Woah! That's Not What Kurtz Said! (4.00 / 2)

As Glenn points out, this is one rare instance where Kurtz is not being a hack:

Few journalists are the target of as much (justifiable) criticism, here and elsewhere, as CNN's and The Washington Post's Howard Kurtz is. But one must give some credit where it's due. He's one of the very few establishment media figures to cover in any meaningful way what ought to be the "military analyst" scandal, first revealed by the New York Times' David Barstow. Kurtz has written a Post column on it, discussed it on his CNN show last week, and then again this week devoted a segment to the story that included a relatively decent, adversarial interview of former Pentagon spokesman Larry Di Rita.

There are all sorts of valid criticisms one can make about how Kurtz has covered the story. But compared to the rest of the establishment press, which -- despite their being at the center of the scandal -- have clammed up in Kremlin-like fashion and ignored the story almost completely, Kurtz's attempt to cover the story and address its central points is commendable. Today, in his Washington Post chat, he opined as to why the media has largely refused to address the allegations against them:

I don't agree that the MSM cover war and economics poorly but I do think their coverage of this important issue has been pathetic. I covered the controversy stemming from the NYT story on "Reliable Sources" the last two weeks; yesterday I had Don Rumsfeld's former Pentagon spokesman and a retired colonel who was a military analyst for NBC. If there has been any coverage of this on CBS, NBC, ABC, MSNBC or Fox, I've missed it. The story makes the networks look bad, and their response, by and large, has been to ignore it.

Kurtz's specific criticism of the media's behavior regarding this story highlights a broader and even more important point. In general, the establishment media almost completely excludes critiques of their own behavior, and discussions of the role the media plays in bolstering deceitful narratives is missing almost entirely from media-controlled discourse.

You know how bad things are when Howie Kurtz is leading the charge of the good guys.

"You know what they say -- those of us who fail history... doomed to repeat it in summer school." -- Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Season 6, Episode 3

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by: Paul Rosenberg @ Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 13:36:36 PM UTC

race and the death penalty (0.00 / 0)

This article on race and the death penalty claims that not only are those who kill whites more likely to get the death penalty (which is well established and not disputed, apparently), but also blacks killers are more likely to get the death penalty (which is controversial) in Harris County, TX.  Worth noting that the prosecutors do ask for equal percentages of different races to be executed, but the study claims that blacks will face the death penalty for different (less serious) crimes:

Professor Phillips wrote about percentages and not particular cases, but his data suggest that black defendants were overrepresented in cases involving shootings during robberies, while white defendants were more likely to have committed murders during rapes and kidnappings and to have beaten, stabbed or choked their victims.

New Jersey politics at Blue Jersey.

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by: Hopeful in NJ @ Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 13:52:55 PM UTC

Suspending the Gasoline Tax Is Naught But Huge Give-Away To Big Oil (4.00 / 1)

Reducing the tax won't have any effect on the price, cuz the "market" sets the price, not the tax code. So, reducing the tax, while undermining the integrity of the hiway system, will do nothing to lower the price, because the oil companies sell at the price the traffic will bear, and it will bear the price w/the tax. So Big Oil will just ramp up the price, which will increase their profits without helping consumers.

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by: konopelli @ Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 13:56:42 PM UTC

It is just for the summer (0.00 / 0)

And in a single car family would put an extra $20 in their pockets at a time where people are struggling with not only th cost of gas but also the price of food and other goods.

Now in a 2-3-4 car house hold it could add up to $80 a month, maybe more. When money and jobs are tight that is a lot to a lot of 'bitter' people. Obama doesn't think so which is funny. He keps reinforcing his out of touch image. The guys lack of common sense is hilarious.

As for some saying Clinton's windfall-profits tax on oil companies would ship profits to OPEC - How? How would OPEC get into our tax coffers? They can't.

And another thing Clinton has been pushing with this windfall-profits tax is that the money would go to the development of renewable and green sources of energy. Is that a bad thing? Or is it only bad because it's Clinton's proposal? And if that is the case hasn't this Obamarama myopia jumped the shark when people are saying things like windfall-profits taxes and the development of renewable and green sources of energy is not a good thing when it is the opponents proposal and then try to vilify it as a give away to OPEC?

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by: SayItLoud @ Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 14:11:50 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

what are you talking about? (0.00 / 0)

Obama is proposed a windfall profits tax to fund alternative energy.  So his supporters generally do not think it is a bad thing, and your belief that we're too dumb to know what he is proposing marks you as a pretty pathetic troll.  He has defended his plan when asked about the gas tax holiday.

Clinton, of course, is proposing cutting the gas tax this summer (which could happen, with her support) and raising a windfall profits tax this summer (which obviously will not happen with Bush as President.)  Her plan to ensure that the gas tax cut actually reduces gas prices:  Trust the Bush FTC.

 

New Jersey politics at Blue Jersey.

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by: Hopeful in NJ @ Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 14:31:20 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

First of all (0.00 / 0)

I was responding to what Matt wrote.

Secondly isn't it nice of Obama to propose a tax on oil companies when he voted to give them 6 billion in give-aways in the Lobbyist written Bush-Cheney energy bill that he voted for (and Clinton did not)? Actions speak louder...

Thirdly we all know Bush would veto any Dem proposal including cutting the gas tax but it is good to know what a candidate would like to do.

Bottomline Clinton is showing she cares and understands and Obama is saying he has a bigger vision but as always we are not sure what that vision is. All he has said is that 20 or 60 dollars is not enough savings for you Indiana but I don't really have a plan to save you anything this summer. Nice message.

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by: SayItLoud @ Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 14:43:52 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

OPEC giveaway (0.00 / 0)

Lowering cost tends to increase demand - in this case by making longer journeys economically feasible and by reducing the attraction of more fuel-efficient vehicles. This extra demand means extra profits for the oil producers - OPEC - whilst denuding the treasury of money which would help to offset the deficit.

In addition, it's unlikely that prices at the pump would go down 18.4 cents a gallon everywhere - 15 cents, perhaps even 10 cents in a few locales seem probable - and once the tax returns (assuming it ever does) the prices are likely to immediately jump up 20 cents or more.

Also, if you want to help struggling families, give them a $20 rebate. Removing fuel duty helps those with multiple cars and those with less efficient cars, not necessarily those who most need extra money.

Forgotten Countries - a foreign policy-focused blog

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by: Englishlefty @ Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 16:03:20 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

British Perspective (4.00 / 2)

I can't talk with any authority about the cost of gas/petrol at the pump in the US. I can, however, say that the US government charges significantly less tax on petrol than any Western European nation that I know of.

Even when one factors in the vastly increased size of the US relative to the UK, the tax differential is immense. It's probably no coincidence that SUVs are very popular in the US whereas in Britain they're perceived as aberrations and Land Rovers are derisively referred to as "Chelsea tractors".

That's not to say that Britain is pro-environment - it isn't, it's probably the most car-crazy country in the EU and things like the Smart Car and hybrids haven't caught on as much here as elsewhere, at least not yet. Nevertheless, I do think it's a good thing that there ought to be an economic cost to heavily using fuel-inefficient vehicles.

Rather than talking about abolishing fuel duty in the summer, why not promote local tourism, mass transit, cheap long-distance calls (to stay in contact with distant relatives) and bicycling. Cars shouldn't be used when they aren't necessary (and it isn't a good idea to encourage people to settle in gated communities out of town or in the middle of Wyoming).

Some people will be negatively hit by this, but if we want to stop climate change then the First World will have to make some sacrifices. If any groups are too badly hit, consider tax rebates for them, rather than removing consumption taxes. Meantime fuel for heating purposes should be well subsidised in winter, alternative energy needs to be pushed much more strongly and it might be a good idea not to annoy Hugo Chavez just for the sake of it.

Forgotten Countries - a foreign policy-focused blog

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by: Englishlefty @ Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 16:15:03 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

It's only for the summer. (0.00 / 0)

Big oil would need more time to slide in an incremental compensatory price increase without it being so obvious that every consumer advocate in the country would be all over it.  With bi-partisan support for the tax rollback, such a move would be for big oil to shoot themselves in the foot, considering how it could affect the size of any proposed windfall-profits tax.
The tax roll back is only for the summer, and only to soften the shock of the coming increases.  Anyone with a brain knows that China and India's growing demand means that $3.00 gas will soon be only a nostalgic daydream.  Few will be fooled into thinking that it's a sign of an overall stabilization of gas prices.  It's just a temporary respite, so that people on limited incomes can have a little more fun this summer.  The fact that it's proposed as such, and the fact that gas taxes are needed for infrastructure repairs, insures that everybody knows it's just temporary.  There's not a lot of slippery-slope danger here.

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by: peewee45 @ Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 17:46:29 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

... (0.00 / 0)

Sure, Clinton's idea about the gas tax holiday is a disastrous idea and a pathetic pander to Republican anti-tax talking points, but at least she didn't talk about it on Fox News! Now that would be unprogressive.

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by: LittleMac @ Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 14:55:19 PM UTC

Quick Hits ... (0.00 / 0)

tell Chris that Barr .. is Bob Barr .. the former Rep. from Georgia .. he was one of the leaders of the Clinton impeachment nonsense ... how could you forget that?

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by: Calvin Jones and the 13th Apostle @ Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 15:06:36 PM UTC

he's running for Libertarian (0.00 / 0)

Oddly Barr is running for the Libertarian nomination. I certainly wouldn't have called him a libertarian based on his time in the House. In theory his candidacy could reduce McCain's vote in some states where Ron Paul was strong and in Barr's home state of Georgia. In practice, he and Nader will likely have no significant impact on the election.

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by: redwards95 @ Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 15:19:05 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Libertarian (0.00 / 0)

Barr does give some sign of being interested in civil liberties issues that the Republican Party has forgotten about, like domestic surveillance. He joined the ACLU a few years back, and he was supposed to introduce Al Gore at his big Constitution Hall speech last year but wasn't able to because of problems with the video feed.

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by: KCinDC @ Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 15:23:33 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I'm reading the interrogation log for the 20th Hijacker at GTMO (0.00 / 0)

The one leaked by Time Magazine. You can read all 85 pages as a pdf - it's almost literary.  Truly, it's incredible.

http://www.time.com/time/natio...

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by: TValley @ Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 16:38:21 PM UTC