Most of the guests on shows like this have a political agenda, and to various degrees have their talking points, hyper-partisan points of view, and focus-tested (thanks, Frank Luntz) verbiage usage. I'll give you an example.
Republicans are married to a fiscal policy of tax cuts, and reductions in spending. That's their rhetoric, and whether it matches up to political reality or not, they have not shown that this recipe works. EVER. "Trickle Down" economics was ridiculed in the waning days of the Reagan Administration, but it is being embraced with gusto by Republicans these days. On the other hand, economic stimulus (minus the watering down and tax cuts thrown to gain dubious Republican support) does boost the economy. Unemployment insurance and other "entitlements" as Republicans call them, are some of the best stimulus the economy can get. People who get these benefits tend to spend them right away, stimulating the economy immediately.
In that example, the second theory can be shown to work in practice, and by logical thinking. The first one (trickle down) can't be shown to work as far as I know. It's wishful thinking. What do corporations making huge profits really do when they get tax cuts, and thus more profits? Why, they do anything they can to make their profits even bigger, they don't just start hiring tons of new people with all that extra money. If there's one thing the BP disaster shows us, it is what the culmination of laissez-faire capitalism leads to: Profits above all else, no contingency plans for accidents, no spending on hypothetical future disasters, bogus response plans, shortcuts, dirty deals with government regulators, registering wells in foreign countries for additional tax breaks, more lobbying for further reduced regulations.
But on these Sunday shows, you'll hear the same failed policy ideas trotted out by Ed Gillespie. And David Gregory (or one of the other hosts) set them up, using their own verbiage, and presenting every issue as though both sides are equally weighted. That's why I love Rachel Maddow. Sure, you might find her as partisan as Gillespie, and she is. But unlike him, Rachel is not afraid to point out Democrats' failures. She doesn't wear kid gloves around the foibles of the left, and she has a great way of framing an issue that isn't chock-full of "Words that Work" or scripted talking points. I loved when she said that the Republican mantra of fiscal responsibility was historically "nifty but novel." In other words, Republicans haven't shown that they deliver what they promise in this area. Brava, Rachel! Now, if she could just replace Gregory.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Have something to say to us? Post it here!