Rep. Blunt Blames Media For Sputtering Economy
Rep. Blunt Blames Media For Sputtering Economy
54 percent of Americans think the economy is getting worse. And Friday, the Commerce Department reported that “U.S. economic growth slowed during the summer to its lowest growth rate in three years” — 1.6 percent — “amid a slump in the housing sector.”
The conservative response? Blame the media. On Fox News yesterday, Rep. Roy Blunt (R-MO) said “a bigger story is that so much of the media – and I don’t put Fox News in this category – has constantly talked down this economy.” “Believe me, if we were in the mid-90s, Bill Clinton was president,” Blunt said, “I am convinced there would be a totally different national media coverage by most of the media of this economy.”
Watch it:
The economic data points to a slumping economy that is squeezing the poor and the middle class. Wages are stagnating, poverty rates are climbing, family debt is rising, and the housing market is slowing.
Transcript:
But I think a bigger story is that so much of the media – and I don’t put Fox News in this category – has constantly talked down this economy. Believe me, if we were in the mid-90s, Bill Clinton was president, we had the things happening in the economy that are happening today, I am convinced there would be a totally different national media coverage by most of the media of this economy.
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How can this be? All I see on TV when I do watch it are Advertisements!
October 28th, 2006 at 2:34 pmThat damn liberal media had better quit showing commercials they are destroying our economy!!
Blunt is just another criminal ruining America.
October 28th, 2006 at 2:35 pmAs far as the media goes, there has to be a grassroots movement to rescue it from the military industrial complex. The only people who can untangle and dissolve this the choke hold on the media are the American people.
October 28th, 2006 at 2:37 pmBlunt seriously doesn’t know anything about Economics. Never once in Econ 101 did they mention the role the media plays in our economy… Sheesh.
October 28th, 2006 at 2:41 pmThe republican freak show continues. They don’t deserve to be in power because they refuse to accept responsibility for anything.
October 28th, 2006 at 2:41 pmWhy don’t they just say what they mean: “The Devil made me do it.”
October 28th, 2006 at 2:44 pmyea, totally, Mr. Blunt. I havent heard anything in the media about Dow 12,000 lately. Not a word. Oh wait, my bad, thats ALL i’ve been hearing about. Nevermind the Dow is a crappy indicator of the overall economy. If you want better info on the coming US slowdown you have to turn to commie rags like The Economist and The Financial Times.
October 28th, 2006 at 2:45 pmI see few ads for the defense contractors, that which media depends on for profit being ads and circulation, what we do have is many of the MIC in power in congress, and even the presidency, the media is papparazzi for the MIC as well as Hollywood and the political sychophants.
October 28th, 2006 at 2:49 pmIraq’s Leader to US: “I’m not your man.”
October 28th, 2006 at 2:51 pmThe downturn is due to the bursting of the housing bubble and not the media..
October 28th, 2006 at 2:51 pmlol
Why don’t they just say what they mean: “The Devil made me do it and Daryll says that Jesus is still mad at the liberals and democrats”
October 28th, 2006 at 2:55 pmThe liberal media is the excuse the Republicans use whenever they get caught doing bad things. They moan about the liberal media like a bunch of whiney babies instead of actually confronting the charges.
Meanwhile you have the Dixie Chicks not being able to advertise their movie on NBC, and a fictional account of 9/11 that falsifies what Clinton actually did as president on ABC.
Yeah, sure we know all about “the liberal media” you wussies.
We know that when you resort to that label, the charges against you are true.
October 28th, 2006 at 2:57 pmThe poor, put-upon Republicans. Everything good that happens is due to their visionary stewardship of our nation, but they succeed despite the opposition of every other segment of the population. So, naturally, when anything bad happens, it’s just because they couldn’t overcome all the negativity.
Maybe we ought to elect people who can actually accomplish things, and who can win over all those nattering nabobs and convince them to work FOR America.
October 28th, 2006 at 2:57 pmand Daryll says that Jesus is still mad at the liberals and democratsâ€
Comment by Dog_named_Boo — October 28, 2006 @ 2:55 pm
Yes, because that just cares so much weight around here : )
What a character. I really hope he wasn’t serious. But I’m pretty sure he was. We have a few too many of that flavor running around here in the Bible Belt. Most people would be appalled to see how the school secretary has decorated the school office… definitely what you’d call the sytel of ‘neo-jesus’
October 28th, 2006 at 3:00 pmGristmill:
http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2006/10/26/95532/614
October 28th, 2006 at 3:00 pmWell, excuse me, but elementary economics tells us that unrestricted borrowing without asset creation is unsustainable!
So if the House Majority Whip is as thick as a 2×4 and has the economic acumen of a Kansas City steer being led to the abattoir, we should definitely pay attention to what he says on the subject, especially when said pronouncements come on the Fox 24-Hour Feed For Fake News Network…
October 28th, 2006 at 3:02 pmMaybe we ought to elect people who can actually accomplish things, and who can win over all those nattering nabobs and convince them to work FOR America.
Comment by Krank — October 28, 2006 @ 2:57 pm
Elect? We don’t actually elect our politicians anymore.
We are just subjected to a faux election (to keep people from taking advantage to that right-to-bear-arms nuisance in the Constitution), and then we are given our leaders, as brought to you by IBM, CitiGroup, Exxon-Mobile, etc…
October 28th, 2006 at 3:05 pmBlunt is an expert at the GOP strategy: vague accusations without any attempt to address the problems at hand; bury your head in the sand and blame someone else; pretend like there is not a problem while noting that if there is a problem it is Clinton and the media’s fault. Just like Iraq, America’s pending economic crisis isn’t going to go away by ignoring it and giving away more money to people that already have enough.
October 28th, 2006 at 3:06 pmTrue. I get how they turned Jesus into a blood warrior but how he became a guardian of the GOP is simply amazing!
October 28th, 2006 at 3:07 pmHeck if Clinton were President we would never hear the end of the yellowcake forgeries, instead we hear nothing about the uranium forgeries, just like many other frozen scandals. I would sau the “liberal” media is doing a horrible job.
October 28th, 2006 at 3:10 pm…so much of the media – and I don’t put Fox News in this category…
well, agreed on that one…
but, all i ever hear on tv news/talk – which i should say is very little – is how “great” the economy is…
so confusing!
October 28th, 2006 at 3:11 pmI guess that’s why the Chinese are rich but look poor while we are poor but look rich.
October 28th, 2006 at 3:14 pmLet me be BLUNT with you MR.BLUNT….REPUBLICANS have robbed the country BLIND…that includes YOU ..MR. BLUNT.
October 28th, 2006 at 3:18 pmThe FBI Spyware ate my post…
October 28th, 2006 at 3:26 pmIt’s pretty odd how the Republicans blame the media whenever the media reports on how the Republicans have screwed up, such as on Iraq, the economy, etc. It appears that the Republicans will be happy only when the media learns to lie as well as the Republicans do. Unfortunately it does appear that the media is cowering and moving in that direction. So much for Truth.
October 28th, 2006 at 3:30 pmTo those who think the stockmarket looks good right now: Wait and see. The elections are distorting the view, the Reserve is using every trick they have to make it look good, but it isn’t sustainable and even with the usual tricks like not raising the main interest rate it doesn’t look that good. When the public cottons on, this market isn’t going to look too pretty.
October 28th, 2006 at 3:38 pmBut of course the media would be reporting the economy differently under Clinton: we were doing well back then!
Another example of DARVO:
Deflect: the bigger story is…
Attack: the media!
Reverse
October 28th, 2006 at 3:39 pmVictim and
Offender: it’s the media and Clinton’s fault!
Can they get any more ridiculous?
October 28th, 2006 at 3:56 pmIt’s all the media’s fault/ it’s all Clinto’s fault/ it’s all the Democrats’ fault/ it’s NOT the Republican’s fault! They are just victims of that nasty “liberal” press – the “liberal” press that has not challenged Bush&Co, that printed their lies unquestioned, that asks how much more they can to to please King Bush — that “liberal” press!
If all this weren’t so darn serious, I would be ROTL.
republicans: party of the outrageously stupid.
there is really nothing you can say to them: truth, reality, facts don’t matter. Its all about whatever shit they feel like making up at the moment. no one can rationally speak to that. They’re victims even though they control the governemnt and media, they’re right even though facts and reality say otherwise. Their’s is a made-up world. There is absolutely no point in talking to them or responding to them.
October 28th, 2006 at 3:58 pm.
I needed a laugh today and this has to be one of the most ridiculous excuses I’ve ever heard, so thanks Roy, for providing a much needed belly laugh.
It’s nice to know that no matter how bad things get, members of the Republican Party are always there for you; just go to the internet, and voila!
October 28th, 2006 at 4:01 pmWe blame everyone….except…… ourselves!!!!
Thats the spin zone.
message to Daryll…if you’re out there…..come in Daryll.
October 28th, 2006 at 4:08 pmTake a break from the bible (and praying for my soul) and check out the book called. [Jesus is not a Republican - The Religious Right's War on America] You cannot make the world homogenous. With education comes understanding, with understanding comes enlightenment.
This is what fascists (I can’t think of a better word) do. Blame the people who provide information to the public, even if the media is doing a shitty job of it right now. The Party wants to control information. The media serves those with money and power. The Republicans say, “Believe me, I’m telling the truth,” but they tell Americans not to trust each other. It’s a divide and conquer strategy. Turn Americans against themselves while the Party takes power. For the Republicans, the public can’t find out the truth.
October 28th, 2006 at 4:12 pmThe Blunt family are a blight on Missouri and the USA. Only the backward hillbillies of MO would think that the Blunts are more than parasites.
October 28th, 2006 at 4:17 pmAnyone else think that Blount looks like a Romulan?
October 28th, 2006 at 4:53 pmIf the media is in fact running the economy, why have elections for politicians? We obviously don’t need them. Let’s just vote for the news channel or newspaper you want to run the country.
October 28th, 2006 at 4:54 pmBlunt is a idiot along with all the rest of
the corrupt politicians. yeh right, blame
the media, blame the weather, infact blame
all the american people.
did you think just by chance years of setting
up cafta, nafta, & ftaa after lining all your
pockets just by chance may be a factor or
just by chance corrupting healthcare, financial,
& energy, infact probably anyone who sends
their lobbyist is already a crook to take our
hard earned money. take it from the poor/middle cl
and give it to rich white collar criminal
Bulldoze k street fire everyone of those corrupt
October 28th, 2006 at 5:14 pmcriminals, go back to the gold standard and
everything will be fine :)
yeh everything was still fine in the mid 1990’s
until nafta/ftaa took effect. we don’t even
results in the economy for what at least 8 – 10
years later… sounds about right. millions upon
millions of jobs disappeared and still are. thanks
for the cheaper prices on some everyday consumables
and a couple of other superficial items.
NO…. i DO NOT thanks corruption pulling off legal
October 28th, 2006 at 5:22 pmwhite collar crimes and after they see the results
they blame the media . Things have gotten SO BAD
not even GM/Ford can survive nor can anything else
you corrupt crooks. who benefiting… corrupt politiians
+ CEO’s….. Is this what we pay 50% in taxes for
wisest elders to administer a strong ecomomy???
ENOUGH TO MAKE YOU PUKE :(
Is there a reason why all the republicans look like they came from another planet? As if they all suffer from downs syndrome.
October 28th, 2006 at 6:57 pmDear Mr. Blont: Your boy Bush was busy “talking down” the economy way back in the summer of 2000, if you bother to recall…
October 28th, 2006 at 6:59 pmCheers.
That guy is a bag of farking hammers.
October 28th, 2006 at 7:10 pmYour right roy, the msm sucks.
October 28th, 2006 at 7:26 pmAmericans are keenly aware of their own unique financial circumstances, and for many their perception (real or imagined) is that things are not all that great in their economic world. We don’t need the media to tell us this, and in fact they have not reported any dismal numbers. Just the opposite; this is what we hear from the media: stock market is up; oil profits skyhigh; military industrial complex ejoying record profits.
But for the average American prices for most consumer goods are up; healthcare costs are way out of sight; college tuition has gone up by the double percentage; their homes are loosing equity; and people are working longer hours with fewer vacations than ever before. We don’t make anything anymore. And China owns us on the balance sheet.
Americans also are aware that this administration is a spend-happy one and has saddled us with debt that our childrens’ childrens’ children will be paying for. And the surplus that we once ejoyed prior to Bush Co is long gone.
So this is all the media’s fault??? (oh, yeah, not Fox, though). Fox is responsible for all the good things in the economy. Jesus, God, save us from these political morons.
October 28th, 2006 at 7:27 pmBlunt is an extremely stupid person, so either he must be voted out of office on November 7th or forced to resign for being a corrupt dunce!
October 28th, 2006 at 8:01 pmWell said “leftcoast”.
October 28th, 2006 at 8:06 pmAnd on and on it will go until we the people are indentured servants to the likes of dicki and george.
And all keep smiling.
Better vote otherwise!
I think that the media could do a better job.
October 28th, 2006 at 8:15 pmThe market better be good, Americans are handing everything they make over to big business. The Bush Crime Family fleecing of America.
October 28th, 2006 at 8:21 pmThis idea that our children etc will pay for our debt is mistaken.
October 28th, 2006 at 8:29 pmWe will all pay for our debt very soon through HYPERINFLATION.
It is the only way for our government to get out from under ITS DEBT.
It is what the FED has always done so well: inflate. But now, its
inflate or die. Remember, you don’t have to be rich to hedge with
silver, but you better do it soon!
you don’t have to be rich to hedge with silver, but you better do it soon!
Comment by MatCha — October 28, 2006 @ 8:29 pm
please elaborate for investment-challanged folks like me…
October 28th, 2006 at 8:33 pmBlunt. A good description of this incompetent legislator’s wits. The only thing trickling down from the tax cuts given the rich is the piss they are showering the rest of us with.
October 28th, 2006 at 8:43 pmDude, you better get unchallenged fast. Unstupidify
yourself. The politics of the day is a waste of time:
ITS NOT ABOUT POLITICS. ITS ABOUT MONEY.
ALL THIS HE SAID SHE SAID IS JUST TO DISTRACT YOU
FROM THE MAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN, PULLING THE LEVERS
TO MAKE YOU POOR AND THE ELITE RICH. ALWAYS HAS BEEN.
I’m not going to tell you how to vote with your wallet.
And don’t take my word for it anyway.
But check out for example
http://www.financialsense.com
http://www.fmnn.com
http://www.safehaven.com
-MatCha
October 28th, 2006 at 8:47 pmjeez, thanks, i guess…
October 28th, 2006 at 8:52 pmi thought you might say something simple like, “buy silver, and here’s how”… i just wondered what you meant…
but ok…
Even Fox News’ own Gary Kaltbaum says that when the Dow leads, things are not good. The talking point that the Dow is hitting record highs is a typical misleading meme parroted by the corporate media. Only the top 1% of America makes their living in the stock market anyway. And if you dig down into the numbers a little, you will find that the corporations are profiting by reducing costs,(outsourcing) not increasing sales. In fact, most quarterly reports include lowered sales guidance. Fox News. We distort, you buy it.
October 28th, 2006 at 8:57 pmok, matcha… i went to your sites…
thanks, i needed a headache…
that was akin to reading my daughter’s chemistry testbook…
oh, and i didn’t ask for you to tell me how to vote with my wallet… and i sure as hell wouldn’t take a blog stranger’s word or advice without further investigation…
never mind.
October 28th, 2006 at 9:02 pmI can remember when Bush Sr. blamed the media for the poor economy under his watch. “Don’t listen to them. There is no recession. Now go out and spend money.” People didn’t buy it then and they won’t buy it now.
October 28th, 2006 at 9:05 pmRepublicans and corporate media hacks keep holding up the Dow as an indicator of how great the economy supposedly is. The Dow only represents about 20 corporations and has no effect on the average American’s pocket book.
October 28th, 2006 at 9:41 pmIts a big rubber band. The DOW is way up, but the
October 28th, 2006 at 10:02 pmtransports have not confirmed. Look for a big snap
back around Nov 7, when the PPT2 quits its market
intervention.
Well, Rep BLunt managed to kill two birds with one stone.
He blamed the media, and managed to squeeze Clinton’s name into his inane, ignorant sycophantic prattle.
Yeah, it’s Clinton’s fault too. Sure.
October 28th, 2006 at 10:14 pmThere are two economies that for the rich which Bush catered to by giving more the wealth to them through huge tax cuts and no bid contracts.
The other economy is the average guys economy who got hit by greater government service fees, higher cost such as health care, and the Republicans’ egregious deficit spending which mortgages America for as far into the future it may as well be forever.
Bushco has built a permanent plutocracy in the USA. The rich will now rule like Emperors and you who are reading this are now the serfs and peons (appropriatly pronounced pee-ons).
So if you are confused it is understandable. The media generally reports the economy as how the GDP and stock markets are doing. How you are doing has nothing to do with the economy. You do not count in the American economy. You are a nothing. Do you get the picture?
In order to reverse this situation you will need a congress that will take strong action. The most important and first thing that will need to be done is reverse the tax cuts…and impose some extra fees for the rich such as higher estate taxes.
Good luck in getting these things done when you have a system that requires a person to have a million dollar war chest to win an election.
America can change but it will mean that you need to adopt a system more like China’s. Oh dear me, I can hear the uproar of the plutocrats now. They will fight hard and dirty to keep you down so don’t expect a new America will be given to you on a platter. You will need to fight for it.
October 29th, 2006 at 1:42 amWasn’t it just last week Fox was implying that the Bush tax cuts were driving the stock market and the great economy?
October 29th, 2006 at 2:01 amWhat does it say about this country that an elected official, of any party, can (a) spout this kind of nonsense and (b) actually be taken seriously by the news media. This market is in a downturn for several reasons- the biggest being that the largest bubble in the history of mankind is in the process of bursting (residential housing).
No one is reporting the good news on the economy because by and large, there is no good news. Dow 12000 is a purely liquidity driven event and has no backing in the fundamentals. Look for the party to end once Q4 is over and fund managers stop taking wild risks in an effort to show a profit for the year.
October 29th, 2006 at 2:50 amPerhaps the media coverage of the economy during Clinton’s presidency was positive because the economy was actually performing, gasp, positively.
Trickle down economics does not work. It didnt work for Reagan-Bush, it hasnt worked for Bush II, it wont work for the next Big Business candidate to get elected. The Clinton presidency taught us that if we put government money into education (in the 90’s it was Internet technology, today I would argue for biotech and *gasp* stem cell research), it can spur the economy much quicker than giving the boys at the top a tax break.
October 29th, 2006 at 2:56 amEvidently Mr. Blunt doesn’t pay any attention to the GAO – but I guess it’s easier to blame it on the media. President Bush is also touting the economy in a CNN story running today – and I know his advisors had to brief him on the GAO – but as usual, he and his henchmen ignore facts and prefer to spin anything to try and mislead the public:
Americans deserve the truth – and this is another example of Bush and Co. attempting to mislead the public in their never-ending quest to hold-on to power so they can drive us further into debt while enriching themselves…
Have we ever had a President that was this blatantly dishonest, or am I just imagining things? To me, President Bush must believe that the more he lies, the more it will sound like truth – although I believe it’s finally starting to catch-up with him, and the November elections should reflect just how much “we the people” believe in him and his constant distortion of the truth.
October 29th, 2006 at 6:13 amWell, thank god Blunt let everyone know that Clinton was involved with the media’s dim view of the economy. Bush must hate Clinton… Clinton wields so much power without even doing anything and the poor frat boy has to constantly remind us that he knows what is best for us.
October 29th, 2006 at 9:14 amThis is bizarre. HE IS ACTUALLY FAULTING THE MEDIA FOR NOT DISTORTING THE TRUTH?? Note how he excuses faux news. It is not the job of the media to report government propaganda – even though that is exactly what they do with Iraq.
October 29th, 2006 at 11:30 amIck! How old are you? 8? Would you stop wasting bandwidth with your idiotic commentary? You lower the IQ level around here, a great deal. Just accept that you don’t understand anything intellectual that isn’t spelled out for you in the most primary terms, and keep your mass confusion to yourself. Having to read about it in your ironically supercilious tones is not only annoying, but a complete waste of time and space.
October 29th, 2006 at 11:22 amComment by MakesMySkinCrawl — October 29, 2006 @ 11:22 am
well, gee, golly, darn it anyway… bwaaaaa… you hurt my feelings…
in all that space YOU wasted, you could have explained it yourself… that is, if you even know the answers to what i was confused about…
for the record, i am 53, but when it comes to information about numbers and money investment, i could be an 8 year old…
some people are lucky to understand and even enjoy such things… that’s why we have bankers and brokers…
my thing is art, music and flower gardening – got any questions?
asshole.
October 29th, 2006 at 12:38 pm.
Katy,
Sorry to be a further asswhole, but trusting bankers and brokers
is HOW we got into this mess. Its your responsibility as a citizen
of the US to have an education beyond an 8 year olds. You are
53 and there is PLENTY of time for you to remedy that. You just
need an attitude ajustment. I hope the comming collapse wont
be your catalyst.
Sincerely, MatCha
October 29th, 2006 at 12:44 pmanother waste of space…
October 29th, 2006 at 12:46 pmthanks for nothing…
Yep, everyone else is the problem.
October 29th, 2006 at 12:48 pmWhat media,90% is spouting Bush propaganda.If the msm was fair over half these crooks would be in jail.And the other half under investigation.Be sure to go vote Democrate,anything but sleezy Repug-lies.
October 29th, 2006 at 12:51 pmI think it’s more like Katy wanting everyone to think she has………
October 29th, 2006 at 1:49 pmThere’s no question that the MSM has been complicit in supporting Bush’s policies, whether it be Fox News for downright twisting and spinning the truth, or other networks by omitting to report on issues and stories that the public should know about.
There should be legislation passed that a News outlet, whether it be Fox, NBC, CBS, or ABC that actual “news” should be reported in a non-biased manner, however, commentary is exactly that, and each network is entitled to their own take of an individual story, but again, that falls into the commentary category. To misreport actual news events and deceive the public is inherently dishonest and falls under the definition of propaganda – which none of want to hear. But when they actually lie and misrepresent a news item, it seems to me that the public should be allowed to sue for misrepresentation or something along that order.
It has nothing to do with free speech, as they have the right to their opinions – which is commentary. But to purposely omit facts and tell downright lies is misleading – especially to those that believe what they are hearing is the truth. Commentary and news are two separate entities and should be treated as such – and the MSM owes the American people the truth, not a version that suits their own political ideology, which they can do through commentary on any particular story.
Granted, it may be a fine line – but blatant lies are fraud, especially when marketed as news. The part is when they omit items that are vital to make an informed opinion is where you get to the gray area, and I haven’t a clue how to handle that one – but still maintain when an established news organization participates in misreporting the news – it falls under fraud and should be treated as such.
It’s already been established that free speech doesn’t include yelling “fire” in a crowded building, as such behavior could and does cause harm to individuals – and I believe that lying about legitimate news items is also harmful albeit in a much more subtle manner. There should be some sort of mandate for news organizations that they are required by law to report the truth – and any variance from the truth should be clearly labeled as commentary.
If the Food and Drug administration can prosecute a company for false or misleading advertising, why couldn’t the FCC figure out an equally applicable law in regard reporting the news?
October 29th, 2006 at 5:17 pmI’m surprised he didn’t blame it on Clinton’s blowjob.
October 29th, 2006 at 10:23 pmthese guys are such a joke–I thought I had the formula worked out on them and they changed it again. I used to take the Republican statement, subtract 180 degrees, and there was the truth–simple.
October 30th, 2006 at 6:38 amDon’t know where this one is coming from!
[...] Blame the Media. [...]
October 30th, 2006 at 10:28 amTypical Rethug move, blame everyone for your mistakes except yourselves.
October 30th, 2006 at 10:43 am