Friday, April 8, 2011

Government Shutdown Threat Shows News Media Taking Sides

In the movie Groundhog Day, we saw actor Bill Murray waking up to the same scenario every day.  Now that the United States government is facing a potential shutdown over a budget battle, we are seeing the same scenario play out in the news media that we have seen at other times in recent political history.

Once again, the Democrats are accusing the Republican of waging war on women, children and the elderly.  Once again, the reporters at the major news networks seem to be taking sides with the Democrats by not challenging what any rational person would consider ludicrous declarations.

I don’t have time to see every newscast, but I have watched plenty over the last few weeks, and I am still waiting for a reporter to ask Harry Reid, “Come on, do you really believe the Republicans don’t want women to have mammograms and want dirty air.”  I keep waiting, but I still have yet to hear any reporter challenge any of the ridiculous assertions of Democratic office holders during these budget battles.  When reporters don’t challenge a seemingly foolish statement, then it’s difficult not to assume that they must agree with the statement. 

It gets even worse when talking about tax cuts.  When any tax hike or cut comes up in the government, how many times do you hear Democratic office holders accuse Republicans of wanting to grant tax gifts to the rich?  Once again, few if any reporters challenge what I believe is a bastardization of language and common sense.

Let me see if I have this correct.  In today’s distorted political and news media lexicon, allowing someone to keep more of the money that they legally, honorably and legitimately earned is a gift.  Having the government confiscate an increasing amount of that money to give to someone who has done nothing to earn it is an entitlement.  I think any logical person would find something wrong with those descriptions, but not our politicians and news media because these terms have been acceptable to them for decades. 

I have been involved in the media all of my professional life as a newspaper reporter, managing editor and communications professional.  I am still waiting for one reporter to ask a politician if it is really is a gift to allow someone to keep more of the money they legally and legitimately earn?

We live in a capitalistic economic system, but you might never know that if you just get your information from the mainstream media.  In a capitalistic system, all wealth created and earned first belongs to those who create and earn the wealth.  Unfortunately, many in our news media report from a premise that all wealth belongs to the government first to be distributed at the whim of government officials.  If you actually buy that premise, you must believe in Marxist economics, because that’s what it is.  I’m sorry, but there is no other way to put it.

Am I saying that the advocates in the news media support Marxist economics for the United States?  Well, if you ever found out about the exorbitant salaries many of them make, they obviously believe in capitalism for themselves, but given the way they report economic issues, maybe they do think the rest of us should live under socialism.

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