Posts Tagged Voinovich
Republicans Lie and News Media Spread It
Posted by Roldo Bartimole in Media, Politicians on February 4, 2010
February 4, 2010… The Audacity of No.
The Republican Party has put the country into serious financial jeopardy. Now they blame others.
Two Republican wars, two Republican tax cuts mostly to the wealth and a Republican prescription drug benefiting drug companies – and NONE paid for by the party that now sees disaster in deficits.
What gall.
Of course, one of the leaders of the dire need to deal with the deficit is our own Sen. George Voinovich. His image burnished by The Plain Dealer and Steve Koff recently as so, so concerned about our profligate spending.
In a paean of praise, Koff recently credited Voinovich, who ends his career this year, with going out by working to “force Washington to deal with the national debt that could doom the nation’s shaky finances…”
Where have Voinovich and Koff been for eight years?
The problem we all are in now has to do with the news media, the mainstream media’s biases. It’s utter failure to be honest about the predicament we are in and who caused it.
They are treating the dire problems the nation faces dishonestly.
The treatment of President Barack Obama and the Democrats in reporting the situation the nation now finds itself lacks the proper context that could make truthful. So it is a lie.
The news media’s failure is very similar to the way the news media treated Sen. Joe McCarthy by “reporting” his lies. Reporting and waiting for others to define his ravings. The major newspapers failed miserably by reporting lies as “news” in their supposed objective manner. He said it, didn’t he? That’s what we are reporting. That’s news judgment?
It wasn’t until after vast human damage was done that a few people spoke out or were allowed to counter his ravings. It took a major media figure as Edward R. Murrow to strike the blow to reveal the truth of Sen. McCarthy. We couldn’t expect that of a Tom Brokaw. Courage may be his subject but it isn’t his talent.
Now I read the newspapers, including the New York Times, for some honesty. But I don’t find it.
This is the reason 49 Republicans are a “majority” in the U. S. Senate. They have 49 Senators and a sad-sack news media. Unwilling to present the truth in full frontal view. Too timid for unvarnished truth.
Republicans are making a mockery of governing by simply saying “No” to everything of any importance. It’s a strategy right out of Rove. It should be headline stuff.
The message is clear. The aim is even clearer. They want to destroy the Obama administration. Stop it before it starts. No matter the cost to the nation. No matter the cost to ordinary people. Those suffering the most.
There’s an old ditty I like to tell in these instances:
Why will people never say the things all people know?
Why must truth be smiled upon as if it were not so?
Ask your daily newspaper and national TV news.
Plain Dealer Gives Voinovich Cover on Health Bill
Posted by Roldo Bartimole in Media, Politicians on December 24, 2009
December 24, 2009… You may have noticed that The Plain Dealer gave cover to its favorite Senator, George Voinovich, on the health care bill. Of course, Voinovich – who has spent more than 40 years on a government health plan – voted NO on a bill that could help more than 1.3 million Ohioans.
No pressure from the PD, however, to care about the 1.3 million. Voinovich remained with his Republican NO Party on this bill. He played obstructionist with his 38 other buddies.
More than 1.3 million Ohioans have no health insurance. George Voinovich always has health insurance. We pay for his family’s care. We have for 40 plus years as he went from public office to public office. Never had to worry about getting sick.
The PD story allowed Voinovich to play the “responsible” politician as usual, reporting about his concern for jobs. Not about his lack of concern for the 1.3 million. The story is here:
http://www.cleveland.com/open/index.ssf/2009/12/tax_in_health_care_bill_could.html
But what could you expect from someone who called President Barack Obama a “Socialist.” Talk about absurd.
The story on Page One the other day noted Voinovich’s complaint that the health bill would hurt one of his favorite corporations, Invacare. And, of course, his favorite corporate leaders – Mal Mixon, Invacare’s boss. Mixon is a leading corporate official here.
The costs, they both said, would force Mixon and Invacare to ship Ohio jobs to China and Mexico. This from a guy and a company that makes much of its money from Medicare, Medicaid and the Veteran’s Administration for its medical devices and products. In other words from American taxpayers.
Of course, Mixon and Invacare are helpful to Voinovich. He’s their favorite. In 2008 Mixon gave Voinovich $4,700 and Invacare’s political action committee added $3,500. His wife, Barbara, gave Voinovich $6,000. It wasn’t an election year for Voinovich and he isn’t running again in 2011. But money is always nice to have.
Mixon also co-hosted a fund-raising party for Voinovich in 2007 with attendees paying $1,000 to $2,300 for the opportunity to be with Voinovich. Guess most readers couldn’t afford it. Wonder who could?
Mixon is also generous to well-placed Democrats. In total, he made $78,500 in donations in 2008. When so much business comes from the government and its regulations can you blame him? The investment comes back in piles and piles.
Mixon, of course, laid it on about the job losses he’d have to make for the PD article. Neither Mixon nor Voinovich mentioned the 1.3 million people (and growing) without health care. Figures on the Ohioans without health care here:
http://www.online-health-insurance.com/coverage-by-region/ohio-health-guide-page-18.php
You can always bet that Voinovich will get the benefit of any doubt in the Plain Dealer. Always has. Always will.
Luckiest politician I’ve ever observed.