Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Who Needs Fox News (or Republicans)?

Who needs Fox News when we've got CBS?  On two recent major stories their false reports parrot GOP Rabid Right line.

First they made a big deal out of a GOP wet dream story on Benghazi  that they have since had to retract.  At first it seemed they may just have been suckered, but the prim non-denial denial by 60 Minutes correspondent Lara Logan seemed suspicious to some, as does she.

Today CBS topped this by rushing to air a story about the healthcare.gov website management apparently based on nothing more than a leak by GOPer congressional staff.  The accusation in the story is false, as was established in open hearings.

There is currently a feeding frenzy over Obamacare, enabled by sensationalist media to the delight of GOPers.  The problems with healthcare.gov are now mythic, though by the way the site seems to be working pretty well now.  Which given the standards of most corporate as well as government interactive websites is a high standard.  The early problems with implementation mirror the early problems with Social Security, Medicare, the Massachusetts Romneycare and Bush's Medicare Part D.  If anybody cares.

Now there's excessive noise over people not able to keep substandard plans or who are getting a percentage jump in their premiums, though their benefits are substantially better and the actual amounts are neglible, especially considering the usual rate of healthcare inflation.  And happy to join in the frenzy are a number of Democrats proposing "common sense" fixes that also happen to undermine the market reforms at the heart of Obamacare's longterm beneficial effects.  This includes one of our own senators, Feinstein of CA, which happens to be a state where the rollout has been smooth and effective, due mostly to early adoption of the state exchange.

I wholly endorse Josh Marshall's view on this. This is a big and fateful gut check for Democrats.  The Rabid Right Republicans in Congress are a scary and probably crazy bunch, but their fervor gives them fortitude in their insanity.  Democrats need a little rational fortitude.  Without it, the madness of King Republicans rules.    

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