Monday, November 30, 2009

The Bias in US Media

The joke is that the US media has a "liberal bias". This isn't true and has never really been true. The bias has always been toward the right since media ownership reflects the politics of the elite, the owners of the media. The only debate was between a cold-hearted mean-spirited elite representing the radical right and an elite that wanted its bread buttered but was willing to let the help have a 'decent' life that represents a more centrist elite (the supposed 'left wing' liberals).

The story out of Washington State of a paroled criminal killing four police officers is a good example of the unevenness of the the press. Maurice Clemmons had a 95 year sentence in Arkansas but was paroled by Huckabee. Is the press hounding Huckabee? Nope.

On the other hand, in 1988, the dirty tricks crew in the Republican party smeared Michael Dukakis with Willy Horton. They endlessly played a commercial of a revolving door with the idea that Dukakis was "soft" on criminals and gave them paroles that endangered the community. And the press featured lots of 'analysis' that flaunted this story like a red cloth in the face of a bull. The 'story' literally covered the media wall-to-wall. The 'message' that Dukakis was 'soft' on crime got through loud and clear.

Will Huckabee be haunted by a similar smear in the press? Don't get your lunch money on it!

So why does the "press" play one story so hard and not the other? Liberal bias? Give me a break. The press is the lap dog of the right wing elite that are all to happy to use social policies (issues of gay marriage, abortion, soft on crime, welfare queens, etc.) to enflame the voting public. These elites, when in power do nothing to solve the social problems. They simply levered these issues to get into power to pass more tax cuts for the rich and create sweet-heart contracts for the rich. The system is corrupt and the foolish voters haven't noticed.

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