I suspected that the Des Moines Independent is a Gannet Inc. owned publication, but I wasn't sure about that until after I fired off a letter to the paper's publishing-editor Carolyn Washburn. I know a lot about Gannet Inc. I won't say what I intend to do with this information, as well as, more info I'm compiling. I know why Gannet Inc. executives do not want to provide fair opportunity for any political candidate and his, or her advocates to explain the candidate's record, position on issues and ideas if that candidate is an advocate for the very people corporations like Gannet Inc. and many of its most valued advertisers exploit and hurt.

My letter to Carolyn Washburn is in response to her decision to throw together a mock criteria list with the intention of adding "rules" that were deliberately included to keep, at least, one candidate from participating in that farce of a debate in Iowa.

To: Carolyn Washburn, Publisher/Editor of the Des Moines Register
From: Treva L. Van Fossen

Dear Ms. Washburn,

Please note: this letter will be publicized on the Internet. Perhaps, it will also be printed in bulk and circulated in your publishing area.

Do you have a problem with fair election coverage of all the candidates? Do you feel that you have executive privilege to deny any candidate fair opportunity to explain his record, position on issues,and ideas to voters during an election campaign? Do you believe that you are entitled to trample the right each voter has to fair exposure of every candidate, such as, during debates and through sources (like newspapers) which cover election campaigns and government activities?

Based upon your decision to ban US Congressman Dennis Kucinich (Ohio, Dem.) from the debate which your newspaper is sponsoring, the answer must be, "Yes," to all of the above questions.

I have examined the details of your reported "criteria" for candidates to meet if they wish to participate in the debate which your newspaper is sponsoring. I take issue with several items on your list. I wish to address two of them.

One item was the candidate's poll position.

You and I both know that a candidate's poll position is heavily determined by the amount of exposure that media resources, such as, the Des Moines Register, provide for each candidate. We both know that the candidate receiving the least amount of exposure in newspaper reports and televised reports on an election campaign will not do well in most polls (including fabricated ones offered by biased sources that can manipulate poll results). We both know that many media insiders pretend that they don't report on candidates which do poorly in polls, or in your case, exclude them from media-sponsored debates. We know that this "excuse" is used to explain why these sources refuse to offer information that can improve a candidate's position in public opinion polls.

This is just one sleazy tactic that I learned from "journalism professionals" at the newspaper where I worked for nearly eight years. I worked for one of the most powerful corporate media conglomerates in the world where I learned many of that corporation's dirty tricks, as well as, media strengths and weaknesses.

Another "requirement" in your criteria list: the stipulation of where the candidate's Iowa field director must operate. This is an elitist requirement. It smacks of discrimination of candidates that refuse to accept Big Business and Big Industry bribes (a.k.a., campaign donations) which come in the form of large sums, and scattered small sums from sources representing these industries, no matter how
discreetly.

Are any Big Business and Big Industry "donors" for celebrity candidates (Like Clinton, Obama, Edwards, and Biden) also most valued advertisers with your publication?

This country is supposed to be a democracy, not a plutocracy. Does someone need to explain this to you? Apparently, they do.


Your decision to create a way to knock Congressman Kucinich out of this debate has caused me to become very intrigued about your publication. Now, I am curious to learn whether, or not the Des Moines Register has its own production and circulation departments. I'd like to know how much you pay most production and circulation employees and what type of "benefits" your provide them (if any). I'm very interested in knowing if, or how often OSHA has cited and fined your publication for work-place hazards, especially in the production and circulation departments which I suspect you control, vicariously through lower-level management and supervisors.

I am interested in these things, because I believe that they will help me to determine some of the reasons why you don't want Iowa voters to learn about Dennis Kucinich's official record as it reflects his position on the issues and the ideas he has.

What will I do with this information?

I like to share. I like to teach. I like to encourage people to harness the power which knowledge brings.


Sincerely,

Treva L. Van Fossen.

Anti-democracy Big Media should regard this message as fair warning.