The Crash of the Gatekeepers

I wouldn't normally link to this rag but this sums up the entire media concern trolling so well. It's not just the GOP fluffers that are concerning trolling with this talking points.

Standard and Poor’s explanation for why it downgraded U.S. debt is written in such a way that it can be seized upon by all ideological stripes. The statement cites the unwillingness of Republicans to raise taxes and of Democrats to agree to entitlement cuts. And the rating agency’s discourse about the political dysfunction will provide column fodder for Washington pundits who long for the days when both parties would work together to reach compromises. But make no mistake, when all the dust settles, it will be difficult for President Obama to escape blame for this.

Of course, the only part that's true is Republicans refuse to raise taxes. They prefer to shift the costs of their policies onto the middle class, poor and elderly in less obvious ways. Is is possible they missed the howls of outrage from the "professional left" about Democrats putting so-called entitlement cuts on the table, again and again. I don't think so. But not so difficult to ignore them. And while it's true the very serious punditry can't give up their "if only the Dems could magically produce bi-partisan comity" fetish, it doesn't make it true. I doubt at this point even the low info voters haven't noticed the problem with the Dems is they've been too accomodating: to the point where they've enabled the ongoing insanity of today's Republicans.

This guy goes on to repeat every crazy con argument in support of the insanity. They're easily refuted. I'm told on twitter that Obama only had a filibuster proof majority for about 14 weeks. But in truth, thanks to the Blue Dogs, he never really had one. Obama didn't pass the paltry $800 billion stimulus package, Congress did. It should have been bigger and more weighted towards direct spending, but the GOPers abuse of the filibuster ensured it was as weak as possible.

It took 13 months to pass a insufficient health reform bill because the GOPers fought like hell to prevent it. And it didn't bend the cost curve enough because the GOPers succeeded, with the media's assistance, in polluting the debate with lies about death panels and Medicare cuts. And as for the grand bargain, since when did anyone the media demand written statements from the White House instead of targeted leaks? That went out with the Bush administration.

This guy is dreaming about "the people" blaming Obama for their despair over the decline of America, but maybe he hasn't looked at the polls the media is so fond of. Obama's approval rating is far and above Congress and last I looked the media's rating wasn't much better. They can spin up a whirlwind of denial, and desparately grasp the notion they're still in charge of the narrative, but even the low info voters are catching on to their game. The "trusted gatekeepers" aren't really trusted anymore. Nothing symbolic about it.

[More posts daily at the Detroit News.]