Trump's war on press freedom as it consolidates media control of news broadcasting and Stars and Stripes

Two very disturbing stories today from the Trump administration that contain threats to freedom of the press:. One, the FCC chair threatens to yank broadcast licenses from outlets that do not report favorably about Trump on Iran, and the other is from the Pentagon, which is cracking down on the independent military publication, Stars and Stripes, by denying reporters' access.  Both of these are attempts by a wannabe dictatorship to control minds and the information the public can access to formulate their own opinions.  It is another sign of a dictatorship consolidating power by mind and information control.  Imagine if all the news the public gets is the spin that only reports favorable news to the regime. That is precisely how dictators in our modern era seize and stay in control. The prime example is Viktor Orbán of Hungary, who slowly suppressed the press and put control of the media in the hands of cronies, through denial of licensing and with buyouts.  Imagine if every news outlet sounded like FOX.  The administration is well on its way toward that goal, with its control over CBS News and now a buyout that will destroy CNN's independence.  The intent of the Trump regime is to defang CNN as the secretary of "war" just said: Pentagon chief says he's eager for Trump ally to buy CNN as he blasts war coverage | Reuters

FCC chair threatens to revoke broadcasters' licenses amid Trump comments on Iran coverage

Pentagon tightens controls over Stars and Stripes after calling it “woke” : NPR

The politics behind the $8B Paramount-Skydance merger | PBS News

Controversial '60 Minutes' segment on Trump immigration policy leaks online | PBS News

 

SAVE us from the SAVE act

 SAVE us from SAVE: The radical piece of legislation before the Senate this coming week would have at least three particularly obnoxious provisions.

1) It would keep married women from voting if their ID does not match their birth certificate names or even passport names. (estimated 50percent of voters do not have passports). What does your driver's license have as your photo ID name? Divorce papers would also have to be produced, or legal documentation of name changes would have to be provided.

2) All of your personal information, driver's licenses, social security numbers, and personal data held by State officials would have to be handed over to the Department of Homeland Security as they search first for registered illegals, turn out ICE to "protect" their own voting interests at polling places,, and God knows whatelse it could be used for if say a dictator who may not be one you supports takes over now or in the future.

3) This federalization enables big brother government to manipulate elections to suit the outcome they want by giving them the tools to identify targeting groups or kinds of legal voters that may not support them by voting roll purges and other strategies. The beauty of the current state control of such information is that 50 states can control their data instead of one federal government, in the hands of a party or single strong leader, being able to affect the outcome and votes in elections.

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The premise used to rationalize this legislation is stopping illegals from voting, a line MAGA has swallowed whole without any thought or care about evidence. For over 6 years, proof of the"steal" of the 2020 vote has been investigated, rejected by courts and hearings, and never proved. It is still just a theory to excuse a loss or a suspicion. Never mind, keeping certain voters from voting is a political strategy that MAGA embraces because they see a political advantage for them in the midterms. Heads up MAGA. You may not always be in control of the Oval Office, Congress, or the judiciary. What happens if the shoe is on the other foot, and the people you consider to be political enemies are now in power?

https://mufticforumblog.blogspot.com/2026/03/the-key-to-protecting-fair-and-free.html

The key to protecting fair and free elections. What works.

 We all have our political priorities, and mine is fundamental. As a former election official myself, number one on my list is the preservation of free and fair elections, and Donald Trump is enemy number one with an attempt to "federalize elections" and to keep his enemies from voting by putting up all kinds of barriers. Those include banning mail-in balloting and "show me your papers" citizenship requirements. Not everyone can afford a passport or can produce a birth certificate, given the cost, ability, and time required. We do not have a national ID card. This is a movement Trump is promoting nationwide, and it is all based on the premise that the reason he lost the election is that illegals voted. FYI. There has never been any proof produced of the extent of such fraud that would change any outcome, and there is a trail of court cases wth judges that came to the same conclusion. Trump has fooled his faithful followers into willfully believing him. Now, using the same pretext, Trump is attempting to grab election registration details from states, such as Georgia and now Arizona, in an attempt to find a shred of evidence or, worse, to justify an attempt to selectively disqualify voters whom he objects. He is currently engaged in getting "election deniers" in every critical election official position he can so he can perpetuate his deception of the "steal" and control outcomes.

MUFTIC FORUM BLOG: How Trump plans to subvert the midterms: it is no secret

Trump says he won't sign any bills until SAVE America Act passes

MUFTIC FORUM BLOG: Trump wants to GOP nationalize elections and control the vote count: that's what dictators do

In Colorado, where mail-in voting is the overwhelmingly popular method of voting even when polling places are available, we are a testament to how well mail-in voting works in modern tech society. With computerization, illegal voting is virtually nonexistent because it is possible to cross-check various databases to determine eligibility for registration, as well as being a legitimate voter. There are two critical positions in Colorado government firmly supported and ably protected that keep our voting systems fair and free: the Secretary of State and the Attorney General. Both are ably and dedicated and deserve our recognition for their work: Secretary of State Jena Griswold and Attorney General Phil Weiser. It is key that whoever fills those positions is the most knowledgeable, experienced, and able to continue their priorities with the same knowledge, technical ability, and dedication.

Iran: Hegseth's holy war?

 Is the US being led into Iran war by a religious radical who sees this as a holy war?  In a scary vein is Pete Hegseth head of the Department of "War".  His view of Christianity is of the crusades and he sees life in terms of this. If he sees Iran as a holy war, we should be more than concerned.. Rationality is out the window.

 It's Pete Hegseth's theology that ought to concern us – Baptist News Global

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/03/us-israel-iran-war-christian-rhetoric

From the Guardian: "US military commanders have been invoking extremist Christian rhetoric about biblical “end times” to justify involvement in the Iran war, to troops.....The Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) says it has received more than 200 complaints from service members across all branches of the armed forces."

https://mufticforumblog.blogspot.com/2026/02/white-christian-nationalism-has-taken.htmlWhat 

to know about the archconservative church Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth attends | PBS News

Chasing the story, CNN: Analysis: Pete Hegseth wanted an ‘American Crusade.’ Now he’s leading a war in the Middle East | CNN Politics