NationStates Jolt Archive


The media's 1-2 punch

Darth Silelland
06-09-2005, 19:09
Usually I'm very critical of the media. I won't go into too much detail as to why, suffice it to say, if you've seen Jon Stewart's appearance on Crossfire, that's a good place to start.

This week, however, I've been impressed by them. Depressingly, they seem to care more about this country than its elected officials do. And, they've grown a nice pair of testicles. Take, for instance, this clip and article respectively:

http://movies.crooksandliars.com/Olbermann-Blasts-on%20-Katrina.wmv

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,166682,00.html

I wouldn't normally quote Fox News, but this stuff is gold:

"Consider that highway bill. The bill calls for nearly half a billion dollars to build two bridges in Alaska. One will connect the Alaskan mainland with a tiny island called Gravina (population: 50). It will cost U.S. taxpayers $230 million. In fact, when it comes to pork barrel politics, Alaska is the new West Virginia. That's because Alaska Rep.Don Young chairs the transportation committee. The transportation bill is named after Young's wife. The second bridge the bill appropriates money for another $230 million will be called "Don Young Way."

Robert Byrd would be proud.

You'd think that a Republican like Young would at least be embarrassed about all of this. He isn't. He's shameless. Upon hearing that only one other lawmaker in the entire Congress had outdone him in securing pork barrel projects, Young told the New York Times, 'I'd like to be a little oinker, myself. If he's the chief porker, I'm upset.'"
Aylestone
06-09-2005, 19:22
My oh my! It seems even no standards are too high for some Republicans. And I thought we had some prize idiots in this country, but that takes the biscuit.
Can I ask something? Do the people of the Island mentioned actually want a bridge? If not, then why doesn't the American public (or at least those supposodly elected to represent them) make a fuss and get the bridge plans cancelled?

I also found an interesting piece of media news (or rather olds) about several journalists suing the Gov't over having storys stamped on. Strangly enough it seems that all of the storys would have embarressed the Republican party. I wonder if it is proper practise to curtail freedom of speech?
Jiren
06-09-2005, 19:27
That's great. (and I'm not being sarcastic)

My outlook on the media was recently stained since I felt there were more important issues dealing with Katrina (since that's 99% of what's being shown) than spending all the time talking about all the looting being done.

But now a small shard of my faith that maybe media isn't all bad has been lodged back into place.

Yay. :)