Is “Fake News” Earning Their Label?
The View from the Middle
It seems that the lame-stream media has shifted into overdrive this last week to prove that they are sloppy, imbalanced and sometimes downright dishonest. It was started by Lanny Davis, Michael Cohen’s lawyer and Clinton sycophant, who made two erroneous statements (the generous interpretation) or lies (my interpretation) to the press. First, Lanny leaked that his client, Michael Cohen, would testify that President Trump not only knew of the famous Trump tower meeting with Russian Lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya, but that he approved it and even directed it.
There are two problems with this story. First, it is not true and Lanny retracted it later, but not before virtually all of the lame-stream media had a chance to report it. Second, that meeting was not illegal and there was no action taken as a result of it. Lanny also lied (there is actually no way to be generous here) when he told Anderson Cooper that he was not the anonymous source for the story. He has since admitted that he was. The New York Post, Washington Post and the network news have made retractions (however obscure I’m sure), but CNN seems to know Michael Cohen’s mind even better than Michael Cohen and they are sticking to their story.
In an ironic twist to this whole episode, Lanny Davis has set up a “Go Fund Me” page to support Michael Cohen’s dilemma, basically to pay Lanny Davis, and it is called “The Truth Fund”. As you might expect, refunds have been requested.
Next, in a desperate attempt to tie every comment made by Donald Trump to racism, Jeffrey Toobin of CNN claimed that Trump’s criticism of Anitfa was racist because Antifa was a “black” organization. Maybe Jeffrey was confused by their black masks, hoods and clothing. I’m not sure if this comment was pure stupidity, blind ignorance or a straight out lie to connect two dots that don’t deserve to be connected. There is ZERO evidence to support that claim. In fact, the evidence is quite to the contrary.
Here’s just one of the great comments that I’ve seen in response to Toobin’s claim. “Antifa is whiter than Pat Boone making a mayonnaise sandwich on Wonder Bread in a Minnesota snow storm.” Jeffrey Toobin just assumed that any violent, destructive group in America had to be black. Who’s the racist now, Jeffrey?
Finally, the Fake News is even misleading people about “lying”. You have all probably heard the claim that Trump has lied over 3,000 times since becoming President. Let me enlighten my audience as to how these “lie counters” aggregate their totals. Trump has made the statement that his tax cuts are the largest in our country’s history. The lie counters say that is false because “as a percentage of GDP” it is the seventh largest tax cut. But did you notice that they added the qualifier “as a percentage of GDP” to Trump’s statement to make it a lie. If Trump is talking about the biggest tax cut in sheer dollars, he has a strong case that it is the largest ever. I’ve run the numbers.
Here’s the other part of this deception. You, of course think that this is just one of Trump’s 3,000 “lies”, right? Not so! Since they say that Trump has said this over 100 times in different speeches and venues, they count it as 100 lies. So, 3% of his “so called” lies is actually just one statement. Are there 30 more example of this type of misrepresentation in their count? I’ve read them all and I believe there are. That would mean that 90% of what the “lie counters” report is actually false, misleading and Fake!
If you would take the false reports made by the media, like the Lanny Davis lies, times the number of outlets in which it was reported, times the number of times a day it was reported on newscasts and in discussions on TV, times the number of days it was reported (remember CNN first reported the Lanny Davis lies back on July the 26th) the media “lie count” might reach 100,000 just on Lanny’s lies!! Their total lie count on Trump, just since his inauguration would be in the millions!!!
Does it surprise anyone that the public’s confidence in the news is at an ALL TIME LOW of only 22% for newspapers and just 18% for television news? But I have to admit – They’ve Earned it!!
Thursday, August 30, 2018
Saturday, August 18, 2018
Andrew Cuomo - A Historian You're Not!!
Gov. Cuomo, A Historian You Obviously Are Not
The View from the Middle
Just when I think politicians can’t show themselves to be more despicable, self-interested, narcissistic and feebleminded, along comes Governor Andrew Cuomo to demonstrate that there is no limit to their depravity and stupidity. In a speech on Wednesday, Cuomo actually said that, “(America) was never that great”. Wow! Actually, Michelle Obama said something similar back in 2008 when it became clear that her husband was going to be the Democratic nominee for President. She actually said, “For the first time in my life, I am proud of my country.” Some have restated her comment to say that, “she was never proud of her country” until her husband became the apparent nominee. Personally, I think that is actually a fair interpretation of her words.
As you would guess, I strongly disagree with both Cuomo and Michelle Obama. Let me just walk you through a few reasons why I believe this is not only the greatest country on earth today, but the greatest country that has ever existed.
Slavery was a cruel and tragic practice that started on this continent in 1619, and which our country inherited in 1776 when we declared our independence from Britain. I think, however, that it was no accident that the brilliant Thomas Jefferson put the words, “all men are created equal” in our Declaration of Independence. He knew that while it was not possible to correct that horrible custom that day, he used that opportunity to begin the corrective process.
We, as a country, have struggled to rectify that situation. We have fought a Civil War over this issue. We’ve overcome Jim Crow laws and even continue to battle against prejudice and discrimination today, but we have made tremendous progress. The first black members of Congress were not elected until 1870, and there were only three. Even by 1964, the year of civil rights legislation, there were only four African Americans in Congress. Today we have 51 black members in Congress and in 2008 we elected our first African American as President. While I disagree with Barack Obama on most policy stances, I am proud of our country for electing him. Michelle, I do agree with you in that sense, but it’s not the first thing our country has done that has made me proud.
I also believe that America’s ingenuity is amazing. It was The United States that began the Panama Canal in 1904 under Teddy Roosevelt, continued it under William Taft and completed it in 1914 under Woodrow Wilson. At the time it was arguably the most challenging engineering project the world had ever seen. Since this 51-mile-long canal has connected the Atlantic and Pacific oceans it has literally saved ships millions of miles of hazardous and costly travel and vastly improved trade for North and South America as well as for China and Japan.
And what might be more astonishing than the canal was America’s determination to win the race to space. John Kennedy announced in 1962 that The United States would put a man on the moon and return him safely to the earth before the decade was out. Of course, we all remember now that we did land Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on the moon in 1969 and returned them safely to earth. I am extremely proud of this country’s dogged determination and imagination.
And how can you not be proud of the resourcefulness and bravery of the American military. Not only did we defeat the most powerful force in the world during the Revolutionary War, but we did it a second time in The War of 1812. Then, more than 600,000 men gave their lives to insure the freedom of all men in The United States during the Civil War. And let’s not forget that a similar number of soldiers made the ultimate sacrifice to save Europe during World Wars I and II. Even in wars that were less popular like Vietnam and the Iraq War, I am amazed and proud of the bravery and even nobility of our soldiers.
It was the wisdom of our Founding Fathers to limit our federal government and to unleash the power of the American people through individual liberty, personal responsibility and free markets that has made America what it is today. The United States is the most powerful and influential country in the world. Our 20 trillion-dollar economy is the largest in the world. It represents 25% of the world’s total economy despite that fact that we represent less than 5% of the world’s population, and our military is the strongest in the world. In 2017, our $700 billion defense budget represented over 40% of global military spending. I am proud and comforted by our capability and can’t imagine the state of world peace and prosperity if any other country would replace us as leader in these categories.
This article would become a book if I were to go on and talk about every amazing aspect of this country that I am proud of. The impact of capitalism on global poverty, for example, is absolutely astonishing. Capitalism, the bedrock of our economic system, has lifted more people out of poverty than any other economic or governmental system in the history of the world. I take pride in the system and the impact that it has had for good here and around the world.
To Andrew Cuomo I would say – take your blinders off, read a book and just apologize to the people of New York and the entire United States. Then, go someplace where you can feel more comfortable and prouder. There are millions of people around the world who would gladly take your place. In fact, thousands of people risk their lives every year to get here. That alone should tell you how great this country is. If expense is an issue, I will personally volunteer to buy you a one way ticket to any country in the world that will accept you.
The View from the Middle
Just when I think politicians can’t show themselves to be more despicable, self-interested, narcissistic and feebleminded, along comes Governor Andrew Cuomo to demonstrate that there is no limit to their depravity and stupidity. In a speech on Wednesday, Cuomo actually said that, “(America) was never that great”. Wow! Actually, Michelle Obama said something similar back in 2008 when it became clear that her husband was going to be the Democratic nominee for President. She actually said, “For the first time in my life, I am proud of my country.” Some have restated her comment to say that, “she was never proud of her country” until her husband became the apparent nominee. Personally, I think that is actually a fair interpretation of her words.
As you would guess, I strongly disagree with both Cuomo and Michelle Obama. Let me just walk you through a few reasons why I believe this is not only the greatest country on earth today, but the greatest country that has ever existed.
Slavery was a cruel and tragic practice that started on this continent in 1619, and which our country inherited in 1776 when we declared our independence from Britain. I think, however, that it was no accident that the brilliant Thomas Jefferson put the words, “all men are created equal” in our Declaration of Independence. He knew that while it was not possible to correct that horrible custom that day, he used that opportunity to begin the corrective process.
We, as a country, have struggled to rectify that situation. We have fought a Civil War over this issue. We’ve overcome Jim Crow laws and even continue to battle against prejudice and discrimination today, but we have made tremendous progress. The first black members of Congress were not elected until 1870, and there were only three. Even by 1964, the year of civil rights legislation, there were only four African Americans in Congress. Today we have 51 black members in Congress and in 2008 we elected our first African American as President. While I disagree with Barack Obama on most policy stances, I am proud of our country for electing him. Michelle, I do agree with you in that sense, but it’s not the first thing our country has done that has made me proud.
I also believe that America’s ingenuity is amazing. It was The United States that began the Panama Canal in 1904 under Teddy Roosevelt, continued it under William Taft and completed it in 1914 under Woodrow Wilson. At the time it was arguably the most challenging engineering project the world had ever seen. Since this 51-mile-long canal has connected the Atlantic and Pacific oceans it has literally saved ships millions of miles of hazardous and costly travel and vastly improved trade for North and South America as well as for China and Japan.
And what might be more astonishing than the canal was America’s determination to win the race to space. John Kennedy announced in 1962 that The United States would put a man on the moon and return him safely to the earth before the decade was out. Of course, we all remember now that we did land Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on the moon in 1969 and returned them safely to earth. I am extremely proud of this country’s dogged determination and imagination.
And how can you not be proud of the resourcefulness and bravery of the American military. Not only did we defeat the most powerful force in the world during the Revolutionary War, but we did it a second time in The War of 1812. Then, more than 600,000 men gave their lives to insure the freedom of all men in The United States during the Civil War. And let’s not forget that a similar number of soldiers made the ultimate sacrifice to save Europe during World Wars I and II. Even in wars that were less popular like Vietnam and the Iraq War, I am amazed and proud of the bravery and even nobility of our soldiers.
It was the wisdom of our Founding Fathers to limit our federal government and to unleash the power of the American people through individual liberty, personal responsibility and free markets that has made America what it is today. The United States is the most powerful and influential country in the world. Our 20 trillion-dollar economy is the largest in the world. It represents 25% of the world’s total economy despite that fact that we represent less than 5% of the world’s population, and our military is the strongest in the world. In 2017, our $700 billion defense budget represented over 40% of global military spending. I am proud and comforted by our capability and can’t imagine the state of world peace and prosperity if any other country would replace us as leader in these categories.
This article would become a book if I were to go on and talk about every amazing aspect of this country that I am proud of. The impact of capitalism on global poverty, for example, is absolutely astonishing. Capitalism, the bedrock of our economic system, has lifted more people out of poverty than any other economic or governmental system in the history of the world. I take pride in the system and the impact that it has had for good here and around the world.
To Andrew Cuomo I would say – take your blinders off, read a book and just apologize to the people of New York and the entire United States. Then, go someplace where you can feel more comfortable and prouder. There are millions of people around the world who would gladly take your place. In fact, thousands of people risk their lives every year to get here. That alone should tell you how great this country is. If expense is an issue, I will personally volunteer to buy you a one way ticket to any country in the world that will accept you.
Wednesday, August 15, 2018
Don't Confuse the "What" with the "How"
Don’t Confuse the “What” with the “How”
The View from the Middle
I was listening to the gaffe-master, Nancy Pelosi, this morning on MSNBC and it reminded me of two things; the incompetency of the press and then hollowness of the political debate in this country, especially from Nancy. I came to this conclusion because of something I learned while working for Procter & Gamble. In order to keep us focused on being productive versus just dreaming about the end result, P&G had a motto that went like this, “Don’t confuse the ‘what’ with the ‘how’.” It is fine to have a vision of what a positive result looks like (the what), but you must also have a plan that will deliver that result (the how).
When Nancy Pelosi was asked what policies she and the Democratic Party supported, she said, “We are for the people. We are for lower healthcare costs, and the reduction of prescription drug costs. We are for bigger paychecks for Americans and good paying jobs for our citizens.” Now if the MSNBC correspondent had more than two brain cells to rub together, he would have noticed that none of the things that Nancy mentioned were policies at all. These are all outcomes, or as P&G would say, they are “what” both parties are trying to accomplish. Which party, Nancy, is running “against the people” or for “higher healthcare costs” or “lower wages and poor paying jobs”?
But this is exactly what Nancy wants. She wants “We the People” to believe that if she claims these obvious and common outcomes or “whats”, the other side must be against them. Again, if the MSNBC reporter had any journalistic skills or instincts he would have confronted Nancy with the reality that her statements were all outcomes and forced her to explain what policies she proposed (the how’s) to deliver these results.
Let me take just one of these issues to demonstrate the difference between the “what” and the “how” and the difference between the liberal and conservative positions. Let’s talk about better paying jobs for all Americans. First, we have to accept that both parties are in favor of higher wages. Once we accept that, we must ask each party “how” they plan to achieve that goal.
The Democrats will propose big government solutions like raising the minimum wage to something like $15 an hour. I can see, however, a number of problems with this kind of approach. First, it allows federal bureaucrats, who have probably never run a business in their lives, to dictate to businesses what they must pay their employees. It sounds good, right. Government just passes a law that people have to be paid more! Problem fixed! But what they won’t tell you is that the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has projected that a move like that will cause the elimination of 6.6 million jobs across the country. So when you add all of those zeroes to gains recognized, a minimum wage increase would barely move the needle in terms of real increased wages here in the good old US.
The Republicans should be supporting more of a free market solution. Remove regulations that hinder business startups and growth so that more people are employed. This will reduce unemployment and force businesses to compete for labor by paying their employees more money. Also, a policy aimed at eliminating unfair trade barriers and tariffs would bring back some of the five million manufacturing jobs we have lost just since the year 2000. Those manufacturing jobs are the really good jobs that paid over $20 per hour even back in 2014.
And, these are the very policies that the Trump administration has been pursuing for the past 18 month, and the results are just now coming in. GDP growth hit 4.1% last quarter and is projected to end the year with over 3.1% growth, which hasn’t happened since 2005. The unemployment rate is now below 4% and the labor market is tightening up putting pressure on wages. Average wages are growing at almost a three percent rate and faster than any time since 2009.
Personally, I’m willing to let these policies play out. I am concerned about the country’s debt but I will wait for year one results and year two projections to make that judgement. My counsel, however, for you my readers is not to confuse the “what” with the “how”. Both sides want economic growth, smart kids, affordable healthcare and equal opportunity for all people no matter their race, gender or sexual orientation. When you hear candidates try to claim those end results, remember to seek “how” they plan to deliver them so that you can judge the likelihood of their success.
The View from the Middle
I was listening to the gaffe-master, Nancy Pelosi, this morning on MSNBC and it reminded me of two things; the incompetency of the press and then hollowness of the political debate in this country, especially from Nancy. I came to this conclusion because of something I learned while working for Procter & Gamble. In order to keep us focused on being productive versus just dreaming about the end result, P&G had a motto that went like this, “Don’t confuse the ‘what’ with the ‘how’.” It is fine to have a vision of what a positive result looks like (the what), but you must also have a plan that will deliver that result (the how).
When Nancy Pelosi was asked what policies she and the Democratic Party supported, she said, “We are for the people. We are for lower healthcare costs, and the reduction of prescription drug costs. We are for bigger paychecks for Americans and good paying jobs for our citizens.” Now if the MSNBC correspondent had more than two brain cells to rub together, he would have noticed that none of the things that Nancy mentioned were policies at all. These are all outcomes, or as P&G would say, they are “what” both parties are trying to accomplish. Which party, Nancy, is running “against the people” or for “higher healthcare costs” or “lower wages and poor paying jobs”?
But this is exactly what Nancy wants. She wants “We the People” to believe that if she claims these obvious and common outcomes or “whats”, the other side must be against them. Again, if the MSNBC reporter had any journalistic skills or instincts he would have confronted Nancy with the reality that her statements were all outcomes and forced her to explain what policies she proposed (the how’s) to deliver these results.
Let me take just one of these issues to demonstrate the difference between the “what” and the “how” and the difference between the liberal and conservative positions. Let’s talk about better paying jobs for all Americans. First, we have to accept that both parties are in favor of higher wages. Once we accept that, we must ask each party “how” they plan to achieve that goal.
The Democrats will propose big government solutions like raising the minimum wage to something like $15 an hour. I can see, however, a number of problems with this kind of approach. First, it allows federal bureaucrats, who have probably never run a business in their lives, to dictate to businesses what they must pay their employees. It sounds good, right. Government just passes a law that people have to be paid more! Problem fixed! But what they won’t tell you is that the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has projected that a move like that will cause the elimination of 6.6 million jobs across the country. So when you add all of those zeroes to gains recognized, a minimum wage increase would barely move the needle in terms of real increased wages here in the good old US.
The Republicans should be supporting more of a free market solution. Remove regulations that hinder business startups and growth so that more people are employed. This will reduce unemployment and force businesses to compete for labor by paying their employees more money. Also, a policy aimed at eliminating unfair trade barriers and tariffs would bring back some of the five million manufacturing jobs we have lost just since the year 2000. Those manufacturing jobs are the really good jobs that paid over $20 per hour even back in 2014.
And, these are the very policies that the Trump administration has been pursuing for the past 18 month, and the results are just now coming in. GDP growth hit 4.1% last quarter and is projected to end the year with over 3.1% growth, which hasn’t happened since 2005. The unemployment rate is now below 4% and the labor market is tightening up putting pressure on wages. Average wages are growing at almost a three percent rate and faster than any time since 2009.
Personally, I’m willing to let these policies play out. I am concerned about the country’s debt but I will wait for year one results and year two projections to make that judgement. My counsel, however, for you my readers is not to confuse the “what” with the “how”. Both sides want economic growth, smart kids, affordable healthcare and equal opportunity for all people no matter their race, gender or sexual orientation. When you hear candidates try to claim those end results, remember to seek “how” they plan to deliver them so that you can judge the likelihood of their success.
Saturday, August 4, 2018
Advice for Trump and the NFL
Advice for Trump and the NFL
The View from the Middle
There are two national quarrels that I just don’t understand. The answers to me seem so simple, yet in each case both groups seem as bullheaded and inflexible as the north-going and south-going Zax of Dr. Seuss fame. If you haven’t heard that story, below is a link to a short video that will inform and entertain you while it helps you picture the ridiculous nature of these conflicts. Copy and paste into your browser.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaQXOrbqAbM
I am amazed, for example, at how Roger Goodell and the NFL continue to trip over their own feet with their national anthem protest. The truth, which the NFL should be trumpeting, is that the vast majority of NFL players (I’m saying 99%+) believe that the United States is the greatest nation on the earth, even though it isn’t perfect. Where else could these players go to make the millions of dollars they pull in each year. The fact is, America’s capitalistic system has created a professional sports industry that has made them millionaires and even billionaires. There is no other country that offers this opportunity.
I also believe that the same percentage of NFL players would like to honor and respect our military, past and present. Who actually has disdain for the soldier that stormed the beaches of Normandy to help free Europe? A person can disagree with the conflict, like the Vietnam War, but the vast majority of Americans, which includes NFL players, appreciate the sacrifices that our soldiers have made for our benefit. In some cases, of course, these soldiers have made the ultimate sacrifice.
I even believe that the vast majority of NFL players support our local police who risk their lives to protect all of us every day. I’m not asking NFL players to ignore any cause they see as important, but I would suggest that players stand for our anthem to honor all of the good members of our military, police and first responders. They have plenty of camera time between games to bring awareness to their issues. They could even petition the NFL to wear distinguishing apparel (like pink shoes for breast cancer) to signify their concern for equal justice and treatment of black America. This would not only show honor to our soldiers, etc. but also shouts their message for two hours instead of just two minutes without alienating fans. In a year when the murder of police officers is heading for record high numbers and deaths of unarmed black men may hit a record low, maybe it’s time lower the rhetoric and give respect to all concerned. Hopefully the NFL can figure out how to show respect for their players and fans at the same time.
Now, for the Trump team. Yesterday I saw Jim Acosta of CNN virtually beg Sarah Sanders to simply agree with Ivanka Trump and say that the media is not the enemy of the people. Believe me, I am no fan of Jim Acosta, but I think this is another example of a group, in this case the Trump administration, missing the obvious and easy answer in this contentious issue.
The truth is, the media is the fourth estate with a legitimate role to be an advocate for the people and to be a watchdog to ensure that our government is honest and true to their role to represent and protect our citizens. That does, however, require them then to be accurate, unbiased and balanced. None the less, much of our media is failing in that responsibility today. Over 90% of the coverage of President Trump by the major networks is negative, and no other President has even been close that number. The media, which is overwhelmingly liberal, continually ignores or under reports positive news or even somehow gives a negative spin to positive economic or domestic policy news. In fact, the coverage of Trump’s actual policies is also at an all-time low. Almost a quarter of their coverage, for example, is on one subject – Russia collusion, of which there is no actual evidence.
In my mind, the proper answer by Sarah Sanders to Jim Acosta’s question was a layup. She certainly was justified in pointing out the media’s horrible attacks on her personally, but she should have followed that with this statement. “Jim, you are right. An unbiased, accurate, balanced media has a very important and even critical role in the American society. It has special rights protected by our constitution, but it also has a tremendous responsibility to be fair, accurate and balanced. Today, many in the media are failing to perform that honorable and critical role for the people of The United States.”
To the Trump administration - the obstinate, hardline, “enemy of the people” rhetoric is over the top and a loser. To Jim Acosta and CNN - put some balance and truth in your reporting and you will make good on the vital role you should play in our society. You may even see your floundering trust and viewership numbers go up.
The View from the Middle
There are two national quarrels that I just don’t understand. The answers to me seem so simple, yet in each case both groups seem as bullheaded and inflexible as the north-going and south-going Zax of Dr. Seuss fame. If you haven’t heard that story, below is a link to a short video that will inform and entertain you while it helps you picture the ridiculous nature of these conflicts. Copy and paste into your browser.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaQXOrbqAbM
I am amazed, for example, at how Roger Goodell and the NFL continue to trip over their own feet with their national anthem protest. The truth, which the NFL should be trumpeting, is that the vast majority of NFL players (I’m saying 99%+) believe that the United States is the greatest nation on the earth, even though it isn’t perfect. Where else could these players go to make the millions of dollars they pull in each year. The fact is, America’s capitalistic system has created a professional sports industry that has made them millionaires and even billionaires. There is no other country that offers this opportunity.
I also believe that the same percentage of NFL players would like to honor and respect our military, past and present. Who actually has disdain for the soldier that stormed the beaches of Normandy to help free Europe? A person can disagree with the conflict, like the Vietnam War, but the vast majority of Americans, which includes NFL players, appreciate the sacrifices that our soldiers have made for our benefit. In some cases, of course, these soldiers have made the ultimate sacrifice.
I even believe that the vast majority of NFL players support our local police who risk their lives to protect all of us every day. I’m not asking NFL players to ignore any cause they see as important, but I would suggest that players stand for our anthem to honor all of the good members of our military, police and first responders. They have plenty of camera time between games to bring awareness to their issues. They could even petition the NFL to wear distinguishing apparel (like pink shoes for breast cancer) to signify their concern for equal justice and treatment of black America. This would not only show honor to our soldiers, etc. but also shouts their message for two hours instead of just two minutes without alienating fans. In a year when the murder of police officers is heading for record high numbers and deaths of unarmed black men may hit a record low, maybe it’s time lower the rhetoric and give respect to all concerned. Hopefully the NFL can figure out how to show respect for their players and fans at the same time.
Now, for the Trump team. Yesterday I saw Jim Acosta of CNN virtually beg Sarah Sanders to simply agree with Ivanka Trump and say that the media is not the enemy of the people. Believe me, I am no fan of Jim Acosta, but I think this is another example of a group, in this case the Trump administration, missing the obvious and easy answer in this contentious issue.
The truth is, the media is the fourth estate with a legitimate role to be an advocate for the people and to be a watchdog to ensure that our government is honest and true to their role to represent and protect our citizens. That does, however, require them then to be accurate, unbiased and balanced. None the less, much of our media is failing in that responsibility today. Over 90% of the coverage of President Trump by the major networks is negative, and no other President has even been close that number. The media, which is overwhelmingly liberal, continually ignores or under reports positive news or even somehow gives a negative spin to positive economic or domestic policy news. In fact, the coverage of Trump’s actual policies is also at an all-time low. Almost a quarter of their coverage, for example, is on one subject – Russia collusion, of which there is no actual evidence.
In my mind, the proper answer by Sarah Sanders to Jim Acosta’s question was a layup. She certainly was justified in pointing out the media’s horrible attacks on her personally, but she should have followed that with this statement. “Jim, you are right. An unbiased, accurate, balanced media has a very important and even critical role in the American society. It has special rights protected by our constitution, but it also has a tremendous responsibility to be fair, accurate and balanced. Today, many in the media are failing to perform that honorable and critical role for the people of The United States.”
To the Trump administration - the obstinate, hardline, “enemy of the people” rhetoric is over the top and a loser. To Jim Acosta and CNN - put some balance and truth in your reporting and you will make good on the vital role you should play in our society. You may even see your floundering trust and viewership numbers go up.
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