Hey media villagers! Both sides are not to blame for the less-than-do-nothing 112th Congress

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

The modern-day corporate media villagers are compelled to report "balanced" news; both sides of a story must be reported with equal weight out of "fairness," even when one side argues that the Earth is round and revolves around the Sun, and the other side argues that the Earth is flat and the Sun revolves around the Earth. The facts, and truth, no longer matter in such "fair and balanced reporting."

Such is the case when it comes to the dismal approval rating for the "less-than-do-nothing" 112th Congress. The American Public rightly blames Tea-Publican obstruction for the "less than-do-nothing" 112th Congress, but the corporate media villagers insist that both sides are equally to blame. They are wrong. The public is smarter than the feckless corporate media villagers and their attempt to render the facts and truth meaningless.

Timothy Noah writes at the The New Republic, Poll: It Isn't Both Sides' Fault:

A new poll from the Pew Research Center for the People the Press finds that public dissatisfaction with Congress has reached record levels, with 67 percent saying they want to throw most of the bums out (up from 49 percent in 2006) and 33 percent saying they want to throw their own bum out (up from 28 percent in 2006). Fifty percent say the current Congress has achieved less than other recent Congresses.

But the really interesting finding is that the public does not accept the so-called "objective" message spoon-fed by the corporate media villagers that both sides are equally at fault.

Instead, it (accurately) assigns most of the blame to the Republican party. Forty percent say Republican leaders are more to blame, as against a mere 23 percent who say Democratic leaders are more to blame. A larger proportion blames the GOP than blame both parties (32 percent). And among independents, 38 percent say Republicans are more to blame, against 15 percent who say Democrats are. So much for the hack story line that partisanship and political games-playing is paralyzing Washington. Partisanship and political games-playing by Republicans is paralyzing Washington.

Which party, Pew asked, is more extreme in its positions? Fifty-three percent say Republicans, against 33 percent who finger Democrats. (Only 1 percent says that neither side is more extreme.)

Which side is more willing to work with the other? Fifty-one percent say it's the Democrats, against 25 percent who say Republicans.

Which side can better manage the government? Forty-one percent say the Democrats against 35 percent who say the Republicans.

Which side is more honest and ethical? Forty-five percent say the Democrats, against 28 percent who say the Republicans.

Even Republicans are apparently fed up with Republicans in Congress. A higher proportion of Republicans (70 percent) than Democrats (60 percent) want to throw most of the bums out, even though Republicans have the House majority right now. A slightly higher proportion of Republicans (28 percent) than Democrats (25 percent) want to throw their own bum out. Only 49 percent of Republicans approve of the job the Republican congressional leadership is doing, against 60 percent of Democrats who approve of the job the Democratic congressional leadership is doing.

You can rest assured that the feckless corporate media villagers will continue to report that both sides are to blame for the "less-than-do-nothing" 112th Congress in their quest for "fair and balanced" reporting, in which the facts, and truth, no longer matter.