It's a Problem...

To me, it's funny how government failings that hurt the people directly are used by both the media and politicians as ammo in a fight against their ideological counterparts.

One of the bigger political issues of the past several years is the craziness surrounding the Affordable Care Act and the implementation of its many provisions, chief of most being the insurance exchange website. Over the past month or so, many of the American people have been attempting to use the website to go ahead and comply with the law, switching coverages if they need to. Unfortunately, the website has had its faults, and the process has been made much more difficult than it was planned to be. These failures, of course, have been used to attack the President's administration and his political party, in my opinion, unduly.

In a Fox News that can be found here http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/11/30/obamacare-website-re-do-deadline-set-for-saturday/, the author asserts that "Republicans have already suggested they'll launch coordinated attacks linking every congressional Democrat up for re-election to the Affordable Care Act." The article goes on to explain that "In the House, the effort, based around dozens of votes to repeal the law, is about denying Democrats the 17-seat gain they would need to win back the majority. In the Senate, it's about gaining the six seats Republicans need to take control of that chamber." First off, I'd like to voice how crazy this is. While it was the Democratic Party responsible for the bills passing, it was largely a group effort in its creation: Republicans had just as bug if an opportunity to help create and modify it had they been willing to compromise. Now obviously the Democratic Party had the majority, but that doesn't mean that Republican voices could not have been heard. Instead, they choose to not participate in its forming, making them equally as responsible for the result for not trying., Also, its not necessarily the Democrat's fault for the website's failures: they aren't the ones who created it. That falls on the designers. I'm not saying that the Dems are devoid of responsibility, but to simply blame a political party for a government failure is ridiculous.

It's mind-numbing for me to read not only the idiotic things that politicians are doing, but for the media to seemingly condone the strategy. If they do not at least identify and warn the people about the tactics used by politicians to help faction the people, then the media is failing to successfully preform one of their most essential of functions: to be a watch-dog. It's to bad seeing it, and hopefully the informed citizenry will one day start putting their weight behind those news organizations and politicians that fulfill their responsibilities faithfully for the people, not those who point fingers at their opponents at ever chance they get.

'Clowns to the Left of Me, Jokers to the Right...'

The last of couple weeks have been tough for President Obama and his administration. First, the website created for the Affordable Care Act that is used, at least in part, in insurance exchanges has been an absolute mess, and then the President had to go before the American people and back-track from a previous promise that whoever wanted to keep their current health insurance, which wasn't totally true.

Now, this stuff was bound to be scrutinized thoroughly from the start. It deals with possibly the most controversial issue in a decade, and every person from all sides of the argument have been chiming in. However, it is still funny how polarized the media is on the issues: groups like Fox News and the Washington Free Beacon absolutely blast the President, using it as proof that he doesn't know what he's doing and is a liar, further calling for 'Obamacare' to be repealed. On the other side, groups like CBS try to downplay the news as much as possible.

Now, from my perspective, I think it's absolutely true that the website fiasco has been a problem, and only further muddies the murky waters surrounding the implementation and overall impact of the Affordable Care Act. If the government decides what's best for the people is universal, mandatory health insurance, then I think that it should be their responsibility to make sure that its implementation is done near seamlessly: if you're going to take over for the private sector, then you better do at least as good a job as them. However, I don't think that the government website's early difficulties are cause for anarchy.Nor do I believe that the President's 'lies' are absolutely extraordinary. In another post I'll go into his comments in more detail, but suffice it to say that (at least in my opinion) no malice was intended. While I disagree with anyone defending him as innocent, I think that blatantly attacking him is wrong as well.

The one news source that seemed to agree with me was NBC News. In one of there First Thoughts articles found here, the authors give a very objective take on the whole situation. They assess what's going, give insights, and share thoughts from politicians from both sides. It was exactly what I was hoping to read: factual information with fair opinion.

I don't think it's right to expect perfection from either our government or news media.. Both will have biases and flaws that we not necessarily like, but that's not uncommon. However, I do believe that it's fair to presume that each is trying to do the best they can to fairly inform their audience. It may not be what sells, but facts are what is vital. When we get away from that, and concentrate more on informing or arguing on ideological lines, it creates chaos that is really tough not to laugh at.

Responsibility

Before I even knew what the premise of this blog would be, I understood at least one simple fact: the media does not function the way it does for no reason.

Bias exists in the media, and that's a fact. Though some may argue the degree, it is plainly seen almost everywhere. Whether it be to the right or left, much of the news is reported off center. As a consequence, there are many who complain of unjust treatment of their party or political interests. These individuals often times then vow not to get their news from there, but from a source that is more 'on their side' instead. This behavior, however, is the root of the problem.

For the sake of analogy, we will look at bias in the media as a disease. We do so because it hurts the media's integrity, compromising its function in the democratic process. Facts are ignored or misplaced because of one's own personal views on events, and a false reality is created for the audience. While a certain amount of bias may be expected (reporters/journalists are in fact human), its presence in nearly every available news outlet signifies a problem. However, bias is not a cause. It does not exist for its own sake, intentionally harming the political process wherever it can. It is an effect. The infectious agent that is spreading this 'disease' is in fact us, the people. We are the reason why bias exists in the media the way it does.

It is important to understand a point that I have reiterated the past few months: news and media is a business. They do what they do to make money. The people reporting and writing on current events are not in the business out of good will, but at least in large part to make a living. Their work must sell, and so they do what they can to meet that end. People are inherently biased. A Republican is most likely not going to go to NBC to get their news. To the contrary, they will, out of frustration with the 'left-wing media', go to a source like Fox News because they know that their news will be reported favorably to right wing interests. It's human nature for one to gravitate towards those they are similar to, and the media capitalizes on it. News organizations or even independents trying to create an audience will lean one way or another in the way they do their work, knowing that, though biased, they will reach groups on individuals. 

If people didn't operate the way they do, then media bias would not be an issue. The population as a whole would be able to stand behind bold ideals such as fair and honest reporting in the news, and news organizations would absolutely respond. However, we as people are biased, and the media is simply following suit. I think that's an important thing to remember. Whenever you or I think of complaining about one news organization or the industry as a whole, and seek to find refuge with 'friends', we should realize that we are only adding fuel to the fire. We don't live in an ideal world, and it's up to us and the way we live through our actions to either help fix the problem, or only make it worse.

A Reality Check

For me, there is no better time than the present to try and take a step back, and get a clearer picture of things.

I think that I have somewhat unfairly used this blog to point out the imperfections that exist in our mass media, generalizing about the entity as a whole instead of more clearly directing my frustrations at what amount to relatively common faults. It's so easy to see the bad in something good, and have your perception totally changed by it. However, that is not fair. If the media does nothing else, it provides the vital functions of informing and protecting the people. It lets us know what our government and society is doing around us while keeping the powerful in check. Without it, we would be for the worse. Having just come out of a tense political time, where parties were yet again pitted against one another in plains far beyond Capital Hill, I think it is necessary to see the good in those who some may even consider the enemy.

There is an overwhelming belief that the media is liberal. And, well, that's probably true. However, this is used as an excuse by many to discount whatever that they may be saying and to view them as an adversary. What a horrible mistake. As I have gone along in this semester, reading and studying various news sources while attempting to uncover bias, I've learned that things are not so bad. Granted, we are not currently in an election season, but I have seen the beast for what it is and what it is is not so bad. If you are looking to find an extreme left or right wing bias, then you may certainly do so. But this almost paranoid fear of the media as a whole is almost unprecedented. My example lies in the following article:

http://nbcpolitics.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/10/20/21026903-did-shutdown-poison-the-well-for-immigration-reform?lite

Again, having just come out of a government shutdown, it would be assumed that the article would be politically charged and, in this case, aimed against the Republican party. However, this article, having appeared on the frond page of NBC's website, is incredibly fair, factual, and relatively unassuming. The author uses all of the major variables involved in our current political climate to help figure out what will be done over some very important legislation concerning immigration reform. The author doesn't attack or blame any party for the recent events and show them as uncompromising , nor do they put words into anyone's mouth. Instead, they do their best to inform the reader about what is going on in Congress after this most recent political feud concerning the day's newest government concern.

At its core, the media is a force for good. While they may have their biases one way or another, they are often blown out of proportion, and what they are saying often has its own merit. While I will continue to point out clear cases of media bias as some try to distort their audience's reality to the bigger picture, I think it is well worth pointing out that they serve functions that are imperative to any free nation.

Who's to Blame?

Last time, we looked at the coverage of the now very real government shutdown from the left, using NBC as our source. This time, for the sake of balance, we will look at it from the right.

Fox News published this morning an article dubbed "Obama's Leadership Proves Presidency is No Place for Amateurs", the link for which is: http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2013/10/10/mr-obama-presidency-is-no-place-for-amateurs/. In short, the article blasts President Obama and the way he has led his administration, using the ongoing budget crisis and the issues surrounding it as its backdrop.

Now, to be fair, the article is listed as an 'Opinion'. That is to say that there will be an expected amount of bias in the way it is written, and that it doesn't seek to simply use fact to illustrate its point. With that being said, this is an article published on Fox News' website, and it wouldn't be there if they didn't want it to be. Their publishing it is as legitimate a vote of confidence as there can be, so, they are just as responsible for its contents as the author.

As could be assumed from the title, the article is an attack on President Obama's leadership abilities while largely blaming he and his allies for the pickle that our government finds itself in. The reasoning is that the President's 'refusal to negotiate', enforcement of left wing policies, and political dealings have led the country to a crossroads, and that his politics have brought us to a stand-still.

While some of the above may be true and important, the article attributes literally no responsibility to Republican leadership for the budget crisis. That of course is curious considering the hard-line approach that Speaker Boehner has also taken and, despite his angling in the media, his lack of compromise on important issues.

To me, enough really is enough. Instead of all the pointing of fingers and 'He-said-she-said' craziness, I wish that the media would just tell the people how it is: our officials just don't want to cooperate. The reason why we are at this crossroads isn't because of this guy or that guy, but a result of everybody's stubbornness. I would also like to have it be made known that this political bickering isn't helping the people, but hurting them. There needs to be a call back to the government serving the people, not themselves, and having the private citizen's best interests served. In our form of government, there NEEDS TO BE COMPROMISE. If political counterparts can't work together and meet somewhere in the middle, then nothing is going to get done. This crisis is the perfect example. It isn't the President's fault and it's not the GOP's fault: it's ever-bodies, and we need to get this figured out.   

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Our True Character...

Right now, our government stands on the brink of crisis. Our elected representatives on Capital Hill are currently debating the budget for our federal government, and without some resolution in the next couple of days, our government will begin shutting down. National Parks would be the first to close, followed by programs such as the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, a program that helps to feed pregnant and their young, and only get worse from there. It is an understatement to say that this is a heated debate, and an important one as well, and it is something that the media has its fingers in. Now, one would again hope that the coverage of this story would be at the very least fair. This is the very sort of thing that can get people riled up and create sides. I think it would be to the betterment of all if we were simply told the reality of the situation, and urged to have our representatives compromise, regardless of political affiliation, so we can get this thing figured out. Well, that simply isn't the case. NBC's coverage of the budget crisis is a perfect example. In their article whose link I will include below, the authors are anything but productive, through their article helping to alienate their readers from one party.

 http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/09/30/20757128-first-thoughts-back-to-square-one-with-hours-to-go-until-a-shutdown?lite

The article, whose is First Thoughts: Back to Square One With Hours to Go Until a Shutdown, seeks to cover the United States' current budget crisis and the issues surrounding it. The authors talk about the disagreement over 'anti-health care legislation', the raising or lowering of the debt ceiling, current political environment on Capital Hill, and things like fundraising emails being sent out and our President's meetings in the Middle East. Though not overly abundant in detail, the authors give the reader a quick and easy look at what is going on in our government today, especially concerning the debt crisis. However, its authors consciously make what is in my opinion a major mistake: it attempts to faction its readers. While the news organization obviously has its own political lean, that to me does not excuse the authors from placing the sole blame of this crisis on the Republican party as they do. They blame the mess on the House (controlled by Republicans) for wanting to anti-health care legislation to the bill, and (rather courageously) put the responsibility of either passing the budget or shutting down the government on Speaker of the House Jim Boehner. While there is absolutely a disagreement concerning what should be done in the way of the Affordable Care Act, it should not be assumed that Republicans are the only ones who want to see reform. Members of both parties have in the past months agreed at least in part that changes need to be made before the Act goes into full effect. Additionally, the authors again help to create sides by its analysis of the debt-ceiling debate: they write that Republicans have nothing to talk about with the liberals unless it involves raising the ceiling (which, of course, has ramifications of its own). Finally, the authors of the article include an excerpt from a Politico article that absolutely blasts Republicans for sending out fundraising emails. While its inclusion is kind of puzzling, it certainty does not fail to paint conservatives in an unfavorable light.

This again is the type of news reporting that hurts the American people more than it helps them. We are currently all at the brink of a crisis, and the media cannot help itself from pointing fingers and creating sides. What I believe we need now, as I have said a thousand times, is a little uniformity. We are all United States citizens, and we are all in this together! It is so easy to want to blame someone else for your problems, but it would be much, much better if we all sucked it up, held hands, and pushed on through as a nation of free individuals. But instead, the media exercises its power by furthering the divides between people and pushing us farther apart. This type of reporting needs to stop, or the wounds that they keep on opening will never be able to heal.

Eye of the Beholder

As I had mentioned in a previous post, one of the purposes of my blog will be to take a look at news stories as they come out, and attempt to point out the biases that exist. Well, I will give a crack at it today for the first time! Now, it will be a Fox News article that I'm covering. That is certainly not to say that I dislike the network or anything like that. It is simply that they published a rather important article this morning, and upon reading it, I noticed a few things that, in my opinion, were unnecessary and/or unneeded.

The article (which can be found here- http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/09/23/whats-end-game-lawmakers-seek-way-out-obamacare-showdown/) is named 'What's the End-Game?'. The story covers the current political issue of the Affordable Care Act, its repeal and/or editing, and extending the time the government will be able to stay upon and work on it. There seems to be concern on both sides about the law, but there is disagreement on whether it should be totally de-funded or simply 'cleaned up'. This story has clear ramifications in that it deals really with almost every citizen of this country, businesses and the way the benefits the provide for their employees, doctors and their wages and who they provide care to, and taxes, just to name a few. But in some ways, the stories merit is undermined by the ideological leaning of the author.

The first and most obvious sign of bias in the article is its constant use of the term 'ObamaCare'. While the term is common, it is often used in an almost derogatory way, both to voice displeasure of the legislation while blaming President Obama for its inception. To me, I would have thought calling the bill by its actual name (the Affordable Care Act) could have taken away a lean that is used against the left-wing throughout the article. The article then seems to characterize the Democratic party, stating they they 'naturally want to strip out provisions de-funding the health law.' This early statement seems to reinforce the sentiment that Democrats don't want to see the Affordable Care Act touched while the Republicans want to see the whole thing taken down brick by brick. That couldn't be further from the truth, and the article even touches on it a little later.

Though this article was not all that biased and actually quite informative, it still had issues. To me, the average reader would have benefited much more if the story read thus: In Congress, there is currently a debate as to what should be done with the Affordable Care Act. While both Democrats and Republicans that something must be done, there is disagreement within the GOP as to if it should be edited or simply de-funded. Talks will certainly continue over the next few weeks, and we will see which way the Republicans intend to go. Stay tuned.

If it was written similar to that, then the story could be looked at objectively. But perhaps that's not what the media wants? The sooner Democrats and Republicans, both who are politicians and citizens, realize that they are Americans first, the sooner issues like this one can be handled productively.