Once Again: The Shutdown Isn't About "Both Sides"

Once again, in case there's any confusion at this late date over what the positions of the Democratic and Republican parties are on the Trump shutdown and border security, Steve Benen puts it as succinctly as possible:

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)

Will The "Both Sides Brigade" Rescue Trump?

Writing in New York Magazine, Eric Levitz notes that some in the traditional media are beginning to call for "compromise" between the Dems and demagogue and corrupt con man Donald "Rump" Trump over his hostage-taking Government shutdown tactics. Acceding to Rump's petulant demand that he get $5.7 billion in taxpayer money for a wall that Mexico was going to pay for would incentivize him to do the same thing whenever he wasn't getting his way: successful hostage taking leads to more hostage taking. And it would be well for the "both sides brigade" to remember that Rump himself owned the shutdown and he can end it.

We're seeing trenchant stories of Federal workers and contractors barely holding on as they dip into retirement funds or sell belongings. The media is tempted to play this as the result of "both sides" not willing to compromise. But with a nod, Rump could signal human/turtle hybrid and despicable coward Sen. Mitch McConnell to bring the appropriations bills passed by the House up for a vote and open the Government, while debating border security separately. The media's not so stupid as to miss the obvious action required -- they're lazily slipping back into the "both sides" mode when they need to point to the clear (and self-identified) villain here: Rump.