Mainstream Media Bias

[Kowalski]

Last week, as the prospect of a federal government shutdown loomed as reality, the President of the United States told the media that he would "not negotiate" with "house burners." And with that, the American mainstream media threw away their longstanding belief in "civil bipartisan compromise" in order to stand with Obama.

Since then, the GOP have passed two bills to avert a shutdown, both Senate Democrats and Obama have refused to offer a compromise, and now the media are attempting to make the GOP look like the crazies and the Democrats and Obama look like statesman.

Link: http://www.breitbart...rnment-shutdown

Some really good videos on here to.

I guess we all knew the media was Obama's prostitute.....

Edited September 30, 2013 by Still Waters
Reduced copied text

[jugoso]

Government Shutdown

My prediction.....last-minute agreement, Can´t they come up with a new red-herring for us to worry about?

[Leonardo]

Personally, I don't think the media are backing the Dems more strongly because of any political bias, but because the Reps are fighting the wrong war. Whatever is wrong with ACA initially can be modified over time with amendments to the Bill, while still retaining the umbrella ACA provides to those who could not get insurance under the previous system.

Healthcare and healthcare insurance reform in the US is needed, and fighting to revoke that is the wrong call. The Reps should work with the Dems and in doing so will secure a pathway to bring some of their own reforms into the scheme. As it is, all they are doing is alienating themselves and making their position even weaker.

[Kowalski]

The American people voted in 2012 for divided government, giving the presidency and Senate to the Democrats and the House to the Republicans. Republicans in the House are thus not only constitutionally entitled to opposed Democrat spending plans like Obamacare but they actually have both a mandate and a democratic responsibility to do so – a responsibility to represent the will of the people, a majority of whom are against Obamacare.

Link: http://blogs.telegra...-all-the-money/

Edited September 30, 2013 by Still Waters
Removed redundant part of quote. Please avoid copying text you don't need.

[Leonardo]

Republicans in the House are thus not only constitutionally entitled to opposed Democrat spending plans like Obamacare but they actually have both a mandate and a democratic responsibility to do so...

Complete tosh.

The Republicans certainly have the mandate and responsibility to do that which they believe is right for the United States and if that means opposing the Democrats, so be it.

But they do not have the "mandate and responsibility" to oppose the Democrats simply because they are the 'opposition'.

Another example of the poisonous partisan rhetoric that has divided America.

[Kowalski]

Personally, I don't think the media are backing the Dems more strongly because of any political bias, but because the Reps are fighting the wrong war. Whatever is wrong with ACA initially can be modified over time with amendments to the Bill, while still retaining the umbrella ACA provides to those who could not get insurance under the previous system.

Healthcare and healthcare insurance reform in the US is needed, and fighting to revoke that is the wrong call. The Reps should work with the Dems and in doing so will secure a pathway to bring some of their own reforms into the scheme. As it is, all they are doing is alienating themselves and making their position even weaker.

I am all for healthcare reform. It is desperately needed in the US. I think we should get rid of the NSA, DHS, and the IRS, (that way we have millions of dollars to do this), and put everyone on socialized medicine, like they have in Sweden, and Norway. I just don't think Obamacare is going to work. The health insurance companies, wrote this bill. It's going to make rich men richer, and not even help the people it is supposed to.

[Sir Wearer of Hats]

Actually, the opposition's job is to say "no" to any and all legislation until the government can convince them of it's worth, they're the line between government and dictation - in an ideal world that is.

[Leonardo]

I just don't think Obamacare is going to work.

I don't know if it will or won't, Burt.

The health insurance companies, wrote this bill. It's going to make rich men richer, and not even help the people it is supposed to.

Certainly provision was made in the Bill for healthcare and insurance providers to profit from the exchanges created - but is that not compliant with US-style capitalism?

And the Bill in it's original form did contain a provision for socialised insurance from a not-for-profit govt source. That was ripped out (I believe by the Reps) in one of it's readings to allow it passage through.

[Kowalski]

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Complete tosh.

The Republicans certainly have the mandate and responsibility to do that which they believe is right for the United States and if that means opposing the Democrats, so be it.

But they do not have the "mandate and responsibility" to oppose the Democrats simply because they are the 'opposition'.

Another example of the poisonous partisan rhetoric that has divided America.

First of all, I am Constitutional Libertarian. I have voted third party in the past two elections. I don't like Republicans or Democrats.

A lot of the Republicans that got voted in in 2012 got in because they ran on the platform of defending and fighting Obamacare. It's politically smart for them to oppose this law tooth and nail, because that is what they campaigned on. They know if they don't, their out come next election by their constituents. Do they really care about us? I doubt it. They just don't want to get voted out in the next election. It's also lucrative....

A novice Republican running in a rural state has shattered fundraising records campaigning as the "anti-Obamacare candidate." In his first race for public office, Ben Sasse has raised nearly $750,000 in just eight weeks of the first quarter of his nascent candidacy, according to records being filed with the Federal Election Commission.

The massive haul highlights how lucrative campaigning against Obamacare can be for Republicans. It also underscores how deeply motivated conservative voters are to see that the sprawling healthcare law be killed.

Link: http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2013/09/30/ben-sasse-nebraska-obamacare

Edited September 30, 2013 by Burt Gummer

[ninjadude]

make the GOP look like the crazies

The media doesn't have anything to do with that. The GOP is doing just fine on their own. Posting right wing blogs doesn't help your cause.

Edited October 1, 2013 by ninjadude

[spartan max2]

Well all the media is biased left except for fox which is biased right.

It would be awesome if one of the mainstream news outlets were neutral

[MiskatonicGrad]

The media doesn't have anything to do with that. The GOP is doing just fine on their own. Posting right wing blogs doesn't help your cause.

I saw on CNN today a reporter going over poll results the Question was: who do you feel is responsible for the government shutdown

A. president Obama

B. The republicans in congress

C. both

I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer but I see a category that may have been overlooked?

[Varelse]

Well all the media is biased left except for fox which is biased right.

It would be awesome if one of the mainstream news outlets were neutral

There are. You just can't find them in the US. Here we have 3 conglomerates of warring Pravdas.

[Zaphod222]

The mainstream media in the US are the PR arm of one the two parties, giving that party a decisive edge.

Frankly, I don´t see how the other party is going to solve that conundrum. They are forever on the losing edge in convincing the low-information voters.

[Varelse]

I saw on CNN today a reporter going over poll results the Question was: who do you feel is responsible for the government shutdown

A. president Obama

B. The republicans in congress

C. both

I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer but I see a category that may have been overlooked?

I was once the sharpest knife in the drawer and I'm not sure. Who'd they leave out? Tea Party? Dems in the Senate? Hitler?

[Sir Wearer of Hats]

Here in Oz it's basically being reported that it's the republican's fault.

[Frank Merton]

Of course it is; that is what the public will conclude too. The Republican extreme has gotten effective control and will have to be purged if the party is to ever see light of day after all this.

[Sir Wearer of Hats]

Of course it is; that is what the public will conclude too. The Republican extreme has gotten effective control and will have to be purged if the party is to ever see light of day after all this.

Well some blame must line with the "we're not going to compromise, even to keep the government governing" Democrats.

[Frank Merton]

Well some blame must line with the "we're not going to compromise, even to keep the government governing" Democrats.

Of course, a good deal of blame; I am going by what happened the last time around assuming history will repeat, and I think in this case it will. May not be fair but that's the way it is and the Republicans need to be realistic and cave on this one. They can holler that they do it for the sake of the nation and come out okay, but they will stick to their ideological guns and go down in glory. They will still be dead. Edited October 1, 2013 by Frank Merton

[Farmer77]

Personally, I don't think the media are backing the Dems more strongly because of any political bias, but because the Reps are fighting the wrong war. Whatever is wrong with ACA initially can be modified over time with amendments to the Bill, while still retaining the umbrella ACA provides to those who could not get insurance under the previous system.

Healthcare and healthcare insurance reform in the US is needed, and fighting to revoke that is the wrong call. The Reps should work with the Dems and in doing so will secure a pathway to bring some of their own reforms into the scheme. As it is, all they are doing is alienating themselves and making their position even weaker.

Damn brilliant post.

[EnderOTD]

Well all the media is biased left except for fox which is biased right.

It would be awesome if one of the mainstream news outlets were neutral

A lot more website hits when you choose a side. Im wondering if there is a group that perpetuates oppositite view points, my bad thats our government

[Frank Merton]

The media is dominated by city-dwellers.

[Leonardo]

First of all, I am Constitutional Libertarian. I have voted third party in the past two elections. I don't like Republicans or Democrats.

A lot of the Republicans that got voted in in 2012 got in because they ran on the platform of defending and fighting Obamacare. It's politically smart for them to oppose this law tooth and nail, because that is what they campaigned on. They know if they don't, their out come next election by their constituents. Do they really care about us? I doubt it. They just don't want to get voted out in the next election. It's also lucrative....

Link: http://www.breitbart...raska-obamacare

I wasn't having a go at you, Burt, but the article. I agree with you that the reality is that your politicians work for their Party and to get re-elected, not for the Constitution or for the good of the USA as a whole. However, the article presumed they do work for the Constitution and America so I made my argument based on that.

The Dems won't compromise because they know they've got the Reps over a barrel. The Reps won't compromise because - as you said - their re-election chances depend on them "standing firm". This is what happens when you polarise a country as much as the US has been polarised - the public won't accept a compromise (will not re-elect representatives) and so the politicians will not.

The only way out of this is for the public to wake up to compromise to free up the politicians to do so. Will that happen?

Edited October 1, 2013 by Leonardo

[Agent0range]

Well some blame must line with the "we're not going to compromise, even to keep the government governing" Democrats.

The republicans "compromise" talk is madness, and just an attempt to lessen the blow of their actions in the eyes of the American people. I have said it in the other thread, and I will say it here. You don't COMPOMISE using a law that the hundreds of members of the house and senate had already passed. You don't COMPROMISE using a law that the supreme court deemed legal. They aren't trying to compromise. Republicans are attempting to hurt the United States to get their own way. If Obama said, I will give you whatever you want, but we have to take away your guns, how would republicans feel about that?

[spartan max2]

The republicans "compromise" talk is madness, and just an attempt to lessen the blow of their actions in the eyes of the American people. I have said it in the other thread, and I will say it here. You don't COMPOMISE using a law that the hundreds of members of the house and senate had already passed. You don't COMPROMISE using a law that the supreme court deemed legal. They aren't trying to compromise. Republicans are attempting to hurt the United States to get their own way. If Obama said, I will give you whatever you want, but we have to take away your guns, how would republicans feel about that?

When fifty percent of the country is against a major bill who no one had time to read that got shoved through by a slim PURE partisan vote then you do compromise.

What do you expect to happen when a HUGE bill is passed by a pure partisan vote.

Edited October 1, 2013 by spartan max2