JG editorial:
(Titled: Why Walker was named Governor of the Year)
As 2011 ended, United Wisconsin was closing in on the signatures needed to trigger a recall of Gov. Scott Walker. No doubt, it mattered little to his critics and the union-led recall drive that Walker was named Governor of the Year.
The editor insinuates that because so few bothered to recognize this award, there must be something more to it and he was going to do something about it by gum, yes he was. But not to expose the disinformation of the Governors Journal and its empty award for the cheap trick GOP "crisis publishing" gimmick that it is - but to expound upon and defend it's distortions, cover-ups and false equivalencies in order to save Walker's failed career.
JG editorial:
(Titled: Why Walker was named Governor of the Year)
Note, however, how the Governors Journal concluded its story: "Even if Walker is removed from office, he still wins the debate. Any setback will be temporary. Pensions reforms are a reality."
The editor then concludes, "Consider that if you're still contemplating whether to sign the petition."
This "Walker wins either way" frame of reasoning is the hottest form of false equivalency rhetoric being used by Republicans and their media enablers to deflate their opponent's enthusiasm and momentum, and to soften the contrast between party platforms and candidates. Another recent example of this false equivalency was written by AP writer, Ricardo Alonso-Zalvidar.
In that article, Alonso-Zalvidar attempts to soften comparisons of Rep. Paul Ryan's brutal privatization proposals on Medicare and Social Security to alternatives offered by democrats that merely make running adjustments to keep the programs solvent. The message is if you would only dial down the partisan rhetoric, the competing proposals and their sponsors are surprisingly similar. So, according to Alonso-Zalvidar, the future of Medicare is the same no matter who wins the White House. Believe me - it's not the same - not at all. It's like night and day.
The Governors' Journal tries to pull the same stunt several different times in their editorial, including the claim that the difference between Scott Walker and many Democratic governors is only a matter of degrees. No question, the GOP party and their well-funded supporters and media enablers know their top candidates and policies are ghoulishly brutal. They are in full crisis DefCon 5 media mode with heavily fortified articles and slapped-up Website gimmicks constructed intentionally to neutralize those stark contrasts.
It's sort of like saying, "it really doesn't matter who is elected because they're all the same, but always vote Republican."
Subscribers and ad buyers to the Janesville Gazette really need to start asking themselves some serious questions about the newspaper's intentions, agenda, journalistic integrity and value to the community. I can understand supporters of the right-wing, GOP and Walker supporting the newspaper, but if you're a paycheck earner who strives for a good government fair market democracy based on the highest morals and Wisconsin values of trust, compassion and compromise - you're trading your hard-earned money with an entity that is out to defeat you through deception.
Editorial not available on Web. Editor's brief blog entry on Governor's Journal here.
1 comment:
As a political tactic, this is called marginalizing your opposition. Hey, we're not really that different! Our two sides can compromise! And your side should do all the compromising, because, hey, we're not that different! Except when it comes to compromising!
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