The world of political spin and propaganda

Meet the Press with David Gregory this morning revealed the practically useless State-influenced political discussion in American media, the bias of the media, the dishonesty of the left and the intellectual weakness of the Republican leaders. It was amazing how the program encapsulated  our sorry situation.

To begin with Carol Browner pontificated on the unprecedented response by the administration to the unprecedented ecological disaster in gulf and suggested that BP may be charged with criminal neglect. Browner parroted the administration's narrative that government response was swift, comprehensive and protective, but what was not discussed was the complicity of regulators. If criminal neglect charges are going to levelled against BP, then let's level the same charges against government and its regulators. Browner defended the moratorium on drilling, and stated that investigations are taking place to determine the impact of the moratorium -- the impact should have been determined before the moratorium and regulators should know the risk involved with other drilling sites, but this wasn't discussed.

Next came John Boehner who was asked why he favors extending the Bush tax cuts when Allan Greenspan says the tax cuts won't pay for themselves. Boehner seemed to be incapable of defending the tax cut extensions and, instead, kept  repeating we need to cut spending and not raise taxes in a recession -- Gregory kept repeating Greenspan's position. Boehner couldn't articulate how keeping business taxes low and even lowering them further coupled with a signal that government is cutting spending and ending the rapid succession of regulatory changes will generate economic growth and grow the tax base. What Boehner should have asked of Greenspan is whether economic expansion or economic contraction generates more government revenue, but Boehner simply repeated his party line without articulating free market principles.

Then, in the roundtable discussion, Gregory berated Republican representative Pence at every turn, while promoting the Vanity Fair author who wrote an article in defense of Obama's policies and blamed everything and everybody for the failure to get more of Obama's policies passed.

The program was wasted with everyone defending partisan positions and no one talking about economic realities or the failure of government interventions in terms which clearly describe the problems.

We need clear and intelligent, nonpartisan voices, but judging from Meet the Press, they aren't being given a hearing.