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Saturday, June 23, 2007

Ryan Just One Of The Guys

When Rep. Paul Ryan states the obvious, it’s BIG news in Janesville. Front-page headlines in fact.
JG Excerpt: "This bill is a big problem for us," Ryan said of the Janesville GM plant, where 2,600 hourly and 204 salaried workers build Chevrolet Suburbans and Tahoes and GMC Yukon XLs and Yukons.
Got that? Ryan now includes himself as just one of the guys on the GM assembly-line. Memo to Ryan: Go to GM and do a photo-op on the line.

More lately though, he has been getting his name in the same column with some of the most popular democrats in Wisconsin. Last time it was Russ Feingold, this time it’s State Rep. Sheridan. Who will be the next democrat the Gazette ties in with Ryan? I would expect to see Gov. Doyle or Judy Robson somehow tied into a public service or campaign message with Ryan blasted on the Gazette’s frontpages. Or a democrat from Kenosha or Racine.

But this story is a non-event at the moment. As usual, most of these stories are written in reverse to achieve a specific political objective. One of my own little “easy methods” on spotting political propaganda from the MSM is by first reading the entire article. Then, read the opening paragraph or two again and immediately jump to the last two or three paragraphs. If the story seems complete without any holes, it probably is. The stuff in the middle is the journalists and editors “professional artwork” and personal perspective, particularly explanations without quotes. This article is classic in that respect.

These last sentences say it all.
JG Excerpt:
But despite the Senate's vote, a GM spokesman said this morning that the process is far from over. "We will work vigorously to make sure there are responsible fuel economy increases," Greg Martin said.
Nearly everything in the middle is either pro or con with the targeted subject, depending on whatever effect is desired by the publisher. In this case, it is a pro-Ryan story.

The AP did the same in a recent article when several Wisconsin counties achieved much improved air quality readings with Federal EPA pollution guidelines. The article started out by deceptively painting Gov. Doyle’s request to apply for this newly acquired status as an anti-democratic pro-corporate decision, when in fact, the Governor was just doing his job.
JG Excerpt:
Gov. Jim Doyle has asked the federal government to relax air pollution regulations in eight eastern Wisconsin counties, a move that could make life easier for businesses.
Near the end of this article was the "liberal" truth.
JG Excerpt:
He noted the state's request appears to be complete. It includes documentation that shows three years of clean air were due to emission reductions, the state has met all previous Clean Air Act requirements and it has adopted a plan to ensure the air will remain clean after re-designation, he said.
This is not a Doyle request to lower air standards as much as it’s the counties qualifying to return to “normal” status. Unfortunately, soon after this application was filed, large areas of Wisconsin fell into a smog alert. The state's application may be doomed.
JG Excerpt:
Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, the state's largest business group, issued a statement praising the request, saying businesses had earned relief from non-attainment requirements.
The AP spent ink on the WMC in this article but did not publicize an opposing perspective for balance, for instance, the Sierra Club reaction.

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