It would be a mistake if readers inferred that I spend an inordinate part of each week staring incredulously at television screens, as my comments last week, and my remarks here about the quality of economic reporting, might indicate. I don’t watch television often or lengthily, but it is true that apart from classic movies and some history and nature programs, I am usually more or less horrified at what I find when I do watch it.
There are serious and competent people, such as Peggy Noonan, who claim to take some comfort in the quality of American television, and they almost certainly have greater exposure to it than I do. But among my more dispiriting experiences is when I embark on a complete surfing of the hundreds of accessible television channels. The inane talk shows, mouthy and platitudinous commentators, news programs that convey only pap about health, food, and social work, corny sitcoms, mindless violence, ham acting so implausible that drama verges on slapstick, punctuated by screamed interruptions of advertising — it is all a worrisome comment on the state of public taste. And, contrary to widespread belief, it is not markedly better in other countries, though British historical programming is usually very good, and Canadian television news is superior to America’s.
This is of a piece with American television’s usual standards of explanatory journalism. I watched almost gape-mouthed at what CNN represented as an analysis of high gasoline prices this week. The implications for the president’s popularity were laboriously explained, and it was asserted that the fact that Pres. George W. Bush’s popularity declined as gas prices did actually confirmed that voters reward incumbent presidents for lower gas prices. But at no point in this exposition did the fact that the U.S. federal government has run up deficits of $3.5 trillion in the last two years, in a country that had a money supply of a little over $1 trillion at the start of this fiscal orgy, rate a mention as an explanation of why commodity prices are rising. (This is a 32 percent increase in the deficit — 27 times the historic level of federal-deficit increases in the entire history of the country before the onset of the Obama economic miracle.) We cut to Speaker John Boehner, who said a surtax on the income of oil companies would be considered.
The day before, I had seen an experienced interviewer on the same network ask the secretary of transportation about skyrocketing gasoline prices, and receive the halcyon assurance that “all hands are on deck” to deal with it. No CNN person in these different segments asked or said anything about the implicit theory that the world’s petroleum- and commodity-exporting countries were to sit as mute as cigar-store Indians while the value of the dollar was eroded as a matter of policy, to prevent deflation. Inflation will prevent deflation, but is not a lesser evil. A very large number of observers outside the U.S., and a great many economically literate Americans, think that the Treasury and the Federal Reserve have engaged in madly excessive money-supply increases through federal spending, and that traditional inflation from too much money chasing too few goods is inevitable.
In the 27 months of the Obama administration, there have been spectacular rises in the prices of gasoline ($1.83 per gallon to almost $4), oil ($41 per barrel to over $90), gold ($853 per ounce to $1,500), corn ($3.56 per bushel to $6.33), and sugar ($13.37 per pound to $35.39). The real median household income has declined by $300, to under $50,000; the number of food-stamp recipients has increased from 32 million to 43 million; the number of people officially in poverty has increased by 10 percent, to 44 million (more people than the whole populations of Poland or Spain); the ranks of the long-term unemployed have increased from 2.6 million to 6.4 million; and the U.S.’s position in the rankings of economic freedom of the world’s countries has declined from fifth to ninth. I have admitted that my canvass of television news and comment is sketchy, but I have seen almost no reference to any of these problems except the prices of oil, gold, and gas. Read More at National Review by Conrad Black, National Review
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And neither does our Oprah-guest-in-chief.
The Main Stream Media provides nothing but cover for The Messiah Obama whom is destroying this country with he economic programs.
Come to think about it, neither does ellen as she already stated that she only responds to
birther articles.
But hey, looks like she is still at the circus barking.
Lol! Good one Gary! James McPherson only uses his Bott Ellen when he feels it to be a necessity to try & add credibility to himself which we all know he has none.
It is so simple!
We have plenty of money!
We can print all that we need!
The Sun will rise tomorrow & the wind will blow & Obama will part the oceans for all of us!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUazd8DqcNk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUazd8DqcNk
I better type something this time (sometimes the comment seems to get deleted if
I only post a link). Just a note for anybody else that has posted only links and then
notice it gets deleted, hit enter once or twice (for spacing) and type something else in.
Media: Let me explain to you you exactly what a "fundamental transformation" of government actually means to the "Marxists and/or our "women" who elected this Marxist(Anti-Christ by definition) takeover of u.s.(Israel by the seed of Joseph): First, there must occur a "planned" economic collapse and a "villian" to blame, which in this case will be "rich(?)" white men, and holocaust them! This will bring the two-witnesses written about in the Bible in the Book of Revelation, who will severely punish u.s. for 3 1/2 years duration and only 144,000((12,000 from each tribe of Israel, excluding the tribe of Dan(Irish)) will survive! Our 6,000 years is about over and our "women"(remember the story of Eve) and the devil have not got much time left to destroy the promise given Joseph and his seed! No? Tell me again in the "fall" of 2012! Watch!
Victor you reference to Women electing Obama constantly on this site! Women were not the only ones to vote for Obama! Get your facts straight before commenting about women in the future!
2008 Election Statistics
Males for Obama 49% for McCain 48%
Females for Obama 56% for McCain 43%
Blacks 95% for Obama!
Latinos 66% for Obama!
Asian 61% for Obama!
Therefore Victor we must blame not only Women but Men as well in addition to Blacks, Latinos & Asians for electing Obama!
So victor cut out this blaming women because you are just plain wrong!
Good point and good stats, Alexia–you even forced me to give you a thumbs up! Sorry if that bugs you having me agree with you.
Hay Hay ACLU Teachers-Azz Thumbs Down Chump James BS McPhersonnn What About Union School Teachers All Voted For Dumbocare, Yikeess, God Bless America.
At least you're consistently incoherent, clueless and irrelevant, Carl, even when I'm supporting your "sister."
James give Carol a break!
I personally like her & am very much so entertained by most of her post.
"I personally like her & am very much so entertained"
No surprise. So?
James i can handle it! But i agree that it is kind of eerie!
forgot the otherwise brilliant Jews who also got duped, but now realize it.
And nothing against anybody Jewish here, I almost voted for him as well, but just
noticed way to many contradictions and playing on both sides of the fence during
his camapign.
campaign (before the associate prof. spots it).