The News Media has provided a disservice when it comes to the Build Back Better bill

[Truthseeker]

Don't care about the Build Back Better Act? Hearing people's personal stories might change that

The news media has concentrated on the political ramifications of this rather than what this bill would actually do for Americans. This exposes how the news media has always concentrated on things that will get attention and get themselves profits rather than benefit people.

There's no category in this forum about the news media, so I put this thread here.

 

[Revoltingest]

The linked article made it sound all positive.
But it never mentioned inflation, which will be
exacerbated by the massive increase in deficit
spending. That has deleterious effects too.

A problem with "Build It Back Better" is presenting
it as an infrastructure bill. But it's also massive
social spending. Not saying that's not worth doing,
but the bait & switch aspect is a PR problem.

 

[PureX]

Don't care about the Build Back Better Act? Hearing people's personal stories might change that

The news media has concentrated on the political ramifications of this rather than what this bill would actually do for Americans. This exposes how the news media has always concentrated on things that will get attention and get themselves profits rather than benefit people.

There's no category in this forum about the news media, so I put this thread here.

Media outlets and networks used to consider their news divisions to be an essential public service. They did not expect to generate a profit from that service. In fact, they understood that it would cost them money, but that it was essential to their public role as purveyors of 'mass media' content. But that all changed by the 1980s when generating maximum profit became the singular goal and obsession of most U.S. business enterprise. And people like Rush Limbaugh proved that a lot of people would tune in to hear any sort of lies and insults against whomever they most feared and loathed. Which was much easier and cheaper to produce than gathering the real news of the day and presenting it. You could basically just make it up. And of course the more people tuned in to hear it, the more money the advertisers would pay for ad time in the middle of it. Especially for ad time in front of an audience of willful ignoramuses. Who better to try and sell your useless crap to?

So it was a union made in Greedsville that has lasted to this day. Phony news outlets drawing in the idiots with manufactured vitriol so their advertisers could sell them lots of useless, idiotic junk.

 

[Twilight Hue]

The linked article made it sound all positive.
But it never mentioned inflation, which will be
exacerbated by the massive increase in deficit
spending. That has deleterious effects too.

A problem with "Build It Back Better" is presenting
it as an infrastructure bill. But it's also massive
social spending. Not saying that's not worth doing,
but the bait & switch aspect is a PR problem.

The wonders of having a fiat economy. I suppose a person can do anything at the national money press willy-nilly.

Bidens solution? Print more money. Smart guy he is for sure. Who cares about the debt ceiling?

 

[Truthseeker]

The linked article made it sound all positive.
But it never mentioned inflation, which will be
exacerbated by the massive increase in deficit
spending. That has deleterious effects too.

A problem with "Build It Back Better" is presenting
it as an infrastructure bill. But it's also massive
social spending. Not saying that's not worth doing,
but the bait & switch aspect is a PR problem.

Whether it is deficit spending needs to be discussed, but not just the politics of the situation. That's the point of the article. You are falling for talking about the politics in part of your remarks. It's not just the media, people are too much into the politics and the media knows that and it sells for them.

 

[Revoltingest]

The wonders of having a fiat economy. I suppose a person can do anything at the national money press willy-nilly.

Bidens solution? Print more money. Smart guy he is for sure. Who cares about the debt ceiling?

Someone will eventually pay.

 

[Truthseeker]

Media outlets and networks used to consider their news divisions to be an essential public service. They did not expect to generate a profit from that service. In fact, they understood that it would cost them money, but that it was essential to their public role as purveyors of 'mass media' content. But that all changed by the 1980s when generating maximum profit became the singular goal and obsession of most U.S. business enterprise. And people like Rush Limbaugh proved that a lot of people would tune in to hear any sort of lies and insults against whomever they most feared and loathed. Which was much easier and cheaper to produce than gathering the real news of the day and presenting it. You could basically just make it up. And of course the more people tuned in to hear it, the more money the advertisers would pay for ad time in the middle of it. Especially for ad time in front of an audience of willful ignoramuses. Who better to try and sell your useless crap to?

So it was a union made in Greedsville that has lasted to this day. Phony news outlets drawing in the idiots with manufactured vitriol so their advertisers could sell them lots of useless, idiotic junk.

It doesn't just go back to the 80's. There have always been publishers trying to get influence or make a buck. Look at William Randolph Hurst. Back in the early 20th century, they had what they called :"yellow journalism". It's not just a problem with conservative outlets, either.

 

[Revoltingest]

Whether it is deficit spending needs to be discussed, but not just the politics of the situation. That's the point of the article. You are falling for talking about the politics in part of your remarks. It's not just the media, people are too much into the politics and the media knows that and it sells for them.

Or are you the one falling for media hyping the positives,
without considering the negative consequences?
I advocate looking at all consequences of a program,
both positive & negative. That's not falling for anything.

 

[Kooky]

The linked article made it sound all positive.
But it never mentioned inflation, which will be
exacerbated by the massive increase in deficit
spending. That has deleterious effects too.

A problem with "Build It Back Better" is presenting
it as an infrastructure bill. But it's also massive
social spending. Not saying that's not worth doing,
but the bait & switch aspect is a PR problem.

Yes, the moneyed classes fear inflation and have no use for social spending, so it comes as no surprise that the bill would generate hostile feedback among those with influence and power.

Maybe they should have included more tax cuts for the wealthy.

 

[Kooky]

The wonders of having a fiat economy. I suppose a person can do anything at the national money press willy-nilly.

Bidens solution? Print more money. Smart guy he is for sure. Who cares about the debt ceiling?

Ah yes, the silver standard, a guarantee of safety. Or was it the gold standard?

They've caused so many crashes I always forget which of the two is supposed to be the "stable" one.

 

[Revoltingest]

Yes, the moneyed classes fear inflation...

I recommend concerning yourself with the plights
of the poor & retired on a fixed income. They
matter too.
How Inflation Eats Away at Your Retirement Income

 

[Truthseeker]

Someone will eventually pay.

From what I understand there are raised taxes on corporations and those with income over $400,000, and there is not much debt left, and it is claimed that better enforcement on paying taxes will take care of the rest. The ignorance on stuff like this stunning to me. It's because people are paying more attention to politics.

 

[Truthseeker]

Or are you the one falling for media hyping the positives,
without considering the negative consequences?
I advocate looking at all consequences of a program,
both positive & negative. That's not falling for anything.

See my other post to you about the deficit. You are ignorant about this debt thing because the media doesn't inform about this stuff.

 

[Kooky]

I recommend concerning yourself with the plights
of the poor & retired on a fixed income. They
matter too.
How Inflation Eats Away at Your Retirement Income

Inflation does not eat away at my retirement income. State pensions here are raised alongside inflation every year.

It only "eats away" at your income if that is based on private savings - i.e. you're not one of the poorest, who generally have no savings to begin with and have to rely on consumer credit to get by.

Inflation generally hurts those who rely on savings and existing assets for their income (i.e. most prominently, the propertied classes), and shrinks the debt of the dispossessed.

 

[Revoltingest]

From what I understand there are raised taxes on corporations and those with income over $400,000, and there is not much debt left, and it is claimed that better enforcement on paying taxes will take care of the rest. The ignorance on stuff like this stunning to me. It's because people are paying more attention to politics.

Experience shows that spending always exceeds
taxation. Without doing any calculations, I'll wager
the effect will continue.
But there's another factor...higher taxes on suppliers
of goods & services will mean higher prices. Again,
I'm not saying it isn't worth doing....but both sides of
the debate should consider both positives & negatives.

 

[Revoltingest]

See my other post to you about the deficit. You are ignorant about this debt thing because the media doesn't inform about this stuff.

Ignorance is my problem, eh.
Such unwarranted confidence hath ye.

Your argument has so far hinged entirely upon
your claim that I'm duped by the media. Yet
you've provided naught but propaganda from
your favored media.
None of that debunks my preference for looking
at all consequences, both good & bad.

 

[Revoltingest]

Inflation does not eat away at my retirement income. State pensions here are raised alongside inflation every year.

That's great for you. But in a thread about an
Ameristanian program in a forum labeled "North
American Politics", the different effects of inflation
in some 3rd world country aren't so relevant.

 

[Kooky]

the effects of inflation in some
3rd world country aren't so relevant.

I beg to differ. This is the North America forum, so even underdeveloped hellholes like the US are relevant here.

 

[Revoltingest]

I beg...

Reminds me of Gogo Yubari...
"You call that begging?"

Anyway, you cited your experience in your country.
Irrelevant here.

 

[sun rise]

The wonders of having a fiat economy. I suppose a person can do anything at the national money press willy-nilly.

Bidens solution? Print more money. Smart guy he is for sure. Who cares about the debt ceiling?

I like the ideas in the bill but think they need to be fully paid for with no accounting gimmicks.

Of course neither right nor left cares about the deficit. The right cuts taxes and increases the deficit. The left spends money and increases the deficit. And anyone who tries to do something about the deficit gets chopped into tiny pieces and skewered by those who benefit from lack of financial sanity.