CNN: Stupid or biased? Defends stimulus bill.

With support of the stimulus bill waning even further (Half of America believes bill will worsen the situation), I was surprised to see CNN’s headline story today in the money section defending this package.

The title: Out of work? Stimulus bill will help

A few lines are mentioned regarding the intended job creation, but no explanation or details. Instead the article breaks down several key points of the bill and how it will help those that are unemployed. I was expecting to see a list of potential jobs or industries, but instead we are greeted with the following.

Bigger checks:
Those that are unemployed get more money. About $25 a week more.

Extended benefits:
Those that are unemployed get more money for a longer period of time.

Expanding coverage:
Billions go to individual states to expand the definition of who is eligible for bigger checks + extended benefits. Don’t forget 500 million in administrative costs (btw, about 41 states asked for help, which means about 20 billion in administrative costs alone if this goes through.)

Subsidized access to health insurance:
Longer health insurance coverage under COBRA

Assistance for states:
Suspending interest for those states loaning from the federal government.

So this is what the article covers and I am sure they are proud as all hell to be featuring this litany of handouts under the pretext of a STIMULUS bill! The article then finishes off with this beauty.

“..executive director of the National Employment Law Project.
On top of that, it will help stimulate the economy, since most people receiving unemployment benefits spend the money quickly, economist said.”

CNN has been shilling for Obama since their first encounter, that much was clear. Even now they are continuing to defend his proposals in the face of obvious discontent. The majority of Americans have already realized that they are being taken for a fool and now half believe this bill will not only fail to stimulate, but will the opposite effect! This is a profound realization and an equally profound statement. Senators should be throwing out this piece of junk and starting over, instead they are proposing amendments by the 100s in order to bring just enough individuals over to pass this heap ‘o crap. CNN is doing everything they can to defend the president and in the words of Chris Matthews have taken it upon themselves to make this presidency work. CNN’s highliting of Keynesian economics, despite it’s historic failure is equally transparent and pathetic.

CNN continues to disrespect journalism.

CNN’s lead story:

Doctor: Gaza patients dying before treatment
Gaza’s main hospital, already full of Palestinians wounded in the week-long Israeli air assault, reached critical mass on Sunday, according to a Norwegian doctor volunteering at Shifa Hospital. full story

And showing the following picture (Notice that the people in the background are actually Israelis!?):

Secondary story:
Aid stuck at Egyptian border

Third Story:
Israeli troops push forward, splitting Gaza

I probably should not be at all amused at this point, but it is just rather dissapointing to know that a good number of Americans are being fed a constant diet of civilian death stories. After a while any sensible individual would conclude that the only thing Israel can do is cause death among innocent civilians. Bravo CNN, bravo.

Media, will the real objective source please stand up?

In this election season there has been a surge in participation, from youth to minorities to those who never cared to vote. With this surge comes a natural desire to learn and gather information – not for everyone, but for many.

Interestingly enough the choice of information even in this great country of ours is not as vast as one would think. The media is split and traditional journalism is lost somewhere in the fray. From a casual observer’s standpoint I see two major TV networks; CNN and Fox News. Ignoring for now local papers and internet, let us assume that most Americans get their news information from the aforementioned sources.

Both conservatives and liberals however, vehemently accuse both networks of extreme bias. Those in the middle have to choose which source is the legitimate source for their political and daily needs. I am noticing that CNN emerges as the status quo of the neutral. That assesment not withstanding it’s consequence immediately shuts the door for many individuals.

Why? If one decides for whatever reason that CNN is the only source of legitimate information that means all other stories are invalidated. This is wrong. Take Fox News for example, nothing arouses more anger and venom within liberals than hearing the name Fox News some have lovingly began calling it Faux News. Regardless of what you think about their lean – which is a self-admitted conservative – how does it invalidate the facts? They report the story, you can determine FOR YOURSELF whether the story is important or not. They will try to put a spin on it for their own personal views, but so does everyone. Journalism is a romanticized concept that if ever existed has long been perverted by money and power.

Consider the following recent developments:

CNN dismantled and destroyed Joe the Plumber. Is that really relevant? Does it matter whether he paid his taxes or not?
CNN runs more stories on Palin’s negatives than they do on Obama. You would think Palin is running for president.
Fox has done specials on numerous Obama connections. You would think he is a terrorist.
Fox has done extensive research and reporting on ACORN, etc.
You would think that our entire country is under attack from ACORN.
Blogosphere has everything from conspiracy theories to obscure facts. I don’t know anyone that strictly relies on this news source…

In just that example, if you followed strictly one or the other – you are doing yourself a great disservice. For whatever reason the networks decided that some stories are more important than others. I would doubt that any rational American would argue that CNN desires for an Obama presidency and vice versa for Fox.
Why has our society reached a point where we are too lazy to disseminate our own information? Everything must be delivered quickly and in one location! A one stop shop for news sort of speak. Our phones have becomes our cameras, computers, calendars and watches. Short of feeding and defending us, our phones can already do everything. We have become a society of the all-in-one.

Unfortunately if you treat your news source in the same fashion, you are no better off than Soviet citizens of old reading Pravda. Certainly seemed legitimate did it not?