I saw an outtake from Meet The Press this morning. Peggy Noonan was on (forty years past her relevancy date) asking why in the world the Democrats don’t break the BBB bill into a number of smaller bills and pass them separately… Now I honestly can’t tell if this is utter ignorance or just cynical blather designed to make her appear smarter than Biden, Pelosi, and Schumer. Why in the world does NBC waste time and enormous money putting horseshit on the air? The egotistical Mr. Todd is always too busy with what he’s going to say next to call out the BS flying around him.
A few years ago there were widely respected and widely read columnists who would freely criticize reporters for such shallowness, groupthink, or out-of-touch thinking. Not any more. The reporters find the easiest angle to harp on.
I still trust Biden, Pelosi, and Schumer to get some meaningful bills passed. The nice thing about the Dems taking mote time is that it means the reporters will have to find other issues to cluster around.
The corporate press seems to be incurable. They finally got that Trump was an existential danger to American democracy (and them) but they cannot understand a loosely left leaning Democratic Party which accords with majority opinion. They need competition. We need our own media.
Thanks Dan. This headline in the NYT yesterday really got to me, “Biden Throws in With Left, Leaving His Agenda in Doubt.” The idea that Biden is siding with the “Left” is bananas. He’s literally coming out in favor of the plan he campaigned on and won with. Up next from the NYT, “Bill Belichick Throws in with the Patriots.” So dumb. So very, very dumb.
My frustration is different. It is the exclusive focus on the politics of this. Even if the politicians are evading the question (probable) couldn't the media report, please, on what would be funded or not, taxed or not under different ways this could play out. Suppose someone (me) is mainly interested in voting reform and fixing the tax system to progressively reduce the structural deficit but also thinks the CTC is a great idea and is only mildly happy about the grab-bag of the infrastructure bills. Who should I think are the good guys? [I'm not asking Dan. I want the MSM to tell me.]
I flipped out when I saw the headline..and that was enough for me. I called Sen Bob Casey here in PA and left a message that said, I would hope that you are NOT one of the 'centrists' in the way of the passage of this bill, etc. Say it ain't so Amy! Here is the list I found when I googled 'moderate' Democrats: https://moderatedemocrats.org/ If one is your Senator, CALL HIM/HER. I plan to call Chrissy Houlahan (PA 06) as well. They need to hear from us. Secondly, Eric Boehlert (Press Run) also put out a piece on this and I said there, read this from David Rothkopf and you may feel better. There is thread unroll if you wish. https://twitter.com/djrothkopf/status/1443903981965750272
I keep telling myself; Twitter is not the world, and quite honestly, we here, in this group, are not either. And now I am thankful that most of my friends have given up on newspapers, MSNBC, CNN, etc. Everyone is concentrating on their dogs, their gardens and are ready to phone bank and knock on doors in a years time.
Thanks for this, and for your insights that always help to distinguish signal from noise.
Your presentation to Swing Left locals this week was excellent! I'm still thinking about your framing of what's important to work towards in 2022 (winnable Senate seats, not just the opponents of whoever has our hair on fire). And that it's a privilege (as well as a responsibility) to put our shoulders to the wheel at this important time in history.
I have similar frustrations to Thomas. Why do we not hear about the hold outs being taken to task about specific elements of the BBB plan? Programs that their own constituents support. I want to see a reporter interview them and point blank ask them “75% of your constituents support taxing corporations to pay for this bill. What are your reasons for not advocating for your constituents?” The substance of the larger bill is wildly popular. And 3 trillion over 10 years is NOT a lot of money given what it’s doing.
Grateful for your voice, Dan! Resubscribed this morning. 😉
I saw an outtake from Meet The Press this morning. Peggy Noonan was on (forty years past her relevancy date) asking why in the world the Democrats don’t break the BBB bill into a number of smaller bills and pass them separately… Now I honestly can’t tell if this is utter ignorance or just cynical blather designed to make her appear smarter than Biden, Pelosi, and Schumer. Why in the world does NBC waste time and enormous money putting horseshit on the air? The egotistical Mr. Todd is always too busy with what he’s going to say next to call out the BS flying around him.
A few years ago there were widely respected and widely read columnists who would freely criticize reporters for such shallowness, groupthink, or out-of-touch thinking. Not any more. The reporters find the easiest angle to harp on.
I still trust Biden, Pelosi, and Schumer to get some meaningful bills passed. The nice thing about the Dems taking mote time is that it means the reporters will have to find other issues to cluster around.
The corporate press seems to be incurable. They finally got that Trump was an existential danger to American democracy (and them) but they cannot understand a loosely left leaning Democratic Party which accords with majority opinion. They need competition. We need our own media.
Thanks Dan. This headline in the NYT yesterday really got to me, “Biden Throws in With Left, Leaving His Agenda in Doubt.” The idea that Biden is siding with the “Left” is bananas. He’s literally coming out in favor of the plan he campaigned on and won with. Up next from the NYT, “Bill Belichick Throws in with the Patriots.” So dumb. So very, very dumb.
My frustration is different. It is the exclusive focus on the politics of this. Even if the politicians are evading the question (probable) couldn't the media report, please, on what would be funded or not, taxed or not under different ways this could play out. Suppose someone (me) is mainly interested in voting reform and fixing the tax system to progressively reduce the structural deficit but also thinks the CTC is a great idea and is only mildly happy about the grab-bag of the infrastructure bills. Who should I think are the good guys? [I'm not asking Dan. I want the MSM to tell me.]
Thank you for this. We need more voices like yours. This perspective, I would argue this truth, is so underrepresented out there.
I flipped out when I saw the headline..and that was enough for me. I called Sen Bob Casey here in PA and left a message that said, I would hope that you are NOT one of the 'centrists' in the way of the passage of this bill, etc. Say it ain't so Amy! Here is the list I found when I googled 'moderate' Democrats: https://moderatedemocrats.org/ If one is your Senator, CALL HIM/HER. I plan to call Chrissy Houlahan (PA 06) as well. They need to hear from us. Secondly, Eric Boehlert (Press Run) also put out a piece on this and I said there, read this from David Rothkopf and you may feel better. There is thread unroll if you wish. https://twitter.com/djrothkopf/status/1443903981965750272
I keep telling myself; Twitter is not the world, and quite honestly, we here, in this group, are not either. And now I am thankful that most of my friends have given up on newspapers, MSNBC, CNN, etc. Everyone is concentrating on their dogs, their gardens and are ready to phone bank and knock on doors in a years time.
Thanks for this, and for your insights that always help to distinguish signal from noise.
Your presentation to Swing Left locals this week was excellent! I'm still thinking about your framing of what's important to work towards in 2022 (winnable Senate seats, not just the opponents of whoever has our hair on fire). And that it's a privilege (as well as a responsibility) to put our shoulders to the wheel at this important time in history.
I have similar frustrations to Thomas. Why do we not hear about the hold outs being taken to task about specific elements of the BBB plan? Programs that their own constituents support. I want to see a reporter interview them and point blank ask them “75% of your constituents support taxing corporations to pay for this bill. What are your reasons for not advocating for your constituents?” The substance of the larger bill is wildly popular. And 3 trillion over 10 years is NOT a lot of money given what it’s doing.
Grateful for your voice, Dan! Resubscribed this morning. 😉
Very true and well stated. It was nice to hear you recently on NPR.