Congressional Democrats: We just want to re-open the government. We don't have any extraneous policy demands and we're asking for no concessions.
The Trump White House and congressional Republicans: We'll consider re-opening the government if Democrats approve billions of dollars in spending for an unpopular border wall. *Oh, and the Trump "deal" that's supposedly a compromise? Elie Mystal boils it down:
Donald Trump’s “major announcement” to end the government shutdown is an offer based on his belief that the American people are stupid and the media are dupes. In exchange for releasing the 800,000 federal workers Trump currently holds hostage, the president is offering to do something the courts will say he has to do anyway.A healthy percent of the American people are stupid and will fall for it because, well, they've already fallen for a con artist. But, so far, the American people as a whole know who to blame (including some Rump supporters). Of more concern is the media, a healthy percentage of whom are dupes and will fall for it. In fact, many in the media already have, and are framing Trump's "deal" as a "compromise" offer. As journalism professor Jay Rosen notes:
My explanation: Alongside the production of news and analysis, journalists in the major media are constantly engaged in another manufacture: the production of their own innocence. They have to continually prove they are being even-handed. The shutdown is an opportunity for that. https://t.co/LtPsJgaK9L— Jay Rosen (@jayrosen_nyu) January 21, 2019
Also, when you see or read a story about a "blame game" going on, recognize this as a lazy media trope intended to demonstrate their unbiased innocence. Don't be shy about calling them on it via calls, emails, letters, etc. It's one way we can try to keep them honest and to let them know that while they may wish to be dupes, we don't.
*BONUS: Oh, and (surprise!) Trump and McConnell are lying about the bill they're going to bring to the floor of the Senate.
BONUS II:
(via democraticunderground.com)
*BONUS: Oh, and (surprise!) Trump and McConnell are lying about the bill they're going to bring to the floor of the Senate.
BONUS II:
(via democraticunderground.com)
2 comments:
I really despair about the mainstream TV/radio media. They're mostly lazy and especially afraid of a) losing their access, especially to GOP bigwigs and b) their corporate bosses who couldn't less about real journalism, only profits and their corporate sponsors.
Jimbo -- exactly so. About the best we can hope to do right now is push back when we see them not doing their job (which happens a lot, so potentially exhausting). Right-wingers have made an art out of "working the refs" in order to get their self-interested narrative into the mainstream. We have a different interest: working the refs to get them to report the truth, even if it means it looks like they're "taking sides." Thanks for commenting.
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