Sunday, April 16, 2006

The Times Picayune Supported the Stelly Plan

It really did, back in Oct. 2002. So did Bobby Jindal for that matter. Even LABI was officially neutral, at the time. So I have to wonder whether the editors at the Picayune have questioned that billion dollars in increased income taxes, that the "contractor" in Forman's attack ad accuses Landrieu of having voted for. Do they really believe that Landrieu , or any other politician, would just vote for a billion dollars in new income taxes. So as I follow the chain of events: T/P supports the Stelly Plan, Landrieu votes for Stelly plan, Times Picayune endorses Forman, Forman runs a misleading attack ad blasting Landrieu for voting for the Stelly Plan. Sounds like a second editorial is in order.

It may seem naive to get so riled up about a politician's wildly exaggerated claims of accomplishment or vague attack ads. Fact is, I wouldn't with any other candidate (maybe Boulet). I'd point out the inaccuracies, but I wouldn't consider it a major issue. The difference is, Forman backers don't see him as a politician; they see him as a miracle worker. Guess he performed the minor miracle of being a demagogue without being a politician.

Interesting quote in the second link above:

State Rep. Steve Scalise, the Metairie Republican running for Congress in the 1st District, is comparing his longstanding opposition to the Stelly plan to frontrunner Bobby Jindal's support for it. Never mind that Jindal's support was as a voter at the polls and not as a lawmaker. Or that Congress has nothing to do with state taxes.


Contrast that with this quote from the same writer:


Some observers see Blanco as siding with oil companies against her supporters in the trial bar, but only a small percentage of trial lawyers are engaged in environmental lawsuits.


He may be the most respected political commentator in the state, but John Maginnis is still a partisan hack.

Comments:
yup...they call it advocacy journalism at the TP. I call it corporate controlled media in my house.

Great point that Ron's backers have elevated him to messiah stature even though he's an inexperienced politician. What this city needs right now more than anything is a VERY GOOD POLITICIAN. Nagin was catapulted to messiah status by the TP as well, because he was a business man and not a politician...we all know where that got us. Had he actually communicated with Kathleen instead of ingoring her, we may not have been in the shape we were.

The next time you hear someone run for a public office on the platform..."I'm not a politician." beware. It's like a plumber selling legal services....or a zoo-keeper whose lived off non-profit funding his whole life deciding he can be the CEO of a bankrupt city.
 
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