JUNK JOURNALISM

A classic example of cheap-shot junk journalism was the front page above- and below-the-fold of the Strib under the date of January 30, 2009 titled: HOW DO YOU GET TO D.C.? with the sub-title: "Coleman went to court and Franken went to Florida. But the real question is . . . "



Two panel pictures involved show a salubrious Al Franken who just happened to be standing in front of a portrait of President Jack Kennedy and then there was the lugubrious shot of a wrinkle-browed Norm Coleman slumped pensively in an obvious court room chair.



The pictures are only part of the story. But clearly the pictures are designed and intended to set a tone or an "atmosphere" for all that follows. And what follows is a real journalistic gem.



Everything written about Franken is positive and light and sunshiney and all that is written about Coleman is dark and foreboding of failure. Of Franken the whole atmosphere of words is anticipation of success as the inevitable outcome. Of Coleman the conclusion is foregone that the court case is an exercise in futility.



The Strib, even as it struggles for survival by going into Chapter 11, still doesn't "get the picture" of why their advertising revenue is down and why their readership has tanked. One wonders if they ever read their own scandal sheet portrayed as mainline journalism.

LEGISLATIVE COUNTDOWN FOR SENATOR OLSEEN AND REPRESENTATIVE KALIN

Ten - Nine - Eight - . . . . . . . . . . . . . the count goes on! We are waiting for Senator Olseen and Representative Kalin to commit to the very reasonable four-way test for their votes and bill introductions in the current Session of the Minnesota legislature as outlined in the previous blog.

If legislation does not meet the reasonable four-way test why in the world would our Senator and Representative support it or vote for it?

Senator Olseen and Representative you have invited commentary from your constituents and you said you would listen to your constituents - this is our commentary to you! Are you listening?

Democrats and Republicans from your constituency clearly and undoubtedly support these reasonable four-way test questions. You have indicated you want Republicans to work in a bi-partisan fashion with you. Clearly, by definition, bipartisanship must be a two-way street. Can you walk the walk and not just talk the talk?

LEGISLATIVE TEST

1) Is it Moral/Right?
2) Is it Constitutional?
3) Is it Necessary?
4) Is is Affordable?

We call upon the good Senator Olseen and the good Representative Kalin, who have indicated a desire to work in a bi-partisan manner, to publicly commit to the above four-way test the idea for which comes from a Republican Congressman, Paul Broun, M.D., of Georgia's 10th District.

Presumably Senator Olseen and Representative Kalin should be willing to apply this reasonable four-way test to all legislation that comes before them, or any legislation that they author, in the current Session of the Minnesota legislature.

Senator Olseen and Representative Kalin will you so commit?

ATTENTION TAXPAYERS! LISTEN UP!

Quoting from Taxpayers League of Minnesota letter November 11, 2008:


"In just the last year Minnesotans have seen taxes increase by over $1 billion:

First the legislature overrode Governor Pawlenty's veto to increase the gas tax, sales
tax, and license tax, for a whopping $697 million per year in higher taxes.

Second, the legislature increased business taxes by $141 million.

Third, on November 4th, voters approved a state sales tax increase of $276 million

per year for the arts and outdoors.

THAT'S OVER A BILLION DOLLARS OF NEW TAXES IN ONE YEAR."

(end of quote)

There you have it people! Can anyone say Senator Olseen and Representative Kalin?

"No New Taxes" in reverse!

Our local legislators should be happy - "Gas Tax" Kalin and Rick Olseen - since there is already talk at the federal level to raise the federal tax on gasoline and diesel fuel, it appears, anywhere from ten to twenty five cents per gallon. And guess why - because, among other things, the "gas guzzler" vehicles are being replaced and now there is not "enough" gas tax being raised. So once again government works at cross purposes to itself - cut down the consumption but this cuts down the tax revenue so they have to raise the tax burden to make up the difference! Think what a federal tax raise will do to the ordinary wage earner or the over-the-road truckers. Many of them can't make their way as it is and pretty soon it won't pay the commuters to go to work. Oh, the wonders of government problem solving.