Wednesday, August 15, 2012

By David W. Andersen
9:35 PST 8/15/12

In this re-election bid for incumbent president Obama's future, many have called into question the media bias on the networks and cables reporting of both campaigns.  On the left, they hold that network and cable outlets such as ABC, NBC, CBS, MSNBC and CNN  are simply telling both sides of the story accurately without bias.  While we can document and debate this issue long beyond the election cycle, I started thinking about an analogy which might help punctuate my point that there is a systemic bias in our journalism that is institutional as opposed to individual.

Imagine a debate between two candidates, a conservative and a liberal (they prefer progressive).  Imagine a room full of interested open minded voters who want to hear what each candidate has to say in order to help them arrive at an informed decision on who they should vote for.  Now imagine that the moderator has a large Mega-phone, as does the progressive candidate.  However, the conservative candidate has a Mega-phone in which the batteries have been removed so there is no amplification.

Moderator to Progressive: Tell us sir, despite your opponents repeated attempts to kill our senior citizens with his policies, how is it you have managed to accomplish so much good during your career of compassion and  generosity toward those same seasoned citizens?

Progressive: Yes, well I have to watch my back every day because I know my opponent supports killing abortion doctors and plots daily how to throw 'granny over the cliff'.  I have to swim against the stream of hateful poisonous conservative vitriol each time I scratch and claw my way to social justice for the underprivileged and disenfranchised in our society.  My opponent is basically a scumbag.

Moderator to Conservative:  The word is out that you are a scumbag.  Why should voters work so hard to overcome such extreme bias toward you, to seek the truth of what you stand for, instead of conveniently believing the caricature of how you are defined by us daily ?

Conservative: (speaking but not heard)

Moderator:  (to the audience) We apologize for the speakers inability to articulate clearly to you on this issue so we will sum up his position.  What he is saying is that he wants to end Medi-Care as we know it, put our old people on a risky voucher system that provides no security net and gut Medi-Care through savings and send that money in the form of a cashier's check to everyone who has an income of greater than one million dollars.

As silly as this analogy is, consider this next time you watch any news network cover both sides of a story:
1. Does the news person presenting the story repeat the liberals statements word for word unconditionally while ignoring a conservatives statements and facts provided, jumping to a conclusion which can only be found on an extreme left liberal blog's talking points?
2. When presented with indisputable facts on a conservative issue does the news person rationalize coming to a completely opposite conclusion while mumbling Sarah Palin expletives under their breath?

In essence, if a news outlet repeats liberals, while having to re-characterize any conservative statement, even using debunked information to slander the person, their motives and their message..that is called bias.

The good news is that Paul Ryan is bringing a Mega-Phone to conservatives voices and issues and this is causing great consternation on the left. They are now having to defend their inane statements and positions with 'amplified' opposition.

I enjoyed immensely watching Bob Beckel trying to defend the liberals statement on the Ryan plan that he is gutting Medi-Care because he is 'slowing growth' over the next 10 years VS. Obama actually taking $716 Billion dollars from Medi-Care to help fund Obamacare.

Remember in the 1990's when Newt wanted to balance the budget and he slowed the 'growth' of the budget affecting the school lunch program?  The left effectively defined Newt as the 'Gingrinch who stole Christmas' and the batteries were pulled from our Mega-Phone.  It was a blood bath.  They are trying this again with Paul Ryan but Conservatives have a voice on TV, a voice on Radio, the TeaParty and free speech over the internet, which has blown the lid off of the 'Polyester Curtain' that liberals created and have enjoyed effectively until 1998 since the Fox News debut.  It has taken more than a decade but truth is finally getting through to the common person.  Occasionally, networks desperate for improved ratings, actually report the truth and it is a beautiful thing, but it's always too good to be true as the next segment is filled with inaccurate bias against conservatives.

Every network reported extensively on the Chick-Fil-A story and did so for a week or more.  Some even covered the 'appreciation day' with a video clip and a short story.  Impressive.  However on the eve before the protest 'Kiss In', hateful graffiti occurred at three Chick-Fil-A locations and the networks consciously refused to report it.  This is most definitely BIAS.

When my kids were young we would sit around the table for dinner and have silly and lively discussions.  My wife, my two oldest boys and myself were talking incessantly over one another, laughing and even shouting at times, all in fun.  My youngest son rarely talked in general but especially at the dinner table where even if he wanted to he couldn't get a word in edge-wise.  One night, during one such meal, my youngest raised his hand and started yelling, 'I have a word, I have a word, I have a WORD!'  He was rewarded with our undivided attention.

As disappointed as so many conservatives are with a Mitt Romney candidacy, with the addition of Tea Party favorite Paul Ryan I am hearing a new tone and a mantra.. "I Have A Word!"

by David W. Andersen