News Media Discussion: Q and A with Kevin Lorusso, Public Policy and Political Science Analyst
This interview took place via phone and covered Kevin’s work in politics, his thoughts on the news media, and his future aspirations.
Q: What are your other guiding principles for your political and moral values?
A: For most of my life I was actually a socialist. I thought the world owed me, society owed me, and others owed me. I think that’s really what drove me for a while. I dove headfirst into all of my classes in college and I realized I know what’s best for me and my life better than the government, and I’ve had a much more libertarian approach to my work ever since. I understand different political ideologies very well since I have changed my mind on a lot of social issues over time. Personal responsibility and working to earn your keep are two of the ideas that drive me today. The government cannot give me handouts better than I can procure for myself, and it is likely that nobody is responsible for my problems except for me, which means it’s also likely in my power that I can make those things change.
Q: How do your political and social views shape how you think about the news media in America today?
A: I can’t really beat around the bush when it comes to the media. There really is nothing else to call it other than pure fake news, misinformation, fabrication of information, or omission of information. All of these are completely contrary to what journalists should be doing. I think it’s hard to put a finger on what exactly the role of journalists themselves are in today’s society, but it’s certainly not to lie to the public or leave out certain information they deserve to know about. We have to keep calling it when we see it and communicating with each other as best we can, even with the amount of censorship that happens on social media. The key to this issue, and I believe all other issues, is continuing to have discourse with people we disagree with. The less we talk, the less we understand each other, and the less we are able to peacefully coexist with each other. During lockdowns, you could only communicate through digital media. You could only see what the media was fixing your eyes upon. You didn’t have a choice in what they did and didn’t choose to show you. No wonder people came out of quarantine with more hatred for their neighbor than love.
Q: What should Americans be most concerned about when it comes to the media?
A: American society not only relies on the media to make them an informed citizenry but informed voters as well. Americans should be concerned about what they are or aren’t being told, what information is being withheld from them. Sure, there’s a lot of bots out in the internet world and stuff that’s not true to an even untrained eye, but voters should be vigilant of questions the media is not asking of our politicians that any given person would ask them if they got the chance to speak directly to the people in office. I am also hopeful that we can find a way to preserve our founding documents but also ensure that Americans are able to have their rights to free speech on platforms that hold at least as much power as the government does in the court of public opinion.
Q: What issues should journalists be most concerned about when it comes to how they communicate with the American people?
A: Hopefully, the news media understand why the people generally don’t have faith in their journalists. I was waiting to see how a new President in office would change these numbers since it was speculated that the poor ratings in the news media were due to Trump’s constant demonizing of them throughout his time in office. Surprisingly, those numbers have dropped even lower since Biden took office. I think the constant fabrication or lie by omission is really catching up to them. I believe CNN’s ratings have dropped 70% since Trump left office.
Q: What work do you look forward to completing in your political endeavors?
A: The word “political” is a hard one to respond to since I don’t want to ever have to consider myself a politician. I’m a libertarian, and my fundamental belief is that your right to swing your arm extends as far as my face. This principle guides my policy views, and therefore my work within politics, though not as a politician. I’m a regular guy with a regular life with a passion for it. I hope to eventually go to law school, but if a position for representative opens up in the state, I’ll pursue that first. It’s whatever is on the table at the time. Though I do hope to run for office at the state and local level at one point or another. No matter what, I’ll pursue the truth at every end.
