}</ref><ref name="Barron">{{cite news|url=http://ajr.org/2015/04/03/news-sites-fall-for-fake-news|title=Even News Sites Fall for Fake News|first=Rachel|last=Barron|date=April 3, 2017|accessdate=June 29, 2017|work=American Journalism Review}}</ref>
When fake news sites misuse the "ABC News" logo<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.snopes.com/2016/08/07/breitbart-duped-by-fake-news-again/|title=Breitbart Duped by Fake News (Again)|date=September 1, 2016|accessdate=April 5, 2017|work=Snopes}}</ref> or are designed to appear to be sponsored by a TV news channel, the mainstream media may also appear to publish and promote fake news stories.

The mainstream media itself can be rife with government leaked fake news stories, such as a fictional ''Washington Post'' story that Russia hacked the U.S. power grid in 2016.<ref>Leetaru, Kalev, "[https://www.forbes.com/sites/kalevleetaru/2017/01/01/fake-news-and-how-the-washington-post-rewrote-its-story-on-russian-hacking-of-the-power-grid/ 'Fake News' And How The Washington Post Rewrote Its Story On Russian Hacking Of The Power Grid]," ''Forbes'', Jan 1, 2017.</ref> While leftists accuse conservatives of being behind fake news stories, the evidence shows the exact opposite, although fake news is designed to appeal to audiences all across the political spectrum.

===''WaPo''===
One attempt at broadening the meaning of the term as well as professing the likelihood of the use of what the term describes appeared on November 23, 2016 in the ''Washington Post'':{{cquote|In the wake of Donald Trump’s shock Nov. 2016 electoral victory, attention fell on the extent to which voter opinions could have been shaped by an epidemic of "fake news" websites that masqueraded as legitimate media outlets...Many fake stories proved more viral on social media than important articles from real sources.<ref name=Merkel>[https://www.thestar.com/news/world/2016/11/23/fake-news-threatens-german-election-merkel.html Fake news threatens German election: Merkel]</ref>}}

Ishaan Tharoor, the author who wrote the piece, lets the reader know that he assumes Trump's election win is so surprising (although it wasn't) that any explanation deserves to be looked at if the event has not been fully explained already. This would allow the subject which follows—his allegations of "fake news" being epidemic as well as his suggestions that they were isolated to media outlets that weren't "real sources" (by some unstated body's estimation)—to be plausible or even to be considered an especially good candidate as an explanation (to the uninformed), despite being unfounded or at least founded on exaggeration.

The election results prompted German Chancellor [[Angela Merkel]], who represents a, [[establishment]]-[[globalist]] political party, to caution against "fake news" circulated in [[Social media]]:{{cquote|Something has changed — as globalization has marched on, debate is taking place in a completely new media environment. Opinions aren’t formed the way they were 25 years ago ... Today we have fake sites, bots, trolls — things that regenerate themselves, reinforcing opinions with certain algorithms, and we have to learn to deal with them. I believe we should not underestimate what is happening in the context of the Internet and with digitalization; this is part of our reality ... We have regulations that allow for our press freedom, including the requirement for due diligence from journalists. Today we have many that experience a media that is based on very different foundations and is much less regulated.<ref name=Merkel/>}}

===Facebook===
[[Facebook]] has also responded to the alleged problem by developing a system wherein readers can flag a post they find suspicious. Once flagged the post will be reviewed by a [[mainstream media]] representative, who decides whether the news is "real" or "fake."<ref>https://www.wsj.com/articles/facebooks-fake-fix-for-fake-news-1481932361</ref>

===Snopes===
On January 14, 2016, the Snopes website, itself considered a fake news site by some experts, published its "Snopes’ Field Guide to Fake News Sites and Hoax Purveyors"<ref name=snopes>{{cite web|title=Snopes’ Field Guide to Fake News Sites and Hoax Purveyors|date=January 14, 2016|url=http://www.snopes.com/2016/01/14/fake-news-sites/|accessdate=April 4, 2017}}</ref> Its founder, for what brags to be the moral compass of what is "honest" reporting on the Internet, allegedly embezzled nearly $100,000 for prostitutes.<ref>https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2019/09/exclusive-founder-of-snopes-far-left-moral-purveyor-of-truth-in-the-media-allegedly-embezzled-98000-for-prostitutes-during-his-divorce/</ref>

===DFRLab definition===
The [[Atlantic Council]]'s Digital Forensic Research Lab which is partnering with [[Facebook]] to promote [[internet]] [[censorship]] defines fake news as {{quotebox|“deliberately presenting false information as news.”

We differentiate this from '''[[disinformation]]''', which we consider to be "deliberately spreading false information;" fake news is thus a subset of disinformation. We further distinguish it from '''misinformation''', which we take to mean the unintentional spreading of false information.<ref>https://medium.com/dfrlab/fake-news-defining-and-defeating-43830a2ab0af</ref>}}

===European Commission===
In 2018, the [[European Commission]] proposed the creation of an "independent fact-checking network" that would fight what it views as "fake news." However, this network, if created, would be funded by left-wing organizations connected to [[George Soros]].<ref>Tomlinson, Chris (April 28, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/london/2018/04/28/european-union-advocates-independent-fact-checkers-combat-fake-news/ European Union Advocates For Soros-Funded ‘Independent Fact Checkers’ to Combat ‘Fake News’]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved April 28, 2018.</ref>

==Conservative responses==
"''Undoubtedly the new main psyop against independent media is flooding the web with fake news, and mainstream media putting out fake news, and setting themselves up like a super-Snopes, to be the arbiter of what's real and what’s not,''" countered [[Alex Jones]] from Infowars in the wake of criticism of the [[Alternative Media]] on the part of [[Democrat]] presidential candidate [[Hillary Clinton]] supporters following Trump's win.<ref>[http://nymag.com/selectall/2016/11/finally-someone-is-standing-up-to-fake-news-infowars.html Finally, Someone Is Standing Up to Fake News: Infowars]</ref>

[[Answers in Genesis]] President [[Ken Ham]], noted that one of the most prominent and blatant examples of fake news is the media's treatment of [[evolution]] and an [[old Earth]] as undisputed scientific fact, even though numerous counterexamples exist [[Counterexamples to Evolution|to evolution]] and [[Counterexamples to an Old Earth|an old Earth]].<ref>Ham, Ken (March 21, 2017). [https://answersingenesis.org/blogs/ken-ham/2017/03/21/real-fake-news/ The Real Fake News]. ''Answers in Genesis''. Retrieved March 21, 2017.</ref>

According to a 2017 Poynter Media Trust Survey, 44% of Americans believe the media creates "fake news" stories against Trump to make him look bad.<ref>Richardson, Bradford (December 28, 2017). [https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/dec/28/fake-news-half-all-americans-believe-media-make-an/ ‘Fake News’: Half of all Americans believe the media make up anti-Trump stories]. ''The Washington Times''. Retrieved December 29, 2017.</ref> A [[Monmouth University]] poll released in April 2018 found that 77% of Americans believe the mainstream media reports fake news.<ref>Multiple references:
*Manchester, Julia (April 2, 2018). [https://thehill.com/homenews/media/381225-more-than-3-in-4-believe-traditional-media-outlets-report-fake-news-poll More than 3 in 4 believe traditional media reports ‘fake news’: poll]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved April 2, 2018.
*Persons, Sally (April 2, 2018). [https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/apr/2/over-70-percent-of-americans-see-media-as-fake-new/ Over 70 percent of Americans see media as ‘fake news,’ a Monmouth University poll shows]. ''The Washington Times''. Retrieved April 2, 2018.
*Church, Nate (April 2, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-journalism/2018/04/02/poll-77-percent-believe-traditional-media-guilty-of-fake-news/ Poll: 77 Percent Believe Traditional Media Guilty of Fake News]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved April 2, 2018.
*Lima, Cristiano (April 2, 2018). [https://www.politico.com/story/2018/04/02/poll-fake-news-494421 Poll: 77 percent say major news outlets report 'fake news']. ''Politico''. Retrieved April 2, 2018.
*Byas, Steve (April 4, 2018). [https://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/item/28659-poll-public-believes-media-reports-fake-news-to-advance-their-own-agenda Poll: Public Convinced That Media Reports Fake News to Advance Their Own Agenda]. ''The New American''. Retrieved April 4, 2018.</ref>

==Reputable/verifiable sources==
The following are considered reputable and verifiable source noted for good reporting:

*Epoch Times
*NTDTV
*Washington Free Beacon
*New American
*Breitbart
*Fox News
*OANN
*Human Events
*NewsMax
*Daily Signal
*Washington Examiner
*infowars

==Attempts at censorship==
[[Melissa Zimdars]], a [[far-Left]] professor had compiled a list of supposedly "fake and misleading" news websites that was heavily promoted in the Mainstream Media,<ref>[https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2016/11/breaking-media-list-fake-news-websites-includes-breitbart-infowars-zerohedge-twitchy-blaze/ BREAKING: Liberals Create List of "Fake" News Websites Including: Breitbart, Infowars, Zerohedge, Twitchy, The Blaze]</ref> including [[Breitbart]], [[Infowars]], Twitchy, [[The Blaze]], and Bizpac Review. Even liberals, such as Will Oremus on [[Slate.com]], criticized the list and the term itself for being far too broad, unfairly targeting numerous sites, and being an overreaction.<ref>Oremus, Will (December 6, 2016). [http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/technology/2016/12/stop_calling_everything_fake_news.html Stop Calling Everything “Fake News”]. ''Slate.com''. Retrieved December 8, 2016.</ref> Zimdars later removed her "Fake News" list, claiming she had been "harassed" and "doxed".<ref>[https://inews.co.uk/essentials/news/technology/melissa-zimdars-removes-fake-news-list-claiming-harassed-doxed/ Dr Melissa Zimdars removes fake news list and claims she was ‘harassed’]</ref> In 2019, the [[George Soros]]-funded Poynter Institute created a list of 515 news sources – anything that was part of the left-wing media – that it claimed were "fake news" for not completely abiding by left-wing narratives.<ref>Multiple references:
*Freiburger, Calvin (May 3, 2019). [https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/soros-backed-journalism-institute-pulls-list-labeling-29-conservative-outlets-unnews Soros-backed journalism institute pulls list labeling 29 conservative outlets ‘UnNews’]. ''LifeSiteNews''. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
*[https://www.lifesitenews.com/opinion/soros-backed-journalism-institute-targets-29-conservative-outlets-in-its-unnews-report Soros-backed journalism institute targets 29 conservative outlets in its ‘UnNews’ report]. ''LifeSiteNews'' (from ''NewsBusters''). May 2, 2019. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
*Nolte, John (May 3, 2019). [https://www.breitbart.com/the-media/2019/05/03/nolte-poynter-temporarily-pulls-blacklist-with-a-big-lie-and-promise-to-return/ Nolte: Poynter Temporarily Pulls Blacklist with a Big Lie and Promise to Return]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
*Nolte, John (May 1, 2019). [https://www.breitbart.com/the-media/2019/05/01/nolte-poynter-institute-wants-515-outlets-blacklisted-breitbart-news/ Nolte: Poynter Institute Wants 515 Outlets Blacklisted, Including Breitbart News]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved May 4, 2019.</ref>

A 2017 Yale University study found that flagging news stories as "fake news" is ineffective due to the general mistrust of the media by Americans that already exists.<ref>Church, Nate (September 12, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/tech/2017/09/12/study-flagging-stories-as-fake-news-ineffective-people-no-longer-trust-media/ Study: Flagging Stories as ‘Fake News’ Ineffective; People No Longer Trust Media]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved September 13, 2017.</ref>
[[File:98% of straight men will not date trans women because of hate.jpeg|thumb|right|225px|A typical fake news poll.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdQZkG2dOkE</ref>]]

==Hypocrisy==
While liberals frequently accuse conservative or alternate media sites of being dishonest, they typically gloss over the massive failings of the mainstream media to accurately and fairly cover the news, as well as its own propensity to post and report fake news itself (such as the polls they released which falsely claimed that [[Hillary Clinton]] was "well ahead" of Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election campaign in order to discourage conservative voters, despite the attendance figures of the Trump campaign rallies vs. the Clinton campaign rallies, which the mainstream media chose to ignore, proving otherwise). Although the polls may have correctly predicted Clinton's 3 million vote margin in the national popular vote, commenters ignored the fact that the election is determined state-by-state in the [[Electoral College]]. In fact, within days after Trump's victory in the election, Wikipedia's liberal editors propagated a far from neutral and heavily liberal-biased "Fake news website" article.<ref>[https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fake_news_website&oldid=752584598 "Fake news website" article] at Wikipedia, December 2, 2016.</ref>

==Fake news in the 2020 presidential election==
:{{Main article|2020 Presidential election}}
[[CBS News]] reporter Caitlan Hurley-Burns and other "independent" [[mainstream media]] [[journalist]]s accompanied Sen. [[Kamala Harris]] to a boutique and helped her pick out a rainbow jacket.<ref>https://twitter.com/brithume/status/1096821175701983233</ref>

==See also==
*[[Alternative facts]]
*[[Deep State]]
*[[Fake science]]
*[[Obama FBI/DOJ scandal]]
*[[The Democracy Integrity Project]]

== Notes ==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOZ0irgLwxU What is Fake News video by Prager University]
*[https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikeperlis/2017/03/09/fake-news-its-just-so-un-civil/ Forbes: Fake News Is So Un-civil]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jh8qDR9Zm4 Fake News], by Bill Whittle
*[https://www.breitbart.com/milo/2017/02/02/fake-news-cnn-ties-milo-to-white-nationalists-despite-explicit-rejection-of-racism/ FAKE NEWS: CNN Ties MILO to White Nationalists Despite Explicit Rejection of Racism] at Breitbart News Network
*[http://www.fakehatecrimes.org/ Fakehatecrimes.org]. A database of reported instances of fake hate crimes.
*[http://www.snopes.com/2016/01/21/6-quick-ways-spot-fake-news/ 6 Quick Ways to Spot Fake News]

[[Category:Fake News|*]]
[[Category:Leftists]]
[[Category:Liberal Deceit]]
[[Category:Liberal Bias]]
[[Category:Liberal Falsehoods]]
[[Category:Political Media]]
[[Category:Political Terms]]
[[Category:2010s]]
[[Category:Conspiracy Theory]]
[[Category:Featured articles]]

United States of America

2019-06-25T14:40:26Z

KEK40K:

{{Country
|name =''United States of America''
|map =US map.PNG
|map2 =Loc of United States.png
|established=1776
|flag =50 star flag.png
|arms =United States arms.png
|capital =Washington, D.C.
|government =Constitutional Republic
|language =English
|official =n
|president =Donald John Trump
|area =3,796,742 sq mi
|pop =329,124,985 (2019)
|gdp =$20.494 trillion (2018)
|gdp-year =
|gdp-pc =$62,606 (2018)
|currency =United States Dollar (USD)
}}
The '''United States of America'''<ref>(''conventional short form'': '''United States'''; ''abbreviation'': '''US''' or '''USA'''; sometimes also referred to as '''the States''' or simply as '''America''')</ref> is a [[federal republic]]<ref name="NotDemocracy">Multiple references:
*Snowball, Timothy (October 29, 2018). [https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/413142-the-united-states-is-not-a-democracy-and-it-wasnt-meant-to-be-one The United States is not a democracy — and it wasn't meant to be one]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved October 29, 2018.
*Humphrey, Clifford (February 7, 2018). [https://thefederalist.com/2018/02/07/sorry-liberals-america-not-democracy-better-way/ Sorry, Liberals, But America Is Not A Democracy, And It’s Better That Way]. ''The Federalist''. Retrieved December 13, 2018.
*Williams, Walter E. (January 16, 2018). [https://www.cnsnews.com/commentary/walter-e-williams/us-not-democracy The US Is Not a Democracy]. ''CNS News''. Retrieved December 13, 2018.</ref> of fifty states, a capitol district, and fifteen territories. It is a prosperous and relatively [[conservative]] and Christian nation, based on the longest-running [[Constitution]] in history. Located on the [[North American]] continent, it is bound mainly by [[Canada]] to the north, [[Mexico]] to the south, the [[Pacific Ocean]] to the west, and the [[Atlantic Ocean]] to the east. Founded originally as 13 colonies in the [[British Empire]], Britain's American colonies formally broke with the mother country on July 4, 1776, with the [[Declaration of Independence]].<ref>IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776. [http://www.ushistory.org/Declaration/document/index.htm The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America], ushistory.org, (Accessed August 2010).</ref> Britain formally recognized the independence of the new nation, the United States of America, in the 1783 Treaty of Paris, which ended the [[American Revolutionary War]]. Shortly thereafter, in 1787, the [[United States Constitution]] was written; grounded on [[Republican form of government|republican]] political principles.

The Constitution remains in effect today, albeit with several amendments since then. The Americans created political parties and, since abolishing [[slavery]] in a bloody [[American Civil War|civil war]] (1861–65), instituted a form of government guided by the rule of law rather than the desires of a majority of voters. According to the U.S. Constitution written by America's [[Founding Fathers]], the United States is a [[Constitutional Republic]] that functions as a representative [[democracy]]. America derives many of its policies from Christian Principles and the logic behind the [[Bible]], including [[unalienable rights]] and [[natural law]] (see the section on ''Natural Law'', below). Many people view America as holding a special place among nations, due to its foundations in liberty and justice. Contrary to [[globalist]] and [[open borders]] talking points, the [[United States]] is not a "nation of immigrants."<ref>Multiple references:
*Gonzalez, Pedro (July 8, 2018). [https://amgreatness.com/2018/07/08/america-is-not-a-nation-of-immigrants/ America Is Not a Nation of Immigrants]. ''American Greatness''. Retrieved April 18, 2019.
*Sutherland, Howard (November 18, 2002). [https://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/the-nation-of-immigrants-myth/ The Nation of Immigrants Myth]. ''The American Conservative''. Retrieved April 18, 2019.
See also:
*Binder, John (November 11, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2017/11/11/steve-bannon-were-a-nation-of-citizens-were-not-a-nation-of-immigrants/ Steve Bannon: ‘We’re a Nation of Citizens; We’re Not a Nation of Immigrants’]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved April 18, 2019.</ref>

America's [[free market]] economy grew rapidly, becoming the largest in the world by the 1870s. Between 1791 and 1959, 37 new states were added to the original 13 as the nation expanded across the North American continent and acquired a number of overseas possessions. After defeating the Soviet Union in the [[Cold War]], the U.S. emerged as the world's only [[superpower]], having the largest economy and most powerful military. It exerts enormous cultural and intellectual influence worldwide, and in return is the target of the enemies of democracy and [[capitalism]].

The capital of the United States of America is [[Washington, DC]].

== People ==
[[File:Php3sfokfPM.jpg|225px|left|At Washington, DC.]]
Population: 321,634,000 (2015 est.)<ref>2016 ''Britannica Book of the Year''.</ref>
Population growth rate: 0.97% (2010 est.) Labor force: 153.9 million (2010 est.).

Ethnic groups: white 79.96%, black 12.85%, Asian 4.43%, Amerindian and Alaska native 0.97%, native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander 0.18%, two or more races 1.61% (July 2007 estimate) note: a separate listing for Hispanic is not included because the US Census Bureau considers Hispanic to mean persons of Spanish/Hispanic/Latino origin including those of Mexican, Cuban, Puerto Rican, Dominican Republic, Spanish, and Central or South American origin living in the US who may be of any race or ethnic group (white, black, Asian, etc.); about 15.1% of the total US population is Hispanic <ref>[https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/us.html CIA - The World Factbook.]</ref>

In 2010, around 400,000 [[illegal immigrants]] were deported. The Pew Hispanic Center, a nonpartisan research organization in Washington, estimates 11.5 million to 12 million "unauthorized migrants" live in the US today.<ref>[https://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0516/p01s02-ussc.html Illegal immigrants in the US: How many are there?]</ref>

Although the diverse group of immigrants that have come to the U.S. speak many languages, [[English]] is the traditional unifying language of the United States and is necessary for full civic and cultural participation.

The religious affiliation of the United States is summarized in the following table.<ref>2016 ''Britannica Book of the Year''.</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Religion
!Percentage
|-
|Independent Christian
|23.2%
|-
|[[Roman Catholic]]
|19.6%
|-
|[[Protestant]] (including Anglican)
|18.9%
|-
|unaffiliated [[Christian]]
|16.5%
|-
|[[Mormon]]/[[Jehovah's Witnesses]]
|3.3%
|-
|Jewish
|1.9%
|-
|Orthodox
|1.8%
|-
|Muslim
|1.6%
|-
|Buddhist
|0.9%
|-
|Other
|12.3%
|}

==Geography==

[[File:Colorado.jpg|thumb|[[Colorado]].]]
Forty-eight of the fifty United States form a regional grouping known as the contiguous United States, bordering both the North [[Atlantic Ocean]] and the North [[Pacific Ocean]] and lying between [[Canada]] and [[Mexico]]. Two of the fifty states, Alaska and Hawaii, are not contiguous with any of the other states. Alaska is located to the northwest of [[Canada]] and lies across the [[Bering Strait]] from the Russian Federation. [[Hawaii]] is an [[archipelago]] located in the North Pacific Ocean. Puerto Rico, which is largely self-governing, is a commonwealth and is considered part of the U.S., as are several smaller territories in the Pacific Ocean, such as Guam. Each of the 50 states has a large degree of sovereignty, but the boundaries are debated and shift slightly every year.

At over 3.7 million square miles (over 9.6 million km²), the U.S. (including its non-contiguous and overseas states and territories) is the third largest country by total area (after Russia and Canada). It is the world's third most populous nation, with over 350 million people (after China and India).

Mt. McKinley, Alaska, is the highest point in North America and Death Valley, California, is the lowest point on the continent.<ref>[https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/us.html CIA World Factbook], ''North America :: United States'', Updated on February 23, 2011, (Accessed on February 23, 2011).</ref>

Most American cities, such as [[Los Angeles]] or [[New York City]], are ugly, partly due to the massive inner-city crime within their boundaries and their failed leftist leadership which has ruined quality of life.

==History==
===Natural Law===
Many people familiar with the American Revolution do not realize that America is based on [[Natural Law]]. As [[Cleon Skousen]] points out:
{{cquote|Most modern Americans have never studied Natural Law. They are therefore mystified by the constant reference to Natural Law by the Founding Fathers.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Skousen|first1=Cleon|title=[[The Five Thousand Year Leap]]|date=1981|pages=33}}</ref>}}
[[Natural Law]] recognizes that certain laws are natural; that is, these laws naturally existing ''pre-date'' the existence of governments. Natural Law[s] generally indicate the existence of natural rights as well, which [[John Locke]] writes about in his book [[Two Treatises of Government]]. The writings of John Locke are mentioned several times in both the [[Constitutional Convention]] as well as [[The Federalist Papers]]. Natural Law is not only something that was very well understood by the generation that would become the [[Founding Fathers]], but it was also well recognized by the generations preceding the founding generation. Those generations that landed on the shores of America, most of whom were seeking religious liberty. The relationship between Liberty, Natural Law, and God can be seen in many of the documents preceding the founding, such as the dedication given at the [[Liberty Tree]] by a [[Sons of Liberty|son of liberty]] named [[Silas Downer]], as well as the first written constitution of the 13 colonies, [[Connecticut]]'s [[Fundamental Orders of Connecticut|Fundamental Orders]]
===American Revolution===
{{main|American Revolution}}
[[File:Washington-deleware.jpg|thumb|left|Washington, Chief of the Continental Army, is shown crossing the Delaware River.]]
The American Revolution exploded from fears the British Empire was trying to restrict the historic rights and liberties of Americans. The British victory in the French and Indian War ended the threat that foreign powers might attack the colonies; Britain's protection was no longer needed. At the same time, Britain decided to assert its powers by imposing [[taxes]]. The taxes (as on stamps, sugar, and tea) were not large but the principle was simple: Americans insisted their own [[legislature]]s could impose taxes but not [[Parliament]], because Americans were not represented there. "No taxation without representation!" and "[[Don't tread on me]]" became common phrases in America by the American people, but the British refused over and over again to accept it. London sent in troops when Boston protested vehemently, and Americans organized shadow governments in every colony.

The Americans were adopting a new political philosophy, called [[republicanism]], which stressed civic virtue, fear of corruption, and disdain for [[aristocracy]] (there were no aristocrats in America apart from occasional British visitors). Republicanism alerted Americans to their constitutional rights as Englishmen – one right was that the people, through their elected officials, set the taxes and upheld law. Constitutionally, to Americans their "elected officials" were not represented in the British Parliament, it meant having their own colonial legislatures. The British replied haughtily toward this desire from the Americans, going so far as to suggest America was "virtually represented" by the British Parliament in some way or form.

====Boston Tea Party====
{{main|Boston Tea Party}}

The British Parliaments idea of representation in America fueled their desire to increase taxes on the Americans. The tax on stamps in 1765 incited near rebellion, as the 13 separate colonies began meeting together and sharing their grievances. The stamp tax was repealed but others followed, especially the tax on tea. In response, Americans boycotted tea and merchants refused to order it, except in Boston. There, a well-organized group of patriots dumped the tea in the harbor, historically known as the [[Boston Tea Party]]. These events infuriated London, so they sent troops to North America and stripped [[Massachusetts]] of its self-government and suspended the historic rights the colonists were so proud of.

====Thirteen Colonies====
{{main|Thirteen Colonies}} [[Image:Pop1750.jpg|right|thumb|400px]]

The thirteen original colonies began organizing shadow governments, called "Committees of Correspondence," which prepared the Americans for the day "patriots" (or "Whigs," as they called themselves) could assume all functions of local government. That day came when the British sent troops from Boston to seize gunpowder in attempt to dismantle a potential revolt, and the American patriots gathered there to defend their liberty. These patriots were known as the American "Minute men," a well trained militia, and had planned for this day at Lexington and Concord. When the militia clashed with the elite British troops they soundly defeated them, prompting an historic backlash from Britain. The American Revolution had begun.

The thirteen colonies, organized as the "[[First Continental Congress]]," became a national government as the shadow governments in each colony took control and ousted all royal officials. Congress set up a [[Continental Army]] and gave command to an American hero and Virginia's leader, [[George Washington]]. George Washington took charge in Boston, and he forced the British to leave in the spring of 1776. All 13 colonies were at this point in control of the American Patriots, and they listened as [[Tom Paine]] explained ''Common Sense'' principles, proudly boasting of America's strength and its power as a new nation. America, in its own right as an individual nation no longer needed nor wanted a foreign [[King]]. Congress called on the colonies to become States and to write new State constitutions. On July 4, 1776, Congress unanimously declared the independence of a new nation, the United States of America.

====France in the American Revolutionary War====
[[File:Marquis de Lafayette.jpg|thumb|[[Marquis de Lafayette]].]]
King [[George III]] could not abide the insolent Americans and he sent his small army and large navy to America in attempt to reconquer his lost colonies. They were able to recapture [[New York City]], but the King's failure to spread elsewhere greatly outweighed this small victory. The powerful Royal navy gave the British command of the seas and the ability to land troops anywhere and capture any specific place, but the shortage of British soldiers, and the very long 3000 mile supply line, meant that the British could only hold a few points at any one time. Hiring German soldiers (Hessians) was necessary, but they were not enough, for the Patriots always had more available soldiers. The British expectations that Loyalist would rise up and overthrow the Patriots was a [[chimera]]; the Loyalists did provide some help to British invasion forces, but were never strong enough to operate on their own or control any territory.

[[France]], humiliated by Britain in the 1760s, was stronger in the late 1770s than it was a decade earlier and wanted revenge against the British for their past woes. Thus, the French secretly armed and financed the Americans. Lafayette, a French general in the American Revolutionary War, served in the Continental Army under George Washington. He convinced France to send their first naval and land forces to the Americas and participated in defending Richmond, Virginia from Benedict Arnold and in the battle of Yorktown, Virginia; Lafayette contributed in no slight degree toward the grand result.

In 1777, the British sent a large army to invade [[New York]] and cut off the revolutionary states of [[New England]]. The plan was a disaster as the American militia captured the entire British invasion force at Saratoga. Encouraged by diplomat [[Benjamin Franklin]], the French recognized the United States as an independent nation, signed a treaty of alliance, and entered the war against Britain. Later, the treaty extended to [[Spain]] and the [[Netherlands]] as allies to America; Britain's diplomacy was disjointed that it had no allies at all, and was militarily matched or surpassed by America and its new allies. The British invasion of the South in 1780-81 was designed to bring out Loyalist support, but it failed and the second major British army was captured at the [[Battle of Yorktown]]. The British Parliament revolted at their reckless king and his incompetent government and sued for peace, which was achieved on terms favorable to the U.S. in 1783. About 20% of the Loyalists moved to [[Canada]], but many stayed in America, and the new peaceful nation resumed its rapid growth.

===New Nation===
[[File:Bierstadt Looking Down Yosemite-Valley 1865.jpg|thumb|[[Albert Bierstadt]], ''Looking Down Yosemite-Valley'', 1865.]]
In 1783, when the Treaty of Paris concluded the war of independence, the American population totalled some three million citizens and slaves living on about one million square miles of land. Tens of thousands of [[Native Americans]] also lived in the [[Northwest Territory]] and the Southwest.

The Thirteen original states are [[Connecticut]], [[Delaware]], [[Georgia]], [[Maryland]], [[Massachusetts]] (including [[maine]]), [[New Hampshire]], [[New Jersey]], [[New York]], [[North Carolina]], [[Pennsylvania]], [[Rhode Island]], [[South Carolina]] and [[Virginia]]. In 1790, an agreement between supporters of Jefferson and those of [[Alexander Hamilton]] resulted in the creation of the [[District of Columbia]] from part of [[Maryland]]; it has served as the national capital since 1800. The remainder of the 1783 territory was eventually organized as the states of [[Ohio]], [[Indiana]], [[Michigan]], [[Illinois]], [[Wisconsin]], [[Kentucky]], [[Tennessee]], [[Mississippi]] and [[Alabama]].

===Westward Expansion===
[[File:U.S. Territorial Acquisitions PD WC.jpg|thumb|left|Territorial acquisitions such as the Thirteen Colonies, the Louisiana Purchase, and British and Spanish Cession.]]
In 1803, [[French]] first consul [[Napoleon Bonaparte]] took advantage of a lull in his war with Great Britain to sell the [[Louisiana Territory]] to the United States, more than doubling the nation's land area. This territory would later be organized as the states of [[Minnesota]], [[North Dakota]], [[South Dakota]], [[Montana]], [[Wyoming]], [[Nebraska]], [[Iowa]], [[Missouri]], [[Arkansas]], [[Kansas]], [[Oklahoma]], and [[Louisiana]] proper. President Jefferson commissioned [[Lewis and Clark]] to explore the new territory from 1802 to 1804.

The U.S. seized, then purchased [[Florida]] from Spain in 1819. [[Texas]] joined the United States in 1845 after winning its revolution against Mexico.
[[File:Map Leading Group by County US.jpg|thumb|Map Leading Group by County, 2000.]]
After victory the [[Mexican American War]] of 1846-48, the U.S. purchased via the [[Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo]] territory that became the states of [[California]], [[Nevada]], [[Utah]], [[Colorado]], [[New Mexico]] and [[Arizona]]. In 1846 the U.S. and Britain agreed that the 49th Parallel (degree of latitude) would serve as the boundary between the U. S. and [[British Columbia]] (now part of Canada). The American portion became the states of [[Washington]], [[Oregon]] and [[Idaho]].

===Civil War===
{{main|American Civil War}}
An issue that had been left unresolved at the [[Constitutional Convention]] was [[slavery]]. The South's largely agricultural economy depended on slave labor to work its cotton plantations. The North was more heavily industrialized, and slavery was outlawed in northern states. After a series of failed compromises, the South broke away to form the [[Confederate States of America]], following the election of President [[Abraham Lincoln]] of the new [[Republican Party]] in the election of 1860. Four long years of war ended in the spring of 1865 with the surrenders of Confederate generals [[Robert E. Lee]] at Appomattox, [[Virginia]] and [[Joseph E. Johnston]] at Durham, [[North Carolina]].

===America Acquires an Empire===

In 1867, the U.S. purchased [[Alaska]] from [[Russia]]. It became a state in 1959.

Hawaii became an independent republic in 1894 and voluntarily joined the U.S. in 1898, becoming a state in 1960.

As a result of the [[Spanish-American War]], the United States took control of the [[Philippines]] and annexed [[Puerto Rico]] and [[Guam]]. The Philippines became independent in 1946, after the U.S. reconquered the islands from Japan in World War II. [[Puerto Rico]] has occasionally held referendum that ratified its continuing unique "Commonwealth" status as part of the United States. The residents of Puerto Rico are U.S. citizens. Guam continues as a U.S. owned territory with full citizenship for its inhabitants. The people of Puerto Rico and Guam have a vote in presidential primaries and a voice, but not a vote, in Congress.

==The Constitution and Politics in the United States==

[[Image:76485685i79.jpg|right|thumb|300px|The drafting committee presenting the [[Declaration of Independence]] to the [[Continental Congress]], painted by John Trumbull 1817–1819.]]

Between 1776 and 1788, the United States was governed according to the [[Articles of Confederation]]. The Founding Fathers formally established the current structure of the United States by ratification of the [[U.S. Constitution]] in 1788. Since 1789, that constitution has been the basic governing document. America's Founding Fathers understood that a democracy is always in flux and given to “mob rule,”<ref>[[Michelle Malkin]]. [http://michellemalkin.com/2009/03/27/the-coming-g20-riots-the-spread-of-mob-rule/comment-page-1/ The coming G20 riots & the spread of mob rule], ''Michelle Malkin'', March 27, 2009.</ref> while a republic is fixed and stable, resting on “the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God.” Because of the uncertainty of democracy, [[Benjamin Rush]] — a signer of the Declaration of Independence — wrote: “A simple democracy is one of the greatest of evils.”<ref>AWR Hawkins. [http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/america-a-republic-not-a-democracy/ America: A Republic, Not a Democracy], ''Pajamas Media'', September 03, 2009.</ref>

[[Sovereignty]] in America comes from the citizenry ([[self-governance]]), and the basic political values are called "[[republicanism]]," (not to be confused with the [[Republican Party]],) especially the commitment to civic virtue and civic duty, and opposition to corruption and aristocracy. Popular political parties emerged in the United States in the 1790s; currently the two major political parties are the [[Democratic Party]], and the [[Republican Party]]. Minor parties are of little importance overall but can be useful in pushing certain topics to the public eye.

States within the United States must have their own individual Constitutions as well, which usually adhere to that individual State's understanding of Natural Law, however, the supreme rule of the United States Constitution take precedence.<ref>[http://newmexico.heavensentgaming.com/lexicon/american-modern-culture/ American modern culture] on the [[New Mexico Cultural Encyclopedia, Lexicon, and News]]</ref>

Contrary to popular belief, especially among [[liberal]]s, the United States is not a [[democracy]] and was never intended to be one.<ref name="NotDemocracy"/>

=== The Role of Religion in Government ===
{{main|Religion and U.S. Government}}

==Government==
{{main|United States Federal Government}}

[[Image:56eugyjnm.jpg|right|thumb|300px|The [[White House]], the official home and workplace of the [[President of the United States]] of America.]]

===Executive Branch===

*Chief of state: The [[President of the United States]] is both the chief of state and head of government
*Head of government: President of the United States; [[Vice President of the United States]]
*Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with Senate approval
*Elections: The president and vice president serve four-year terms (eligible for a second term)

===Legislative Branch===

The United States legislative branch of government is a [[bicameral]] Congress, which consists of the [[United States Senate|Senate]] (100 seats, 2 members are elected from each state by popular vote to serve six-year terms; one-third are elected every two years) and the [[House of Representatives]] (435 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms).

===Judicial Branch===
{{main|Supreme Court of the United States}}

The United States [[Supreme Court]] consists of nine justices, nominated by the president and confirmed with the advice and consent of the Senate. The judicial branch also includes the United States Circuit Courts of Appeal, and the United States District Courts. Article III, Section 1, of the U.S. Constitution provides that judges serve "during good Behavior," ''i.e.'', until they resign, die, or are impeached. The Supreme Court's decision in ''Marbury v. Madison'' established judicial review, whereby the federal courts have the power to declare federal and state laws and actions of the executive branch of the federal or a state government unconstitutional.

== Economy ==

The US has the largest and most technologically powerful economy in the world, with a per capita GDP of $47,400. In this market-oriented economy, private individuals and business firms make most of the decisions, and the federal and state governments buy needed goods and services predominantly in the private marketplace. US business firms enjoy greater flexibility than their counterparts in [[Europe]] and [[Japan]] in decisions to expand capital plant, to lay off surplus workers, and to develop new products. At the same time, they face higher barriers to enter their rivals' home markets than foreign firms face entering US markets. US firms are at or near the forefront in technological advances, especially in computers and in medical, aerospace, and military equipment; their advantage has narrowed since the end of World War II.

The onrush of technology largely explains the gradual development of a "two-tier labor market" in which those at the bottom lack the education and the professional/technical skills of those at the top and, more and more, fail to get comparable pay raises, health insurance coverage, and other benefits. Unfortunately, China remains both the banker and salesman to the United States' role as buyer, and debtor. This will not end well for the United States, Republican president or not. Since 1975, practically all the gains in household income have gone to the top 20% of households. The war in March–April 2003 between a US-led coalition and Iraq, and the subsequent occupation of Iraq, required major shifts in national resources to the military. Soaring oil prices between 2005 and the first half of 2008 threatened [[inflation]] and [[unemployment]], as higher gasoline prices ate into consumers' budgets. Imported oil accounts for about 60% of US consumption. Long-term problems include inadequate investment in economic infrastructure, rapidly rising medical and pension costs of an aging population, sizable [[trade deficit]]s and [[budget deficit]]s, and stagnation of family income in the lower economic groups.
[[File:Gast1872.jpg|thumb|"American Progress," painting by John Gast, 1872.]]
The merchandise trade deficit reached a record $840 billion in 2008 before shrinking to $506 billion in 2009, and ramping back up to $630 billion in 2010. The global economic downturn, the sub-prime mortgage crisis, investment bank failures, falling home prices, and tight credit pushed the United States into a [[recession]] by mid-2008. [[GDP]] contracted until the third quarter of 2009, making this the deepest and longest downturn since the [[Great Depression]]. To help stabilize financial markets, the US Congress established a $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) in October 2008. The government used some of these funds to purchase equity in US banks and other industrial corporations, much of which had been returned to the government by early 2011.

In January 2009 the US Congress passed and President [[Barack Obama]] signed a bill providing an additional $787 billion fiscal stimulus to be used over 10 years - two-thirds on additional spending and one-third on tax cuts - to create jobs and to help the economy recover. Approximately two-thirds of these funds were injected into the economy by the end of 2010. In March 2010, President Obama signed a health insurance reform bill into law that will extend coverage to an additional 32 million American citizens by 2016, through private health insurance for the general population and Medicaid for the impoverished. In July 2010, the president signed the DODD-FRANK Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, a bill designed to promote financial stability by protecting consumers from financial abuses, ending taxpayer bailouts of financial firms, dealing with troubled banks that are "too big to fail," and improving accountability and transparency in the financial system - in particular, by requiring certain financial derivatives to be traded in markets that are subject to government regulation and oversight.

In November 2010, in an attempt to keep interest rates from rising and snuffing out the nascent recovery, the US Federal Reserve Bank (The Fed) announced that it would purchase $600 billion worth of US Government bonds by June 2011.

The United States is the leading industrial power in the world, highly diversified and technologically advanced; [[petroleum]], [[steel]], motor vehicles, aerospace, telecommunications, chemicals, [[electronics]], food processing, consumer goods, lumber, mining.
<ref>[https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/us.html CIA - The world Factbook]</ref>

==Flag Description==
[[Image:50 star flag.png|left|thumb|150px|The [[Flag of the United States of America]]]]
{{main|Flag of the United States of America}}

Thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing 50 small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars (top and bottom) alternating with rows of five stars; the 50 stars represent the 50 states, the 13 stripes represent the 13 original colonies; known as Old Glory; the design and colors might have been the basis for a number of other flags, including [[Chile]], [[Liberia]], [[Malaysia]], and [[Puerto Rico]].

{{Clear}}

==References==
[[File:Weir, Afternoon by the Pond, ca. 1908-1909.jpg|thumb|Julian Alden Weir, Afternoon by the Pond, ca. 1908-1909.]]

{{reflist}}

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== See also==
[[File:Lawrence The Migration of the Negro.jpg|thumb|The Migration of the Negro by [[Jacob Lawrence]], 1940-1941.]]
*[[Pledge of Allegiance]]
*[[Famous American artists]]
*[[List of 50 states]]
*[[Americas]]
*[[America (continent)]]
*[[Columbia]]
*[[Gallery of American Masterpieces]]
*[[Christian Nation]]
*[[American conservatism]]
*[[Sociology of "atheism is un-American" view]]
*[[Adair v. United States]]
*[[Americana]]

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==External links==
*[[CIA]] - [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/us.html The World FactBook]
*[https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/616563/United-States United States.]
*[http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/america.htm America]
*[http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/flags_of_us_states.htm Flags of the U.S. States]
*[http://www.pibmug.com/files/map_test.swf Interactive map test of the 50 U.S. states]
*[http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h445.html U.S. History]
*[http://www.theroot.com/buzz/who-owns-united-states Who Owns the United States?]
*[http://sociology.ucsc.edu/whorulesamerica/power/wealth.html Wealth, Income, and Power.] by G. William Domhoff, University of California Santa Cruz.
*[http://bertschlossberg.blogspot.com/ Real Life and Death: the Bible, Israel, and America interplay]

{{USstates}}

[[Category:North American Countries]]
[[Category:United States of America]]
[[Category:NATO Members]]
[[Category:United States History]]
[[Category:Featured articles]]
[[Category:Christian-Majority Countries]]