FIRST THE MEDIA
Here’s an interesting poll/survey from the Morning Consult/The Hollywood Reporter that was released on how the public perceives media credibility. Now, I have been clear in this blog that the media is the problem.
Well, the survey found that only half of those asked (51%) viewed television news outlets and newspapers as at least “somewhat” credible. This was down from 61% in 2017. Remember “at least” somewhat credible.
Then, only 13% pay attention to newspapers and only about one in four regularly watch TV news media.
Pretty damning right? To you and me, the answer is yes.
Now to show you how the media viewed this, look at the headline for the story:
U.S. Media’s Credibility Rating Stabilizes After Years of Decline Talk about “fake news!”
How is a 10% point decline in trust a “stabilized” rating? A 10% decline in anything is a problem.
The reporters then tried to blame the public’s mistrust on guess who? Yes, Trump. However, the latest decline happened AFTER Trump left office.
So you and I know the media’s trust just continues to decline. They are the only ones who don’t realize it. They are reading their own headlines while their reputations plummet.
IT’S NOT REVENUE, IT’S SPENDING
Another area we’ve harped on here is the budget deficit and how spending is the problem, not revenue. Here’s a chart that will back that position. Notice the blue revenue line. Up close to 19%. Yet the deficit has grown to almost $29 trillion. Why? Well, just look at the red spending line.
With the government nothing ever goes away, we just add on. We have a spending problem and the administration is trying to add trillions more.
Imagine a fair press reporting the facts instead of supporting the spending. Do you think public sentiment might be different?
DO YOU KNOW THIS IS BEING PROPOSED TOO?
The administration is proposing that the child tax credit be moved from a credit to a direct cash payment to families, permanently. They are proposing all eligible middle and working-class families receive a payment of $300 per month for children under the age of 6 and up to $250 a month for each child above the age of 6.
The Treasury and IRS said that the increased CTC payments would be made on the 15th of each month, through direct deposit, paper checks, or debit cards.
You might say, oh they want to do this temporarily. You could say that, except, this story in the Washington Times:
Top congressional Democrats are pressing their campaign to make permanent the child tax credit, advancing another front in the party’s quest to expand the welfare state as they essentially dared Republicans to try to roll back the new benefits. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other top Democrats began the offensive immediately after the Treasury Department announced Monday that the first round of payments from a one-year extension in the $1.9 trillion relief package will go out starting in July. “We must make this lifeline permanent,” said Speaker Pelosi.
“Now that nearly 90% of our nation’s children will benefit from this critical lifeline, we must make this change permanent,” said Rep. Neal, (Ma). “Millions of families are counting on us, and the Ways and Means Committee stands ready to make it happen.” Mr. Neal and Ms. DeLauro of Connecticut are among the key congressional Democrats who have been lobbying for a permanent extension to the expanded child credit. The temporary COVID19 relief package increased the typical $2,000-per-child credit to $3,000 — and $3,600 for children under age 6.
Proving once again any temporary government program becomes a permanent one.
THEN CONSIDER THIS
Here’s another survey released that asked people who they trust. Can you believe people trust their employer, business and non government organizations more than they do the government?
Guess who they trust less than the government?
Yup, the media. But don’t worry, they stabilized!
IS THE TIDE STARTING TO TURN?
The reporter for the NYT who wrote the 1619 Project story and kicked this whole controversy off just got some news yesterday.
The University of North Carolina’s board of trustees has offered a five-year teaching contract instead of tenure to journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones, lead author of The 1619 Project, overturning a recommendation by the school’s faculty to grant her a permanent post.The decision came after conservative pushback against the university over Ms. Hannah-Jones’ role in the controversial New York Times project that redefines U.S. history through slavery’s impact on the nation.
CUOMO IN THE NEWS
According to reports there is a second investigation underway of Governor Cuomo. Federal investigators are now examining whether New York state officials gave priority access to Covid-19 testing to some of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s close associates and his brother during the early days of the coronavirus pandemic. The review of the testing marks an expansion of the probe that the investigators, based in the U.S. attorney’s office for the Eastern District of New York, opened in February to look at how the Cuomo administration handled Covid-19 in nursing homes.
Then last night CNN announced that one of their anchors, Chris Cuomo, had acted as an advisor to the Governor on how to handle the sexual charges. That didn’t go over well for journalistic ethics and the station and anchor said it would cease.
Not much coverage of course, but then again they are left leaning Democrats so why should there be.
Oh yea, I saw a report that was based upon the number of books he sold, and the payment he got ($5M) he earned a $100 per book. Since they are not selling in the bargain department for under $5, someone lost a lot of money here. Don’t worry, though, because the publisher won’t print Senator Hawley’s book (#15 this week) and no one’s memoirs from the Trump administration. They are worried about backlash and maybe losing money!