Monday, January 16, 2017

Trump Peddles Snake Oil, Credulous Reporters Buy A Case


For an individual to assume neo- fascist hot air balloon Donald "Rump" Trump has "plans" floating in his thatched skull (other than ones involving self- aggrandizement) would indicate to us that he or she (in this case he and she) must've just fallen off the turnip truck or are engaged in some industrial- strength beat- sweetening. Case in point: looking at the morning once great Washington Post Bezos Bugle, here are reporters stenographers Robert Costa and Amy Goldstein dutifully labeling a fart that emerged from Rump's other orifice on Obamacare "replacement" as a "plan."

First there's the heading:

"Trump vows ‘insurance for everybody’ in Obamacare replacement plan"

Then there's the credulous repetition of the notion that this narcissist with no history of interest in policy or details actually is "nearing completion of a plan" (when he's not taking to Twitter to complain about Saturday Night Live or Rep. John Lewis, we assume):
President-elect Donald Trump said in a weekend interview that he is nearing completion of a plan to replace President Obama’s signature health-care law with the goal of “insurance for everybody”... [snip]
Trump declined to reveal specifics in the telephone interview late Saturday with The Washington Post... [snip] 
Trump’s plan is likely to face questions from the right, after years of GOP opposition to further expansion of government involvement in the health-care system, and from those on the left... [snip] 
In addition to his replacement plan for the ACA, also known as Obamacare, Trump said he will target pharmaceutical companies over drug prices.
Do you see a "plan?" Did they see a "plan?" Maybe they're in the same compartment where Rump has his secret "plan" to defeat ISIS. And his "plan" to create jobs.  And his "plan" avoid conflicts of interest in office.

But let's all give Rump the benefit of the doubt, because we all know Rump never lies.

Oddly enough in the same edition, the paper's media columnist Margaret Sullivan tells the press to gird for Rump's "hellish" assault of lies, distortions and threats:
So, we can expect President Trump to lie to the media, manipulate reality and go after those who upset the notion that adulation is his birthright. [snip]
Journalists are in for the fight of their lives. And they are going to have to be better than ever before, just to do their jobs. 
They will need to work together, be prepared for legal persecution, toughen up for punishing attacks and figure out new ways to uncover and present the truth. 
Two of her Trump- normalizing colleagues need to get the memo.

BONUS:  Steve M. has a good read on why this is all a media pig in a poke.

BONUS II:  Wonkette has an amusing take.

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