CBS MISSES THE STORY AGAIN

Once again CBS News has missed the angle of an important story. Instead they let themselves, and the viewing public be duped by the RadCons. Instead of interviewing a real "man on the street," as a non-partisan representative of younger workers, they interviewed a poser, Tad DeHaven, a RadCon spokesman and analyist from the conservative National Taxpayers Union and The Heritage Foundation. Instead of presenting the opinion of a truely disinterested party, the conservative DeHaven mouthed the clear and concise opinion of the radical right.

This story from The Washington Monthly's Political Animal:

MAN ON THE STREET?....NOT QUITE....CBS just can't seem to get anything right these days. Tonight they ran a segment on the evening news called "Social Security Changes" that featured an interview with a young man who could be "the poster child for Social Security reform." And indeed he could: 28 years old, 6 years of employment, planning to retire in 2042, and about to get married. "I don't expect to get anything from Social Security," said Tad DeHaven. "I don't consider it in terms of my long term planning. It's not going to be there." Needless to say, young Tad is all for private accounts.

Unfortunately, there's one crucial thing the segment doesn't mention: who Tad DeHaven is. A brief supertitle IDs him as a "National Taxpayers Union Employee," but that's it. Just an ordinary white collar working stiff like you and me, apparently.

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BATTLEFIELD EARTH

Kate sent in this reference from Alternet.


The environment is in trouble and the religious right doesn't care. It's time to act as if the future depends on us – because it does.

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Protecting the environment is a core value!

FRAME ALERT

Watch out for this one:

INTELLIGENT DESIGN

this is being used by RadCons (radical conservatives, i.e. right wingnuts) as an "alternative" approach science when teaching evolution. It's an attempt to refute evolution and slip the teaching of creationism in public schools as science. The word "intelligent," is carefully chosen to avoid the use of "god." This neutralizes the frame and makes it seem like it does not have religious roots. The correct frame is bible-based creationism or God-designed. Don't use the RadCon language!

BUSH MAY LOSE BATTLE AGAINST INTELLIGENCE

George Bush may actually lose his battle to prevent changes to America's intelligence agencies. Since his inauguration in January 2001 Bush has actively and passively worked against the nation's intelligence agencies. House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) finally called a vote on the pending "Intelligence Bill," which passed the house yesterday by a vote of 336 to 75. Hastert had refused to call a vote claiming that he wanted "a majority of the majority" to back the bill before putting the bill to a vote. This was an attempt by the Republican leader to make the Democratic minority "irrevelant," according to some observers.

It has been clear, in recent weeks, that Bush's "support" for the bill has been tepid at best. He has not used his bully pulpit and position as leader of the controlling party to push the bill to a vote, let alone get it passed. He has paid little more than lip service to the bill with none of the back room maneuvering that would guarantee the bill's passage. The bill has enjoyed huge support in both the House and Senate. Now that the bill has moved out of the House it should receive swift passage through the Senate. On the other hand the Bush administration could easily exercise yet more obstructionism through amendments and technical wrangling which would make it look like Bush supports the bill while effectively blocking it.

It's believed that one of the primary reasons that Bush does not want the new intelligence director's position created is that it would weaken the control and flow of intelligence in the defense department, now controlled by Donald Rumsfeld. Once the flow of intelligence become more transparent, the Defense Department would be less able to make it's own calls on what and which "threats," to which the U.S. should respond.

Bushes record:

1. He ignored intelligence briefings from the CIA (the daily presidential briefing, PDB) and his national security advisor (Sec. of State appointee Condoleeza Rice) which warned of looming Al Qaeda attacks against the U.S.;
2. He fought the creation of the bi-partisan 911 commission investigating the intelligence and defense failures that led to the 911 attacks;
3. He stonewalled and refused to cooperate during the 911 commissions investigations, first refusing to testify himself and not allowing other of his advisors to testify and then only permitting the testimony under very narrow strictures;
4. He fought the creation of the Dept. of Homeland Security;
   
5. He fought the creation of an "intelligence czar," and other recommendations made by the 911 commission;
6. He dismissed intelligence findings of the CIA and NSA declaring no threat to America from Saddam Hussein or Iraq and fabricated evidence to create a compelling reason to invade Iraq.
7. He created a "department of special projects," in the Defense Department to create "intelligence" to support his administration's preconceptions and ideology.
   

DECEMBER 7th., REMEMBRANCE

On this, the day that commemorates one of the greatest failings in U.S. intelligence and political administration, I want to pause and offer a small comment to say "thank you," to The Greatest Generation. For people of my generation it was our fathers, mothers, aunts and uncles. They have now turned into grandfathers, grandmothers, great aunts and great uncles and now even great grandparents for those who followed after. Personally I don't think enough can ever be said in thanks to them for the sacrifices they made through the war years. No, I don't think that it was a "good war." No war, no matter how just it may seem at the time or viewed through the fog of history, is every good. But the vision, and the need was clearer. Thousands upon thousands responded to the need and stepped forward, many of them children, just like those dying in Iraq right now. Far too many of them fell, just as in Iraq right now. But they did what needed to be done, and for this we must say "Thank You."