"Most of the headlines you see about (Wisconsin) are wrong" --Rachel Maddow

[ProgressiveEconomist]

On tonight's show, Rachel once againt has scooped the NY Times, Washington Post, CNN, and all other major media outlets, and moreover has exposed all their headlines about Wisconsin as fraudulent and unbelievably misleading.

Rachel said any allegation that Wisconisn state fiscal problems are forcing deep state payroll cuts is WRONG. But that's EXACTLY what most of the media are saying.

Her guest, State Sen John Erpenbach, pointed out that Governor Walker claims his pay-cut/union busing bill is necessary to save $130 million. But Walker just gave away $150 million in unanticiapated business tax breaks!

An Associated Press story from the end of last month (snippets below) documents Erpenbach's assessment.

How can the media (except for Rachel) get things so wrong when the facts have been in plain view for weeks?

WHAT'S YOUR OPINION?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

From http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41356262/ns/business :

"Wisconsin Gov. Walker signs tax cut bill into law By SCOTT BAUER The Associated Press updated 1/31/2011 3:23:36 PM ET 2011-01-31T20:23:36

MADISON, Wis.

... For his first month in office, though, Walker's been focused on spending money through tax cuts. Two tax cuts he's already signed, along with one that's passed the Assembly, would add roughly $117 million to the state's budget problem over the next two years.

The $1 million tax cut bill he signed Monday takes effect this tax year and affects taxes due in 2012. Companies that have not operated in the state for two years could essentially get their corporate and personal income tax obligation in Wisconsin erased for a two-year period. ... Walker likened the tax break to a rental company that offers tenants a couple of months' free rent. "It gives us a foot in the door," Walker said.

He also signed a bill Monday that increases by $25 million the money available for economic development incentives. ... Walker previously signed into law a bill that eliminates state income taxes on contributions made to health savings accounts, which comes with a $49 million price tag, and a sweeping lawsuit reform measure. Other parts of his legislative agenda are also moving forward quickly."

[eleny]

1. She made it all crystal clear

And I thought, "Obama has got to get involved here since he's the leader of the Democratic Party".

I hope Wisconsinites make him realize he must get into this as it's happening across the nation.

[spooky3]

2. Rachel and her staff do an incredible job.

I've learned a lot from her. Loved the FDR speech she cited recently, and her quoting Eisenhower on collective bargaining.

[upi402]

3. They sure do! ^+1,000 n/t

[ProgressiveEconomist]

22. They do so much the show overflows with scoops. Exemption of the tree unions

that supported the Rs--the state police, local police, and firefighters--is a feature of the union-busting bill that might IMO well be grounds for lawsuits and declairing it unconstitutional.

What public policy grounds would justify breaking the union for correctional officers but allowing bargaining for the state police? Sounds very dubious to me. And to Rachel, who adduced this observation as her first piece of evidence that the bill that put thousands of protesters into the streets is political payback, not fiscal prudence.

Rachel even tied this story to her ACORN story. Rs targeted ACORN, ljust like most of public employee unions in Wisconsin, because they were effective at organizing, registering, and turning out Democratic voters.

[ProgressiveEconomist]

14. MSNBC is rebroadcasting Rachel NOW

[drmjg]

65. But keep in mind...

To the average low information Republican voter trained by RUSH and GLENN, Eisenhower was a damned liberal!

[ProgressiveEconomist]

4. Wasn't that a GREAT show? It's as if nobody at the NYTimes, WashPost, CNN

etc knows how to Google as well as you or I can.

Add this Wisconisn sotry to the Best of Rachel Maddow list-- with the CBO tax policy estimate story, the ACORN video fraud frame-up, and many others where all the major media outlets got it wrong and only Rachel got it right.

[femrap]

51. Unfortunately I think the

major media outlets get things wrong on purpose. The editors are told what to print. I think journalism died somewhere in the early 2000's.

But I am very grateful for Rachel and Ed. VERY.

[ProgressiveEconomist]

52. "Editors are told what to print". IMO this is a very tricky issue. On the whole,

I think there are very few instances where reporters' stories are changed against their will to hew to Republican Party talking-points. On the whole, I think reporters and editors are just lazy, incurious, and ignorant, and act as stenographers for the politicians who are framing their actions. Thus Gov Scott Walker's specious argument that payroll cuts are necessary because of a "budget crisis" gets amplified and broadcast nationwide with no attention to what more obscure politicians such as State Sen Jon Erpenbach are saying.

Bit I think you are quite right about some media figures. This morning on CNBC's "Squawk Box", Tim Russert's unworthy successor on "Meet the Press" dropped by for a promo segment. I remember when Gregory was perhpas the savviest reporter at Bush white House press conferences, asking just the right question at just the wrong time from Dubya's point of view.

But this morning, Gregory unquestioningly repeated Scott Walker's framing of the protests as a "budget crisis" rather than part of an organized national Republican efforts to cripple just those public employee unions who pose the only effective counterweight to corporate politics ratified by an extremeist and illegitimate USSC. I'm sure Gregory knew this morning everything that Rachel reported last night, but he played dumb.

The point is that smarmy people like David Gregory need not be told explicitly to slant their stories toward the corporate republican view. They know what their bosses want to hear, and they quietly give it to them every time. Gregory's ability to "go to his right" IMO is exactly what got him the Meet the Press job over other reporters at NBC, MSNBC, and CNBC.

But I think David Gregory is the exception rather than the rule in slanted media coverage of political stories. IMO most reporters and editors are just too lazy, incurious, and ignorant to marchal readily-available facts.

[femrap]

68. Reporters are told

what to write or else MSM will find someone who will. I'm sure he has a nice home and a family to support. Money talks. And Integrity has gone the way of the Geneva Convention...something that is quaint...a relic of a former era.

Lazy? Look at Robert Parry. He's a real journalist. What happened to him? Look at Amy Goodman...she is the best journalist in the nation and must survive on contributions.

Gregory doesn't play dumb...he does as he is told.

There are what...4 main owners of the majority of the MSM.

The UK still has reporters. Four major papers....each with its slant and everyone knows their slant. We have WSJ, USA today, NY Times....hell the CIA works at the NY Times.

We're a stupid nation....Dumfukistan, the former US of A. Too many sheeple who simply refuse to believe that they're not being told the truth. Opinion is now fact.

I don't even bother watching any of those Sunday 'news' shows. Just propaganda. At least the people of the Soviet Union realized they were being fed propaganda by Tass and Pravda....We don't.

May Mother Nature kick the Greedy monsters' collective ass.

[movonne]

5. After listening to Rachael tonight I got so depressed about the

union and the end of the democratic party...I cannot see how we can win anymore elections...all money and 90% of the media back the repugs I see a one party country and that is a dictatorship

[ProgressiveEconomist]

7. Sorry to hear that. I'm feeling just the opposite, and I feel your reaction is

a minority view. Let me try to cheer you up:

What Gov Walker is trying to do CANNOT work. As Governor, Walker cannot do ANYTHING without the help of his thousands of State of Wisconsin workers. IMO they are not just going to accept the union-busting bill and quietly go back to work for substantially less pay.

They will STRIKE for MONTHS and shut down Wisconsin. They will STOP all conventions from bringning business to Wisconsin hotels, airlines, restaurants, etc from all over the world.

I relish the thought of a display of the power of labor unionism we have not seen since the 1930s. I expect private sector union organizing to take advantage of this display and bottom out their decades-long decline.

[FredStembottom]

15. I hope Walker digs in!

I would love to watch a few weeks (months?) of woken-up Americans shaking off their ignorance!

:bounce: :toast:

[ProgressiveEconomist]

19. Exactly! Talk about overplaying your hand--Walker put his whole wad into the pot

not realizing that his opponent has all the aces!

Teachers in particular have all the kids and most of their parents on their side.

You don't just--in your second month of office, mind you--give them a double-digit pay cut and strip them of collective bargaining rights they've had for generations. No way is that going to stick, IMO. Walker's got to be just plain NUTS!

[FredStembottom]

38. Beautifully, helpfully nuts!

I think millions of Americans have needed a real poke in the ribs from one of these playground bullies to rouse us from our lunchtime drowsies.

Walker was just ignorant enough to stick his fork in.

Go Scut Walker!

[ProgressiveEconomist]

40. YES, GO Scott Walker! He was on 'Fox and Friends' this morning, talking about

his supposed "budget crisis". What a loser! He wasn't fooling anybody, even with the ostensible "help" of the Fox crew, selling him to the faithful.

[Viking12]

42. I share your enthusiasm, but not necessarily your optimism.

Having been to rallies all week, trying work in between, and spend some time with my kids, I'm exhausted. I don't know many people that can continue this indefinitely. Moreover, the strong showing is due in large part to K-12 teachers; continued school closures is going to cause a major backlash.

[ProgressiveEconomist]

47. "School closures ... going to cause a major backlash". Backlash against WHOM?

Against teachers, who've gotten an arbitrary and substantial pay cut and been deprived of bargaining rights the unions who supported Walker still have? Or against Gov Scott Walker, who engineered all of this with a huge political miscalculation?

I agree with you about fatigue for the protesters. But if there's a protracted strike, there'll be "...-Aid" concerts with Lady Gaga and all the other progressive performers, inspiring speeches from national politicians, strike fund payments for families, and other help that IMO will be just enough to get the vast majority of protesters to soldier on.

[Viking12]

49. Yes, backlash against teachers.

There are many parents that are on the fence or mildly in favor of our position. Continued school closures create a major inconvenience for other working class parents. More interruption in those parents lives will not win their favor.

[ProgressiveEconomist]

50. Why a backlash against TEACHERS rather than Walker? Makes no sense to me.

Won't parents ask themselves, "What would I do if my boss arbitrarily saddled me with a double-digit pay cut and abrogated my uniion rights? Would I just submit and meekly go back to work for substantially lower pay? Or would I strike--or find another job and quit to keep up my standard of living?"

Why would parents side with the crazy-extremist-lying Governor?

[FredStembottom]

69. I'm ready to hope anyways.

I need to.

[shanti]

18. absolutely!

:thumbsup: SOLIDARITY!

[midnight]

46. Very encouraging words indeed... I hope you are correct...

He just passed this insane bill through Milwaukee County before leaving.... He left the county in a deficit and the rest of the place in shambles... I'm hoping people will get a glimpse of the hell some families have been through trying to get the rest of the state and now the country to see.

[davidthegnome]

53. Thank you ProgressiveEconomist

That actually did cheer me up. Your faith, optimism and hope are inspiring. I'm generally the sort to take the "glass half empty" view, but I sincerely hope you are right.

[ProgressiveEconomist]

62. You are quite welcome

[wellst0nev0ter]

6. No, No, You See, Those Tax Cuts Will Actually MAKE Money

Because the reason businesses aren't growing isn't because of the lack of demand due to the lack of people having decent jobs (which leaves Gov. Walker off the hook), but it's because they are being taxed too much. And once businesses grow, the amount of money they'll give to the government will grow too. In fact, if we get rid of all taxes, the revenues will grow infinitely!





Do I really need a :sarcasm: tag?

[DirkGently]

8. Excellent. Nothing "fiscally responsible" going on here. At all.

[ProgressiveEconomist]

9. Isn't it odd how "budget gaps" of various kinds line up EXACTLY with prior "tax cuts"

granted disproportionately to the very wealthy?

--IIRC, he $100 billion" Tea-Party House Rs are demanding be cut from this year's budget is EXACTLY the sum of the extension of Dubya's extra tax breaks for the top 2 percent, plus the inheritance tax giveaway, for just THIS YEAR.

--FOUR TRILLION of the long-term debt comes from the totality of Dubya's income tax breaks to all income classes.

--The "unfunded liability" Gov Fatso decries for NJ state pensions is EXACTLY what his predecessor Christie Whitman took from regular pension contributions to fund her "tax cuts" disproportionately for NJ's very wealthy.

[DirkGently]

11. Great point, deserving of much more public examination. All should suffer so the rich can pay less?

[ProgressiveEconomist]

12. The media seem to have lost event their short-term memory--they cannot connect

today's "budget gap" with last month's "tax cuts"--quite literally in this case!

If I were uncharitable I'd start calling them "the Alzheimer's media".

[katnapped]

29. The media only remembers what the Koch(e)s tell them to n/t

[BR_Parkway]

34. They get paid too much to mention that connection - their taxes would

go up as well.

[ProgressiveEconomist]

10. Kick--Not even 400 page-views so far

[ProgressiveEconomist]

13. Kick!

[ProgressiveEconomist]

32. Kick!

[ProgressiveEconomist]

35. Kick!

[ProgressiveEconomist]

36. Kick!

[ProgressiveEconomist]

54. Kick!

[ProgressiveEconomist]

64. Kick!

[Lorien]

16. Seems to be a trend: cut taxes for the wealthy and the corporations that enrich them

then make up for some of the NEWLY CREATED deficit by cutting services for the poorest and most needy, because what are THEY going to do about it?

It's time to push back hard. The french know how to do it; they block roads and access to government buildings and corporations until their demands are met. Their government fears the people; the French people don't fear their government.

[ProgressiveEconomist]

17. 'Block roads' I was just thinking about all the mischief official state workers could

create. They could TEAR UP key intersections so that nothing would be able to move for WEEKS. They could close down AIRPORTS. They could SLEEP IN at the State Capitol and keep the legislature from meeting.

Even though they are exempt from the union-busting bill, I wonder what proportion of police officers in Madison are on the side of the protesters? IIf Gov Walker can't get the police to enforce his orders, IMO it is all over, and the workers win.

[Sherman A1]

24. They could do much worse by

simply "losing paperwork" for several weeks.

Ya, know, ya get busy, things get misplaced in the wrong file, etc.........

Not that anyone would ever do something like that on purpose......

[defendandprotect]

20. Thanks, Rachel -- Maddow and Schultz have been banging the drums hard ... !!!

Didn't catch enough of their shows this week --

Have to get into the habit of tunning in at 9 and 10 -- without Keith!!





THANK YOU FOR THE HEARTS -- AND A :hug: BACK -- !!

[ProgressiveEconomist]

21. Don't forget MSNBC replays Rachel twice--you could set your DVR for midnight

or 4am Eastern time.

[defendandprotect]

41. Thanks -- good reminder that these shows repeat later at night ....

and sometimes I do catch later -- :)






THANK YOU FOR THE HEARTS -- AND HERE'S A :hug: BACK -- !!

[AlbertCat]

57. Thanks -- good reminder that these shows repeat later at night ....

And you can watch them for free on your very own PC!


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/



and pod cast them for free.


ANYTIME

[Hubert Flottz]

45. I love them both.

They refuse to sell us out!

[Norrin Radd]

23. kr

[jp11]

25. Exactly, the freaking media gets it wrong, she hasn't.

[SpiralHawk]

26. Since the Republicons own all the corporate media

they have embraced Republicon Family Cesspool Values -- and truth ain't one of them...

[ProgressiveEconomist]

27. Are reporters and editors being ordered to give this story a Republican "spin", or are

they just lazy and bubble-headed?

I could be wrong,but don't think there's much heavy-handed ideological tilting going on here--I think reporters and editors are mainly lazy and ignorant. They weren't hired for their curiosity or investigative abilities, IMO. I think they're just stenographers for Gov Walker, because that's the easiest way to cover the story. IMO they just aren't curious enough to distinguish Wisconsin's fiscal status from California's or Illinois's.

[AlbertCat]

58. I think reporters and editors are mainly lazy and ignorant.

Nonsense.

They are paid to ACT lazy and ignorant.

REAL lazy and ignorant reporters and editors don't stay employed long. In media, you stay on by doing what you are told.

[certainot]

61. media gets more conservative as you go up the food chain

and then there's the right wing radio monopoly that is the real PC cop and censor-by-threat. on the local or national level they can create a buzz madison ave can only dream of. they can turn a molehill into a mountain in a day with loud repetition coordinated from the think tanks that feed those 1000 radio stations. it provides distractions and threats and enables the rest of the media to take an easy pro corporate route. limbaugh and spawn can put huge pressure on media staff just by mentioning a name (dan rather) or for eg. on local TV meteorologists by ridiculing climate change to a large audience that will make the calls when they hear the words "global warming". the non radio media is notable for what they ignore but the coordinated talk radio monopoly can create and police the rest of the media.

CBS led with wisconsin but had to "balance" it with a welfare cheat story (obviously a national story). IMO the unchallenged braying from 1000 radio stations has a lot to do with demanding that climate change deniers, for instance, get 50% of the seats at the table. if 1000 radio stations can scream it all day without being corrected it has to be true.

[malaise]

28. Here's the video

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/#41655758

[ProgressiveEconomist]

30. Thanks for that link. Can the video be downloaded from there,

as well as just played? Will right-clicking give you a SAVE option, or is it more complicated than that?

[malaise]

33. I'm clueless on that subject

Ask the DU experts in the IT forum

[AlbertCat]

60. Can the video be downloaded from there,

Rachel's show is available as a free podcast.

I have her on iTunes.... but I'm sure you can pod cast her on other media formats. Go to your media player's HELP and look up "Podcast"

[Badfish]

31. This is what Wisconsin voted for.

Let them reap what they sow , there MUST be consequences.

btw , I live in Fl. same story. Our state must be destroyed or the lesson won't be learned.

[spanone]

37. we just saw the media support the election of republicans last fall

they own the political system

they own the talking points

[bvar22]

39. Isn't that exactly what the Democratic Party just did on a National level?

....give HUGE tax cuts to the RICH,
and then claim we need to cut spending on the Middle Class & Poor? :shrug:

...maybe its just me.

[upi402]

43. If we had a Democratic Party... but we don't really

There are 3 Republican Parties
1) Formal, wingnut extremist Republican corporatists
2) "Democratic" Party, corporatist on the stuff the elites actually care about, liberal on the incidentals
3) Teabaggers, Republicans with a whacky Libertarian bent

How'd I do?
:toast:

[ProgressiveEconomist]

48. YES--see post #9 above. The Rs have a 1-2-3 strategy that they use over and over and over again:

(1) "We've GOT to give extra tax breaks to the top 2 percent of the income distribution", (ostensibly because they are "job creators" but really because they are the "have-mores" who've bought and paid for virtually all Republican legislators). He who pays the piper calls the tune.

(2) "Just LOOK at the budget deficit. How did it get so big?" Every million in "tax cuts" costs $1.4 million to replace when you add in iborrowing costs, that's how.

(3) "We've GOT to cut the budget, but we CAN'T touch "defenxe" contracts" (with the Republican Party's most reliable corporate taskmasters). Both Clinton and Obama found that they could not find any Democrat who could be Defense Secretary--they gave up and appointed Republicans to deal with Republican "contributors" and the politicians they own.

[Hubert Flottz]

44. I saw that part of her report and now I understand that the Gov. is

trying to make the working people in his state pay for more tax breaks for his contributors.

[tavalon]

55. You make it sound like it's a mistake

This is calculated misinformation.

[ProgressiveEconomist]

67. See post #52 above--I think this is a tricky issue.

[hay rick]

56. K&R

[Ilsa]

59. She deserves a Peabody Award for her perfection in journalism. nt

[DeSwiss]

63. K&R

"Most of the headlines you see about (Wisconsin) are wrong lies" --Rachel Maddow

/fixed

[Jackpine Radical]

66. Upton Sinclair pretty much said it with this:

"It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his job depends on not understanding it."