Thursday, March 25, 2010
The Chron & Healthcare.
Related post: Where did it go?
Today, the Chron talks again about healthcare reform (at sfgate, we don't get our hands dirty with a print copy). We cut-and-paste:
GOP health repeal? 'Go for it'
Obama dares the opposition to try to repeal his new health care law as he stumps in Iowa to sell the revamp to the American people.
* Senate clears health fix-it bill, 56-43
* Pelosi, GOP, decry threats against Congress
* Tea Party heading for Nevada 'conservative Woodstock'
Mmmm, repeal of HCR, Senate passes fix to HCR, politician decry threats, and Tea parties toss threats (whatever it is that they do, I'm not gonna click that link).
Coverage of the bill's policies? Nope. 1/6th of the US economy is affected; this was decried as the end of freedom and a government take-over of people's lives, and the Chron just worries about the horse rate, who passes or who repeals, who cries or who decries. NPR Marketwatch has had a daily feature on the topic. But the SFgate? Bliss ignorance.
Today, the Chron talks again about healthcare reform (at sfgate, we don't get our hands dirty with a print copy). We cut-and-paste:
GOP health repeal? 'Go for it'
Obama dares the opposition to try to repeal his new health care law as he stumps in Iowa to sell the revamp to the American people.
* Senate clears health fix-it bill, 56-43
* Pelosi, GOP, decry threats against Congress
* Tea Party heading for Nevada 'conservative Woodstock'
Mmmm, repeal of HCR, Senate passes fix to HCR, politician decry threats, and Tea parties toss threats (whatever it is that they do, I'm not gonna click that link).
Coverage of the bill's policies? Nope. 1/6th of the US economy is affected; this was decried as the end of freedom and a government take-over of people's lives, and the Chron just worries about the horse rate, who passes or who repeals, who cries or who decries. NPR Marketwatch has had a daily feature on the topic. But the SFgate? Bliss ignorance.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Where did it go?
I'm looking at SFgate.com right now, and there is not. a. single. article on the front page about health care reform.
A law passed that reform 1/6th of the US economy, that will affect almost everyone in the country, that Republicans are incensed against, and there is nothing about it on the front page?
The Chron was only interested in the jockeying, and now that the horse race is over, now that discussion would be about policy, about the actual consequences and not the over-the-top denunciations of the opponent, the Chron just does not care.
Actually, there is one somewhat related article, and for once, the headline is more accurate than the article:
GOP shuts down Senate with 'fix' amendments
Disgruntled, immature law makers who refused to admit the law has passed and move on onto other topics, now are trying to shut down the Senate, and delay the passage of the HCR reconciliation trailer. And Carolyn Lochhead is actually admiring them!
Republicans are having all kinds of fun shutting down the Senate... Shutting down the Senate is not fun. The Senate does important work that should be respected by the elected official. It serves the country, not the vanities of sore losing Republicans.
A law passed that reform 1/6th of the US economy, that will affect almost everyone in the country, that Republicans are incensed against, and there is nothing about it on the front page?
The Chron was only interested in the jockeying, and now that the horse race is over, now that discussion would be about policy, about the actual consequences and not the over-the-top denunciations of the opponent, the Chron just does not care.
Actually, there is one somewhat related article, and for once, the headline is more accurate than the article:
GOP shuts down Senate with 'fix' amendments
Disgruntled, immature law makers who refused to admit the law has passed and move on onto other topics, now are trying to shut down the Senate, and delay the passage of the HCR reconciliation trailer. And Carolyn Lochhead is actually admiring them!
Republicans are having all kinds of fun shutting down the Senate... Shutting down the Senate is not fun. The Senate does important work that should be respected by the elected official. It serves the country, not the vanities of sore losing Republicans.
Monday, March 22, 2010
What Could Backfire?
After yesterday's post below, I was expecting the Chron to pen its own piece on the huge victory for Democrats being a blessing in disguise for Republicans. And I saw a headline with "backfire" and at first glance, I thought it was it. But actually:
Nasty rhetoric could backfire on bill's foes
Racial epithets, anti-gay slurs, GOP rep's 'baby killer' shout on the floor of Congress could lead to political damage for those who oppose the health care reform plan.
Let me reprint that for you: Racial epithets, anti-gay slurs, GOP rep's 'baby killer' shout on the floor of Congress could lead to political damage for those who oppose the health care reform plan.
Could? Could!?! If a Republican were to chop a puppy with a chainsaw on the Speaker of the House's desk, the Chronicle would speculate: mmmh, this could lead to political damage. Maybe. Then the Chron would pause to consider. Naah...not really. Not for a Republican.
Nasty rhetoric could backfire on bill's foes
Racial epithets, anti-gay slurs, GOP rep's 'baby killer' shout on the floor of Congress could lead to political damage for those who oppose the health care reform plan.
Let me reprint that for you: Racial epithets, anti-gay slurs, GOP rep's 'baby killer' shout on the floor of Congress could lead to political damage for those who oppose the health care reform plan.
Could? Could!?! If a Republican were to chop a puppy with a chainsaw on the Speaker of the House's desk, the Chronicle would speculate: mmmh, this could lead to political damage. Maybe. Then the Chron would pause to consider. Naah...not really. Not for a Republican.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Not in the Chron... Yet
This oh-so-wrong NY Times headline will soon finds its local counterpart in the Chronicle:
News Analysis
A Major Victory, but at What Cost?
By DAVID E. SANGER
President Obama lost the promise of a “postpartisan” Washington in which rationality and discourse replaced partisan bickering.
I'm betting on Carolyn Lochhead carrying that torch. Even in victory, Democrats lose. And it's always good news for the Republicans.
News Analysis
A Major Victory, but at What Cost?
By DAVID E. SANGER
President Obama lost the promise of a “postpartisan” Washington in which rationality and discourse replaced partisan bickering.
I'm betting on Carolyn Lochhead carrying that torch. Even in victory, Democrats lose. And it's always good news for the Republicans.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Can't Speak Evil of Phil
Phil's column started with his usual grandpa tone: "I used to be a war journalist, kids, I was courageous back then. Heroic even."
We'd been trekking a week in the Philippines' Cordillera mountains, looking for a notorious New People's Army commander. The cuisine had been pretty drab - roots, berries and tiny, dried fish. When we finally found the camp, we sat down gratefully to some tasty, cold, lumpy rice and meat product.
Then Phil starts cooking his usual stew: that issue that seems so simple, it's really more nuanced, more complex. For instance, beating up animals is bad. Yet we eat animals. Which makes somehow beating up animals less bad, or us all guilty of animal violence, or whatever.
But then:
My friend Eve stopped eating pork after she read an article about pigs singing to their children. But should animal intelligence decide who's food and who's friend? "My dog is an idiot," says Eve. "Dumber than a pig."
Oh, Phil, you invoked the Eve shield. You're protected, you may go your way without any further comment.
We'd been trekking a week in the Philippines' Cordillera mountains, looking for a notorious New People's Army commander. The cuisine had been pretty drab - roots, berries and tiny, dried fish. When we finally found the camp, we sat down gratefully to some tasty, cold, lumpy rice and meat product.
Then Phil starts cooking his usual stew: that issue that seems so simple, it's really more nuanced, more complex. For instance, beating up animals is bad. Yet we eat animals. Which makes somehow beating up animals less bad, or us all guilty of animal violence, or whatever.
But then:
My friend Eve stopped eating pork after she read an article about pigs singing to their children. But should animal intelligence decide who's food and who's friend? "My dog is an idiot," says Eve. "Dumber than a pig."
Oh, Phil, you invoked the Eve shield. You're protected, you may go your way without any further comment.
Friday, March 12, 2010
The Pundits We Deserve...
Well, rather, the pundits that the Chron forces upon us.
Chuck Nevius has a piece titled:
Going got tough, Newsom got outta here
Coming from Chuck, who used to live in SF, and when the going to tough, got outta here, that's pretty thick with irony.
Chuck whines that Gavin is leaving him, him!, to run for Lt Governor.
Think about the impact he'd have if he stayed. New Police Chief George Gascón is under fire and needs support from someone who isn't an interim mayor. Five supervisor seats are up for election in November and Newsom would be more effective campaigning for moderates if he weren't a lame duck. And then there's the $522 million budget deficit.
How a lame-duck mayor would bring more support than an interim mayor? And what would prevent the Lt Governor, who'd be living in SF if elected as the article points out, to appear in support of moderates?
The Chron has decided that Newsom should not run for state-wide office, and this time around, cloaks that message into fake concern which does not pass a giggle test.
Chuck Nevius has a piece titled:
Going got tough, Newsom got outta here
Coming from Chuck, who used to live in SF, and when the going to tough, got outta here, that's pretty thick with irony.
Chuck whines that Gavin is leaving him, him!, to run for Lt Governor.
Think about the impact he'd have if he stayed. New Police Chief George Gascón is under fire and needs support from someone who isn't an interim mayor. Five supervisor seats are up for election in November and Newsom would be more effective campaigning for moderates if he weren't a lame duck. And then there's the $522 million budget deficit.
How a lame-duck mayor would bring more support than an interim mayor? And what would prevent the Lt Governor, who'd be living in SF if elected as the article points out, to appear in support of moderates?
The Chron has decided that Newsom should not run for state-wide office, and this time around, cloaks that message into fake concern which does not pass a giggle test.
Tuesday, March 02, 2010
Phil Bronstein needs a new Intern.
Phil talks about France, which is a subject that we know about. He talks about "shadowy pornographic images" in some advertising campaign, so we had to investigate. France is looser than the US with the representation of nudity in advertising, but pornography, we don't think so.
Shadowy pornographic image, you be the judge:
Well, Phil most likely read about in the NY Times, which he does not credit, of course, and which does not carry the image. But doing due diligence, it's below him. Shadowy...
Phil ends with: Huggy bipartisanship doesn't seem to be the cultural zeitgeist today. Whether the Tea Party turns into a soggy bag or a potent brew, there's bludgeoning going on. Both sides need a full wartime strategy.
But why is huggy bipartisanship not fashionable anymore? It's easy: Obama has tried bipartisanship, and Republicans refused. And Phil's job is to carry water for Republicans. So out with bipartisanship, and on with "wartime".
BTW, the whole point of the piece is that pro-abortion proponent should act like their opponents (who act like terrorists, and kill doctors at clinics) is pretty ridiculous. But that's why we read Phil, for the ridicule!
Shadowy pornographic image, you be the judge:
Well, Phil most likely read about in the NY Times, which he does not credit, of course, and which does not carry the image. But doing due diligence, it's below him. Shadowy...
Phil ends with: Huggy bipartisanship doesn't seem to be the cultural zeitgeist today. Whether the Tea Party turns into a soggy bag or a potent brew, there's bludgeoning going on. Both sides need a full wartime strategy.
But why is huggy bipartisanship not fashionable anymore? It's easy: Obama has tried bipartisanship, and Republicans refused. And Phil's job is to carry water for Republicans. So out with bipartisanship, and on with "wartime".
BTW, the whole point of the piece is that pro-abortion proponent should act like their opponents (who act like terrorists, and kill doctors at clinics) is pretty ridiculous. But that's why we read Phil, for the ridicule!
