Really good question, but I suspect both are happening. Especially the Alternet pieces on Salon are just... what they are - effectively low-grade propaganda.

Really good question, but I suspect both are happening. Especially the Alternet pieces on Salon are just... what they are - effectively low-grade propaganda. There used to be intelligent writers, but these things seem to be mainly preaching to the choir, of questionable provenance and least common denominator.