The Times speaks with two tongues. On the editorial pages, where they are actually supposed to editorialize, they puts the blame for the “deadlock” just where it belongs-on the Republicans. But on the front page where they are supposed to stick to the facts, they editorialize. The headlines says “Both Sides Refuse to Budge” (print edition only), this despite the fact that the Democrats, or should I say Obama, have spent the last couple of months constantly budging.
Is it any wonder that the people of this country don’t have the slightest idea who to blame for their current ills, when the press insists on reporting that all of our problems are caused by intransigence on both sides, despite massive evidence to the contrary?
The Republicans know to expect this, because they have spent decades bashing the press for its alleged bias, and have now trained them to report any inanity the Republicans put out as one half of a he said/she said, with each sides argument, regardless of merit, being accorded equal respect. The process has now been extended to actions. In this case, each side is refusing to compromise, because one side is refusing to compromise. In a sense, I guess it’s true. The Republicans refuse to compromise and, after a series of compromise offers, the Democrats finally say enough. That makes them equal, in the eyes of the press if not in the eyes of a rational thinker.
Update: Paul Krugman agrees.
Post a Comment