Media Matters - Economic Issues

Media Matters - Economic Issues http://mediamatters.org/tools/syndication/tag_rss/economic_issues This link is for use by RSS-enabled software to retrieve Media Matters items matching the term: Economic Issues en-US Copyright 2009, Media Matters for America Portfolio's Cooper quoted strategist discussing Employee Free Choice Act without IDing him as spokesperson for group opposing the bill http://mediamatters.org/items/200901080001 In a column about the "coming war" over the Employee Free Choice Act, Portfolio's Matthew Cooper wrote that "[p]olitical veteran Mark McKinnon, a former media adviser to George W. Bush, says he's 'never seen business this fired up.' " But Cooper did not identify McKinnon as a spokesperson for the Workforce Fairness Institute, an organization opposing the legislation. http://mediamatters.org/items/200901080001 Thu, 8 Jan 2009 08:42:40 EST Fox's Smith falsely suggested Obama stimulus plan will "cut taxes on people who don't pay taxes" http://mediamatters.org/items/200901070012 Fox News' Shepard Smith falsely suggested that a $500 individual tax credit, reportedly included in President-elect Barack Obama's proposed economic recovery plan, would benefit people who don't currently pay taxes, asking, "I know we don't know the details yet, but $300 billion in tax cuts -- how do you cut taxes on people who don't pay taxes?" In fact, all American workers are required to pay taxes on their wages for Social Security and Medicare under the Federal Insurance Contributions Act. http://mediamatters.org/items/200901070012 Wed, 7 Jan 2009 15:34:15 EST The Hill asserted some "surprise[d]" "liberals" did not resist Obama's "sudden turn to tax cuts," ignored his campaign pledge to cut taxes http://mediamatters.org/items/200901060010 In an article about President-elect Barack Obama's meetings with members of Congress to discuss a stimulus package, The Hill's Mike Soraghan asserted, "To the surprise of some, congressional liberals offered up little initial resistance to the sudden turn to tax cuts." But in referring to Obama's purported "sudden turn to tax cuts," Soraghan ignored Obama's promise of tax cuts during the campaign, nor did Soraghan quote or name one person expressing "surprise" that "congressional liberals" would support tax cuts as part of a stimulus plan. http://mediamatters.org/items/200901060010 Tue, 6 Jan 2009 13:38:43 EST Cunningham on the poor: "They're poor because they lack values, ethics, and morals" http://mediamatters.org/items/200901050010 Echoing his previous attacks on the poor, radio host Bill Cunningham claimed that "poor people were not and are not poor because they lack money. They're poor because they lack values, ethics, and morals." http://mediamatters.org/items/200901050010 Mon, 5 Jan 2009 15:03:53 EST IBD cited 1930s America, 1990s Japan as evidence that stimulus spending doesn't work, but economists disagree on both counts http://mediamatters.org/items/200901050007 In criticizing a large-scale economic stimulus plan favored by President-elect Barack Obama and congressional Democrats, an Investor's Business Daily editorial echoed other media by citing the New Deal and Japan's "lost decade" as purported evidence that stimulus spending is "the least effective way to give the economy a boost." However, according to prominent economists, economic conditions in 1930s America and 1990s Japan were improving following major increases in stimulus spending -- trends that were reversed only when the respective governments decided to cut spending and raise taxes in an attempt to reduce the deficit. http://mediamatters.org/items/200901050007 Mon, 5 Jan 2009 12:39:47 EST Wash. Times echoed opponents' distortion of EFCA in asserting it would "eliminat[e] the secret ballot" http://mediamatters.org/items/200901050004 The Washington Times reported that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid "back a card-check bill that would allow unionization of a workplace if the majority of employees sign union cards, eliminating the secret ballot that workers cast to decide whether to allow a union." In fact, the Employee Free Choice Act does not eliminate employees' rights to a secret ballot; as The New York Times reported, "Business groups have attacked the legislation because it would take away employers' right to insist on holding a secret-ballot election to determine whether workers favored unionization." http://mediamatters.org/items/200901050004 Mon, 5 Jan 2009 11:40:41 EST Consistent with Fox pattern, Chris Wallace used terminology favored by Employee Free Choice Act opponents http://mediamatters.org/items/200901040003 Consistent with a pattern on Fox News, Chris Wallace used a term echoed by opponents of the Employee Free Choice Act when he identified the EFCA as "union card check." Wallace later acknowledged that he was using the terminology of one side of the debate on the bill. http://mediamatters.org/items/200901040003 Sun, 4 Jan 2009 19:58:11 EST Fortune's Easton misrepresented debate over Employee Free Choice Act http://mediamatters.org/items/200812230011 Fortune magazine Washington editor Nina Easton asserted: "The union-backed Employee Free Choice Act eliminates secret ballots, and declares the union the winner if a majority of employees openly sign a petition." In fact, the EFCA does not eliminate employees' rights to a secret ballot; as The New York Times reported, "Business groups have attacked the legislation because it would take away employers' right to insist on holding a secret-ballot election to determine whether workers favored unionization" [emphasis added]. http://mediamatters.org/items/200812230011 Tue, 23 Dec 2008 19:58:30 EST On Fox, Barnes, Krauthammer echoed conservative claim that CRA played key role in subprime crisis http://mediamatters.org/items/200812230007 On Special Report, Fred Barnes and Charles Krauthammer echoed other conservatives in claiming that the Community Reinvestment Act and efforts to expand affordable housing are at least in part to blame for the home foreclosure crisis. But as experts have noted, the CRA does not govern the vast majority of subprime lenders. http://mediamatters.org/items/200812230007 Tue, 23 Dec 2008 14:47:17 EST Media cite Japan's "lost decade" to criticize Obama's economic stimulus plan, but economists disagree http://mediamatters.org/items/200812220005 Numerous media figures have cited Japanese fiscal policy during the "lost decade" of the 1990s to criticize President-elect Barack Obama's plan to undertake a large-scale stimulus program. These media figures ignore evidence that, according to prominent economists, economic conditions were improving in Japan before the Japanese government temporarily abandoned stimulus spending in an attempt to reduce the deficit. http://mediamatters.org/items/200812220005 Mon, 22 Dec 2008 12:03:11 EST Dobbs on economic conditions: "Anyone paying attention is concerned and worried, but are you scared? Are you afraid? No. That's un-American." http://mediamatters.org/items/200812180010 On his radio show, Lou Dobbs played an audio clip of an interview in which Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, while discussing the global economy and the Canadian economy, was asked, "Are you scared?"* When Harper replied, "I'm very worried about the Canadian economy," Lou Dobbs said: "Well, you know, we're all concerned. We're all worried. Anyone paying attention is concerned and worried, but are you scared? Are you afraid? No. That's un-American." http://mediamatters.org/items/200812180010 Thu, 18 Dec 2008 15:47:26 EST MSNBC, Wash. Times echo GOP accusation that UAW killed bailout http://mediamatters.org/items/200812120011 On-screen text at MSNBC and a Washington Times article and headline echoed the Republican accusation that the United Auto Workers union killed the $14 billion bailout for General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler. In fact, Senate Republicans refused to support legislation endorsed by the White House, a majority of members of the House and Senate, and the UAW. http://mediamatters.org/items/200812120011 Fri, 12 Dec 2008 17:07:40 EST Media advance GOP talking point that UAW killed the auto bailout bill http://mediamatters.org/items/200812120006 Media echoed the Republican accusation that the United Auto Workers union killed the $14 billion bailout for GM, Ford, and Chrysler. But The New York Times stated that it was Senate Republicans who "refused to support a bill endorsed by the White House and Congressional Democrats." http://mediamatters.org/items/200812120006 Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:21:37 EST Faced with economic turmoil, media conservatives turn to class warfare http://mediamatters.org/items/200812100005 Even though the crises facing the financial and automotive industries were born primarily of the actions (or inaction) of those in positions of power in private industry and in government, many conservative media figures have assigned blame to specific groups of less wealthy or less influential people -- the poor, minorities, undocumented immigrants, and union members, among others -- disregarding the facts that belie such assignments of blame. http://mediamatters.org/items/200812100005 Wed, 10 Dec 2008 11:19:32 EST Hannity falsely claimed that under Bush, "We created 10 million new jobs" http://mediamatters.org/items/200812090014 On Hannity & Colmes, Sean Hannity stated that under President George W. Bush, "We created 10 million new jobs, lower unemployment than in the last four decades' average." In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the United States has gained 2,866,000 net private-sector jobs between 2001, when Bush took office, and the first quarter of 2008. http://mediamatters.org/items/200812090014 Tue, 9 Dec 2008 17:56:25 EST