Comments on: Distorting the Voice of the People (Guest Voice)

By: JSpencer

JSpencer — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 23:34:48 +0000

Good one. I owe you for that. Merci.

By: DLS

DLS — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 21:55:10 +0000

Actually, this, about your speed for quite a while these days, is for levity.

http://www.seattlepi.com/horsey/viewbydate.asp?...

By: JSpencer

JSpencer — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 18:23:44 +0000

DLS, thank you for the moment of levity. Seeing you use the word, “mischaracterize”, brought a smile to my face.

By: DLS

DLS — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 17:48:36 +0000

“The media focus on the 'shouters' does two things.”

It helps those libbies mischaraterize the public and the mainstream opposition to what the Dems have been doing (progressively worse all year), helping with damage control and eking out a “success” with the health care initiative. That it also may be (handy, propagandistic) sensationalism, a staple of info-tainment, is an additional “bonus.”

By: DLS

DLS — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 17:46:19 +0000

Rationality is suppressed in order to get the lib Dem goal achieved. No surprise. Dionne is tardy.

No, it is not limited to health care, though that is the object of particularly elevated tensions now.

By: elrod

elrod — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 14:49:56 +0000

DaGoat is correct. The same thing happened during the Iraq War protests. The media focused on the far-left ANSWER loonies and not the more mainstream concerns. It helped to drive up the profile of ANSWER as a voice of protest – and discredit anti-war opposition, even as polls showed grave doubts about the war.

By: DaGoat

DaGoat — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 14:37:48 +0000

The media focus on the “shouters” does two things. One is it gives the fringe a much larger voice than it deserves. The other is it allows people to portray those who disagree with the health care plan as wild-eyed loonies and discredit legitimate concerns about the plan.

I don't know that this is unique to the health care reform process though. The media will always focus on the loudest and most extreme elements.

By: D. E.Rodriguez

D. E.Rodriguez — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 14:25:12 +0000

“It’s also clear that the anger that got so much attention largely reflects a fringe right-wing view opposed to all sorts of government programs most Americans support. “

Glad to hear that this was the work of a minority–albeit a very vocal and disturbing one. (“disturbing” as in “disrupting.”)

By: JSpencer

JSpencer — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 14:13:21 +0000

No surprise to discover that rational voices are of less interest to the “media” than angry and hysterical ones, and while they are a small minority, a lot of noise from a relatively small number can still drown out the signal, which is why I'll be surprised if we get any significant healthcare reform. It's a simple calculation of quantity vs. quality; we in this country too often are impressed by the latter… to our detriment.

It's unfortunate the democrats continued to be naive about willingness on the part of the republicans to cooperate in good faith on this important issue. More backbone and purpose in pushing for universal coverage probably would have been the way to go. Then when the right fired up their distortion and fear machinery, a mere public option might have been seen as the happy bipartisan compromise.

By: cellulite1

cellulite1 — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 13:14:15 +0000

I don't agree with this article,i think if it come,its really distorting the voice of the

Cellulite