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Fox News, MSNBC, and Media Bias
Tweet Share on Facebook October 15, 2009 Comment (24)It's not how many positive or negative stories a network does, but the quality of the reporting that matters ["Fox News Less Biased Than CNN, MSNBC in White House Coverage," usnews.com]! If the quality is good, then who cares if there's a disparity in positive/negative stories between certain political leaders?! Fox News does not lead in quality of reporting. Glenn Beck for instance is less of a news spokesperson and more of a "TV personality." The news has always been more about feeding us ideology than facts.
Comment by James of MD
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School Safety and the Suspended 6-Year-Old
Tweet Share on Facebook October 14, 2009 Comment (5)I was appalled beyond belief when I first heard of the punishment this innocent little Cub Scout received for bringing his camp silverware to school ["The Saga of the Suspended 6-Year-Old," usnews.com]. I am encouraged that his punishment was reduced. Please do not let fear make this country into one that is not free, such as communist or socialist nations where people have to hide even their religious beliefs. I am retirement age now and as I look back over the years to my childhood, I realize that this is not the same country I was born in. Let's use compassion and common sense in our schools when dealing with very young, innocent children. Remember, they are the ones who will take over when we are no longer here.
Comment by Carole L. Seneker of MO
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Crossing Party Lines for the Right Reasons
Tweet Share on Facebook October 14, 2009 CommentWhile most in Congress vote along party lines, it's always refreshing to see someone step outside and vote for the overall well-being of the people they serve.
Debra of OK in response to Public Opinion:
How Much Does Snowe's Vote Matter? -
Tweaking the Home Buyer Tax Credit
Tweet Share on Facebook October 13, 2009 Comment (14)I think the first-time home buyer tax credit should be extended, but it has a major flaw that needs to be corrected ["House Votes to Extend First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit for Service Members," usnews.com]. First-time home buyers building homes should be able to use the closing date of the construction loan as their date of purchase. It is unfair that someone could start building a home in May 2009 and not get the credit, but someone can buy a standing home on Nov. 29, 2009, and get the credit. This is particularly surprising when you consider that building a home has much more of a trickle-down effect on the overall economy than buying an already standing home does.
Comment by Jason of NC
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Gay Marches Show a More Serious Side of the Movement
Tweet Share on Facebook October 13, 2009 Comment (1)Organized marches remind the mainstream that the gay subculture is more than just about "crazy" pride parades. There are real goals.
Aleric H. of CA in response to Robert Schlesinger:
Frank's Right: Gay March Is a Waste of Time -
Conflicting Views on Climate Change
Tweet Share on Facebook October 9, 2009 Comment (17)Ever notice how climate change deniers always use the same pseudoscientific arguments ["Scientist: Carbon Dioxide Doesn't Cause Global Warming," usnews.com]? That's why most of them are so easy to refute. The idea that other planets in the solar system are also warming because of some common mechanism, and this means we are not responsible for global warming of Earth, is a crock. The other planets have completely separate issues, and some of them are warming for completely different reasons. There is no solar system-wide mechanism that can explain the warming of Earth.
Comment by Eli of CO
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The Government Always Underestimates Costs
Tweet Share on Facebook October 9, 2009 CommentThe truth is our government is lousy at estimating costs of programs. Take any number they give you and triple it. Then hope you weren't too optimistic.
Bob of IL in response to Public Opinion:
Will the Healthcare Bill Increase Deficit? -
Health Insurance Companies Are Expensive Middle Men
Tweet Share on Facebook October 8, 2009 CommentThe simple truth is that insurers provide no useful service in the distribution of healthcare; all they do is sit in the middle, extract money from the process, and restrict or deny access.
Jim of CO in response to Peter Roff:
Reid's Push for Public Option -
Reassessing "Risky" Foods
Tweet Share on Facebook October 8, 2009 Comment (2)The one tip you don't include is knowing the source of the food you eat [Riskiest Foods: 3 Tips for Protecting Your Family From Illness, usnews.com]. Many of the safety problems are the result of our cheap food production policies which are not good for us or for the environment. Very large production and processing of greens increases the risk for widespread food illness because the washing and processing can cause contamination. Buying locally produced foods in small quantities helps eliminate the risk. Eggs are more likely to have salmonella contamination when the hens are kept in small cages along with thousands of other birds. Again, buy local free range eggs to reduce risk. Better yet, grow some of your own food. Raw tomatoes are safe from the garden!
Comment by Chris of OR
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Divided Over the Healthcare Public Option
Tweet Share on Facebook October 7, 2009 Comment (4)A public option is not the answer to our healthcare problems ["Some Democrats Say Healthcare Public Option Is Not Out," usnews.com]. It makes no sense at all to add another inefficient and massive government bureaucracy to an already bloated healthcare system with a goal of making it more affordable. The reason health costs in other parts of the world are less than ours is because they ration care plain and simple. Rationing is not the evil it is portrayed as by the media. We all ration our income at home by thinking before spending and not buying what provides no benefit. This seems obvious but is not how our health system works. We waste a ridiculous percentage of our health expenditures on needless tests, subsidizing the trial lawyers and other special interests, and on medicines that are a hundred times more expensive than alternatives but are no more effective. We burden our physicians and hospitals with expensive mandates providing no real benefit to patients. As long as we continue to operate our healthcare system irrationally and without regard to costs it will be unaffordable for many. Merely adding a public option to blunder along the same insane course will not change this fact. If the government would simply make sensible changes to our current system we could provide excellent and affordable healthcare for all Americans.
Comment by Jim of NY
