Category Archives: Budget

Tea Party Makes News–Even With Nonsense

Posted on 10/18/2011 by Peter Hart

Today the New York Times (1/18/11) reports a big scoop. A "Tea Party commission" convened by Freedom Works is set to announce its crowd-sourced $6 trillion debt reduction plan–"A copy of the preliminary findings was provided to the New York … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, Media Criticism, New York Times, Social Security | Tagged , , | 14 Comments

Tom Friedman's Chris Christie Crush Crumbles

Posted on 10/05/2011 by Peter Hart

Republican New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie isn't running for president after all. This is bad news for the journalists who seemed so eager to promote his candidacy, but also for establishment pundits like New York Times columnist Tom Friedman, who … Continue reading →

Posted in Barack Obama, Budget, Media Criticism | Tagged , , | 11 Comments

Obama Tries Hard to Be President Friedman, but Still Isn't Bonkers Enough

Posted on 09/21/2011 by Jim Naureckas

Politicians beware: Thomas Friedman is still threatening to launch a third party. In his New York Times column today (9/21/11), Friedman moans: One would hope that our politicians would rise to the challenge by putting forth fair and credible recovery … Continue reading →

Posted in Barack Obama, Budget, Economy, Election, New York Times | Tagged | 5 Comments

Unfortunately for Michael Barone, 'Sellout to Unions' Actually Helped Economy

Posted on 09/20/2011 by Jim Naureckas

Columnist Michael Barone, best known for editing The Almanac of American Politics, wrote a piece (Boston Herald, 9/20/11) declaring that Barack Obama's "Sellout to Unions Staggers Economy." After noting that "some pro-union moves have a certain ritual quality," he got … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, Labor | Tagged , | 1 Comment

WaPo Misleads on Dem's 'Super Committee' Picks

Posted on 08/10/2011 by Peter Hart

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has named his picks to the "super committee" charged with making deficit reduction recommendations. Reid named Washington Sen. Patty Murray and center-right Max Baucus, who the Post's Rosalind Helderman today (8/10/11) calls a "natural choice," … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, Social Security, Washington Post | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Barney Frank Questions the Questions at NPR

Posted on 08/10/2011 by Peter Hart

It's an article of faith in mainstream media discussions of the budget: Social Security and Medicare are the "entitlements" driving our debt problems. That's not really true, but that's overwhelmingly the starting point for these discussions. Occasionally, perhaps by accident, … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, Healthcare, NPR, Social Security | Tagged , , | 50 Comments

'Hard Choices' and the Budget Cuts Left Off the Table

Posted on 08/09/2011 by Peter Hart

There is no shortage of pundits like Robert Samuelson who demand cuts to Social Security and Medicare, usually in the name of balancing the budget. These political decisions are usually labeled "hard choices" in media discussions–as if politicians who favor … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, War/Military | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Capitol Hill Rituals, Strange and Not-So-Strange

Posted on 08/03/2011 by Peter Hart

New York Times reporter Dan Barry has an "outsider visiting the Capitol" piece (8/3/11) about the strange things one encounters in the legislative sausage factory. In some rooms you are required to wear a necktie; others have no such rules. … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, Media Criticism, New York Times, Washington Post | Tagged , , | 7 Comments

Debt Ceilings and the 'Balance' Bias

Posted on 08/02/2011 by Peter Hart

There's been plenty written about how reporters skew reality by treating "both sides" as equally intransigent or inflexible when it comes to the budget deficit battle. Another example, from the L.A. Times today (8/2/11): For Republicans, it was preventing any … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, L.A. Times, NBC, Social Security | Tagged , | 39 Comments

Robert Samuelson: We Have Met the Enemy, and He Is Old

Posted on 07/29/2011 by Peter Hart

When your column is headlined "It's the Elderly, Stupid," I guess readers should know what to expect. Robert Samuelson delivers in today's Washington Post (a column that will appear elsewhere around the country, unfortunately), in a nasty diatribe about the … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, Media Criticism, Social Security, Washington Post | Tagged , | 17 Comments

Friedman's Dream: If Only We Had a President Like Obama

Posted on 07/27/2011 by Jim Naureckas

In the debt ceiling debate, Republicans and corporate media have somewhat similar strategies: The GOP can't reach an agreement with the Democrats, because that would be a win for Obama. The media, meanwhile, can't say that the Democrats are doing … Continue reading →

Posted in Barack Obama, Budget, New York Times | Tagged | 9 Comments

ABC's Drivel About 'Partisan Rancor'

Posted on 07/26/2011 by Peter Hart

Some of the media commentary around the debt ceiling bemoans the state of the partisanship in Washington. Much of the chatter is about a supposed failure to compromise. As Josh Marshall argues, "this is simply false, even painfully so." By … Continue reading →

Posted in ABC, Budget | Tagged , , , , | 13 Comments

Obama's Right-Wing Plan to Win the Center

Posted on 07/25/2011 by Peter Hart

Forget about "winning the future"–Barack Obama wants to win the center. That's what the Washington Post is telling readers (7/25/11): Obama 'Big Deal' on Debt a Gamble to Win the Center Advisers think securing his plan would ensure general-election victory … Continue reading →

Posted in Barack Obama, Budget, Washington Post | Tagged , , | 23 Comments

NBC Finds 'Balance' in Debt Ceiling Poll

Posted on 07/21/2011 by Julie Hollar

NBC (Nightly News, 7/19/11) did some polling to see what the public thinks about the Republican and Democratic positions on the budget and debt ceiling : CHUCK TODD: Now, look, any sort of deal is putting pressure on the bases … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, NBC, Politics | Tagged | 9 Comments

The Brave World of Boehner/Obama Bipartisanship

Posted on 07/15/2011 by Peter Hart

Media love the "middle" in politics–where leaders of the two major parties come together to find common ground, renew the national spirit and/or live up to the ideals of the Founders. Time magazine (7/14/11) has a soppy piece about Barack … Continue reading →

Posted in Barack Obama, Budget, Social Security, Time | Tagged , , , | 15 Comments