But news accounts rarely describe the links between large donations and specific government policies. Many politicians have been able to meet the current standards with glib appearances and modern flourishes. Familiar ideas can be conveyed in brief or at length. Simplistic truisms can be reinforced in a snap. But it isn't possible to effectively dispute widespread assumptions and prejudices within a few seconds.
Sound bites are perfect for demagoguery.
If politicians are apt to abuse language, then all too many journalists are functioning as enablers. As a practical matter, the shared lexicon of politics and journalism supplies the raw material for continuous fashion statements. In both professions, the verbal attire tends to be cut from the same cloth. Despite the abundance of news about politics, the overall media culture is partial to grand spectacles and personalized melodramas that dodge underlying political issues. Even when partisan fevers are raging, show business has a way of taking precedence.