Brian Tyler Cohen tells us about more propaganda from The Roger Ailes BS Factory, in which one of their “news personalities” gives away the game when it comes to Republican obstruction, this time on Biden’s infrastructure bill (mildly NSFW/H – and when it comes to the PA bridge collapse picture here, we should definitely keep this in mind)...
...and the latest video from Second Thought tells us How Capitalism Destroys Radical Movements (and I have to admit that I didn't know about the BLM and Muriel Bowser stuff...and yeah, she deserved to be called out for that)...the discussion about Guy Debord in France, in particular about the mass media and consumer culture, made me think about this book, which I read many moons ago (and I’ll probably do more research into the concept of “recuperation” for what it’s worth)...
...and sticking with the economy, Ana of TYT gives us a rare bit of good news related to the High Court of Hangin’ Judge JR, in particular a ruling that people can still sue over predatory behavior tied to their retirement accounts...
...and I know I feature an awful lot of “culture war” idiocy from the wingnuts, but this is a bit of egg-headed behavior IMO from our side, and it has to do with the decision by the school board for the Mukilteo (Washington state) school district to remove Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird from the required reading list – fortunately the book isn’t being banned, thank God...actually, my gripe here is probably more with the parents than the board, which is probably caught in a “no win” situation (and no, I’m not African American and I don’t share that “lived experience” either, but I don’t think that demeans Lee’s work in any way – more here)...
...and RIP Howard Hesseman (alias Dr. Johnny Fever on WKRP in Cincinnati)...
...and I have to admit that I was a little irritated by the Chris Hayes clip that follows, and I’ll explain why – I’m not taking issue with the Gallup poll he presents here about how 67 percent of those polled have an unfavorable opinion of Biden and the economy (with many polled saying it doesn’t “feel” right because of inflation and people leaving their jobs), even though the economy has indeed grown at its fastest rate since 1984 as noted here.
I should point out that I saw this clip on Hayes’s program, and he led off by talking about the “Dean scream” (more here – of course, given how The Comcast Network hacks their video clips to pieces, I’m not surprised that it wasn’t included in the segment below). The “Dean scream” (related to the failed 2004 presidential campaign of then-Vermont Dem Governor Howard Dean) was a thoroughly manufactured BS “story” that barely anybody cared about back when it happened, and I can assure you that NOBODY cares about it now.
Hayes also includes in the clip that completely propagandistic “Morning in America” ad for The Sainted Ronnie R. Yeah, it’s pretty slick, manufactured by Reagan’s image makers. However, if you want some actual reality on what was going on at the time, please allow me to present the following from this book:
“Their lives (the lives of workers and their families) have been shattered by a new depression – the Carter depression. The Carter depression was created and molded by Carter himself.” (NYT – 8/28/80)If you want to read more related information, please click here. And yes, you can blame Former President Carter for the economy Reagan inherited a bit, but here is more context on that discussion.
Whatever Carter did mold it was not a depression, or at least not according to Reagan’s own economic advisors. Alan Greenspan said, “I wouldn’t have used that term.” Martin Anderson pointed out that most economists believed the nation to be in “a very severe recession.” Anderson and his aides then went so far as to issue a clarification stating that “the Republican presidential nominee was not using the word “depression” the way most economists do.” Oh.
“Real earnings are at last increasing for the first time in quite a while.” (5/16/82)
Try decreasing. The Labor Department reported that in June 1982 real average weekly earnings for American workers declined 1.2%.
“For four quarters we have seen a growth in the GNP.” (9/28/82)
Inflation-adjusted GNP had been declining for two of the four quarters under discussion.
“History shows that when the taxes of a nation approach about 20% of the people’s income, there begins to be a lack of respect for government...When it reaches 25% there comes an increase in lawlessness.” (Time, 4/14/80)
History shows no such thing. Income tax rates in Europe have traditionally been far higher than U.S. rates, while European crime rates have been much lower.
“As a matter of fact, if anyone wants to look closely, our original tax plan did not contain the reduction of the 70% bracket. That was suggested by the Democrats.” (11/12/81)
No it wasn’t. The original Reagan tax plan called for a lowering of the top rates from 70% to 50%, to be phased in over a period of three years. As (former Reagan Office of Management and Budget director) David Stockman so memorably explained, “Kemp-Roth (the original GOP tax reduction proposal) was always a Trojan horse to bring down the top rate.”
“I would like to have them (the critics of his tax plan) give a specific on where this is a budget for the rich. The bulk of the personal income tax cut goes right across from the lower income to middle America.” (2/8/82)
Well, here are some specifics. According to the Congressional Budget Office, 35.1% of the tax cuts go to the wealthiest 5% of the taxpayers. The National Journal, using CBO and Census Bureau information, estimated that, had the 1983 tax cuts gone into effect in 1981, they would have taken $1.2 billion from the poorest fifth of the income spectrum and added $36 billion to the incomes of the richest fifth.
However, I think what made me PO’ed the most about Hayes’s clip is that he totally absolves his own profession when it comes to any negativity surrounding the economic recovery taking place on Biden’s watch. And with that in mind, I give you this, as well as this from Eric Boehlert (this also, and this).
And here is more of what I'm talking about:
Am I saying that you shouldn’t hold Biden to account on the economy or anything else? Of course not. I for one would have liked to see him move on student debt relief and federally decriminalizing pot long before now. All I’m saying is that, if you want to hold Biden’s feet to the metaphorical fire, do it on substantive issues and not just manufactured perception BS.
Anyway, here is the Hayes clip (and I don’t know who he interviewed next – I have to admit that I was so disgusted by the lead-in to the interview that I turned off his program...this is disappointing because Hayes definitely knows better and should tell the story straight)...
Update 1 2/1/22: Yeah, I would call this a bit of insight into this issue (this too, based on this).
Update 2 2/1/22: And I would say that this speaks volumes too.
Update 2/2/22: Yep.
Update 2/5/22: It would actually be funny if it weren't so damn pathetic (here).
...and David Doel tells us that Spotify has lost billions in its confrontation with Neil Young (now joined by Joni Mitchell) over Joe Rogan (and to be fair, Young has said that he doesn’t approve of censorship – related to Rogan - but he just doesn’t want to be associated with an online service spreading COVID misinformation)...
...and as noted previously, Nils Lofgren has joined Young and Mitchell, so I’ll add some of his tunes to my impromptu playlist also.
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