Establishment Media and Economists Attack Sanders' Agenda

[Ferd Berfel]

http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/34978-the-dominant-media-left-leaning-economists-and-the-illusion-of-consensus

The Dominant Media, "Left-Leaning" Economists and the Illusion of Consensus

In a matter of a few days, The New York Times and a handful of liberal economists, most of them with close ties to the Democratic Party establishment, created an imaginary left-wing consensus against the most transformative Keynesian reforms in Bernie Sanders' economic agenda. Many economists and experts have since attempted to counter this manufactured consensus, but the mainstream media have largely ignored these efforts. As this false narrative turns into conventional wisdom, prospects for much-needed and substantive changes to our economy - universal health care, access to higher education, a dignified standard of living for all - continue to dwindle.

This development shows the power of the propaganda function of the mass media in the United States, which keeps parameters of debate limited on an extremely narrow spectrum. These parameters are largely shaped by the political parties, with the Democratic Party reflecting the liberal end of acceptable discourse in publications like The New York Times - thus far and no further. To go beyond this point will result in one being marginalized, ignored or mocked - treated as if they have taken "off from the planet," as Noam Chomsky once described the phenomenon. Given the narrative the mainstream media have pushed in recent weeks, it appears that proposals like single-payer health care and tuition-free college go well beyond these parameters. This is not all that surprising given the Democratic Party's financial relationship with the pharmaceutical industry and the financial services industry.

Establishment Media and Economists Attack Sanders' Agenda

On February 15, 2016, the Times published an article called, "Left-leaning economists question costs of Sanders' economic plans." The article cited, interviewed or quoted five establishment (if liberal) economists (and one pundit) critiquing, attacking and at times flat-out mocking the "seriousness" and plausibility of Sanders' economic plans for things like single-payer health care and major investments in infrastructure or higher education. The attacks were largely aimed at an analysis calculated by University of Massachusetts economist Gerald Friedman, using what Friedman and others insist is conventional economic modeling. The Times' sources described Sanders' plans and Friedman's conclusions in the following ways: "puppies and rainbows"; "magic flying puppies with winning Lotto tickets tied to their collars"; "fairy tales" and "wishful thinking."

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But then..... facts just don't matter (in the right-wing brain)

The most depressing discovery about the brain, ever
http://www.rawstory.com/2016/02/the-most-depressing-discovery-about-the-brain-ever/#.VtMdRZtVt0c.facebook

(snip)
Nyan and his collaborators have been running experiments trying to answer this terrifying question about American voters: Do facts matter?

The answer, basically, is no. When people are misinformed, giving them facts to correct those errors only makes them cling to their beliefs more tenaciously.

[ghostsinthemachine]

1. I am having an argument over

This very thing right now. "Well they are libruls to me" and all the economist's mumbo jumbo used to make them seem like they know what they are talking about.

[Ferd Berfel]

2. Read the second article I posted on edit.

To the right-wing brain (even the right wing of the democratic party), the facts will never matter. You have to approach them differently.

GOod Luck

[bbgrunt]

3. this is why liberals and progressives keep losing. We think facts and logic

actually matter, but they never convince because emotions rule over facts. The right has been fattened up with emotional hatred/hysteria after listening to the likes of Limbaugh and Faux for so long. Between the emotional appeal and the total void of main stream progressive media, we are headed in a very bad direction.

[Ferd Berfel]

4. True - and its been a problem for a long time

REALITY-BASED Community

Those of us in the REALITY-BASED Community cannot afford to forget THIS:

“….The aide said that guys like me were ‘‘in what we call the reality-based community,” which he defined as people who ”believe that solutions emerge from your judicious study of discernible reality.” I nodded and murmured something about enlightenment principles and empiricism. He cut me off. ”That’s not the way the world really works anymore,” he continued. ”We’re an empire now, and when we act, we create our own reality. And while you’re studying that reality — judiciously, as you will — we’ll act again, creating other new realities, which you can study too, and that’s how things will sort out. We’re history’s actors . . . and you, all of you, will be left to just study what we do.”

Without a Doubt – By RON SUSKIND – – October 17, 2004- pg 6
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9C05EFD8113BF934A25753C1A9629C8B63&pagewanted=1

[bbgrunt]

6. oh yes, I remember that well. I have no idea

how to overcome the cerebral tendencies on the left. Liberals/progressives who show passion (like Ed Schultz or Michael Moore etc.) are not only criticized by the right, but also by a large contingent of the left who never miss an opportunity to sneer at them.

[ghostsinthemachine]

5. You ain't gonna learn what you don't want to know

"I don't need to read that when I already know it is a crock" ...

[jwirr]

7. We lose because of fear and hate propaganda. One thing

Bernie is good at is addressing those fears and hatred in a very similar manner as FDR did in his fireside chats. calmly, clearly and with common language that talks straight to the people.