This is a lesson for all the mainstream media. It comes from NPR in the US. NPR tried to find a millionaire job creator to ask them if the GOP claims that a surtax on the wealthy would stop job creation. NPR called many Republican congressional staff and leadership offices of the GOP in the Senate and House. They were unable to get a single name!
NPR then went to business groups who are aggressively lobbying against the surtax. They did get a few millionaires to talk. Apparently the personal income tax surtax is not a factor in their decisions to invest.
Now wouldn't be wonderful if the rest of the media would take claims made by political parties and check them out.
Here in Canada, our Harper led government missed the fact we were headed to a recession in 2008. We will balance books chimed the Conservative talking points. Canada is on sound footing. Yet when they didn't do the job, the media in Canada never made the connection for their readers and viewers. Every country in the world was gearing up for a recession. Here in Harper bubble land all we heard from the government is that we will balance the books. They did not do that. They ran the biggest deficit in Canadian history.
Our finance minister and Stephen Harper's Conservatives promised to balance the books during this term in office in the last election. The Conservatives knew what shape we were financially, yet campaigned as if their 'lie' was possible. Less than four months of coming back, they admitted the budget won't be balanced until after the next election.
I understand that things can change. What is wrong here is the Media's failure in communicating the facts. They seem more interested in the back and forth between opponents. Now we have Harper, in a majority government going even further than the Liberals, ramrodding legislation through the House of Commons. No debate needed, they say.
The media must remember Stephen Harper and many of is buddies screaming when Chretien used closure or time limited debate on legislation. Why is that not a question and a reminder in every instance of Harper using closure or time limits? Its like Harper has a free ride. All opposition members claim the government is limiting debate, so Harper never gets asked.
Remember the Harper in opposition, talking about democracy? Remember when he went after the Liberal government on patronage? The media actually gave points to Jason Kenney when he stood in the house recently to respond to opposition questions on the issue. The Minister simply said the Liberals did it. If it was wrong when the Liberals were in power, why is it okay for the Conservatives when they are in government?
The media are too keen on access to the power in government. No tough questions here. No fact checking either. And don't get me going on the Canadian Wheat Board.
1 comment:
A leader like Harper often goes through this inexplicably long period when they get a free ride from the media and then some suddenly changes in the mood of people and the country in general and they are exposed for what they really are. It happened to Nixon and to Mulroney. It will happen to Harper. Look at Mayor O'brian in Ottawa - he ran on a zero tax policy and the media all cheered for him. Then sometime in the middle of his time as mayor the mood changed and everyone began to ask questions. By the end of his term he was truly exposed for what he was, an obnoxious, petty, vindictive, divisive, angry little man who just wanted to have his way but had none of the skills necessary to actually deal with the real problems of government. Harper is exactly the same and he will eventually pay the same price all tyrants do. It is, however, frustrating while he is a teflon man because it is so inexplicable.
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