Thursday, April 14, 2011

Media Matters Daily Summary 04-14-11

Media Chronically Wrong On Social Security And The Deficit
The national debate on the future of Social Security is surrounded by falsehoods and misconceptions regarding the program's finances and its relationship to the federal budget -- misconceptions that are repeatedly reinforced by major media outlets. In fact, as it's currently constructed, Social Security cannot add to the deficit in the long run, does not present a major threat to America's fiscal future, and is backed by some of the safest financial assets in the world. Read More

Right-Wing Media Whine That Obama Accurately Blamed Deficit Problems On Bush-Era Policies
Responding to President Obama's budget speech, right-wing media have complained that Obama "blame[d] Bush" for the nation's deficit problems. In fact, Obama is right: Experts agree that President Bush's policies, along with the economic downturn, are largely to blame for the growing deficit. Read More

Fox & Friends Still Pushing Myth That Tax Cuts For Rich Create Jobs
Following President Obama's speech on deficit reduction, Fox & Friends revived the myth that lowering the tax rate for the wealthy creates jobs. In fact, reducing taxes for the wealthy is consistently rated as one of, if not the, least effective policies for creating jobs or stimulating the economy. Read More

Adams Smears DOJ's Hussain For Defense Of Terror Suspects
New Black Panthers fabulist J. Christian Adams attacked Department of Justice attorney Varda Hussain for previously defending terror suspects and suggested she was one of the purported "activist lawyers" hired by the Obama DOJ. But Hussain is one of several attorneys hired during the Bush administration who previously represented Guantanamo Bay detainees, and several Bush administration officials have criticized attacks against lawyers who represented terror suspects as "inappropriate" and "wrong." Read More

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