if there is a better example of misleading news writing and editing, i haven't seen it lately. this gem from usa today shows you just how easy it is for the opinion-setting national media to convolute and distort the national discourse:
Senate blocks House disaster aid bill – USATODAY.com: "WASHINGTON (AP) – The Democratic-led Senate blocked a House-passed bill on Friday that would provide disaster aid and keep government agencies open, escalating the parties' latest showdown over spending and highlighting the raw partisan rift that has festered all year."it's my understanding that the GOP finally, after much arm-twisting and haranguing of the membership in the house, was able to pass its version of the bill -- and then promptly departed for recess. this left the bill hanging out there, with no one from the GOP around to hammer out a compromise with senate democrats.
that's standard operating procedure. but knowing that the tea party will dig in its heels and refuse to pass a continuing resolution to fund government operations after oct. 1, the leadership decided to dump the bill unfinished on the senate's doorstep and leave town. the democrats, as promised, rejected the bill as written, so unless johnny boner brings his troops back to DC, the government will shut down after next week.
usa today's journalism, however, leaves the obviously distorted impression that it's the senate that's holding up a bill to fund the government, so they're left holding the bag. there may be partisan wrangling and the so-called rift may have been festering all year, but this is not an example of that so much as a cynical manipulation of the process to manufacture a misleading result.
all it needs is an unscrupulous, corporate-controlled media establishment to play along and broadcast the message that the GOP's godfathers in the oligarchy have scripted for the ploy to work.
for that, we can thank the good folks at gannett and usa today, for their part in gaming the political system for personal gain.
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